Graphic Novel Review: The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson & Dan Jolley

Title: The Girl Who Owned a City 
Authors: O.T. Nelson & Dan Jolley 
Illustrator: Joëlle Jones
Publication Date: April 1, 2012
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Pages: 125
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A DEADLY VIRUS KILLED EVERY ADULT ON EARTH, LEAVING ONLY US KIDS BEHIND.

My parents are gone, so I'm responsible for my little brother Todd. I have to make sure we stay alive. Many kids are sick or starving, and fierce gangs are stealing and destroying everything they find. Lots of people have given up, but here on Grand Avenue, some of us are surviving, because of me.

I figured out how to give the kids on Grand Avenue food, homes, and protection against the gangs. But Tom Logan and his army are determined to take away what we've built and rule the streets themselves. How long can we keep fighting them off? We need to find another place for us to live safely.

A strong place, a secret place.

In a world like this, someone has to take charge.

I found The Girl Who Owned a City while searching for one more book to complete this year's graphic novel challenge. I was looking for a dystopian story and this one grabbed my attention with its amazing cover! Unfortunately, what was inside wasn't as good as I'd hoped.

The Girl Who Owned a City takes place in a world that has recently lost all of its adults. The children are left behind to fend for themselves and Lisa is no different. She and her brothers are fighting to defend their home and supplies, but gangs are popping up all over and Lisa knows she has to do something to keep them safe.

Characters are really the most important part of a book for me. Although I like my books to be plot driven, the characters have to be sympathetic and relatable. Lisa is neither of those. For whatever reason she decides to take the formation of "her" city into her own hands, failing to accept input from her friends and ignoring them when they voice valid concerns. Even once she takes control of "her" city and proclaims its citizens are her responsibility, she continually throws herself into harm's way at the expense of her people. The villain of the story is also ridiculously simplistic and wishy washy.

This book is kind of a mess. I guess it's based on a 1975 young adult novel and maybe that's better, but I just could not get into the story. It's choppy and quick and nothing is explained. Lisa goes from trying to defend a street to running a city/fortress inside of a school. Things happen too quickly, which I guess may be due to the graphic novel format. Then again, I've read many graphic novels that were much better written than this.

I also hated that the epidemic itself, the one that wiped out everyone over a certain age (12, I think?) is never delved into. Why did the adults die? How did they die? Is this a worldwide epidemic or is it confined to Lisa's town/state/coast? What is even going on in this world?? As a lover of dystopian fiction, my favorite books are always the ones who build complex worlds that are at least somewhat believable as a potential future.

I didn't go into The Girl Who Owned a City with any expectations, but of course I did hope to enjoy it. Sadly, it was too rushed with characters and a world that were very much lacking in development. The art was pretty for sure, but that may be the only thing I liked about it.

Audiobook Review: Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Title: Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1)
Author: Neal Shusterman
Publication Date: November 22, 2016
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 435
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Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Scythe has been on my to-read list for two years, but I never could muster up the courage to read it. I started Unwind years ago and couldn't get into it, so I wasn't sure this super hyped Shusterman book was for me. Over the summer, though, I got a copy of Dry and LOVED it, so I knew I had to give Scythe a chance and thank goodness I did!

Citra and Rowan live in a future America where there is no death and the population is controlled by scythes. The scythes live under their own law and must meet (but not exceed) quotas of people "gleaned," although they're free to glean in whatever way they see fit. Everyone fears and respects them - Citra and Rowan are chosen as apprentices. Scythe Faraday goes against convention and takes two apprentices, planning for one to become a scythe at the end of their training. Of course, things go awry and nothing works out as planned.

I really loved both Citra and Rowan, although I liked Rowan a tiny bit more. I definitely appreciated them more when they were separated and were able to explore their strengths individually. Both characters were forced into terrible situations and faced them in believable ways that made me love them even more than I did to begin with. Of course there is a hint of romance, but it's extremely minor as far as YA goes. The villains in this story are also incredibly well written. Their motivations are complex and totally within the realm of believability. Morally gray characters are my favorite and there are many of them here.

One thing Neal Shusterman definitely excelled at was world building. I love dystopian novels and the best ones truly make me see them as real. The Handmaid's Tale and The Hunger Games are so great because the worlds are believable. Scythe belongs right up there at the top of the list. This world is so well written that I felt like I could picture myself there (yikes) while reading!

There are so many things to love about Scythe! The concept of having to control Earth's population because humans have overcome death is fascinating to me. The way the scythes were developed and the way they discussed these difficult issues in their journals was amazing and really made me think about morality in a different way. I also loved how intense things felt at times. There were definitely many slow moments, which was honestly my main issue, but there were other moments that felt so urgent that I couldn't turn the audio off.

Scythe is a must-read if you're a fan of dystopian fiction! There are definitely quite a few slow points but it will be worth it if you can get through them. I definitely plan on picking up Thunderhead as soon as possible!

Mini Reviews: Out of the Easy & A Wrinkle In Time

Title: Out of the Easy
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publication Date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Philomel Books
Pages: 348
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It's 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street.

Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.

With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny. 

Before Out of the Easy I had read two other Ruta Sepetys books and loved them both! I knew I had to get my hands on this one and had every intention of loving it. Unfortunately, this one just was not for me.

Josie's story is set in New Orleans in the 1950s. Josie wants to go to college, but her life does not seem to be going in that direction. Her mother is a prostitute and she has been raised in the brothel, but she is determined to make her own path. On the way to her goals, she finds herself caught up in a murder mystery.

I found the relationships in this book to be really well written. I liked the strained dynamic between Josie and her mother and Willie was really my favorite! I also really liked getting to know Josie's friends and acquaintances, but that's where my enjoyment ended. As good as the synopsis sounded, I just was not intrigued by the plot at all. I was so bored reading this that I eventually just gave up.

Sepetys novels are character driven and this is no different, but I've always been intrigued by the stories as well and that wasn't the case here. If you can enjoy a painfully slow book with great characters, you may love this historical fiction novel! I just need a little more to keep me hooked.

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Title: A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet #1)
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Publication Date: January 1, 1962
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages: 288
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It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract".

Meg's father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?

I distinctly remember reading A Wrinkle in Time for the first time in the fourth grade and loving it. I didn't continue the series, but the first book made a huge impression at the time. This year, a very long time later, I needed to read a childhood classic for a reading challenge and decided to visit this again. Sadly, it just didn't hold up.

A Wrinkle in Time is about a girl named Meg whose father has been missing for years. She gets the chance to rescue him along with her brother and friend after meeting a strange woman named Mrs. Whatsit. The three find themselves catapulted through time and space and end up on fantastic adventures while on their mission.

This book has a message and it hits you over the head with it from beginning to end. As a child, I suppose things being spelled out could be beneficial. It was too much as an adult and I quickly became annoyed with the preachiness. I also found that, even as a lover of fantasy books, this one was just too ridiculous and cartoony.

I can appreciate that I am not the target audience and I obviously did love this when I was, but man. A Wrinkle in Time managed to be over the top while also being extremely dull. The characters were terribly annoying and I didn't care for the way the plot jumped from one thing to another. This is a hard review to write because, like I said, I adored this as a fourth grader! Sadly, the nostalgia was not enough to keep this on my favorites shelf.

Book Review: The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

Title: The Compound (The Compound #1)
Author: S.A. Bodeen
Publication Date: April 29, 2008
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 256
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Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they've become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy.

For Eli, no amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day.

As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary—and their sanity—Eli can't help but wonder if he'd rather take his chances outside.

Eli's father built the Compound to keep them safe. But are they safe—or sorry?

Before The Compound, I had read two S.A. Bodeen books: The Raft and The Detour. One I absolutely loved and the other I really, really did not. The Compound, though, is right up my alley. Not only do I know I'll get a good twist out of Bodeen, but I've been on a dystopian kick lately and this definitely fit the bill.

Eli is an unlikable character. He goes into the compound, an underground luxury bunker designed by his millionaire father, as a young child feeling responsible for the loss of his twin and grandmother. He hates being touched and makes no effort to be kind to his sisters or parents. I didn't like him at all from the beginning, but then he slowly began to grow on me. Eli lived with a lot of (deserved) guilt, but he started to do the right thing by the end.

Eli's family were all a bit underdeveloped in my opinion and everyone seemed a bit too detached. Eli's father was obviously a bit off throughout the story and it was obvious that he was controlling the show, forcing the members of his family to behave in a certain way. As much as I hated Eli, I at least understood why he behaved the way he did. Eli's dad was a mystery.

My favorite thing about Bodeen books is that I know that I'm looking out for something that isn't immediately apparent. Fairly early on, a yellow door was mentioned. I didn't know what was behind the yellow door, but as soon as it was mentioned I was hooked! The mystery in this story is top notch. I'm not sure I loved it as much as I loved the twist in The Raft, but there was definitely enough here to keep me hanging on until the very last page.

The world of The Compound is obviously confined to a bunker. I love these kinds of claustrophobic stories where you have no idea what is going on outside! Once Eli begins questioning everything, the story gets even more uncomfortable. Like in The Raft, Bodeen does a fantastic job of creating a world confined to a small space and full of uncertainty.

If you're a fan of dystopian books, or really just of really good mysteries, this is one you should definitely pick up. I was on the edge of my seat from the first page and blew through this quickly. Although there is a second installment, I've read that it was really unnecessary and I can see how that's true from the ending of The Compound. It wraps up nicely and leaves you with just enough unease to make it great. I'm going to be on the lookout for the next book from S.A. Bodeen!

Audiobook Review: Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin

Title: Snow & Rose 
Author: Emily Winfield Martin
Publication Date: October 10, 2017
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 224
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Snow and Rose didn't know they were in a fairy tale. People never do....

Once, they lived in a big house with spectacular gardens and an army of servants.

Once, they had a father and mother who loved them more than the sun and moon.

But that was before their father disappeared into the woods and their mother disappeared into sorrow.

This is the story of two sisters and the enchanted woods that have been waiting for them to break a set of terrible spells.

Bestselling author-illustrator Emily Winfield Martin has created a world that sits on the border of enchantment, with characters who are grounded in real emotions that readers will recognize in themselves.

Snow & Rose caught my eye the first time I saw it at Barnes and Noble. The cover was gorgeous and when I flipped through it I was hooked! Emily Winfield Martin's illustrations are beautiful and I could not wait to dive into this fairytale retelling.

Somehow, I ended up picking up the audiobook of Snow & Rose, despite being in love with the art, but the story still had my attention immediately. Snow & Rose are sisters who have lost their father to the woods. They live with their mother, who has never gotten over his disappearance. They come across an enchanted library of objects in the woods one day and suddenly find that magical things are happening all around them.

Snow and Rose are both wonderful, enchanting characters. Although they were both grieving their father in their own ways, I loved following them around the woods as they discovered new things and people. The two come across a boy named Ivo, who lives underground, and he is a fantastic character as well! I loved the mystery surrounding him and how the three worked together and formed an unlikely friendship.

There are so many things to love about this children's book. The characters are lovely, there's magic everywhere, and the writing is beautiful! I read a lot of fairy tale retellings, but not all of them are able to capture the magic of the original. This one definitely did. The plot does meander a bit, but I think that's okay in this kind of story. I never got bored and was constantly finding reasons to keep listening.

I can't say much more without spoiling the plot, but trust me when I say that you will love Snow & Rose if you're a lover of fairy tales. While I did love the audiobook and found it to be magical on its own, I definitely recommend picking up the physical copy to follow along with the artwork. They should definitely be enjoyed together!

Book Review: Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks

Title: Sanity & Tallulah 
Author: Molly Brooks
Publication Date: October 16, 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 240
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Sanity Jones and Tallulah Vega are best friends on Wilnick, the dilapidated space station they call home at the end of the galaxy. So naturally, when gifted scientist Sanity uses her lab skills and energy allowance to create a definitely-illegal-but-impossibly-cute three-headed kitten, she has to show Tallulah. But Princess, Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds is a bit of a handful, and it isn't long before the kitten escapes to wreak havoc on the space station. The girls will have to turn Wilnick upside down to find her, but not before causing the whole place to evacuate! Can they save their home before it's too late?

Readers will be over the moon for this rollicking space adventure by debut author Molly Brooks.

When this graphic novel showed up on my doorstep, I was immediately intrigued. This middle grade science fiction adventure is adorable and the art is beautiful! Although I'm definitely not the intended audience, I had a lot of fun and read it during an afternoon read-a-thon.

Sanity and Tallulah are friends on board a space station where they live with their parents and get in all kinds of trouble together. Sanity is a scientist and, sneaking into a lab when she really shouldn't be working alone, creates an experimental kitty named Princess, Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds. The kitten also happens to have three heads and is promptly named a monster by those in charge when she escapes. Of course, the two girls take it upon themselves to find her before the people hunting her down do. I loved Sanity, Tallulah, and the three headed kitten! The girls are smart, brave, and (of course) a lot mischievous.

This story actually had quite a bit going on to be such a short graphic novel. There's adventure and mystery and it even gets a little scary (although it stays lighthearted). While Sanity and Tallulah are searching for their cat, trying to figure out what's happening within the space station, and save it, there are other adventures happening in other parts of space. I hope this is a series, because I'd definitely love to see more of what goes on in this universe!

One of my favorite things about this book was that it centered around two girls who loved the sciences and were encouraged by their scientific community to learn. I think it's so important for young girls to read about characters like this! I honestly don't recall any books I read growing up with girl scientists... I've already got this wrapped for my pre-teen niece!

Audiobook Review: This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title: This World We Live In (Last Survivors #3) 
Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer
Publication Date: April 1, 2010
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Pages: 256
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Reviews for book 1 & book 2

It’s been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth’s climate. For Miranda Evans, life as she knew it no longer exists. Her friends and neighbors are dead, the landscape is frozen, and food is increasingly scarce.

The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda’s father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda’s complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits the town of Howell, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever.

Recently I decided to dive into the Last Survivors series when I was feeling a serious need for a dystopian book to read. (There are so few being published now!) The first two were so good! The first followed Miranda and her life after the world changed, and the second followed Alex and his family as they dealt with the same events in the big city. Book three brings them both together a year after the fact.

Although I'd heard less than stellar things about the third book in this series, I was excited to see how these characters would react to coming together from two different experiences. In an unlikely turn of events, Alex and his siblings are taken to Miranda's home by her father and stepmother, who encountered them in the fray. From the first two books I definitely liked Alex better that Miranda and, although that's still true, his convictions became really irritating and irrational in this book.

There were some questionable elements in this installment, mostly the romances. There is a ridiculous whirlwind romance between Miranda's brother and a girl he doesn't even know that is beyond my ability to believe. I hated both the characters and how they behaved. There was also romance between Alex and Miranda that did seem a bit inevitable, but still not well established. Basically, insta-love all around.

But really, I come to these books for the survival and the descriptions of the post-apocalyptic world. This book definitely delivered on that. I enjoyed reading about the characters attempts to sustain themselves and continue to adapt to their new environment. There were definitely struggles and heartbreak, but the characters came together and worked through them.

Overall, I had some issues with This World We Live In, but it was enjoyable. Not much was added to the story in terms of plot, but the survival elements were what I was looking for. I don't think this is a necessary read after the other two, but if you loved those you'll probably enjoy this too.

Book Review Plus a Recipe: Little White Lies & Snickerdoodles

Title: Little White Lies (Debutantes #1) 
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publication Date: November 6, 2018
Publisher: Freeform
Pages: 400
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"I'm not saying this is Sawyer's fault," the prim and proper one said delicately. "But."

Eighteen-year-old auto mechanic Sawyer Taft did not expect her estranged grandmother to show up at her apartment door and offer her a six-figure contract to participate in debutante season. And she definitely never imagined she would accept. But when she realizes that immersing herself in her grandmother's "society" might mean discovering the answer to the biggest mystery of her life-her father's identity-she signs on the dotted line and braces herself for a year of makeovers, big dresses, bigger egos, and a whole lot of bless your heart. The one thing she doesn't expect to find is friendship, but as she's drawn into a group of debutantes with scandalous, dangerous secrets of their own, Sawyer quickly discovers that her family isn't the only mainstay of high society with skeletons in their closet. There are people in her grandmother's glittering world who are not what they appear, and no one wants Sawyer poking her nose into the past. As she navigates the twisted relationships between her new friends and their powerful parents, Sawyer's search for the truth about her own origins is just the beginning.

Set in the world of debutante balls, grand estates and rolling green hills, Little White Lies combines a charming setting, a classic fish-out-of-water story, and the sort of layered mystery only author Jennifer Lynn Barnes can pull off. 

Little White Lies showed up on my doorstep a few weeks ago and, although I don't read much contemporary fiction, I was instantly intrigued. The blurb caught my attention with its promise of secrets in southern high society. As someone who grew up in small town North Carolina, I was absolutely dying to dig into this book.

Sawyer Taft has always lived in a small town with her mother. They don't have much, but they have each other and that's good enough for them both. When her grandmother shows up out of the blue and offers her a crazy amount of money in exchange for completing a debutante season, she can't say no and finds herself immersed in a world of wealth and scandal. It also gives her the perfect opportunity to figure out who her father is, since her mom has always kept the secret closely guarded. I really liked Sawyer, although I did find her to be a bit "not like other girls," which can get annoying.

The best part about Little White Lies is obviously the mystery and there is a lot of it. The story is told in a combination of present day and flashbacks and the ending brings the two together. There are multiple mysteries in this story, one being who Sawyer's father is and another being how they got into the predicament we see them in at the beginning. But that isn't all - there are even more scandalous high society mysteries uncovered and each one of them was fantastic! I think the author did a great job of setting everything up and weaving it all together.

Like I said, I grew up in small town North Carolina and I could definitely see some of the people and events from my childhood in this book. Although I was far from high society, I went to a private school on a scholarship for several years and I definitely knew girls like the ones in this book! Oh, how I would have loved for some of their scandals to come out like these did! The setting was great, if a bit over the top. Think Gossip Girl in the south.

This is my first book by Jennifer Barnes, but I doubt it will be my last. This book definitely kept my interest and the drama was out of control! There were moments where I felt like I wished things would hurry along just a bit, but that's probably just a case of it's not you, it's me. Like I said, contemporary really isn't my genre. If you enjoy contemporary mysteries without a ton of romance, Little White Lies is one you won't want to miss!

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CAKE MIX SNICKERDOODLES

As you may find out (depending on how these posts go), I love experimenting and making things from scratch. But every now and then it's nice to have something super quick, easy, and delicious up your sleeve. I recently tried these snickerdoodles and they are my new go-to recipe for when I need something sweet in the house but don't feel like spending hours slaving away in the kitchen.

This recipe yields about 34 snickerdoodle cookies at 80 calories each.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box French Vanilla cake mix
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (imitation works fine)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F 
2. Mix together French Vanilla cake mix, butter, egg, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon with a spoon until it forms into a dough.
3. Shape dough into balls (about 1 inch).
4. Mix together remaining 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
5. Roll dough in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. 
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
7. Move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
8. Eat them all immediately.

Please let me know what you think of this new review plus a recipe feature and PLEASE do come back and comment if you have the chance to try these delicious cookies!

Book Review: Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart

Title: Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury #1)
Author: Tracy Banghart
Publication Date: July 31, 2018
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
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In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace - someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir's eye, it's Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything.

Grace and Fury caught my attention when I heard people describe it as both fantasy and dystopia, two of my favorite genres. This book is set in a world where women don't have rights and live solely to fill the preexisting roles laid out for them. And this book is an amazing feminist fantasy.

Nomi and Serina are sisters. Serina has prepared her whole life to be a Grace, but at the last moment the heir to the throne chooses Nomi instead. From there the two sisters are set on completely different paths and Serina finds herself fighting for her life.

These two characters were complete opposites, but both were incredibly strong. I loved that neither fit the stereotypes you would expect upon first being introduced to them. They both took the hands they were dealt and did everything they could to make their worlds better. There are, of course, love interests, but I loved the characters individually and sibling relationship even more than the romance. I am also happy to say that romance didn't play a major role. Still, it was nice to see a book classified as feminist do a good job of balancing the romance and the female relationships without sacrificing either.

The world building in Grace and Fury was also really well done. Much of the story takes place between the palace where Nomi lives and the island where Serina has been imprisoned, but even with the limited setting, I felt like I had a good feeling for the world. The hopelessness the women feel is tangible and it's heartbreaking to see how resigned they have become to it.

As much as I enjoyed this book, I'll admit that it did start off a bit slowly for me. It was also a bit forgettable. Although I really liked it while I was reading it, I did have to look back at my notes to remember character names and key points for this review and that's never a great sign. Still, I'll be picking up book two to see what happens because that ending left me wanting!

Graphic Novel Reviews: Saga & Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Title: Saga, Vol. 1
Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples 
Publication Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Image Comics
Pages: 176
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When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

From bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan, Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults. 

Saga has been on my radar for years. Is there anyone who doesn't know about this book? I wasn't sure what to expect, but I came away feeling like this was a bit too weird for me.

This is the story of two soldiers in love who run from the war together to raise their newborn baby... and it's strange. They're being hunted by multiple people and one of them seems to be a computer screen on a person's body. I don't know guys, my imagination just isn't big enough.

The main characters themselves are very likable and sympathetic. I loved them together and the lengths they went to in order to stay together with their child. The plot was fine, but there was somehow a lot of it while nothing much really happened. The main characters ran, people ran after them. Rinse and repeat. I do have to say, I didn't really get the "sexy" part of the blurb in this volume, apart from a couple nude alien creatures.

My favorite thing about Saga besides the characters was the artwork, which was stunning! Overall, this was an okay read for me. There were parts that I found interesting and I can certainly see why so many people love it, I just don't think I'll be continuing it anytime soon.

Title: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol. 1
Author: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Artist: Robert Hack 
Publication Date: August 16, 2016
Publisher: Archie Comics
Pages: 160
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On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, the young sorceress Sabrina Spellman finds herself at a crossroads, having to choose between an unearthly destiny and her mortal boyfriend, Harvey. But a foe from her family's past has arrived in Greendale, Madame Satan, and she has her own deadly agenda. Archie Comics' latest horror sensation starts here! For TEEN+ readers. Compiles the first six issues of the ongoing comic book series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. 

I picked up Chilling Adventures of Sabrina after watching the first episode of the show and finding it really fascinating. It's easy to see the similarities between the two, but there are definitely quite a few noticeable differences. I won't go into them, but suffice it to say I found the first volume of the comic to be quite a bit more gruesome than the first episode of the Netflix show.

Sabrina is a teenage witch who has been raised by her aunts and must make the decision whether to become a full witch, which is quite the intense process. She also has a boyfriend who she loves, even if he loves her through questionable means. I didn't really get a great feel for Sabrina and her romantic relationship, but I definitely loved her internal struggles as she tried to make a decision.

As I said before, this comic is DARK. It's definitely not what I would have expected, having been a die hard fan of Sabrina the Teenage Witch in the 90s. Madame Satan was terrifying and I can't wait to see what happens with her storyline.

I really enjoyed Sabrina a lot! It wasn't the Sabrina I know and love, but I'm definitely open to loving this one too. My main issue right now is not knowing whether to finish the comic before jumping back into the show! I definitely recommend this if you're a fan of horror or witchy comics.

 

DNF Mini Audiobook Review: The Haunted Forest Tour by James A. Moore & Jeff Strand

Title: The Haunted Forest Tour
Authors: James A. Moore & Jeff Strand
Publication Date: September 26, 2017
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 378
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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Haunted Forest Tour! Sit back and enjoy a smooth ride in air-conditioned comfort as your heavily armored tram takes you through nature's most astonishing creation. The forest is packed to capacity with dangerous and terrifying creatures of all shapes, sizes, and hunger levels, and you'll get to observe these wonders in complete safety.

Howl with a werewolf! Gaze into the glowing eyes of a giant spider! Look right through a spooky ghost! See horrific monsters you couldn't even imagine, only inches away from you! Things with fangs, things with claws, things with dripping red jaws -- you'll see them all!

Not thrilling enough? Well, it's Halloween, and so we're offering a very special tour through the Haunted Forest. The new route goes deeper into the woods than any civilians have ventured before, and you're guaranteed to get a good scare! Rest assured that every possible security precaution has been taken. The Haunted Forest Tour has a 100% safety record, and technical difficulties are unheard of. You will be in no danger whatsoever.

We promise. 

I started reading The Haunted Forest Tour as part of Fraterfest this year, but ended up not completing it, so it carried over after the read-a-thon. Unfortunately taking extra time to battle through it didn't help very much.

This book is about a forest and really that's about all. It definitely isn't about the characters. I made it 40% in and I honestly couldn't tell you the name of a single one of them. The action begins on the first page and the initial sequence is fascinating! I truly wish we'd gotten to stay in the creation of the forest much longer. Instead, the book jumps to the tour and from there it feels a bit Jurassic Park, but without the tension.

In Jurassic Park, we knew the characters and came to care about what happened to them. When the cars die in the forest of The Haunted Forest Tour and monsters come out of the woodwork, it's very difficult to feel any kind of way about the characters who die. I'm not sure what happens later in the book, but at the point where I gave up, there had been a lot of running and monster kills and very little emotion.

I'm sure there was a great idea here and it's possible that it was better after the 40% mark, but I just couldn't care any less about the characters or what happened to them. A book can have tons of action, but without any attachment to the characters, it's a whole lot of nothing.

Audiobook Review: Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Title: Bird Box
Author: Josh Malerman
Publication Date: May 13, 2014
Publisher: Ecco
Pages: 262
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Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl are four, it's time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat--blindfolded--with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?

Interweaving past and present, Bird Box is a snapshot of a world unraveled that will have you racing to the final page.

Bird Box is a book I've had my eye on for years but never got around to reading until now. As a lover of dystopian fiction, I anticipated that it would be right up my alley, and I wasn't far off. This book was unique and suspenseful and creepy enough to keep me intrigued.

Malorie is the MC of this story. She lives with her two children, known as Boy and Girl, five years after the world changed. She doesn't know what it is that's out there threatening her every moment, but she knows that she can't look at it and she's raised her children never to open their eyes outside and to listen always. I found Malorie to be an interesting character. She was certainly strong and sympathetic, but I never quite liked her.

The story is told in two parts, present day and flashbacks to how it all started. The past scenes include a cast of characters that Malorie found herself tied to for survival and I didn't particularly care about any of them either. Honestly, I didn't care about any of the characters at all, but that was really okay. This isn't a book about characters, in my opinion. It's a book about survival and those are my favorite kinds.

I love to be creeped out and Bird Box had no shortage of scary moments. The scariest thing is not knowing what the evil was. It was always there lurking and always hidden because the characters who see it weren't sane enough to tell the tale. I would have definitely prefered at least some answers about them, though. I do love books that leave some questions unanswered, but I also prefer to have an idea of what went on when the book has ended.

There isn't much more I can say about Bird Box without giving away spoilers, but I did enjoy it a lot. It wasn't a perfect book. The characters didn't resonate with me and I would have loved more answers, but I definitely would recommend it to fans of dystopian fiction and I can't wait to see the movie!

ARC Review: Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Title: Girls of Paper and Fire
Author: Natasha Ngan
Publication Date: November 6, 2018
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson Books
Pages: 336
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most cruel.

But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.

In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after--the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable--she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.

Girls of Paper and Fire was one of my most anticipated reads of the year! I got my copy way back in April and immediately dug in, but I quickly realized that it was not going to work for me. While there are some really interesting aspects of this book, there were just too many issues for it to be really enjoyable.

Lei is the protagonist of this story and she's from the lowest caste in her world, which is unfortunate to her since it makes her easy pickings for the king's Paper Girls. Paper Girls, in case you're wondering, are concubines and this book does not shy away from the sexual aspects.

While I'm open to sexual content when done tastefully (even in YA) I was honestly shocked by the content. There was sexual assault and rape constantly throughout this book. In my original thoughts I compared this to The Handmaid's Tale, but while The Handmaid's Tale had a point to make, I'm not sure what the point is here. Maybe I'm just missing something. In any case, there were no content warnings on the ARC, but maybe there will be on the finished copy. There definitely should.

Lei herself is an interesting character, but I didn't find her to be particularly compelling or interesting. Wren was honestly more interesting and I'd love to have known more about her! Their romance was sweet and one of my favorite parts of the book. I really wish there had been a way to write this story but in a different setting with different circumstances.

The thing I really did appreciate about Girls of Paper and Fire was the mythology and worldbuilding. I don't know much about Malaysian culture, but Natasha Ngan definitely painted a vivid picture! The demon and human races were fascinating in their diversity. The writing was lush and I couldn't help but keep turning pages despite my issues.

I think a lot of people will enjoy this book, especially if they understand what the content is before they start reading. I don't particularly like reading about sexual assault, so that put a huge damper on my enjoyment. I will definitely be giving this author another try based on her world building and writing, though.

Fraterfest 2018 Mini Reviews: The Merciless IV, Asylum, Wytches Vol. 1, & Rosemary's Baby

Title: The Merciless IV: Last Rites 
Author: Danielle Vega
Publication Date: June 12, 2018
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 290
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Reviews for book 1 & book 3

The fourth book of the scream-worthy cult series The Merciless combines Stephen King level terror with true crime stories like the Amanda Knox case.

The ropes tighten on Berkley Hubbard's wrists. Blood drips down her fingers and lands with a smack on the cold floor of the church basement. She's trapped, bound, and petrified by fear. A knife punctures her fragile skin as Berkley's captors search for the mark of the devil on her body. They say they want to save her--drive the devil away and cleanse her soul--but will she make it out alive?

When Berkley arrived in Italy a week ago, the last thing she expected was that she'd end up fighting for her life. After spending six months at the Institute, confined to a room with the dangerous-yet-alluring Sofia Flores, Berkley was certain that a vacation in Italy with her two best friends would be the perfect getaway. But Berkley is hiding a terrible secret, one that threatens to undo everything. As she's forced to face her wicked past, she learns that the devil is always watching, and no one is coming to save her. 

The Merciless series is one of my absolute favorite horror series with book 1 being my favorite, followed by 3, now book 4, and finally 2. These books are always good for a bit of anxiety filled horror reading, but this book was quite a bit different than the others in the series and not in a bad way.

The Merciless IV follows Berkley to Italy on a vacation with her best friends. She has recently been released from a mental institution and is just looking for a fun summer trip. Unfortunately, her "friends" think she's crazy and handle her with kid gloves. This becomes even more unfortunate when it means her friends don't believe her when she tells them things are going wrong.

This book took quite awhile to get to the horror, but I did enjoy following Berkley around Italy and her summer fling boyfriend was definitely swoon-worthy. Honestly I would read a whole book about their summer romance. There was a twist I did NOT see coming, which is exactly what I've come to expect from Vega. I know this is called Last Rites, but I really hope there are more Merciless books to come!

Title: Asylum (Afterlife Investigations #1)
Author: Ambrose Ibsen
Publication Date: June 4, 2017
Publisher: Independently Published
Pages: 232
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What lurks within Chaythe Asylum?

College professor Stephen Barlow needs cash. Badly. When a student asks him to head a new campus organization that centers around paranormal research, he puts his skepticism aside and signs on in the hopes of scoring a fat bonus.

Enter Chaythe Asylum—a long-shuttered and controversial institution where patients were allegedly subjected to unethical experiments. Closed in 1989 after a series of grisly murders, Stephen deems the old building as good a place as any to explore the possibility of the supernatural and arranges to take a tour with his students.

But it turns out that the asylum is not as abandoned as it seems. There is something sinister in the building. It has watched and waited for nearly three decades, and when Stephen and his students enter, they find themselves at the center of a nightmare 28 years in the making. 

While gearing up for Fraterfest I was searching for a good, scary ghost story to read and came across Asylum. It's no secret that Grave Encounters is one of my all-time favorite horror movies, so Asylum seemed right up my alley!

Stephen is the protagonist of this story. He's a college professor and a skeptic who takes on a paranormal research student club as a means to a few extra bucks. He agrees to spend an evening exploring Chaythe Asylum, which is rumored to be haunted, and finds more than he bargained for.

Although I really didn't find Asylum to be a very frightening read, the asylum setting was definitely creepy and enjoyable as a Halloween read. I didn't care much for the other characters, but Stephen was interesting and I'd be curious to see what he gets up to in future books. Since the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, I may have to pick it up soon!

Title: Wytches, Volume 1
Author: Scott Snyder 
Publication Date: June 24, 2015
Publisher: Image Comics
Pages: 192
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Everything you thought you knew about witches is wrong. They are much darker, and they are much more horrifying. Wytches takes the mythology of witches to a far creepier, bone-chilling place than readers have dared venture before. When the Rooks family moves to the remote town of Litchfield, NH to escape a haunting trauma, they're hopeful about starting over. But something evil is waiting for them in the woods just beyond town. Watching from the trees. Ancient...and hungry.

Well this was different. I don't read many comics, but when I do they're in the horror or fantasy genres. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into Wytches, but I was not disappointed!

This story is not about anything you'd ever think of related to witches. It's about a creepy small town doing creepy small town things and the evil that resides in the woods nearby. When Sailor moves to town with her family and starts behaving weirdly, her parents initially brush her off and realize too late that something very strange is happening.

The art in this graphic novel is dark and creepy and disturbing and exactly what I want in a horror story! I loved the original ideas and I'm extremely disappointed that no others were published in this series. I definitely think it's still worth the read.

Title: Rosemary's Baby
Author: Ira Levin
Publication Date: March 12, 1967
Publisher: Pegasus Books
Pages: 256
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Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, an ordinary young couple, settle into a New York City apartment, unaware that the elderly neighbors and their bizarre group of friends have taken a disturbing interest in them. But by the time Rosemary discovers the horrifying truth, it may be far too late!

For my last read of Fraterfest, I decided to run a poll between two horror classics and Rosemary's Baby won. I had absolutely no idea what this book was about having somehow remained under a rock for my entire life.

Rosemary's Baby is about Rosemary and her husband Guy who move into a fancy new apartment building despite their friend's protestations. They quickly make friends with an elderly couple next door and shortly after that Rosemary becomes pregnant with the baby she's always wanted. Things become really weird and take a dark, sinister turn.

Like I said, I had no idea what to expect with this one and I was not prepared! This was a whole different level of creepy than I'd thought it would be and I loved how different it was than most horror books. I was terrified, but for different reasons than normal. The ending was absolutely amazing! If you've never read this and are as sheltered as I was about the story, I definitely recommend picking it up this Halloween.