dc – The Bookish Mutant

Top 5 Saturday (8/15/20)–Recommended Reads 📜

Posted on August 15, 2020August 15, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Saturday, bibliophiles!

Time for another Top 5 Saturday! This was originally started by Devouring Books, and it sounded like such a fun post to take part in. Today’s topic is recommended reads; I suppose there’s several different ways that you could interpret this prompt, so I’ll pick some books that friends and fellow bloggers have recommended to me–some on my TBR, some that I’ve already read.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE FOR AUGUST:

8/1/20—Enemies to Lovers

8/8/20—Underrated Books/Hidden Gems

8/15/20—Recommended Reads

8/22/20—YA Books

8/29/20—Detective Books

Rules!

Share your top 5 books of the current topic– these can be books that you want to read, have read and loved, have read and hated, you can do it any way you want.
Tag the original post
Tag 5 people

Let’s begin, shall we?

TOP 5 SATURDAY (8/15/20)–RECOMMENDED READS

The War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells

OHHOHO, OLD SCI-FI VIBES…

A friend of mine (and a fellow fan of Bowie and old sci-fi) loves this one, and I’m so excited to read it!

The War that Saved My Life, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

The War That Saved My Life: Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker ...

Two books with “war” in the titles in a row? Oops…

Anyway, I’ve had a few friends recommend this one to me over the years, but Sarah @ The Inside Cover ultimately convinced me to put it on my TBR. (And if you aren’t following her blog, I highly recommend doing so!)

The Bone Witch, Rin Chupeco

Amazon.com: The Bone Witch (0760789258824): Chupeco, Rin: Books

This one came highly recommended from one of my closest friends, and as always, her judgment was on point–I loved this one! I really need to get around to reading the rest of the series…

Far Sector–N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell

A Black Woman Wears the Green Lantern Ring in 'Far Sector #1 ...

My whole family consists of huge comic book fans, and that usually means that single issues circulate between us before coming to rest in bags and boards. My brother lent this one to me, after showing me a few panels and saying that they “looked like your Aurora Rising books.”

Needless to say:

My brother is an absolutely fantastic person in every sense of the word
I LOVED this comic

Ashes on the Waves, Mary Lindsey

Amazon.com: Ashes on the Waves (9780399159398): Lindsey, Mary: Books

This one came recommended from the former president of my school’s book club. Definitely an interesting retelling!

I TAG ANYONE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE!

Disappointed Fun GIF by YoungerTV - Find & Share on GIPHY

Today’s song:

[cries] THE NOSTALGIA

That’s it for this week’s Top 5 Saturday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Books, Random

Bookshelf Shenanigans

Posted on May 6, 2020May 22, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Wednesday, bibliophiles!

I should have posted some of this last week, really, but I just wanted to post some pictures here.

I decided last week that I wanted a little change of pace concerning my bookshelf. After consulting a few friends of mine, I ultimately decided to rearrange my books in rainbow order!

Sorry, this photo isn’t as good…the lighting on this side of the room isn’t as bright as the other

I also tried to arrange my Pop! Figures in rainbow order as well! Starting from the top, we have Starfire (Teen Titans Go!), Liz Sherman (Hellboy), Yoda (Star Wars), Beast Boy (TTG!), Abe Sapien (HB), Elisa Esposito (The Shape of Water), Eleven (Stranger Things), Batgirl (DC), Raven (TTG!), The Vision (Avengers), Rey (Star Wars, K-2SO (Star Wars), and Maleficent (Disney). While rearranging everything, I listened to The Bends (Radiohead). It was a lovely way to spend my afternoon. 🙂

Now, fast forward to today. After finishing up online school today, my day got exponentially better upon discovering that Aurora Burning had come in the mail! I preordered it a few months back, and I was counting down the days until its release. So, naturally, I decided to mess around with some Instagram filters and do a photoshoot. I don’t have a bookstagram or anything, but this is the closest I’ll ever get, seeing as I already spend too much time on there, anyway.

And because I find the orange and teal filter oh so satisfying…

A A A A A A A A A

I haven’t yet read Aurora Burning (I would have started it, but I had already started Girls in the Moon), but at this point, I think it’s guaranteed that I’ll adore it. We’ll see. But from what I can tell, I’ll have to have my tissues at the ready. Either way, I’ll definitely review it next week! 😉

Today’s song:

I’d forgotten about this one until it came on my shuffle this morning. I already loved the other version, but with the underlying cover of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and the choir towards the last thirds…needless to say, I got goosebumps. I think it might be my favorite song at the moment.

That’s it for this random post! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (11/20/18)-Catwoman: Soulstealer

Posted on November 20, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hello, everyone, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!

After how much I loved Wonder Woman: Warbringer (see 9/11/18) and Batman: Nightwalker (which I stupidly haven’t reviewed, but will at some point), I figured that Catwoman: Soulstealer would be no different. So, I checked it out at the library, along with Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass.

It’s funny, I kind of hated Throne of Glass (pleeeease don’t brutally murder me for this, it just wasn’t my thing), but I really liked Catwoman! I’d have to read more of Maas’ work to make my theory have a little more weight, but I guess I just like it when she’s given a set of characters and a world to work with, as opposed to creating her own. (Okay, that’s…probably a little mean, sorry, but that’s how it’s been for me thus far.) So whether you’re a Throne of Glass fan or not, Catwoman is spectacular!

Enjoy the review!

Catwoman: Soulstealer

Desperate to escape her drug addict mother and care for her terminally ill sister, Selina Kyle turns to a life of crime to get by. For years, she fights her way to the top of the food chain, struggling to provide for her and her sister, while simultaneously dodging the likes of Carmine Falcone. Eventually, she is discovered by Talia al-Ghul, who recognizes her potential and talent, and sends her off to train with the League of Assassins.

Many years later, Selina returns to the streets of Gotham City under the alias Holly Vanderhees. In the absence of Batman, she rekindles her reputation, and allies with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. Together, the three of them are a force to be reckoned with. But can they evade the authorities for long enough?

I’ve always had something of a soft spot for Catwoman, partially because of the fact that I love cats, and because, well…simply put, she’s a spectacular villain, and, in some cases, antihero. I especially like her depiction in the animated show The Batman. (It ran in the early to late 2000’s…anybody remember it? Quality.) I mean, her costume is SPOT-ON. COME ON, GUYS. 10/10.

I actually imagined Selina’s costume in *Catwoman: Soulstealer* a little like this. It’s always been one of my favorite interpretations of Catwoman.

But anyway, Sarah J. Maas did an incredible job of depicting Catwoman, as well as giving her some backstory and history. I also really enjoyed the camaraderie between her, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn. They’re so fun together, and Harley didn’t get on my nerves.

Let me elaborate on that. Usually, Harley Quinn is either a) not only oversexualized, but also incredibly annoying, or b) just adorable. My personal favorite is *Batman: The Animated Series* Harley, though her *Catwoman* description in terms of clothing was more along the lines of *Suicide Squad.*

All in all, a well-written novel that did considerable justice to the original characters!

Well, I hope you all have a great day, and for my followers in the U.S, have a happy Thanksgiving!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/11/18)-Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Posted on September 12, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hi, everyone, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!

Now, before I begin, let’s all take a moment of silence for all of those affected by the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001. Even if you’re silent right now, as you’re reading this, stretch the silence on a little longer. Please.

Thank you.

As most of you guys now, I’m a pretty avid DC comics fans. So I was pretty excited to find out that not only is there a YA series about some of the DC “icons” (besides WW, there’s one for Batman, Catwoman, and a Superman one coming next year), but that our lord and savior LEIGH BARDUGO wrote the Wonder Woman installment. Shut up and take my library card! And I’m very delighted to say that I was not disappointed in the slightest. Quality with a capital Q. This makes me SOOOO HAPPY!

So, without further ado, enjoy the review!

Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Young Princess Diana of Themyscira longs to be a warrior just like her Amazon peers. But her chances at becoming the revered hero she strives to be soon seem to be shattered in an instant. A mortal girl has washed up onshore, and Diana, defying all of the laws of her people, did what she felt was right-she got her to safety, and hid her on the island.

But this mortal isn’t what she appears to be. Her name is Alia, and she is part of a long line of Warbringers-descendants of Helen of Troy who bring nothing but war, sorrow, and destruction in their wakes. And the only way to halt her powers would be to kill her. Desperate to keep her actions under wraps, Diana and Alia travel to the mortal world, but are soon caught in the middle of an international plot to kill the Warbringer. Will Diana be able to save Alia-and the world?

OH MY GOD. Pure joy is coursing through every fangirl blood vessel in my body.

SQUEE!

Aside from the fact that, well, for the love of god, WE’VE GOT SOME PERFECT, ADORABLE DIANA ACTION, it was executed spectacularly. Bardugo’s signature writing shone through, and though I was suspicious of the new additions (Is this technically canon? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ), they were lovable as well. Nothing compares to good ol’ Diana though. I’ve always had a lil soft spot in my heart for her.

Well, that just about concludes my review for this week. I hope you have a great rest of your day, and keep on being the phenomenal human beings that you are! I’ve got a couple more posts up my sleeve for soonish (I know I’ve been saying that a lot lately, but I swear I have more content coming up than just BRTs…😬) !