April in Review


April is always a busy month, especially when you're a student. I had lots of assignments, projects and exams. I still did got a lot of things read. Not everything was fantastic but I did do a lot of reading somehow.


    
 

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard {3 out of 5 Stars}
Wytches, Vol 1 by Scott Synder & Jock {4 out of 5 Stars}
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab {4 out of 5 Stars}
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff {2 out of 5 Stars}
The Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare {4 out of 5 Stars}
This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp {3 out of 5 Stars}
Chew Vol 5: Major League Chew by John Layman & Rob Guillory {5 out of 5 Stars}
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson {5 out of 5 Stars}

Favourite of the Month: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Most Disappointing of the Month: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
General Thoughts: I was surprised that I didn't enjoy Illuminae, but I am super happy that I found a bunch of other great books. Sometimes things don't work out but there are always other options.

  
May is going to be a very weird month for me because I am going to be away doing a course entirely in french, so I might not get a lot or any reading done. However, I do have review books I desperately need to get too and I really want to read Crown of Midnight too. But I seriously change my mind on what I want to read every two seconds. We will see how it oes. 





Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 02/24/2015 by Tor Books
Series: Shades of Magic #1
Pages: 400 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary:
Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician who can travel between parallel worlds: hopping from Grey London — dirty, boring, lacking magic, and ruled by mad King George — to Red London — where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire — to White London — ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne, where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back — and back, but never Black London, because traveling to Black London is forbidden and no one speaks of it now.

Officially, Kell is the personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see, and it is this dangerous hobby that sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to take her with him for her proper adventure.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save both his London and the others, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — a feat trickier than they hoped.

My Thoughts
This was the kind of book I have been looking for. I have been craving some really good fantasy and this did the trick. It's in a rich and exciting fantasy world with some serious adventure. I really enjoyed my time listening to this story, it kept me interested the whole time. 

One thing that was a bit confusing (especially in the audiobook) was keeping track of the different worlds and who was the monarchy of each. Each different London has different levels of magic which is easy to confuse. But it was less confusing than I anticipated, especially where alternatives world are involved.

What I really enjoyed was the cast of characters in the this book. Kell and Lila were fantastic leads. I often have a hard time connecting with characters but I didn't have an issue with this book. Even the side characters were fantastic. I really enjoyed this book, and if you are looking for a good high fantasy book check this one out!



My Intimidating TBR Tag

This tag has been going around Booktube for the last little bit so I thought I would bring it to my blog. Like every reader I have a huge TBR pile, and there are books we are intimated by. This tag was created by Lindsey Rey on YouTube.

1) A Book You Have Been Unable to Finish? 
The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore
This book is by my favourite author and I have been struggling to finish it forever. I have started and stopped so many times. The story is a satire of the Merchant of Venice so I have been having a hard time with the language. I have even tried listening to it on audio. I need to finish it sometime, but it's a struggle.

2) A Book You Have Yet to Read Because You Haven't Had the Time?
 
The Well of Ascension & The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson 
I am excited to read both of these books but I have put them off because of school. They are both big and they require more time then I can give them right now. I just finished school this week for the school year and I plan to read The Well of Ascension during summer.

3) What Book You Have Yet to Read Because it's a Sequel? 
Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore
Yet another Moore book. This one is the sequel to A Dirty Job which is one of my favourite books ever. I re-read a Dirty Jon a few months ago so I could remember what happened and read this one. I am seriously going to read this very soon, I mean it this time. 

4) What Book You Have Yet to Read because it's Brand New?
The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
I currently don't have any new released in the books I own so I choose a book from my latest haul. The Orphan Queen came out last year, and it's one of the newest additions to my TBR. 

5) What Book You Have Yet to Read Because You Read A Book By The Same Author and Didn't Enjoy it? 
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare 
This is a hard question for me. There isn't any authors currently on my TBR that I've read something by and didn't like. This is one of the closest ones, I didn't really like the first two books in TMI series. I did enjoy City of Glass though but since reading the first books I just haven't been adventurous enough to start this trilogy.  

6) What Book You Have Yet to Read Because You're Just Not in the Mood For? 
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King
This is a huge short story collection and I have struggled with short stories in the past. They aren't always my cup of tear but I really want to read these because it's Stephan King. His short stories are awesome and I am going to get to this. I might not read it cover to cover, but hopefully I'll start working my way through soon.

7) What Book You Have Yet to Read Because It's Humongous?
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
It's a 900 page historical time travelling romance, and it's a super long series. This is intimidating, I have never read anything like it and I have no idea if it will be my thing. Maybe one day...

8) What Book You Have Yet to Read Because it Was a Cover Buy that Turned Out to have Poor Reviews? 
The King's Diamond by Will Whitaker
I bought this one on clearance at the very beginning of my book journey. I bought it because it was about King Henry VIII's court and I am obsessed with him. He's so interesting and I have even been to his palace! But this book has only a 3.09 on Goodreads, which has put me off a bit. 

9) What is the Most Intimidating Book on Your TBR?
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
It's big and out of my comfort zone. I really think I am going to like The Goldfinch, I just have to put on my big girl panties and just go for it. 




                                      










Review: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 01/05/2016 by Tor Teen
Series: The Witchlands #1
Pages: 416 Pages
Format: Library Hardback
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary:
In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

My Thoughts: 
This was a ride, a long ride. A lot happened from where we began to where this book ended, this series is really going to be an awesome journey. There was a lot that I liked about this book but I also found that there were certain parts that dragged. It took me a really long time to read this book, but there was a lot to learn about this new world and it took me some time to get into it. The world was built slowly as you read and this world has a lot of elements that it took me some time to get used to. 

In general, I had a lot of fun reading this book. I see a lot of potential in this series and there is a lot of stuff to still learn. We were left with a lot of unanswered questions and you just know that many more things are going to happen before we get any resolution. What I like the most about this book is the characters. All of the characters have a lot of depth and are well developed. They are all very different and you can form connections with them. Safi and Iseult have an awesome friendship and they both have extremely strong powers which they still need to harness. There is so much power between them which is going to cause a lot of explosive events. 

This was a strong beginning to an new series. I felt that it dragged a bit in the middle and that's where the story lost me for awhile but the rest of the book was strong. I am predicting that this series is going to get very intense along the way and I am excited to continue reading on when the next book comes out. High recommend this book if you are a fan of fantasy. 


Stacking the Shelves #11 | Library Haul

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tyngas Reviews.

I have been getting more into comics recently, so naturally I jumped in head first and ordered a ton of graphic novels from my library. For some reason whenever I put anything on hold at the library, they all come in at once. It's just a law of nature at this point. I also grabbed a new book or two so here we go:

Graphic Novels
 

Manga

Physical

eARC
 

That's everything from this week, everything was from the library besides the eARC which are from Netgalley. Let's see what I get done before they are due back. I hope everyone got interesting books this week, let me know what you picked up. 









What Am I Watching? | Netflix Edition #1


When I am not reading, I am probably watching a movie or TV. I absolutely love all forms of story telling so I love to watch TV as well. Netflix is pretty much the only way I watch TV.  I don't have cable, and I only watch live TV when I go to my parents house. Now here is what I am watching:

1) Mad Men (AMC)

I am currently on Season 7. I feel like I have been watching this show for ages and I am sad that I only have 4 episodes left. Don Draper is a incredibly interesting character and I may have a crush on him. I highly recommend this series to fans of historical drama. It takes place during the 1960's - 1970's. You get a really interesting glimpse into the lives a bunch of different people during that time who work at an advertising company. I will be finishing this within the week and I am going to miss it.



2) Breaking Bad (AMC)

Right now I am taking a short break from to this finish the end of Mad Men, but I am currently finished until the end of season 3. I am also really enjoying this series. It's different from what I normally watch and I understand why it's been so popular. Bryan Cranston's portrayal of Walter White is extremely realistic. You understand his motives for why he become a meth cook and his performance is really captivating. This is another series I highly recommend.




3) Daredevil (Netflix)

Superhero TV and Movies are super popular right now and the TV steam by Marvel is awesome. Daredevil is a blind character with superpowers which is a really cool addition to the universe, since the first movie from 2003 was terrible. The villain in the first season was amazing, and my favourite kind of villain. I have only watched the first season so far, but the second one just came out and I will be catching up soon.




4) Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

Season 2 of this just came out today so I am not too behind yet. BUT I adored the first season. You might not tell from the other shows listed, but comedy is probably my favourite genre of TV.  This one is just light, funny and would always put a smile on my face. I am going to start season 2 right away and I can't wait. Also, Netflix bought this show after it was given up by a cable network then it became a Netflix hit. The cable network is probably kicking themselves now.



 5) Episodes (Showtime)

If you haven't heard of this show look it up. It follows 2 British comedy writers who take their popular UK show over to adapt it for the US. They then cast Matt LeBlanc as their lead man and the show follows their struggles trying to adapt this show. Matt LeBlanc plays a fictional version of himself that's more like his character Joey from Friends. This show is hilarious and full of dark British humour. It's not for everyone but at least check it out. They just put up season 4, which I am going to watch ASAP.



That's all the shows I am currently watching or about the start again. There a few other things that I watch but I will likely mention them in another post. I recommend all these series, some aren't for everyone but I've been enjoying them.




Pull List - 01/13/2016

Another Wednesday, that means it's new comic day! This is a pretty good week, as you can tell I am still very new to this community but I am highly enjoying myself. As you will see, I am picking up a lot of new series and I am excited to get into these.

  

Kennel Block Blues Issue 2 & 3
I just read the first issue of this series and it was AWESOME. Issue #3 came out this week and I picked up both issue 2 and 3. This series is genius, it's about dogs that are in jail. It's fantastic and if you want to read a non-super hero comic, check this series out.

Goldie Vance Issue #1
This one looks really interesting. It follows Goldie Vance who is a new sleuth. It's compared to Nancy Drew and Veronica Mars. I have high hopes for this book and I can't wait to read it.

Star Wars: C-3PO Special 
This is a one off, following one of our favourite droids. This book gives us a glimpse into C-3PO's story before the Force Awakens. What would a pull list be without a Star Wars book? Now I just need to catch up on both Star Wars and Darth Vader series.

DNF Review: The Movie Game by Michael Edner

I received this book for honest review from Netgalley

Genre: Mystery? (I'm not 100% sure)
Publication: 09/10/2105 by Pen and Picture
Pages: 302 Pages
Format: eArc
Rating: DNF
Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Summary:
It’s been three years since Joe’s father vanished. Now seventeen, he is unaware that government agents are watching him in case his dad makes contact. Joe is too distracted by his secret girlfriend, midnight swims in the pools of strangers, free drinks from his buddies at the movie game and the glamorous college student, Felicity. But his movie-esque existence and addiction to fiction is set to collide with a heavy dose of reality this summer when he discovers everything is not what it seems: his secret girlfriend wants to be the real thing. His college fling may have ulterior motives. And the government agents want co-operation to catch his missing father. All this and the three year old death of Joe’s first girlfriend Alice are going to cause him to face some dark truths.

My Thoughts: 
I put this book down at about 50%, and that is not because it was bad but it was because I was loosing interest. This book sounded right up my alley. I absolutely love movies, and I totally understand Joe's love for movies. There are so many things that I relate to Joe about. The biggest reason that I am putting this one down for now is because I don't understand the plot. I have read half this book so far and I can't figure out what the plot is about. Goodreads says that's it's a mystery but I don't know what that mystery is yet. It's a really slow developing story and at this moment I just can't get into it. I did enjoy what I read and I might come back to this book at another time when I am more in the mood for this kind of story. What is really interesting about this book is the movie game that they play, I would LOVE to play that game with the characters. I think I could kick their butts! 

Pull List - 04/06/2016

I took a few weeks off of picking up singles and I haven't read any recently but I am ready to jump back into it. This week I picked up one new book and a few back issues of series I have been meaning to read.


Poe Dameron #1 
 
As we all know I have been reading lots of Star Wars universe stuff and how could I not pick up Poe's? In this series, Poe is on a topic secret mission to find historical sites that are important to the force. Or is he really looking for Luke? I am super excited to pick this one up, because like every other Star Wars fan I may more may not have a minor crush on our lovely Poe.

Faith #2 & #3
Jody Houser 
I really enjoyed Issue #1 of Faith so I definitely want to keep up with this series. I don't think it's a very big series so I want to support it. Faith isn't your typical hero and she is awesome. I highly recommend this series if you are tired of the same kind of heroes over and over again. This on is awesome. 

Obi-Wan & Anakin #3

I still have to read the issue #2 but I figured I would grab this one and read them both together. Obviously, more Star Wars in my life. Is that all I read about? Some days it look like it. I enjoyed the first issue and want to see what else is in store here.