 Hillary from Book Born has chosen for me. She's woke up and chose violence. To be friends with me is to be coerced into reading first law. Who is this supposed to be? For all our feminist rants. So my march is not entirely in my control. This month, I will be reading partly books that I picked very few. Partly books that are my obligation books, books that are like buddy reads, et cetera. But the thing you're all here for, I assume, is to see what. Hillary from Book Born has chosen for me. She and I are doing a TBR swap. She doesn't film TBR videos. So I don't think you're gonna know what I picked for her until we talk about it at the end of the month. So she'll be coming on my channel to talk about the books that I picked for her. And then I'll be going on her channel to talk about the books that she picked for me. So I thought, you know, I put them at the top of the stack. I figured that's what you're here for. So we'll do those first. And then if you care to see what else I will be attempting to cram in as well, then we'll get to those as well. But even though I opened these, I kept the wrapping because she wrote on each one, kind of like lined it with a book, what her reasons were for picking it. So I didn't want to forget when I went into reading it myself, and I also didn't want to forget and like I wanted to be able to tell you what her reasons were. So let me put this stack down. Okay, so we each picked four books for each other. There was no, there were no parameters beyond like the person couldn't have read it before and ideally didn't own it because you know, we're giving each other four books each. And so beyond that, it was just kind of like, you know, be courteous. Don't pick something that, you know, this person is going to like violently object to. So I guess we just trusted each other and we'll see if that was wise. So she picked four books for me. Again, as I picked four for her. And yeah, well, we'll just tell you why she picked them. So for the first one, it says for all our feminist rants, which you know, when I saw that I was like, uh-oh. And it is in fact, bad feminist by Roxane Gay. I believe this is, yeah, it's a collection of essays. I've never read anything by Roxane Gay. I have obviously heard of Roxane Gay. So like her writing has been on my radar, but I had, I have never read this and I didn't own it. So hence it being a, a, an option for Hillary's issues for me. And I don't really often read essays. Like when I've read nonfiction, it's usually been, I did read, freedom is a constant struggle last year, which is a collection of essays. But anyway, I'm gonna kind of approach this like a collection of short stories that are not short stories because they're not stories because it's nonfiction. I feel like that's the vibe, you know? So anyway, we'll see how we do with this and we'll see if any ranting will result from this. I'm gonna do this one last. And then she said, since we like short stories, I think you'll like the blend of genres. We're going with like a short story type vibe a lot here. And this is the Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu. My patrons actually have been kind of wanting me to read this. Oh my God, why is the type so small? Okay, so even though this looks kind of short, it in fact is on like 0.5 font. So I've been wanting to read Ken Liu. Hillary keeps time on Ken Liu. I've mainly been thinking to start with Grace of Kings. Again, my patrons have been wanting me to read this and now Hillary wants me to read this. So okay, okay, message received. I'll start with the Paper Menagerie. And yeah, I'm excited to see how I do with this. And if Ken Liu was all he's cracked up to me, then I did rip this pretty bad, but she wrote a unique writing style and floaty story, I hope you'll enjoy. And this is, this is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, which is another book that like I didn't own. I don't know why now I own it, but it had been on my radar and I had been interested in picking it up and I just sort of hadn't gotten around to it. I almost actually bought the Lumicrate Special Editions because it was one of those, you know, like, well, now or never. And then I was like, you have a credit, you have no idea if you're gonna like it, stop it. So I didn't and that made it possible for Hillary to choose. And then if I love it, then I will regret not getting the Lumicrate Editions. So it'll be all Hillary's fault that my heart is broken. So hopefully I hate this. So then I don't regret not buying the Special Editions. Okay, last but not least is the spiciest choice perhaps. She wrote, I am 95% sure you're going to hate this, but it's my TBR and I can do what I want. Just woke up and chose violence by which I mean Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson. Yeah, I hope I like it. I hope I do. I never go into any book hoping to hate it. But even it's not like Hillary wrote on it, you know, I know you are have like an iffy relationship with Sanderson, but I think you're gonna like this one. No, she thinks I'm gonna hate it. So that doesn't bode well. It is a standalone, but so is Elantris and I DNF'd Elantris. So, but I have generally heard more positive things. I feel like Elantris is one that even Sanderson fans are kind of like iffy on. I have heard several people say Warbreaker is their favorite. I think, I mean, it's Hillary's favorite. And if it's not her favorite, I think it's among her favorites for Angela from Literature Science Alliance. And I just generally, I feel like Sanderson fans like when I've heard them generally talk about his books and the Cosmere, I think I don't recall ever hearing much negativity about Warbreaker. Then again, I don't really hear much negativity about Sanderson at all except for myself. So, but yeah, Elantris I had heard people say like, oh, that was his early one. Oh, that one's not that good. Or oh, the audio book is terrible. So like I had heard things and I was like, well, I'm gonna try it anyway. Watch me be the one that likes it. I was not, no, it didn't happen. So anyway, I do hope that I like this. It would be nice to like Sanderson. Last year I liked Skyward. So it's not impossible. I do like Mistborn. It's not impossible. So here's hoping especially because this is the longest book that Hillary picked for me. So that's the one that I will spend the most time with in March among of these. But if you wanna know what I end up thinking about it, you're just gonna have to tune in to the live on Hillary's channel when she and I are going to discuss how I felt about the books that she picked for me. Moving on then to the rest of my TBR. Next up is The Last Regiment of Kings, Do Ever Crown Me? This will be my fourth time reading it because just like last year, as you may know, I'm rereading all the first law books but not in anticipation of the release of Wisdom of Crowds. It is purely because we are doing a first law read-along on Bethany's podcast, chapter three podcast, which I will try to remember when you've linked down below. In January, we did an episode on The Blade Itself. In February, we did an episode on Before They Were Hanged and then March, we're gonna do an episode on The Last Regiment of Kings. And it will be fun. And my friend Heather, who you may know from such wonderful productions as our Shakespeare discussions. And at the moment of this video going up are like very shortly to be coming rant about For the Killing of Kings, which will be up like hours after this. Anyway, she will be joining us on the podcast to talk about this because she did recently a coerced her into reading first law. To be friends with me is to be coerced into reading first law. And she loved it. And so she's gonna join us to kind of talk about it because Last Regiment of Kings we're not only gonna talk about the book, but also to sort of add the trilogy as a whole and sort of like what he's able to do with the trilogy. Like now that we've come to the conclusion we've gotten the answers. Okay, let's unpack what he did with this trilogy. So I'm really looking forward to that chat. I think it's gonna be a good one. And yeah, I'm looking forward to re-reading this book again. Next up, I have a book that I've been meaning to read for a while, but I've also been a little scared because of hype. But my patrons wanna read it. And I'm also going to be buddy reading it with Mara from books like, well, this is an official patron buddy read, but there are a few of my patrons that wanna read it and want me to read it. Actually, one of my patrons sent me this copy of Jade City by Fond de Lis. I've heard so many things about this, like a lot of hype, but I have heard like a little bit of negativity that's like given me pause and also anything overhyped is in danger of exactly that of like you coming away feeling like it was overhyped. So I'm trying to like go in with like middling expectations just like, okay, well, let's see. Let's see, this might be my favorite thing ever, but it very well may not. It is, I know like sort of like a mafia crime lord type of situation. And I don't often have occasion to read stuff like that because fantasy more so does that nowadays. I've seen more things do that, but like previously that wasn't a thing that fantasy was so interested in because fantasy was swords and sorcery, not like gangs on the streets, but like I love Six of Crows by Lee Bardugo, which obviously has a gang of criminals at the center of the story. And I love shows like Peaky Blinders and I love Guy Ritchie movies, which are all about criminals, not so much like mafia, Anyway, yeah, I think there's a good chance that I will like this, but no guarantee. So I'm gonna give it a go. And then you'll see what I think of it if I'm breaking hearts again because I hate a book that everyone loves or if for once I can join the hype train. Next, my friend, Evee very kindly sent me a copy of this book, so we're gonna buddy read it. And that is More Do by Alex Phoebe, I think is how you say that name, or that's at least my best guess. I don't really know too much about this, except that it really intrigued me when I first saw it, which was a very long time ago at this point. I genuinely don't really remember anything about why. Well, God is dead. His corpse hidden in the catacombs beneath More Do. Yeah, I don't remember anything about this, except that it sounded very, very cool. And I'm given to believe the writing style is a very sort of like literary writing style. The cover is spectacular. It says extraordinary and extravagant and an unnerving marvel. Those are things that sound good to me. And it says on the back that there are shades of Philip Pullman, T.H. White, China, Malville, Meville, Susanna Clark, Susanna Clark, Michael Morkock, not familiar, and Lewis Carroll. You finish desperate to read more. And I think there is a second book that is either out or about to be out. Another review says that it's a beguiling splicing of Dickensian social satire and rackety steampunk fantasy written with combustible verve. I mean, this all sounds fantastic, but as to like what it's about, I couldn't tell you. I mean, I could tell you because I could read the jacket, but you know, I like not knowing. So I'm excited to read this with Evie. I'm excited for us to potentially agree on a book again. We don't agree very often, but one thing we do absolutely agree on is Susanna Clark. And since this is compared to Susanna Clark, that goes well. And this is a very, very pretty book. So I would like to like it. Next up is my book of the month clip pick, which according to my own rules, I must read in the subsequent month. So surprise, surprise, I picked the fantasy option, which was A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross. Again, I know very little about it, except that I was like, well, that's the fantasy one. So I'm gonna get that one. It starts with a letter and an ominous journey across dark waters. 10 years after being sent away to the mainland to become a bard, Jack Tamerlane is summoned home to cadence. But his return is not a joyous one. Girls are going missing from the island. And Adaira, future leader of the clan believes Jack is the only one who can find them, blah, blah, blah, goes on. I wanna know less rather than more. So anyway, I have to read it per my rules. So I am pretty excited about this. It sounds intriguing. Next is a sort of last minute addition to my March TBR that I'm quite pleased about. One of my all-time favorite books used to be my official favorite book. And now it just didn't feel true anymore, but I do love it still, is Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. And my patrons were talking about like reading something that would be sort of like Irish appropriate for St. Patrick's Day. And was there anything? And I was like, well, I think they were meaning like Celtic fantasy. And I was like, I can't think of any, but Angela's Ashes is literally about an Irish man's childhood in Ireland. So we kind of talked about it. And so we're gonna read Angela's Ashes in March, not as an official patron, but you read just like kind of also gonna read it. And then go on to read. I have read Angela's Ashes and Teyes before and I always meant to go on and read Teacher Man. I never did. So not that this is like a fancy story where you have to go back to the beginning to read it from the beginning because you don't, but we're gonna read all three. So these will be rereads for me for the first two Angela's Ashes and the next month Teyes. And then for the first time, I'll finally be reading the month after that Teacher Man, which is, so these are Frank McCourt's memoirs about this first one is about his childhood in Ireland. Teyes is about his early life as a young man when he first comes to America. And then Teacher Man is a little later in his life when he's a teacher. So I love Frank McCourt's writing style. And it is, I mean, a lot of things that happen to him are tragic, but he has, you know, that sort of quintessentially Irish gallows humor that lightens it up a bit. It's kind of like with Abercrombie. It's very, very different from Abercrombie's writing style. That same kind of like, this is a dark book, but I don't feel like depressed and weighed down by it because there's enough of a balance with like cynical humor to kind of like, you know, ease up. So anyway, I'm excited to reread this. It is a fantastic book. And if you were thinking of picking it up, I cannot recommend Highly Enough, The Audio Book, which is narrated by Frank McCourt himself. Next up is the actual official patron body read. And I am realizing I probably shouldn't have picked, I have several copies of this. I shouldn't have picked the shiniest one that I have, but here we are. Strange the Dreamer by Lainey Taylor. Actually, I really hate the American cover. The American like, dust jacket, which tellingly for the American paperback, they used the British design. So I don't know who, like this looks to me like a John Green book. Like it's gonna be some kind of like YA contemporary, which like for a long time I didn't pick up Strange the Dreamer until I saw the UK cover. And I was like, oh, it's like, tell me this doesn't look like a sequel to The Fault in Our Stars. However, in the US edition, which the UK edition, this is not true about, the naked book has a little design on it as it does music nightmares, which is purple, the worst color in the world. But anyway, my patrons were talking about Reading Strange the Dreamer for a long time and have generally said that, you know, maybe we should make our patient buddy reads like an ongoing, like for several months we like lock in a series that we're reading because we keep starting series. Cause when you read fantasy books, they're all beginnings of series. So we end up just starting a million series and then never finishing any of them. So between wanting to sort of read through a series and also those several people wanting specifically to read Strange the Dreamer, Music Nightmares, that's what we're doing. I put on the poll that if we read, if we pick Strange the Dreamer for March, that we're locking in Music Nightmares for the following month. That's what my patrons chose. We were reading Strange the Dreamer in March and then we're going to read Music Nightmares in April. This will be a reread for me for both. Strange the Dreamer is one of my all-time favorite books. This duology is one of my all-time favorite duologies. Lainey Taylor is one of my all-time favorite writers. So I am very, very excited to revisit Strange the Dreamer. And similarly to, well, it's not read by Lainey Taylor and I wouldn't recommend it if it was. But the audio book for Strange the Dreamer is how I fell in love with the narrator Steve West and for a long time, Steve West to me was a lot less strange. So it was hard to adjust to him reading anything else. So I do recommend the audio book if you're into that but also just recommend this book because it's amazing and beautiful and I can't wait to reread it. We've finally reached the part of the As Long As I'm Fire read-along where it is no longer a reread for me. We are diving our toes, diving our toes. You're diving in or dipping our toes or we are moving on to A Night of the Seven Kingdoms which is short stories about, like, that are in the world of the song of As Long As I'm Fire. And this edition is illustrated. I think they all are. I don't know that it's possible to get this without illustrations. Oh, I'd just like to just look at that. It's also considerably shorter than Dance of Dragons. So I wish this had been the February book since February is a short month. But anyway, I'm excited to continue on with Jimmy and Alex and finally read something that I have not read before from George R. R. Martin. We're gonna read A Night of the Seven Kingdoms and talk about it on Jimmy's channel. That's where the rotation is. And then after that, we're gonna read Fire and Blood and we'll be back to my channel. That'll be in April. And at that point, we'll be done with As Long As I'm Fire but we will not be quite done with buddy reading. Anyway, yeah. So I'm excited to read this because it's new. I've heard good things. It'll be interesting to sort of see something a little bit different from the saga of As Long As I'm Fire. And yeah, I'm excited for this and illustrated. So this is even shorter than it looks because like half of this is pictures. So relieved about that. And last and someone say least and they are wrong is Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind because as you know, Athena and I are hosting a sort of truth read-along all year. And we are now at book three, Blood of the Fold. And once again, we have another version of Richard that looks nothing like how Richard is supposed to look. Who is this supposed to be? Like for real. I don't know how they could have every single cover in this series have a different looking man on it and none of them look like Richard. Anyway, this is the third book in the sort of truth and we'll be talking about it back to Bethany's channel. And I'm looking forward to it. I haven't read this in a few years. So I'll be interested. I remember quite a bit about it but the details are quite fuzzy. So I'm curious to see what I'll think about it this time around. Those are all the books that I'll be reading in March. Let me know in the comments down below your thoughts and feelings about what I will be reading. If you've read it, if you wanna read it, if you're gonna read it, whatever. A few of them are buddy reads and collaborations, et cetera. If you want to read those as well and participate in the forthcoming lives associated with them, that would be fantastic. But otherwise, I will see you in my next video. Bye.