#fridayreads - July 15, 2016

Happy Friday! This post is not going to be too exciting as I am working from 8:30am-9pm today, and another shift tomorrow. Since last week I have been in a reading slump, and haven't finished a book in about ten days. I have been giving up on many, and not feeling motivated to read anything. 

This weekend I am still trying to finish Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines, which is taking me longer than I hoped because I haven't had any time to read. This is a re-read for me but am not enjoying it as much as her other novels.

If I manage to finish it this weekend, I will be picking up the companion Simple Perfection so that I can write a duology review!

What are your reading plans for the weekend? Up to anything exciting? Let me know!

Rosalie Lightning Book Review

Rosalie Lightning: A Graphic Novel

Written by Tom Hart

Number of pages: 272

Average Rating: 4.20/5 stars

My Rating: 5/5 stars

Published on January 12th 2016

Read in June 2016

Summary according to Goodreads

Rosalie Lightning is Eisner-nominated cartoonist Tom Hart's beautiful and touching graphic memoir about the untimely death of his young daughter, Rosalie. His heart-breaking and emotional illustrations strike readers to the core, and take them along his family's journey through loss. Hart uses the graphic form to articulate his and his wife's on-going search for meaning in the aftermath of Rosalie's death, exploring themes of grief, hopelessness, rebirth, and eventually finding hope again. 

Hart creatively portrays the solace he discovers in nature, philosophy, great works of literature, and art across all mediums in this expressively honest and loving tribute to his baby girl. Rosalie Lightning is a graphic masterpiece chronicling a father's undying love.

My Thoughts

This was such a powerful novel, and could only be fully captured through a graphic memoir. I give so much credit to this author for opening his life up so much to write this, giving readers a look at how hard he and his wife suffered, emotionally and financially, both before and after losing their daughter. 

I knew what this novel was about before I picked it up, but it still broke my heart. Reading about this couple mourning the sudden loss of their young child was terrible and very heavy. I had an immediate connection to the characters, and just wanted to give everyone a hug. There are many ups and down throughout this short story, and you join this couple on the roller coaster of emotions. 

The graphics are black and white, very simple, but did the story justice. It is a heavy topic that flows well with basic art, so that you are more focused on what is going on than the designs - something that I really appreciated. 

At some times the story felt a little scattered to me, memories coming and going without much time structure. But this just made the story feel so much more real. This man is distraught, and such simple daily things bring to life memories he had of his daughter. The story could being depicting a moment he and his wife are walking through a forest, and flash to remembering his daughter water colouring. If there weren't moments like this scatter-brain, the novel would not have felt as real. 

At first I rated this four stars, but then went back and changed it because I realized that there was nothing about this novel that I did not like. It is quite rare for me to connect to characters that quickly, and the plot made it feel heavier than 270 pages (in a positive way). Overall, this is one of my favourite graphic novels, and one of my favourite non-fiction reads. If you have even a slight interest in graphic novels, I highly recommend you pick this one up. I am hoping that Tom Hart has other works available at my library because I would love to read more from him. 

Wanted Wednesday - July 13, 2016

Happy Wednesday! Today I am dying over an upcoming release that I have been wanting since I finished reading Ignite Me. 

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

Expected to be published: August 30, 2016
Genres: Middle grade, Fantasy

Summary according to Goodreads

There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and colour, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit - and with a liar by her side in land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return him to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must find herself - and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss. 

Another Day Book Review

Another Day

Written by David Levithan
Number of pages: 327

Average Rating: 3.69/5 stars
My Rating: 2/5 stars

Published on August 25th 2015
Read in June 2016


Summary according to Goodreads

Every day is the same for Rhiannon. She has accepted her life, convinced herself that she deserves her distant, temperamental boyfriend, Justin, even established guidelines by which to live: Don't be too needy. Avoid upsetting him. Never get your hopes up. 

Until the morning everything changes. Justin seems to see her, to want to be with her for the first time, and they share a perfect day - a perfect day Justin doesn't remember the next morning. Confused, depressed, and desperate for another day as great as that one, Rhiannon starts questioning everything. Then, one day, a stranger tells her that the Justin she spent that day with, the one who made her feel like a real person...wasn't Justin at all. 


My Thoughts

I went into this novel expecting a continuation of the first novel from another perspective, but instead found that it was the same story told from Rhiannon's view. While reading the first novel I never wondered what was going on in her life, and instead just wanted to know how she was dealing with it. Briefly. I feel that I would have enjoyed this story so much more if it had been shorter, or even as a novella. 

Rhiannon was not as interesting to read as A was, unfortunately. I found her to be very boring and diminished, and did not go through any development until the very end. It was almost painful to read about her relationship with Justin, because she believed so strongly in it. She was fairly self-centered, and it took her awhile to open her eyes up to the world. 

I may be wrong, but there were times while reading this novel that I had to wonder if Rhiannon was a little bit homophobic. While A was talking about inhabiting the body of a man and being in a same-sex relationship, it seemed to make her very uncomfortable. However, it could be that she is insecure in her own sexuality, and that is why she struggled connecting to A when they were inhabiting the body of a female. 

Every Day is one of my favourite books that I have ever read, so my expectations for this one could not have been higher. After having reread the first novel I was expecting to go back into this world of poetic writing and strong characters, and was only met with disappointment. There is showing to have another novel in this series (with no release date yet) so hopefully that tie together all of the lose ends. 

Recently Purchased 2016 #2

Hello!

Today I am back with another book haul! Chapter's was having an amazing sale in-store, where when you bought three books you got the fourth for free! How could I resist?

The Demonologist by Andrew Piper
Goodreads: click here

A stolen child. An ancient evil. A father's descent. And the literary masterpiece that holds the key to his daughter's salvation. 

Professor David Ullman is among the world's leading authorities on demonic literature, with special expertise in Milton's Paradise Lost. Not that David is a believer - he sees what he teaches as a branch of the imagination and nothing more. So when the mysterious Thin Woman arrives at his office and invites him to travel to Venice and witness a "phenomenon," he turns her down. She leaves plane tickets and an address on his desk, advising David that her employer is not often disappointed. 

That evening, David's wife announces she is leaving him. With his life suddenly in shambles, he impulsively whisks his beloved twelve-year-old daughter, Tess, off to Venice after all. The girl has recently been stricken by the same melancholy moods David knows so well, and he hopes to cheer her up and distract them both from the troubles at home. 

But what happens in Venice will change everything

One More Chance by Abbi Glines
Goodreads: click here

Note: This novel is a sequel to the novel Take a Chance, so I will not be providing a synopsis in order to avoid spoilers.

Amity by Michol Ostow
Goodreads: click here

When Connor's family moves to Amity, a secluded house on the peaceful banks of New England's Concord River, his nights are plagued with gore-filled dreams of demons, destruction, and revenge. Dreams he kind of likes. Dreams he could make real, with Amity's help. 

Ten years later, Gwen's family moves to Amity for a fresh start. Instead, she's haunted by lurid visions, disturbing voices, and questions about her own sanity. But with her history, who would even believe her? And what could be done if they did?

Because Amity isn't just a house. She is a living force, bent on manipulating her inhabitants to her twisted will. She will use Connor and Gwen to bring about a violent end as she's done before. As she'll do again. And again. And again. 

Us by David Nichols
Goodreads: click here

Douglas Petersen may be mild-mannered, but behind his reserve lies a sense of humour that, against all odds, seduces beautiful Connie into a second date and eventually into marriage. Now, almost three decades after their relationship first blossomed in London, they live more or less happily in the suburbs with their moody seventeen-year-old son, Albie; then Connie tells him she thinks she wants a divorce. 

The timing couldn't be worse. Hoping to encourage her son's artistic interests, Connie has planned a month-long tour of European capitals, a chance to experience the world's greatest works of art as a family, and she can't bring herself to cancel. And maybe going ahead with the original plan is for the best anyway. Douglas is privately convinced that this landmark trip will rekindle the romance in the marriage and might even help him bond with Albie. 

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
Goodreads: click here

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan's most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin's Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas, Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn's orders and could suffer and unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be truly free? Explore the dark underworld of this kick-ass heroine to find out. 


I am so excited for all of these books! Have you read any of the ones I purchased? Let me know!

#fridayreads - July 8th 2016

Happy Friday! I am lucky to have today of Sunday off, so I have lots of time for reading this weekend! I have been quite busy getting all of my stuff together since I'm transferring universities for the coming semester, but it is almost all taken care of!

We are nearing the end of our #AYearAThon theme for the week, so here is what I am hoping to read!

I am currently reading Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn, one that I have had on my TBR for quite some time. I am about 90 pages in, and am not yet into it. It is a young-adult psychological thriller, but does not make a lot of sense to me. I am on the fence of whether or not to DNF, but am hoping it picks up soon. I am hoping to finish it tonight, but if not I will move on to something else. 

I really want to pick up Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines, and continue on with the Rosemary Beach series. This will be a reread for me, but I have yet to read the companion - so hopefully I can get to those this weekend as well! Abbi Glines is such an easier author to read, I feel I could get both done within a day!

I am still reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, but am enjoying taking my time with it! I read a chapter or two every night, and enjoy letting myself absorb every detail!

What will you be reading this weekend? Let me know!

Ms.Marvel Book Review

Ms. Marvel

Written by G. Willow Wilson

Art by Adrian Aphona

Number of pages: 120

Average Rating: 4.16/5 stars

My Rating: 3/5 stars

Published on October 30th 2014

Read in June 2016

Summary according to Goodreads

Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City - until she's suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! When Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them, as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to bear? Kamala has no idea, either. But she's comin' for you, Jersey!

My Thoughts

It had been so long since I had last read a graphic novel, I decided to head over to my library and see what they had available. Ms.Marvel is one I had heard quite a bit about when it was first reeled, with fairly mixed reviews, so I decided to read it and gather my own opinion. It was fairly short and a graphic novel, so there is not too much for me to say. 

I really liked the artwork in this graphic novel. I guess it is technically a comic book? I have not yet had any luck with comics, I actually find them harder to read and follow. Except for this one - I really enjoyed it for both the artwork, plot line, and overall themes. There was a prominent element of culture in this story, and one that I was not very familiar with. Our main character comes from a Pakistani-American family, living under strong parental guidance and flying fairly low under the social radar. It was refreshing to read a character who is trying to do good things in the world, but also stay on the good side of her parents. 

My issue with this comic was a personal one, since I don't know much about The Avengers I feel that it took away from my reading experience. I have a very limited knowledge of Marvel superheroes, and did not feel very connected to that aspect. 

Overall, I am happy to have picked this series up, and have already requested the sequel from my library. There was not too much excitement going on, and instead more world building and character setup - I am hoping for more in the sequel!