2018 Book Reviews Week 1

❄️ 2018 Book Reviews Week 1:

January 1st- 7th, 2018  ❄️

Book 1: Zen Pencils: Creative Struggle 

by Gavin Aung Than 

Read Jan 4th- 5th, 2018

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This was a very inspiring collection of cartoons that went along perfectly with the quotes from many inspirational artists, musicians, writers, and scientists. Each quote stood out to me especially from those that I admire myself. Another great addition to each of the quotes was the little biography that came after each one so that you could learn about each of the people a little more. There were quotes from Vincent van Gogh, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Mary Shelley, Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, and so many more. 

What really stood out in this book though was seeing many of these very famous people express how they worked past their creative struggles. Beethoven using his music as a way of getting past his loss of hearing, Mary Shelley getting over writer's block, and so many more.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book 2: Weave a Circle Round

by Kari Maaren

Read by Eileen Stevens

Listened to Jan 4th- 5th, 2018

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I had no clue of what to expect from this book before I started listening to it. When I had first heard about this book a few months before it came out, I had read the synopsis and it intrigued me. This is about a girl named Freddy who really does not want to be noticed by anyone. She lives with her divorced mother, little sister Mel, stepfather Jordan, and her step-brother Roland, who brings more attention to himself and to her that she could ever possibly want because he is deaf.

They live next to a house that is always described as the house on Grosvenor Street. This is a house that is known not to keep its tenants for more than a few months at a time. Then one day two people move in. Two extremely odd people, Cuerva Lachance and Josiah. Freddy, Mel, and Roland go over to the house after they hear a crash and find the two strange new neighbors but also hear more voices in the house that freak them out. Over the course of the next few weeks, Freddy is followed by Josiah. She and her siblings are part of a bigger picture than she can even imagine and the adventure she goes on with Josiah is more than she could have ever expected.

I will say that there were a couple of times that I wished that there was more to the descriptions but I believe that there was a major reason for this in the plot. We are just as confused as Freddy is throughout this plot and learn about what is going on as she does. The more Freddy learns the more we are able to and that really made me connect with her as a narrator. There are pieces to the puzzle of Cuerva Lachance and Josiah from the very beginning of this book. I loved learning along with each of the characters and also seeing everything come into play later on in the story. This was a neatly woven plot that I could not get enough of. Though it is a bit crazy at times. Everything paid off for me in the end and I cannot wait to read this book again to see some of the other hints that I missed when I first read it.

When I first read the title I knew that I recognized the name from somewhere but was not sure from where. It is actually an important part of this story that was a really cool piece of this overall puzzle and I will not mention it here because it is really cool when you realize it.

One of the overarching messages in this book is growing up. Freddy learns a lot about herself throughout the course of this story but also about her family. She really does grow from a girl that does not seem to care much about others around her. I really hope that Kari will continue her story somehow in the future. I know that I will read it.

Eileen Stevens’ audio narration of the novel develops a feeling of unease that matches perfectly with how Freddy feels throughout the narrative. She creates a distinct voice for each of the characters. This builds the world of the story around the characters that will immerse the reader in Freddy’s world. It will not only keep the reader interested but will have them wanting to find out the mystery of what is really going on with Cuerva Lachance and Josiah. 

I cared for each of these characters and really enjoyed how complicated and also how heartfelt this story could be. To me, this was a great debut novel and I cannot wait to see where Kari goes from here.

*I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Book 3: Whichwood 
by Tahereh Mafi
Read Jan 4th- 7th, 2018
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From the time that I first heard that there was going to be a companion book for Furthermore, I was really excited. I loved the whimsical descriptions, the characters' relationships and personalities, and the wonderful setting. I knew going into this book that it would be dark and I was ready to see what Tahereh Mafi would do in a different setting. This was just as interesting and thought out as Furthermore but I felt that it was too dark for the age group that this is being marketed too. I believe that middle-grade readers can read darker books but this even made me a bit disturbed at times. From the weird scenes with bugs to the dead bodies (especially with certain scenes at the end). What I thought was going to have a dark feel like for instance the original Grimm fairy tales, had scenes that I don't believe some kids should read.

I would also like to talk about the characters and their relationships in this book. For most of this book, I had a hard time really getting attached to the main character, Laylee. I can understand why she was so detached from the world around her, especially with the life that she was dealt. But that did not make her any easier to get attached to enough to want to read from her perspective. We also get Alice and Oliver back from the first book. Their relationship and friendship with Laylee and another boy named Benyamin was an important part of this story and its overall message. The healing power of friendship is something that is great to teach younger readers.

The narration I believe is one of the most interesting parts of both this and Furthermore. Also, I enjoyed reading the footnotes for other information about the plot.

I believe before going into this book that you should definitely read Furthermore because a lot of the focus is on events from that book. Yes, the narrator does explain this in the plot and footnotes but I feel that you will miss out if you don't.

Week 17

Week 17 Reviews
December 23rd- 31st

Book 1- Father Christmas's the Fake Beard 
(short story collection)

by Terry Pratchett 

Read December 22nd -24th 

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This is a great collection of short stories that for the most part I really enjoyed. I love Terry Pratchett's humorous style of writing and the wit that he always uses. This is no exception to that. Below I will give a short review for each of eleven short stories and a rating for each. The illustrations in this book were also great and I loved how it was designed. Overall, it was a joy to read his Christmas tales.

"Father Christmas's Fake Beard"
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I believe that Terry's stories that deal with Father Christmas are the best from this collection. Each just shows the joy of the holiday and are quite honestly just enduring tales. This one is told through a series of notes, where a store has hired someone who they believe is a fake Father Christmas (Santa Claus) for their toy department. Throughout the course of the memos, they slowly realize that they may have been quite wrong. The hijinks that continue on are quite hilarious.

"The Blackbury Pie"
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The first story dealing with the town of Blackbury, I liked these stories but not a lot. This story is about the mayor of the town wanting to give something to everyone in the town, especially the hungry, for Christmas. He decides on a giant pie. The story continues on from there.

"Prod-Ye-A'Diddle Oh!"
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Another tale from the town of Blackbury, about a game played on New Year's Day that is a cross between rugby, hopscotch, shove ha'penny, and vandalism. In the tale, a man who is the best on his team is trying to win the hand of the mayor's daughter, but the mayor gives him a request to do something he really doesn't want to do. This was a good story but the town of Blackbury really isn't that interesting.

"A Very Short Ice Age"
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A story about a little boy trying to navigate a large snowstorm. This one was quite simple but really cute.

"The Computer Who Wrote to Father Christmas"
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Father Christmas goes into an office and has a great conversation with the computer there. A sweet tale that has an equally great message and ending. I loved this one above the rest.

"Good King Wences-lost"
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A tale about a king that loves helping people, a large snowstorm, and a man lost in that snow. Hilarity follows as the king goes out into the snow to try and help a man. Also, a little bit of miscommunication. This was overall a solid piece.

"The Weatherchick"
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This one was actually my least favorite out of the overall collection. It's about a chick in the town of Blackbury that controls the weather.

"Judgement Day for Father Christmas"
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Father Christmas and many other mythical creatures are put on trial.

"The Abominable Snow-baby"
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A cute tale about a woman that befriends a baby abominable snowman and the troubles that this causes. This is another tale from Blackbury and is my favorite from that collection of tales.

"The Twelve Gifts of Christmas"
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A take on the twelve days of Christmas song. It makes the idea of someone giving those gifts to their love make much more sense and also the idea of it even more silly at the same time. So enjoyable to read.

"Father Christmas Goes to Work at the Zoo"
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When Father Christmas is forced to get a day job because he is bothering his wife at home. Let's just say I was not expecting competency with these jobs. 

Book 2- Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

Read December 27th

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This was a reread for me and I just adored it so much. Just recently I did a post on Carrie Fisher for the year anniversary of her death.

A good amount of this book was quite hard to read especially her talking about death and wanting to live for certain milestones. This has become sort of a poignant tale that holds a lot her personality and the story of her life up until the age of fifty. A great set of stories and mishaps from her life that I have enjoyed reading a second time around. I recommend this book to any fan of Carrie's, whether that be from Star Wars or from any of her other works. It is a gem. Also, the stage show/ documentary is really good too. 

Book 3- Hogfather by Terry Pratchett 

December 26th -29th 

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~ Brief Synopsis ~

This is the twentieth book of the Discworld series, though you do not have to read the rest of the series to read this. Also, this is book four in the Death subseries which focuses on the character of Death. I do recommend reading the series because you may miss out on the jokes. I have done reviews for the Discworld books earlier in the year and will link them below for you to look at if you would like. (I skipped ahead a little in the books because I wanted to read this for Christmas. I will be going back and continuing where I was at in January).
Terry Pratchett's Discworld 

This book takes place the night before Hogswatch (basically Christmas in the Discworld). The Auditors have decided that they need to "remove" the Hogfather...so they contact the Assassin's guild and Mr. Teatime (pronounced "Teh-ah-tim-eh." ) is sent to "inhum" him (though the Hogfather is more of a deity than a human). It becomes Teatime's mission to figure out how to kill the Hogfather because technically he can't die. Death has taken over the role of going down chimneys, giving kids gifts, and is trying to save the world. Susan, his granddaughter does not understand why he is doing this and goes on an adventure to try and help. 

~ Characters ~

Death is and will always be my favorite character in this series. We follow him and his manservant, 

Albert, as they go from house to house trying to spread the joys of Hogswatch and keep the children's faith in the Hogfather. Death is still trying to understand humans and the emotions that they show in situations. Reading about his adventures where he gives gifts to children, such a sword to a little girl (it's educational, obviously), is some of the best parts of this book. He has most of the best lines in this novel and his end speech is one of my favorites that I have read all year. (By the way, Death's dialogue in the books is marked in small caps. In the quote below I have put it in caps.) 

“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."

REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.

"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"

YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.

"So we can believe the big ones?"

YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.

"They're not the same at all!"

YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.

"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"

MY POINT EXACTLY.” 

― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather

Susan Sto Helit is the granddaughter of Death, who at the beginning of the novel we meet as a governess for two children. She is trying to keep the monsters away that the children keep seeing and also stay as normal as possible. As the granddaughter of Death, she has special powers. She is able to use his voice in certain instances throughout the novel to get people to do what she wants them to do. Also, she is able to see things that will happen as if they are memories. This was my first time reading a book with Susan and I really enjoyed her as a character. Her's is another one of the four different plots that we follow along in the novel as she tries to find out more about where the Hogfather is and what Death is doing. She's not afraid of speaking her mind even to Death and that is an enjoyable aspect of the story. I cannot wait to read more about her. 

Mr. Teatime, is the hired assassin, whose mission is to "inhum" the Hogfather before the morning of Hogswatch. This man is an insane genius. He can literally come up with a full proof plan for assassinated anything in a few minutes and is quite creepy to read about. One of his eyes is made of glass and the other is only a pinhole that he can see through. This man is innocent looking but you can tell by the way that he talks that he's far from innocent. Also, it is questioned throughout the entire novel if he was one that killed his parents when he was a small boy. I won't put it past him myself. His plot is the third that we follow throughout the novel. 

The final subplot which connects in with the story is at the Unseen University, with the wizards there. The wizards of the Unseen University are some of the most interesting characters in this series. They always seem to mess things up and just cause problems. Much of the humor in this novel comes from their scenes. Each time one of the wizards mentions a lare or penate, they are created instantly to fill the void that the Hogfather has created. Many of these creations are just so comical and just bring so much humor to this dark book.

Some other characters that were in the novel that were also quite interesting were The Death of Rats, Quoth the Raven,  Bilious the oh God of Hangovers, and the Cheerful Fairy. This is really just to name a few because there are so many characters to mention. 

~ Ending Thoughts ~

This book was one of the darkest so far for me of the Discworld series and also the funniest. It was entertaining reading about Death saving Hogswatch and also the world along with it. So far this is one of my favorites of the series and I cannot wait to read more of them next year. Out of any book or series that I recommend on this blog, this is the one that I recommend the most. Terry Pratchett was an incredible writer and person and I would recommend them to everyone. He was one of a kind and it devastates me to know that he has not been with us for almost three years now. What an incredible mind and person. I cannot express to you enough about how much you should read this book and the whole series in general. If you love a great fantasy you should read this. If you love the feeling around Christmas you should read this. And finally, if you love a great story you should read this. 

 I will be watching the miniseries in the next couple of days for this novel and I cannot wait. 

Book 4- Groo: Play of the Gods

December 29th 

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~ A Short Synopsis ~
The Groo graphic novels/ comics have been around for decades and I remember when I first heard about them when I was a kid. This is my first venture into his tales and I can honestly say that I'm surprised by how much I really enjoyed this simple little graphic novel. This follows along Groo, a very idiotic barbarian that literally ruins everything around him with just being there. His ultimate mission in this tale is for the search of the best cheese dip in the world. Hilarity follows him in every movement as he ultimately changes the course of the everyone's lives around him. Groo's dog, Rufferto follows him around as he adventures throughout this book and interjects little side comments throughout. He reminded me of Garfield in his way of making fun of the actions of Groo, similarly to how Garfield makes fun of Jon. It was quite funny to read.

~ Writing Style ~
Throughout the whole piece, we see not only the adventure of Groo but also the reactions of the Gods watching everything going on below them. The queen of the land is trying to spread out into other lands surrounding their own and spread the word of their one god to these lands. Each of the Gods blames Diothos for the fact that he is the only one that they are trying to worship and anyone believing in anyone else is getting hurt for it. As a famous sailor leads them to the land that he discovered each person has their own plan. The sailor wants to get gold for himself and leave the others. The priests want to spread the word of their god no matter what the cost, even if they have to hurt people (this actually becomes a funny joke throughout). Groo is tricked into coming for the best cheese dip and no one really wants him to come along.

What I really liked about the style of writing was the switch back and forth between the gods and the humans that they are arguing about. It was an interesting and rewarding choice in creation because this just added to the humor.

~ The Art, Lettering, and Coloring ~
The art style is wonderful to look at. It still has this old type of style with bright popping color for each of the characters. Each character stands out with their own specific styles that fit their characteristics. One of the best scenes is when the citizens of the new land start thinking up new gods. There are really ridiculous ones such as The God of Repetition (who then repeats everything he says multiple times throughout), The God of Spelling Things Backwards, and my favorite: The God of Procrastination. Each of these gods looks different from each other and many have a look that matches what they are gods of. The more gods added to this scene looked great together.

The lettering really is nothing too spectacular but it goes along perfectly with the style of the drawings and the coloring. All of the dialogue stands out great against what is happening in the images. They look great together.

~ Final Thoughts ~
This is the graphic novel that I wanted and needed to read at the end of the year. I loved the humor and the style of each panel. Groo was a character that grew on me almost instantly. The poor guy keeps messing up everything for many of the people around him and many will run away to avoid him. He doesn't even seem to realize or care and I found him enduring. The only downside that I really found in this piece was how slow it was at the beginning. It took me quite some time to actually get into this but once I did I was hooked. The art style and writing style make for a great experience. I cannot wait to read more of Groo's tales from the past and any more that will come out.

*I received this book for free for an honest review*

Book 5: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Illustrated Edition)
by J. K. Rowling
Read December 31st 
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This is probably the seventh or eighth time that I have read this book, really I have lost track now. It was actually this book that really got me into this series and hooked. It has been my favorite of the series since I was around ten and it still is. Even after reading it so many times, I still get so much joy reading this book. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin are my two favorite characters from this series and I love their introductions in this book. I recommend this book to anyone who has never read it and also to those that have. What a great way to end this year of wonderful reading. Also, the illustrated edition is the most stunning book that I have ever seen. I recommend also getting the illustrated editions of the whole series they are beautiful.

Happy New Year to Everyone! 
Did you know that Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was published 200 years ago today? I thought that was pretty darn cool. I completely recommend reading it. It's a pretty good book and different than I ever expected. 

Friday Reviews Week 8

🍁 Friday Reviews Week 8: 🍁

October 21st- 27th, 2017

☠️ Book 1: Tropic of Kansas by Christopher Brown 💀

Narrated by Josh Bloomberg and Bahni Turpin 

Listened to October 16th -22nd

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Going into this book I was not sure of what I was going to think about it. I am not a major fan of dystopian books. I have read two dystopian series, The Hunger Games and the Divergent series. Also, I have read The Giver. Really, I lost interest in dystopian books while reading the Divergent series. Tropic of Kansas looked interesting though and I wanted to do a review on it because I thought the description was intriguing.

We follow along two characters mainly throughout the book, Sig and his foster sister Tania. In this book, the United States does not exist anymore, at least as it now. It's split into territories that are fighting back and forth. At the center of this is the wasteland which the citizen's call "the Tropic of Kansas."

Sig is a fugitive orphan who is trying to survive out in the wasteland. He causes a lot of mischief as he traverses the territories trying to get to New Orleans. Tania, his foster sister, who used to watch over him when he was very young, is sent out to get him for the government. If she does, they tell her that they will let her trouble-causing mother out of prison. As she goes searching for him, we learn about their past and what has happened to the country.

Overall, I thought that this had an interesting premise. The narration for this audiobook was great with the two different narrators. The beginning of the book was not the best, but it got better as it continued. I would recommend this to readers that enjoy dystopian books. You might just enjoy this book.

*I was given this audiobook for an honest review.*

🎃 Book 2: Macbeth by William Shakespeare 👻

Read October 20th- 23rd

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This is my favorite of Shakespeare's plays and every time I read it again it brings back so many great memories. I first read this play when I was in eighth grade. We performed the Double Double scene in class on Halloween exactly ten years ago. This is one of my favorite pieces from any piece of literature let alone play. Macbeth is a play that I know that I will be able to go back to again and again and still enjoy it. 

🍂 The Plot 🍂

We begin the play with Macbeth and Banquo going to three witches after defeating the invading armies. The witches prophecize that Macbeth will become king of the Danes but also that Banquo's sons will be future kings. This is what starts all of the conflicts in the play. 

Macbeth tells his wife of this prophecy and she is the one to come up with the plan that Macbeth has to kill King Duncan. After the murder of the king, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are driven mad with guilt. 

🍂 The Characters 🍂
Macbeth: Macbeth struggles with what the witches (the weird sisters) have told him throughout the play and does not want to complete the crimes originally. It is with the insistence of his wife that he finally decides to complete many of the deeds in this play. 

Lady Macbeth: Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, is manipulative, calculating, vicious,  and altogether a wicked seeming woman. She is the one to push Macbeth multiple times and even does some of the actions for him when he cannot even stomach them himself (I won't say what so I don't spoil the plot). Eventually, though we see a switch in her character. Once Macbeth takes on the role being the vicious murderer and becomes cold himself, she fully escapes into madness. This is where the famous "Out, damned spot" line comes from. She is a very interesting character to watch throughout the play and is definitely the most intriguing other than the witches. This is because of her drive and also some of the lines that she says. To me, she is one of the best Shakespeare female characters. 

The Three Witches (Hags/ The Weird Sisters) and Hecate: The witches are my favorite characters from any of Shakespeare's plays, besides the multiple fools/clown characters. They are some of the driving force behind this play. Macbeth first learns about becoming king from them and if he did not he would have most likely never become one. Their parts throughout the entire play are enjoyable to read/ watch/ or listen to. Also, it's kind of funny to see how they react to seeing Macbeth's downfall. They totally enjoy it and make it much worse for him later on in the play. The plays on wording that Shakespeare uses in this play, especially with the witches, is some of the best that I have ever read. 

🍂 Overall Thoughts 🍂

Again I would like to say, that I love this play. It's my favorite of Shakespeare's plays for a reason. For those interested in finding a Shakespeare play to read, I would recommend this one. I believe that you will find it interesting. 

🍂 Favorite Quotes 🍂

~ALL.              Double, double, toil and trouble, 

                         Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. 

2. WITCH.       Fillet of a fenny snake,

                         In the cauldron boil and bake;

                         Eye of newt, and toe of frog, 

                         Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,

                         Adder's fork, and blindworm's sting, 

                         Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing-

                         For a charm of pow'rful trouble

                         Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. 

ALL.                Double, double, toil and trouble, 

                         Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

3. WITCH.       Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,

                         Witch's mummy, maw and gulf...

ALL.                 Double, double, toil and trouble,

                          Fire, burn and caulron bubble.

2. WITCH.       Cool it with a baboon's blood, 

                         Then the charm is firm and good. ...

                         Something wicked this way comes. (4. 1. 1-45)

~ MACBETH. The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

                         Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player 

                         That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

                         And then is heard no more. It is a tale

                         Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, 

                         Signifying nothing. (5. 5. 23-28)

🦇 Book 3: Sourcery by Terry Pratchett 🕸️

Read October 23rd- 25th

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The fifth book from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and the third book in the subseries: Rincewind/ Wizards/ Unseen University. If you are new to this series or want a refresher here is a link to all my posts, Terry Pratchett's Discworld. This book is part of the series and also the subseries, but really can be read as a standalone.

🍂 A Short Synopsis 🍂
Sourcery is about a wizard who had seven sons and then he had an eighth son-  a Sourcerer. On the Discworld, wizards are not supposed to have an eighth son, but the dying wizard at the beginning of the novel does not really care. He's actually quite evil.

" 'What is he?' (Ipslore, the wizard says this). 
THE EIGHTH SON OF AN EIGHTH SON OF AN EIGHTH SON, said Death, unhelpfully. "- Terry Pratchett's Sourcery 
- To explain this quote a little better if a person has an eighth son who was the eighth son, their son is then a wizard. Then if a wizard has an eight son, they get a sourcerer (which is not a good thing at all).

We then jump ahead eight years and are in the Unseen University where we follow along Rincewind (the most inept wizard on the Discworld) and many of the other wizards. The Sourcerer comes to the Unseen University with his staff and causes great trouble. The child is only eight years old and is easily the most powerful being, but he is much more than he seems. Throughout the story, we see his scenes, Rincewind and his companions, and other forces in the Discworld.

🍂 Rincewind 🍂
The book focuses mainly on Rincewind as our hero. He's the most unlikely of heroes, but that also as a wizard. This really makes his journey throughout this book even better just seeing how foolish he can be. This is the third book I have read of his subseries and I just cannot get enough of him.
 As I have mentioned above, Rincewind is inept. It is described a lot throughout the book on how horrible he really is (in extensive detail). He may just surprise us all though in the end.

"Examine Rincewind, as he peers around the sullen shelves. There are eight levels of wizardry on the Disc; after sixteen years Rincewind has failed to achieve even level one. In fact it is the considered opinion of some of his tutors that he is incapable even of achieving level zero, which most normal people are born at," Terry Pratchett's Sourcery. 

🍂 Other Important Aspects 🍂
There are many other characters that we follow along with other than Rincewind. Many of the wizards at the Unseen University are focused on throughout. They are blindly following along with the Sourcerer and we see a different side of them. Each feels very differently about the way to use magic. It's very obvious why they shouldn't rule anything, ever.

Then we come to The Luggage. The Luggage is a character that makes appearances in at least every Rincewind book so far. The Luggage is an aggressive suitcase that was given to Rincewind by a tourist. It eats people, falls in love (or at least develops a crush), and follows it's master across the Discworld.

This little fellow is The Luggage. Doesn't it look friendly? 

 One other character that really stood out to me is the Librarian, who has been in basically all of the books so far. The Librarian at Unseen University was turned into an orange orangutan in The Light Fantastic (Discworld Book 2) when a spell blasted the library. He speaks in a language of ooks and eeks, that most people understand. The reason he kept his job as the librarian after the spell was because of how good he is at it. He takes great care of the library. I really loved his storyline in this book and how comical and understandable Terry Pratchett makes this character.

Oh, and make sure you don't call him a monkey. He hates that.

🍂 Overall Thoughts 🍂

Again, I would like to say how much Terry Pratchett amazes me as an author. This man was a genius with his descriptions and just writing in general. The little puns and wordplay were a joy to read yet again. Reading his books always makes me a little sad inside when I think about his untimely death. This man was a genius wordsmith. 

The only reason I dropped this down a star was because of how it sometimes gets bogged down in the descriptions. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a great fantasy book. You could go into the series at this book or at any of them. 

👻 Book 4: King Lear by William Shakespeare 🎃

Read October 27th
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This was the first time that I have read this play and overall I enjoyed it. It took me quite a while to actually get into it. I read and also listened to an incredible production of the play. It did not become a favorite for me, but it was enjoyable.

The play centers around a king of England, King Lear and his journey into insanity. Lear decides in the beginning that he wants to give his kingdom to each of his daughters because he is getting old. He decides that he will give them each a share, leaving the largest for the daughter who convinces him that she loves him most. His two oldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, who are foolish and deceitful, flatter him with their devotion. They are very insincere though while doing it. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, speaks truthfully and tells him that she does not want to just state her love of him for his kingdom. This enrages Lear and he disowns her and drives her from the kingdom.

He drives himself into madness with his treacherous oldest daughters helping along the way.

At first, I really could not stand any of the characters in this play besides Cordelia. The rest were just so awful to each other. Every character seems to be scheming against one another. Then there's King Lear, who is completely obvious to any of this going on around him. Over the course of the play, my early perception of Lear changes. By the end of the play, I really felt sorry for him.

This was different for me than any of Shakespeare's other plays. I have never found a tragic hero in any of his plays change so much in my view of them by the end of the play. It was what really made me like the play. I would recommend it. The characters can be quite annoying, especially Goneril and Regan, they are awful. The third-fifth acts of the play make up for this though.

Friday Reviews 3: September 16th- 22nd

🍁 Friday Reviews Week 3: September 16th- 22nd, 2017 🍁

🍂 Book 1: The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner 🍂

Read September 16th-18th

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This is the story of a sixteen-year-old named Kyle Donohue, who on September 11th, 2001, watches from his high school the first twin towers come down. On his way home after the students are evacuated, he comes across a girl covered in ash wearing costume wings. He decides to take the girl home. Both of his parents are not there, his mother is in California with his younger sister and his father is part of the Joint Terrorist Task Force and is helping at the disaster. Kyle finds out that the girl does not remember who she is and he decides to try and help her. This is their story as they deal with the disaster happening around them.

First, I want to mention how incredible this novel was. It pulled on my heartstrings countless times and had me wondering what was going to happen next for this family. Kyle is a young man having to deal with a lot of stress and tragedy in a short amount of time in the novel. He does not know what is going to happen to his dad, his mother, sister, or himself. Gae Polisner does an incredible job creating this atmosphere that carries throughout the whole novel. I really related to Kyle even though I have never experienced something quite like this. Many of us can say where we were on September 11th. I was in second grade at the time and I have vague memories of it all. I could never imagine what it felt like to actually be there.

It was hard to read this book at times because of how heartbreaking it really was. 

Another aspect of this book that I would like to talk about, is the style Polisner wrote in. This book is told in prose and also in verse. It was interesting to get the two different perspectives, Kyle's and the girl's, in such a way. This could get jarring though at times. I loved seeing this story in such a way and learning little bits and pieces from both of their lives. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book as a whole. It was a hard-hitting story that touched me and I really felt for both of the characters. Their story is definitely one that I would recommend. 

Also, the memory technique used in the book was really awesome. I wish I would have known about it when I was still in school myself. It would have come in handy. I still remember all ten of the items. This is one that I'll have to let students know about. 

🍂 Book 2: Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: 🍂

Special Collector's Manga by Jun Asuka

Read September 19th

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This is a manga version of the 1993 movie The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

Jack Skellington, the ruler of a Halloween centric world, called Halloween Town, comes across a door that leads him into a new world. A world that shows him the joys of Christmas, Christmas Town. Jack wants to replicate this world in his own world because he is becoming bored of the constant repetition. He has all of his citizens work together to create the holiday and this is when problems ensue.  

I liked the overall premise of the story. When I was a child, I saw this movie but did not remember most of it when I read this book. I do remember that it creeped me out though. This was an interesting manga. 

I love the Pumpkin King. Jack's innocence when he found out about Christmas and how he wanted to recreate the joyful feelings of it was enduring. The way he goes about accomplishing this is not the best idea but he just wanted to spread the Christmas feeling. 

The artwork was nice to look at. It was reminiscent of the style of the movie, just in black and white. The style was nice but it loses some of the magic without the stop-motion animation and the music.

 I'll have to watch the movie again to compare it to this. If you are interested in this manga I would pick it up. I don't feel that it would disappoint a fan of the movie. 

This is definitely an interesting concept and I think that it would be cool to see the other doorways in the forest that Jack comes across. I would watch those movies. Let's have Jack go into another door and become obsessed with St. Patrick's Day or Easter. 

Also, I'm going to be watching the movie this weekend and doing a review on that. 

* I received a copy of this from Netgalley for an honest review. *

🍂 Book 3: The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid by Geronimo Stilton 🍂
Read September 21st, 2017
Release Date: October 19th, 2017
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I first read this book back when I was around eleven or twelve. This was when I was still in elementary school. I remember signing out many of the Geronimo Stilton books from the library that year and I adored them. I thought that Geronimo's job at the paper was cool and I was so interested in exploring the world someday. 

Now this book is being re-released in October for a new generation. 

I will say that yes, I am feeling nostalgic when I read this book. It was very cute and funny. I enjoyed the characters especially the ridiculous grandfather of Geronimo, who would give Scrooge a run for his money. Also, the mouse-related puns were adorably cute. I wanted to pick up this book for the nostalgia and I'm happy that I did. 

This is a perfect book for middle-grade students. They will get a great story and also learn about ancient Egypt. I recommend it. I know that my younger self would be happy to know that there are still books coming out from this series. 

*I received a copy of this from Netgalley for an honest review. *

🍂 Book 4: The Library of Souls by Richard Denney 🍂

Read September 22nd, 2017
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I first found Richard on Youtube about a year and a half ago. His Booktube channel interested me. I have always loved reading so many different genres and middle-grade novels are some of my favorites. Richard has been promoting his book on his channel throughout the year and I was excited to pick it up. I'm glad I did. 

The main character of the novel is Simon Santiago, a thirteen-year-old boy who lost his parents in a train accident when he was nine. He is sent to live with his uncle Monty, who uses Simon. Simon can see and speak to the dead. So his uncle has created an agency, where Simon expells the ghosts and his uncle gets all of the credit. His uncle gets them a job at an old library that is known to be haunted. The library has had many people die throughout the years and Simon's job is to go in and get rid of the ghosts. Simon meets a young library assistant that helps him in his quest to help the library. Little does Simon know of the mysteries hiding in the library. 

This was a quick read that I enjoyed reading. I don't think I have ever read a middle-grade novel that has spooked me before. There is one scene in this novel that creeped me out a bit, bathtubs anyone. 

The pictures were also a great feature in this novel. I have read other books that have "creepy" pictures in them, but I feel like Richard utilized the pictures in an interesting way for the story. They are not just used here to get people to read this book. They are actually another aspect of the story and help tell it. I love that Richard created these pictures himself and that he showed how he did this on his Booktube channel. 

Overall, I fully enjoyed this novel. It was a quick read that had me questioning what was going to happen next. I would have never expected that ending. Great storytelling. I will be picking up the second novel.

If you like a great mix of creepiness and a mystery pick this book up. I believe you'll enjoy it. 

🍁 Happy Fall everyone. I hope you have a great weekend and have a great time reading. 🍁

Oh, and happy Hobbit day! 

Movie Monday: Review of The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey

🍂 Movie Monday: Sept. 18th, 2017

Review of The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey

Watched September 16th, 2017 🍂

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I have loved the original Lord of the Rings trilogy since I was a child and I have been wanting to watch The Hobbit trilogy for quite awhile. On Saturday, I finally watched the first movie in the trilogy and I enjoyed it. I did read the book when I was around twelve or thirteen but do not remember much besides major plot points. So basically, I went into this movie not sure of what to expect. I'm sure that this series is not accurate as adaptations, but as a prequel to The Lord of the Rings movies, I enjoyed this. 

The movie opens with Bilbo Baggins, who is approaching his 111th birthday. He is writing down his story of what happened during his adventures in The Hobbit and is telling his nephew, Frodo of what has occurred. These scenes take place directly before what occurs in The Fellowship of the Ring. Then we go from a visual of him blowing in his pipe at his older age, to him blowing in his pipe as a young hobbit (at the age of 50). I enjoyed this little visual. Bilbo has a conversation with the wizard Gandalf, who tricks Bilbo into hosting a party for a group of thirteen dwarfs. He slowly finds out that Gandalf has convinced these dwarfs that he will work with them as their burglar. The dwarfs have a plan to go to the Lonely Mountain and take it back for the dwarfs. 

In the beginning of the movie, we get the backstory of the dragon, Smaug coming to the Lonely Mountain, which the dwarfs owned. He takes the mountain and all of their gold. Thorin, the grandson of the king of the dwarfs wants to take back his land and has gathered the thirteen dwarfs to accomplish this. Bilbo is reluctant about taking a part in the adventure. Hobbits are not known for wanting adventure. The dwarfs stay in Bilbo's house for the night and leave early the next morning before Bilbo even wakes. Bilbo decides to go on the adventure running after them. 

One of the enjoyable aspects of this movie is the humor. This is based on a novel that was much lighter in tone than The Lord of the Rings trilogy and it's obvious. There are darker scenes but a humorous tone takes up a good portion of the movie. I loved this movie's humor and to me, it's hilarious a good portion of the time. My favorite character is Smeagol/ Gollum. Gollum has been corrupted by a ring that becomes very important in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was funny to see his interactions with Bilbo and just his characteristics again. I have always enjoyed Gollum, even though he used to really creep me out when I was a child (side note: I used to be able to imitate him pretty well). 

Also, Martin Freeman was a great pick for Bilbo. From what I remember of the book, he played Bilbo perfectly. His mannerisms compared to the dwarfs is enjoyable to watch. He brings a lot to the character and was a joy to see. Then we have Sir Ian McKellan reprising his role as Gandalf. I remember when I first heard that they were making these movies and I could not wait to see him as Gandalf again. He was and will always be one of my top favorite older wizards (along with Dumbledore and Merlin). 

Overall, I really enjoyed what they did with this movie. I'm not going to judge it as an adaptation because I really do not remember enough of the novel to do this. As a movie that is meant to be a prequel of one of my favorite movie trilogies of all time, I loved it. I will be watching the rest of the movies soon and cannot wait. It took me too long to watch this movie series and I will make sure to rectify this soon. I recommend this movie for fantasy lovers and anyone who has watched The Lord of the Rings movies and loved them. I believe you will enjoy this movie. 

Friday Reviews 2: September 9th-15th

🍂 Friday Reviews Week 2: September 9th- 15th, 2017 🍂

🍁 Book 1: The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell 🍁 

Audiobook Read by David Tennant- Listened to Sept. 10th, 2017

Will be released: October 3rd, 2017

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I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of this novel. The fantasy story was interesting and also cute. I rooted for all of the characters especially our two main characters, Xar and Wish. Also, the witches are interestingly different than I have ever seen before and are creepy. 

This is the story of Xar, a son of the King of Wizards, who cannot even cast a spell. Also of Wish, the daughter of the Queen of a warrior tribe that does not want magic in the land. Wish though has a magic object of her own. In the wood, both Xar and Wish find each other when the disturbance of a witch pulls them into an adventure. And witches are supposed to be extinct. 

Cressida Cowell is great at story building and writes with a voice throughout the story that I could not get enough of. Her use of wit and narration are great parts of this story. This is the first book of Cressida's that I have picked up and know I will pick up others of hers. She is known for writing the popular How to Train Your Dragon book series that the two Dreamworks movies are based on. Middle-grade fantasy is a genre that I have always loved and this is an incredible example of one of the best. She builds this world that I felt like I was walking around in when listening to this book. The creepiness of these witches and also just the deep dark forest was perfect for the story. She says at the beginning that we may have heard of deep dark forests before but we really don't know what we are getting into. Her descriptions throughout were perfect to show this. 

Another great aspect of her storytelling is her wit. This book made me laugh out quite a lot while listening. It was quite an enjoyable experience for me and I was so glad that I was given the opportunity to read this novel.

David Tennant did a great job creating a distinct voice for each of the characters. I have loved David Tennant since I first saw him in The Goblet of Fire movie and also in a few episodes of Doctor Who. He is a great actor and I was excited to hear him read this audiobook. For the longest time, I have loved only one audiobook the most and that's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (read by Stephen Fry). This is definitely another top favorite right below The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. David Tennant gave each of the characters a voice that seemed to fit their characters. My favorites were for the sprites, which were amazing. So adorable. He could literally read any audiobook and I would listen to them. That is because he made these characters come alive and created this atmosphere of a reading experience that I will never forget. Saying that I enjoyed listening to this book is an understatement. He made this book so much for me and I know that I will be picking up the rest of the series once they come out.

If you get the chance to read this book, I would recommend it and if you want to get a great audiobook I would recommend this one. David Tennant did a phenomenal job reading this wonderfully written book. 

*I received this book from the publisher for review purposes. 

Thank you!

I cannot wait to get a physical copy of this book

Also if you are interested in other reviews of some other great audiobooks you should check out the website AudioFile. They have great recommendations for audiobooks that you may enjoy. 

🍁 Book 2: Fowl Language: The Struggle is Real 🍁

By Brian Gordon- Read Sept. 13th, 2017

This will be released on October 10th, 2017

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This book was a surprise for me. I expected to really like this book but not to adore it as much as I did. Brian Gordon has become popular online for his Fowl Language comics on his website: https://www.fowllanguagestore.com/collections/book

This is his second collection of his comics and they are highly enjoyable. Most of the comics in the collection not only made me laugh but laugh out loud. 

I used to love reading comics such as Garfield and Mother Goose and Grimm when I was a kid and this reminded me of the humor that I enjoyed in those books. All of the humor was directed at jokes about the author's children or parents and their children. I do not have children of my own but I could still relate to the jokes in this collection of comics. They were funny and some were very touching. 

If you love comics, great humor, or have heard of Brian's comics I would recommend picking up a copy of this book. It was highly enjoyable and funny. 

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review. 

Thank you!

🍁 Book 3: Taproot by Keezy Young- Read Sept. 13th, 2017 🍁

This will be released on September 26th, 2017

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I don't read a lot of paranormal stories, but when I first saw the art style of this book, I wanted to read it. This was a stunning graphic novel that I enjoyed. It has a quirky story of a ghost that has fallen in love with his best friend who is alive. Blue has had a hard time moving on into the afterlife and Hamal can see ghosts so Blue haunts him. Something is going wrong in the town and Blue is trying to protect Hamal no matter what he has to do.

The style of this graphic novel is different from what I have seen before and was beautiful. I really liked the story and the characters. The romance was cute, also it was a healthy relationship that was built from a great friendship. 

This overall was a great read that I would recommend. 

*I received a copy of this graphic novel from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review. 

Thank you!

🍁 Book 4: Dear Future Boyfriend by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz 🍁

Read Sept. 11th- 15th, 2017

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This was a re-read for me of this poetry collection. When I read it again, it made me remember how much I enjoyed reading it over five years ago. It was in my first year of college and the topics she wrote about were very relatable for me. I connected with the poet Cristin then and I continue to connect with her now. There are many poems in this collection that I have read multiple times over the years since I had first read it: "Mother," "Father," "Lit", "Science," and especially "Ode to the Person Who Stole My Family's Lawn Gnome". 

I have read plenty of poetry collections, whether that be through a college class or in my own free time but I have not connected to a poet like I have this. I adore poetry, writing and reading it and this is a collection that I know I will get something out of everytime I read it. 

Cristin writes about love, heartbreak, family, and even about someone who stole something very important to her. The poems are funny and also heartbreakingly sad. 

As a poet myself, I enjoy analyzing poems for their content and as a reader, I love the stories that she can create. 

I will be picking up more of Cristin's poetry collections, hopefully soon. 

🍁 Have a great weekend everybody and happy reading! 🍁

Friday Reviews 1: September 1st- 8th, 2017

🍂 Friday Reviews Week 1: September 1st- 8th, 2017 🍂

Book 1: How to Be Perfectly Unhappy

 by Matthew Inman, The Oatmeal- Read Sept. 2nd, 2017

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I have liked The Oatmeal books that I have read. They have always had a peculiar sense of humor with the illustrations and what Matthew Inman discusses. This book also had great humor throughout and I enjoyed it for the most part. A good short read for those that like The Oatmeal books. 

*I received this book for free for an honest review*

Book 2: The Wendy Project- Read Sept. 2nd, 2017
by Melissa Osborne

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Wendy Davies crashes her car into a lake with her two young brothers Michael and John in the backseat. After she wakes up in the hospital and her parents tell her that Michael is dead. She keeps insisting though that a flying boy has taken Michael away. Her therapist gives her a sketchbook to try and work through what has happened, that Wendy begins to draw in. Throughout the graphic novel, Wendy tries to work through her grief and to try and figure what really happened that night. The graphic novel blends the story with an impressive art style that plays with colors and imagery to create a very moving story. It blends together fantasy and reality and makes the reader question what is real. 

I have been waiting to read this book since I first heard about it a few months ago and now I finally have it. First of all, I want to talk about the illustrations. This is a stunning graphic novel and is one of the best that I have ever seen visually if not the best. The illustrations/art by Veronica Fish are incredible and I just want to keep looking at them. The story is also great. I love retellings or stories that take a twist on original tales and this one was definitely very good. Melissa Jane Osborne takes the tale of Peter Pan and twists it into a story of grief and how to overcome great obstacles. The notebook like design is not only clever and beautiful but it also goes perfectly with the story that Melissa is telling. I recommend this book to anyone that loves the original tale of Peter Pan and graphic novels. This was a great take on a classic story that I cannot get enough of. Also, it looks absolutely stunning and has a great texture to the cover. I could gush about it forever. Please, if the premise of this book sounds even a bit interesting to you, pick it up. You will not regret it. 

🐢 Book 3: Equal Rites (Book 3 of the Discworld Series) 🐘

 by Terry Pratchett- Read 8/31/17- 9/7/17

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Before I start to review the actual novel, I first want to take a brief moment to explain Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. First, there are forty-one novels that make up the series and also many other companion books. There are seven sub-series that make up the actual series: Wizards/ Rincewind/ Unseen University, Witches (also Witches/Tiffany Aching), Death, Ancient Civilizations, City Watch, Industrial Revolution, and Moist von Lipwig. There are over one hundred key characters. 

Many of the Discworld Characters 

One of the major questions that many ask is, where should I start this series? Many pick a sub-series and just stick with that. Others will start at the very beginning, at The Colour of Magic (which was first published in 1983). I will say that I decided to go with the second way of reading, I want to read each of the books in publishing order. Some other readers just pick the books that interest them. Many of the books in the Discworld series can be read separately but some follow a continuing plot such as The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic. Also, I will say that many of the characters show up in other books even from other sub-series. The character of Death is almost in all forty-one of the novels. 

Previously this year, I read the first two books, The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic. I quite enjoy Terry Pratchett's way of writing. He has a great use of wit throughout his novels and so many lines that stick out as favorites. 

"Granny, meanwhile was two streets away. She was also, by the standards of other people, lost. She would not see it like that. She knew where she was, it was just that everywhere else didn't." -Terry Pratchett, Equal Rites

Equal Rites is the third book in the Discworld series and the first book

in the Witches sub-series. This is the first novel that introduces one of the influential characters of the series, Granny Weatherwax. Granny has become one of my favorite characters in all literature. She's hilariously funny with her bluntness with anyone that she meets. Her dry way of talking and her expressions make this book.Granny's full name is Esmerelda Weatherwax but is known as Granny by everyone. She's not someone you would want to mess with even with the nickname Granny. 

"The second problem was that a bear had found it (the staff) first. In fact, this hadn't been too much of a problem because Granny, already in a bad temper, hit it right between the eyes with the broomstick and it was now sitting as far away from her as it was possible to get in a pit, and trying to think happy thoughts." -Terry Pratchett, Equal Rites

Eskarina (Esk)

The novel starts with an explanation that a wizard has never been a woman. The first character that we meet is an older wizard that is trying to find a newborn boy to give his powers and magical staff. The eighth child of an eighth son is given the power, but the wizard makes a major mistake. He wanted to give it to the eighth son of an eighth son but instead, the child is a girl. 

Years, later when the child Eskarina, Esk for short is around eight years old, the town witch Granny wants to train her as a witch. The girl's power does not suit well to what a witch is able to do so her only real option for power is to become a wizard. So Granny decides to bring the girl to the Unseen Univesity to learn to become a wizard. 

Terry Pratchett's humor shines in this novel and he has so many different gems of writing throughout (like I have shown above). The Discworld is this fully mapped out world that I am enjoying getting immersed in whenever I pick up one of his books. This book takes some time to get into but trust me it is worth it. The world building and the intricate way that Terry weaves his story is wonderful to experience. I have never been so impressed by an author as I am of him. 

I completely recommend reading this series and if you get the chance, listen to the audiobooks of them also. They are great. I will be reading Mort sometime next week and I cannot wait.