When I read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, I was a junior in college. Reading Fangirl allowed me to reflect on my college experience. My freshman year was an intimidating experience where I had to make new friends from scratch. I related to Cath in her devotion to Simon & Bazz. I have the same devotion to other fandoms. When I found out Rainbow Rowell was transitioning into writing comics, I was invested in whatever property she became attached to. Runaways: Find Your Way Home is an adventure story centered on the relationships between friends.

Before reading Runaways, I never knew the premise behind the team. The Runaways is a comic series published by Marvel that debuted in 2003. The series stars a group of teenagers who interact with each other every time their parents have a dinner party. The teenagers discover the dinner parties are a front for their parent’s criminal undertakings. The parents are part of a group titled “The Pride” with the ultimate goal of wiping out the planet and starting fresh. The teenagers are forced to team up and go against authority and stop “The Pride” from unleashing hell on Earth. As I researched The Runaways, I learned that they were created by Brian K. Vaughn. This name may sound familiar because he is the main creator of Paper Girls which is one of my favorite comic series. Vaughn worked on Runaways until the series was canceled in 2009.

Rainbow Rowell’s Runaways: Find Your Way Home is set after the teenagers learn about their parent’s background. What I like about Runaways: Find Your Way Home is how it hints at the original story, but I don’t need prior knowledge of The Runaways to comprehend the story. The protagonists of the story are: Nico Minoru, Chase Stein, Gertrude Yorkes, Karolina Dean, Molly Hayes, and Alex Wilder. Each teenager has special abilities that contribute to how The Runaways team up in battle. One of the positive attributes of Runaways: Find Your Way Home is the diversity between the characters. This doesn’t include race, but also diversity in body type. Gertrude is one of my favorite teenagers because of her sassy personality, but she’s also drawn as being plus-size. In comics, women are often super thin, curvy, and muscular all at the same time. As someone whose body type doesn’t fit that mold, I’m happy to see characters in comics with a variety of body types.

As I mentioned, Gertrude is one of my favorite characters because I think her character arc is interesting to read. Without giving spoilers, she has to contemplate how The Runaways have grown apart since she felt they would always be together. Also Gertrude has a pet dinosaur named Old Lace who’s her partner in crime. I’m also intrigued by Nico’s magical abilities since she can’t create the same spell twice. I would hate to have this ability because I wouldn’t be creative enough to come up with different spell names every time.

I can’t talk about Runaways: Find Your Way Home without referencing Kris Anka. Kris Anka has worked on many of Marvel’s properties including X-Men, Captain Marvel, and the redesign of Spider-Woman. Kris Anka’s art makes this story shine. He is perfect for Rainbow Rowell since her writing is lighthearted and clever.

As I typed this review, I didn’t realize I would have so much to say. I highly recommend this series because of the story. You don’t have to know anything about the original Runaways to start this series. Go to your local comic book store and pick up Runaways: Find Your Way Home, you won’t be disappointed.

As a consumer, I try to support local businesses when I can. There’s a bookstore about ten minutes away from my apartment that serves local beer on tap along with black coffee. I’m planning on purchasing more of my books there versus Barnes & Noble, however, I had two Barnes & Noble gift cards to use up from the past holiday season. I made my purchases and wanted to share what’s next on my reading list.

Prodigy by Marie Lu

This is the second book in the Legend trilogy. I wrote a book review of Legend a couple of blog posts ago. The main reason I avoided reading this series was because I needed a break from the dystopian genre. I’m only about fifty pages into Prodigy, but so far it’s been pretty fast-paced.

My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi

I have been trying to get into reading more manga and watching anime, but I haven’t found a series that clicks with me. My Hero Academia is a top-rated manga and anime series about a young boy who’s obsessed with superpowers even though he isn’t powered himself. Eventually, he gets into contact with a superhero which may help him become the hero he’s always wanted to be. I’m looking forward to diving into this.

Comics Will Break Your Heart by Faith Erin Hicks

This book is a contemporary novel combining romance and comics together. Miriam’s grandfather created a successful comic series in the 1960s but sold it to his co-creator. Now, the series is worth millions and Miriam’s family is left with nothing of that legacy. The guy she falls in love with just so happens to be related to the co-creator who robbed Miriam’s grandfather of a successful comics career. Comics plus romance automatically make this a must-read for me.

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

I must confess I have never read any book by either of these two authors. I know that’s a travesty, but this will be my first dip into both of these science fiction/fantasy authors. I’m also looking forward to the TV series with David Tennant & Michael Sheen. I want to have prior knowledge of the show which led me to purchase the book.

Wildcard by Marie Lu

After I finish reading Prodigy, I will read this one next. Warcross was one of my favorite books I read last year and as a gamer, I connected with Emika Chen more than I ever have with any other character in books. I wish I was as skilled with technology as she is. I have read some book reviews saying Wildcard isn’t as good as Warcross which makes me slightly anxious. I will write my own review once I finish Wildcard. 

My latest book haul has made me excited for what I’m reading. Everything in this pile is something I’m excited to read which means I have been reading books at a faster rate than I have in the past. My Goodreads goal is 40 books this year which seems attainable based on the books I’m reading. Let me know what books you recently purchased in the comments below.

My goal for 2019 is to re-read the whole Harry Potter series. I’m making good progress as I’m on the Goblet of Fire now. However, the Goblet of Fire is the first Harry Potter book with more than 500 pages. The length of the Harry Potter books isn’t intimidating to me because I’m infatuated with the series. The Prisoner of Azkaban is a pivotal book in the series because of what’s revealed regarding Harry’s parents, but also how Harry’s parents were left vulnerable to Voldemort. Here are the notes I wrote regarding Prisoner of Azkaban: 

• Ron yells into the telephone when calling Harry over the summer.
• Harry is gifted a sneakascope from Ron. Goes off constantly when Scabbers is with Ron. Wonder why.
• The Firebolt can go 150 MPH in 10 seconds.
• Hermione’s birthday is in September.
• Neville and Ginny were also in the cart when Harry was first attacked by the Dementor. This isn’t shown in the movie
• Hagrid had more than one hippogriff in his class. He had a bronze, pink, chestnut, and black hippogriff beside Buckbeak.
• Snape completely humiliates Neville in the book. He feeds his potion to Trevor hoping to kill it. He also tells Lupin in their first lesson how it’s a pity that Neville is in his class. However, Lupin being the heartwarming character that he is, has Neville go first with the Boggart. Neville also teams up with Lupin to capture it in the chest. Lupin must identify with Neville because of the isolation Lupin feels about his identity.
• Red Caps are goblin-like creatures lurking where bloodshed occurs
• Kappas are water dwellers who try to strangle people.
• The Grindylow is mentioned in Lupin’s class. Nice foreshadowing of what’s to come
• You can’t apparate in and out of Hogwarts. Comes up when trying to deduce how Sirius Black is getting into the castle.
• Cedric Diggory is the current Hufflepuff seeker… 😦
• Impervius is the spell Hermione uses on Harry’s glasses to repel water.
• Sirius Black was James Potter’s best man.
• Dumbledore long suspected there was a spy in the Order of the Phoenix, but couldn’t prove who it was.
• Within a week of the Fidelius charm / secret keeper being cast, James and Lily were murdered by Voldemort. That’s depressing.
• In the book, Hagrid is with the professors in Hogsmeade where Harry overhears his parent’s history with Sirius Black. This makes Harry distrustful of Hagrid.
• Harry receives the Firebolt in the Gryffindor Common Room versus the Great Hall in the movie. This leads to McGonagall confiscating the Firebolt because there might be jinxes attached to it.
• I didn’t realize Dementors actually use their mouths to clamp onto their victims to deliver the kiss. In the movie, it looks like the Dementors just suck the soul out of the person without having to actually be attached to them.
• Cho Chang is referenced as the Ravenclaw seeker.
• The Slytherin match where Harry helps to win the Quidditch Cup is dirty. The Slytherin players were deliberately trying to take out all the Gryffindor players.
• Animagus have to register with the Ministry of Magic including their distinct markings.
• All the Maurder’s Map friends were unregistered animagi which explains why no one knew how Sirius was getting into Hogwarts.
• The Wolfsbane potion allows a werewolf to keep their mind during the transformation.
• Pettigrew was passing secrets to Voldemort for a full year before the murder of the Potters. The movie seems to play it off like Pettigrew was forced into working with Voldemort. In the book, it’s much more clear how deep the betrayal was between Pettigrew and the Potter family.
• Pettigrew is actually in danger because of the repercussions from former death eaters. Pettigrew’s information of the Potter’s location is what allowed Voldemort to become powerless. His death eaters have reason to want to kill him.
• Walden Macnair (the man who executed Buckbeak) is referenced as a former Death Eater.

I wanted to share one of my favorite parts of this book. I completely forgot this part exists, but it’s towards the end with Harry and Dumbledore having a conversation after Lupin leaves Hogwarts. Harry expresses that he regrets saving Pettigrew’s life, and Dumbledore responds, “The time may come when you will be glad you saved Pettigrew’s life.” IF THIS ISN’T FORESHADOWING I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS. I CAN’T EVEN.

Re-reading the Harry Potter books has been eye-opening for me. I’m probably enjoying them more as an adult because of the little details I missed as a kid. The different ways Rowling foreshadows future events are well done. Hopefully, you all are enjoying these recaps as much as I enjoy writing them. I will post my Goblet of Fire one as soon as I finish reading all 734 pages.

One of my favorite authors right now is Marie Lu. The first book I read of hers was Warcross which I discovered after watching Super Space Chick. I became entranced by the mixture of a digitally advanced city and this virtual reality, World of Warcraft-inspired game. Marie Lu has many other successful series out now which is the reason why I purchased Legend. Legend was SO good. I finished the book earlier this week and immediately drove to Barnes & Noble to purchase Prodigy the second book in the series. I plan to finish reading the trilogy this year.

Legend describes a dystopian United States where the Republic forces young kids to participate in a test called “The Trials”. If they pass, they will receive the best jobs, education, and living situations. However, if they fail, they’re sent to work in the mines or another undesirable career option. Fifteen-year-old June was born into a privileged family with her father being a scientist and her brother Metias working in the Republic’s military. Day, however, was born into poverty where he is seen as the “Robin Hood” in the story. His crimes include stealing medical supplies or disabling Republic military-style vehicles. June and Day are brought together when Day is accused of murdering Metias in a medical operation gone wrong. June’s relationship with Day tests her knowledge of the Republic and whether or not she’s on the right side in this society.

One reason why I adored this book is all the themes being brought up in this society. First, is the “psychology of dictatorship”. One such example includes Thomas (a friend of her brother Metias) and how he blatantly kills people because of his orders. This upsets June. June is forced to rethink her position in the Republic and witnessing the deaths of these civilians allows her to start thinking for herself. Meeting Day was the force June needed to confront her abusive government.

Another theme I uncovered in this book is the prevalence of men asserting their wants on women. For example, June is in her room when Thomas tries to force himself on her. June rebukes his advances and Thomas’s “ego” is hurt. He is mad at her for a couple days until he gets over it. This scene is realistic to today’s society. If a woman doesn’t want to date a man or be intimate with him, she doesn’t owe anything to him. Vice versa, if a man doesn’t want physical advances from a woman, that’s also valid. June doesn’t owe Thomas anything and I’m glad she pushed him away and stood up for herself instead of letting Thomas get what he wants.

I could keep going about why I appreciated the themes in Legend, but if you haven’t read this series yet, I highly encourage you to read it. After I’m finished with Prodigy, I’m going to take a break and read the 2nd book in the Warcross series. Marie Lu’s writing is fantastic and I will purchase any book she writes.

I was introduced to comics in 2012, which means I have some catching up to do. One graphic novel I have been wanting to read was Watchmen. My friend sold their copy through Facebook and I jumped at the chance to be able to read this. I was blown away by the level of story building that both Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons created. They developed an alternative universe of how superheroes have existed combined with how the world has treated them. Watchmen is a story I truly enjoyed from start to finish.

Watchmen begins with the brutal murder of The Comedian, who was a costumed superhero based in New York. This leads to a mysterious vigilante named Rorschach (named after the Rorschach ink blot test) to investigate his murder. Rorschach believes someone is targeting former costumed crusaders and he contacts Night Owl, Doctor Manhattan, and the Silk Spectre II to warn them of the threat. In the meantime, Doctor Manhattan is forced to isolate himself on Mars after his acquaintances come forward with their cancer diagnoses blaming Dr. Manhattan for their doom. This furthers Rorschach’s theory of someone targeting them. Additionally, Watchmen flashes back to the 1940s with the Minutemen and how they influenced the current era of superheroes. The Comedian was a part of the Minutemen and we get to learn how awful he was.

The artwork in Watchmen is flawless. The first word I would use to describe the art in this graphic novel would be gritty. The use of shading allows the reader to truly believe they were in the world of New York during the Cold War. This plays well into Rorschach’s character because of his violent vigilante crimes. It makes the reader fear Rorschach in a way I didn’t feel if I was reading a Batman comic.

I also really connected with the characters in the story. Silk Spectre II is one of my favorite characters, but I also like her relationship with Night Owl and Doctor Manhattan. I can sympathize with Doctor Manhattan as his accident with radiation makes it more difficult to connect with people since he isn’t aging. This tarnishes his romantic relationships as he’s stuck in a time when his partners are aging.

After finishing Watchmen, I decided to give the movie a shot. It’s available on Netflix, but it’s close to three hours. This is probably the most realistic graphic novel adaptation I have ever watched. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is the best and only actor who could have played The Comedian. Patrick Wilson is a babe as the Night Owl and Malin Ackerman is exactly who I pictured as the Silk Spectre II. It’s worth watching especially right after reading Watchmen. 

Watchmen is a classic especially all these years later. I’m happy I gave Watchmen a chance. The next graphic novels on my list to read are Hellboy and Judge Dredd.

 

The first Stephen King novel I read was Carrie followed by The Green Mile. Carrie is the novel I enjoyed the most due to how much I rooted for Carrie as the protagonist. Carrie’s mother is one of the creepiest fictional mothers I have ever read about. Sitting on my “to be read” shelf on Goodreads was Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes trilogy which is more detective series than horror. I liked Mr. Mercedes a lot and I look forward to continuing the series.

Detective Bill Hodges is retired, overweight, and unhappy. His job was what he lived for, so without it, he wouldn’t find meaning in his retirement. When Detective Hodges retired, he left a few cases unsolved. One unsolved case was the “Mercedes Case” which involved a person driving a Mercedes into a job rally in 2009 killing eight including a young infant baby. In a private chat, Hodges is contacted by the “Mercedes Killer” nicknamed Mr. Mercedes by the media. This private chat brings Hodges purpose in his retirement as he is willing to risk his safety to catch this killer. 

Let’s be serious, Detective Hodges isn’t a character I particularly like. He seems somewhat selfish allowing him to put his eighteen-year-old house helper and a mentally ill woman in danger to apprehend Mr. Mercedes. I’m more attached to who Detective Hodges teams up with including Jerome Robinson and Holly Gibney. Even though Hodges puts their lives at risk, they both make him more human.

Brady Hartsfield is revealed to be the Mercedes killer early in the novel. He has an inappropriate relationship with his mother and kills his poor disabled brother, Frankie, by pushing him down the stairs. He’s racist, misogynistic, ableist, and more. There’s nothing unique about his character and reading his story was probably the least interesting, but necessary to build up this dual between Hartsfield and Hodges.

The mystery isn’t the identity of the Mercedes killer, but what his next plan of attack is. It’s hinted at, but his end goal isn’t revealed until the last 100 pages. The latter half of the book moves quicker than the first half and I did have trouble getting invested into the story because of the slow build-up with all the characters. I will say Brady gets what’s coming to him.

Overall, I liked the book. It wasn’t my all-time favorite Stephen King book, but it still kept my interest throughout the story. I’m planning on reading the other two books in the series, but it’s not a high priority right now. I rated Mr. Mercedes three stars on Goodreads. 

Two years ago I reviewed the first book I read by Ashley Elston titled This is Our Story.. I named it as my favorite book I read in 2017. Ashley Elston can create in-depth, young adult characters and make you sympathize with those characters. When I found out that in November of 2018, she released The Lying Woods, I immediately pushed it to the top of my TBR pile. The Lying Woods isn’t as good as This is Our Story, but it might depend on your book reading preference to determine which book you will enjoy more.

Owen Foster is the stereotypical rich kid: He goes to an elite private school, has gone on amazing trips with his family and basically has a life any kid would dream of. Suddenly, Owen’s mother shows up at his school to inform him that his father stole money from the people who work for his company, Louisiana Frac. Owen is forced to leave his private school and return to his home town where people despise him. Owen’s mother has been receiving death threats as many believe she knows where his father has gone. Where is Owen’s father and why did he steal the money?

The Lying Woods is more of a contemporary young adult story versus a mystery thriller like This is Our Story. Owen was someone I originally couldn’t connect with based on his background and how he viewed his upstate lifestyle. However, once Owen becomes more situated in his small town in Louisiana, I start to feel for him and what he has been going through. My biggest complaint with this book is it took me a little while to truly get into the story. I read This is Our Story in a day where it took me about a week to read The Lying Woods. Although, once I had 150 pages left in The Lying Woods, I did read it all in a day.

I don’t want to spoil this one because I truly believe all of Ashley Elston’s books are worth purchasing and reading through, but if you want to know what happens in the end, I did include spoilers in my good reads review. If we aren’t friends on Goodreads, we should be! I will link my Goodreads profile in this post. I also started following Books on the Book Shelf and they had a nice review of The Lying Woods in case you aren’t convinced about reading it yet. The Lying Woods is a great blend of contemporary young adult fiction and mystery. Ashley Elston’s books make me want to visit Louisiana, so who knows maybe I’ll take a road trip to New Orleans someday.

Remember, It’s Only a Game. . . 

Caraval by Stephanie Garber is my first official book read in 2019. I originally became aware of this book based on Super Space Chick’s book channel. I don’t read a lot of YA (young adult), but I thought the premise sounded intriguing, and I happened to find Caraval on display at my local library. Caraval is spellbinding and it perfectly demonstrates the unbreakable bond between two sisters.

Caraval initially reminds me of Frozen mixed with a psychologically compelling carnival. Scarlett Dragna has become increasingly aware of her awful living situation as she and her younger sister, Donatella [known as Tella], are regularly abused by their father. To escape the abuse, she dreams of attending the faraway carnival known as Caraval. Caraval is a magical game run by Legend, a mysterious man who grants one wish to anyone who wins the game. Eventually, Scarlett meets a sailor who allows her the chance to leave the island she has known all her life while also being able to attend Caraval as the guest of honor.

Unbeknownst to Scarlett, Tella is kidnapped by Legend, and Scarlett is forced to participate in the game to secure her sister. Everyone tells Scarlett to remember that Caraval is just a game, but she becomes intertwined with the performers and doesn’t exactly remember what’s real or what’s become a fantasy. Scarlett needs to be clever enough to rescue Tella otherwise she may be lost or worse, killed.

The first positive comment about the book is the description of Caraval itself. It seems to be this light-hearted, fantasy carnival with a darker twist to it. Scarlett is forced to face her fears and give out her deepest darkest secrets to save her sister. It seems Scarlett often has to question her sanity throughout the book. I couldn’t imagine being in Scarlett’s position having to save a loved one while contemplating what’s actually happening in reality versus what is magic or fiction.

I also felt Scarlett evolved into a completely different character by the end of the game. Before Caraval, she was a scared, shy, and distrustful person due to the abuse inflicted by her father. By the end of the book, she takes numerous risks while also recognizing her feelings for Julian, the sailor. Originally, I wasn’t a fan of Scarlett’s character based on her personality and how she looked down upon her sister for flirting with men. However, Scarlett truly opened herself up and I genuinely started to feel sympathetic toward her experiences in Caraval.

Caraval reminded me of Frozen because of the bond between Scarlett and Tella. Tella reminds me of Anna as she is the outgoing one while Scarlett is similar to Elsa as she is more reserved but extremely protective of her sister. The bond between the Dragna sisters is probably one of the best parts of the book.

Another point I wanted to make is how I wasn’t a huge fan of Scarlett and Julian as a couple. Sure, Julian is attractive as there are many descriptions in the book of the muscles on his back. Although Julian is somewhat shady I’m surprised Scarlett would be willing to trust him so easily. Clearly, he’s hiding something and I wish Scarlett would have questioned him a bit more.

Caraval was a captivating read for me. I became enamored by the Caraval setting along with the character development of Scarlett, the main protagonist of the story. The second book in the series, Legendary was released in May 2018 and the final book Finale will be released in May of 2019. I’m hoping movie rights get picked up for this book as it would make for an amazing movie.

Hush, Little Baby don’t say a word. Mama’s going to buy you a mockingbird. 

After completing Batman: Arkham Knight for the second time, I became fascinated with reading more Batman comics. I’m currently reading through Knightquest which is the storyline in which Batman’s back is broken by Bane. This storyline is what inspired the Dark Knight Rises film in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. Recently, I finished reading Batman: Hush written by Jeph Loeb. This graphic novel is probably one of my favorite Batman stories I have read thus far.

Batman: Hush begins with Batman attempting a rescue mission for a kidnapped boy being held by Killer Croc. After saving the boy, he chases Catwoman around Gotham City for money she stole from Killer Croc. When Batman catches up with her, his grapple gun line snaps and he falls to the ground. Bruce Wayne has devastating physical injuries which are repaired by his childhood friend and renowned surgeon, Thomas Elliot. Throughout the story, we see past memories interwoven in the story detailing Bruce and Thomas’s friendship.

As Batman figures out who deliberately cut his line, he recognizes other supervillains coming after him within a few days of each other. It becomes clear to Batman that someone is trying to take him down while also knowing incredibly personal information about him. The main premise behind this story is who could be the mastermind behind the vicious attacks against Batman.

I truly ship Batman and Catwoman together. I enjoy their romantic partnership as Batman and Catwoman are both anti-heroes who think they are doing the right thing while also bending the law to fit their needs. 

Batman: Hush is perfect for introducing comics to new fans. Within the first two chapters, famous Batman villains are introduced which has been a common complaint from other fans about this story. I personally loved it because it fits the plot.

Who else has read Batman: Hush? I would love to hear your comments below along with your favorite Batman comic.

This is my 4th year participating in Perpetual Page Turner’s End of Year Survey specifically relating to books, graphic novels or manga read this year. I started this in 2015 and I will continue to participate for many more years to come. Last year, I read 46 books which was a record turnout for me. This year, I only read 39 books although for 2019, I’m going to attempt to read fifty books. In the meantime, here are my 2018 End of Year Book Survey answers.

2018 Reading Stats

Number of Books You Read: 39

Number of Re-Reads: 1. I re-read the first issue of Hawkeye #1 My Life is a Weapon. 

Genre You Read the Most From Graphic Novels, but to be fair, it’s much quicker to read a graphic novel than a traditional book.

1. Best Book Read in 2018

Ship It by Britta Lundin. I absolutely adored the premise behind this book because it takes place on a convention tour. Britta is also a writer on Riverdale which encouraged me to purchase this book on the boyfriend’s Kindle. I’m debating purchasing the paperback version to add to my book collection.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Would Love More But Didn’t?

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough. To summarize the book’s plot, Louise is an insecure, single woman living in England. While staying at a hotel, she meets David at the hotel bar who is irresistible. Louise is devastated to find out David is married to Adele who looks like a supermodel. As Louise develops a friendship with Adele, she finds their relationship to be unhealthy and it becomes clear something is odd about the two of them. Without spoiling the plot, this book has a supernatural twist at the end which was off-putting and I didn’t like it.

3. Most Surprising (In a Good or Bad Way) Book You Read?

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn had a nice surprise twist at the end. Imagine the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie Rear Window meets Gone Girl. There’s still time to read this book before the movie is released in October 2019. The movie will star Amy Adams in the title role.

4. Best Series You Started in 2018?

Warcross by Marie Lu is a great book especially if you consider yourself a gamer. Emika is a hacker who enjoys playing the world-renowned game called Warcross. When she accidentally hacks into the Warcross World Championship, she’s flown to meet Hideo Tanaka, the creator of Warcross. He tasks her with finding the identity of another hacker who Hideo believes is going to ruin the Championship game. Emika becomes involved in the scandal which has its consequences for everyone involved.

I’m shocked because I found out today that the sequel, Wildcard, was released a couple months ago. Initially, I thought Wildcard was being released in 2019. I’m going to use some of my Barnes & Noble gift card money to purchase Wildcard and it will become my top priority to read it next year.

5. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I really liked Amy Schumer’s autobiography titled The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo. I know there’s a lot of controversy with her regarding whether or not she steals jokes. I personally haven’t looked into that much, but I do like Amy’s sense of humor. I found her book to be funny with a nice touch of personal stories from her past. I appreciate the story she wrote on gun violence as I also believe we, in the United States, have to do something to end mass shootings.

6. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2018?

Even though I didn’t like The Post Mortal by Drew Magary, I thought the book posed fascinating hypothetical questions. In this book, the cure for aging is discovered which poses the question of whether or not humans should take the cure. I personally wouldn’t because I would hate to live for eternity without my loved ones unless my loved ones could get the cure as well. Unfortunately, this book’s pacing was a little too boring for me so it ended up taking forever for me to finish it.

7. Book That Shocked You The Most

Calamity is Brandon Sanderson’s concluding book in the Steelheart trilogy which is one of my favorite trilogies I read. This trilogy stars David, a teenager who exists in a world where once the star, Calamity, appeared in the sky, humans were given powers. David joined the Reckoners, a rebel group that sought to fight evil Epics (humans with powers). Calamity reveals the history behind the star which is what shocked me the most because it wasn’t what I had anticipated it would be.

8. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!) *One True Pairing*

Claire & Tess from Ship It is so cute together! ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

9. Favorite Book You Read in 2018 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

I’m going to nominate Saga for this one. I read the first volume in 2017 and I read both volumes #2 & #3 this year. Unfortunately, Saga is on a hiatus right now, but the only positive part about this news is that I have time to catch up since there are eight volumes in the series.

10. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

It’s going to be a tie between Warcross and Calamity. Both books created equally thrilling environments. Honestly, I wish both Warcross and the Steelheart trilogy were getting movies. This would be visually stunning to see, but never say never I suppose.

11. Hidden Gem of the Year?

The Manhattan Projects is a series I wish I had read earlier. It combines history, science, and aliens into one epic graphic novel. 

1. New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/YouTube channel you discovered in 2018?

I enjoy watching Super Space Chick’s YouTube channel even though we don’t always have the same book interests. Kristin reads a lot more Young Adult and Contemporary novels than I do. However, our interests coincide with her recommendations of Fantasy and Science Fiction novels. One of my favorite books I read in 2017 titled This is Our Story by Ashley Elston was recommended to me after reading one of Kristin’s blog posts. I hopefully plan on following more book bloggers in 2019.

2. Favorite post you wrote in 2018?

I really liked my post regarding my love for the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. This is one of my favorite series of all time. This post also acquired more comments than I initially thought it would which is a nice bonus.

3. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

Can I say being an adult isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?? I try to read before bed which doesn’t work out because I end up falling asleep at 8:30 PM instead of reading a chapter and then going to bed. When I was in college, I read a lot more books than I do now. That’s why I’m setting my reading goal in 2019 to be 50 books to encourage myself to read more next year.

4. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Most of my comic book posts never get any comments or likes which always makes me sad. Comics are such an important part of my life and I wish these posts were more well received. I write what I want to write about which means I may not get any attention on blog posts that I feel deserve the spotlight, but that’s okay.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2018 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2019?

My top books I’m Looking Forward to Reading Are:

• Wildcard, the sequel to Warcross by Marie Lu
• The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston. I mentioned This is Our Story a couple paragraphs ago which is also written by Elston. She’s one of those authors where I will be on the lookout if she releases a new book.

2. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2019?

I’m going to attempt to read Game of Thrones this year, wish me luck. This is mostly because of my friend’s obsession with the TV series.

3. 2019 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

The Princess & the Fangirl by Ashley Poston who also wrote Geekerella. Geekerella was a fairy tale retelling of Cinderella but with a comic con twist. It’s being released April 2nd, 2019 and I’m considering pre-ordering it.

If you end up completing this book survey, link your post in the comments below. Happy New Year book readers! 🙂