I’m a little late on this one, usually, this column comes out within the first week of the month but here we are on the 12th and I’m finally getting to the books I read. Better late than never I suppose. At least I got it in before the month ended. I’m telling you Geeklings, vacation is going to help the writing schedule here so much. Prepare yourselves.

June pretty much was par for the course as far as reading goes for 2017. I only got two books in (womp womp) and I’m not going to make any excuses but I will lead with some optimism as I feel July is going to be a much better reading month. I just finished a book late last week and currently am in love with my new book, plus vacation… I could really get myself back on track here. The Goodreads goal is 42 total, including graphic novels, so I’ve got some serious ground to make up. Have faith my friends. I got this.

As for what I read, let’s break it down.

16. The Watchmen by Alan Moore– With all that’s been happening with DC’s Rebirth storyline and the Batman/Flash “Button” crossover, I felt that there was no time like the present to give The Watchmen another read. Hell, it had been about nine or ten years since I originally read it and I’m older now so maybe it would resonate differently. You know how time changes perspective and such. What I wasn’t prepared for was just how relevant The Watchmen seems to be in today’s current political climate. I mean, it really spoke loudly.

Anyone who has read comic books knows that The Watchmen is kind of the holy grail for what the medium can be. There is a depth and heaviness to this story that is on par with a number of the greatest novels ever written, and whenever anyone tries to talk down comic books I love to reference The Watchmen.  It is literary and intricate while being daring, dangerous, and unafriad. The Watchmen is dark and speaks with a purpose and it can weigh on you. I found as I re-read the novel that the darkness of the story, that impending bleakness, seemed to ooze through the pages. It doesn’t make the story any less enjoyable or fascinating but there were times where I took the elements with me long after I had stopped reading for the day.

With DC’s “Doomsday Clock” coming up in November, I was happy to reacquaint myself with this universe. Especially Doctor Manhattan who will soon become a very big part of the DC Universe. I was also really happy to re-visit this story a little older, a little more experienced, and a little more open to the ideas it was presenting. Although, I might wait another nine years or so before I read it again. Or I’ll just wait until Damon Lindelof gets it on HBO. It’ll be awesome to see this story adapted properly.

17. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn- I’ve had this short story, borderline novella, on Gandalf the Kindle for quite some time now and decided June was the perfect month to finally give it a read. I’ve missed the effed up universes that Flynn creates and I figured after the heaviness of The Watchmen something short would be a nice transition. What I found was a story that scared the shit out of me. Like for real. At one point during the reading of The Grownup I felt my breath catch in my chest and it scared me as much, if not more than any monster has before it. There is a creepiness here that was super unexpected but completely welcomed. I read the whole thing in about an hour, maybe less, and seriously wish there was more story. Well, maybe not more story but I would love if these characters showed up in another work of hers. I’m curious and maybe don’t need answers but I wouldn’t shy away from them either. If you’ve got an hour to kill I couldn’t recommend this enough. It’s about time that she releases a new book, rumor has it November, which is good as I feel fiction could used her twisted ways.