This is the second time I am participating in Breakeven Books reading challenge on the theme of Star Wars in May! Last year I skipped it but this year I will try my best to read the most of it.
You can check how it all started way back in 2021 HERE and see what my experience with the challenge was HERE.
Also I encourage you to check out Breakeven Books channel and show him some love HERE.
This year the challenge was combined with some RPG style characterization. Meaning, each participant can read trough their adventure in Star Wars universe and create their own character. Options include race, some equipment, some allies and some abilities. all of these are still dependent on your choice of Light or Dark Side. There is even a character sheet for those who like to immerse into their character and maybe later on use it in some RPG plays. I will only highlight my own choices and TBR plans.
You can check out all the details available HERE
I am still filling up my character sheet and depending on how successful I am at the end of the challenge I will post it as a whole. For now here are some basic options I am using for my May TBR.
Cetaganda (Vorkosigan Saga #6) by Lois MacMaster Bujold
When I first read this prompt I did not notice OR in it. While I did find some options for the hardcore prompt I decided to continue one of the book series I was reading the first time as well – Vorkosigan Saga series. Its a science fiction series with some powerful and relatable characters and so far I’ve loved it. Sadly I did not get far ahead with the series and I will use this opportunity to read more of it.
Last time I participated I was going for Light Side. This time I like prompts for the Dark Side more and will try to mix it up with some neutral options where it is possible. I have chosen maximum of five abilities mix of neutral and Dark side prompts.
1 & 2 – Drain Knowledge: Read a book over 600 pages. Counts as 2 ability prompts. (Dark Side)
Empire of the Vampire (Empire of the Vampire #1) by Jay Kristoff
This one has been on my shelf since it came out last year and I was looking for an opportunity to start reading. The theme is complimentary dark to my character and the pull of the Dark side. It is quite chonky with 700+ pages. I got the hardcover with some black and white illustrations so it will be an actual feast of a book. I even have a friend I gifted a copy of the book and she is willing to read it at the same time. Because of the number of pages this one counts as two abilities and I think the “Drain Knowledge” ability is very thematic as well!
3 – Telekinesis: If Jedi, do a dark side ability prompt; if Sith, do a light side ability prompt. (Neutral)
Light Side Plant Surge: Read a book with nature on the cover
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Mellisa Bashardoust
I really liked this prompt on the Light side since it fitted a book I was meaning to read for a while now. The choice of a Dark side ability to kinda steal into the Light side prompt was perfect here! I am intrigued by the book and so far I like its a standalone. Again the theme is darkly thematic and fits with my idea of a Dark side character and “Telekinesis” is such a cool ability to have!
4 – Doppelganger: Do a re-read. (Neutral)
Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton
I have the mass market paperback of the book in English and have read it more than once already. Recently, I got a Serbian translation of this book and because of the style of the translation I am excited to give it a try. These characters are very dear to me and this world is one of my favorites to come back to. Some of the first books in the series are my all time favorite books as well. Reading this translation will give me a new perspective on it which is a useful foundation when training in “Doppelganger” ability.
5 – Memory Walk: Read a book that came out 15+ years ago. (Dark Side)
Ethan of Athos (Vorkosigan saga #7) by Lois MacMaster Bujold
As I mentioned before I will be catching up Vorkosigan saga more in May. This is the second out of three planned books of the series I will be reading in May! Published over 35 years ago this book definitely fits the prompt and is still one of the best space opera book series out there. I wish it were more popular because when it was first published it was very well received considering that some of the themes are relevant and popular today. Have I started training “Memory Walking” already just by going back at how much I like this book series? Maybe…
The choices for weapons/equipment are sparse, which naturally, means I want them all! Here are the choices of books for the prompts:
Lightsaber – Look at a color wheel. Read a book with the opposite of your favorite color
The Siege of Cadanla (Elfes#9) by Éric Corbeyran, Gwendal Lemercier (Artist), Diogo Saito (Cover Art), Christina Cox-De Ravel (Translator), DigiKore Studios (Colorist)
Without actually looking at the color wheel I first had to decide on my favorite color. Over the years my favorite color changed. Right now I have decided on violet and its opposite is yellow. I had books with orange covers ready but yellow was a bit more work. For this reason I decided to go back to one other graphic novel book series I did not read in a while – digital edition of a fantasy masterpeice Elfes. It has (so far) 35 parts and they tell an intricate story spanning different species and continents in a magical world. Each part has different authors mostly from France. Some stories are dark and gritty and some are less so. so far the character and world building has been elaborate. I think it is a good match for a Lightsaber prompt!
Blaster – Read a book in a different spot every time you pick it up to read it.
Anaïs Nin – Sur la mer des mensonges by Léonie Bischoff
Since I have decided to go all in on the equipment and partners I found a way to make it easier and give me a chance to finish reading everything by adding more graphic novel editions. I went and raided my local library and brought with me a pile of good options. This is one of the more serious one in topic at least. Also, since the prompt requires me to read in a different spot each time I might have easier time with something that reads faster since I am actually a slow reader! I always wanted to read something by Anais Nin and this might speed up my decision to finally give it a try. Hoping to have a blast with this one!
Space Ship – Read a book that has a vehicle on the cover.
Brothers in Arms (Miles Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois MacMaster Bujold
Third book from the Vorkosigan saga I decided to put in for May! I remember I enjoyed them and the pace of reading was faster because of it. Space opera themes with political conflicts and lots of scheming promise a good backdrop for my Dark Side path, also the spaceship on the cover gives me ideas on what kind of ship I would like as my own.
As a Dark side trainee I get the options for all Dark Side partners and the Neutral ones. I was ambitious enough to put them all in for prompts so here are my book choices for those:
Bounty Hunters – Read a book that’s recently caught your attention.
King of Libertines (Sea of Ruin #0.5) by Pam Godwin
When the BD was closing down and I was culling my wishlists to make the last order Sea of Ruin was one of the books that almost made my list. I’ve never read anything by Pam Godwin and the marketing intro for the book promised sea adventure with steamy love triangle. The book was only available in paperback and it cost as much as a hardcover and that’s why id did not make the cut on the last order. But then I learned of this novella as a small prequel to the book exists! I almost ordered that one and at the last minute I saw that it was free on Kindle! I got it on Kindle and it will be probably the only book I will be reading in the digital form for a while. Depending on how much I like the writing style I might try getting the Sea of Ruin as well later on. Pirates work for their bounty as well!
Droids – Read a book with no people on the cover.
Ar-Men. L’Enfer des enfers by Emmanuel Lepage
This is one of the graphic novel picks I got from the library. There are no people on the cover, only churning sea and a Lighthouse. I don’t know what to expect from this one to be honestly. This month I was reading a book set on the English island Guernsey and I got intrigued to learn a bit more on English another English island since I am very bad at geography in general. Looking forward to a learning experience with this one!
Galactic Empire – Read a book with over 3 people on the cover.
Les Vieux Fourneaux (#1-4) by Wilfrid Lupano and Paul Cauuet
As opposed to the last prompt I needed to find a book with over 3 people on the cover which turned out to be much harder than it sounds. After scouring trough my own book shelves and my Kindle options I was not happy. My own bookshelves were not helpful and all my digital options were smut with extra bang! This is where the inspiration to check out library for graphic novel options came from! This is a story about three old friends and the title of it translates into: The Old Farts! I hope for some laughs from this one 🙂
First Order – Read a book with a prologue
Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhause #13) by Charlaine Harris
I decided to read the last book in the Sookie Stackhouse series because I’ve had it for a very long time now and I am one book away from finishing a series. I am glad this book has a prologue since it has been years since I’ve read any of the books in the series, maybe even a decade…I’m too scared to check at this point. I remember liking it though. I am working on my book series backlog and honestly I didn’t know it was this bad!
I decided to stick with a story that I am not choosing to be a villain, I am only choosing to have an option to use the Dark side if necessary. Is my character a villain in the making? Possibly…
anastasiaadamov 