October TBR

    As promised, this will be my enormous TBR for the month of October.  October is probably my favorite month, not because of Halloween, (since I really don't like Halloween to begin with), but because this is the month when all the trees change color, pumpkin stuff starts happening and I can finally start wearing my chunky sweaters!  I will definitely mourn the day I finally have to put away my flip flops, but Fall is by far my favorite season, so it's worth it.  I'm currently snacking on a bag of candy corn that I bought myself earlier today because ADULTING.  October is also a good reading month, due to all the great opportunities to get into a cozy reading space, whether it's outside or inside.  Can't you just picture yourself, curled up on the couch with a blanket and an amazing Fall-themed Yankee candle, reading one of these books?  I know I can.  I will be attempting 10 books and 6 comic books this month, so hopefully I can make it happen.  A few of the books I chose work with the Halloween/spooky theme this month.  I have a feeling I'll end up reading over what I projected, but we'll see.  As always, I will be listing my comic books first, followed by regular books.

(goodreads.com)

    My first pick for comic books this month is Hellboy, Volume 1: Seed of Destruction by Mike Mignola and John Byrne.  I love the Hellboy movies and realized that I have yet to read the actual comic book it was based on, so I think it's time.  If you've seen the two movies, you'll understand what it's about, but for those of you who don't know, I'll provide a brief synopsis: The story revolves around a group of investigators and monster hunters known as the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, a secret government program meant to rid the world of the evil that lurks in the darkness.  In 1945, during an expedition in Germany during WWII, this group of scientists and adventure seekers witnessed the opening of a portal to another dimension.  Due to a series of unfortunate events, the team discovers a stowaway after the portal is closed and adopts him as one of their own, despite the fact that he's a demon.  Hellboy must rid the world of evil while avoiding his destiny to destroy the world.  It's very dark and gritty, which I just what I need before Halloween.  Hellboy is a great character and he portrays that bad-boy, smart-ass, give-no-fucks bad ass that I like to see every now and then.  I've heard that Guillermo del Toro based his movies off of this comic arc, so I'm excited to read it!

(goodreads.com)

    I'm also going to be reading Hellboy and the BPRD: 1952, Volume 1 by Mignola, John Arcudi, Alexander Maleev, and Dave Stewart.  This obviously has a similar story line to the first one, but takes place after WWII in 1952.  This series follows young Hellboy as he explores the responsibilities that go along with being a member of the BPRD.  With a different team than the original I'm used to seeing and a different time period, this should be great.  New, but still familiar.

(goodreads.com)

    Shutter by Joe Keatinge, Leila del Luca, and Owen Geini was recommended to me by a customer at the comic shop that I work at.  I knew nothing about this series until I read the description and it sounded great!  A female explorer, Kate Kristopher, returns to her lost life of adventure after a family secret threatens to tear her world apart.  It claims to be Indiana Jones-esq with some urban fantasy thrown in there, so I'm not sure what to expect, but it sounded interesting enough to pick up.

(goodreads.com)

    I don't know why it's taken me so long to pick up a TMNT comic, but I'm righting that wrong NOW.  This one is called TMNT: Change is Constant, Volume 1 by Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz and Dan Duncan.  I actually already started this series awhile ago and never finished, so I'm looking forward to picking it up again and actually getting to the end.  This series follows the turtles as they try to reunite with Raphael, who has been separated from his family since they had the accident.  He's been wandering the sewers with no real sense of purpose, so it's up to his brothers and Splinter to find him and become a team again.  I've never read about Raphael in a vulnerable situation, so this story line is really interesting to me.  I may expand and try other arcs from other publishers, (because the TMNT universe spans multiple publishers and arcs at this point).  I was looking into the Casey and April adventures, which seemed pretty interesting, but I'm still excited to see this take on the TMNT.

(goodreads.com)

    Alex + Ada by Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn is another comic that was recommended to me by a patron at the comic shop.  This one I'm not as excited about, but I'm willing to try it.  From what I can gather, this series is about a human guy falling in love with an android robot he never wanted.  Other than that, I have no idea what this is about and I'm not even sure that I'll like it, but I'm willing to give it a try because I've heard great things about it.  I may end up loving it, so you never know!

(goodreads.com)

    The last comic book I plan on reading this month is one I've had my eye on for awhile, and that is Long Walk to Valhalla by Adam Smith and Matthew Fox.  I was drawn to this one initially because of the title and the obvious viking/Norse influence, but the cover art is STUNNING.  You have to look at it in person because there is some white background design behind the main cover art and it's breathtakingly beautiful.  This comic is about a boy named Rory growing up in rural Arkansas with an older brother with a mental disability and he doesn't have the best life.  When he crashes his car and a Valkyrie named Sylvia comes to take him to Valhalla, he walks through the memories of his life through the eyes of his brother and has to face the good and the bad things.  I honestly can't wait to read this book!

    Now onto books...

(goodreads.com)

    The first book on my list is Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta.  I'm actually already reading this book and I'm enjoying it so far!  This book follows a young man named Finnikin as he attempts to restore his homeland after a curse ruined it for the last ten years.  He's been in exile along with his mentor, Sir Topher, and they end up picking up a girl named Evanjalin, although she's not what she seems.  I enjoyed the premise of this book, so I'm hoping it only gets better from where I'm at right now.

(goodreads.com)

    I had been planning on reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs closer to Halloween because of the creepy cover.  I also heard they're making this into a movie, which is awesome!  This story is about a boy named Jacob and his journey to an island of the coast of Wales after a family tragedy.  He comes across an abandoned orphanage and all hell breaks loose.  I don't know if I want to know more about this book before I read it because I feel like it'll be creepy enough for me, but not scary in the sense that I won't be able to sleep at night.  Here's to hoping!

(goodreads.com)

     Graceling by Kristin Cashore has been on my radar forever, so I'm excited to finally pick it up and read it.  Katsa is out female main character and she lives in a world where people are bestowed with gifts of magic, called "graces," from the time they are born.  Katsa has been given the gift to kill, so she is an expert at killing people, which doesn't sound like the best gift.  This book is right up my alley, since I apparently have a thing for strong female assassin-like characters and romance.  I have heard nothing bad about this series, so I'm pumped to finally get to it!

(goodreads.com)

    The Archived by Victoria Schwab is on my list solely because I wanted to read something else by her, since I can't get my hands on A Gathering of Shadows.  The Archived is about a world where "Librarian" can actually read the memories of the lives of dead people, called "Histories."  When people die, they rest in the Archives.  "Keepers" like Mac are tasked with keeping the Histories inside the Archives.  Someone has been breaking in and altering the histories, so Mac has to solve the mystery before the Archives are destroyed.  This sounds like an interesting take on an alternative presence for libraries.  It also has a bit of a creepy twist to it, so I may read this closer to the end of the month too.

(goodreads.com)

    The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater revolves around a girl named Blue as she becomes involved with the Raven Boys, a group of boys from the local private school, as they venture on a quest that will take Blue with them and possibly cause they're demise.  Another dark book for Halloween with lots of death, ghosts and the promise of danger.  I'm not sure if I'll like this book or not, but again, it got great reviews from all the people I trust, so I'm willing to give it a shot!  Hopefully I've found a new series to latch on to.

(goodreads.com)

    Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine is another book about libraries.  It takes place in a world where the Great Library of Alexandria still exists and governs the entire world's knowledge and the personal ownership of books is against the law.  Jess is an avid reader and his parents sell and buy books on the black market, but once he attempts to join the library to act as a spy, his loyalties will be tested.  I'm interested enough in the premise of the story to give this a shot.

(goodreads.com)

    I've wanted to read a Neil Gaiman book forever, so I'm excited to actually put one on my list.  American Gods is about a prisoner who was just released from prison to find that his wife has died in an accident.  Shadow is approached on a plane by a Mr. Wednesday, who claims to be a former God and king of America.  Together they embark on a preternatural journey across the country that I can't wait to find out more about!

(goodreads.com)

    I've tried to read the Mortal Instruments series and couldn't get into it, but I've heard more good things about the Infernal Devices series that I'm willing to pick it up and give it a go, (although I will probably watch the Shadow Hunters series on TV when it premiers).  Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare introduces us to Tessa Gray in 1800s London as she searches the underworld for her missing brother, aided by the shadow hunters Will and Jem.  I'm actually pretty excited for this one, so maybe I can find more than one new series to get into this month!

(goodreads.com)

    The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima is another book recommended to me by a friend.  From what I understand, it follows two different perspectives, a reformed thief named Han and a princess named Raisa.  There are wizards and an amulet and magic and everything I love about fantasy, so I'm eager to get to this book.

(goodreads.com)

    Lastly, (I know, there are a lot of book here), I'm going to try to read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  I've wanted to read this book for a year now and the only reason I haven't read it yet is because SOMEONE took it out at the library and hasn't returned it in AT LEAST three months, which is blasphemous if you ask me.  As I've been waiting for it to come back, they still have a copy in large print that I may pick up just because I'm tired of waiting for that douche to bring the book back.  Anyway, The Night Circus is about Le Cirque de Reves and it's operations underneath the moon.  Two young magicians, Celia and Marco, compete in the areas of both magic and love.  I loved the premise of this book from the moment I saw the beautiful cover and I think it would be fitting to read it during the Halloween month.

    Ok, I think that's quite enough books for one day.  I didn't go into too much detail, for obvious reasons, but I'll do a more in-depth wrap-up at the end of the month.  I may even split it up again, one post for comics and then split the books down the middle and do a post each.  I may even read more than I listed here, so we'll have to wait and see.  If you have any book recommendations for next month, please don't hesitate to leave me a comment below or contact me via social media.  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.

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.

Books for the Holidays

    Hello all!  I hope everyone had a successful and satisfying Thanksgiving with your families:)  I wasn't going to do a blog today just because of the holiday and the fact that I've been gone all day, but I decided when I got home that I wanted to write about some books I saw at Barnes and Noble yesterday while shopping with my sister.  This isn't a review of sorts, rather a suggestion post regarding new releases or options based on particular interests in reading genres.  Literally speaking, I think these are pretty swell choices for gifts or just leisurely reading over the holidays.

    Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement is first on my list, being that I'm a fan of her work, including The Joy Luck Club.  Tan's typical theme generates around Asian-American conflicts with a mixture of mother-daughter struggles and other relationship turmoils.  This new book is no exception; focusing on the courtesan life of an Asian-American immigrant, from past to present, Tan brings to life the tainted truth of naivety and innocence with her characters and true-to-life detail and scenery.  I would read this book solely because of the author's reputation, but also because the story, like her previous works, dwell on the conflicts of minority groups, which have always intrigued me.  To read a great review of this book by NPR, click here.

    Another book I've been interested in reading is The Book Thief.  I recently saw the trailer for the movie version, and I nearly died.  It looked so great!  But I realized that I hadn't read the book in years and would be completely lost if I saw the movie first, so I decided it would be a great idea to re-read the book.  Narrated by Death, the story of Liesel unfolds in front of us as she tackles hardships ranging from death to fear to imprisonment fighting through Nazi Germany during World War II.  I am absolutely obsessed with the history of this time period and enjoy this genre of creative non-fiction, (however horrible the actual history may have been).  Considering the movie looks amazing, the book would be a great gift for someone looking to see it.

    For those teen-novelists out there, (or middle schoolers), I have the perfect series for you!  Including her Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series, Louise Rennison has never disappointed me in the laughter department.  Thus, when I came across her new series, starting with Withering Tights, I got a little excited.  Where Confessions focuses on the preteen life of Georgia Nicolson, Withering Tights focuses on Georgia's cousin Tallulah while she attends a performing arts college for the summer in northern England.  This is a comedy preteen series from the UK, so it evolves to a different kind of funny that only the Brits have mastered at this point.  I've found this author hilarious for a number of years so far, and expect nothing different from her new series.  If you want to learn more about Georgia Nicolson, click here.

    Last recommendation is another book-to-movie fandango, (see what I did there?...), called Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, a seemingly horrific story about dead children.  A 16-year-old boy named Jacob gets sent to this children's home after a family tragedy and has to cope with not only his own troubles, but the terrors lurking within the walls.  Even though I cannot watch scary movies, (it's a physical impossibility), I've found that I can read scary books, so I wouldn't mind reading it.  Although it didn't get great reviews on Goodreads, I would still at least give it a shot.  The less scary the better, in my opinion.  The fact that this is going to be a movie is another incentive to read it.
    I know this wasn't a typical Thursday post, but I didn't want to load people with knowledge on a day devoted to spending time with families, so I made it easy and holiday-related.  If you are interested in any of the books above or want to suggest your own literary picks for holiday gifting, let me know in the comments.  If you want to keep track of your reading lists, need book suggestions or want to expand your literary knowledge, check out Goodreads and sign up to get unlimited access to book reviews, ratings and new releases.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.