January 2020 Wrap-Up + Pondathon Sign-Up

There’s been a lull in the battle for the Pond, and every which way you look, there is bleak destruction. But the friends you’ve grown to love so much have not given up; not in the slightest. Hope weaves through the air like the beautiful notes of a bird’s song, giving strength to all those who have fought so bravely.

Amidst all the familiar faces, you lay eyes on someone you’ve not seen at the Pond before: a little red wolf with a wilting flower crown resting atop his head at a haphazard angle. His fur is tousled and dirty, probably a result from the most recent tussle with the malevolent forces. But despite this, the wolf sits primly atop a rock eating what looks to be a…waffle.

A waffle?

Do red wolves eat waffles? Can they even digest them? you wonder incredulously to yourself. You start to approach slowly, curious as to who this new visitor might be.

“Who are you?” you ask tentatively, unsure if this be friend or foe. These are perilous times, after all, and caution must prevail.

The red wolf looks up at you, eyes glowing bright as starlight. “Well, I’m the Wandering Wizard Woofles, of course. My reputation usually precedes me, but in my current state of disarray, I’m not surprised you didn’t recognize me. If you like, I could sign an autograph for you. It might even raise morale among the troops.”

…

“Um, I hate to sound rude, but I’ve never heard of you before. Sorry.”

Woofles startles suddenly, causing him to completely fall off his rock. “You’ve…you’ve never heard of me?” He blinks a few times, uncomprehending, and then proceeds to gobble up the rest of his waffle with renewed fervor. The food seems to give him the fortitude to deal with this shocking turn of events.

Once he has fully recovered, Woofles bends over and picks up a worn wooden staff with yellow blossoms sprouting on one end. “Well friend, I just so happen to be a famous traveling magician and an old friend of Xiaolong’s. I came to help as soon as I caught wind of the terrible news. My magic is fueled by lists, so quick – share with me all the books you read last month, and I’ll cast a quick demonstration spell for you. Free of charge, of course.”

You hesitate momentarily, but finally you begin to share with Woofles the titles of all the books you read in January.

January 2020 Wrap-Up

😐Pax by Sara Pennypacker: This MG book tackles the highly relevant topic of war in a unique and uncommon way. I was expecting it just to be a simple, heart-warming story about a kid and his pet fox, but many deep themes were discussed, such as the true cost of war and how to deal with crippling grief.

😐The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh: A lusciously-written romance novel that promised me vampires, and mostly gave me a murder mystery instead.

👍The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani: An #ownvoices story full of hard-hitting scenes, eye-opening narrative, and memorable characters. Nisha’s struggle to open up and talk to others, as well as Amil and his dyslexia, made the characters jump right off the page. They felt real and guileless in a way that made the story that much more impactful.

👍Supernova by Marissa Meyer: A fast and exhilarating finale to the Renegades trilogy, this suspenseful installment excellently subverts the superhero and super-villain stereotypes. Despite being over 500 pages long, there were no slow parts and I was constantly on the edge of my seat. Boy, does Meyer know how to write a great action scene!

😐Dead Voices by Katherine Arden: A dark and stormy night. Three friends snowed in. A haunted ski lodge. Nothing bad could possibly happen…right? I’m just going to let you keep thinking that, haha. Okay, but in all honesty, Dead Voices is the PERFECT winter book, and I loved how atmospheric it was. Arden never lets me down with her breathtaking writing style.

👍The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson: An arranged marriage + excellent depression representation + giant crows with elemental magic = * chef’s kiss *

👎Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennet: This is the perfect summer-time read, with Cali beaches, bonfires, and surfing galore! Considering it’s now the middle of winter here in Japan, this was a great way to fight off the freezing weather and live vicariously in a world of ocean waves and hot afternoons in the sun. ☀️🏖️🕶️Unfortunately, I couldn’t get myself to become invested in Bailey and Porter’s relationship, which is kind of important for a romance novel.

❤️Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri: This is, quite simply, one of the most excellent debut novels I have ever read. Hands down. No contest. Complete with a rich Indian-inspired setting, well-developed characters, and sumptuous writing, all I can say is this: YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS BOOK.

#YARC Reading Challenge Update

My Pondathon Sign-Up

The Pondathon is a co-operative and story-driven readathon hosted and run by CW from The Quiet Pond. The aim of the Pondathon is to read books and collect points to protect the friends over at The Quiet Pond from the encroaching malevolent forces that threaten our friends in the forest.

Have fun participating in the Pondathon readathon by joining one of five teams, each with a unique way to collect points and signing up! You can also follow the story of the Pondathon as it unfolds, and participants can also complete ‘side quests’ during the readathon to collect extra points. The readathon takes place from January 24th 2020 to March 7th 2020. More information about the readathon can be found here.

My Pond Character

Woofles is a “famous” traveling performer who casts dazzling spells in exchange for a few coins (or waffles; Woofles will work for waffles). His magic is list-based, so he often asks his audience to share their most recent reads, their TBRs, or their book hauls with him, which he then uses to power his spells. He’s a bit self-obsessed, but will never turn down a friend in need. He came running as soon as he heard of the Pond’s plight and is willing to help Xiaolong defend her home (as well as hand out some autographs).

What books did you read this month? Share your favorites in the comments!

Have you heard of the Pondathon? Have you signed up?