Last Week Squees + Marvel-a-Thon Update (Week 2)

My running has picked up, meaning the time I spend awake after work has gone down. My reading suffered this week! But it was still an enjoyable week.

Last Week Squees

The First Squee, an Unexpected Binge

Last Saturday, while I was writing this post, I started listening to a book I had gotten in from a library hold, called Savage Prince by Meghan March. I cringed A LOT at the title, but don’t worry, I’ll address that in my full review later this summer. I LISTENED TO THE WHOLE BOOK ON SATURDAY. It was bananas, but I was into it. And today! The second book just came in for me off a hold! So I’ll be binging that tomorrow, probably. #sorrynotsorry

The First Scorn, the Blandest of Them All

This is probably both a reflection of the amazing books I’ve been listening to on audio and my unwillingness to believe that New Adult books have to contain bad writing, but I was so disappointed in the next book I listened to on audio – #Nerd by Cambria Hebert. It was bland, and parts of it were super offensive, and the writing was just… bad. I am a self-proclaimed nerd, and I hated the way the heroine was portrayed. Nerd is not equal to mousy, boring person. ANYWAY. I didn’t like this one. And since this is a review blog, when I review it, you’ll be able to see why!

The Second Squee, from Queen Zoraida

As part of the Finishing the Series Challenge, I wanted to make sure I got to the rest of the On The Verge books, by queen Zoraida Córdova. I did a reread on audio of the first book in the series, Luck on the Line, a couple of weeks ago. This week, I’ve been listening to Love on the Ledge, the second book in the series, and it’s so so good. A slower burn than the first, but not in a bad way. The characters I loved the most are back, the characters I hated the most haven’t had a lot of on-the-page time, and I’ve been loving it. I’ll finish it today, so I’m including it in the books I’ve read this week!

---

A Marvel-a-Thon Update – Week 2!

I’m almost halfway through Marvel-a-thon, and I’m STRUGGLING. Remember last week, when I said it would be no problem to finish Phase One this week? HA. I’ve hardly had the energy to read! And I’ve surprised myself by struggling greatly with The Star-Touched Queen. It’s very… slow. Boring, almost. The writing is gorgeous, but I’m not sure I’m the right audience for this book. I’ve got a pretty free day today, so I’m going to make an effort to finish it up so I can move on to the final book in Phase One and start diving into Phase Two! Here’s an update (and another updated TBR):

Phase One: In Progress

• Iron Man Challenge: Completed
  • Savage Prince by Meghan March
• The Hulk Challenge: Completed
  • I’m Not Missing by Carrie Fountain
• Iron Man 2 Challenge: Skip
  • Smothered by Autumn Chiklis
    • I DNFed the book, so I’m counting it as a skip
• Thor Challenge: In Progress
  • The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
• Captain America: The First Avenger Challenge: Not Started
  • Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
• The Avengers Challenge: Completed
  • #Nerd by Cambria Hebert

Phase Two: Not Started

• Iron Man 3 Challenge: Not Started
  • Me and Me by Alice Kuipers
• Thor: The Dark World Challenge: Not Started
  • Whiskey When We’re Dry by John Larison
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier Challenge: Not Started
  • Iron Princess by Meghan March
• Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1 Challenge: Not Started
  • The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• The Avengers: Age of Ultron Challenge: Not Started
  • Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• Ant-Man Challenge: Not Started
  • The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heilig

Phase Three: Not Started

• Captain America: Civil War Challenge: Not Started
  • Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson
• Doctor Strange Challenge: Not Started
  • Get Well Soon by Jennifer Wright
• Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 Challenge: Not Started
  • To See the Sun by Kelly Jensen
• Spider-Man: Homecoming Challenge: Not Started
  • See All the Stars by Kit Frick
• Thor: Ragnarok Challenge: Not Started
  • The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
• The Avengers: Infinity War Challenge: Not Started
  • Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi
• Black Panther Challenge: Not Started
  • Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
• Captain Marvel Challenge: Not Started
  • Butterface by Avery Flynn
• Avengers 4 Challenge: Not Started
  • Arrowheart by Rebecca Sky

---

Stats:

• Phases Completed: 0
• Challenges Completed: 3
• Challenges in Progress: 1
• Skips Used: 1

I’m still really enjoying this, I’m just frustrated with myself that I keep sleeping rather than reading! Like, who needs to sleep so much? Me, I guess. *laugh crying, because I’m tired*

I mentioned that I’ve been running a lot and it’s been messing with my reading – if you want to follow my running blog to get the scoop on that, it’s over at Long Run Amanda.

---

Upcoming Reads

I’m about halfway done with The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi, and then I have Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein waiting in the wings. I’m also probably going to listen to the third On the Verge book while I’m waiting to finish up Phase One. Once I break into Phase Two, though, I’ve got Iron Princess, the second book in the Savage (UGH WHY IS IT CALLED THAT) trilogy by Meghan March, waiting on my Libby app from the library. So that will be the first Phase Two Challenge I dive into, undoubtedly! If I have any prayer of getting close to finishing this readathon, I need to pick it up this weekend!

So yeah, I have some reading to do!

---

What does your upcoming week in books look like?

Happy reading!