Showing posts with label this one summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label this one summer. Show all posts

Friday, May 1, 2015

April Reading Wrap Up

This month I read 4 novels and 4 graphic novels!


The first book I read this month was Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I really ejoyed this book! It was gripping and fun to read through. I really liked the characters and the plot. I enjoyed how the love triangle wasn't the main focus of the novel. The main reason it's not a 4 or 5 stars is because of the amount of similarities to other dystopian novels. It's basically what The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Selection, and Shadow & Bone would be if they were smushed into one book. The worldbuilding could have been better as well. 3.5/4 Full review here.



The next book I read was The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson. I mean I didn't hate it. There's a lot of hype, underserved hype, surrounding this book. the premise of the story is interesting but nothing special. The first 230 pages were pretty good but then it went downhill. The world building was really weak and romance was so superficial. The characters were more character tropes than actual characters and were very one-dimensional. Life is too short for mediocre books so I wouldn't recommend reading this. 2.75/5 Full review here.


Next I read the graphic novel, Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez. The story was somewhat interesting but I wasn't a huge fan of the art style so I'm not sure if I'll continue the series. 3/5




This was such a short and sweet coming of age graphic novel! 4/5 Review here.


As a big fan of the Infernal Devices and the Shadowhunter Chronicles in general, I was so excited to read the manga version of Clockwork Angel! It definitely didn't disappoint. It stayed very true to the book and was a great adaptation. 4/5



I loved Rebel Belle so I had high hopes for Miss Mayhem. Unfortunately I was somewhat disappointed. I felt the book was really out of place and not a great sequel, however, I did really enjoy reading it! 4/5 Full review here.


This was a really interesting graphic memoir! I though the story was great as well as the art. 4/5



This was a mostly interesting book but I thought it could've been better. 3.5/5 Review here.


Well thoseare the books I read this month! Let me know what you read:)

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

This One Summer | Book Review

Title: This One Summer
Author: Jillian Tamaki & Mariko Tamaki
Series: Standalone
Publisher: First Second
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel
Pages: 320 (Paperback)
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.62/5
My Rating: 4/5
From Goodreads: Rose and her parents have been going to Awago Beach since she was a little girl. It's her summer getaway, her refuge. Her friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had, completing her summer family. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and Rose and Windy have gotten tangled up in a tragedy-in-the-making in the small town of Awago Beach. It's a summer of secrets and heartache, and it's a good things Rose and Windy have each other. 

A lot of people didn't really like this novel so I was pleasantly surprised.

The art was gorgeous. It was very detailed and pretty and really drew the reader in. Many people felt that there wasn't much plot but that's what I liked about the book. It's more character and emotion-driven rather than plot-driven. The subtlety of the book created a lot of feeling. There were a lot of panels that only had drawings and no text which allowed the reader to feel what the character was feeling rather than being told what she felt. It's a very quiet book and the action is observed instead of told.

This was a very sweet and quick coming-of-age story and I definitely recommend it.