madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (7/18/17)-Brave

Posted on July 18, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey everyone!!!

Let me just say that I had NO idea that Awkward (See Book Review Tuesday, 11/1/16) was going to have a sequel.

And it did…

…AND I WAS SO HAPPY!

I almost liked it better than the ORIGINAL, it was that good!!! If you read it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 😀

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Brave

You may remember Jensen Graham from Awkward as a shy, sort of paranoid kid in the art club who constantly tried to warn everyone about the impending danger of sunspots. But this time, the spotlight is on him. Jensen loves nothing more than to daydream. He wants to be an astronaut at NASA-thing is, he’s not the greatest at math, preferring instead to doodle spaceships in his sketchbook. Jensen is also picked on a lot, not just by the bullies, but from his fellow Art Club classmates. But when he joins the school newspaper, his life changes. Jenny, Akilah, and Felipe know that Jensen is being bullied, and they want to help…just as soon as they finish their weekly vlog. Can he juggle the daily struggles of middle school and survive in one piece?

Love. LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE. Just as good as Awkward, if not better. Not only would I recommend it to anyone who wants to return to Berrybrook Middle School, but for fans of Raina Telgemeier, Victoria Jamieson, or anyone who just wants a funny, heartfelt graphic novel.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, and reading lots! Thank you so much, and see you next week!

Book Review Tuesday, Geeky Stuff, Random

Book Review Tuesday (7/11/17)-Where You’ll Find Me (PLUS-Bonus gif barrage for NO apparent reason!)

Posted on July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Good morning, afternoon, evening, eternal night, or whatever time it is where you are!

My summer has been pretty uneventful so far-besides Comic-Con, nothing much has happened. Mostly, I’ve been drawing, petting the cats, eating ice cream and popsicles every once in a while, watching movies & TV shows (SHERLOCK. OH. MY. GOOOOOOD), and regularly raiding my local library for a new set of books to read. This book happens to be one of these books…as usual. Enjoy!

Where You’ll Find Me

Anna Collette thought that going into 8th Grade this year would be fun, but she couldn’t be further from the truth. Her mother has just been hospitalized after attempting to kill herself, her “best friend” Dani just ditched her for the popular girls, and she’s stuck at home with her dad, his new wife, and her baby. And to top it all off, she’s been forced to sit at the “loser table” after being abandoned by Dani. But nothing there is as it seems. Soon, Anna finds friends in two outcasts-Shawna and Sarabeth-and soon finds her place. With their help, Anna’s been feeling a little better and more normal. But will it last?

I liked this book a lot more than I expected to. Heartwarming and heartwrenching, and overall, very endearing. I definitely wouldn’t call it a “light-read”, but it was a nice, short, good summer read. If you read it, I hope you like it!

I’ll get to posting those WondLa fan arts soon. Bye, everyone, and have a wonderful summer!

WAIT!

I REALLY WANT TO POST SOME GIFS FOR SOME REASON!

(But don’t I always?)

SO HERE YOU GO!

GIFS!

*Violin screeching noises*.GIF ARE WE BLIND? DEPLOY THE GARRISON!.gif Don't go.gif EPIC SAX GANDALF.gif

Here I am!.gif

Hello there.gif

HOLY SWEARING CUSS.gif I've only completed two sides.gif

That felt really good for some reason. Hmm. 😏

Alright, bye guys! Have a good day!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (7/4/17)-The Doom Machine

Posted on July 4, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey everyone, and Happy Independence Day for those of you in America! (MURCA! EAGLES! FORDS! GUNS! BEER! Okay, I’ll stop now…)

Sorry about last week, but hopefully the Meme school video tided you guys over. This is the first BRT of July 2017, so here you guys go!

The Doom Machine

Vern Hollow, New York, 1956. Jack Creedle leads an ordinary life as a paperboy, living with his uncle Bud, who repairs cars. Or so it seems…

Bud Creedle is hiding a secret-he’s constructed a time machine (that looks mysteriously like an ordinary refrigerator), and that time machine attracted the attention of aliens. The Skreeps-9 foot tall, alien spiders, to be exact. And they want the machine for themselves. In an instant, Jack’s world is turned upside down as he, along with Isadora Shumway, the daughter of a scientist, and Bud, along with four others, are whisked off on a crazy adventure across the universe*. Can they keep the time machine from the aliens?

The Doom Machine was a really great read. I’d probably recommend it for Star Wars fans, or really anyone else who loves a fun, fast-paced sci-fi novel. Love!

Now, as promised, here are my pictures from the Denver Comic-Con on Saturday!

Here’s my cosplay-Eleven from Stranger Things! (SPOILER-this will also be my Halloween costume!)

Close-up. My mom used some lipstick for the nosebleed. 😄

There were a bunch of awesome and hilarious El cosplays this time, which were very enjoyable. They (myself included) were probably all attracted to the holy presence of…

…the great MILLIE BOBBY BROWN (Eleven from Stranger Things)!!!!! I got to take a brief picture with her! She was so nice, and it was such an honor to meet her! SQUEE!

I hope you guys have a great day and a great rest of your week! Happy fourth!

*Hehe…unintended Beatles reference

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (6/20/17)-The Vengekeep Prophecies

Posted on June 20, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hello, fellow bibliophiles, and happy Summer! I haven’t really celebrated the coming of Summer, per se, but I have been doing what I do best-lounge around the house and read.

And one of those books I read was this book. I thought it was a pretty decent read, and I hope you do too.

The Vengekeep Prophecies

Every year in the province of Vengekeep, a set of mysterious twins weave a tapestry that predicts the future for the next year in advance. Whatever events the tapestry shows happen, and because of the tapestry, the citizens of Vengekeep are always prepared. But not this year. The notorious Grimjinxes, a family of thieves, have forged and swapped the tapestry, which now fortells everything from fire-men to flying skeleton creatures, and with the Grimjinxes as the saviors of Vengekeep. But little did the Grimjinxes know that the events they wove would actually come true. Now it is up to Jaxter Grimjinx, his friend Callie Strom, and a few other old allies to ward off the beasts that put the very existence of Vengekeep on the line.

For me, this book gets about a 6, but it was still pretty nice. I think what I liked most is the plot twists. There are LOTS of plot twists.

Plot twist!

PLOT TWIST!

PLOOOOOOOOOOOOT TWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIST

They were really good plot twists.

Alright, enough with the plot twists, I’ll see you all next week for the last BRT of June 2017!

Animals

Cat Photography Tips (with Hobbes the cat)

Posted on June 15, 2017June 15, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey everyone! I’ve been meaning to do this post for months, and I’m only now getting to it (wow, self).

Since late October, when my family adopted Hobbes, I’ve learned a lot of little tips and tricks for taking pictures of cats. I just thought I might share a few with you!

1. Don’t use the flash (unless you absolutely need to)

Cat eyes are very unique-they have a layer of tissue on their pupils called the tapedum, which increases the amount of light that the eye absorbs, making their night vision outstanding. This is why cat’s eyes appear to glow in the dark. That being said, if you use the flash, the tapedum kicks in, causing your cat’s eyes to glow, and therefore make them look like they’re possessed by a demon.

Terrifying, isn’t it?

2. Take lots of rapid-fire pictures

Cats, especially kittens (like Hobbes, who is now almost a year old), are very active, and will not stand still for long. So, when taking pictures of your cat running around, hold the camera button down (for iPhones and other devices like that) or push the button down really quickly a bunch of times (for regular cameras). You’ll get a lot of blurry shots out of this, but some results are hilarious.

3. Use a toy to get their attention

Cats are not exactly the most photogenic creatures (Hobbes, I’m talking about you), and they, kittens especially, have kind of a short attention span. So, one way to get and temporarily keep their attention is to wave or shake a toy behind the camera. It works, and they’ll usually look really funny because their pupils tend to dilate.

4. Capture every moment you can

Cats pretty much look cute no matter what. Most of what they do is ADORABLE, so take lots of pictures to capture the personality of your friend. Sleeping cats look SO SWEET, cats in their “you may worship me now” pose are always hilarious, and meowing shots are always good for a laugh. So take advantage of this time with your cat, and take as many pictures…as your iPhone storage will allow.

Thank you so much for reading, and have a great summer!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (6/13/17)-Circa Now

Posted on June 13, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey everyone! I hope you’re having a wonderful June and enjoying the summer…minus those times when it gets to be, like, 90 DEGREES OUTSIDE *vampire hissing* *plant withering noises* HISSSSSSSSSSS

Anyway, I just finished this book yesterday (after finishing the novelization of Rogue One, which, by the way, is wonderful), and I thought it was pretty cool. I hope you guys do too!

Circa Now

Circa Monroe has looked up to her father her whole life. His job is to restore old pictures on Photoshop, and he has taught her many of his photo tricks. But after answering a mysterious phone call requesting for a delivery, he is killed in a car accident. Circa is devastated, but stranger things are to come. For instance, a boy shows up in the Monroe’s front yard with no memory of his past life. But what he does have may help Circa and her mother find out about her father’s tragedy…

I thought this was a pretty interesting book, great for anyone who wants a nice, quick summer read (or just a quick read, for that matter). Also, there are hilarious photoshopped pictures after some of the chapters, which are ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS! All in all, a nice book.

I hope you enjoyed my review, and have a bookish summer!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (6/6/17)-Friends With Boys

Posted on June 6, 2017June 6, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey everyone! I hope you’ve had a good June so far! I know I have. I’ve basically spent the entire summer just reading…and maybe going out to the pool or the movies or running an errand or two…but mostly just reading. Anyway, the graphic novel I’m reviewing today was one of six I picked up at the library at the beginning of the summer, and I loved it! I read it twice! So, without further ado…book review!

Friends With Boys

For her entire education, Maggie McKay has been homeschooled. But now, she has been thrust into the dark world of public education for the first time-otherwise known as high school. So far, all is relatively well. Maggie’s made a few friends (Alistair and Lucy), and her three brothers are always there for her, but then…

…the ghost comes.

This ghost has been following Maggie in secret her whole life, and has decided to show her face once again. But why? And does she have anything to do with the strange artifacts at the museum?

I absolutely loved this graphic novel! The art was so cute, and the story was very intriguing and funny, and it was all just a super fun experience. I’d say this isn’t exactly a summer read, but maybe more of a beginning-of-school-or-whatever read? I don’t know. What with Maggie starting high school and stuff and…okay just ignore me.

I hope you have a great rest of your week! Thank you for reading!

Also, before you go, you guys should all see Wonder Woman. I may or may not do a post about it, but IT WAS SO FLIPPIN GOOOOOOOD

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*AGGRESSIVELY HUMS WONDER WOMAN THEME*

Uncategorized

Book Review Tuesday (5/30/17)-The Girl who Drank the Moon

Posted on May 30, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

I’m so sorry that I didn’t get a review in last week-I was on a school trip and I forgot to let you guys know! So sorry.

But anyway, SUMMER’S HERE! For me, at least…

I hope you guys have had a great May/beginning of summer, and here is the last book review of May 2017. Hope you like it!

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

In a strict, well-guarded town called the Protectorate, the citizens must make a yearly sacrifice. That sacrifice is to leave a baby out in the woods to satiate the needs of a witch. What the citizens don’t know is that this witch, who goes by Xan, has no intentions of harming them. Instead, she saves the babies from starvation, gives them to a family in the neighboring town, and feeds them a bit of starlight. This year’s baby seems to be no different-no different, that is, until Xan accidentally feeds the baby moonlight, and thus bestowing upon her great power and magic. So, Xan has no choice but to raise her by herself, along with Glerk, a gentle swamp monster, and Fyrian, a tiny dragon who thinks he is far larger than he actually is. The girl, now Luna, is nearing her thirteenth birthday, when all of her pent-up magic will slowly reemerge. But Xan is now nowhere to be seen, and a man from the Protectorate is off to hunt down the witch. Luna is now on her own-can she save her loved ones before they are gone forever?

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. Last year, I read another of Kelly Barnhill’s books, Iron-Hearted Violet, and was disappointed in it (though the illustrations were halfway decent). But The Girl Who Drank the Moon was quite the opposite-I liked it a lot, and I devoured it in the course of a day…much like I do with most books these days.

Anyway, I hope you liked my book review, and see you guys in June!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (5/16/17)-A Monster Calls

Posted on May 16, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hellooooooo again, fellow bibliophiles! As promised, I have delivered the book review that I was originally going to do last week 🤦‍♀️

Here you go-but keep in mind that if you are interested in reading this book, PREPARE TO CRY. I cried. Twice. The feels are real.

A Monster Calls

Conor, thirteen, has had a troubled life, lately. His mother has breast cancer, and he has been plagued with nightmares, of monsters, falling, screaming…

But when a real monster* shows up at his window, just a few minutes after midnight, it isn’t the one from his dreams. He has no intentions of harming him-he just wants something from him-the truth. But can Conor grapple the monster (and his strange stories) while dealing with his mother’s illness?

ABSOLUTELY.

LOVED.

THIS.

BOOK.

OH.

MY.

#&%$ING.

GOOOOOOOOOOD.

IT WAS JUST SO BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL AND SO HEARTWRENCHING AND HORRIBLE AT THE SAME TIME OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG

Ignore me over here, I’m just fangirling a bit

ASDFGHJKL;

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

#FANGIRLING.gif #ican't.gif Fangirly screaming.gif IT'S SO FLUFFY.gif OH MY GOoOoOoOoOoD.gif

Okay, sorry.

BUT STILL

READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!

BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

*Essentially Groot but larger and capable of speech (other than “I am Groot”). I love him 💚

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (5/2/17)-Nimona

Posted on May 2, 2017May 6, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey everyone, and welcome to the first book review of May 2017! SUMMER IS COMING! WHOOOOOOOOOO

To kick off my May reviews, here is a truly fabulous and hilarious graphic novel that I think you guys will LOVE. LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE.

Here you go!

Nimona

Ballister Blackheart, resident villain and overall evildoer, never thought that he was in need of an assistant. Never, that is, until Nimona showed up at his doorstep looking for a job. Nimona is a witty, scrappy, shapeshifting teen who wants the same thing as Blackheart does-to expose the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics (and Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin, champion of the kingdom) for what they really are. And they happen to be planning something horrible. When Ballister and Nimona uncover top secret ILEH (I guess that’s the acronym for it…) plans involving a poisonous, banned plant, they must get the secret out…before it’s too late.

I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK! It’s easily the best graphic novel I’ve read in 2017!!! Wonderful combination of magic, science, and…SHARKS

heheheheheheeeeee

Well anyway, have a great Tuesday, guys! 😉