Anyone else make a New Year’s resolution to read more this year? If you’re not sure where to start, try knocking out some of these squares and getting a Bingo—or maybe even black out the board! Be sure to count a book for only one square, even if it meets qualifications for multiple; we’ll get more reading done that way! Here’s how my books and I could fit into this grid:

  • Pond Scum:

    Crime fiction/thriller. Set in Oregon, U.S.A. Part of The Darkthorn Series. Debut novel. Came out in 2018.

    Roadrunner:

    Crime fiction/thriller. Set in New Mexico, U.S.A. Part of The Darkthorn Series. Has an animal on the cover. Came out in 2018.

    Thunder Falls:

    Crime fiction/thriller. Set in New Mexico, U.S.A. Part of The Darkthorn Series. Came out in 2019.

    The Shadow Puppeteer:

    Paranormal fiction/thriller (has a kind of magic in it!). Set in Utah, U.S.A. Came out in 2022.

    Me: Male, white/Native American.

    Be sure to check out my books’ pages for descriptions and links to where you can buy them. Please feel free to save this image to track your own progress. My Twitter and Instagram are linked below—let me know what you’re reading! text goes here

  • I’ll update this space with the books I’ve read (organized by square).

    B3 (A book set on a continent other than yours): “The Boy and the Dog” - Seishu Hase, Alison Watts (Translator).

    I knew I was in for a heart-warming read, but I didn’t expect the twists, the losses, and the determination that made this book special. Dog lovers should absolutely pick this book up, as it does a wonderful job of highlighting the special, unique bonds that we can form with our canine friends. Also, the translation is very well done; I find that, sometimes, localization efforts go a little too far in trying to westernize media, which can detract from the cultural experience, but this one felt just right.

    B4 (A book by an author you’ve read before): “Fairy Tale” - Stephen King.

    I had seen some discourse about this book before reading it, and it was something of a mixed bag among Stephen King fans. Personally, I enjoyed it quite a lot! There were some times when the age gap between the author and the main character (a high school student) were evident, but that was quite forgivable. Stephen King is a master of crafting meaningful stories and building characters out of impactful vignettes, and he used that ability to weave characters into a tale—a fairy tale—that longs to be read by firelight with a hot cup of tea. An excellent read!

    N1 (A non-fiction book): “I’m Glad My Mom Died” - Jennette McCurdy

    This is one I had been itching to read since its release, but when I went to pick up a copy, they were all sold out! Fortunately, I found a copy in town. I started reading it and found the writing to be compelling, rich with voice, and often striking chords comprised of both humor and sorrow at the same time. One thing I didn’t expect to find was that my perception of the author—former iCarly and Sam & Cat regular—was somewhat inaccurate. I found myself laughing out loud, and in the same paragraph, wanting to comfort her or cry with her. In any case, I couldn’t put it down (much to the detriment of my sleep schedule). I look forward to any more of McCurdy’s writing in the future.

    O1 (A book with a movie/TV adaptation): “The Queen’s Gambit” - Walter Tevis.

    This is one of the few times I’ll have to admit what no reader ever wants to admit: The TV show was better. That’s not to say that the book wasn’t good—it certainly was, and it’s a story I quite enjoy. If you’ve watched the show, you know that it is also brilliantly made, with a solid cast, excellent writing, and wonderfully immersive costume/set/lighting design. The show took only a few creative liberties in deviating from the book, all of which I found to be improvements.