Heyyy, we’ve made it through the first three months of 2021, so it’s time to go over what I’ve been reading! I went deep into a couple series this quarter, so if you’re not into those series, I don’t have much to share with you. Sorry, not sorry.
Quick note: I don’t do balanced reviews. This is just about whether I liked it and why you might, too. Cool? Cool.
Wheel of Time Series, Books 8-14 (by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson)
I talked about the first half of the series in my last Reading Roundup, so this is just a continuation of it. I had always thought that I didn’t like fantasy (jury’s still out on why), but as it turns out, the right kind of fantasy will catch me and not let go.
Ask any fantasy fan, and you’ll learn that this is one of the essential fantasy series (up there with LOTR), and I can see why. The middle of the series gets into what people call “The Slog” because there’s a LOT that the author has to set up before the Big Finale. But I didn’t hate it as much as I thought I might (I still love Perrin, despite his…one-note-ness). In fact, I read books 8-11 (the bulk of The Slog) in about three weeks. Books 12-14 were intended to be one big book, but that would have been a 3,000-page book. I’m glad they broke it up, but I read it as one big book, in about 6 days. It’s also important to note that Robert Jordan passed away before he could write the final three books, but he hand-picked Brandon Sanderson to finish his series. There was a noticeable shift in writing style, but the series still ended marvelously.
Did I Like It?
I read 7, 800+-page books in a month. Yeah, I’d say I liked it. I’ve heard about people having trouble with the female characters in this series. And honestly, at the beginning, I was a bit wary. I noticed some annoying tropes about women that were being played out and I thought I’d be annoyed by the whole series. But hot DAMN does it play out well. By the end, it’s clear that what looked like tropes were actually cultural misunderstandings that prove how well-thought-out the world is. I’m still amazed by it.
So if you’re looking to get lost in an epic adventure where you love the main characters but also wanna slap them sometimes because they’re not perfect (thank goodness), this series is for you. Take your time or gobble it like popcorn. Your choice.
Oh, and read the Final Battle chapter all in one sitting. Make sure you have some comfort food. You’ll probably cry.
The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing (by Mel Lindauer, Michael LeBoeuf, and Taylor Larimore)
I reviewed this book extensively here. But this is a quick primer in investing. It starts with a quick primer of essential investing terms. Then, it outlines a simple, stable investing strategy for low-touch, long-term growth. Finally, it discusses other financially-related topics like investing and estate planning, just to be thorough. I read it because it’s highly recommended on the financial independence forum r/financialindependence.
Did I Like It?
Yup! So much so that I bought it to have as a reference book. Admittedly, this was my first book about investing that I’ve read. As I read more, my assessment of this book might shift. But for now, I’d say this covers about all you need to get started with investing and to feel knowledgeable and in-control.
Axiom’s End (by Lindsay Ellis)
I picked this book up because the author is a favorite YouTuber. She posts literary and film criticism (and has one of the best discussions of the Cats movie that I’ve ever seen).
This book is an alien invasion sci-fi that takes place in late 2007. The main character’s estranged father is a kind of Edward Snowden/Elon Musk mashup with a huge cultlike following. I don’t want to share much more because the discovery of the story is the fun of it.
Did I Like It?
Sure did! It was fun and a pretty quick read. If you like Earth-based sci fi, this would be a great bet for you. If you liked the movie Arrival, I bet you would like it (I haven’t seen it, but I make this recommendation based on what I know of the movie). Also, if you like Lindsay Ellis, reading this book is a great way to support her.
Howl’s Moving Castle (by Diana Wynne Jones)
Have you seen this movie? Well, the book starts about the same, but it’s a simpler tale. It’s about the eldest of three daughters in a fantasy land. She’s convinced nothing will ever come of her (because nothing ever comes of a first daughter), but adventure finds her anyway.
For the record, Miyazaki used the bones of the book, but he wanted to incorporate an anti-war message, so the tail end of the book is totally different.
Did I Like It?
Oh, yes. Read it in a day and a half. It’s such a sweet, fun world that Jones has created. There are two more books in the series, and I’m excited to get my hands on them. If you need a quick escape from ~gestures vaguely at everything~, this is a great world to escape into.
Anne of Green Gables, Books 1-7 (by L. M. Montgomery)
I mentioned in my post about Berlin in March that I got really obsessed with this series last month. Most people are at least aware of the first book, but not everybody knows it’s a series. If you don’t know, Anne of Green Gables follows a former orphan, Anne Shirley, through her life on Prince Edward Island in the late 1800s and early 1900s. She is wildly imaginative and a little absent-minded, so she gets into some hijinks. But she is also warm-hearted and deeply loyal, so she makes many close friendships. It’s endearing and sweet, simple and idyllic.
Did I Like It?
I read this series when I was 10 and Anne was evermore my favorite fictional character. This is the first time I’ve read all the books since then. I have a friend who read them with me when we were in 5th grade and she still holds it against me because she thought they were boring. But I enjoyed revisiting it because the characters’ lives are so simple. In this day and age, I find myself overwhelmed with the sheer number of possibilities for my life. I found comfort in reading about someone who could feel deeply fulfilled with her life and also spend significant amounts of time letting her imagination wander. How many of us allow ourselves that kind of pleasure?
Anyway, it’s a kids series. If you’ve read it and hated it, don’t tell me. It might change how I feel about you.
So that’s what I’ve read over the past three months! With COVID keeping me inside, I had to allow my brain to wander, and getting absorbed in series was how I did it. But now I’m ready to pick up some faster stories. Let me know if you have recommendations!
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