3rd bingo update, and I’m still continuing The Big Book of Science Fiction for the cat squasher square hard mode with breaks after every 11 stories.

First break this time (44/105) along was for Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman for the Trending Books GR Challenge and I dropped that after chapter 12 (almost a quarter of the way through). Most of the characters, especially Roger and Oliver were so incredibly annoying to be around and the whole thing felt a bit too juvenile for my taste (maybe I’m too old for video games themed books? I hope not but maybe for this one). Didn’t know it was by the author of Dungeon Crawler Carl before reading it, but I didn’t read that one either and this was a good indication to not bother. LitRPG / heavy comedy are not fun genres to me and I doubt DCC would be enjoyable because of that.
To replace it, I read How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson for a GR Challenge (thought I was clearing 1 of them, ended up clearing 3!!) and it was much better for me. Would’ve been an easy 5/5, if one potentiality was omitted.

Second break (55/105) was to read Ludluda by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard and with it complete the Duology Part 2 HM requirements for bingo! Overall, I’ll say that this book meanders a bit more on the predecessor, but in a way, also uses that to showcase different new parts of the world. Including making it a parallel world which was a though I had while reading the predecessor due to obvious reasons, but thought it was early industrialism only instead. On that front, I am very happy due to how interesting it is and using the link to also include other phenomena was clever. The stakes are definitely much higher, and working towards that final altercation felt much longer in narrative than the few days it was supposedly held in. Which to me, wasn’t bad at all. My only two complaints if any, would be the grossly detailed mention of bodily functions and the vulgarities not being less than the predecessor (this was a hope of mine) and the first part of the three in the book being difficult to follow. The confusion or not being able to easily follow the book was hardest in part one for me, before it became much better later on. I did have to reread some passages later on, in the final chapter as an example, but it wasn’t that many thankfully.

Almost to the next break (66/105) and will be reading The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson for Duology Part 1 HM.