June 2021 Update

Hello again, and thanks for visiting!

Sooo last month I’d planned to post more often, but my final paper got in the way. The good news: That paper is out of the way now.

And the even better news:

I FINISHED MY DEGREE. I’M GRADUATING!

I’m both excited and anxious to begin my searches for jobs and remote master’s programs, but honestly, after the last year of school, one thing I’ve been very much anticipating is reading whatever the fuck I want. I’ve been doing just that, and you will be hearing about those books here on this blog.

Blog Announcements

As I announced in last month’s update, I am planning to renovate this blog – give it a little facelift. Now that I have more time on my hands, those renovations are getting underway. Again, you will see some changes on the Book Hawk, but bear with me while I straighten everything out.

For books that I thoroughly enjoy and therefore want more people to read, I’ve been trying to keep my reviews light on spoilers. Limiting spoilers, however, can curtail the material that I can discuss; it leaves me feeling constrained. Hence, I’ve settled on a compromise: For select books, I will post two versions of my review – one light on spoilers and one loaded with them. That way, you, my reader, can take your pick of how much you want divulged about a book, and I can cover the topics that I think need to be addressed. Please note that I will be incorporating the spoiler-light review into the spoiler review. (I’m not going to write a whole new review for the same book.)

Upcoming Reviews

Priority Content

Rule of Wolves (spoiler-light version): I promised you guys this one last month.
Libertie: I just finished the audiobook.
The Burning Blue: This nonfiction account of the Challenger disaster of 1986 was my first physical ARC won from a Goodreads giveaway.
Truthwitch: In preparation for the release of the next book in one of my favorite series ever, I am rereading Truthwitch, Windwitch, and Bloodwitch.

Tentative Additional Content (or The Stuff I’ll Get To If I Have the Time)

Rule of Wolves (spoiler version): I already have this review in the works.
A Climate for Death: I really wanted to love this Great Lakes-based thriller/mystery, but I can’t say I’m terribly impressed.
Windwitch and Bloodwitch: Whether or not these are reviewed this month will depend on how fast I read.
The Lost Apothecary: C’mon. I finished this two months ago.

And now, without further ado, I present to you my review of Rule of Wolves.

May 2021 Update: Announcements!

Hello, everybody! Thanks for visiting! Now let’s get down to business.

Upcoming Reviews

I know I’ve been very bad about adhering to my plans for the month, in part because of school and in part because I am an incorrigible procrastinator. Now that things are winding down with school though, I’m hoping to establish a more regular schedule for posting. My goal is a minimum of three review posts per month with an interim period of seven to ten days between each post. Should I have time, I’ll post additional reviews. Here are the book reviews to look forward to this month.

Priorities

Firekeeper’s Daughter (Angeline Boulley): I’ve had this one on my review list for weeks now, but I’ve been taking my time with it because this book deserves a thoughtful review. This will be the next review I post. I promise.
Rule of Wolves (Leigh Bardugo): This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and unlike A Court of Silver Flames, I am far from disappointed in this book. If you haven’t read any of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse books yet, please do so now. Her novels will change your life for the better. Plus, as amazing as Netflix’s Shadow and Bone is, the books are better. They almost always are.
Sightwitch (Susan Dennard): Susan Dennard is another one of my favorite authors – the Witchlands series is so phenomenally good – and Witchshadow will release next month! (I’d like to reread the rest of the Witchlands books after I finish Sightwitch, just to refresh my memory.)

Tentative Bonus Content

Rhythm of War (Brandon Sanderson): It’s daunting to contemplate the task of reviewing a twelve hundred-page book, but I’m going to do it soon.
One Life (Megan Rapinoe): This beautiful memoir helped me get through finals month.
The Lost Apothecary (Sarah Penner): I kept spotting this one on Goodreads and decided to give it a try. If nothing else, I at least wanted to know what everybody was talking about.

Website Makeover!

This blog was born of two driving factors: my love of reading and my lack of confidence in writing. It began as an exercise of attaching something I was passionate about to something that sometimes induces a cumbersome amount of anxiety in me. Eventually, I really came to enjoy writing for my blog for its own sake. As I’ve written more reviews, gotten more followers (thank you!), and become more serious about blogging, I have decided that I will give my site a facelift! Over the next couple of months, I’m going to invest in a custom domain and a logo, reorganize my website so that it’s a little more user-friendly, and do some minor housekeeping (e.g., fixing broken links or media, adding links, etc.). Please bear with me as I renovate!

Thank you again for stopping by. I am very excited about expanding The Book Hawk. Stay safe, everyone!

-Jamie

P.S. If you are eligible for the COVID vaccine in your country, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist and make a plan to get it! I was administered my first dose of the Moderna vaccine last month; I’ll receive my second dose next week.

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.

Reminder: US Census

While I discuss politics within the context of book reviews on this blog, I don’t usually dedicate posts solely to political matters. Here, though, I’m going to make an exception.

The pandemic has not made the monumental effort of counting everyone in the US easier, to say the least. In April, the Washington Post reported that the Census Bureau under the Trump administration requested a four-month extension regarding delivery of count data to the president’s desk, as well as a lengthening of the data collection period from mid-August to the end of October. A little more than a week ago, however, reports emerged that the Census Bureau was backpedaling; now they plan to end the count on September 30th.

If you live in the United States and haven’t filled out the census yet, please do so! You can complete the census by phone, by mail, or online. It’s vital that everyone gets counted so that our congressional districts can be appropriately drawn and funds and resources can be sufficiently allocated.

If you or someone in your household has already completed the census form, you can still help. Use social media to share reminders to complete the census, and remind your friends personally. Also, the HEROES Act contains provisions for extending deadlines of census tabulation and reporting. It passed the US House almost three months ago, and yet the Senate is still dithering over it. Contact your senators and urge them to pass the HEROES Act to help ensure that every person is counted.

I’m Back!

Helllllloooooo!

Wow, it’s been three months since I last posted a review. Things have been super busy for me: two summer classes, vacation, a root canal, job hunting, and flute rehearsals are just some of the events that have kept me so occupied. Also, one of the reviews I’m working on is on a particularly weighty topic, and I want to make certain that tackle that task from the right angle. And finally, I will admit that a close friend of mine encouraged me to read The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, and I decided I needed to read something not necessarily to review it, but just to enjoy myself. Unfortunately (but also fortunately), TWoK is 1,258 pages long, so you can imagine what an undertaking that is.

I have a review ready to be posted today. Here are other reviews to keep an eye out for in the next couple of weeks:

Silver Fire (The Kaerling, Book One) by Freya Pickard. Ms. Pickard actually contacted me awhile back and asked me to review her work, which was quite flattering. I’m ashamed that it’s taken me this long to complete that review, but I promise, I’ve been working on it. Expect my review next week.
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson.
The Women’s War by Jenna Glass.

Thank you all for reading – whether you’re perusing my reviews or a book from your local library.

-Jamie

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

Coming Up…

Hey guys!

Things have been pretty busy for me lately since finals are next month, but I still find time to read. Here are the books I’ve been working on:

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia (already on the shelves!)
As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice from Colonization to Standing Rock by Dina Gilio-Whitaker (on sale 2 April 2019)
Shadow Frost by Coco Ma (on sale 24 September 2019)

I plan to write reviews for all of three. Hopefully I’ll have the first review posted by the end of the week, so keep your eyes peeled!

Thank you for visiting the Book Hawk!

~Jamie