I just used that title to make the post sound more interesting. A little razzle dazzle because I read so little these last couple of months. For various reasons. But eh, you know. We do what we can. Anyways... As usual, comment below if you want to hear my thoughts on any of these titles. Follow me on Goodreads for real time updates on what I'm reading and the occasional review.
You Are Special: Words of Wisdom from America's Most Beloved Neighbor by (Mister) Fred Rogers
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Ghastly Gothic Mansions by Joyce L. Markovics
Ducktales comics vol 1, 2, and 3
Mickey and Donald's Christmas Parade #1-4
A Treasury of Mermaids: Mermaid Tales from Around the World by Shirley Climo
Super Sons Vol. 3
Black Lightning: In Cold Dead Hands
Showing posts with label 12 meses 12 libros. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 12 meses 12 libros. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
12 meses 12 libros: December: just... several Christmas themed comic books
Imma keep it real wit you, chief. I did not complete the assignment. However I can explain, lol. December's theme was a book with illustrations, and I actually picked the book I planned to read right around the same time I picked my January read. I was going to read Tales of Zorro, a short story collection I actually bought back in 2017 when I was working on my Zorro NaNo story. But since I had so many other Zorro books (ones I bought and ones I checked out of the library) I didn't end up reading everything, and since this particular book has nice illustrations I thought it would be perfect for that category. However I ended up being really stressed, depressed, and even sort of busy and occupied with other things. So I read a handful of Christmas themed comic books in the week leading up to Christmas, and that was about all I finished in the month. However, it added up to a couple hundred pages so... book? Book.
So a lot of Disney comics and one Betty and Veronica, all Christmas themed. That's Betty and Veronica Christmas Spectacular #1, Mickey and Donald Christmas Parade #1-4, Dell's Four Color Comic #178, and Uncle Scrooge #9 (from the current IDW series).
Because there were several titles here, I'll have to do this a little differently than I usually do these posts. I did put brief reviews of some of them on Goodreads, but I read them all pretty quickly and didn't want to bombard all my friends with tons of comic book reviews in a row, lol. I'll just give my brief thoughts.
The Betty and Veronica comic is super short, just a standard 22 page issue with several shorter stories. I was thinking it'd be a longer collection, like the ones they have for Halloween in the Pep Digital line. It was cute, but not worth the $3 comixology asks.
The Mickey and Donald Christmas Parade issues were all really fun. Some were better than others (the second was my favorite), but they're all worth reading, especially if you like comics and Disney. And Christmas, obvs lol.
Four Color #178 and Uncle Scrooge #9 are an interesting back to back read. The four color story is Scrooge's first appearance in a story called "Christmas on Bear Mountain." (Fun fact: Uncle Scrooge was actually created for the comics, not the cartoons!) Scrooge is more of a curmudgeon than he is later, but it's still a fun story and very historically significant for fans of Disney Duck comics. I originally read this story in the Carl Barks collection just called Christmas in Bear Mountain, so this was the first time I read the back up story (which wasn't written by Barks, but it was weird and fun -- Mickey and Goofy got jobs at Santa's workshop and had to find a missing reindeer). Uncle Scrooge #9 is a retelling of that story, sort of a what-if, told from Scrooge's POV. I enjoyed both of these a lot.
I would recommend these comics for the next holiday season! Also, since I feel bad about not finishing and reviewing that Zorro book like I planned, I will review it when I finally do finish it. (I've read two of seventeen stories and will be reading other stuff for reading challenges I'm working on for the new year, so it may not be soon... but I WILL do it, because I am a dumb and determined bitch, lol.)
So a lot of Disney comics and one Betty and Veronica, all Christmas themed. That's Betty and Veronica Christmas Spectacular #1, Mickey and Donald Christmas Parade #1-4, Dell's Four Color Comic #178, and Uncle Scrooge #9 (from the current IDW series).
Because there were several titles here, I'll have to do this a little differently than I usually do these posts. I did put brief reviews of some of them on Goodreads, but I read them all pretty quickly and didn't want to bombard all my friends with tons of comic book reviews in a row, lol. I'll just give my brief thoughts.
The Betty and Veronica comic is super short, just a standard 22 page issue with several shorter stories. I was thinking it'd be a longer collection, like the ones they have for Halloween in the Pep Digital line. It was cute, but not worth the $3 comixology asks.
The Mickey and Donald Christmas Parade issues were all really fun. Some were better than others (the second was my favorite), but they're all worth reading, especially if you like comics and Disney. And Christmas, obvs lol.
Four Color #178 and Uncle Scrooge #9 are an interesting back to back read. The four color story is Scrooge's first appearance in a story called "Christmas on Bear Mountain." (Fun fact: Uncle Scrooge was actually created for the comics, not the cartoons!) Scrooge is more of a curmudgeon than he is later, but it's still a fun story and very historically significant for fans of Disney Duck comics. I originally read this story in the Carl Barks collection just called Christmas in Bear Mountain, so this was the first time I read the back up story (which wasn't written by Barks, but it was weird and fun -- Mickey and Goofy got jobs at Santa's workshop and had to find a missing reindeer). Uncle Scrooge #9 is a retelling of that story, sort of a what-if, told from Scrooge's POV. I enjoyed both of these a lot.
I would recommend these comics for the next holiday season! Also, since I feel bad about not finishing and reviewing that Zorro book like I planned, I will review it when I finally do finish it. (I've read two of seventeen stories and will be reading other stuff for reading challenges I'm working on for the new year, so it may not be soon... but I WILL do it, because I am a dumb and determined bitch, lol.)
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
archie comics,
books,
christmas,
comics,
disney comics,
reading
Sunday, December 2, 2018
12 meses 12 libros: November: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
This one is late too, but slightly less late than the last few months, lol. Give me a break, doing the best I can, guys.
Anyways, November's theme was best sellers. I actually had trouble deciding on a book for this month... part of it was that I mixed up the themes for November and October, lol, and part of it is that both of those themes were very broad. That can give you a lot of freedom, but it also doesn't give you any ideas where to start. But there's a copy of Jurassic Park at our library, I like the movie (and dinosaurs, of course) so I thought I may as well give this book a shot!
(Is this wrap around cover not absolutely cool and gorgeous??? Wow.)
I really enjoyed this book a lot! I will admit, though it was well written and I liked it a lot, and it was good from the start, it did take it a while to really get going. For that thrilling fast pace to kick in. It's similar to but different from the movie, and I can't really say which is better (they're both great in their own ways), but I think some of the characters are better in the book. Lex is the only one I can think of right off that was less enjoyable in the book (she whines a lot... if you did a drinking game and took a shot every time she said, "I'm hungry!" or "I'm tired!" you'd die of alcohol poisoning). But this was a super exciting story, kind of dark, really cool. I'm glad I took a chance on it.
I also reviewed this book here on my goodreads page. Follow me there for more regular updates on what I'm reading and occasional reviews!
I started reading this book on November 24th and finished it on December 2nd. I read about half of it and listened to about half of it as an audio book.
Bottom line, would I recommend this book? Definitely, especially if you like the movie or just dinosaurs in general.
Anyways, November's theme was best sellers. I actually had trouble deciding on a book for this month... part of it was that I mixed up the themes for November and October, lol, and part of it is that both of those themes were very broad. That can give you a lot of freedom, but it also doesn't give you any ideas where to start. But there's a copy of Jurassic Park at our library, I like the movie (and dinosaurs, of course) so I thought I may as well give this book a shot!
(Is this wrap around cover not absolutely cool and gorgeous??? Wow.)
I really enjoyed this book a lot! I will admit, though it was well written and I liked it a lot, and it was good from the start, it did take it a while to really get going. For that thrilling fast pace to kick in. It's similar to but different from the movie, and I can't really say which is better (they're both great in their own ways), but I think some of the characters are better in the book. Lex is the only one I can think of right off that was less enjoyable in the book (she whines a lot... if you did a drinking game and took a shot every time she said, "I'm hungry!" or "I'm tired!" you'd die of alcohol poisoning). But this was a super exciting story, kind of dark, really cool. I'm glad I took a chance on it.
I also reviewed this book here on my goodreads page. Follow me there for more regular updates on what I'm reading and occasional reviews!
I started reading this book on November 24th and finished it on December 2nd. I read about half of it and listened to about half of it as an audio book.
Bottom line, would I recommend this book? Definitely, especially if you like the movie or just dinosaurs in general.
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
books,
dinos!,
jurassic park,
michael crichton,
reading
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
12 meses 12 libros: October: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Yes, this is indeed very late. Again. I apologize. I would like to
say it won't happen again, but I can't promise that. I can try, but I
can't promise. (Not like I'm not reading... I'm an editor, it's a big
part of my job... I just hate not meeting up with arbitrary goals I've
set for myself, and this makes my life even more difficult lol. But you
know. It be like that lmao.)
Anyways, October's theme was a famous author from your country (not bestsellers, which is next month... as detailed in this post, I mixed them up, lol. But turns out the book I picked for October and November both fit the themes for both October and November, so I think I'm still good). I read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, which I had been wanting to read for quite some time. I really love the movie, so I was looking forward to checking the book out.
Words can't describe how great this book is. The characters are pitch perfect, compelling, and absolutely horrible people. The plot (which I was familiar with, because of the movie -- a pretty faithful adaptation) is a wild ride and not at all predictable. Even though I knew what would happen I was still on the edge of my seat, not wanting to put the book down. I want to write characters with this much depth. Even when you know for a fact that you're dealing with liars, you find yourself buying what they're saying. A very skillfully written book. I enjoyed it so much.
I share more of my thoughts on this book in my (equally glowing) Goodreads review here. You should totally follow me, btw.
I started this book on October 21st and finished on November 12th. (Again, I regret that I finished late, but what can you do.... it didn't take me that long because of lack of enjoyment. I just have been a bit busier than I'd like to be, leaving me less free time to spend curled up with a book -- which is where I frankly belong, lol.)
Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? YES. Even if you've seen the movie, especially if you've seen and enjoyed the movie. If you like fucked up stories about fucked up people, this one is It, baby.
Anyways, October's theme was a famous author from your country (not bestsellers, which is next month... as detailed in this post, I mixed them up, lol. But turns out the book I picked for October and November both fit the themes for both October and November, so I think I'm still good). I read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, which I had been wanting to read for quite some time. I really love the movie, so I was looking forward to checking the book out.
Words can't describe how great this book is. The characters are pitch perfect, compelling, and absolutely horrible people. The plot (which I was familiar with, because of the movie -- a pretty faithful adaptation) is a wild ride and not at all predictable. Even though I knew what would happen I was still on the edge of my seat, not wanting to put the book down. I want to write characters with this much depth. Even when you know for a fact that you're dealing with liars, you find yourself buying what they're saying. A very skillfully written book. I enjoyed it so much.
I share more of my thoughts on this book in my (equally glowing) Goodreads review here. You should totally follow me, btw.
I started this book on October 21st and finished on November 12th. (Again, I regret that I finished late, but what can you do.... it didn't take me that long because of lack of enjoyment. I just have been a bit busier than I'd like to be, leaving me less free time to spend curled up with a book -- which is where I frankly belong, lol.)
Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? YES. Even if you've seen the movie, especially if you've seen and enjoyed the movie. If you like fucked up stories about fucked up people, this one is It, baby.
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
books,
gillian flynn,
gone girl,
library,
reading
Friday, November 9, 2018
Book Log August-October
It's ya girl, a reading fool, lol. I really haven't gotten nearly as much reading done as I'd like to, for various reasons, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. As usual, let me know if you'd like to hear more about specific titles. Btw if you want real time updates on what I'm reading (and the occasional review of certain titles) follow my Goodreads... which I have had since 2011 and only recently started updating again lol whoops.
The Incredi-Files by John Edwards
Batwoman Vol.2
Super Sons of Tomorrow
Goosebumps Scary Summer (Graphic novel)
Goosebumps The Blob the Ate Everyone by R.L. Stine
Walk Your Dog by Elizabeth Stevens Omlor
American Girl Felicity Short Story Collection by Valerie Tripp
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Here Come the Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey
Magic Beans and Golden by Avon Van Hassel (I edited these books! Go grab your copies on Kindle!)
Rise of the Black Panther graphic novel
Baby-Sitters Club #54 Mallory and the Dream Horse by Ann M. Martin
A Study in Scarlet/The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Graphic Novel
Alice in Wonderland Remixed by Marlon McKenney
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
The Flintstones: The Official Movie Book by Jody Duncan
Halloween by Curtis Richards
Kristy's Big Day (Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel) by Gale Galligan (adapted from Ann M. Martin)
Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey
Little Women (Great Illustrated Classics edition) by Louisa May Alcott (adapted by Lucia Monfried)
Archie Comics Halloween Blowout 1 and 2 (Pep Digital #25 and #60 respectively)
Sabrina's Monster Manual (Pep Digital #112)
Josie and the Scaredy Cats (Pep Digital #166)
Rotten Ralph's Trick or Treat by Jack Gantos
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
The Incredi-Files by John Edwards
Batwoman Vol.2
Super Sons of Tomorrow
Goosebumps Scary Summer (Graphic novel)
Goosebumps The Blob the Ate Everyone by R.L. Stine
Walk Your Dog by Elizabeth Stevens Omlor
American Girl Felicity Short Story Collection by Valerie Tripp
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Here Come the Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey
Magic Beans and Golden by Avon Van Hassel (I edited these books! Go grab your copies on Kindle!)
Rise of the Black Panther graphic novel
Baby-Sitters Club #54 Mallory and the Dream Horse by Ann M. Martin
A Study in Scarlet/The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Graphic Novel
Alice in Wonderland Remixed by Marlon McKenney
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
The Flintstones: The Official Movie Book by Jody Duncan
Halloween by Curtis Richards
Kristy's Big Day (Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel) by Gale Galligan (adapted from Ann M. Martin)
Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey
Little Women (Great Illustrated Classics edition) by Louisa May Alcott (adapted by Lucia Monfried)
Archie Comics Halloween Blowout 1 and 2 (Pep Digital #25 and #60 respectively)
Sabrina's Monster Manual (Pep Digital #112)
Josie and the Scaredy Cats (Pep Digital #166)
Rotten Ralph's Trick or Treat by Jack Gantos
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
books,
library,
reading
Saturday, November 3, 2018
I did it again
You may have noticed that I haven't posted about my October book. I got behind again. What with work, the online class, social commitments and other plans, plus not having a lot of energy (thanks depression! and also.... thanks life!) and not really feeling like reading as much when I was free, I haven't made as much progress as I planned. I did actually end up spending a lot of my reading time in the last few weeks reading Halloween themed comics to get me in the mood for Halloween. Plus, I bought them on sale on comixology recently, so I wanted to actually read them so I wouldn't feel bad about spending the money, lol. But yeah, so... once again, I'm late on finishing this book. It's not anything to do with the actual book (I'm enjoying that immensely) life just happens, unfortunately. I'm also holding off on my actual book log post until I have the book finished. I did start it in October, so I want to list it on my August-October book log post... and I don't feel right listing it if I haven't finished it yet, lol. I had only been doing two months per post, but since things have been eh lately I haven't read as much as usual, so it would have been even shorter than it unfortunately is. I go through phases recently where I either read voraciously or not at all. I'm reading a little, but not enough... and the sheer amount of library book and whatnot I want to get through is intimidating me and making me read less. Anxiety kicks in, lol. So.... I'm fighting life as well as my own shitty brain. But I love reading, I don't want to lose that hobby or that love, due to depression or fucking anything else... and reading a lot is one of the things that makes you a better writer. So I will read as much as I can, but I also need to learn to lower my expectations, and not make it seem like a chore. It's a gift... and I'm grateful.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
I have made an error
So for some reason I got things a little backwards in my planning for the 12 libros 12 meses challenge. I thought October was bestseller month and November was a famous author from your country. Turns out it's the other way around. But I've already checked out the bestseller Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn for this month... and I hadn't picked my famous American author yet. Yikes. BUT... Gillian Flynn is American, and between Gone Girl and Sharp Objects I'd say she is very well known. So I'm sticking with this book. And next month I'll try to find another bestseller that also happens to be by an American... that way it'll sort of even out, lol.
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
gillian flynn,
reading
Monday, October 15, 2018
12 meses 12 libros: September: A Study in Scarlet/The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Yes, this is really late. Life happens though, lol. The theme for September was a work by a classic author. That's a pretty broad category, and there are a lot of classics out there I had yet to have a chance to read. I decided on a Sherlock Holmes book because, despite loving the character and owning a massive collection of the stories for like 20 years I had never actually read any. (I know, for shame.) I wanted to read The Hound of the Baskervilles since that is one of the most iconic and celebrated pieces in ACD Holmes canon, but then I also wanted to read A Study in Scarlet, since that was the character's debut and it made sense to start there. Luckily my library had a copy with both in one volume!
(I included covers for the version I read as well as individual covers for each story.)I really really enjoyed both these stories. They're both very different in their plot and pacing, but the tone is consistent between the two. There were times when I just had to put the book down and sit and think, "Wow. That was so good!" I enjoyed it so much, I will definitely be reading more Holmes stories.
I started reading this on September 26 and finished on October 11. The length of time it took me to read a measly 300 pages doesn't reflect on the quality of the stories... I was just busy, depressed, and also took a couple days off between the two stories to read something else, lol. Do I not get credit for the fact that it's technically two books though? Lol.
Would I recommend this book to a friend? Of course.
(I included covers for the version I read as well as individual covers for each story.)I really really enjoyed both these stories. They're both very different in their plot and pacing, but the tone is consistent between the two. There were times when I just had to put the book down and sit and think, "Wow. That was so good!" I enjoyed it so much, I will definitely be reading more Holmes stories.
I started reading this on September 26 and finished on October 11. The length of time it took me to read a measly 300 pages doesn't reflect on the quality of the stories... I was just busy, depressed, and also took a couple days off between the two stories to read something else, lol. Do I not get credit for the fact that it's technically two books though? Lol.
Would I recommend this book to a friend? Of course.
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
arthur conan doyle,
books,
library,
reading,
sherlock holmes
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Hm
I just started my September book yesterday. There are a lot of life reasons for that (been busy, depressed, and stretched thin because of having a lot of other shit to do), but I'm still not happy about it... especially since I was looking so forward to this book. I may not finish it before the month is up. :( I'm gonna try though!
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
12 meses 12 libros: August: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
August's theme was a book older than 100 years old. I read/have read a lot of classics, and I have even more on my massive list to eventually read, so the difficulty this month was in deciding on one, lol. I ended up going with A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett because the story has been one of my favorites for some time (I adore the 1995 movie) and we had a gorgeous copy right there at our library branch.
I really enjoyed this book. Sara is a very endearing character and the story is very engaging. I was so familiar with the 1995 movie, which has a fair number of differences from the book, that I was very curious to see how similar the two are. Aside from the ending I'd say that film is a pretty faithful adaptation, and the fact that it was different gave me the experience of not knowing how this would end, and not knowing how things would come to be where they needed to be. It was exciting to see what fell into place! I liked the book enough that I could easily see it becoming something I re-read regularly.
I started this book on August 11th and finished on August 18th. It's not crazy long, but I took my time (and took my birthday off reading because I was busy allllll day lol).
Bottom line, would I recommend this book? Yes! Very much so. Especially if you're the kind of person who has ever fancied yourself a princess. 👑
I really enjoyed this book. Sara is a very endearing character and the story is very engaging. I was so familiar with the 1995 movie, which has a fair number of differences from the book, that I was very curious to see how similar the two are. Aside from the ending I'd say that film is a pretty faithful adaptation, and the fact that it was different gave me the experience of not knowing how this would end, and not knowing how things would come to be where they needed to be. It was exciting to see what fell into place! I liked the book enough that I could easily see it becoming something I re-read regularly.
I started this book on August 11th and finished on August 18th. It's not crazy long, but I took my time (and took my birthday off reading because I was busy allllll day lol).
Bottom line, would I recommend this book? Yes! Very much so. Especially if you're the kind of person who has ever fancied yourself a princess. 👑
Friday, August 3, 2018
Book Log June-July (Summer Reading Edition)
Moving on! More books. Trying to keep reading a lot... I had gotten sort of slowed down by life bullshit lol, but I want to press on. Lots of kids books, some comics, and other good stuff mixed in. As usual, let me know if you'd like to hear some more in depth thoughts on any of these titles.
From Rags to Riches: A History of Girls' Clothing in America by Leslie Sills
Understanding Coding with Lego Mindstorms by Patricia Harris
Princess Hair by Sharee Miller
Mi Mundo (My World, Spanish edition) by Margaret Wise Brown
The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 2
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
Hello Kitty: Delicious graphic novel
Kindred (Graphic novel adaptation) by Octavia E. Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Black Panther Book Three
Super Mario Adventures graphic novel
Nancy Drew #48 The Crooked Banister by Carolyn Keene
I Love You for Miles and Miles by Alison Goldberg
Black Panther Long Live the King
Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman and Action Comics #1000
Ms. Marvel's Fists of Fury by Calliope Glass
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Golden Book Favorites
Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach
From Rags to Riches: A History of Girls' Clothing in America by Leslie Sills
Understanding Coding with Lego Mindstorms by Patricia Harris
Princess Hair by Sharee Miller
Mi Mundo (My World, Spanish edition) by Margaret Wise Brown
The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 2
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
Hello Kitty: Delicious graphic novel
Kindred (Graphic novel adaptation) by Octavia E. Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Black Panther Book Three
Super Mario Adventures graphic novel
Nancy Drew #48 The Crooked Banister by Carolyn Keene
I Love You for Miles and Miles by Alison Goldberg
Black Panther Long Live the King
Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman and Action Comics #1000
Ms. Marvel's Fists of Fury by Calliope Glass
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Golden Book Favorites
Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
books,
library,
reading
Friday, July 27, 2018
12 meses 12 libros: July: Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach
The theme for this month was a book you picked based on the cover. A while ago (a month or two, I think) I went to a library sale. If you ever have a chance to go to one of these, you definitely should! You can get books for cheap and all the proceeds go to help your local library. I got like 15ish books for less than $7 that day, and one of them was Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach. You guys know I love kids books and I love Shakespeare, and I thought the cover looked cool and fun... it implied mystery, and the art style reminded me a bit of A Series of Unfortunate Events, so I knew this would be a good book for this month.
This was a really cute, fun little book. I'd never heard of it, or the author, but I'm glad I picked it up. I got to really like the characters, the mystery was fun, and there was a really nice (happy) twist that I didn't see coming, but in hindsight the clues were there.
I started this book July 21st and finished July 25th. It's not terribly long (over 200 pages but it is a kid's book) and it only took me as long as it did to finish because I had other things going on (watching true crime videos on youtube mostly lol).
Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? Yeah! I don't think it's by any means a must read or a life changing book, but it's really fun and you'll probably enjoy it, especially if you're a big nerd who has ever wondered if Shakespeare is really Shakespeare.
This was a really cute, fun little book. I'd never heard of it, or the author, but I'm glad I picked it up. I got to really like the characters, the mystery was fun, and there was a really nice (happy) twist that I didn't see coming, but in hindsight the clues were there.
I started this book July 21st and finished July 25th. It's not terribly long (over 200 pages but it is a kid's book) and it only took me as long as it did to finish because I had other things going on (watching true crime videos on youtube mostly lol).
Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? Yeah! I don't think it's by any means a must read or a life changing book, but it's really fun and you'll probably enjoy it, especially if you're a big nerd who has ever wondered if Shakespeare is really Shakespeare.
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
books,
elise broach,
library,
reading,
shakespeare's secret
Monday, June 25, 2018
12 meses 12 libros: June: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
The theme for this month was a genre you've never read before. Over my years, I've read a lot of different stuff, and I've honestly dabbled in most genres, so I decided to go with sci-fi, since it's something I've read little of. A youtuber I like mentioned reading Dark Matter by Blake Crouch last year, and it sounded interesting, so I decided that would be my sci-fi pick. However right before I began the book, I realized that a lot of its reviewers describe it as sort of genre bending -- it's a sci-fi thriller. So that fits even more than planned.
I liked this book a lot. It was engaging and NOT predictable, which is a combination that always leads to a book I can't put down. As I mentioned, I haven't read a lot of sci-fi, but this was definitely a book you wouldn't need to be a huge sci-fi fan to enjoy. I'd also say you wouldn't even need to be a huge thriller fan... so long as you like compelling stories with really well fleshed out and believable characters you would probably enjoy this book. It was a story that made me think (both about it and about myself... and life in general) and when I got to the end, I wanted more. The ending was satisfying, but everything was good enough that I could have happily read more.
I started this book on June 22 and finished on June 25. It's longish, but honestly it's a fast read, especially if you get kind of sucked into it.
Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? Definitely! I might even read more of Blake Crouch's work.
I liked this book a lot. It was engaging and NOT predictable, which is a combination that always leads to a book I can't put down. As I mentioned, I haven't read a lot of sci-fi, but this was definitely a book you wouldn't need to be a huge sci-fi fan to enjoy. I'd also say you wouldn't even need to be a huge thriller fan... so long as you like compelling stories with really well fleshed out and believable characters you would probably enjoy this book. It was a story that made me think (both about it and about myself... and life in general) and when I got to the end, I wanted more. The ending was satisfying, but everything was good enough that I could have happily read more.
I started this book on June 22 and finished on June 25. It's longish, but honestly it's a fast read, especially if you get kind of sucked into it.
Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? Definitely! I might even read more of Blake Crouch's work.
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
blake crouch,
books,
dark matter,
library,
reading
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
April-May Book Log
Trying to keep on top of reading, and trying to mix up the kind of stuff I'm reading. (Still kind of enjoying more of the usual stuff though, lol). Let me know if you want to hear more about any of these titles.
Black Panther: World of Wakanda
The Sleeping Beauty by Trina Schart Hyman
Beauty and the Beast by Deborah Apy
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
A Series of Unfortunate Events The Vile Village and The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day by Dr. Seuss and Jack Prelutsky
Seneca by Karen Lee Baker
Why do Rabbits Hop? by Joan Holub
Why do Horses Neigh? by Joan Holub
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Thoroughbred Horses by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
Barbie Star Light Adventure: The Secret of the Gems graphic novel
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink
Black Panther Book One and Book Two
Horses by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Supersons Vol 2
The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy
Everything I Needed to Know I Learned from a Disney Little Golden Book by Diane Muldrow
Wonders of Draft Horses by Sigmund A. Lavine and Brigid Casey
Nice or Nasty: A Book of Opposites by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
Canto Familiar by Gary Soto
The Prince and the Pauper (Great Illustrated Classics edition) by Mary Twain, adapted by Shirley Bogart
Lizzy Bennet's Diary by Marcia Williams
Dinosaur! by Peter Sis
Little Golden Book Favorites: DC Super Friends by Billy Wrecks
Welcome to Super Hero High! by Courtney Carbone
Star War: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight by Tony DiTerlizzi
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Animated Adventures Vol. 1
Ninja Turtles Pizza Party! by Joshua Sternin
I'm My Own Dog by David Ezra Stein
Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird
Duck, Duck, Dinosaur: Bubble Blast by Kallie George
Cooking with the Grinch by Tish Rabe
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening the Robert Frost poem illustrated by Susan Jeffers
Black Panther: World of Wakanda
The Sleeping Beauty by Trina Schart Hyman
Beauty and the Beast by Deborah Apy
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
A Series of Unfortunate Events The Vile Village and The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day by Dr. Seuss and Jack Prelutsky
Seneca by Karen Lee Baker
Why do Rabbits Hop? by Joan Holub
Why do Horses Neigh? by Joan Holub
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Thoroughbred Horses by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
Barbie Star Light Adventure: The Secret of the Gems graphic novel
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink
Black Panther Book One and Book Two
Horses by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Supersons Vol 2
The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy
Everything I Needed to Know I Learned from a Disney Little Golden Book by Diane Muldrow
Wonders of Draft Horses by Sigmund A. Lavine and Brigid Casey
Nice or Nasty: A Book of Opposites by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
Canto Familiar by Gary Soto
The Prince and the Pauper (Great Illustrated Classics edition) by Mary Twain, adapted by Shirley Bogart
Lizzy Bennet's Diary by Marcia Williams
Dinosaur! by Peter Sis
Little Golden Book Favorites: DC Super Friends by Billy Wrecks
Welcome to Super Hero High! by Courtney Carbone
Star War: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight by Tony DiTerlizzi
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Animated Adventures Vol. 1
Ninja Turtles Pizza Party! by Joshua Sternin
I'm My Own Dog by David Ezra Stein
Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird
Duck, Duck, Dinosaur: Bubble Blast by Kallie George
Cooking with the Grinch by Tish Rabe
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening the Robert Frost poem illustrated by Susan Jeffers
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
books,
library,
reading
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
12 meses, 12 libros: May: The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain (sort of)
The theme for this month is a book you were supposed to read in school but didn't. I was assigned The Prince and the Pauper in eighth grade, but our school was both poor and cheap and couldn't afford copies for every student to check out and take home... there was a set for the classroom, and all six classes that teacher taught used those books. We'd spend whole class periods reading this book. You may be wondering then how I managed not to read it? Easy. I got sick and missed several days of school, and I got really behind. I had already found the book incredibly boring, so when I came back to school and needed to catch up skimmed the book. I actually would skip words, lines, and even pages. Just read every other one, lol.
I had a few options for what I could read this month, but I ended up settling on this one. But because I remembered finding it dull and too long, I got the idea to read the Great Illustrated Classics version -- basically an adaptation for children. It maintains the same story but tries to make it accessible for younger readers.
So... let me be totally honest. When I finished reading this book, dumbed down and shortened as it was, I literally said "oh thank God it's over" out loud. If that gives you any idea of how much I didn't enjoy it lol. The thing is, we all know the story... it's been adapted many times and inspired lots of other works. My favorite version, of course is the Disney one where Mickey plays the dual role of prince and pauper. But actually reading this version was just.... difficult to get through, because the characters are just utter fucking garbage, lol. Prince Edward and Tom Canty are the most stupid and obnoxious children that I think have ever been committed to print. This is like... how do you advertise so hard for maintaining the status quo at the same time as you promote challenging your world view and experiencing new things, lol. The only thing that I could truly agree with this book about was the implication that privileged people are lowkey kinda stupid. Also when you watch like the Disney version or what have you, the two boys at least have the agency to decide to switch places. In this book, it's all a misunderstanding! The plan was just to try on each other's clothes, and then they get swept up in everythign because Edward is so goddamn stupid that he thinks he'll still be recognized as the prince and he goes to continue throwing his weight around. The only character I did like was Miles Hendon, but he wasn't enough to make me enjoy it.
I started this book on May 20 and finished on May 22. It's over 200 pages but every other page is an illustration (which, btw, also weren't great).
Bottom line, would I recommend this book? Fuck no.
I had a few options for what I could read this month, but I ended up settling on this one. But because I remembered finding it dull and too long, I got the idea to read the Great Illustrated Classics version -- basically an adaptation for children. It maintains the same story but tries to make it accessible for younger readers.
So... let me be totally honest. When I finished reading this book, dumbed down and shortened as it was, I literally said "oh thank God it's over" out loud. If that gives you any idea of how much I didn't enjoy it lol. The thing is, we all know the story... it's been adapted many times and inspired lots of other works. My favorite version, of course is the Disney one where Mickey plays the dual role of prince and pauper. But actually reading this version was just.... difficult to get through, because the characters are just utter fucking garbage, lol. Prince Edward and Tom Canty are the most stupid and obnoxious children that I think have ever been committed to print. This is like... how do you advertise so hard for maintaining the status quo at the same time as you promote challenging your world view and experiencing new things, lol. The only thing that I could truly agree with this book about was the implication that privileged people are lowkey kinda stupid. Also when you watch like the Disney version or what have you, the two boys at least have the agency to decide to switch places. In this book, it's all a misunderstanding! The plan was just to try on each other's clothes, and then they get swept up in everythign because Edward is so goddamn stupid that he thinks he'll still be recognized as the prince and he goes to continue throwing his weight around. The only character I did like was Miles Hendon, but he wasn't enough to make me enjoy it.
I started this book on May 20 and finished on May 22. It's over 200 pages but every other page is an illustration (which, btw, also weren't great).
Bottom line, would I recommend this book? Fuck no.
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
for my next trick...
The theme for my book this month is a book you were supposed to read in school but didn't. It's a weird one, because there were a lot of books I skimmed through but I did always make an attempt. I read enough to bullshit my way through an essay. I'm not proud of that, lol, but there was a lot going on. There's no book I skipped completely (to my memory) and the ones that I dedicated the least attention to I have to admit I have zero desire to reread now voluntarily as an adult. I'm kind of thinking of reading two different books... we will see which, if either, of these I go with. Or both, if time permits.
Friday, April 27, 2018
12 meses, 12 libros: April: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
(I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago, just after I finished the book, but I didn't want to publish it until after I'd posted about my March book.)
The theme for April was a borrowed book, which since most of the stuff I read is from the library it's all borrowed, so it was all Gucci. So anyways, as the title suggests, I read Children of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi, which is actually a pretty recent book (I believe it came out in February or March?).
I really enjoyed this book. It appealed to me because it was this blend of sci-fi and fantasy but it's firmly rooted in African tradition and mythology. The story is compelling and emotional too. There's also some social commentary in here that you will get if you're paying attention to the real life climate in which it was written. It was something different and something moving, and I'd encourage everyone to support this book, since the author is a young black woman who seems to really be going places. This book was definitely better than your average debut novel. I could have maaaybe done without the romance (though it didn't feel forced and it wasn't distracting, I'm just a bitter bitch and was also hoping romance would bloom between the two female leads instead) but if you're not super into romance I wouldn't let that discourage you. It's not a huge deal, and the romantic stuff is never shown as more important than the hero's journey.
I started this on April 4th and finished it April 13th. It's long, but once you get going it's a pretty quick read. It only took me as long as it did because I had other stuff going on and didn't get to really dive into it like I wanted.
Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? Abso-frickin-lutely. I really enjoyed it, and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone... especially if you love fantasy and/or Afrofuturism.
The theme for April was a borrowed book, which since most of the stuff I read is from the library it's all borrowed, so it was all Gucci. So anyways, as the title suggests, I read Children of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi, which is actually a pretty recent book (I believe it came out in February or March?).
I really enjoyed this book. It appealed to me because it was this blend of sci-fi and fantasy but it's firmly rooted in African tradition and mythology. The story is compelling and emotional too. There's also some social commentary in here that you will get if you're paying attention to the real life climate in which it was written. It was something different and something moving, and I'd encourage everyone to support this book, since the author is a young black woman who seems to really be going places. This book was definitely better than your average debut novel. I could have maaaybe done without the romance (though it didn't feel forced and it wasn't distracting, I'm just a bitter bitch and was also hoping romance would bloom between the two female leads instead) but if you're not super into romance I wouldn't let that discourage you. It's not a huge deal, and the romantic stuff is never shown as more important than the hero's journey.
I started this on April 4th and finished it April 13th. It's long, but once you get going it's a pretty quick read. It only took me as long as it did because I had other stuff going on and didn't get to really dive into it like I wanted.
Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? Abso-frickin-lutely. I really enjoyed it, and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone... especially if you love fantasy and/or Afrofuturism.
12 meses, 12 libros: March: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
(Yes, I know March has been over for a while. I'm doing this late because I got sidetracked by life and other projects so it took me AAAAAGES to finish this book, and that's not a reflection on the quality of the book, jsyk just fyi. I did read and finish books in March -- at least one also fit this theme, so I'm not technically cheating... just arriving slowly lol.)
March's theme was a literary classic, so I decided to go for one of the two Austen books I'd never read yet (yes, I'm a bad Jane-ite lol): Northanger Abbey.
(I included an actual cover of the book as well as the cover of the Jane Austen collection I own and used to read this book.)
I didn't really know a lot about this book when I began reading it... it isn't as much a part of pop culture as some of Austen's other works (Pride & Prejudice and Emma especially) so I had heard a couple of the character names and the words "gothic" and "horror." I didn't really know what to expect, but honestly I picked this over Mansfield Park to read because it was shorter. That being said, as soon as I got into it I knew I would like it, and I did. It's different than some of her other works, and even though I have read enough of them to have realized there can be a pattern, I don't feel that this followed a pattern, and I didn't always predict what was coming next.
It was fun though, and I'm looking forward to watching one or two film adaptations. ;)
I read this book from March 27th to 29th, then took a break and finished it between April 16th and April 27th. It's not a long or difficult book, I just ended up reading slowly because I've also been working on Camp NaNoWriMo, and since I owned this book I prioritized it lower than a couple of more time sensitive library books.
Bottom line, would I recommend this? Definitely! Especially if you're an Austen fan like me and you haven't gotten to it yet.
March's theme was a literary classic, so I decided to go for one of the two Austen books I'd never read yet (yes, I'm a bad Jane-ite lol): Northanger Abbey.
(I included an actual cover of the book as well as the cover of the Jane Austen collection I own and used to read this book.)
I didn't really know a lot about this book when I began reading it... it isn't as much a part of pop culture as some of Austen's other works (Pride & Prejudice and Emma especially) so I had heard a couple of the character names and the words "gothic" and "horror." I didn't really know what to expect, but honestly I picked this over Mansfield Park to read because it was shorter. That being said, as soon as I got into it I knew I would like it, and I did. It's different than some of her other works, and even though I have read enough of them to have realized there can be a pattern, I don't feel that this followed a pattern, and I didn't always predict what was coming next.
It was fun though, and I'm looking forward to watching one or two film adaptations. ;)
I read this book from March 27th to 29th, then took a break and finished it between April 16th and April 27th. It's not a long or difficult book, I just ended up reading slowly because I've also been working on Camp NaNoWriMo, and since I owned this book I prioritized it lower than a couple of more time sensitive library books.
Bottom line, would I recommend this? Definitely! Especially if you're an Austen fan like me and you haven't gotten to it yet.
Labels:
12 meses 12 libros,
books,
jane austen,
northanger abbey,
reading
Friday, April 13, 2018
so reading...
Today I finished my 12 meses, 12 libros book for April, and I'm currently writing my post about it. However I'm going to save it and not post it today... I still have to finish and write up my March book, and I don't want them posted out of order (even though they got finished out of order lol).
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
February-March Book Log
More books! I'm trying to read more #literature this year, but I will still always love kids' books and comics. Let me know if you want to hear more about any of these titles.
Sundiata: The Lion King of Mali by David Wisniewski
Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkey
Dinosaur Empire! (Earth Before Us #1) by Abby Howard
Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Classics graphic novel)
Star Wars ABC-3PO by Calliope Glass and Caitlin Kennedy
Marvel's Black Panther Prelude
Star Wars Adventures Vol. 1
Captain Phasma graphic novel
Nancy Drew / The Hardy Boys: The Big Lie graphic novel
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Lady Killer 2
Papa's Mark by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert
Mr. Goat's Valentine by Eve Bunting
Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka
Barbie Millicent Roberts: An Original
Lest We Forget: The Passive from Africa to Slavery and Emancipation by Velma Maia Thomas
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
JB's Harmonica by John Sebastian
Jinx and the Doom Fight Crime! by Lisa Mantchev
Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne
Ash by Malinda Lo
Black Panther: The Young Prince by Ronald L. Smith
A Beatrix Potter Treasury
The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit by Emma Thompson
Cinderella by Paul Galdone
Dinosaur Hunter by Elaine Marie Alphin
Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Horses by Seymour Simon
Sundiata: The Lion King of Mali by David Wisniewski
Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkey
Dinosaur Empire! (Earth Before Us #1) by Abby Howard
Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Classics graphic novel)
Star Wars ABC-3PO by Calliope Glass and Caitlin Kennedy
Marvel's Black Panther Prelude
Star Wars Adventures Vol. 1
Captain Phasma graphic novel
Nancy Drew / The Hardy Boys: The Big Lie graphic novel
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Lady Killer 2
Papa's Mark by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert
Mr. Goat's Valentine by Eve Bunting
Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka
Barbie Millicent Roberts: An Original
Lest We Forget: The Passive from Africa to Slavery and Emancipation by Velma Maia Thomas
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
JB's Harmonica by John Sebastian
Jinx and the Doom Fight Crime! by Lisa Mantchev
Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne
Ash by Malinda Lo
Black Panther: The Young Prince by Ronald L. Smith
A Beatrix Potter Treasury
The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit by Emma Thompson
Cinderella by Paul Galdone
Dinosaur Hunter by Elaine Marie Alphin
Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Horses by Seymour Simon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)


















