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April Update

Hi, guys!

Soooo things were kind of wild this past month. My grandmother passed away from ovarian cancer earlier in March. She was good health before and was on the younger side (she was seventy-one), but unfortunately, the doctors did not discover the cancer until it had metastasized extensively. The whole ordeal – from diagnosis to her passing – occurred over the course of about two months. My family and I had been hoping that chemotherapy would buy her some time, but that effort was ultimately unsuccessful. I will miss her every day until I see her again.

Ovarian cancer is no joke. Ladies, trans men, anybody with ovaries: Please keep tabs on this aspect of your health! Mayo Clinic has some basic information on ovarian cancer here. If you are transgender or gender-nonconforming, you might find this page from the National LGBT Cancer Network to be helpful. Planned Parenthood also has a series of pages about ovarian cancer causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Go ahead and check them out, even if you think you aren’t at risk for developing ovarian cancer. (Obligatory disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, nor am I an affiliate of any of the above organizations. Always consult a medical professional for medical advice. They kind of specialize in that.)

Needless to say, my family took precedence over my blog, and my schoolwork became a bit backlogged. I had a whole slew of reviews lined up, but I only managed to get around to one. With finals coming up at the end of April, my schedule will be a bit packed. What I’m planning to do is move most of my planned March reviews to April and release at least three reviews this coming month. I’m hoping to squeeze an extra one in today, and if time permits in this next month, I’ll publish additional reviews. Here are my lists:

Priorities

  • Aurora Burning. I’ve already started on this review, so keep an eye out for it in the next few days.
  • A Court of Silver Flames. It’s a pretty good read so far (I’ve been a Nessian shipper forever), but I do have a couple of complaints. I’ll apprise you of my likes and dislikes soon.
  • Firekeeper’s Daughter. I’m about one-third of the way through, and can I just say that this book has absolutely exceeded the hype it’s received?

Tentative Additional Content

  • Rhythm of War. At last, I’ve conquered this beast!
  • Sightwitch. This one is next on my To Read List.
  • Dead in the Water. I just finished listening to this one. Chances are that this review will be posted within the week, simply because it’s a relatively simple work to review.

Thank you again for visiting my blog. Happy reading, and please look after yourselves!

-Jamie

March Update: What to Look Forward To

Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for stopping by. I’m in my last two months of school, so things are pretty busy. Still, I’ve made time for books – I kind of need to in order to retain my sanity. Here’s what’s coming up on The Book Hawk.

Main Priorities

  • Aurora Rising: I’m just about done with it, so I should post the review later this week. Even though the beginning was rough, my decision to stick with the book has proven wise.
  • A Court of Silver Flames: Those of us who’ve read the A Court of Thorns and Roses series have spent the better part of the last four years eagerly anticipating this book. I’ve come to realize that I prefer Sarah J. Maas’s earlier (read: less super smutty) works to her newer stuff, but that doesn’t mean I’m not expecting a good story!
  • Sightwitch: Witchlands is one of my very favorite series, but I’ve yet to actually read Sightwitch. In preparation for the upcoming release of Witchshadow, I’m going to finally crack open Sightwitch – and then reread the other books!
  • Rhythm of War: Reviewing this one might be a challenge simply because of the sheer volume of material involved, but I’m up for it. I’ve been reading it slowly so I can prolong my enjoyment, since the next installment won’t be available until 2023 or something. If you haven’t read The Stormlight Archive yet, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Brandon Sanderson is a master.

Tentative Additional Content

If I have time this month, I’ll post some of this stuff. If not, I’ll push it into April.

  • Aurora Burning: Despite my initial doubts about its predecessor, I’ve decided I’m enjoying the series enough to continue on.
  • Dawnshard: What can I say? I’m on a Brando Sando binge.
  • Fractured Stars: I have no idea what this is. I bought it months ago and can’t recall what it’s about.
  • Firekeeper’s Daughter: The only reason this one is on this list and not the “Main Priorities” one is because I just discovered its existence last night. I’m eagerly anticipating its mid-March release, partially because the debut author, Angeline Boulley, is a member of the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians from my own state of Michigan!

If you have suggestions for me, feel free to share in the comments! Thanks again for visiting The Book Hawk.

Checking In…

Hey, guys! Thanks for stopping by. Here’s a quick update.

Finals week is a bitch, and prepping for it has been a lot of work. I had three papers/projects due last week alone! But this blog has helped me get those things done. You, my readers, have helped me get those things done.

No, really.

Let me explain. Feeling confident in my writing is something I’ve struggled with for a long time – and so much so that it’s crippled me in school over the years. One of my motives for starting this blog was increasing my confidence about writing and publishing something. Apparently, my plan worked. I was able to turn in all three things and feel okay about them, even though I was in a time crunch. Damn, that felt like a monumental accomplishment. Thank you for your support, guys.

As far as what’s coming up, here’s what you can expect. My summer semester begins immediately next week, but that also means exams will be done this Friday! By then, I hope to have a review of The Living God posted. Next week, I want to have a review of Wild Sun posted. Also in my queue are The Phantom Forest, Re-Bisoning the West, and The Rise of Wolf 8. I don’t want to do two non-fiction book reviews in a row, so I’ll probably find something a little less attached to reality to pad the space between. 🙂

Until next time,

Jamie

Welcome to the Book Hawk!

Hello!

Hi, everybody! My name is Jamie, and I’m a new college grad with a passion for reading. On the Book Hawk, you’ll find book reviews, recommendations, and updates on my latest reads.

Originally, I began this blog as a way to tackle my anxiety about writing. By channeling my love of reading into writing about books and then publishing my thoughts online, I thought I might overcome the fear of turning in my work. Since then, the Book Hawk has evolved into a project for its own sake – for my love of books! If you’re a bibliophile like me, you’ve found your place here.

Enjoy my reviews? Buy Me a Coffee! Thank you for visiting!

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About Me

  • Favorite genres: fantasy, sci-fi, young adult, and nonfiction
  • Favorite series: Harry Potter, Grishaverse, The Witchlands, The Stormlight Archive, Throne of Glass, The Lunar Chronicles
  • Favorite book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
  • Book that I was surprised that I was surprised to enjoy: Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane. This was actually required reading in my senior year of high school. In retrospect, I’m glad it was because it helped me develop a deeper appreciation for books about struggles with racism and socioeconomic inequality.
  • Book(s) that I’m ashamed to admit I read voluntarily: The entire Twilight Saga, A Court of Silver Flames
  • Favorite TV shows: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Merlin (BBC), The Dragon Prince, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, The Good Place, Game of Thrones (minus the second half of Season Eight), Supernatural, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Longmire (seriously, please watch this show)
  • Favorite podcasts: My Favorite Murder, The Daily (New York Times), The Rachel Maddow Show, The Bob Cesca Show
  • Hogwarts house: Ravenclaw through and through!
  • Favorite animals: I love animals in general, but if I had pick favorites I’d choose cats (great and small), wolves, otters, and birds.
  • I play the flute (my preciousssss).
  • Favorite music genres: hard rock, metal, alternative, and jazz
  • Favorite movies: The Harry Potter film series of course, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Hidden Figures, Shrek, and James Cameron’s Avatar

Disclaimers

  • I do not own the book covers (obviously).
  • When I share a link to a vendor, I’m not getting any compensation from that vendor. These links are for your convenience.
  • If I’m reviewing a free book, I will disclose whom I obtained the book from.

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

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