Shortly before my birthday, I was going through my email when I saw a birthday coupon come through from Midtown Comics. Midtown Comics is a gigantic comic book store located in Times Square in NYC. During my first trip to NYC, we stopped by the store. I didn’t purchase anything because I didn’t want to carry it around with me. I used my birthday coupon, and now I have even more comics added to my pile to read.

The Joker 80th Anniversary

Where’s Harley Quinn? She’s busy because she dumped the Joker and is doing her own thing. This edition introduces the Joker’s new girlfriend, Punchline. Punchline has got to be one of the worst names. It’s too on the nose for me. I like Punchline’s aesthetic, though. That’s about all I know of this 80th Anniversary collection, but as a DC fan, I figured this would be a necessary addition to my collection.

Finger Guns Issue #1 by Richards, Halvorson, Nalty, and Esposito

Finger Guns tells the story of two teenagers who can manipulate emotions through the use of displaying finger guns. This is all I know about the story. I’m interested to see what this series is all about.

Doctor Aphra Issue #2 by Wong, Cresta, and Rosenberg

I bought Doctor Aphra issue #1, and I was enthralled by the story, the setting, and Aphra herself. First issues can be a hit or a miss, as they mostly set up the story for future issues. Since issue #1 was a huge hit for me, I knew I needed issue #2.

This series follows Doctor Aphra, a former archaeologist for Darth Vader, as she searches for the Rings of Vaale.

I have been stocking up on comics to keep me busy while staying at home. Let me know what comics you have been reading in the comment section below.

For my 26th birthday, my fiancé bought me a Cream and Amber gift card. If you’re new to my blog, Cream and Amber is a local bookstore in the Twin Cities area. It’s where I buy most of my books. I wanted to share my latest book haul with you all. I stacked my books in the order I want to read them in. My Goodreads goal is to read fifty books, and these books should help me reach my reading goal.

BlacKkKlansman by Ron Stallworth

I already started reading this book because I couldn’t wait. Last week, I wrote a blog post about the movie version of this book. Ron Stallworth was the first Black cop in the Colorado Springs Police Department. During his tenure, he infiltrates the KKK. I’m only thirty pages in, and I’m enjoying his rendition of telling this story and his experience being a cop.

Final Girls by Riley Sager

This book has a slasher-horror film theme. Since it’s close to October, this book will set the tone for the upcoming season. Final Girls stars Quincy Carpenter, who ten years ago went on vacation with her friends. Her friends are attacked, and Quincy is the only survivor. She’s a part of a survivor group, titled in the press as “The Final Girls”. One of the final girls from the group is murdered, which prompts Quincy to reflect on what truly happened ten years ago.

Final Girls appealed to me because of my love of slasher films.

The Ex by Alafair Burke

I’m a sucker for psychological mysteries as it’s my favorite genre to read. Defense attorney Olivia Randall is contacted by her ex-fiancé to defend him in a triple homicide. According to the book’s bio, Olivia ruined her ex-fiancé’s life. I’m not sure what that means. Is her ex-fiancé innocent, or did she dodge a bullet in choosing to not marry him?

The Echo Killing (Harper McClain #1) by Christi Daugherty

Another mystery book in this book haul. Harper McClain is a skilled crime reporter. She’s called to a homicide that bears similarities to her mom’s murder. Harper is wondering if there’s a connection, and if so, can she finally find out who killed her mother?

This book was released in 2018, and since then, there have been two more books added to this series.

The Athena Protocol (The Athena Protocol #1) by Shamim Sarif

Jessie Archer is a member of the Athena Protocol, an elite organization of female spies. Jessie kills someone on the job, which is against the rules of the organization. Jessie gets involved in a human trafficking case despite being fired. As she goes rogue, her former friends have to hunt her down before she reveals what she finds.

I have another book I purchased, but it got back-ordered. It’s such a great feeling to have new books to read. Quarantine is the perfect time to read through my books.

Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee is one of the most disappointing books I read in 2020. I thought this would be a five-star read; however, this book took a nose-dive halfway through. I rated this three stars on Goodreads. I’m curious to see what other readers felt about this book.

Josie and Delia host a TV show titled Midnite Matinee on TV Access. They have been filming the show for a while, but as their high school graduation comes closer, reality sinks in. Josie has dreams of starring on TV, while Delia wants to keep the horror show alive. Delia’s love of horror reminds her of her father, who abandoned her when she was young. Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee is a reminder of being young, dealing with heartbreak, and finding ways to heal after trauma.

The first half of the book was enjoyable to read. Delia is hands down my favorite character. She reminds me of how I was at that age. Delia’s love for horror is endearing, and I can tell how passionate she is about the show and the movies picked each week. Josie had to grow on me. She comes across as this spoiled, stuck-up girl, especially with how she treats Lawson. Josie grows as a person, but her story arc is predictable. I would have liked to see Josie do what she wants to do, versus following a path that’s put in front of her.

The book takes a left turn when Josie and Delia attend a horror convention in Orlando. This particular scene was uncomfortable to read. Josie and Lawson end up in a dangerous situation after they leave the convention. The situation itself seems to be over the top. After reading this scene, I was contemplating whether I wanted to finish the book. I linked my Goodreads review where I discussed this scene in more detail.

I’m glad I finished the book. Delia found her light at the end of the tunnel while Josie went off to college. I wish I had rented this from the library, so I didn’t have to pay for it. There were good qualities about the book, but I was majorly let down. This is a solid three-star read on Goodreads, but if I could give half ratings, I would probably drop it down to 2 1/2 stars. Rayne and Delilah’s Midnite Matinee is a horror-themed contemporary novel with a monstrous outcome.

Lately, I have been trying to be more conscious as a consumer. I found a black-owned bookstore based in Virginia called Books and Crannies. I ordered a few graphic novels online through their website, and they shipped to me relatively fast, considering the current environment. I’m reading comics faster than I can type these reviews, so I wanted to combine three of my most recent comic reads in one post.

Doctor Aphra Issue #1 Written by Alyssa Wong, Art by Marika Cresa, and color by Rachelle Rosenberg.

Doctor Aphra is a character in the Star Wars universe introduced through comics. Doctor Aphra is a morally ambiguous character who served as the chief archeologist for Darth Vader. Throughout various comic runs, she’s either working for Vader or on the run from him.

In this first issue, Doctor Aphra is hunting for artifacts on Hoth. She’s attacked by the Empire and forced to flee with her new team back to Shadow University in the Outer Rim. As Aphra is drinking at a bar, she’s approached by Detta Yao, a graduate student at the University. Yao tells her about the Rings of Vaale, which grant the wearer eternal life and fortune. Aphra joins the quest for these rare items, and chaos ensues.

For the first issue, this comic blew me away. Doctor Aphra is an intriguing character as she’s not necessarily good, but she’s not completely evil either. Her team consists of Lucky (her sniper), Black Krrsantan (a Wookie with a facial scar), Detta, Doctor Eustacia Okka (another archeologist), and robot TA418. Each character has their own personality and unique skill set.

I rated this comic five stars on Goodreads, and I aim to continue the series.

Eat And Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo

Major Content Warning: Eating Disorders.

Eat and Love Yourself is a beautifully written and illustrated story about a young woman named Mindy. She works as a barista and is dragged to go out by her best friend, Shae. After a late-night out, Mindy picks up a chocolate bar titled “Eat and Love Yourself”. As Mindy eats the chocolate, she’s transported back in time to see her past lived experiences. It shows where her body insecurities came from and how they play out today.

As stated, there’s a content warning for reading this graphic novel. This discusses in detail Mindy’s eating disorder. The graphic novel ends in an uplifting way, but proceed with caution before reading this.

Eat and Love Yourself is my favorite graphic novel I have read in 2020. I related to Mindy with her internal struggles. She’s somewhat introverted, and she loves cats. As a side note, her kitty, Jabba, is the cutest comic kitty. The artwork is captivating as it changes depending on what Mindy is experiencing. I rated Eat and Love Yourself five stars on Goodreads.

Waves by Ingrid Chabbert and Carole Maurel

Major Content Warning: Miscarriage.

Waves is a graphic novel focusing on Chabbert’s story about starting a family. This graphic novel follows a young lesbian couple as they try to get pregnant. As mentioned by the content warning, things do not go as planned, as they have a miscarriage. It shows how she copes with the loss by writing about her experience.

Waves is a graphic novel I want to re-read in a couple of years. My fiance and I discussed having kids in the future, but we aren’t ready yet. There can be a lot of shame associated with miscarriages, and the more miscarriage is discussed, we can take away the shame that’s associated.

I rated Waves five stars on Goodreads. Similar to Eat and Love Yourself, I was bawling my eyes out as it’s sad because she suffered a miscarriage, but also how she was able to use her experience to heal herself.

My comics are piling up on my nightstand, so there will be more comic reviews in the future. When ordering books or graphic novels, I highly recommend ordering from a smaller business. If you need a black-owned business to support, check out Books and Crannies. I cannot recommend them enough.

Now and then, it’s nice to do a blog tag. It’s an effortless way to write an interesting post. I found this TBR Tag by A Geek Girl’s Guide and thought it would be an easy way to share what I’m currently reading. Without further ado, here are my answers:

What Are You Currently Reading? 

I’m currently reading The Force Awakens Novelization by Alan Dean Foster. It’s been a slower read because the adaptation doesn’t provide any new information about the movie. It’s been predictable, and it’s been tough to get myself to finish it, but I will eventually.

What Book Do You Plan on Reading Next?

I have The Alphabet Squadron by Alexander Freed. This is another Star Wars book. It depends on whether I need a break from Star Wars novelizations, but if not, I will read this one next.

Top Three Books on Your TBR?

1. It by Stephen King
2. The Dark Tower by Stephen King
3. The Night Manager by John Le Carre.

These three books have been on my TBR for a long time. The fiancé bought It when the first movie was released, but he hasn’t read it yet. The Dark Tower was a book I bought when the movie adaptation was released, but I haven’t been in the mood to read it. The Night Manager I purchased at an older bookstore in Boston. I watched the Amazon Prime limited series based on the book starring Tom Hiddleston, and it was so good, so I purchased the book.

I hope to get through all three of these books this year. Otherwise, I may donate The Dark Tower if I decide not to read it by the end of this year.

An Intimidating Book on Your TBR?

I would say It is intimidating because it’s over 1,000 pages! I’m saving the book for fall because I want a horror book to read. My favorite Stephen King book is Carrie, although I recommend reading the Bill Hodges trilogy too. In high school, I read The Green Mile, and that was pretty good, but not my favorite.

A Short Book on Your TBR?

All the books on my TBR aren’t short, so I don’t think I can answer this one. However, I do have a few graphic novels on my TBR. I typically separate my book TBR from my graphic novel TBR. My books sit in the office, while my graphic novels are piled on my nightstand in my bedroom.

If manga counts, I have Ghost in the Shell volume #2 along with Berserk Vol. #1.

The Book That Has Been on Your TBR the Longest?

Game of Thrones has been on my TBR since 2013. I tried reading it during my freshman year of college, but I kept putting it down for long periods. I tried to pick the book up again, but I would forget what happened to all the characters. I’m thinking of reading Game of Thrones in January of next year. It’s fitting because of the Minnesota winter.

The Most Reason Addition to your TBR?

I haven’t purchased any books recently because I have been trying to decrease my TBR. I’m proud of myself because usually, I buy a bunch of books, and my TBR is out of control. Thinking back, my most recent purchase was Alphabet Squadron, as I received that book this year at C2E2 in Chicago, right before the pandemic.

I linked to A Geek Girl’s Guide in my first paragraph, so feel free to check out the TBR tag there. Otherwise, here are the questions for this tag:

What Are You Currently Reading? 

What Book Do You Plan on Reading Next?

Top Three Books on Your TBR?

An Intimidating Book on Your TBR?

A Short Book on Your TBR?

The Book That Has Been on Your TBR the Longest?

The Most Reason Addition to your TBR?

I follow bodyposipanda on Instagram when I need positivity during this time of uncertainty. Bodyposipanda is run by Megan Jayne Crabbe, an eating disorder survivor who has quit dieting and is trying to promote positivity around how our bodies look. I find her Instagram page to be inspiring. Our bodies are ridiculed for not looking a certain way, and Megan has battled this persona. Megan wrote a book titled Body Positive Power: Because Life is Already Happening and You Don’t Need Flat Abs to Live it. I purchased this book toward the beginning of Quarantine, and it made me feel better about myself and improved the relationship I have with my body.

“I’m sure we all know someone who eats junk food, never exercises, and stays thin no matter what. Yet we refuse to believe the opposite could be true, that you can be fat, eat well, exercise, and stay fat.” – Megan Jayne Crabbe.

In this book, Megan shares everything she knows about the weight loss industry, our bodies, and her journey to overcoming her eating disorder. Megan details her experience spending time in a facility for her eating disorder. Reading this section was difficult, but an important part of Megan’s story. This book targets Anorexia specifically because of Megan’s personal experience, but she does touch on binge-eating disorders too.

One of the most interesting sections of the book was when Megan breaks down the ingredients in diet teas and diet pills. I knew the Kardashians were promoting their stomach tea, but I didn’t know what the tea consisted of. Two ingredients in diet teas include: Senna and Chinese Rhubarb root. Both of these ingredients promote the emptying of the bowels. Another interesting topic was the discussion on diet pills such as dinitrophenol (found in herbicides), various amphetamines, and even Fen-Phen, which led to heart valve damage. It’s sad how our society is more concerned with people losing weight than with doing it safely.

After finishing this book, I felt slightly irritated. I spent so much time hating my body when I could have been living my life. I will always have insecurity with how my body looks, but I want to be nicer to myself. I don’t want to force myself to give up the food I like, but instead focus on portions. I’m not going to journal my food, as that’s where it becomes too much of an obsession for me. Megan’s book confirmed for me that my flaws are what make me unique and normal. My cellulite, fat surrounding my stomach, and even my acne are normal for a human body to have.

I would consider myself somewhat active in the body positivity movement. Body shaming is insensitive and disgusting. If you’re struggling and need a pick-me-up, this book is worth it. Megan is making this world a better place. 

Barbara Gordon is the best DC Comics, female superheroine and I cannot be convinced to change my mind. The Birds of Prey are the kickass, female, superhero group where each member has a different background and talent. In March, I picked up the Birds of Prey graphic novel released coinciding with the movie. Additionally, I read Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Vol #1 Who is Oracle which should be no surprise. I decided to combine the reviews in one post since they do go hand in hand.

Birds of Prey: 4 Stars****

This is a graphic novel compilation of stories featuring the six characters from the movie: Harley Quinn, Huntress, Cassandra Cain, Renee Montoya, Black Canary, and the Black Mask. This isn’t highly rated on Goodreads since it’s a compilation. I knew this going into the graphic novel, so I wasn’t disappointed. My favorite stories were Huntress, Black Mask, and the Black Canary.

The Huntress was my favorite because Nightwing and Huntress share the steamiest kiss. I hardcore ship Nightwing and Barbara Gordon together, but this wasn’t bad. I’m not sure if this is the best story told, as I like it so much solely because Nightwing was in it. The Black Mask story shows how violent and brutal he can be. Black Mask isn’t the most well-known Batman villain, but he’s ruthless. Finally, the Black Canary story features a fun cameo of another DC character, which I won’t reveal.

I rated this four stars because I mostly enjoyed the stories picked, and it’s a fun graphic novel for me to add to my DC collection.

Batgirl Volume #1: 4 Stars****

This Batgirl rendition features Barbara out of her wheelchair and fighting crime with her bestie, Black Canary. Huntress’s interests align with theirs, and she teams up with them. Oracle’s identity is stolen online, and the three try to uncover who this mysterious, fake Oracle is.

The negative reviews surrounding this graphic novel have to do with which Barbara Gordon you prefer. This outing features a younger, more immature Barbara in her crime-fighting days. If you’re used to the older Birds of Prey stories, it shows an older Barbara who has already been wounded by the Joker and is embracing the Oracle identity. Many of the negative reviews don’t like this “hippy” or “trendy” Barbara swiping through dating apps.

I’m devoted to Barbara Gordon as a character throughout the several runs of her story. This Barbara is younger, more naive, and at times, foolish. She’s also young and is trying to balance her three identities: Barbara, Batgirl, and Oracle. I miss Barbara Gordon in a wheelchair because I felt she added disability representation in comics. However, can we eliminate the Joker story from comics? I hate The Killing Joke with a passion, and how it intertwines with Barbara’s injury.

Overall, I rated this four stars as I do enjoy this portrayal of Barbara. This isn’t for everyone, and I get that. It’s all about what version of Barbara is your favorite. I like them both.

Quarantine has given me plenty of time to read my comics and graphic novels stack. What have you been reading? Let me know in the comments below.

I’m picky when it comes to reading romance books. The Kiss Quotient, written by Helen Hoang, was recommended by almost every booktuber I watch. One of the factors for picking this book to read was how the main character is on the spectrum. My best friend and my brother both are on the Autism spectrum; therefore, I was looking at this book critically. I’m pleased to say that this is a delightful read.

Stella Lane is a successful econometrist who makes a six-figure salary. Her work drives her routine. She is on the spectrum, and struggles with socializing, loud noises, and sex..? She claims she’s bad at sex and relationships, so she hires a male escort named Michael Phan to help her get better at sex. Similar to Pretty Woman, they fall in love. Although they both come from two unique backgrounds, can they make it work?

What makes The Kiss Quotient authentic is that Helen Hoang is also on the spectrum. Hoang herself was diagnosed in her adult life with being on the spectrum. This helps to write an authentic and non-offensive portrayal of someone on the spectrum. The way Stella interacts socially, especially with Michael’s family, highlights how differently Stella sees the world. Stella is a character I would fiercely protect as she reminds me of my friend in real life.

Many reviews I read stated this book had too much sex and wished there was less. I disagree with this statement. The sex shows how people on the spectrum are still sexual people. The sex to me enhanced the book because it showed how Stella was becoming more in tune with her body and what she wanted from a romantic partner.

This was a solid read. When I think of my all-time favorite romance books, this book would belong on the list. Helen Hoang has written a sequel to the series, and a third book is coming out in 2021. I already shelved it into my to-be-read shelf on Goodreads. The Kiss Quotient is the perfect division between romance and character development.