2018 Reviews Week 9

2018 Reviews Week 9
February 26th-March 4th, 2018

Book 29: His Grandfather's Watch-

Read February 27th, 2018

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I was a big fan of the two storylines in this book and really enjoyed reading from both time periods. This was a sweet and heartbreaking tale that was a great read.

It was a quick read, I believe under one hundred pages, that took my heart and ripped it into pieces. A good story but I will say it is heavy and beautiful at the same time. I really did enjoy it though.  

Book 30: One Small Thing 
by Piper Vaughn and M.J. O'Shea 

Read March 1st, 2018

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This was a cute book about a man raising his daughter and falling in love along the way. I loved the unconventional family that was formed in this book for Rue, Erik, Alice, and Dusty, the whole time. A great little book with a love story that I fell in love with. I will say though that I wasn't sure from the first chapter but it really got good after a while. There are some minor problems throughout the book and some of what happens does not make sense. Overall though, this was a book that I enjoyed and had a good time reading. I probably will be picking up the second soon because I loved Dusty and it's about him.

Book 31: School of Velocity by Eric Beck Rubin

Read March 3rd, 2018

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A story of first love, misunderstandings, friendship, music, and an obsession with the past. This book in some parts reminded me of Gatsby, especially with Jan's want and obsession with his past. He, throughout the entire book, is reminiscing about his relationship with his childhood best friend Dirk. We learn slowly along with Jan what really happened so many years before. Jan was in denial in the past and he still is in the present.

Music is just as big a part of this plot as the past is in Jan's mind. If it wasn't Dirk, or his childhood taking over his mind, it was music. Jan is a musician who has a condition that causes him to have crippling auditory hallucinations, which are destroying him. Music has always been his life and slowly, he's realizing that might be over.

 The concentration and discussions on music were one of the aspects that I didn't enjoy as much as the rest. I was not able to relate to it and a lot of what was being discussed really did not make sense to me. That's really just because I don't know music that well. I love music but I don't play it and have never really understood the terms. It did not ruin the book for me if anything it made me want to know more. It just didn't interest me as much as the other discussions.

The entire plot we learn of Jan's life before, during, and after his encounters with the strong-willed, misbehaving, and charming Dirk. I was waiting for the inevitable meetup of Jan and Dirk and will say that it broke me a little. Jan is clinging so hard to those memories of the past that he is not able to understand that it can't possibly be the same as when he was a teen. I really loved the idea of what we think happened in our minds might not be what is actually reality. Or that there's just so more to it all than what we think. It really has me thinking "What If?"

This book gave me serious Gatsby and A Separate Peace vibes, which was something I thoroughly enjoyed throughout. Gatsby wanted this envisioned past with Daisy, what he believed he could have with her and never realized that it would not be possible. Jan, has some moments of this, though I don't think he ever really understands them. Jan and Dirk's time in school made me think of Gene and Finny from A Separate Peace. Dirk was a reckless daredevil young man and Jan is this quiet boy who falls in real well with Dirk. We see them become close and know that this friendship will have some disastrous consequences.

I both loved and hated what this book made me feel. That's not a bad thing. The ending broke my heart and devastated me. I have not been able to stop thinking about it. This book made me feel a lot of things that I haven't in a long time while reading or if ever. It was a beautiful story that I believe could one day be considered a classic. I'm glad that I took the time to read it and that I found it. I know that I will not forget it anytime soon.

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

Perspective: A Book To Movie Adaptation of Beauty and the Beast

Perspective: 
A Book To Movie Adaptation Review of 
the novel The Beauty and the Beast 
by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve
&
the movie Beauty and the Beast 2017
 directed by Bill Condon

 

“If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?" - Disney's Beauty and the Beast 2017

There will be spoilers in this whole review. If you have not seen the movie and/or read the book and want to, don't read this post.

The Plot

The basic plot is the same in both versions of the story. Beauty takes her father's place in the Beast's castle after he steals a rose from his garden. They spend time together and eventually they learn that appearances are not important. It is what is inside that counts. Beauty and the Beast (who is really a prince) fall in love and she breaks the curse set upon him. Other than that there are many differences to the plot. 

Before I begin this review, I do want to say a couple of things. All of the thoughts that I have mentioned below about both versions of this story (the book and the movie) are based on what I enjoy in a story. I'm sure that there are plenty of people that would enjoy the book more but I don't. I do find what has changed from the original novel to the story I grew up with in the original Disney movie, are interesting to look at. In this review, I will be mentioning the large similarities and differences. If I looked at all of the little ones I would be here all day. 

 Below, I am talking about the new Disney movie but there are not many differences between the two. I knew full well going into this that I hold a bias towards the movie because of my heavy nostalgia for it. I adore the 1991 Beauty and the Beast. Belle was one of my first role models. Going into the novel, I wanted to love it but that did not happen. I am thankful for it though because without the author's original story the Disney versions would not exist. 

The Stars of Beauty and the Beast 
(2017 Disney Version): 

Emma Watson as Belle: 

Dan Stevens as the Beast:

Kevin Kline as Maurice:

Luke Evans as Gaston: 

Josh Gad as LeFou:

Ewan McGregor as Lumière, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, 

and Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza:

Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts and Nathan Mack as Chip:

Similarities 

The Beauty/Belle as a character: 

  - In the most simple ways, Belle from the movie and the Beauty of the book are similar. They are both caring and would do anything to save their father, even risking their lives. 

  - They both really do not care about what others think about them. The Beauty of the book does not ask for much from her father whereas her sisters ask for too much. They believe that she is strange because she is being a decent person. Belle, in the movie, is considered strange because she is a bookworm. Also, because she is forward thinking. Both do not let what others say bother them and they stay strong through it all. 

  -Both are known to be beautiful. This much is obvious with just the names. The Beauty of the novel is actually only known as The Beauty. We never actually even get to know her name. Belle in the movie is also very beautiful but this also goes along with her personality. Both are beautiful inside and out. 

The Castle:

  - The similarity between the castle in both the book and the movie is that it is much more than it seems. Belle and the Beauty both explore their version of the castle and find more than they could have ever imagined. 

The Beast is a Prince:

  - The Prince gets turned into a Beast in both versions of the story though there are many differences to why he does. 

Differences 

The Antagonists: 

  - In the novel, the Beauty's sisters are antagonistic in the case that they are cruel to the Beauty because she is kind. Like I have said above, the Beauty of the book is known for her beauty but also because she cares about her family. She doesn't want to even ask for anything from her father. It's not until her cruel and rotten sisters start to make comments about it that her father basically pleads with her to ask for something.

  - Also in the novel, there is an evil fairy that turns the Prince into a Beast. I'll focus more on the transformation later on. She is really evil to be evil. 

  - In the movie, the antagonist is Gaston. He is interested in marrying Belle and will do anything in his power to get her for himself. Over the course of the movie, Gaston changes from being a charismatic man (who Belle can see is actually a pompous man) to a vile creature. In both Disney versions of the tale, he is a foil to the Beast. He is really what the prince was like at the beginning of the story. A handsome man who is conceited and cruel to those around him. He only grows worse over the course of the movie. 

  - I find Gaston as a much more interesting villain for the tale, especially because of him being the Beast's foil. What really makes Gaston a more intriguing antagonist is the fact that he is so conceited in himself. Gaston believes that he deserves Belle for himself because he is handsome and that no one else does. He helps show the message of the movie perfectly. Beauty is found within. Just because he is a gorgeous man it doesn't mean he is worth it. Belle knows this from the beginning and over the course of the movie we learn how right she really was.

Belle/ the Beauty as a Character:

  - One of the major differences between the stories is that Belle is a much more developed character than The Beauty. In the movie, we get to learn about Belle's aspirations. She's a reader, inventor, and a teacher (at least somewhat). She still has a heart of gold and cares for those around her. But she becomes a three-dimensional character in the movie, while her book counterpart is bland and forgettable. 

  - Belle stands up for herself and fights for her father, the Beast, and her friends. She is someone for little girls to look up to. The Beauty, on the other hand, is an archetypal woman for the Beast to fall in love with because she is beautiful. Yes, she has a kind heart but this is not really shown too much. It's told to the reader. I really enjoy the additions to Belle's character in the Disney movies.

Life in the Castle:

  - In the novel, a lot of the focus of the Beauty's time in the castle is how extraordinary it is. She sees and does so many interesting things that make her fall in love with the castle. I can see why she does. We never really get her spending much time with the Beast, which is supposed to be the heart of this story. They see each other each night and he always asks her the same thing, "Will you marry me?" She does spend time with the Prince in her dreams though she doesn't realize that these two people are the same person. A lot of this time is spent with her saying how handsome he is and it doesn't make for an interesting storyline. 

  - In the movie, we get to see their relationship develop in a means that makes sense for both of the characters. Belle and the Beast do not get along with each other at the beginning of their relationship. As the story continues on they both learn about each other. They become close because of a mutual affection for each other but also because they have similar interests. It makes for a more interesting romance for the audience to watch. We want to see them get together and for them to develop into something more. 

-Out of both, I really enjoy the movie's aspects of Belle's time in the castle because it is spent with her actually spending time with the Beast. They develop the relationship instead of just showing the wonders of the castle. The love story in the novel does not feel real at all. No time is really spent on it and this is a romance. 

The Transformation:

  - In the book, a fairy basically has raised the Prince for his mother because she has been fighting in battles. Eventually, the fairy wants to get married to the Prince. He does not want to marry her because she has basically raised him and is like a mother to him. Also, she is quite old. She takes this as the fact that he thinks she is ugly so she curses him. He is transformed into a Beast because of this and is meant to learn a lesson. But the Prince is never actually being conceited or nasty at all. 

  - Actually, when we meet the Beast at the beginning of the novel, he seems kind-hearted. The only reason he even gets angry at the merchant (the Beauty's father) is that he has stolen from him. Which I don't blame him for because he was so kind to merchant beforehand. After the Beauty comes to live with him, he's kind to her never getting angry. There is never really a moment that I believed he was a horrible creature. He might have looked hideous but he never acted like it. So what lesson does he really have to learn? Yes, he does not like his appearance but he never really complains about it. 

  - In the movie, it makes much more sense for the Prince to be cursed. He's conceited, pompous, and just unlikeable. Over the course of the movie, we get to see him grow as a character. He learns that his looks are not everything and he grows as a person. This makes for a much more intriguing narrative and character arc. We as an audience get to see the growth of his character. The novel does not have this growth. He never really needs to change because he never was a horrible person. The growth of the Beast's character is one of the most interesting pieces of the movie and without it, the novel felt empty. 

Belle/ The Beauty's Life Outside of the Castle:

  - Belle is much closer to her father in the movie and we actually get to see this relationship between the two. She has learned and become who she is because of Maurice. 

  - The relationship between the Beauty and her father in the novel is not focused on a lot. We do see though that she is his only daughter who seems to care for her father and not the money that he makes. It's obvious of why he cares for her so deeply. Also in the novel, the father is told by the Beast that he will be his prisoner or one of his daughters will take his place. He goes home and tells his children of what has happened. There is a difference here that I really did not like. He willing lets his daughter go to live with the Beast. He goes home with the complete knowledge that most likely the Beauty will take his place because she adores him. Could you see Maurice from the movie doing that? No, because he never would have. I'm glad they made the change in the Disney versions of this story. 

- In the novel, we also get a focus on the rest of the Beauty's family. She has five sisters and six brothers. The brothers are hardly ever mentioned and the sisters are just there to be awful. Also, they make the Beauty look so much better by comparison. Much of our introduction to the Beauty at the beginning of the book is by comparisons to her sisters. My favorite aspect of the novel was actually the beginning with the introduction to the family. I felt for these characters and their suffering and I thought that the merchant really wanted to better his children's lives. He might make some questionable decisions later on but at the beginning, I really cared for his struggles. 

  - In the movie, we see her in comparison to the rest of the town. We get to see Belle's personality shine through her interactions with the villagers. She wants to better her life and her father's. We also get to see her in her interactions with Gaston. Belle is never guided in her thoughts by the appearance of others. She cares about what they are like and over the course of the movie we get to see much more of this. 

The Ending: 

  - In the novel, the Beauty leaves the Beast to go home and see her father and family because she is missing them. She is meant to leave for two months. The Beast tells her that if she stays away from him any longer he will die of heartbreak. She makes a promise to come back. After the two months end, she comes back and finds the Beast dead. He died of a broken heart. She cries over his body and he comes back to life. He is eventually turned back into a Prince because he got someone to fall in love with him. This is not how the book ends. There is actually one hundred pages after his transformation. 

   What takes up the rest of the novel is the explanation of how the Prince became a Beast (which I have mentioned above). Beauty and he eventually do get married but it really becomes very slow at the end.

  -In the movie, the ending is much more climactic. The Beast lets Belle go home so she can save her father. When she gets there she realizes how much of a beast Gaston has become and she tries to stop him. Gaston learns about the Beast and guides the mob to attack the Beast. During the attack on the castle, Gaston shoots the Beast and kills him. The Beast dies defending himself and Belle (at least it looks like he is going to die) and as a hero in his story. Belle's love is what brings him back in this like in the novel, but it's because the enchantress witness's the change of the Beast. You feel much more for both characters at the end of this story and pull for them to get their happy ending.

  - I really think that the ending that Disney has made for this movie and originally in the 1991 version is just a better one. It is much more action packed but also feels much more heartfelt. You can feel the love that Belle and the Beast have for each other. It's devastating watching the Beast's face when he believes that Belle has betrayed him. It is also heartbreaking when he sees her after she screams for him at the end. Every emotion is so evident and it is one of the most beautiful endings I have seen in a movie in a long time. The novel's ending goes on for way too long and the payoff is not worth even reading it. It could have ended much earlier and it still would have felt the same. Lackluster and not thrilling at all. That's why I believe the movie ending is fantastic and the novel's ending is not even close to comparing to it.

Overall Thoughts

Beauty and the Beast has been one of my favorite stories since I was a kid. I love the 1991 Disney version of the movie and I love the 2017 live action version. This story is and will always be special to me. Going into reading the book, I was excited and had high expectations for it. I'm sad to say that I did not really enjoy reading it. I believe that it could have ended about a hundred pages earlier (there is an abridged version that does) because the whole ending sort of felt pointless. So yes, I love both of the Disney movies a lot more than the novel and I don't mind saying that. This is a case that I believe the movie is better than the book. It has the same story but has been changed enough that it makes it so much more of an interesting and heartfelt story.

The movie that started my love for this story.
It is one of a kind and holds a special place in my heart.

2018 Reviews Week 8

2018 Reviews Week 8

February 19th- 25th, 2018

Book 24: Runebinder (The Runebinder Chronicles # 1)  
by Alex R. Kahler
Read by Zach Villa

Listened to February 18th- 19th, 2018
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Part Avatar: the Last Airbender; Part fantasy world with mages, witches, wizards, and demons; and Part dystopian, apocalyptic world 

Elemental magic is used in a world that is now falling because of a greed for power. Once- human monsters called Howls are prowling the streets, hungry and guided by the necromancers and the all-powerful Kin. Hunters try to fight back and save the world using the magic that started the fight. But they are losing.

We follow the story of Tenn, one of the hunters who is trying to fight for the ones he loves and cares about. Memories of Tenn's past and many others, flood the narration as Tenn finds out he is being singled out. He is becoming a pawn in a bigger game than he ever realized. His magic is also becoming hazardous to himself and the ones he loves as he begins to not be able to control it.

This world that Alex has created in this story was intriguing and entertaining to listen to with this audiobook. I could not get enough of the magic especially the elemental aspects of it. I really enjoyed learning how the element that each person was inclined to went along with their temperament and way of thinking. I loved the control that they had over their magic but also seeing how it could take over them. Especially with Tenn.

Tenn, who is more inclined to the element of water, is much more emotional and affected by his past then others around him seem to be. He also is able to see what has happened to others around him after they die. His romance was also one of my favorite aspects of this story. I am glad that it is not the only thing that drives him on though. There was a great mixture of both.

Alex has created a voice for each character, specifically, the main character that will build this part dystopian, part fantasy world into a tale unlike any other. I am going to say right now, that this is probably my favorite dystopian world that I have ever read about. The mixture between the dystopian aspects of our world mixed with magic was one of the best parts. The magic comes alive in this masterful performance and tale. I cannot recommend it enough.

*I was given a copy of this audiobook for free for an honest review* 

Book 25: Once Upon a Time Machine #1 

Edited by Andrew Carl

Read February 20th, 2018

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After reading Once Upon a Time Machine #2, I was really looking forward to going back and reading the first volume of these reimagined stories. I will say that I enjoyed some of these fairy tale twists but most of them were not as good as the ones in the second volume. There were twenty-five retold tales in this volume. Out of those, I would say that I enjoyed five. The rest were okay but not as good as I was hoping. I would pick this up if you are interested but you should really pick up the second volume when that comes out. It's so much better. 

Book 26: Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

Read February 22nd -23rd, 2018

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“The three rules of the Librarians of Time and Space are: 1) Silence; 2) Books must be returned no later than the last date shown; and 3) Do not interfere with the nature of causality.”
― Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Synopsis 
This is the eighth novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and the first book in the City Watch subseries. 

Carrot has been raised by the dwarfs since he was a baby. His father, the king of the dwarfs decides to finally tell him that he was not actually a dwarf but a human that they had found. He sends Carrot to the city of Ankh-Morprk, to be part of the City Watch. Hilarity ensues. 

The City Watch is run by Captain Sam Vimes, a drunkard man who does not seem to want his job too much. Carrot starts to cause problems when he begins to arrest people around Ankh-Morprk who are committing crimes. Captain Vimes is informed that one of his workers has arrested the head of the Thieves Guild for stealing stuff. Carrot does not realize how things work in Ankh- Morpk. You can't go arresting people for committing crimes. 

When wizards summon a dragon into existence, it is made the first king of Ankh- Morpk in a long time. He is a noble dragon. Also, he has a nasty habit of burning everything around him when he gets angry. The City Watch and many brave citizens risk everything to try and dethrone the beast. 

“A book has been taken. A book has been taken? You summoned the Watch," Carrot drew himself up proudly, "because someone's taken a book? You think that's worse than murder?"
The Librarian gave him the kind of look other people would reserve for people who said things like "What's so bad about genocide?”
― Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Overall Thoughts
This series just keeps getting better and better as it goes on. Terry Pratchett wrote some of the best characters and scenes in literature, let alone fantasy. The citizens of Ankh-Morpk are insane in the best way possible. This book really has a lot of the humor of the series come out through the interactions of the characters. I loved the new characters in this book, especially the City Watch and also the return of old favorites such as Death and the Librarian. 

In blue, I have put some of my favorite quotes from the book. There are too many to put into this post but these are some of the best. Below, I have the dedication from the beginning of the book. 

As a fan of the series, I just keep getting more impressed by everything in this series. If you would like to see my other reviews click on Terry Pratchett's Discworld link above or here. 

I recommend this series to everyone. It's one of a kind and is becoming my favorite series of all time. 

“They may be called the Palace Guard, the City Guard, or the Patrol. Whatever the name, their purpose in any work of heroic fantasy is identical: it is, round about Chapter Three (or ten minutes into the film) to rush into the room, attack the hero one at a time, and be slaughtered. No one ever asks them if they want to.

This book is dedicated to those fine men.”

― Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Book 27: Don't Look At Me 
by J. P. Grider

Read February 24th, 2018
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This is one of the best contemporary retellings of a fairy tale that I have read, ever. It is a modern-day Beauty and the Beast tale that is twisted and reversed. The story follows our two protagonists. The first being Haven, a young woman who is working as a broadcast journalist until she is attacked one night. The man that attacks her cuts up her face, leaving it heavily scared with gashes and a large hole. Her confidence is destroyed that night and she believes that her life will never go back to normal. Fearing that the world outside will judge her for being "ugly", she hides away in her house.

The second being Quest, a young man who was discharged from the army for trying to fix a wrong. He is now plagued by nightmares of what he has done. His whole perspective of himself has been warped and he feels that he is no longer good enough. Both Haven and Quest meet under circumstances that neither expect and grow a friendship with each other.

I loved the time that was spent building Quest and Haven's relationship. Each perspective felt distinct and each of their voices was genuine. This story had me feeling for both of the characters and each had my heart the entire time. I'm glad that this was as great as I thought that it sounded. Also, it takes place in a bookstore for a good portion, which is almost always a plus. 

This was a great example of a story taking elements from a fairy tale but using them in the best ways. 
I cannot recommend this enough. 

*I was given a copy of this book for free from the author, for an honest review* 

Book 28: Taxes and Tardis by N. R. Walker
Read February 25th, 2018
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A cute love story that I have come to expect from N. R. Walker. I loved the story as a whole especially the whole "geek" loving the athletic man. Not a perfect story but it sure made me smile a lot. 

The ending was perfection.

Rapid fire Book Tag

📚 Rapid Fire Book Tag 📚

Tag Tuesday- February 13th, 2018

This tag was created by GirlReading on Booktube. Here is a link to her video if you would like to watch it- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-46EzDWdSY&feature=youtu.be

~ E-Book or Physical Book?
    - Physical

~ Paperback or Hardback?
   - Hardback

~ Online or In-Store Book Shopping?
   - In-store, though I buy a good amount online.

~ Trilogies or Series?
   - Series

~ Heroes or Villains?
   - Depends, if the character is developed I would like either.

~ A book you want everyone to read?
   - Here are a few: the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett (because it is one of the best fantasy series ever), the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan (also, I'm going to assume any Rick Riordan book but I haven't read any more yet.), The Odyssey by Homer (because I feel that it is the best classic ever, but that is just my opinion.), and basically any other book that I have ever recommended on here before.

        

~ Recommend an underrated book?
   - Insanity by Cameron Jace- This and its series were self-published and I just wish that more people knew about it.

~ The last book you finished?
    -Runebinder by Alex R. Kahler- It was really great and I will be doing a review of it at the end of the week.

~ The Last Book You Bought?
    - I just bought a bunch of books at a book sale. I'll just name the one I'm most excited about, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson. It's the first of a four book series. It looks great.

~ Weirdest Thing You've Used as a Bookmark?
    - A pencil, I really don't use weird things for bookmarks. I always make sure I have one with me.

~ Used Books: Yes or No?
   - Yes, I get a lot of books at book sales that actually look brand new.

~ Top Three Favourite Genres?
    - Retellings, Fantasy, Mystery/Adventure stories

~ Borrow or Buy?
   - Buy

~ Characters or Plot?
    - Depends on the book.

~ Long or Short Books?
   - Long

~ Long or Short Chapters?
   - Depends on the book, I really have like both.

~ Name The First Three Books You Think Of...
   - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

   - The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien- I really need to read these soon.

I love this cover!

   - The Odyssey by Homer

~ Books That Makes You Laugh or Cry?
   - Both, probably the books that make me laugh. I do really love a tear-jerker.

~ Our World or Fictional Worlds?
   - Fictional

~ Audiobooks: Yes or No?
   - Yes

~ Do You Ever Judge a Book by its Cover?
   - Yes, sometimes. I will not buy a book just on its cover though. If it doesn't sound interesting I'm not going to pick it up. Also, if a book doesn't have a nice cover that does not mean I'm not going to pick it up. Some of my favorites have not always had beautiful covers.

~ Book to Movie or Book to TV Adaptations?
   - Book to Movie

~ A Movie or TV-Show You Preferred to its Book?
   - The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky, I adore this book but I felt like the movie was just better.

~ Series or Standalones?
   - Series

2018 Reviews Week 7

💖 2018 Reviews Week 7 💖

February 12th- 18th

Book 21: Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by 

Becky Albertalli 
Read February 13th
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This is the third time that I have read this novel and I cannot get enough of it. Becky does an amazing job creating an authentic voice and character for Simon. Simon is funny, sweet, and loveable. It's a joy getting to experience his story and getting to experience his love story with Blue. I really love how the narrative goes back and forth between the emails between Simon and Blue and then to the prose. This was a great way to enjoy the story. It's a sweet one that everyone should read. I can't wait for the movie.

This is one of my all-time favorites and also my favorite young-adult contemporary.

Book 22: Once upon a Time Machine

Edited by Andrew Carl and Chris Stevens
Read February 15th
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New retellings and twistings of the classic Greek myths such as the twelve trials of Hercules, the kidnapping of Persephone, the Minotaur, and so many more. Each is set in the future, some the distant future and some more contemporary.

This was everything for my Greek Mythology loving heart. I loved how much these short comics felt like the original myths but also the changes to them. This was a great fresh take on each of the tales used and is one of a kind. Also, the different styles made each tale stand out on their own. I recommend this to anyone who loves great comics and/or Greek Mythology.

My favorites were "Icarus", "Away Mission (Actaeon)", "Pygmalion", and "Zeus at Large"

This will be released in April.

*I received this graphic novel for free for an honest review*

Book 23: Glass Town by Steven Savile 
Read by Steve West
Listened to February 15th-17th
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~ Introduction ~
I don't really ever read thrillers because they are not my thing. I do like mysteries but there's just something I really can't get into with thrillers. This book is classified as a thriller. The synopsis of this book was what interested me in it, to begin with. I wanted to know what was going to happen. I thought that the magic system would be interesting. Sadly, once I got into this book I realized that it was not what I wanted.

I will say that the beginning was interesting. The letter from Josh's great-grandfather to his grandfather was a really great way to start. I wanted to know more about his "love" for Eleanor. As the novel went on we never got any more of his perspective. It would have been great to get more of it. This book has a great idea behind it. I just do not believe that it was executed in a good way at all. I'll discuss those reasons below.

~ Pacing ~

This is meant to be a thriller but was slow in the scenes that should have been thrilling. There are only a couple of scenes that even felt "thrilling." The actions scenes needed to be quickened a bit.

~ Characters ~
Most of the characters were two dimensional and were not that interesting. The only character that was developed was Josh, but he even wasn't developed enough. He was just as bland a character as all of the others. His motivations are unclear and quite frankly didn't seem real. It only seemed like he was even trying to figure out the mystery because of the plot. He was even asked by multiple characters about why he was even doing everything and he never really had an answer.

The villain in this story was evil just to be evil. We never got any of his motivations to act in the way he did. For instance, why is he obsessed with Eleanor? I don't know probably because she's pretty. Not that he even says it himself.

Don't even get me started on Eleanor. She's basically an object for the men of the Lockwood family to obsess about like a brand new shiny toy.

~ Scenes ~

There are some pretty messed up scenes in this book that make it a very adult read. Two of them are sexual scenes that are gory and quite horrifying to listen to. This is one of the only ways horror is actually brought into the novel and it's pretty awful to listen to. I was not expecting for these graphic scenes when I went into this book and it was not a style that I enjoyed in the slightest. I know I would have never listened to this book if I went in knowing about these scenes. They were just disgusting. Also, the language is vulgar. This is definitely not for children.

~ Magic System ~

This was one of the aspects of the book that I had been looking forward to. I really wanted to know what was going on with the Glass Town. The idea of having it work with the old silent movies was a fantastic idea but it was not really explained too well. Also, the use of the missing Alfred Hitchcock movie Thirteen was really cool. We just ever got enough of it at all.

It really is interesting to set part of the novel in 1920s England and the others in 1990s. I wanted to see more of the 1920s because it would have helped flesh out the plot a lot more. This has one of the most interesting premises that I have heard in quite some time for a thriller but it just didn't work.

~ Narration ~

The best part of this audiobook was the narration. Steve West's narration creates a chilling atmosphere that matches the Glass Town and its inhabitants perfectly. He helps create the eerie setting of this novel. I'm glad that I listened to it instead of just reading it because it's the only reason I didn't outright hate it. I'm only giving it two stars because of the narration.

I don't recommend this book.

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

Valentine's Day Book Tag

💕 Valentine's Day Book Tag 💖

Wednesday, February 14th, 2018

I don't know who actually created this tag. I saw it on Bookables Booktube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e4_2Meka5w

1.)  Favorite basic romance plot (tropes, things you like)
      💖 Hate- Love Romances

      💖 Friends- Lovers Romance

2.)  Favorite classic romance
      💕 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

 

3.)  Favorite feel-good romance
      💖 Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

      💖 Finders Keepers by N. R. Walker

      💖 Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

      💖Stardust by Neil Gaiman

4.)  Favorite sad romance
      💕 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

      💕 The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

5.)  Favorite genre to add romance to
      💖 Fantasy

6.)  Least favorite romance of all time
      💕 Four and Tris, probably. They are from the Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth. I'm not really a fan of this series.

7.) Favorite literary couple of all time:
     💖 This one is hard for me because I have so many favorites.
            Probably, Cath and Levi because they are just so cute. I also adore Levi. They're from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.

8.) If you could have one literary significant other who would it be?
     💕 An older Percy Jackson. He is just so darn funny or maybe Levi from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.

9.) Do you have a special someone this Valentine's Day?
     💖 Nope

10.) Favorite Valentine's Day candy
      💕 Reese's

11.) Will you wear red, pink, or white for Valentine's Day?
      💖 I'm wearing pink

12.) Favorite romance movies
      💕 You've Got Mail

      💕 Love, Rosie

      💕 Dirty Dancing

      💕 Ten Things I Hate About You

      💕 Moulin Rouge

13.) Favorite love songs:

Here's ten of mine (the list probably could go on forever):

      💖 "Everlasting Love"- the Carl Carlton, U2, and Michael Ball versions

      💖 "Burning Love" - Elvis Presley- so good

      💖 "Can't Help Falling In Love" - Elvis Presley

      💖 "You're Still The One" - Shania Twain

      💖 "Give Me One Reason" - Tracy Chapman

      💖 "Somebody Loves You"- Betty Who

      💖 "Come What May" - from Moulin Rouge

      💖 "I Try" - Macy Gray

     💖 "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" - Celine Dion

      💖 "Can't Stop Loving You"- Phil Collins

14.) Favorite thing about Valentine's Day
      💕 Watching great movies, eating some great candy, the hearts.

15.) Least favorite thing about Valentine's Day
     💖 The way people always look down on it.

16.) What are you doing this Valentine's Day
     💕Writing and I'm probably going to watch a movie.