Saturday 30 July 2016

July Wrap-Up

If I were to summon up my reading habits this month the only way I would be able to describe it were: Weird.
Hey guys, how are you? Long-time no see. I am sorry, but my computer had to be repaired and it took longer than I thought it would. But at least I read a lot! Especially during my vacation, but after that things got strange. I fell into a reading slump, but only kind of. I wanted to read, but no book grabbed my attention so I started I think five different ones until I finally committed and finished a book. But since then the only thing I have read this month are graphic novels/comics. Nothing wrong with that, but it I would rather read novels. Anyway, moving on to what I actually read:


City of Lost Souls, by Cassandra Clare          4/5 Stars
Once again a great book by Cassandra Clare, really liked the plot (Review to come)
Got this one as an ARC, this one just kinda fell flat. Pretty forgettable
The Well of Ascension, by Brandon Sanderson       4.5/5 Stars
While not as good as the first book, this was a really great high fantasy book (Review to come)
Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella     5/5 Stars
ReadbyZoe on YouTube read these books a while ago so I wanted to pick them up as well. LOVED it. Really fun and fast read with loveable characters
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, by Sophie Kinsella    4/5 Stars
This one repeated lots of things from the first book, so while still enjoyable, it just wasn´t as refreshing and fun
Shopaholic Ties the Knot, by Sophie Kinsella          4.5/5 Stars
The plot goes into a different direction and shopping takes the backseat, once again really great (I think I might review the series as a whole, or maybe in pairs, not sure yet)
My Life Next Door, by Huntley Fitzpatrick            2.5/5 Stars
This was the book that helped me start reading again, but it wasn´t pretty good to be honest. The characters were really cliché and the plot felt unnecessarily stretched out. (Review to come)


Graphic Novels:
Attack on Titan Vol 1, by Hajime Isayama    4/5 Stars
I started watching the anime again, so I knew what was going to happen; While really great, the art style was confusing at times
Attack on Titan Vol 2, by Hajime Isayama    4/5 Stars
I really appreciated the scene that was left out of the anime, it gave me a better understanding of Mikasa; I think I still prefer the anime though because the manga isn´t as suspenseful and emotionally gripping
East of West Vol 3: There Is No Us, by Jonathan Hickman         3.5/5 Stars
I took too much time off this series, so I was quite confused by what was going on, but I got back into it by one point; Finally, the threads are intertwining!
East of West Vol 4: Who Wants War? by Jonathan Hickman      4.5/5 Stars
Loved the information (maps, history etc.) at the beginning. Some of the story arcs are becoming understandable, but there is still lots of mystery around what´s really going on; Can´t wait for Volume 5!
Fables Vol 1: Legends in Exile, by Bill Willingham          5/5 Stars
Great first instalment, I can definitely see myself becoming obsessed with this series
Fables Volume 2: Animal Farm, by Bill Willingham         5/5 Stars
This volume was even better!
Seconds, by Bryan Lee O`Malley        4/5 Stars
A really quirky and cute graphic novel. The art style portrays the characters similar to chibis, which is sweet. The dynamic between Katie and the narrator is unlike anything I have read before. Recommend especially for people who want to get into graphic novels!!!
Sweet Tooth Vol 1: Out of the Deep Woods, by Jeff Lemire        3/5 Stars
Didn´t really like the artstyle, but it does fit the story well
Sweet Tooth Vol 2: In Captivity, by Jeff Lemire      3.5/5 Stars
I liked this one better; Also we got some backstory, which is always nice
Sweet Tooth Vol 3: Animal Armies, by Jeff Lemire          3/5 Stars
Didn´t like it as much as the second volume
Chew Vol 1: Taster´s Choice, by John Layman       3/5 Stars
This was a difficult one, I appreciate the plot and the characters, but I wasn´t a fan of the art and it is just a bit too gross for my taste (pun intented), I´ll probably read Vol 2 and then decide if I really want to continue on, I would still recommend it though, because it is by no means a “bad” comic
Y: The Last Man Vol 2: Cycles, by Brian K. Vaughan      4/5 Stars
Even though I didn´t like it as much as the first Volume, I still really liked it! It wasn´t as humorous and I can´t comprehend Hero´s actions. Also: Not cool Yorrick! What about Beth?
Y: The Last Man Vol 3: One Small Step, by Brian K. Vaughan   4/5 Stars
I think this is my least favourite volume in this series yet, it was great until that part with the theatre. That turned me off a bit, but apart from that: Great Volume, great series!
Y: The Last Man Vol 4: Safeword, by Brian K. Vaughan  4.5/5 Stars
The beginning was strange, but after they leave 711 this volume did everything right again.


As you can see, I was pretty busy this month. Do you want me to review any book/comic in particular? Let me know down below and we can discuss it together!

Read on xx
Lena

Friday 22 July 2016

The Neverland Wars, by Audrey Greathouse

*Disclaimer* I was provided with an eARC in exchange for an honest review by Sara from YA Bound Book Tours.

Title: The Neverland Wars
Author: Audrey Greathouse
Pages: 302
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That's what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.

However, Gwen doesn't know this. She's just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn't know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she'll discover she's in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.

She'll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won't be the only one. Peter Pan's constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she's going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she's going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.

I love Peter Pan. I really do. And I love retellings even more, so it is really sad that this is a book that is best described as forgettable and just ok. Nothing too special and not worth recommending or even remembering. While it is a fast paced read with fun aspects like e.g the mermaids (really enjoyed those) and it does have a nice modern twist on the Peter Pan store I just had lots of problems with it, the biggest one being the characters, especially Gwen. Apart from being a naive girl, the only thing Gwen is the perfect shining star (pun intended) and she is oh so special. Yes, she "sees behind the glamour" of growing up, contrary to all the teenage robots around her, but apart from that she has about zero personality. She justifies lots of her behavior with how her parents treat her, which by the way is NOT how parents treat their kids these days. It is only used as another device to get the authors message across, but while yes, I got what she wanted to achieve, but there is hardly any way around that if the reader is hit over the head with what they should be feeling. Another example for that are the lost boys. They are depicted as these really, once again, naive children, who are so centered around the idea of adventures that they completely shuffle off their families to be in Neverland. I can´t comprehend these actions, but at least they had more character than Gwen did. Also I smell a love triangle coming, which I am not a fan of.

This book just tries to be/do something it does´t have the skill to do. It tries questioning the meaning of growing up and how age and puberty affect us, but really all it does is making me roll my eyes on a seemingly desperate added depth to an already forgettable YA book. I would say if you look for a fast paced read and are willing to over lacking characters, this book might be for you, but it just wash´t for me.

Do you guys know of any other Peter Pan retellings you would recommend? If so I would be really interested in reading them!

Read on xx

Lena

Wednesday 6 July 2016

June Wrap Up


Let´s call this month “Lena is only reading Cassandra Clare” month, shall we?  Because her books are seemingly all that I have read in the last thirty days. (Except for one book I didn´t like, but who cares)

ClockworkAngel, by Cassandra Clare    3.5/5 Stars 
A “fine” first instalment in TID series

City ofFallen Angels, by Cassandra Clare             4/5 Stars
Liked it; not my favourite in the series so far, but good
Really didn´t like it; ended up DNFing it
Loved it, had some problems with it, but I am looking forward to the finale; review coming soon!

Do you guys like it, if I only say a bit about the books in Wrap-Ups or do you want me to do something else? Let me know in the comments down below!
Read on xx

Lena

Friday 1 July 2016

July Releases

My top picks that are released in July 

Saga Volume 6, by Brian K. Vaughn & Fiona Staples

If you have been reading my blog you will by now know that Saga is one of my all-time favourite series. Even though I am not completely caught up (cuz let´s face it graphic novels are EXPENSIVE) I am really happy that there is another volume out for me to put on my Christmas wish list.
If you haven´t read Saga yet, first off: Do it! It´s phenomenal! (Except if you are younger because there is LOTS of violence and sexy stuff) But it basically follows this young couple, from different planets as they raise their child, while on the run from their governments. It´s funny, the story is great, the art is phenomenal and you should read it.
Published July 5th



Learning to Swear in America, by Katie Kennedy

As the earth is about to be destroyed by an asteroid, NASA calls onto 17 year old mastermind Yuri to save the day. But Yuri has a hard time getting the older physicists to listen to him. But then he meets Dovie, who shows him what it means to save the world and save a life worth living.
This synopsis sounds so ridiculous that it will be great. I am curious to see in which route they take Yuri´s social capacity though, because I most often see characters who are “teenage geniuses” portrayed in the likes of Sheldon Cooper. What I hope this story will do is provide a greater perspective on the ability of teenagers to induct change/save the world, so we will see. "Learning to Swear in America" is also a debut and I love supporting debut authors so go Katie!
Published July 5th



An Author´s Odyssey, by Chris Colfer

“The Land of Stories” is hands down one of my favourite Middle Grade series, like ever. It got me started into reading retellings and branch out more into MG in general and just bae. Also Chris Colfer, whom you may know from the TV show “Glee” is the author so there is that. I haven´t read the fourth book yet, but I got it recently, so this is definitely very high up on my TBR. As this is the fifth book in a series there are of course spoilers, but the description on GR literally only says fifth book in the Land of Stories series, so that shouldn´t be a problem. The first book follows two siblings, who fall into their grandmother´s  old story book, where they meet lots of known characters like Little Red Riding Hood (Go Red!) as they try to find a way back into the real world.
Published July 12th



Arabella of Mars, by David D. Levine

After really enjoying the Steampunk element in “Clockwork Angel” (read my review here) I am excited to read another book set in the same era. “Arabella of Mars” follows. Britain has a new colony on Mars, where our main character Arabella (Well duh), who is everything but a proper young lady, lives. To discipline her, her mother sends her to earth, London to be exact. But after some dramatic change in her family´s circumstance, she needs to go back to Mars. To achieve this she must disguise herself as a boy on a ship serving the Mars Trading Company. It sounds fun, action packed and like a great SciFi Steampunk novel.
Published July 12th



On the Other Side, by Carrie Hope Fletcher

I would really like to give you guys a summary of what this book is about, but its description confuses me. The only thing I can gather from it is that this book follows Evie Snow after she dies and because of some secret in the past, which she now has to unravel, she can´t go into heaven.  I like Carrie Hope Fletcher´s YouTube channel so I am really excited for this book to come out next month.
Published July 14th



The Woman in Cabin 10, by Ruth Ware

The most likely time for me to pick up a thriller is on holiday (on which I will go soon eeek!) so if you are the same “The Woman in Cabin 10”, may be a good choice, especially since the story is set on a cruise, which gives me major holiday vibes. The travel journalist Lo Blacklock has been given the chance of a lifetime. She gets to travel on a luxury cruise for seven days in the North Sea. But then a passenger gets thrown overboard.
Published July 19th



A World Without You, by Beth Ravis

We follow this boy, named Bo, who thinks he can travel through time. So his parents send him to a school for troubled youths, where he meets this girl Sophie and they fall in love. But even despite their love Sophie commits suicide due to her depression. Now Bo thinks Sophie is not really dead and he is convinced he is able to go back in time to save her.
Beth Ravis is known for her popular “Across the Universe” trilogy, which I haven´t read, but this book sounds really interesting. I imagine it to take a different approach on mental illness with magical realism sprinkled into it, which I am really intrigued by.
Published July 19th



P.S. I Like You, by Kasie West

During Chemistry Lily scribbles down a line from her favourite song. No surprise she is surprised to find a message next to it the next day, Soon enough Lily and her mystery student are exchanging messages, lyrics and even sharing secrets.
I almost missed this book! Thank goodness I didn´t because it sounds so cute and sweet. If you have read all the summery contemporaries you own yet, this sounds like P.S I Like You would be a great one to pick up next.
Published July 26th

GR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25486998-p-s-i-like-you

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/P-S-Like-You-Kasie-West/dp/0545850975

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, by J.K Rowling

This is the “continuation” of the Harry Potter series, which let´s be honest everyone and their mother have read by now. Don´t get me wrong it IS my favourite series of all time and I am reals excited for this book, but I don´t know if I am willing to spend actually quite a lot of money on a manuscript.
Published July 31st




So what releases are you most excited about? Hopefully I didn´t miss any! Let me know in the comments down below!
Read on xx
Lena