Now that I’ve got more time on my hands thanks to this whole COVID-19 deal, I decided to look up a few more book tags to do. I’m thinking of creating my own soon, as I said, but I’m still working out the details there, so stay tuned. 😉
In the meantime, I found this tag on Madame Writer, and the tag was originally created by Emmmabooks.
RULE:
Choose one genre/category of books that you frequently talk about in tags and don’t use ANY books from that genre for answers.
[gulps] goodbye, sci-fi…
1. A book that is an exception when it comes to genres or elements in books that you don’t typically like.
Normally, I have quite a lot of trouble with the use of the 2nd person. In most instances, it takes me out of the story, and it leaves me feeling confused or disconnected. But Other Words for Smokemanages to utilize it masterfully, putting the reader in the headspace of Bevan just as seamlessly as if it were in the 1st or 3rd person.
2. A book you enjoyed from a genre you previously held some stigma about.
Technically, Descendant of the Crane could be categorized as fantasy, mystery, or fiction, but the mystery element hooked me more than any other element (sort of a murder mystery?), which is something that doesn’t often happen to me with novels.
3. A book you didn’t know was actually out of your comfort zone until you started reading it.
I knew going into it that I Am Still Alivewas waaaaaay out of my comfort zone (survival fiction/adventure), but all of the different elements woven into it surprised me at every turn–ones that usually turn me off to a book, but were so well-executed that they worked for me. Whew, this one’s a rough ride.
4. Pick a friend that motivates you to pick up books you might not normally be interested in. What is one book out of your norm that they convinced you to give a try?
One of my dear friends from school (and one of the few people who I’ve managed to convince to join my school’s book club) recommended The Poet X to me around two years ago. Our taste in books tends to be similar, but this one was most definitely out of my norm, mostly because of the aspect of a novel in verse, which I’ve found to be rather hit-or-miss. To my pleasant surprise, this one was a MASTERPIECE.
5. A book that is out of your comfort zone that you would like to read.
This one’s been talked about a lot for the past few years, and though I’ve found the reviews to be INCREDIBLY polarizing, I definitely want to at least give The Night Circus a try. I don’t usually read historical fiction, but the melding of that and a dash of fantasy seems like it would be entertaining, at best.
6. A book or genre so out of what you normally read that you’ll probably never give it a(nother) chance.
I’m probably never going to touch any sort of bodice rippers. That’s just completely out of the question. I mean, I’m all for romance, but…nope. Not today, nor ever, likely.
Not tiring, necessarily, but this week was the first week that my school tried out online learning. It wasn’t too bad, per se, just…a chaotic and strange transition, at times. (*coughcoughcough SPANISH coughcoughcough*) Nice to do everything from bed, at least. Our spring break is next week, and then we have a good three weeks more of online learning, almost through the end of April. I’m a very introverted person, but I still tend to get kind of stir-crazy. So I’m going to try and make this month at home into a time of creative productivity (working on my WIP, drawing, blogging, etc.), LOTS of reading, and plowing through my movie bucket list. (Once this social distancing time is over, I’ll try and dedicate a post to all of the movies that I’ve watched. So far, I’ve only crossed off 9 and RBG, but I can assure you that I will be SUBSISTING off of Netflix in the next few weeks…)
Hopefully I’ll be a *bit* more prolific blogging-wise during this time.
Just to let you all know, in the future, this part of the weekly update might be far sparser in the next few weeks. I’ll be relying on the Kindle library and Libby for books to read, so I don’t really have anything “on hold” that I know for certain that I will read in the next week(s). But, I just bought this one yesterday, and I am ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE OF IT…
The Survivor (The Pioneer,#2)–Bridget Tyler
Today’s song:
That’s it for this week in blogging! Please stay safe out there, anyone, and don’t endanger yourself or others in these strange times. Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
I found this tag at A Little Haze. You all know how fiery I can get when ranting about a book/series/trope that I hate, so I’ll channel all of my bookish salt into this one.
Let’s begin…
A POPULAR BOOK OR SERIES YOU DIDN’T LIKE
Red Queenhas gotten BOATLOADS of hype over the years, and I just don’t. Understand. At. All. IT’S EVERY BAD YA TROPE ROLLED INTO A SINGLE MONSTROSITY. UGH.
A POPULAR BOOK OR SERIES THAT EVERYONE SEEMS TO HATE BUT YOU LOVE
I mean…?
From what I can tell, Daughter of the Pirate Kinghas been fairly well-received (and has a solid 3.98 on Goodreads), but both my mom and I have noticed that when the bad reviews come in, they are positively scathing. I know this doesn’t really count, but I couldn’t think of any other books/series.
A LOVE TRIANGLE WHERE THE MAIN CHARACTER ENDED UP WITH THE PERSON THAT YOU DID NOT WANT THEM TO END UP WITH OR AN OTP YOU DON’T LIKE
UUUUUUGGGGGGHHHH. I am still FURIOUS over the fact that Juliette ended up with Warner. He’s just…I don’t know, they’re trying to make it seem like he’s “changed” or whatever, but I can’t see past the manipulative, controlling creep he was in the first two books or so. I’ve jumped off the Shatter Meship anyway, after the disappointment of Defy Me, but this was my first dealbreaker.
A POPULAR BOOK GENRE YOU HARDLY EVER REACH FOR
Mystery. I mean, it’ll do in a pinch, but it’s never been my go-to.
A POPULAR OR BELOVED CHARACTER THAT YOU DO NOT LIKE
As much as I adore the Harry Potterseries…the chosen one himself really doesn’t do it for me. I suppose he’s got some admirable qualities, but I think it was his actions in Order of the Phoenixthat really ruined it all for me. He was just so whiny…so entitled…so repulsive…
A POPULAR AUTHOR YOU CAN’T SEEM TO GET INTO
Weeeeell…
I’ve only read one of his novels (Foundation), but I really haven’t taken much of a liking to Isaac Asimov. Eh…it had such a fascinating premise, but most of the book seemed to be a bunch of old white guys sitting around… “Oh, so we might all be annihilated in a matter of days? Let’s discuss…”
A POPULAR BOOK TROPE YOU’RE TIRED OF SEEING
Love triangles. Never start well, never end well, and they create a disgustingly unnecessary (in most cases) romantic subplot. And even if you’re rooting for one party, the main character ALMOST ALWAYS, WITHOUT FAIL, PICKS WHOEVER YOU’RE ROOTING AGAINST. Disappointing.
A POPULAR SERIES YOU HAVE NO INTEREST IN READING
After the train wreck that was Atlantia, you can consider me all but turned off to anything else by her. Matchedis no exception, and even though it may have been one of the first series of the YA Dystopia revolution, I have zero interest in it.
THE SAYING GOES “THE BOOK IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN THE FILM,” BUT WHAT FILM OR TV ADAPTATION DO YOU PREFER MORE THAN THE BOOK?
As much as I adore Roald Dahl, Wes Anderson’s adaptation of Fantastic Mr. Foxis one of the few movies that I feel surpasses its source material. Anderson expanded so much on the world that Dahl built, and brought an immeasurable amount of life to it via the gorgeous stop-motion animation.
Today’s song:
I tag anyone who would like to participate!
Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
I found this tag over at Brianna’s Books and Randomness, who is also the creator of the tag. Though I haven’t re-read the series in ages, The Lunar Chronicles was, from what I can remember, my gateway into YA books, so it will always hold a special place in my heart for that reason. It sounded like a super fun tag to do, so here I go!
The rules are simple: Answer each question, tag or pingback to the creator, and who you found the post from, and tag as many or as few people as you’d like.
CINDER: A SARCASTIC CHARACTER WITH ALL THE SASS
I’ll say it once, and I’ll say it again: Finian from Aurora Risingis the YA king of sass. I’m in stitches from his one-liners every time I go back and re-read this.
PRINCE KAI: AN AUTHOR THAT DESERVES A CROWN
Though there’s a plethora of authors out there that deserve this title, today, I’ll dedicate the crown to Sarah Maria Griffin. Nowhere else have I seen such a deft portrayal of emotion and human nature–and not to mention, easily the only author that I’ve ever seen write the 2nd person and make it believable and readable.
QUEEN LEVANA: A COVER WITH STYLE
Ah, Crier’s War…so iridescent…so intricate…so wonderfully sapphic…[wipes single tear from cheek]
CRESS: A FICTIONAL PLACE YOU WOULDN’T MIND BEING STUCK IN
I would have absolutely no qualms about staying anywhere in Leigh Bardugo’s richly imagined Grishaverse. Except for the Unsea, maybe…
CAPTAIN THORNE: THE LAST FUNNY BOOK YOU READ
By no stretch of the imagination is Rogue Onea comedy, but there’s something to be said for K2-SO’s one-liners.
SCARLET: A BOOK WITH A RED SPINE
[internally catalogues all of the library holds I’ve read in the past few months to search for a red spine]
I’ve had this one for quite a while, and since I’ve already given lots of love to The Demon World, I’ll shine the light on Inkmistressthis time.
WOLF: A WHOLESOME CHARACTER THAT COULD KILL YOU
I mean…what gets more “wholesome-but-could-kill-you” than a massive tardigrade that acts like a puppy? All my love to Otto the giant water bear…💗
WINTER: A BOOK THAT PORTRAYS MENTAL ILLNESS
How it Feels to Floatis a beautiful and deeply moving portrayal of depression and anxiety, and an incredibly underrated one, at that. I highly recommend this one!
Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles, and a happy St. Patrick’s Day as well! I don’t/haven’t had anything planned to celebrate on here [ahem], but…I suppose we’ve got a green book cover here? I hope that counts for something…sorry…
Hey, since I’m reviewing Loki, why not throw in a Tom Hiddleston gif while I’m at it?
Anyway, I also had my first day of online school today. It’s been…an experience. Most of my teachers have been fairly organized in their lesson plans, but my Spanish class was absolutely chaotic, so that was…interesting, to say the least. My AP US History teacher showed us her cat in one of the videos she put up, so that was a major plus. Cats. Always cats.
Now, back to our main program…
I bought Loki about a month ago, along with Sky Without Stars. Though I was a tad hesitant going into it (I’m not sure why, come to think of it), Lee delivers an absolute joyride of a historical fiction/Norse mythology/Marvel comics mashup!
Enjoy this week’s review!
Loki: Where Mischief Lies
Pushed aside in favor of his brother Thor more often than not, young Loki is tired of his sibling having all of the limelight and the unwarranted scorn he garners from his father Odin. His only friend–and partner in crime–is Amora, a budding sorceress. When they cause the obliteration of a vital artifact, Amora is banished to the realms of Midgard, where she is cursed to watch her magic slowly fade away.
Distraught after his best friend’s banishment, Loki’s scorn for the people of Asgard only grows. But soon after her absence begins, a series of horrendous crimes begin to crop up, Loki and Thor are split up and sent to a sprawling, 19th century London, where nothing is as it seems. Can Loki crawl out from under the shadow of his older brother–and not spell ruination for the human city, while he’s at it?
Despite my expectations, Loki pulled out nearly all the necessary stops to make for a fun, twisty, and whimsical adaptation of Marvel Studios’ younger Loki.
I haven’t read as much by Mackenzi Lee (The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, and a few short stories scattered across some YA anthologies), but she deftly weaves in her love of history–specifically, London in the 1800s–seamlessly into Loki’s mythological heritage, even tying in an early version of S.H.I.E.L.D. into the dark, mysterious world. Loki and the rest of the varied cast of characters fit snugly into the historical setting, despite their magical backgrounds.
Full disclosure: I’ve been a huge fan of Loki since I started watching most of the MCU movies, so at this point, I’m primed to like him as a character. But someone like him can easily be poorly-executed, and Lee perfectly balances his trademark mischief and the deep envy festering inside of him. The other characters, though a few seemed a tad interchangeable and difficult to keep up with, were well-written, and generated palpable emotion and chemistry. Oh, and I *kind of* imagined Amora looking similar to Princess Nuala from Hellboy II: The Golden Army, so that’s always a plus.
My only major complaint was the dialogue; I get that the various denizens of Asgard and beyond are supposed to be overtly formal in their mannerisms, but even so, some of the exchanges between Thor and Loki in the early parts of the novel felt unnecessarily stilted. There was a lot of potential for some good banter from those two.
And finally, another wonderful given from Lee’s works…LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION, EVERYBODY! Besides Loki (who is now canonically genderfluid and pansexual), we do have a gay side character, and a romantic subplot between him and…okay, I won’t spoil it, but you can probably guess. 🏳️🌈
All in all, a wonderful imagining of Marvel’s Loki that’s just as mischievous and mysterious as he is. Four stars for me!
Today’s song:
I can always count on this one for an atmospheric song to write to. 💙
That just about wraps up this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day, if you’re celebrating, and take care of yourselves!
I’ve neglected my TBR-cleaning duties for the past few weeks, and since I have some time to blog today, I decided to be…somewhat productive. I’ll just keep telling myself this is a good use of my time. I suppose there’s a lot of dust bunnies that need to be swept out from under the metaphorical bed.
Without further ado, my fourth recorded TBR-culling…
The Rules
1. Go to your Goodreads To-Read shelf
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
A bold, groundbreaking novel about coming out, coming into your own, and coming apart.
Hunter and Van become boyfriends before they’re even teenagers, and stay a couple even when adolescence intervenes. But in high school, conflict arises — mostly because Hunter is much more comfortable with the sex part of sexual identity. As the two boys start to realize that loving someone doesn’t guarantee they will always be with you, they find out more about their own identities — with Hunter striking out on his own while Van begins to understand his own asexuality.
In poems that are romantic and poems that are heartbreaking, Vanilla explores all the flavors of the spectrum — and how romance and love aren’t always the same thing.
Oh, this one’s definitely a keeper. Gay/Asexual representation? Count me in!
VERDICT: KEEP
2. The Lonely Hearts Club (The Lonely Hearts Club, #1), Elizabeth Eulberg
Love is all you need… or is it? Penny’s about to find out in this wonderful debut.
Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It’s a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there’s this certain boy she can’t help but like. . . .
Huh…as much as I love the Beatles/all these Beatles references, I’m not sure if that’s enough to hold up the plot. Plus, I’m not one to trust Stephenie Meyer.
Maggie Dempsey is tired of moving all over the country. Her parents are second-generation hippies who uproot her every year or so to move to a new city. When Maggie was younger, she thought it was fun and adventurous. Now that she’s a teenager, she hates it. When she moved after her freshman year, she left behind good friends, a great school, and a real feeling of belonging. When she moved her sophomore year, she left behind a boyfriend, too. Now that they’ve moved to Austin, she knows better. She’s not going to make friends. She’s not going to fit in. Anything to prevent her from liking this new place and them from liking her. Only . . . things don’t go exactly as planned.
Yeah, nope. I hate to say it, but…does anyone else smell a boatload of cliches?
Freya is myth. She is legend. And she’s about to make one hell of a comeback.
Sara Vanadi is more than she appears to be.
In her prime, she was Freya, the Norse goddess of love, beauty, war, and death. Now all that’s left of her legacy is herself. Her power comes from belief, and for an ancient goddess in the 21st century, true believers are hard to come by.
She’s been lying low for a few decades, when all of a sudden a shadowy corporation extends an offer: join them and receive unlimited strength and believers—or refuse and be destroyed. Sara chooses neither; she flees with the help of a new friend named Nathan.
With a modern power rising that wishes to bend the divine to its will, Sara decides to fight back—but first she needs some new clothes.
Lord…I added these books to my TBR about a year ago, but WHAT was I THINKING?
A hilarious tale of female friendship, bookshops and fighting for a cause – perfect for fans of Holly Bourne and Louise Rennison.
Bennett’s Bookshop has always been a haven for sixteen-year-old Paige Turner. It’s a place where she can escape from her sleepy hometown, hang out with her best friend, Holly, and also earn some money.
But, like so many bookshops, Bennett’s has become a ‘casualty of the high street’ – it’s strapped for cash and going to be torn down. Paige is determined to save it but mobilising a small town like Greysworth is no mean feat.
Time is ticking – but that’s not the only problem Paige has. How is she going to fend off the attractions of beautiful fellow artist, Blaine? And, more importantly, will his anarchist ways make or break her bookshop campaign?
Eh…as much as I (sort of?) relate initially to Paige, the synopsis all started to fall apart in the last few sentences. Can’t say I have faith in this one.
Your world is as you see it to be. Until it isn’t.
These are the first words Kiva’s best friend, Seth, says, after years of silence.
Kiva thought she was growing up in ancient Alexandria. That’s what she and all her classmates had been led to believe by their parents. It turns out she was living in virtual reality, in a sleep chamber in deep space. She and Seth are among a handful of humans who continue to survive. Because Earth no longer exists.
Seth was the first to wake up. Now it’s Kiva’s turn.
Together, they must take an escape shuttle, nicknamed the Tomb, to search for the engine part their ship needs to keep running. But it’s been a long time since their ship has communicated with any of the other vessels harboring human civilization. And not all the survivors are friendly…
For some reason, I checked this out at the library a year or so ago, but never got around to reading it. Though the dangerously low Goodreads rating scares me a bit (2.88…yikes…), this one’s still intriguing.
Ruby Chernyavsky has been told the stories since she was a child: The women in her family, once possessed of great magical abilities to remake lives and stave off death itself, were forced to flee their Russian home for America in order to escape the fearful men who sought to destroy them. Such has it always been, Ruby’s been told, for powerful women. Today, these stories seem no more real to Ruby than folktales, except for the smallest bit of power left in their blood: when each of them comes of age, she will have a vision of who she will be when she dies—a destiny as inescapable as it is inevitable. Ruby is no exception, and neither is her mother, although she ran from her fate years ago, abandoning Ruby and her sisters. It’s a fool’s errand, because they all know the truth: there is no escaping one’s Time.
Until Ruby’s great-aunt Polina passes away, and, for the first time, a Chernyavsky’s death does not match her vision. Suddenly, things Ruby never thought she’d be allowed to hope for—life, love, time—seem possible. But as she and her cousin Cece begin to dig into the family’s history to find out whether they, too, can change their fates, they learn that nothing comes without a cost. Especially not hope.
Witches? Magic? Feminism? Sisterhood? Shut up and take my library card…
Best friends are forged by fire. For Winona Olsen and Lucille Pryce, that fire happened the night they met outside the police station—both deciding whether to turn their families in.
Winona has been starving for life in the seemingly perfect home that she shares with her seemingly perfect father, celebrity weatherman Stormy Olsen. No one knows that he locks the pantry door to control her eating and leaves bruises where no one can see them.
Lucille has been suffocating beneath the needs of her mother and her drug-dealing brother, wondering if there’s more out there for her than disappearing waitress tips and generations of barely getting by.
One harrowing night, Winona and Lucille realize they can’t wait until graduation to start their new lives. They need out. Now. All they need is three grand, fast. And really, a stolen convertible to take them from Michigan to Las Vegas can’t hurt.
Yikes. This one sounds like a rough ride, but I still think I’m in.
South Africa is loud. Listen. Do you hear the song and dance of it? The chorus of Khayelitsha life? Every voice is different, its pitch and tone and intonation as distinct as the words we choose and how we wrap our mouths around them. But everybody has a voice, and everybody sings…
Fifteen year old Neo loves music, it punctuates her life and shapes the way she views the world. A life in radio is all she’s ever wanted.
When Umzi Radio broadcasts live in a nearby bar Neo can’t resist. She sneaks out to see them, and she falls in love, with music, and the night, but also with a girl: Tale has a voice like coffee poured into a bright steel mug, and she commands the stage.
It isn’t normal. Isn’t right. Neo knows that she’s supposed to go to school and get a real job and find a nice young boy to settle down with. It’s written everywhere – in childhood games, and playground questions, in the textbooks, in her parents’ faces. But Tale and music are underneath her skin, and try as she might, she can’t stop thinking about them.
A stirring, bold and moving anthology of stories and poetry by top LGBTQ+ YA authors and new talent, giving their unique responses to the broad theme of pride. Each story has an illustration by an artist identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Compiled by Juno Dawson, author of THIS BOOK IS GAY and CLEAN.
A celebration of LGBTQ+ talent, PROUD is a thought-provoking, funny, emotional read.
Contributors: Steve Antony, Dean Atta, Kate Alizadeh, Fox Benwell, Alex Bertie, Caroline Bird, Fatti Burke, Tanya Byrne, Moïra Fowley-Doyle, Frank Duffy, Simon James Green, Leo Greenfield, Saffa Khan, Karen Lawler, David Levithan, Priyanka Meenakshi, Alice Oseman, Michael Lee Richardson, David Roberts, Cynthia So, Kay Staples, Jessica Vallance, Kristen Van Dam and Kameron White.
I haven’t read anything by any of these authors, but I am SO excited for this one.
VERDICT: KEEP
RESULTS:
KEPT: 5
LET GO: 5
[Thom Yorke voice] “Everythiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing…in its riiiiiiiiiiiiight plaaaaaaaaaaaace…”
Anyway, I feel like that was a successful TBR-cleaning session. I got rid of some books that were in dire need of deletion from my list, and I found a few possible gems that I forgot about. Also, full disclosure: I skipped a book, but only because it was a volume of B.P.R.D. that I haven’t yet read, and that’s an automatic keeper for me.
Today’s song:
I’ve had (Sandy) Alex G on my lists of artists to check out for a while, and so I decided to make a commitment to listen to his music today. He’s kind of hit-or-miss for me (I’ve only listened to House of Sugar and part of Rocket, so maybe there’s something I’m missing), but I found a few that I liked, such as this one.
Thus concludes today’s post! Have a wonderful rest of your day, take care of yourselves, and in wake of all this COVID-19 weirdness, stay safe out there!
Hey, gotta fit that in a few times a year…my sacred duty as a Star Wars fan…
Aaaaanyway, I finished this one up not too long ago. It had been on my TBR for a while, and I mentioned it in one of my Down the TBR Hole posts a few months back. In my endless search for quality sci-fi, I often push fantasy and other genres aside, so I figured that Roar would be a good change of scenery. And overall? A well-imagined and well-written fantasy!
Enjoy this week’s review!
Roar (Stormheart, #1)
In a ruthless land where violent storms rule all, Aurora is next in line to inherit the throne of Pavan. Forced into an arranged marriage and lacking in the storm-controlling powers that define Pavan royalty, she is unsure of her next move. But before she can resort to lying, her betrothed, Cassius Locke, sweeps her into the underbelly of Pavan, telling her of the black market business of buying and selling Stormling powers. Now, Aurora–under the alias of Roar–thinks she has all of her problems solved. But what is the cost of stealing something that is rightfully earned?
Overall, Roar didn’t overtly exceed or fall below my expectations; my expectations were adequately met. The worldbuilding, as well as all of the lore surrounding the Storm magic, was fascinating to dig into. There was clearly a lot of time put into developing the mythology around the magic system, and although the use of gems as a plot device is vastly overdone, I…sort of think it works? I guess? I dunno. Could’ve been a bit more creative.
As far as the character department goes, I didn’t feel a great attachment to any of the characters, but I loved the misfitty team dynamic that they began to have about a third of the way through. Once Roar and Locke got together with the rest of *the gang*, they had wonderful chemistry, and played off of each other with ease. However, the romance was what mainly made me feel iffy. Locke was chock-full of tropes, and the fact that he and Aurora/Roar start getting all heart-eyes for each other MERE HOURS AFTER MEETING… a) Insta-love, the bane of my existence, and b) uh, Locke? Ever hear of something called CONSENT? HMM? So that was…very weird. Not ideal. I suppose it got the teensiest bit better after they got to know each other better, but still veeeery uncomfortable for the first 100-ish pages of the book.
In conclusion, Roar had some well-executed elements and an interesting magic system, but fell flat (almost problematically so) in some respects. 3.5 stars, but the .5 mostly comes from the team dynamic that comes later on in the book.
Roar is the first book of the Stormheart trilogy, which also includes Rage (book 2, released 2019) and Reign (to be published this August). Not sure if I like it enough to continue with the trilogy, but I’ll think about that.
Today’s song:
One of those rare covers that surpasses the original material. More on that here…
That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
Comfort food. We all have it. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and no matter how deep into the dark places we may become entrenched, it will always bring immeasurable joy to us. So this is sort of an appreciation post, but more just musings on a few books and movies that not only help me get through it, but are just fun to read/watch over and over, and they never get old.
BOOKS AND COMICS
Heart of Iron–Ashley Poston
Ever since I read Heart of Ironfor the first time on a magical trip to Chicago, it’s been my go-to whenever I reach a reading slump, or just need a little bit more sci-fi fun in my life. Also, Jax. ‘Nuff said.
Pumpkinheads–Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
This one’s a more recent addition to my list, but no matter the time of year, Pumpkinheadsis especially good for curing all that ails you. I mean, it helped me recover from the initial speechless shock after seeing Joker in theaters, if that’s any proof. (And that was a seriously rough movie…so well-done, though)
B.P.R.D. vol. 2: The Soul of Venice and Other Stories–Mike Mignola
Let me make myself clear: in the grand scheme of all things B.P.R.D., The Soul of Veniceis nowhere near the peak of mastery that this comic series has achieved. But that’s not at all to say that it isn’t a ball of spooky, paranormal fun from cover to cover. Part of why this is one of my most frequently re-read trades is for a few reasons, but the most important one is that, like Heart of Iron, is that it brings back some of my fondest memories, those from when I went to Sequoia National Park one spring break. We stopped in LA before the drive there, where I got this at a comic shop just about a month before it closed. I spent almost the entire trip reading and re-reading that trade, even though I had…oh, three or four books loaded up on my Kindle?
One of the first major comic series that I came to love (and collect in its entirety), Courtney always manages to dredge up so many happy memories for me when I go back and re-read any of the separate volumes. Of course, I end up crying (*coughcough THE COVEN OF MYSTICS coughcough THE FINAL SPELL coughcough*) every time, but it’s worth it. [sniffles] I swear…
MOVIES
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW FANTASTIC THIS MOVIE IS. Aside from being one of the rare sequels that surpasses its predecessor, it speaks to me as a person. I mean…a bunch of misfits and weirdos just trying to get through life. (And trying to take down an invincible, supernatural army, but, y’know, that’s just part of the job.) Over the past three or four years, it’s played such a big role in my life, and I know for a fact that I will never grow tired of it.
X2: X-Men United
Again. Misfits just trying to get through life, with some world-saving on the side. After all the criticism these films have gotten over the years (mostly for The Last Stand, that first Wolverine solo, Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix), it’s so sad that they’ve been pushed aside in the grand scheme of superhero films. For if you think about it, these three two original X-Men movies (we don’t talk about The Last Stand) set the standard for the modern superhero movie. For lack of better words, the X-Men movies walked SO THE ENTIRE MCU COULD RUN. There. I said it.
Anyway, X2 was what rekindled my love of X-Men a few years ago, and in the span of about a year and a half, I’ve been able to watch it a good 5 times, and it will never. Get. Old.
All of the Star Wars movies (minus The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, you know what you’ve done…)
Star Wars. Need I really say any more?
Today’s song:
I’d already heard a few songs off of Strange Mercy before, but I downloaded the rest of the album a few days ago, and I am STUNNED by how phenomenal it is.
So what’s your comfort food? What books, comics, films, and more will you never be able to stop re-reading/watching? Let me know down in the comments!
That just about wraps up this post! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
I figured that today would be a good day for a tag, and in lieu of the announcement that the Netflix Shadow and Bone/Six of Crows show has wrapped up filming, I figured this one would be fun to do. (I’m kind of scared for how the show will turn out, because some of the Grishaverse books are kind of my babies, but that’s a story for another time). I found this tag over at SMELLFOY CAN READ?
Since I should probably give this post a little pizzazz, here’s some Six of Crows art from one of my favorite comic artists/book cover artists, Kevin Wada. (Same guy who drew the covers for Carry On and Wayward Son, actually!)
Let’s begin, shall we?
The Thief • Kaz Brekker: A Layered or Complex Character
One of my first thoughts here was Art from Like a Love Story. Definitely someone who presents a tough exterior, but is deeply wounded on the inside.
The Wraith • Inej Ghafa: A Book With a Twist You Didn’t See Coming
Without question, the end of Thunderhead. The ending came out of nowhere…I think I still bear the scars from having to wait almost two years to see how it all turned out…
The Sharpshooter • Jesper Fahey: An Author that Never Misses the Mark
Though I haven’t read any of his adult works, Jay Kristoff has never disappointed me. With his signature wit and heartrending writing, I’ve never read any book by him that I didn’t like.
The Heartrender • Nina Zenik: A Book that Broke your Heart or Gave you All the Feels
There’s a long list, and since I’ve already spoken about the aftereffects of A Monster Calls, I’d have to say To Kill a Mockingbird. Feels were had. Tears were shed.
The Convict • Matthias Helvar: A Character Caught Between Two Worlds
My first thought here was Abe Sapien from the Hellboy and B.P.R.D. comics. I mean…the guy’s amphibious…talk about being literally and figuratively being caught between two worlds…
The Explosives Expert • Wylan Van Eck: A Book that Went Out with a Bang or a Cliffhanger
Yikes, can I put Thunderhead on here twice?
Just kidding. Dare Mighty Thingscertainly ended with a bang AND a major cliffhanger. Talk about another ending that absolutely wrecked me.
I tag any fellow Six of Crows fans who’d like to participate!
I’ve gone back and forth between buying this book or not for the last few times I’ve been to the bookstore, but I finally gave in about a month ago. Even with just about zero knowledge of Les Misérables (which this series is a retelling of), it was a thoroughly enjoyable and well-thought-out novel packed with action, political intrigue, and romance.
Enjoy this week’s review!
Sky Without Stars (System Divine, #1)
Long ago, humanity fled a dying Earth to seek a habitable solar system to carry on their legacy. What they found was System Divine, twelve planets that were then split amongst the remainders of the population.
500 years later, the planet Laterre is in turmoil. The elite First and Second Estates fill their stomachs to gorging as they continually leave the poor Third Estate to starve in the wreckage of the ships that transported them to the stars. But all the classes can be certain of one thing: rebellion is brewing, and the day of reckoning will soon be upon the rich. And three unseemly teens may be at the heart of the revolution.
The fates of Chatine, an expert Third Estate pickpocket, Marcellus, a Second Estate officer harboring a dark truth, and Alouette, an underground rebel and the guardian of a sacred library, all intertwine as they must reconcile their pasts and join forces to bring about peace to their tumultuous world.
Clocking in at almost 600 pages, Sky Without Stars isn’t quite for the faint of heart, in that respect. In fact, it’s part of the reason why my reading progress lagged a bit last week. But if I’m being honest, it was worth all that, and whatever it cost.
Whether or not you’ve read Hugo’s original work, Sky Without Stars is no doubt a daring and action-packed novel. Brody and Rendell deftly delve into the history and complex societal and political structures in place on Laterre without excessive info-dumping. The writing was incredibly vivid, making you feel as though you were transported to the slums of the Frets or the glimmering palaces of the Second Estate.
Bouncing off of that point, my favorite aspect of Sky Without Stars Granted, other than the fact that there were cyborgs, droids, and interplanetary travel, it wasn’t as sci-fi as I would’ve liked it to be, but hey, I recognize that my standards are astronomically high.
Most of the main cast I thought to be decent. The writing made their strifes understandable, but I didn’t truly get attached to any of them, save for Alouette. I suppose I’ve got a soft spot for her since she’s the guardian of a library and has a great appreciation for literature, so no surprises there. And you know how much I despise love triangles, so the one that exists between the main cast took a little bit out of my enjoyment. Not as painful as others I’ve read, but not quite necessary. I could’ve lived without it.
Overall, a fascinating and action-packed reimagining of a classic. 3.75 stars for me, rounded up to 4.
Sky Without Stars is the first in the System Divine series. I’m unsure if it’ll be a duology, a trilogy, or have 4+ books, but I can say that the sequel, Between Burning Worlds, comes out on March 24! A MATTER OF WEEKS! YAY!
Today’s song:
(This one decided to lodge itself in my head at around lunchtime without warning…I’m good with that.)
That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
The Bookish Mutant 