September Wrap-Up

    Hey y'all, it's that time of the month again!  September was a great month of reading for me and I'm honestly surprised by how much I've grown as a reader just in the last few months.  I used to read all the time for hours like this when I was younger and stopped sometime during middle school, so this experience is sort of like reliving my lost childhood, but not really.  Anyway, I read a total of 8 books this month, which is pretty impressive if I do say so myself.  I'm hoping to get my reading goals up to about 10 books a month, but with school looming over my head, I think 8 is the highest I'll see for awhile.  That being said, let's get the reviewing under way.

    The Darkest Minds: As I was trying to break up my fantasy book haul with other genres, I looked for a dystopian book that would catch my interests and this one did not disappoint.  Taking place in a society where most children die before the age of 9 and those who survive are cursed with weird powers, Darkest Minds follows a teenager named Ruby as she's cast aside by her family and sent to a prison camp for children with special abilities.  She escapes only to run into other teens like herself, graced with powerful abilities, and attempts to learn how to control hers.  I thought the most interesting part of this book was the character development throughout the story.  I didn't sense a lot of world building going on, seeing as they are technically located within the United States, West Virginia and the surrounding states to be exact.  The book also started off a little slow for me and I was initially confused with the point of view before she came to Thurmond, (the prison camp).  I enjoyed the book much more after she joins her friends.  There were some dark moments in this book that I wasn't expecting, but should have expected due to the apocalyptic, dystopian nature of this book.  I enjoyed this book, so I think I will continue with the series and see where it takes me.  I gave it 4 out f 5 stars.

    Red Queen:  This book also started off slow for me, but I enjoyed the second half much more than I had originally anticipated.  Red Queen is about a poor peasant girl living in the slums of a world ruled by silver-blooded elite who possess powers beyond those of mortal comprehension.  She is thrust into their world by chance and discovers she is a red-blooded girl with powers stronger than her silver-blooded counterparts.  This book picked up quickly after she is found out by the higher powers.  I enjoyed the pace of this book as well as the characters interacting with each other and the mischief they manage throughout the court atmosphere.  There's a lot of emotion in this book, so I'm hoping that they are making a second because I'd like to see what happens next.  I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars as well.

    The Queen of the Tearling:  I honestly expected to hate this book.  All the reviews I've read about it portray it as more of a political intrigue sort of book and not an action-packed adventure book.  They were partially correct.  I didn't love or hate this book, but I'm intrigued enough to attempt to read the second book, which just came out.  The Queen of the Tearling follows a young princess named Kelsea as she's escorted from the foster home she's known her whole life and into the bowels of her kingdom, inherited from her dead mother.  There's not a whole lot going on in this book.  The writing was decent, but there's not even a lot of political nonsense, let alone action.  We basically read about how she gets to her kingdom, how she begins her reign and how she deals with rebellion.  Mainly she talks to her Queen's Guard a lot.  There were some portions of the story with action involved and I loved the parts of the story that involved The Fetch, who is by far my favorite character so far.  Kelsea seemed pretty boring to me until the middle of the book.  The scenery and description I thought was great as well.  This book is very reminiscent of the Arya Stark/Hound story of Game of Thrones.  It didn't wow me, but I'm willing to try the sequel and see if it's better.  I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Cruel Beauty:  I read this book hoping to quell my thirst for Beauty and the Beast stories and ACOTAR.  I ended up getting ACOTAR again anyway and re-reading it in 24 hours, but this story was decent as a retelling.  This book revolves around a girl named Nyx who has been betrothed to the Gentle Lord of her land since she was born because of a bargain her father made.  I didn't particularly care for the first part of the book, but it picked up after she gets to the castle.  Her main goal, because she can't escape her fate, is to seduce and kill this lord and save her people from a curse he inflicted on their lands.  However, once inside his castle, she is intrigued by him enough that her guard falls and she ends up loving him.  There is a lot more going on in this book than the surface tells you.  A lot of mystery, but also a lot of confusion.  There's a heavy influence of Greek mythology, which I didn't really understand.  There were also mentions of a "time before," which usually indicates a regressed society, but I'm not sure with this book.  There's no real action to speak of, but the two male characters are great.  I could have cared less about Nyx actually; she bored me at times and was way too loose with her mouth.  Ignifex is the best character, having a complex relationship with Nyx as well as himself.  Lots of bi-polar tendencies going on around here.  I gave this one a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, and Queen of Shadows:  Yes, I read all of these PLUS The Assassin's Blade in the month of September.  I am OBSESSED with this series, to put it lightly.  I started with Crown of Midnight, which had lots of mystery, romance, suspense and action to propel the story.  I loved the chemistry between Chaol and Celaena, until it SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES.  Poor Chaol...  I honestly felt bad for him, but I also felt bad for Celaena.  So much death!  There was a lot going on here and we finally know about Celaena's heritage.  I'm glad Chaol sent her away though, because she meets the immaculate Rowan in Heir of Fire, which was a great read!  It felt more like a middle novel than a third book, because of the change of scenery, which was still flawlessly rendered by Maas.  I felt bad for Celaena more in this book than any other and I did want to kill Rowan in the beginning for treating her so badly.  I also found Celaena to be really annoying for the first half of this book.  I thought the character development in this book exceeded any before it and we get to see sides of both characters that we haven't seen yet.  This was a very GOT style book.  By the end, I was in love with Rowan, (and so was Celaena), but DORIAN!!!!:(  That ending literally broke my heart.  When Aelin returns to Riftfold in Queen of Shadows, everything has changed, including her name.  This book was by far my favorite so far in this series.  I purchased it outright and read it twice!  ROWAN IS EVERYTHING.  I'm totally shipping that for real.  I also loved the revenge aspect of this book and the new characters introduced.  The only thing I didn't like was that Chaol was a raging douche almost the entire time.  I didn't like that he just got angry and refused to be nice at all.  I liked the progression of the Dorian and new Manon story lines intertwined with the actual story line.  The sexual tension in this book had me like whoa.  Hopefully that's resolved by the next book, in like a year, (oh God, I have to wait so long...).  I obviously gave all three of these books 5 stars because they are my life force.

    The Assassin's Blade:  This book was a tad different than the others.  I guess you're supposed to read this one before Heir of Fire, but I read it after Queen of Shadows, which I still found beneficial, especially since I read Queen of Shadows twice.  This book includes 5 novellas taking place during Celaena's life before she is broken out of Endovier by Prince Dorian.  I loved reading about the different adventures she went on and SAM CORTLAND OMG.  I have never felt more reluctant to read something, knowing what was going to happen to poor Sam.  It didn't make it easier, but I was envisioning something more grotesque and in-your-face.  I'm glad it wasn't detailed, but it still seemed pretty abrupt, especially since you knew what was going to happen anyway.  You understand so much more about her life after reading this book.  It's definitely worth the time and effort.  I gave it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

    Those were all the books I managed to cram into the month of September.  Thursday I'll be going over my October tentative TBR list, (because I may read more than I anticipate, judging by this month).  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Comic Book Wrap-Up

    Hello everybody!  I thought for this week I would do something a little different and split up my September wrap-up.  I read a lot of books this month, so I didn't want to overwhelm anyone by creating an enormous wrap-up post next week.  I think splitting it up will be easier and it could definitely be an option that I return to in the future if I overstep my reading goals by a lot, (which I definitely did).  So here are the comic books I read this month and what I thought of each.

(goodreads.com)

    The Wicked and the Divine was the first comic I picked up this month.  I ended up reading both volume one and volume two.  I will say I had high expectations for this going in because of it's reputation in the reading community.  Every 90 years, 12 gods are resurrected as humans for only two years, in which they rule the world as pop-star celebrities.  They have a lot of influence and a lot of power and are governed by an overseer to make sure they stay on track.  Laura, a local fan-girl from London gets wrapped up in this world to escape her own mundane life.  There were things I liked and didn't like about this series.  The first couple issues were confusing to me a little bit and I had a hard time following the course of the panels as they moved throughout the story.  Some of the characters seem a bit too stuck-up for me and the way they talk in riddles is extremely irritating.  There's also a lot of references to sex, drugs, vulgar language and violence, which I'm not bothered by, but it seemed unnecessary here most of the time.  When the gods perform for the masses, it acts as a release for the fans, more or less an orgy or rave.The premise is what kept me interested and the second volume was better than the first.  I will keep going with this series, but I gave the first two volumes 3.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Wayward is amazing!  This comic is right up my alley in terms of genre and premise.  I knew I would like it before I picked it up and I was not disappointed.  I also ended up reading further into this series than I planned, volumes one and two.  It was totally worth it and I can't wait to read the third!  A girl named Rori moves from Ireland, where she lived with her father for most of her life, to Japan, where her mother lives.  Rori is an interesting character in the sense that her heritage makes her an outsider and her relationship with her mother is already strained because they don't see each other that often.  I found Rori to be somewhat relatable, until she started exhibiting magical/psychic abilities.  I'm still not sure what's going on with these kids, whether it's a spiritual kind of power or not, I'm still not sure.  By volume two, the gang is together and we can see a clear picture of this team of theirs and how it operates.  I did think that at times this comic sped things up for the sake of getting to a certain point in the story, mainly in the second volume.  But overall, I found this spin on traditional Japanese mythology rather enjoyable.  I gave volumes one and two 4.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    The Woods was also an enjoyable read, but for different reasons.  I was drawn to the plot initially, because the artwork isn't really my style.  I also read volumes one and two of this series.  An entire high school gets transplanted onto a different planet in a foreign galaxy and while the adults stay inside and come up with a plan of action for survival, a group of teenagers venture out into the unknown wild for answers.  I thought the characters were really dynamic and diverse and they were introduced perfectly to the reader.  I also think the small conflicts between characters are genuine and develop the story further.  It's definitely getting weird, so I'm curious to see where it goes from here.  I gave this series 4 out of 5 stars so far.

(goodreads.com)

    East of West was the comic I wasn't exactly too keen on, but I ended up not hating it like I thought I would.  It still isn't really my preferred genre, but I thought I could work around that for the story.  I only read volume one of this series because volume two wasn't available to me, but it still packed a punch.  I was a bit confused at the beginning with the important business people or the believers of the apocalypse or whoever they are meeting and discussing things.  I also don't know if I'm totally invested in the story yet.  The artwork is breathtaking and I was able to follow the panels as they went along, but the story itself was a bit weak for me.  I know it's the beginning, so I'm assuming it gets better from here, but I can't get around the wild-west apocalypse vibe of this series, which I hate.  My favorite part of this entire comic so far was Death reuniting with his Chinese wife.  The volume did end on an interesting cliff hanger, so I will most likely pick up the second volume once it's available.  I gave this series 3 out of 5 stars so far, but I'm hoping it gets better and grows on me in time.

(imagecomics.com)

    Last, but not least, a comic I wasn't planning on reading but I'm so glad I picked up, was Mythic by Phil Hester and John McCrea.  In a world where scientific explanation rules, MYTHIC defies explanation with magic.  Everything we know and understand is a lie.  When magic breaks, the Mythic teams fix it.  This is very much along the lines of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, which I LOVE.  A rag-tag team of misfits fighting monsters is right up my alley, so I'm glad this gorgeous cover art caught my attention.  I love the story so far and the mystery involved, so I'm excited to see where it goes from here.  This is a fairly new series by Image comics, so the fourth issue just came out yesterday and the fifth will be out in the middle of October.  I rarely find a series that I like that's brand new, but I'm intrigued!  I gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

    That's all I read for comics this month.  I have a longer list of comics I want to pick up for next month that are a little different, since I'm sort of following a theme next month for Halloween.  October will be my scary-reads month, where I'll get out of my tiny comfort zone and read some scary things.  I will also be bringing you my wrap-up for the books I read this month next week and I read a total of six books, including the rest of the Throne of Glass series, so be on the lookout for that on Tuesday.  My TBR for October will be Thursdays post, so I'm hoping to set my reading goals higher.  If you have any comic recommendations for me, please leave them in the comments below!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Fall TV!

    Well hello everyone!  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  I spent mine working, but in reality, that isn't so bad, considering I've spent the last three months not doing anything at all.  It's nice to have somewhere to go and something to do, however trivial or mundane at times.  I just got home from work, actually, and Tuesdays are typically very slow, so I spend most of my time reading and cleaning up the shop.  Even though I barely did anything, I'm still exhausted.  My chronic fatigue is rearing it's ugly head again, so I'm going to assume there's some sickness coming on.  I can't wait for that to manifest...  I also can't wait to crawl into bed with my book, but that's neither here nor there.

    Today I decided to talk about TV because I haven't in awhile.  In fact, some of my more successful or popular posts were TV re-caps, where I talk about what happened in a given episode and what my premonitions might be for future episodes.  Since fall officially starts this week, (especially with the weather finally cooling down to an acceptable temperature), we can expect our favorite TV programs to grace our televisions once more.  I'm going to list the TV shows I'm most excited to watch this season and shows that I might get into if I have the time.  We'll start with a few shows that I'm excited to see return to my weekly line-up.

(hypable.com)

    Once Upon a Time:  I've mentioned this show countless times here and there's no doubt it's my favorite anticipated series premiere on this list.  If you are unfamiliar with OUAT, fairy tale characters have been taken from their enchanted forests and castles and placed in a small Maine town due to a curse by the Evil Queen.  Obviously you'll have to start from season one to get the gist of it, but there's a lot of hidden mystery in this show.  I will be honest in the fact that I did lose a little momentum for this series last season when they introduced Frozen characters because I don't think they did any justice to the story.  HOWEVER, Emma is now The Dark One, (due to a series of unfortunate and unavoidable events), and her family has to deal with the repercussions of Emma's sacrifice.  There are a few new characters getting introduced this season that I'm excited about, including Merida, the Camelot crew, (I'm definitely calling them that from now on), which includes Merlin and King Arthur, and the return of Mulan!  I'm really excited about this season, so if you're new to this, just binge watch the first four seasons.  It should only take you two weeks, tops, and it's totally worth it.  GO DARK SWANN!  Also, LOOK AT THAT GORGEOUS POSTER!  Season five premieres this Sunday, September 27th at 8pm EST.

(seat42f.com)

    Arrow:  Arrow has had it's ups and downs for me, but I fell in love with this series after season two.  It's so complex for a CW show that I was initially surprised.  Who would have thought that the CW network, the same network responsible for the Vampire Diaries, would put out great programming like Arrow, The Flash, Reign and The 100?  The CW has become a formidable force when it comes to dramatic television and Arrow is no exception.  It is dark, gritty and very much a DC universe reminiscent of Batman in all his glory.  If you haven't started this series yet, I highly suggest you do so.  The first season is a little slow, but by season two you will be hooked.  We left off last season with Oliver Queen running away to his new, quiet life after faking his own death with the League of Assassins.  The Arrow is no more, but the GREEN Arrow will be born from the ashes.  This season we get the formal introduction of Speedy, Oliver's younger sister Thea Queen, and Laurel Lance as the Black Canary, taking over for her dead sister Sarah.  With so much that can happen to this new and complete team, there's so much to speculate.  Stephen Amell is still HAF though, amirite?  Season four promises to be just as great, if not better, than all it's previous seasons, premiering Wednesday, October 7th at 8pm EST.

(ign.com)

    Agents of Shield:  On the other side of the comic book spectrum, we have Marvel's Agents of Shield, who's last season finale led the way right into the beginning of Avengers: Age of Ultron.  I love the overlap of this series with the Marvel cinematic universe.  The show follows a team of individuals who are members of the S.H.I.E.L.D organization, (who we don't really know that much about, other than the fact that they're very much like secret agents and a task force to be reckoned with), as they investigate various happenings related to the MCU.  The first season set the ground work, although it started extremely slow.  It picked up quickly and now this show is an incredible testament for crossover potential.  Last season we were introduced to the Inhumans, Marvel's take on mutants, (because they can't legally say "mutants" because of copyright).  Skye, or Daisy, has discovered that's she's one of them and has to deal with her new role on the team as Quake.  I'm assuming we're going to dive deeper into the Inhumans story line this season with all the unanswered questions we received at the end of last season.  I literally can't wait to see what happens this season!  Season three premieres Tuesday, September 29th on ABC at 9pm EST.

(amazingracewikia.com)

    The Amazing Race:  This show is my guilty pleasure!  I watch this show with my dad and it's always nice to spend time with him watching a show we mutually love.  We get a kick out of all the different countries and places the racers visit on their way back to home base.  We also love watching the inevitable squabbles and annoying teams that make watching both laughable and painful at times.  It's one of the few reality shows that I watch religiously.  The 27th season, (WHOA), premieres this Friday, September 25th at 8pm on CBS.
    Dancing with the Stars:  Another guilty pleasure reality show I watch with my dad.  I loved last season, but this season looks ratchet, so I'm not sure if I'll watch or not.  That being said, I will most likely be drawn to the allure of Tom Bergeron's awesome personality at least.  It already premiered, so I'm behind at this point, but I can catch up on ABC.com.  Go Bindi!

   
    Those were shows I know I'll be watching the next few months.  These next shows are shows I'd like to make time for, if it's worth my while.  Still unsure whether or not I can commit to one or any of these, but we'll give it a try.
    Gotham:  I tried watching Gotham for awhile and I liked it a lot, but I missed a few episodes and never went back.  I enjoyed the dark, gritty world it portrayed, similar to Arrow, but still different.  Two very different cities, two different settings, two different groups of people, one old school Batman, another new school DCU.  This next season promises the beginnings of the Joker, whom we've all been dying to see come to life on this show.  Rumor has it the guy playing the Joker is really talented, so I'm curious to see how he brings the Joker to life.  That would be one of the only reasons I tune in.  Season two has already started on FOX.

(gamespot.com)

    Heroes Reborn:  I never watched the original Heroes, but I've heard nothing but good things about it from my friends who've seen it.  I would be doing myself a disservice if I watched this series without watching the original, but this new series looks so great!  I'd like to feel the nostalgia that comes from seeing an old character you love in a new show.  Zachary Levi seems to have somewhat of a presence on this reboot, so I'm willing to give it a go.  I'm not sure why I wasn't initially drawn to the original Heroes before, but I will have to find it on Netflix in the meantime and figure out why.  Heroes Reborn premiers Thursday, September 24th at 8pm EST on NBC.

    The Muppets:  I've always loved the muppets, so when I heard that they were trying to resurrect The Muppet Show, I almost fell out of my chair.  That being said, this is a lot different than what I was anticipating, although I think it could work for them.  The Office and Parks and Rec feel of this series makes me want to see the muppets in this environment.  I know it will not be what I am used to and I still crave the nostalgia that comes with the sing-song comedy that is the muppets, but I'm willing to give this thing a shot.  The Muppets premieres TONIGHT at 8pm EST on ABC.

    That's all I have for fall TV shows!  Hopefully I can get to all of them without cable at my disposal...  Which ones do you watch?  What are your favorites?  Are there any shows not on my list that you think I would like?  Leave me your recommendations and comments below.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Author Spotlight

    Hey everybody!  I had a really great idea to highlight a different author I love every so often, so I hope I can keep going throughout this blogging experience.  The idea came to me after finishing Queen of Shadows literally mere hours ago and I just can't wait to talk about how great this book is, so I'm highlighting Sarah J. Maas as my author this month.

(goodreads.com)

    It shouldn't come as much of a surprise to any of you, but I've grown to love Maas's writing over the last few months.  I started my love affair with her after reading the first book in her new series A Court of Thorns and Roses, (my review of that book should be in my Book Reviews section above).  I loved everything about that book, from the plot intermingling with the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale to the strong female lead character to the hot, steamy romance everywhere.  I didn't think I would be into all that stuff, but Maas proved me very wrong.  Although I started reading her books this July, I have almost caught up with everything she's written so far, save for The Assassin's Blade, (which I will desperately try to save for next month's TBR list, but I honestly don't know if I can stand it).  These books have made me love reading again in a way that I can only explain as being similar to my love for Harry Potter.  I was eager to get my hands on the next book in the series, painstakingly waiting each time they were released, read them in record time and craved more each time I finished one.  I was enthralled by the story line, the characters, the descriptions of the scenery, the world building around me, etc.  I didn't think I would ever feel this way about reading ever again, so these books mean a lot to me in that regard.

    Sarah J. Maas's characters are strong and complex, but still relatable.  At this point, after reading all of her books, her characters are also kind of predictable, but in a good way.  She enjoys the strong, independent female lead with a strong man on her arm or by her side to make the fighting easier.  Both female protagonists in the Throne of Glass and ACOTAR series are fighters, warriors in their own right as well as hunters, survivors.  They are also complex, with dark pasts that still haunt them, which is a conflict they must address in each of their stories.  I love how both protagonists have similar traits, but are still their own character.  I feel like Celaena/Aelin in the Throne of Glass series is a completely different person from Feyre in ACOTAR.  Maas usually has a lot of side characters to help or hinder her protagonists as well.  Although there are a lot of characters to watch out for, I've always felt that their side stories enhanced the experience of the main plot and contributed something to the story.  Everyone has a place and she knows exactly what to do with them.

    Maas's writing is terribly good.  I don't remember reading anything quite like it before.  She builds her worlds so thoroughly, you feel like you're actually there in the books, experiencing it first hand.  Again, something I remember from my days of reading Harry Potter.  Sometimes her writing can get a little over-dramatic, but the words she uses and the way she weaves them together 99% of the time have me screaming, "WHY CAN'T I WRITE LIKE THIS?!"  It's so fluid and natural for her, it's staggering how beautiful she paints a picture in your mind.  The descriptions within each book are incredible and well-thought out.  Character descriptions are solid and paint a decent picture of who you're looking at or talking to without giving everything away, so you can create a little bit of your own character too.  It's just stunning, how she writes and what she makes you feel while you're reading it.  I can't even...

(pulse2.com)

    I never thought I would be this into the fantasy genre either.  I knew that I liked things like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, but I spent a long time not reading, and when I did read, it would be contemporary or historical fiction.  I never thought that I would crave high fantasy literature like I once did.  Sometimes I wish I could take back the years I spent not reading for leisure and doing a disservice to myself in the process.  I held myself back from discovering books like these awhile ago, so I want to embrace anything and everything I can.  Sarah J. Maas has made it possible for me to crave reading again, to read day and night until I finish the damn book, so stay up until all hours of the night just to see what happens next.  It's a fantastic feeling, one that I missed, and one that Maas has given back to me in the best way.

    Have you read any of Sarah J. Maas's books?  What was a book you read growing up that made you love to read?  If you've read Queen of Shadows, or any of Maas's other books, let me know in the comments below so we can discuss.  Also, let me know who your favorite author is and maybe I'll give them a try.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Nerd Alert!

    Howdy y'all!  I apologize for being MIA last Thursday, but I honestly couldn't think of anything to write about and I didn't want to type out filler just because it was Thursday, so I spared you all that grief, (you're welcome).  It's hard to come up with content sometimes, so some days you just have to say "screw it" and wait until something comes to you, as all great writers have done.  Regardless of my brain fart last week, I'm coming to you this week with some great news!

    First of all, unrelated to the main point of this post, I have recently come into what normal people would call a "paycheck," so I used that to get me the newly released and gorgeous Queen of Shadows by the lovely and talented Sarah J. Maas.  I bought it yesterday while I was still in the middle of the third book, Heir of Fire, but I thought, "What the heck, why not?"  So here I am, already a quarter of the way through it because I JUST CANNOT STOP.  The fandom is real people.  So, as you might have already guessed, I'll be adding Queen of Shadows to my already impressive list of September books to wrap up in a few weeks.  I feel like I've read so much this month and it's only the fifteenth...  Keep that in mind, because I may very well add more to my TBR list if I keep this pace up.

    The main reason we're here today is for another installment of Nerd Alert, where I talk about something nerdy and relevant to not only my life, but hopefully yours as well.  Last week some information dropped out of Nintendo that had me literally crying with happiness and I've come to share that with you, (if you live under a rock and haven't heard or don't care, there's something wrong with you).  Pokemon Go is happening and all my elementary school dreams have come true.

(www.vg247.com)

    A little history for you regarding me and my love for Pokemon: it all started when I was eight years old and 1998 was a good time to be alive.  My younger sister and I started collecting and playing with the cards that were released in droves like a parasite, seeping into our daily lives and our friendships at school as well.  It was nothing like it is today, where kids will play dirty, steal cards from others and cheat until they get their way.  Parents, school officials and guidance counselors have gotten involved with some of the nasty things kids will do to protect their cards these days.  1998 was a simpler time, where kids enjoyed playing and battling with each other without the risk of espionage.  So after awhile, my sister and I also received our first taste of the Game Boy system, and what a world that was.  It was so new and exciting that I was consumed by it, playing any time I could, connecting with my friends at school, after school and at home through a link cable, (you know, when we didn't have wireless connectivity everywhere?)  I loved the Pokemon games more than the cards, and thus began my love affair with the pocket monsters.

(DSHikarudesign.blogspot.com)

    I still have my Pokemon Blue version for my Game Boy Pocket, which is green and only displays in black and grey, (NO color until I got my Game Boy Color, obviously).  I took a hiatus from playing because I was too cool for that in high school or something and re-introduced myself to Pokemon two years ago, when I bought myself a Nintendo 3DS with some of my Christmas money, (because I'm an adult), along with the new Pokemon X game.  I hadn't played since I got my Game Boy Advance years ago, so this 3DS was new to me.  Once I got used to it, I could really see the similarities to the older games.  Little did I know Pokemon would evolve again into something none of us could've fathomed at eight years old.

    I saw the trailer for Pokemon Go at work, actually, through a kind customer who had the decency to show me.  I was entranced, the nostalgia flowing freely through me, as I beheld the glorious footage.  I will link the video below so you can all watch and be amazed!

    Little is known about this system or how it will work.  I've read a lot about similar types of games or apps that failed because the desire or technology wasn't enough.  This time I think they will be able to grab people with the sheer magnitude of what this could become for gamers and/or Pokemon enthusiasts, both young and old.  The game seems to be based around GPS coordinates guiding people through their phones or a small watch-like Poke ball accessory towards various types of Pokemon in the real world.  If you've played Pokemon before, or even watched the show on TV or played the card game, you'll know how incredible this would be if it worked well.  The trailer also implies that you'll be able to trade and battle with friends and also battle wild Pokemon.  Although the game is being released sometime next year, there still isn't enough information out about this game.  We'll have to wait and see what Nintendo has in store for us, but regardless of how it works, I'm definitely on board with this.

(www.polygon.com)

    So what do you think?  Do you like Pokemon, or did you used to when you were little?  What is your favorite Pokemon?  Were you more of a card player or Game Boy addict?  Would you get this app for your phone when it comes out? (maybe I'll do a review of it!)  What would you like to know more about the Pokemon Go app?  Let's discuss in the comments below.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

(bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net)

Comics as Literature

    Hey guys!  I'm finally able to post on a Tuesday again, so hurray!  It has been busy around here since I started my new job and I'm still adjusting to the schedule, partially because I now have a schedule and partially because my schedule has been subject to change on a whim, so bare with me.  If you haven't been paying attention, I now have a part-time gig at my local comic book store.  It's great because I get to hang out with some cool nerdy people and I get to sample the comic books I like while I'm working.  I have been working on my reading goals for comics and I'm happy with the progress I've made so far.  My husband is also thrilled, seeing as he never thought this day would come!  I'm very much a literary junkie, so diving into the comic book world has been an interesting experience.  So I thought I'd talk a little bit about that today.  I'll give you some common comic book terminology, some tips for getting started if you're new to this type of reading, and give you some recommendations on publishers and titles you should check out.

(screenrant.com)

    First of all, comic books are not just about super heroes.  Yes, a good portion of them are centered around super heroes and those have seen a resurgence in recent years due to the success of the Marvel cinematic universe, among others, but comic books are just as diverse as regular books.  It took me awhile to realize this, but comic books have genres just like novels do and are separated by publisher.  Each publisher has its own take on the genre, some choosing to focus more on the super heroes, like Marvel and DC, while others focus more on the supernatural and the futuristic, like Image and Dark Horse.  Comic books are not just for people who love super heroes.  If you're curious to see if the movies are anything like the comic book versions, prepare to be disappointed.  The cinematic universe you have come to love is not as accurate to the comic book as you may think.  Although Marvel has done a fantastic job staying true to some of the story lines in the comic books, there are twists and turns they have to make in the cinematic and TV universes to keep that go against some of the comic books.  For example, (SPOILERS ahead for those of you who care about reading Captain America: Civil War before the movie comes out), Captain America is supposed to die at the end of the Civil War comic book arc.  That being said, I don't think Cap will end up dying at the end of the movie because Chris Evans is still signed on for a couple more movies.  So this goes to show that sometimes the movies don't always reflect what happens in the comic books.

(toptenz.net)

    Some terminology you should be aware of before we go any further, just in case I bring it up:
  Issue: Refers to one copy of a comic book, usually numbered in order of it's release date.
  Trade Paperback: A compilation of issues, usually in groups of four or five, in order from first to last.  For example, I have a trade paperback of the comic book Fables which includes issues #1-5.
  Arc: A continuation of a story line in any given comic book.  When a story line changes, like when they introduce new characters or change the main character or setting, the arc also changes.  If comic book enthusiasts are looking for a particular "arc" of a comic, they are typically looking for something specific that differs from the main story arc.
  Graphic Novel: These typically get confused with regular comic books.  Graphic novels are comics but in a novel format.  They are usually longer than comics, (comics are more like magazines or periodicals compared to a graphic novel), and contain many graphic images.  I would say most of the time graphic novels are able to stand on their own, meaning they typically don't have multiple issues but I have seen some that do have multiple issues, such as Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang, which has two volumes.

(comicvine.com)

    Although the movie versions of the super hero comics aren't always consistent with their movie counterparts, there are some amazing things happening to change the way we look at super heroes in the comic book world.  Some, if not all comic books go through changes every couple of years or so.  These changes may include killing off characters, like The Wolverine or Robin, or just passing the baton to a new face.  Characters age, they develop other interests and they mirror us in ways that most people don't understand.  The way comic books adjust to the demand they put out is just as impressive as the way comics develop around the changing world around us.  We are always saddened when one of our favorite characters dies in a book or movie, but if and when they are reborn in a new light, we are just as excited, (usually).  For example, Ms. Marvel is about the beloved girl wonder of the Marvel universe as she attempts to control her new powers.  However, in this installment, she is a Pakistani-American.  Thor has also gone through a drastic makeover and is now being represented by a woman, Jane Foster.  After his tragic death, Peter Parker has now handed the mask over to the new Spider Man, Miles Morales, a teenager of African American and Hispanic decent.  There are some incredible things happening in the comic book universes and diversity of characters is only the tip of the iceberg.

    The genres for comic books know no bounds.  There are just as many genres as regular books and they are just as entertaining, if not MORE so, because of all the fabulous artwork included in each issue.  There's horror, like The Walking Dead, (which was a comic book before it was a TV show, by the way), fantasy, (Fables, Sandman, etc.), science fiction, (Saga, The Woods, Low, etc.) and more.  Most of these examples are some that I'm reading currently, but it's what I know.  There are many more offerings out there for any genre you prefer.  I'm eager and willing to explore further into the comics I've come to love as well as the ones recommended to me by friends who know my tastes.  It's easy to connect or transfer your favorite genres of books into comic books.  Independent publishers have more of a variation in genres than Marvel or DC, as far as I've seen.  Publishers like BOOM, Image, Vertigo and more have a wide variety of comics to choose from to satisfy any genre need.

(inbeon.tumblr.com)

    So if you're new to comic books like I am, follow these simple rules: start with a title you may know, either from a cinematic universe you're familiar with, like Marvel, or maybe a TV show you crave, like the Walking Dead.  If you love Star Wars, you'll love Saga.  These will be different from what you're used to, but, as usual, the "book" is almost always better than the movie.  Another tip: make sure it's a genre you enjoy.  I've been loving fantasy lately, so I started there with Fables, which mirrors one of my favorite shows, Once Upon a Time.  I knew I would like it because of the genre, but also because I like the show and it's very similar, but still different enough to keep my interest.  If you stick with those two tips, I promise you you will find a comic you like.  I've begun to branch out to other genres, like science fiction and dystopian fiction, and found that I enjoy them just as much after experimenting first with fantasy.  It's all about your personal preference and what you truly enjoy reading.

    If you're new to comics, I hope that helps.  If you're not, what do you think I should've mentioned?  What kinds of comics do you read?  What about graphic novels?  What recommendations could you give me or others looking to start reading more comic books?  Let me know in the comments below.  If you live in the New England area, my comic book store will have a booth this year at Granite Con, which is in Manchester, NH, so if you're interested, please come by and say hi!  I'll leave the link here if you're interested in learning more about that event.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

September TBR

    Hello again!  I figured since I was late posting on Tuesday, I would wait until Friday morning to post my September TBR.  I'm feeling a little ambitious this month and since I've already started two of the books I plan to read I'm feeling better about my odds.  I've chosen four graphic novels/comics and five novels to read this month, (so much for taking it slow).  I feel like I'll have a good reading month this month and I have a system in place where I'm reading my graphic novels and comic books at my workplace and reading my books at home.  In case I hadn't mentioned it before, I am now working at the local comic book store part time, which is a pretty cool job!  Plus, I get exposed to a lot more comic books and graphic novels this way, which is great.  So without further adieu, here are my picks for the month of September, starting with comics.

(goodreads.com)

    The first comic series that I picked up this month is The Wicked and The Divine Vol. 1- The Faust Act by Gillen McKelvie and Wilson Cowles.  Volume one contains issues 1-5.  This series follows a group of twelve gods incarnate as humans in our world, who appear every 90 years and live only about two.  These gods act as pop stars and genuine pop-culture royalty and are treated as such.  Laura, a super fan in London, gets involved when one of the gods gets in trouble.  I've already almost finished this volume and so far, I'm intrigued.  This comic series has a lot of mature and violent content, so if you're easily squeamish, beware.  The artistry is awesome and it's such an interesting concept that I was hooked from the start.  I can't wait to (maybe) start volume two before the month is out, but definitely a must-read for anyone interested in mythology, mystery and legends.

(goodreads.com)

    This series was actually just recommended to me by a fellow coworker who enjoys the same genres I do.  Wayward Volume 1- String Theory by Jim Zub, Steven Cummings and John Rauch introduces us to a young girl named Rori as she tries to reconnect with her mother in Japan.  She encounters the yokai, spirits dwelling in the dark, ancient areas of Tokyo, and they are intrigued by her for one reason or another.  I don't know a lot about this series, other than it has some element of Japanese mythology and folklore surrounding the yokai, which are Japanese spirit monsters that can shape shift and cause trouble.  I used to really enjoy Japanese culture and mythology, so I'm hoping this sparks something in me from my childhood.  The artwork in this series is breathtakingly beautiful and the colors are stunning, so I can't wait to pick this one up!

(goodreads.com)

    This next comic series is East of West Volume 1- The Promise by Jonathan Hickman, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin.  This volume contains issues 1-5 of the series.  I've heard almost nothing about the premise of this series, other than it has something to do with the apocalypse and the Four Horseman roam this futuristic wild-western world.  I've also heard this series is extremely violent and gory, so maybe not for children.  This series has gotten great reviews from other BookTubers and my husband really enjoyed it, so I thought I'd give it a try.  It's not a genre I usually pick up because I tend to steer clear of wild west settings with cowboys and such, so I hope it's not terribly like that.  I'll give it a try and hopefully I'll like it as much as everyone else does.

(goodreads.com)

    The last comic book I'm going to try to read this month is The Woods by James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas.  Volume 1- The Arrow contains issues 1-4 of the series.  I became interested in this series because so many BookTubers were reviewing it and loving it, so I thought I would give it a try.  At first glance and from reading the description of what the comic is about, it seems sort of on the scary side, so I'm not sure if I'd like that, (I'm very easily scared and do not like horror by any means).  That being said, the description still made me want to pick this one up.  Here you go:

  On October 16, 2013, 437 students, 52 teachers, and 24 additional staff from Bay Point Preparatory High School in suburban Milwaukee, WI vanished without a trace.  Countless light years away, far outside the bounds of the charted universe, 513 people find themselves in the middle of an ancient, primordial wilderness.  Where are they?  Why are they there?  The answers will prove stranger than anyone could possibly imagine.

    Scary, right?  But it sounds SO interesting, so I can't wait to see what this series is all about.

    The first book I'm (already) reading this month is Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, which is the second book in the Throne of Glass series.  I LOVE THIS SERIES and I am officially ADDICTED to Sarah J. Maas.  This all started after I read A Court of Thorns and Roses and I was instantly hooked on her writing style and world building.  I had every intention of picking up this series and I'm glad I started.  The first book introduced us to Celaena Sardothien, who is an assassin imprisoned by the king and then released after years of hard labor solely to compete to become his champion.  The second book follows that story and involves Celaena fighting for not only her loyalty to the king, but her loyalty to herself as well as the men in her life.  I can't go too much further with this because I don't want to spoil anything, but I'm already almost finished with this book and it is already better than the first!  I highly recommend this series, especially if you're trying to get into fantasy.  Even though it's technically young adult literature, it certainly doesn't feel like it.  I already got Heir of Fire, which is the third installment of this series, so that will end up in here too.  I just can't stop...

    Yes, here it is.  The third book in the Throne of Glass series, Heir of Fire.  I really have no idea what this is about, other than a continuation of the second book, which I will probably finish today.  This will definitely be a quick read for me.  The fourth book just came out this week, so I will have to get my hands on it somehow.  I will also be reading The Assassin's Blade, which is a collection of five novellas about Celaena's past as an assassin of Adarlan.  I will probably put that on my October TBR list since I've already got too many books as it is.  It will be interesting to see her from a time before this series takes place.  I can't wait to see how this series turns out!

    The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken is a Dystopian young adult novel, which is different than the other books I'm reading this month, (all fantasy).  Sometimes I like to break things up with a different genre, but other times I'm just in the mood for one particular genre, so we'll see how much I like this one.  Darkest Minds follows a girl named Ruby who was sent to a government "rehabilitation" camp when she was ten.  She survived a deadly disease that killed most of America's children, but resulted in her having strange abilities no one can explain.  At age 16 she escapes with some of the other children and seek the sanctuary of the East River, a supposed safe haven for kids who have escaped their prisons.  But not everything is as it seems and Ruby must use her gift to fight for what's right as well as her life.  I was interested in the premise of this book, but it seems very much like others that came before it, (Maze Runner, Hunger Games, etc.)  I'm hoping that it brings something else to the table that I haven't read before.  Here's to hoping!

    Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard has been on my to-read list for months now and I haven't been able to get it from the library!  When I saw that it was finally "in," I literally drove right down to the library to check it out immediately.  I've watched and read many great reviews for this book, so I'm excited to finally get to read it!  This fantasy novel follows seventeen-year-old Mare as she lives in a world divided by blood; those with common, red blood serve the silver-blooded elite class, who are gifted with magical super human abilities.  A thief turned servant of the Silver Court, Mare discovers she too has abilities, which cause her more problems.  She's playing a dangerous game and nothing in her life is safe.  I loved the idea of this book from the moment I saw the stunning cover.  I'm truly excited to read this one!

(goodreads.com)

    The last book I will attempt to read this month is The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen.  This is another book that has been on my TBR list for awhile but has been MIA at the library.  This book is about a young princess trying to take back her throne from a dark power that has taken over her kingdom.  Princess Kelsea was raised far away from her kingdom in a cottage in the woods, (very Sleeping Beauty), after the death of her mother and is unsure of her ability to rule.  This book takes place in a regressed society where technology no longer exists.  I like the idea of a fantasy-Dystopian crossover.  Many BookTubers have reviewed this book already and it seems to be a fantastic choice for an adult read, however I'm worried about the amount of political intrigue in this book.  I'm not a huge fan of that, but I'm hoping it doesn't overpower the main plot of the story.

    So there you have it!  My extremely ambitious book haul/TBR list for September.  I believe in my abilities to successfully succeed this month and I'm looking forward to reading a variety of different genres as well.  Let me know what you think of my picks, especially if you've read any of them yourself.  While you're at it, please feel free to give me some recommendations for next months TBR.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

August Wrap-Up

    Hey everyone!  I apologize, (again), for posting a day late, but this time I had a good reason!  I really wanted to finish the last book in my TBR for August and it had been taking me a lot longer than I had anticipated, but I got it done.  Thus is life I suppose.  I usually give myself two or three days to read a book, but there are those books that aren't always easy to read, so I should probably calculate some time in for those that I don't necessarily anticipate.  Anyway, onward!

    As you may have guessed, this will be my review, or "wrap-up" of my August "To-Be-Read" list.  I didn't read too many books this month, but I'm hoping to steadily increase my reading game throughout the next couple of months, including September, (my TBR for September is coming tomorrow).  Unfortunately, there was one book on my TBR list last month that I did not get to, but it was due to the library not having it available, not because I didn't want to read it.  It will show up in a future TBR I believe, but for now I'll let it slide.  I got to all the other books I wanted to this month, so I'm happy with what I accomplished overall.  For the books I'm reviewing below, I can't promise there won't be any spoilers for those of you who haven't read the series, but I'll try my best to keep it spoiler free.  Shall we?

    

    The first "book" I read this month was actually a comic book, or trade paperback in this case.  Fables was amazing!  I've read up to Volume 9 in this series so far and I can't wait to read more!  This series is very similar to Once Upon a Time in the sense that the characters are very much fairy tale characters who have been exiled to our Earth for centuries.  However, unlike Once Upon a Time, this series is NOT OK for children, since it contains some adult content.  That being said, this is a very modern take on these storybook legends.  This series starts off with a mystery and turns into a war zone, so I'm eager to pick up the next trade I can get my hands on.

    Characters:  The characters in this series are fantastic.  I liked how everyone is dynamic enough to stand out on their own, even though we already know most of their histories.  They are by all means immortal in our world, so they don't age, but they do adapt to the changing of the times.  Everything you think you know about these characters, throw it out the window.  The Big Bad Wolf has always been terrifying, but do you know anything about where he came from?  Did you know Snow White has a twin sister, (I didn't), or that the Beast hasn't really gotten a hold on his curse yet?  I enjoyed how the characters individual stories were still present, but tweaked to fit this particular world and situation.  There is so much drama between characters and I LOVED IT.  The relationships between the characters are also pretty interesting and very complex.  The way everyone interacts with one another seems so natural that it's odd at times for you to see Little Boy Blue working with Snow White and a flying monkey from the Wizard of Oz, but it totally works.  The characters are what makes this series great to read.

    World Building:  Like I mentioned earlier, this series takes place in the present-day New York City, where the Fables have taken up residence in one section of the city.  I liked the setting and the inconveniences it brought to the story.  In order to fit everyone in one area, the high-rises the Fables are using are somewhat "glamoured," or made to look normal on the outside to humans while accommodating them on the inside.  Nothing is as it seems and sometimes it's not explained, but just accepted.  There are portions of the story where they return to their own world and it's a vast and incredibly magical realm where anything is possible.  A stark contrast to modern NYC.  You can feel the frustration they have in our world, even after all these centuries of getting used to it.  With the pictures, it's a lot easier to envision the worlds coexisting together, but even without them, I would still be able to picture them in my mind.

    Plot:  The plot of this series is all over the place.  There are multiple antagonists and multiple protagonist, with the main one being Snow White.  The series is interesting in the sense that each volume seems to have it's own sub plot within the larger plot of the series as a whole.  The main, huge plot is that the Fables have been exiled to our modern world for the last few centuries due to an evil force they call "The Adversary."  He has slowly taken over all of the Fables' kingdoms and left them with nothing, forcing them to flee and wait until the time is right to take back the world that was theirs.  Within that larger plot, there are other various conflicts that come up throughout the story.  For example, Snow White and her close colleagues, including Bigby Wolf, (The Big Bad Wolf), and Boy Blue, are investigating the supposed murder of her sister, Rose Red.  From there, the sub-plots and conflicts get even more intense.  This series is definitely on the darker side and covers some tough issues.  Since I'm only on volume nine, the plot has just thickened for me and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

    Overall, I gave this series a 5 out of 5 stars because I literally couldn't put it down.  Not bad for my first comic book indulgence!  I'm also only about half way through this series, so I can't wait to see if my rating changes or stays the same once I read the rest.

    The next series I tackled was Mara, which is a 13-issue series, (very short).  Mara follows a young star athlete in a futuristic, Dystopian society where sports are prized above all else.  She discovers through a series of unfortunate events that she has special abilities that are apparently frowned upon in her society.  She has to make some pretty tough decisions in order to escape imprisonment, or worse.  This series was OK, but it wasn't my favorite.  I picked it up mostly for my husband's sake because it's one of his favorites and we've met the artist, Ming Doyle, several times and I loved her art style.  That being said, she wasn't the reason I disliked this series.

  Characters:  The characters are pretty generic.  I liked the fact that this was a more futuristic world and the characters reflected the necessities and inklings of this environment.  There were no real character interactions, besides those from her teammates and the government.  It was very much a Mara show, focusing solely on her, which was the point of the series.  Even when it was just her in frame, I felt like she was trying too hard to be profound in some areas and she changed personalities too quickly.  I just would've like to have seen more dynamic characters and her interacting with them instead of running away from everyone.

  World Building:  There wasn't much world building either.  You start the comic and BOOM, you're in their world, nothing is really explained and you have to kind of figure it out for yourself how things are done in this world.  I got the futuristic-Dystopian vibe right away, but other than that, nothing much in the way of world building.  The illustrations depicting the world were GORGEOUS, thanks to Ming Doyle, but I'm sad that they weren't put to better use in the textual elements of this series.  There was some minor explanation of what happened to turn the world into what it is here, but you might miss it if you read too quickly.

  Plot:  The plot was pretty generic.  I've seen it before: girl tries to act normally, girl discovers she has super powers, other important figures find out she has super powers, girl goes on the run from said people and winds up hurting some other innocent people before running away for good.  From my husbands description, I was expecting a little too much from this series.  I'm sorry that I got my hopes up.  If you enjoy Dystopian literature that kind of feels like Captain America meets Hulk meets Ms. Marvel plus space, this might be your things.

    I feel like this series could have gone on from where it ended and been so much better for it.  Unfortunately, the ending left me confused and wanting more from this series.  I gave it a 2 out of 5 stars, just because I loved the artwork and some of the concept.

    The last comic book I read this month was Saga, which is a Star Wars-esq, Romeo and Juliet story surrounding two warring planetoids and two star-crossed lovers who have recently had a baby.  They are running through the galaxy to escape persecution, but also to save their family and get some answers.  This series was also recommended to me by my husband and I love him even more for it.  I enjoyed this series just as much as I enjoyed Fables, and that's saying a lot.  This series has action, drama, political intrigue and much more.  It also has adult content, so this is definitely NOT for children or adults who do not like mature content in their reading material.  I've read the first book, which includes issues 1-18, so I am not finished with this one yet either, but I'm eager to get the next issue to keep going!

  Characters:  Alana and Marko should be your true relationship goals.  They are so real and genuine in the way they interact with each other that they are completely relatable, even though they are basically aliens.  Although the story focuses mainly on their relationship and how it not only spawned a huge man hunt, but also a baby.  The other characters in this story lend themselves to the plot very well and everyone serves their own purpose.  All of the characters are intricately woven into the main story and their paths constantly cross over each other, sometimes meeting up and other times narrowly missing a face-to-face encounter.  The tension the other characters bring to the story is great as well.

  World Building:  The world is basically space, so it's enormous, but it doesn't feel that way.  They spend a lot of their time on other planets and in other galaxies.  In the issues I read, they were only on about three or four different planets, including those of the other characters and side stories, so it focused the world in on a much smaller and manageable frame.  We also spent some time in space, but not too much that I got bored, (I never liked Star Trek for that reason...they are ALWAYS in space).

  Plot:  The plot is similar to Fables in the sense that there is one large plot surrounded by sub plots for our main characters as well as the other characters.  The main plot is that Alana and Marko fell in love, but they are from rival civilizations, so their union is considered treason, as is their child, so they are on the run indefinitely from both of their governments and armies.  This is the backdrop to this whole story and within this plot are others, including some from side characters, such as a love story between two assassins or a prince awaiting the birth of his heir while trying to track down the star-crossed lovers.  There is always something happening with twists around every corner.

    Again, I couldn't put this one down.  I read the whole book in about a day or less I believe.  I gave it 5 out of 5 stars for the sheer magic that is Saga and I can't wait to pick up the rest of this series.  I have no idea what I am going to do when it ends...

    You remember this, right?  I only read two books this month and this was one of them.  The Mime Order is the second book in the Bone Season trilogy by Samantha Shannon.  This book continues the story of Paige Mahoney as she adjusts to being Scion London's number one criminal and contemplates her life as a clairvoyant mollisher, (second in command), to a popular Mime Lord of the underground syndicate.  I will say this book was better than the first one and I can't wait to read the third.  Very well done!

  Characters:  I loved that we got a deeper look into the criminal underworld of Scion London in this book.  The first installment really didn't focus on London as much as Oxford, so it was nice to get a better view of what Paige did before she was abducted.  There are also way more characters this time around, (or maybe it just feels that way because everyone is split up into sections).  We meet other clairvoyant criminals and Mime Lords and Ladies from other sections of the city as Paige tries to figure out who's corrupting the Syndicate.  We actually barely see the Rephaite in this book, which I was OK with, seeing as they took up most of the first book.  You're focus is on Paige's friends and associates who all have distinct personalities.  It was great to see the interaction between them all.

  World Building:  The world building in this book was SO much better than the first one.  I spent most of the first half of The Bone Season confused as hell, trying to figure out where I was and what was happening.  Not in this book!  Shannon paints such a pretty and dreary picture of this version of London that this is one of my favorite depictions of Dystopian London.  I could really see what was happening and where I was throughout this book with all the great descriptions, as opposed to the first book where I could barely picture my surroundings until I got to Oxford halfway through.  Besides the setting, the world of the Underground was so thoroughly executed and beautifully written that I felt like I was attending a meeting of pirates.  It is a very dark book with a lot of mystery and you could really feel it.

  Plot:  The plot in this book was phenomenal!  Again, a lot of little plots surrounding a big one, but they all worked together in the end.  Paige is currently on the run from Scion and the Rephaite queen Nashira, who is controlling Scion from the inside.  While this is happening throughout the book, Paige is also trying to uncover a conspiracy within her own underground criminal organization.  There are murders and secrets and shocking revelations to propel this story forward.  The ending is ridiculous and I was shocked, but I could kind of see it coming from the way they hinted at it throughout the book, more so than they did in the first.  I just loved the contrast between the first and second book and how they set each other up for what is surely to happen in the third.

    I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because I really liked it and it was definitely better than the first one, but it was still missing some key elements for me to absolutely love it.  I'm looking forward to the third book!

    This is the second and final book I read this month.  I spent more time reading comics this month than actual books, but I'm hoping to have an equal amount for next month so I can keep on top of both.  This book took me longer to read than I thought, which is why the blog is late, but I didn't really get into it until the very end.  Rook is another Dystopian novel set in a regressed futuristic Paris where a mysterious vigilante is setting prisoners free and leaving behind a feather of hope.

  Characters:  There weren't too many characters in this book, which I liked, because if there were any more it would be too much for me to focus on.  I liked the interaction between the characters more towards the end than at the beginning.  I'm also torn on the alternative perspective POV.  There were some passages of text from alternative characters' point of views and sometimes it was confusing, others it was great and towards the end it was too much.  I understand what the author was trying to do, but it took away from the story for me.  I didn't really enjoy the standard love triangle either, although I loved the scenes with the two who actually have a romance.  It was quite painful to read actually, especially towards the end, but that made the drama more intriguing.  Some of the characters were funny and had personality and depth while others didn't and I have no idea why they existed in the first place.

  World Building:  The world building in this book was a little slow for me.  It took me awhile to get into this book and it was because I had such a hard time picturing the setting.  It's not as vivid as Sarah J. Maas typically writes, but I should have been able to easily picture Paris in my mind and I couldn't.  I could barely picture the Commonwealth, (I think that's supposed to be their version of the UK).  That being said, I think it was easier towards the end because the chapters weren't that long anymore and there was much more action than political deception going on.  Less plotting someones demise and more straight-up swordplay.  Huzzah!

  Plot:  I thought the plot was a bit generic as well.  You basically have a glorified Robin Hood story line with a strong female protagonist in a Dystopian, regressed society where technology is the devil.  The beginning dragged A LOT and the only thing to focus on was the protagonist's impending marriage.  Then the second half of the book hooked me in and I was able to finish.  The dramatic ending and twist made it worth it and I'm glad they picked up the pace with some action.  I will say that the main antagonist was a bit too over the top for me and the other one was a bit of a wet blanket really, especially considering he really didn't serve a purpose at all in the end.

    Overall, I gave this book a 3 out of 5 stars.  I didn't absolutely love it like some of the others, but I didn't hate it.  I loved parts of it, but not enough.  I was expecting more from this book based on other reviews, so I was a little disappointed, especially when I seemed unable to finish due to lack of interest.  I'm glad it picked back up and ended well.

    So there you have it, my wrap-up for August!  That took forever!  Tomorrow I'll be posting my TBR list for the month of September and hopefully I'll be able to complete it this time.  So far I'm already reading one of the books, so so far so good!  If you've read or want to read any of the books I reviewed here or have any  book recommendations for me, leave a comment below!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.