Tag: Updates

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.