November TBR (Comics)

    I hope everyone had a great Wednesday.  Today I'm bringing you the second half of my TBR for November.  I'm keeping with the theme of "continuing series," so most of this list will consist of comics meeting that criteria.  Let's get to it.

(goodreads.com)

    "Remember, remember the fifth of November..."  Obviously I had to add V for Vendetta by Alan Moore in here since I haven't read it yet.  I will be watching the movie tonight as well, but I wanted to read the comic to get a different perspective on the film.  It's similar to what I did with Hellboy last month.  Similarly, the comic differs from the movie, but the plot remains the same: in a totalitarian version of a future England, fascism runs rampant and the city begins to rebel against the authoritarian rule of Parliament.  I can't wait to read this!

(goodreads.com)

    Fables is the first series I'd like to continue this month. Vol. 9 is where I left of in this series and I've been meaning to continue for ages but I've always been distracted by other things.  I'm really looking forward to picking this back up and finishing it.  I believe we will see conflict between Pinocchio and the other Fables as he continues to work with his father, who is also the evil Adversary.  We will also see Bigby come to terms with his father, the North Wind, as he and his family set off to find him.  It should be a good time.

(goodreads.com)

    I left off in Saga on volume four, which isn't too far behind I think.  I believe this is where Alana and Marko go into hiding (in plain sight?) while their daughter Hazel grows into a toddler.  I am in love with this series, so if you haven't picked it up yet, DO IT NOW.

(goodreads.com)

    East of West is one series I wasn't initially drawn toward, but was recommended to me by many friends.  Although I didn't like the first volume as much as the other comics on this list, I still want to give the second volume a try to see if I can keep going with it.  This volume will continue the story line from the first one, where Death will set out on a quest to find his son and prevent the Apocalypse from transpiring and the other three horsemen from succeeding.

(goodreads.com)

    Although I've already read the first two volumes of Wayward, (up to issue #10), issue #11 comes out on November 18th, so I plan on reading that one once it comes into the shop.  The perks of working at a comic store is that you get dibs on all the new stuff when it comes in without having to buy it outright!  I just wish this series would hurry up and put out more than one issue a month...  Plus, LOOK AT THAT GORGEOUS COVER ART!!

    There you have it, my November comic book TBR.  Have you started any of these series?  Do you remember the fifth of November?  What series, book or comic, are you trying to finish?  Let me know in the comments below.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

October Reads Wrap-Up

    Hi guys!  As promised, I'm bringing you my October wrap-up for all the books I read this month.  If you recall, I wanted to set my goal for ten books this month.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to meet that goal.  I only read 8 books, and I'm currently still reading one of them, so I finished 7, (I will be posting the review for that book once I finish it, so I'll update the blog this weekend).  I think I wasn't able to meet my goal because I stopped reading before bed, since I got sucked in by The Vampire Diaries.  That being said, I'm still pleased with what I accomplished and I'll refrain from setting my reading goals too high from now on, unless I really think I can handle it.  Anyway, here are the books I was able to finish this month!

(goodreads.com)

    Finnikin of the Rock:  I really enjoyed this book.  Being the first book in the series, there was a lot of world building and explanation.  I liked that there were alternative points of view for different characters as well as different voices for each character.  Although I think there was steady character development going on, it was frustrating to read at times.  The relationship between Evanjalin and Finnikin was also frustrating in the sense that I didn't always understand what was keeping them from being together until the middle of the book.  Lots of tension!  The beginning dragged for me, but after the first 100 pages, I was engaged.  There was a lot of traveling and not too much action in this book, so it definitely felt like the first book in a series.  The next book in the series follows Froi, who was sort of a slave and a thief in this book, so I'm interested to read something from his point of view.  I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Graceling:  I liked the first half of this book more than the second, which I feel is really rare.  In most cases, the book picks up after the second half, but for me, in this case, it dragged.  I thought the premise was interesting and everyone told me to read this book, so I made it a point to put it on my list.  The characters were great, although I found Katsa to be a little annoying, but Po was definitely my favorite character.  I felt like the resolution happened too quickly.  After their initial encounter with King Leck, they kind of just ran away and hid from him for months, until Katsa killed him almost by accident.  In between, there was a lot of agonizing travel, but I did enjoy the part with the pirates, because who doesn't like pirates?  I just felt like the ending was a bit rushed and anticlimactic.  I ended up giving this book 3 out of 5 stars.  I may still read the other books because I've heard Fire is very good.  We'll see what happens!

(goodreads.com)

    Clockwork Angel:  I think this was, by far, my favorite book of the month.  I thoroughly enjoyed the premise and the world building was spectacular.  I also love this time period, (1800s London), so it was easy for me to picture and wrap myself into.  This book had everything from sword fights to sabotage to romance.  The only thing I didn't like about this book was Tessa.  She seemed a bit too helpless for my tastes, although she seemed courageous at times towards the end.  Will, however, can have his way with me anytime.  Jem and Tessa deserve each other because Jem is so sweet, but more of a wet blanket compared to Will.  Mysterious, but dull, whereas Will is a mysterious, sarcastic prick, more or less.  Although I favored Will over Jem, Will's attitude was atrocious!  I know it will be explained in the second book, but there really is no reason for him to be such a douche.  And Tessa didn't have to take everything so personally.  When all the characters were together, I loved it.  My hope was to want to read the Mortal Instruments series after this one, because I had difficulties getting into that series.  I think I accomplished my goal and I will pick up the Mortal Instruments series soon.  I can't wait to pick up the other two Infernal Devices books and read them!  I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    The Demon King:  This was a really good book!  Another recommendation from a friend that I'm glad I picked up.  At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to get into it because it started off a little slow.  After I passed the 100 page mark, I was hooked.  I thought the world was similar to others I've read about, so it was easy to picture.  I also like the way all the characters and the types of people living within this world interact and coexist with each other.  Wizards are feared, but rely on the Clan people to make their power sources, thus creating a balance.  However, much like in LOTR, "men are easily corrupted," so the High Wizard has the annoying queen wrapped around his putrid finger.  The queen was the most annoying character in this book, by far.  I wanted to strangle her the entire time, every time she opened her vapid mouth.  I liked Raisa because she seemed more independent and brave than her mother and sister.  I felt really bad for Han, almost the entire time.  Amon is BAE and Micah can suck it.  Overall, I'm curious to see where this series goes.  I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    The Archived:  I was looking forward to reading this book because I loved V.E. Schwab's adult novels.  I didn't love it or hate it, to be honest.  I loved the premise and having Librarians be the people who curate the dead.  The beginning was slow for me and I was confused by the 2nd person journal entries.  They started to make sense after awhile, but not until about half way through.  I just didn't think they were necessary.  I also didn't really get the sense of character development or description in the first half of the book.  I thought Mac felt a little like a Celaena Sardothien type of character, but I liked her a lot more after she met Wes and they developed a cute friendship/love interest.  Wes was awesome, very dynamic and intriguing to read.  The twist at the end was great and I loved that the second half was a whirlwind of realizations.  I will most likely read the second book, but maybe not for awhile.  I gave this one 3.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Ink and Bone:  This book was another one that had grabbed my attention because of the premise, but I also didn't love or hate this book.  I had no idea that it was a regressed future society until about half way through.  Another slow start for me, but it picked up as soon as Jess got to Alexandria.  I wasn't a huge fan of the letters in between the chapters, (much like the journal entries in The Archived), but I understood why they were there and knew they had a purpose when they started revealing important information.  Regardless, I felt like I knew what was going to happen the whole time, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.  There is also a lot of diversity in this book, including race, sexual orientation and gender.  It was an interesting portrayal of the future, which isn't that far off from today, (the year was 2025).  This book definitely emphasizes the benefits and consequences of freedom of speech and ownership of books.  I thought it was interesting that the library was a place to be feared and served.  I thought the war zone in England against the Welsh was the most interesting and action-packed part of the book.  I was surprised to see a lot of death and suffering here, very reminiscent of the Holocaust.  It was tough to read at times, but very eye-opening.  I ended up giving this book 3.5 out of 5 stars as well.  I will be looking into the second book in this series, once it comes out.

(goodreads.com)

    The Raven Boys:  I liked this book, but I didn't love it until the second half.  Like most of the other books on this list, it didn't really grab me until half way through.  It wasn't slow in the beginning, per say, just not interesting I guess.  Before Blue meets the boys and after, there's a stark difference in her character.  I liked everyone a lot better when they were together.  Everyone had their own personality and they all really shined through.  No one overshadowed the other, unless it was on purpose.  I didn't quite understand or grasp the first time they found the woods and what was happening inside.  By the second time, I mostly understood, but it was still confusing and I had a hard time picturing it.  The realization about Noah and the whole thing with Adam and his father KILLED ME INSIDE.  Very raw, emotional stuff, but, although it was unexpected, it made the story that much better and gave it a little twist in the end.  Everyone had their own secrets and they propelled the story.  The fact that the ending left off on a cliff hanger bugged me because now I have to read the rest of it!  I didn't even realize it was a cliffhanger until I read the back of the second book.  Overall, I gave this one 3.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children:  Although this book was absolutely not what I was expecting, it was still really good!  Again, it started off slow for me and I actually wasn't sure if I would end up liking it, but I'm glad I stuck with it.  The book definitely picked up speed after Jacob and his father went to Wales and weird stuff started happening.  I started to put the pieces together about half way through, after he found the secret passageway.  Although this book didn't have a lot of world-building or character description, there were a lot of pictures and I found them both creepy and helpful.  I loved the children's different personalities and the way they help each other.  There are some twists in the story that I didn't anticipate, so that was refreshing to read.  The cover definitely betrays the true story within, so do not judge this book by it's cover!  It still has creepy elements, but this book isn't scary at all.  I would say that the book is simply "peculiar," as the title suggests.  I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars and definitely plan on finishing the trilogy.

    So there's my wrap-up for October!  Have you read any of these books?  What did you think?  Are any of these books on your TBR list?  Let's discuss in the comments below or shoot me a message on any of my social media platforms.  I'm always down for a good book discussion!  Next week I'll be introducing the books for my November TBR.  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.

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.

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.

TBR for August

   Hello there friends!  I'm going to be trying something new here that I haven't before and that's a TBR.  For those of you who don't know, a "TBR" is a list of books "To Be Read" for a specific month or other period of time.  I've been diving into the YouTube community of BookTube, (which I think I've mentioned here before), which is a vlogging community dedicated to the written word.  They do many types of videos, including TBRs, book hauls, wrap-ups, etc.  This intrigued me and I thought that maybe I could do something like that, but without the video portion.  I've thought about vlogging for a few years now, but have discovered that I'm not quite comfortable being on camera yet.  With my fluctuating health issues and hectic schedule, I think it best to start slow and work my way up to a point where maybe I could incorporate a video portion of this.  For now, let's stick with what I know best and get on with the list!
    Usually, with a TBR list, a reader sets a tentative goal for his or herself of how many books they would be willing and able to read during a given time period.  I have already done my book reviews for the month of July, which you can find in the Book Reviews tab at the top of the page, or by clicking here if you're lazy, like me.  For the month of August, I will be reading a combination of graphic novels, comic books and novels, totaling about 6 titles.  I'm trying to become more well versed in comic books, considering my husband is a writer and has a vast collection to which I am exposed.  I've already started some of these books, so I will include them here because they are still in progress.

    I mentioned this series in my book reviews section, so check out my review of The Bone Season first!  The Mime Order is the second book in The Bone Season series by Samantha Shannon.  This series follows a clairvoyant named Paige Mahoney, an Irish transplant refugee in an alternative Dystopian Scion London who is hiding from others who are interested in her immense power.  The first book, The Bone Season, introduces us to Paige and how she became the person she is now as well as her struggles with her clairvoyance during an impending war with a different race of beings unknown to the rest of the mundane world.  

    The Mime Order continues Paige's story from the previous novel, which ends with her exodus from a prison called Sheol I, located in the outskirts of Scion London.  She is currently the most wanted person in London and is on the run from everyone because she can trust no one.  While Paige tries to outwit her adversary, the leaders of her clairvoyant underground community called "Mime-Lords" and "Mime-Queens" respectively, hold a rare meeting to decide the fate of their community while war brews overhead in the human world.  Little do they know an invasion is on the horizon and Paige will have to run in order to stay alive.

    I've already started reading this book and I'm only about 130 pages in, but I really like where it's going so far!  I fell in love with this series from the time I read The Bone Season last Christmas, so I couldn't wait to pick this one up.  So far I'm really enjoying the mystery of the events unfolding at Paige's expense.  I can tell that there will be some backstabbing in her future but from who, I'm not sure.  I'll save the rest of my thoughts for the review, but so far, I like what I'm reading!

(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17878931-red-queen)

    The second book on my TBR for August is one that I've been wanting to read for awhile.  Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard follows a young 17-year-old girl named Mare Barrow, who lives in a world divided by blood, split between commoners and the elite class.  Mare is a Red girl, a commoner, who finds herself working in the Silver Palace under direct supervision of the warrior class.  Despite her Red commoner blood, there is a power lurking deep inside Mare, which could threaten to destroy the Silver elite control of her world.

    This book just sounded really interesting to me.  I've come to love the fantasy world building that these books tend to have, so I'm curious to see how well they set up the world in this book.  I've also been reading a lot of books with a female protagonist, which seems to be very prevalent these days.  I've seen numerous recommendations for this book within the BookTube community, so I had to grab it.  At the present, I get most of my book recommendations from BookTubers, who are a great source for material I wouldn't have otherwise come across on my own.  Can't wait to read this one!

(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23399192-rook)

    This book just recently caught my eye and it sounded really interesting, so I thought I would give it a try!  This is another alternate-city Dystopian world book, which I apparently love because this is at least the fifth book of this kind that I've read.  Rook takes place in an alternate Paris called the Sunken City, in which a new revolution has transpired.  There is a mysterious vigilante called the "Red Rook" who fights for the safety and well-being of the innocent people in this world.  Think not-your-average Robin Hood character.  Then there's our main protagonists, Sophia Bellamy and Rene Hasard, who are in an arranged marriage but are not who they seem to be.  This unfortunate and unwilling couple get caught up in the machinations of the Red Rook and chaos ensues.

    I love the premise of this book!  This book also seems to deal with another strong female lead, which I like, coupled with a brash male co-conspirator.  Overall, I'm just curious to see where this book leads and I've heard a lot of great things so far about it, so I'm really excited to read it!

    This is a graphic novel series from Vertigo comics which I have already started reading because I am currently ADDICTED to it and can't stop/won't stop.  Fables, written by Bill Willingham and illustrated by Lan Medina, Steve Leialoha, Craig Hamilton and James Jean follows popular story book and fairy tale characters as they are exiled out of their homeland by the mysterious "Adversary" and into New York City to live amongst the humans they call "The Mundane" or "Mundies" for short.  This is definitely not a series fit for young children, as there is a lot of sexual and violent content, but it's SO GOOD!  There are relationships among the Fables that you would never expect and the story just keeps getting more crazy and interesting as I read on.  The illustrations are amazing and full of detail and the cover art is breathtaking.  I'm currently on Volume 5, which includes issues 28-33.  There are currently 22 volumes in this series, so I will be getting more of them once I catch up to what my husband already has on hand.  I'm loving this series, so if you like Once Upon a Time or the Grimm tales or anything along those lines, you should check out this series.

(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18188160-mara?ac=1)

    This series was recommended to me by my husband actually.  We've met the artist, Ming Doyle, several times at different comic book conventions and she's amazingly talented, not to mention super nice!  My husband is mildly obsessed with her and this is one of his favorite comics of all time, so I figured I'd check it out.  Look at that bad ass female protagonist again!  Mara by Brian Wood and illustrated by Ming Doyle follows a popular celebrity athlete named Mara Prince as she struggles to maintain her normal persona while dealing with the manifestation of superhuman abilities.  As she is slowly disowned by most of the world she's known for years, she has to fight back against those who appose her as she figures out who she is.

    I've honestly never looked into this series until now.  I knew Ming Doyle did great work and that was one of the main reasons I wanted to pick this short series up.  It seems to be set in a futuristic/alternate world as well, so we'll see.  I'm intrigued by this comic and I hope I like it!

(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22078240-saga-deluxe-edition-volume-1?ac=1)

    This is another series recommended to me not only by my husband, but through BookTube as well.  This is an award-winning series written by Brian K. Vaughn and illustrated by Fiona Staples.  Saga follows new parents Marko and Alana through their struggles during a galactic war in this sci-fi/fantasy world.  This series is very reminiscent of Star Wars.  It is not for the faint of heart and should only be read by mature readers, but overall I've heard enough hype about this series to warrant picking it up.  I've literally heard nothing bad about this series.  My husband owns the Special Deluxe edition, volume 1, (which is pictured and linked to above), and contains issues 1-18.  I'm excited to read this, especially after hearing the premise.

    That's it for my August TBR!  If you have any recommendations or thoughts on the comics or books I listed above, let me know what you think in the comments.  I'm hoping to get to all these this month, but being reliant on the library's selection really puts a damper on my reading goals.  If you have any ideas for what I should pick up for September, let me know in the comments as well.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.