June 2025
What a crazy month. Work has been crazy busy, so I took a week off to go to New Mexico. We had 4 parties in 3 days. We celebrated my niece’s graduation, my Grandma Lucy’s 90th Birthday, my other niece’s birthday, and I got to spend Father's Day with my Dad. I had the chance to play sled hockey with my nephew. It was such a fun, challenging, and humbling experience. Jet and I transplanted some little red maple trees. We bought a new lawnmower so Jet can help me with all the mowing. We are trying to teach some new skills and work ethic. So far, it’s going pretty well.
Anyway, here are the books I finished and my reviews of them:
Fiction Books
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman (Dungeon Crawler Carl #6)
This is book 6. Floor 8 of the Dungeon. The floor is a recording of pre-doomsday Earth. The aliens running the Dungeon took a recording of Earth a few weeks before the Dungeon started, and they dumped the crawlers into that recording in their choice of city to start the floor. The floor is also a card game floor. Each crawler crew must capture six monsters, turning them into cards which are used in the combat system for the later stages of the floor. There are some bizarre monsters and cards generated by the AI. It generates monsters, icons, and nightmare creatures from different cultures around the world. The dungeon admins abuse the Crawlers by forcing confrontations with people/monster bosses from their pasts. Carl and his crew have to fight a hydra with heads from his past- an old boss, a friend, and a surprise half-brother that he didn’t even know he had. There are some interesting political/strategy developments tied to the upcoming Faction Wars on floor 9. Carl, Donut, and their friends have been disastering (new word I just invented cause I couldn’t think up a better one) the Faction Wars setup every chance they get. Faction Wars is supposed to be a game that the uber-rich play for fame and money, but Carl and Donut change the rules to force real danger to the Dungeon tourists. The plot takes crazy twists and turns as the Crawlers face a giant demon and are forced to face off against each other to win keys to the stairways to the next floor. The series, already dark, gets darker as the game progresses, the stakes get higher, and the AI devolves. It’s like the Harry Potter books. Each one is longer, more complex, and darker. I had to take a break from the series after this one.
This is for mature card gamers.
(Rated R, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Jeff Hays and others, 26:46)
Domestication by Seth Ring (Battle Mage Farmer #1)
John Sutton is a stranger to the valley. He is a powerful magic user disguised as a retired soldier, trying to take up farming. John finds his farm and inherits two workers, Ellie and Ben. John is trying to figure out how to prevent the apocalypse. His first quest is to retire and start farming. After he rescues his cows, he completes the retirement quest. His new quest is to learn how to grow wheat in any conditions. It is fun to watch John rebuild the dairy farm. His bull and rooster have big personalities. Trouble seems to find John. He maintains a calm demeanor in the face of wolves, thugs, and dark monsters. I’m not sure I fully understand the magic system in the book/game setting, but I think that’s most of the point. The reader gets to discover more magic along with John. This story was a fun relief from the darkness of the Carl books. Thanks, Max, for recommending this fun series.
This is for beginner LitRPG readers and aspiring farmers.
(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Michael Kramer, 12:01, ebook, 370p.)
Germination by Seth Ring (Battle Mage Farmer #2)
The adventures of the overpowered farmer continue in book 2. John Sutton is still trying to complete his quest: Grow wheat. John builds a successful farm, expanding cheese and wheat production, but his progress isn’t enough to stop his accrual of Doom Points. This book focuses on the character evolution of Ellie. John helps Ellie to complete the process of becoming a magic wielder. She steps into her ancient bloodline power and learns to defend herself and others. John and Ellie study magic together and expand their knowledge, skills, spells, and enemies. Together, they ally with the horse people of the great plain, convincing them to trade rather than raid and pillage. John also discovers that his bull (who is a Beast, meaning he can consume and use mana), Ferdi, is feeding and protecting a special plant. When he investigates the plant, John gets a new quest to discover why his animals are becoming more intelligent and where the root of the plant leads. The quest ends in a tower raid and a proper boss battle. I like the characters, the hard work they do on the farm, and the way they are called to simpler times.
This is for
(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Michael Kramer, 12:00)
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anne Shirley is a hilarious little orphan girl. She has bright red hair and too many freckles. Matthew and his sister Marilla Cuthbert accidentally adopt her. They were hoping to adopt a young orphan boy to help Matthew on the farm, but there was a mix-up, and Anne won Matthew’s heart before he could send her back to the orphanage. Anne has so many crazy ideas and so many words. For example, on her first trip to Green Gables, she renames Barry’s Pond as The Lake of Shining Waters. Trouble finds her several times. But she also has a quick wit, a fiercely loyal heart, and holds a grudge like an elephant. Gilbert Blythe is a young boy who calls Anne “carrots” in school. It takes him many years and the rest of the book to convince Anne to forgive him and become friends instead of rivals. Anne slowly wins the hearts of her neighbors in Avonlea. She saves a baby who nearly dies of croup, she calls it like she sees it, and she uses her big imagination to tell funny stories. Millie and I laughed our way through this heartwarming story. There is a sad part toward the end when Matthew suffers a sudden heart attack. We didn’t like that as much. Millie’s favorite part is when Anne meets her bosom friend Diana. The two little girls become fast friends with secret codes and adventures. We could all use more light and life, and imagination in our lives like Anne.
This is for anyone who needs a fun, positive story.
(Rated G, Score 10/10, audiobook read by Susan O’Malley, 10:39)
Cultivation by Seth Ring (Battle Mage Farmer #3)
Farmer John Sutton is trying to fend off the apocalypse. His doom points keep counting up toward 100. When they hit 100, the apocalypse will begin. But John can’t figure out why his points go up or down, so that’s why he’s farming and researching magic. His single quest, to grow wheat, persists. A storm is building in the peaceful valley. There is an undead army that is shuffling toward the farm. John and his farm family must protect the farm and the people of the nearby town. As they rally the townsfolk, John finds an old friend, Katherine, who was also summoned from Earth and developed into a powerful sage. Katherine seeks John’s help and protection after being driven out of her country by the evil organization called Infinitum. John and his powerful friends face off against an evil necromancer and his cronies. The final battle feels cheesy, and the team discovers that it is a trap for John. The necromancer tries to steal John’s body, but the plot backfires. In the end, the sages discover a door to another realm and develop a way to save their world from mana poisoning.
This is for zombie apocalypse fans.
(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Michael Kramer, 12:28)
The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown (Wild Robot #3)
This is the Wild Robot book that almost never was. The author wrapped up the story in the first two books so well that she didn’t want to start a new story. Then she found an idea about protecting our homes (local and global) and couldn’t let it go. So, we get one more story about Roz. Roz is a wild robot who lives on a wild island. She loves the animals there. She keeps the peace and helps those in need. Her son, Bright Bill, and all her animal friends live there. One day, a dangerous threat comes to their home: the poison tide. The poison tide chokes out life on the island and forces many animals to flee. When the danger reaches a pinnacle, Roz takes action. She learns how to swim and sets out to find the Great Shark, who should have the wisdom to end the poison tide. Roz meets many sea animals on her adventure, which takes her to the great cold north. At the end of her journey, Roz finds a human mining operation. The mining is the source of the poison tide. Roz tries to convince the humans to stop creating the poison. The animals take a slightly more aggressive approach. In the end, Roz returns to the island to help raise her grand-goslings.
This is for anyone who wants to protect their home.
(Rated PG, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Kathleen McInerney, 4:48)
Non-Fiction Books
10 Rules for Resilience by Joe De Sena
This is not your normal parenting book. The author is the founder of Spartan Death Races, so he has a different perspective than most humans and parents. Here are the ten rules:
Rule 1: You can’t, until you can- Build a better belief system.
Rule 2: Earned, not given - The power of hard work and delayed gratification.
Rule 3: Commit to no bull$hit - Eliminate the excess and excuses.
Rule 4: Live your values - Find your true north and communicate it.
Rule 5: Fail forward - Learn to embrace falling in the mud.
Rule 6: Dedicate to a daily routine - How schedules lead to success.
Rule 7: Discipline breeds responsibility - The impact of integrity.
Rule 8: Into the wild- Find joy in exercise and resist devices.
Rule 9: Raw courage- Getting a grip on fear.
Rule 10: Ready for anything- Have grit, change the world.
Before you can teach your kids the rules, you have to chase them yourself. The thing is, these are tough rules. Listening to this book triggered some shame and some guilt, and some reevaluating my life choices. I quit reading it for a bit while I processed some of it. Most of us (including me) are addicted to comfort, sugar, and safety. We pick the easy way. We avoid discomfort. We have all the excuses. But that’s not what we are made for. We are made to do crazy hard things. We are made to move. We are made to build and create. We are made for more.
This book has already challenged me. It changed my mind. It reminded me that I’m dangerous. It gave me permission to do weird stuff that challenges me. It challenged me to challenge my kids. It prompted me to take a walk in the rain (then the lightning got aggressive and Aubrey rescued me). I’m teaching my kids some of these lessons now.
At the end of the book, Joe lists these 12 Challenge Questions:
1. What am I doing for my kids that they could be doing for themselves?
2. When my children are experiencing difficult emotions, how can I take a step back and let them experience those emotions?
3. What should I say no to the next time my kids push for it?
4. What do I want my kids to see me doing?
5. What one rule do I want to enforce on a daily basis?
6. What is one mature behavior I can demand from my children?
7. What fears, from ticks to a fear of heights, am I discussing in front of my children, and how can I talk about it in a way that is productive?
8. What would be an exciting and slightly scary challenge for my kids?
9. What outdoor game or activity would be fun to play with my children?
10. What natural wonder would I like to take my kids to experience?
11. What must my children accomplish before they get screen time?
12. What is something I am good at that I’ve always wanted to teach my children?
Have you ever done an obstacle course race? How do you feel about burpees? When was the last time you got really muddy? One other challenge in the book that I am pondering is this: Do something new every week.
This is for anyone looking for a good motivational kick in the shin.
(Rated R (language), Score 9/10, audiobook read by the author, 7:03)
Preview/Currently Reading-
Fermentation by Seth Ring (Battle Mage Farmer #4)
This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman (Dungeon Crawler Carl #7)
Firefight by Brandon Sanderson (The Reckoners #2)
I track my books in a database called Goodreads. It might help manage your reading lists.
Final Thoughts-
I’ve been pondering an idea for a few years now. It’s a slippery idea. It’s hard to put into words, but it goes something like this: I want to create a special token to give to young graduates like my niece Kayden or close family friends. This token would be like a challenge coin, or card, or something difficult to accidentally destroy. There would be a message to go with the token, which would explain that the bearer of the token was entitled to one rescue/conversation/action from me. Just call, and I’ll come and help. No judgement. Just help in a time of trouble. Just a friend or uncle. The intent would be to communicate that life is crazy, and sometimes we find ourselves in crazy situations and just need help. Sometimes we have questions that don’t feel safe for our normal group of people. When I was talking to my friend Aleksandr, he described it like a “break in case of emergency” situation. When I graduated, one of my uncles took me aside and told me that if I ever needed anything, I could call him. I’ve never had to make that call, but it has been a comfort to know that I could. I wish to provide that safety net feeling to others, but I need some help figuring out how to best communicate the gravity, sincerity, and authenticity of the promise. I would love to hear if you have similar stories or ideas about how to execute this idea more clearly.
Thanks for adventuring with me.
Joshua
PS. I’m looking to grow and improve this little experiment. If you have benefited from it and would like to support my ability to buy better books or run with some other ideas I have been working on, here is your opportunity. You could think of it as an investment or buying me a coffee.