Carrie Fisher & Female Secret Agents – Recently Read Books

It’s been four years since Carrie Fisher passed away. Isn’t it unreal how time passes? I remember hearing the news and feeling a sense of shock. I never met Carrie in real life, although she had a way of making you feel like she would have been your best friend. She cared about Star Wars fans while being a champion for mental illness. I finally read her memoir, The Princess Diarist, along with another book, and I wanted to combine them into one post.

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

This is the book most well-known for discussing Carrie’s intimate relationship with Harrison Ford. This memoir is so much more than that. Carrie talks about her audition for the part. Interestingly enough, Carrie auditioned for both George Lucas and Brian DePalma, who were looking for the leading part in his Stephen King adaptation of Carrie. Carrie discusses how she was supposed to lose weight for her role as Princess Leia and how the role impacted her as she aged.

Carrie walks a fine line while discussing her relationship with Harrison. The description is delicate. She’s able to discuss her relationship with him without revealing everything, especially since Harrison himself is extremely private. The way she describes their interactions sounds like Harrison. She also states, “How I’ve portrayed Harrison is how Harrison was with me forty years ago.” She’s able to tell this story without the bullshit and recognizes how Harrison isn’t the same person he was with Carrie. I think this shows the tact and professionalism Carrie exhibits when she wrote this memoir.

Another part of the memoir I enjoyed was how Carrie discussed her fame from the saga. Carrie details some of the offensive interactions with fans as they talk about how her body changed and how she aged since her role. She talks about how exhausting it was to sign autographs while not making a huge profit off of it. As fans, we need to respect the actors who work on the series and how they are people, just like us.

Carrie Fisher was a national treasure. She will be missed forever. I would recommend this memoir if you’re a fan of Star Wars and simply miss Carrie’s presence in the fandom. I rated The Princess Diarist four stars on Goodreads.

The Athena Protocol by Shamim Sarif

The Athena Protocol is a sapphic, young adult spy adventure novel. The Athena Protocol follows an organization titled Athena, which is an all-women spy organization. They work outside their global governments to deliver justice and deconstruct corruption in various countries. The agents are well-trained to handle the challenging environments they’re thrown into.

The Athena Protocol follows Jessie Archer as she’s on a mission in an African village. Her mission is to rescue women who have been kidnapped. She witnesses violence against these women and ultimately kills the man responsible. Athena has one rule: no killing. Jessie is fired and left out of a major operation happening in Belgrade. Jessie decides to work alone and flies to Belgrade to assist her team without their knowledge. Stakes are at an all-time high as Jessie uncovers new information that may jeopardize the safety of her fellow agents. Jessie is in danger, and she’s alone.

One series I read a lot when I was younger was the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, starring Alex Rider, a young kid working for MI6. The Athena Protocol is this series; however, women are leading the front. Each Athena agent is given some backstory. Jessie was recruited to this organization by her mother. Caitlin is a Southern belle who went to war in Afghanistan. Hala was seeking asylum in the UK and was recruited by Jessie. Every spy within Athena had their own stories, and I found them interesting to read about.

The action sequences were well-written and made me anxious for the characters. Jessie is put into some intense situations at age. The last thirty pages were intense to read. It’s surprising to me because The Athena Protocol is only 295 pages. It’s difficult to combine all the action, character development, and descriptions of the Athena group and have it all work together. Shamim Sarif, the author of The Athena Protocol, is incredibly skilled at creating this world.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. According to Goodreads, I finished this book within two days of starting it. The second book in the series is out now, and I’m going to order it on my next book haul. I rated The Athena Protocol five stars on Goodreads.

I hit my 2020 reading goal on Goodreads today! I still have a couple more books I want to finish before the end of the year.

Spooky Themed Graphic Novel Reviews

It’s halfway through October already! Minnesota had its first snowfall last week, which was way too early. The snow has already melted, and we are back to the orange and red hues of fall. I have been trying to read all the horror and creepy books, and graphic novels on my shelf. Here are my most recent graphic novel spooky reads.

Image is a comic book cover for For Goodness Sake Volume #1 by K. Lynn Smith. It shows a woman with turquoise hair and her eyes are closed. A man with two devil horns protruding from his head is looking back at her.
For Goodness Sake Vol #1. Picture taken by me.

For Goodness Sake Volume #1 by K Lynn Smith

Rayne Waters is a self-proclaimed hippie. She lives on a decked-out school bus as she drives around the US. While driving, she meets Thatcher, a man with red devil horns. Thatcher was put under a curse with no memory of how this occurred. Rayne invites Thatcher on her bus as they cruise around the US while attempting to break Thatcher’s curse.

For Goodness Sake was a graphic novel entirely funded by Kickstarter. I backed K. Lynn’s other graphic novel on Kickstarter, and I have been a fan of hers ever since. For Goodness Sake was delivered to me earlier this year, and I saved it for the fall to read. I missed out on K. Lynn’s Kickstarter for Volume #2, and I’m bummed.

For Goodness Sake was such an enjoyable read. Rayne and Thatcher have genuine chemistry together. In this volume, I felt I got to know Rayne’s backstory and what compelled her to deck out a school bus. K. Lynn’s art has a unique style. Whenever I read one of her books, I can immediately identify her art.

I could write endless paragraphs about the first volume of For Goodness Sake. The first volume can be found on K. Lynn’s website. I rated For Goodness’ Sake five stars on Goodreads.

Cult Classic Return to Whisper Volume #1 Rahal, Cunha, Cunniffe-Wright, Esposito, and Koh.

Childhood friends Wyatt, Dwayne, Andrew, Malcolm, Bobbi, Aubrey, Sparrow, and Cage meet in their treehouse to watch Cult Classic, a local horror TV show. From the show, the kids decide to steal a journal belonging to James Benjamin Vance, the founder of Whisper. The journal supposedly shows where the hidden treasure is buried in Whisper. This story is balanced by jumps into the future as it shows the kids as adults returning to Whisper to attend the funeral of their friend.

Cult Classic Return to Whisper suffers from trying to introduce too many characters. I could barely follow all the characters and keep their backstories straight. There were a few characters I barely knew anything about, so why should I care what happens to them? The story itself wasn’t told as clearly as I had hoped. I’m still wondering what exactly happened to some of the characters, as a curse may have impacted them.

If I were to describe Cult Classic, it reminds me of Stephen King’s It meets Goosebumps. Cult Classic wasn’t the strongest first volume of the series. This is a book I would have preferred renting from the library versus owning. I rated Cult Classic Return to Whisper three stars on Goodreads.

Image is a graphic novel cover for Joker 80th Anniversary. It shows a woman with turquoise and green hair. She is holding a Joker white mask that has blood on it.
Joker 80th Anniversary! Picture taken by me.

The Joker 80’s Anniversary 100 Page Super Spectacular #1

Yes, I’m aware this is more generic comic book reading than Halloween-themed. However, The Joker is one of the most notorious villains of all time, and the way Joker torments his victims could be on the creepy and ominous theme of this post, so I included this novel in this review.

In this 80th anniversary edition, this graphic novel shows past covers featuring the Joker, along with a compilation of various stories. One of the stories features Punchline, Joker’s new girlfriend. While I find Punchline’s name to be cheesy, I like her look. I’m intrigued by how Punchline will be involved in the newer runs of DC Comics.

As a fan of DC Comics, I thought this was interesting to read. I liked looking at the older comic covers. It reminded me how Joker has influenced Batman. The assault of Barbara Gordon, along with the murder of Robin, Joker is one of Batman’s most threatening villains. I rated Joker 80th Anniversary four stars on Goodreads.

There are only 11 days left till Halloween, and I hope you all are enjoying this spooky quarantine season.

Final Girls, The Ex & Echo Killing – Book Reviews!

I’m at thirty-nine books out of fifty for my Goodreads goal with three full months ahead of me. Can I meet my reading goal? The easiest way to reach this goal is to read graphic novels and psychological thrillers. When I think about the types of books I gravitate towards, psychological thrillers & mysteries are high on the list. I can read a 400-page mystery book in two days if the mystery is enticing. I finished reading three mystery books in a short time, so I’m combining them all into one post.

Final Girls by Riley Sager

Ten years ago, Quincy Carpenter was the only survivor of a brutal massacre in an isolated cabin. Quincy remembers nothing of the experience as her brain protects her from the trauma. In the media, she has been labeled a “Final Girl” and grouped into a category with two other girls who survived their violent events. When one of the Final Girls is found dead by apparent suicide, Quincy is forced to dive into her memories to remember the massacre and how this relates to the death of the Final Girl.

Reading Final Girls is similar to watching a slasher movie. In the final climax, Quincy confronts her horrors and recognizes what truly happened during her time at the cabin. Final Girls had unexpected plot twists that I didn’t fully comprehend what was happening in the story.

Final Girls was a fabulous read, and my head is still spinning from what I read. I plan on re-reading this book sometime next year to see if I pick up on any foreshadowing I missed. I rated Final Girls five stars on Goodreads and added this book to my favorites shelf.

The Ex by Alafair Burke

Olivia Randall is a sophisticated defense attorney in NYC. She is called to represent Jack Harris, who happens to be her ex-fiancé. Olivia feels she owes it to Jack to represent him because of how she treated him in the past. As she takes on his case, she recognizes Jack isn’t what he seems.

The Ex is more of a legal thriller with court scenes and legal jargon sprinkled throughout the book. I found Olivia Randall to be an unlikable character. She seems cold and ruthless, but as the book develops, Olivia gets better. The mystery itself was predictable; however, there were mini-reveals I hadn’t anticipated.

The Ex wasn’t my favorite mystery book I have ever read, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. I rated The Ex four stars on Goodreads (I would probably rate this three and a half stars).

The Echo Killing by Christi Daugherty

Harper McClain is a skilled crime reporter. She works the late shift with her partner, Miles. Harper has a unique relationship with the police, allowing her to succeed at her job. Fifteen years ago, Harper’s mother, Alicia, was murdered in her childhood home. The murder has since been unsolved. Harper is sent to investigate another murder, strangely resembling her mother’s case. The real question is whether these murders are connected?

Harper serves as a great main character. She’s fiercely independent and passionate about her job. She keeps investigating even though she’s told not to. Towards the end of the novel, she does what she needs to do even though it’s dangerous. She doesn’t rely on anyone to help her. As a leading protagonist, Harper is well-written.

This book surprised me as I expected everything to be uncovered, but there are still so many unanswered questions. I can’t reveal any of this information without spoiling the book, but immediately after I finished The Echo Killing, I looked into ordering the second book in the series. I held off for now because I need to read more of the books in my pile, but in my next book order, I will for sure purchase the sequel.

The Echo Killing is a well-thought-out mystery series. I like the scenery of Savannah and how the reader gets to know Harper’s friends and where she hangs out. I’m curious to see if the second book will answer these questions. I rated The Echo Killing four stars on Goodreads.

I’m always open to book recommendations, so if you have any mystery or psychological thriller recommendations, please leave them in the comments below.

Ghosts, Wars & Horror – Graphic Novels Review

I’m behind in my Goodreads reading goal. My goal is to read fifty books this year. I’m at thirty-seven books right now. I always count reading graphic novels towards my reading goal. I still have a solid stack of graphic novels to read, but I was able to finish a few of them recently. I wanted to share the most recent graphic novels I read.

Ghosted In LA by Sina Grace, Siobhan Keenan, and Cathy Le. Published by Boom Box!

Daphne Walters moves to LA for college and to follow her high school boyfriend. After her boyfriend dumps her, Daphne stumbles upon Rycroft Manor, a mansion near her college campus. As she explores the mansion, she finds ghosts inhabiting the property. Having ghosts as roommates will certainly add to the college experience.

I adored this novel! The artwork was bright and upbeat. The ghosts had personalities of their own. I felt the story accurately depicted what the college experience is like. Reading Ghosted in LA allowed me to reminisce about my college memories.

I can’t wait to read the second volume. I rated Ghosted in LA Vol. #1 4 stars.

She Said Destroy by Corallo, Kangas, Nalty, and Ujimori. Published by Vault

Over Millennia, only two gods exist: Brigid and Morrigan. Brigid brings the light, while Morrigan is the goddess of death. Winona is the savior who is sent to gain wisdom from Morrigan after Brigid drops her troops for a full invasion. When Morrigan tells Winona she needs to “destroy”, Winona knows what she needs to do.

She Said Destroy was okay. The story was difficult to follow. This all-out invasion happens in the beginning when I barely know the backstory of why Brigid and Morrigan hate each other. Winona is the savior in this story, but I hardly knew a thing about her. A major character is also killed off towards the end, but their death is glossed over.

I rated She Said Destroy Vol. #1 2 stars on Goodreads.

Glitterbomb by Zub, Morissette, Russell, and Dillon. Published by Image.

Farrah Durante is a middle-aged actress struggling to find acting work in LA. She’s a single parent, and rent isn’t cheap. She’s had a rough go and finds herself contemplating her life while sitting at the beach. As she wades into the water, she’s pulled under by a black creature that invades her body. The entertainment industry tore Farrah apart. Will this creature put her back together?

The art in this is horrific! The sequence where this creature inhabits Farrah and forces her to kill people is gruesome. This is a horror graphic novel by nature. The words could have been removed, and I still would have paged through this novel because the art is so intriguing to look at. The alternative covers have so much detail that I found myself staring at them for a while. Glitterbomb is easily a contender for the graphic novel I read with the best art.

Glitterbomb is a horror graphic novel at its finest and is a fitting read for the upcoming Halloween season. I rated Glitterbomb Vol. #1 3 stars.

Let me know what you’re reading in the comments below. I always like having recommendations on what comics I should be reading.

BlacKkKlansman by Ron Stallworth

After watching the BlacKkKlansman movie directed by Spike Lee, I discovered the movie was based on a book. Ron Stallworth is a real person whose undercover investigation fooled the Klan. I don’t find myself wanting to read nonfiction often, but I was interested in this story. This book was interesting, and I looked forward to reading it.

Ron Stallworth joined the Colorado Springs Police Department in the early 1970s. Assigned to guard police records, Stallworth wanted more from his career. In a few years, Stallworth was transferred to the undercover division of the police department. After seeing the KKK recruitment in the newspaper, he decided to infiltrate the Klan. With help from the white police officers, Stallworth convinced David Duke over the phone that he is invested in preserving the white race.

Besides reading the undercover story, Ron adds historical information to keep the reader invested. Ron discusses the history of the KKK, along with the specific timeline of the KKK in Colorado. Back in the 1920s, the KKK was everywhere in Colorado. The senate, the governor, and the police were either Klan members or paid off by the Klan. For a while, the Denver airport was named after a politician who was an active Klan member. This was all new information to me.

One of the criticisms I have of this book is Ron’s writing. The first page had one of the longest run-on sentences I have ever read. At times, Ron repeats statements to the point where I ask myself if I have already read this section of the book. This book could have used more editing, but on the flip side, the book feels more authentic because Ron’s original writing is featured.

It’s crucial to mention the differences between the book and the movie. Some of the negative book reviews I read said this book was boring. In the BlacKkKlansman movie, Ron Stallworth (played by John David Washington) is trying to stop a bomb plot planned by the KKK. This is added into the movie for flair, but it’s complete fiction. The book tells the story accurately, while the movie adds fictional events.

I rated BlacKkKlansman five stars because Ron’s writing didn’t keep me from enjoying the book. He does a great job detailing the chronological story of the investigation. This has to be one of my favorite non-fiction books I read in 2020.

Midtown Comics Birthday Haul

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.

Image is a comic book cover for The Joker 80th Anniversary. It shows a woman wearing clown makeup and holding a joker mask with blood on it. She's wearing dark purple and a black leather jump suit of sorts.

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.

Image is a comic book cover for the comic Finger Guns. It shows two characters, a girl and a boy holding a finger gun up. Behind them, there are white and black squiggly lines that remind me of an optical illusion.

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.

Image is a comic book cover for the comic, Doctor Aphra The rings of Vaale: Haunted. It shows a woman with goggles on her head. She's holding something that's giving off light. There are white bodies to her right that look ghostly in nature.

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.

Birthday Book Haul

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.

Image is a stack of four books. From top to bottom, they are - BlackKkKlansman by Ron Stallworth, Final Girls by Riley Sager, The Ex by Alafair Burke, The Echo Killing by Christi Daugherty, and The Athena Protocol by Sarim Sarif.
Birthday Book Haul!

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 and Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner

Image is a book cover for Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner. The cover is a deep blue, purple and pink. It shows two female character's sitting on some steps. Above them, there's an On Air sign.
Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner.

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.

Aphra, Body Positivity and Waves. My Latest Comic Reads

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.

Image is a comic book cover for Doctor Aphra Issue #1. It shows a woman on the cover. She's wearing a white t-shirt, red vest, and a hat with what looks like ski goggles on her head. There are several other characters surrounding her.
Doctor Aphra Issue #1. Photo taken by me.

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.
Image is a photo of a graphic novel titled Eat and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo. It shows a woman with glasses looking off to the side.
Eat and Love Yourself. Photo taken by me.

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.
Image shows a woman on a boat staring in front of her. There are a sea of books underneath her boat.
Waves. Photo taken by me.

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.

TBR Tag

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?