This is my Reading Gratitude Journal series, where I capture what I loved about the books that I'm reading. 

I finished this audio book a couple days ago, and I'm trying to be less precious about my reading gratitude journal. So here's he quick and easy what I'm grateful for...

Mists along the Wisconsin River. Did you know that on the audio book thumbnail, you can't really see that creepy guy's face? So this was a surprise when I went to grab the image.

My Sanderson initation

Yes, this is the first Brandon Sanderson novel that I've ever read. And yes, I understand I've gotten myself into a whole cosmere of content. But it was getting a little embarrassing to admit that I had never read anything from this giant in the genre. 

The return of the audio book

I had been off audio books for a long while...pretty much ever since my kids started wanting to talk to me and express preferences about what we listen to in the car. Oh, also I had a huge mental block around finishing the audio book for Kingdom of Ash, so that was holding me up. 

But I've found some pockets of time where audio can rule: when I'm exercising. Sometimes in the car if I can sneak an ear bud in. While I'm doing housework and everyone else is sufficiently occupied.

Kelsier

Man, he was a fun character. Charming, devil-may-care, deep. 

Loads of satisfying reveals

Fully envious of the plotting and planting and building of secrets in Mistborn. Like the characters say, "there's always another secret"! Sanderson appears to write by that motto himself.

Practical, no-nonsense prose

Sometimes, you just want to know what happened. I think my writing tends to leans this way, although I'll admit to being more flowery that Sanderson. 

Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels also come to mind. Just the facts, baby. The plot and characters are so well-devised that that's all you need.

Delightfully chatty

(Confessing from behind her hands) Sometimes when I'm reading with my eyeballs, I skip around to read the dialogue. Sorry descriptions. Dialogue, when done well, is just so juicy and real. That's what brings books to life for me. 

Clear & interesting magic system

Don't quiz me on what all the metals do, because I already don't remember (be real, I never tried to remember). But I do enjoy a very discrete magic system that adds stakes to the situations as the magic-wielders gain/loose access to those powers. 

Solid star-crossed lovers with an indifferent MMC

I don't think anyone's putting this on lists of their favorite romance/romantasy novels, but I was totally there for the relationship between Vin and What'shisface. Elrond? Elund? Elend. Sheesh--took me a minute. And then I had to look up how to spell it correctly. 

But despite the infirmity of my memory for names, I really DID enjoy their growth from secret identities and class differences to first kiss.