Today I will be talking about the books that I am keen for that are releasing in October 2020! I only have a few this month, so let’s jump in.
6th October
Kingdom of Sea and Stone by Mara Rutherford
Firstly we have Kingdom of Sea and Stone which is the sequel to Crown of Coral and Pearl which I read as an eARC and LOVED! I am super keen to get my hands on this one and see what happens next in this series. Crown of Coral and Pearl follows Nor who lives on town on the ocean. The most beautiful girl in the town is intended to marry the crown prince which will likely with Zadie, Nor’s twin sister. Until Zadie is gravely injured and Nor is sent in her place. There are a lot more secrets and lies than expected and Nor has to navigate this to save her town.
Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker
Next we have Over the Woodward Wall which is the first book in a new Middle Grade series. This cover definitely what caught my eye but the synopsis also sounds super fun. I’m also into more fun kind of reads at the moment and I feel like this would be perfect for that. Over the Woodward Wall follows two points of view, Avery who is very precise & Zib who is very unpredictable. They accidentally find themselves in a new world after climbing over a stone wall and they must find themselves and each other in order to return to their own world.
13th October
A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe
A Gold Fury is one I have an eARC for so I’m hoping to get to it in the coming weeks! This is a standalone YA Historical Fantasy and again the cover definitely interested me for this one. It also sounds really good so I am definitely keen to read it soon! A Golden Fury follows Thea who longs to be an Alchemist. Thea and her mother are attempting to create a Philosopher’s Stone but then before they are finished her mother destroys it. Thea then learns that the stone is cursed and will send anyone who attempts to create it insane.
Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald
Beyond the Ruby Veil is another one with a super interesting cover and it actually gives me Alice in Wonderland vibes with the red rose in the corner. I don’t believe it’s related though. This one is the first book in a new YA fantasy series. There is also LGBT+ representation so I am definitely keen for that!
A dark, queer YA fantasy that’s perfect for fans of the Three Dark Crowns series and Wicked Saints. After Emanuela Ragno kills the one person in Occhia who can create water, she must find a way to save her city from dying of thirst.
20th October
Among the Beasts & Briars by Ashley Poston
I love Ashley Poston’s work, so of course this is on my October Anticipate Releases!! Among the Beasts & Briars is a standalone YA Fantasy and I am so keen! I’m really interested to read this one because so far Ashley Poston has not released a Fantasy so I am so curious to see what world se creates!
In Among the Beasts & Briars we follow Cerys who is the daughter of a gardener for the royal palace. She is forced to flee after dangers enter the kingdom from the woods. It is up to her & her companions, a small fox, a powerful bear & her own magic, to find the Lady of the Wilds and save her Kingdom.
27th October
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
Lastly we have Kingdom of the Wicked. While I am keen to read this one I’m also a little worried as I didn’t love the Stalking Jack the Ripper series as a whole. I really enjoyed the first 2 books but as the romance overtook the plot in the last two books I started loosing interest. I loved the first two books for the mystery but the mystery ended up feeling like a side plot in the last two books which was super disappointing. I’m worried the same thing will happen here as there is ‘an intoxicating romance’ according to the synopsis… Kingdom of the Wicked follows Emilia who is a Streghe, a witch. She finds her twin sister brutally murdered and sets out to seek vengeance. She meets Wrath, a Prince of Hell who claims to be on her side.
Let’s Chat!
Well those are the books I am super keen for that release in October! Are you keen for any of these or what other book are you most looking forward to? I’m definitely looking forward to Kingdom of Sea and Salt the most!
Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!
Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!
So, I’m joining a weekly feature that is kind of like a Throwback Thursday! Last Year I Was Reading… was created by ReadingMaria!
Take your current read and compare it to what you reading this exact time last year. Which one do you like better? What is different about the books? Any special facts/things you want to make note of or bring attention to? Be sure to link it back to my blog so I can see them!
This Year I Am Reading…
Misfit City: Vol 2 by Kirsten Smith, Kurt Lustgarten & Naomi Franquiz
This year I am reading Misfit City: Vol 2 and loved it! The Misfit City Graphic Novels are so fun, kinda creepy and full of action. I have loved the whole thing and just had so much fun reading them!
Last Year I Was Reading…
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
This time last year I was listening to the audiobook of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This was of course a reread for me and I obviously love this book!
It’s hard to compare anything to Harry Potter, so while I did love Misfit City, of course I loved Harry Potter more. Harry Potter is my all time favourite series, so it doesn’t really compare. I do highly recommend Misfit City though!!
Let’s Chat!
What were you reading this time last year? Did you love it?
Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!
Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!
Yes, I am jumping back on the Top Ten Tuesday band wagon but it may not be every week. I’m just planning on jumping in when I enjoy the prompt of the week. So these will be pretty random.
Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!
Today we are going to be talking about 10 Graphic Novels that I think you should check out! All of these except 1 I have read more than 1 volume of (except the ones that are just one book) so I feel like I have read enough to give you are proper recommendation! So, let’s jump in!
I have read Vol 1 & Vol 2 of The Backstagers but am yet to read Vol 3. The backstagers is a fun action packed contemporary with a hidden magical world behind the curtains! Our main character transfers to an all boys school where he doesn’t feel like he fits in. Until he finds his place as part of the Backstagers and discovers this hidden underground world. Highly recommend if you are after a fun & fantasy read!
I have read Heartstopper Volume 1, Volume 2 & Volume 3. Volume 4 is set to release Feb 2021! This is a cute LGBT+ romance and it is just such a fun and wholesome read! This also follows characters that feature in some of Alice Oseman’s other books, so if you love her other books then it’s definitely worth checking it out! Highly recommend if you are looking for a cute & very quick Graphic Novel.
Mooncakes is such a gorgeous stand alone Graphic Novel! This one is a YA Fantasy and features a tonne of representation. The main character lives with her Lesbian Witch Grandmothers and wears a hearing aid. There is also a female/female romance featured! So plenty of rep for such a short story! Mooncakes follows Nova who lives and works at her grandmothers bookshop. She goes to investigate sightings of a white wolf in the woods only to discover her childhood crush, Tam, a werewolf, battling a horse demon. Tam turns to Nova for help against dark forces which are after her wolf magic. I highly recommend checking out Mooncakes if you are after a LGBT+ witchy fantasy book!
Pumpkinheards by Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks
This is another super fun read! Pumpkinheads is a standalone contemporary and perfect for the autumn (fall) season. This one follows Deja & Josiah on their last shift at the Pumpkin Patch where they have been working every autumn of high school. Josiah wants to spend the night feeling melancholy about it being their last shift but Deja comes up with a plan that involves seeing every sight & tasting every snack! If you are looking for a fun, wholesome & autumn feeling read then this is definitely the one for you!
I have read Misfit City: Vol 1 and loved it and I’m hoping to read Vol 2 this month! Misfit City is a kinda creepy adventure story where the characters go on the hunt to find pirate treasure. I highly recommend this if you need an adventure which is a little creepy. This is another one that would be good for the autumn season as it’s got those creepy elements!
I have read Heavy Vinyl: Riot on the Radio but I didn’t know until brainstorming for this video that there is actually now a follow up book called Heavy Vinyl: Y2K-0!. So I will be going and reading that one soon! I do highly recommend the first one though! This one follows Chris who has just joined the staff of a local record store. The staff’s favourite singer mysteriously disappears the night before a big show in town and Chris learns that the record shore is just a front for a teen girl vigilante fight club! This is just such a cool idea and I loved every minute. This is a mystery and is super action packed & fun to read.
I don’t think I need to describe this one. As far as I know this follows the events of the TV show, so if you love the Avatar Show then I highly recommend picking this one up!
This one is an Adult Fantasy series that is a tad brutal & intense. The Wicked + The Divine follows 12 gods incarnate as humans. That is literally all you need to know! This series is amazing but as it is adult it has some sexual and gory content that could be troubling for some readers, so be careful.
Giant Days is a Fun YA Contemporary that is about three girls that make fast friends when they start University. This series follows the chaos that is their life in university. It’s funny, action packed and crazy.
MAUS is a Historical Non-Fiction story that follows the life of Art Spiegelman’s grandfather during the Holocaust as a Jewish man. This is a hard hitting but amazing story but it’s definitely not an easy read. There is no sugar coating things in the story and I love that about it. I also love the art style and that the illustrator used different animals to represent different groups (jews, Germans, Pols, Russians, etc.). This made it easy to follow and understand. I highly recommend this book if you are a looking for a WWII Historical book!
Let’s Chat!
What Graphic Novel should I pick up next? Let me know what Graphic Novels you recommend!
Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!
Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!
I have listened to the audiobook of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz because I found out it was narrated by Anne Hathaway. It was really good but I’ve never been a huge fan of the tale and didn’t really care to continue.
I have read The Lightning Thief but I wasn’t a huge fan. It definitely didn’t live up to the hype surrounding this series and I was never super interested in continuing.
This one is on the verge of maybe actually but it’s mostly not likely I will continue. I didn’t love Wold Born and it didn’t really interest me. However, this series has a different author for each book, so maybe I’ll like some of the others more than the first book.. I don’t really know. I’m not likely to continue but if I need a middle grade with an animal on the cover for a ReadAThon or something I might pick up the audiobook.
Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Love, Creekwood by Becky Albertalli
I have read Simon Vs. as well as Leah on the Offbeat but I will not be continuing. I loved Simon Vs. but really did not like Leah on the Offbeat. It featured some extremely problematic content that was harmful towards Bisexual representation & it was never rectified. For this reason I won’t be supporting the series again.
I did enjoy Strange the Dreamer but I didn’t love the romance. I loved the rest of the book enough that I was able to ignore the romance. I tried to read Muse of Nightmares but ended up DNFing as the romance was extremely prominent in the chapters I read and I just didn’t care for it at all.
I read An Ember in the Ashes & A Torch Against the night and loved them. I then attempted to reread them before the release of A Reaper at the Gates and during that reread I realised I wasn’t enjoy it as much as I did the first time around. So I never continued to A Reaper at the Gates.
The Star-Touched Queen was good from what I remember but I have completely forgotten everything that happened in the book. Obviously it didn’t make a lasting impact, so I won’t be bothering continuing.
While I did enjoy the plot and writing of Roar the male characters all annoyed me a lot. At first I was curious to continue for the plot but I just can’t tolerate those characters. So I won’t be continuing.
I have read Passenger and I did enjoy it but there were a couple things I wasn’t a fan of. I did intend to read Wayfarer eventually but now I have just lost interest.
The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken
The Last Life of Prince Alastor by Alexandra Bracken
I read The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding but I was never really keen on it and wasn’t interested in continuing onto The Last Life of Prince Alastor.
For this one I actually watched, I think the first 4 seasons of the TV show before picking up the book. I loved the TV show but there is a fair few differences between it and the book. As I watched and loved the TV show first the book just didn’t impress me and I was never interested in continuing. I definitely want to do a rewatch of the show though and watch the new seasons!
I have read both City of Bones & City of Ashes and while they were fine they were also slow and definitely didn’t live up to the hype for me. I have been told to just finish these books so I can move onto the other series in the same world but I have really lost interest. I can’t see the point in reading book more mediocre books just in the hopes of maybe getting to something better.. Doesn’t make sense to me, so I won’t be bothering.
I read and enjoyed Song of the Current but after a while I simply lost interest. This one just fell off my radar and I don’t think I will be bothering continuing with it.
So I originally requested Blood of Assassins from NetGalley not realising it was the second book in a series. I had to read Age of Assassins before I could read Blood of Assassins obviously and those are the only two I read in the series. I ended up not loving them as much as I hoped so after reviewing Blood of Assassins I didn’t bother continuing.
I read Grave Mercy last year and it was good but there are definitely other books that I loved more and would be more keen to read their sequels. So this one just isn’t a priority for me.
I had owned The Key to Rondo since I was in Primary School and finally read it a couple years ago. I also read The Wizard of Rondo as I owned it but they didn’t intrigue me enough to go out and buy & read The Battle for Rondo..
The Diviners really didn’t live up to the hype for me. I wasn’t a fan of the romance and overall I just found it lacking. I don’t think I will ever bother picking up Lair of Dreams.
The Name of the Wind is another one that didn’t live up to the hype. This book is so highly loved and I expected amazing things but for me it didn’t reach anywhere near those expectations. I’m just not a huge fan of the slower adult fantasy genre. So this one wasn’t for me.
I was soo keen for Wicked Saints but it was a tad disappointing overall. The characters (except Serefin) were bland and 2D, the plot was all over the place and the world building was meh. I did enjoy Serefin so I would be a little (LITTLE) bit interested in continuing just to see what happens to him but definitely not a high priorty.
Yeah I really didn’t enjoy The Wizards of Once so it never even crossed by mind to continue onto Twice Magic. This one is just too childish for me and I didn’t enjoy the plot or characters.
The Trials of Morrigan Crow also didn’t live up to expectations. I really didn’t care for this and it really didn’t live up to the Harry Potter comparisons that everyone was pushing.. I didn’t hate it but it’s also not one I loved and I have zero interest in continuing.
Well… I didn’t like Nevernight or Life L1k3 basically at all. As you may know because I mention it fairly often but I simply think that Jay Kristoff’s writing just doesn’t interest me. I find myself bored and the characters tend to be bland and the plots interesting but not blowing my mind. So yeah. Just not for me.
The Hazel Wood was yet another that didn’t live up to the hype for me. At this point I’m feeling like a broken record. It was fine but I won’t be continuing.
Unearthed has SUCH an amazing concept but the execution just wasn’t quite there for me. I loved the idea and a couple of the aspects but overall I was left underwhelmed. I won’t be continuing to Undying.
For Wicked Fox the very average romance just took over the book for me and I wasn’t a fan. I loved aspects of this book but as a whole I wasn’t a fan. I didn’t like Wicked Fox enough to put my time into continuing the series.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
This one is only tentatively on this list because who knows if a sequel will even happen but if it was to come out I will not be reading it. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is probably on the top (or very close) of my list of books I consider over hyped. This is so highly loved but I found it average at best honestly.
Dragon Rider was fine but didn’t blow me away. My Mum enjoyed it more than I did and continued on and read book 2 but I have no interest in continuing.
Same as Percy Jackson, The Sword of Summer simply didn’t live up to the hype. I found this one childish and didn’t enjoy the writing at all. I think I actually disliked this one more than The Lightning Thief, so no chance of continuing.
I wish I loved Zero Repeat Forever more and wanted to continue just so I could have these covers. Something about this covers just draws me in! Unfortunately though I found Zero Repeat Forever pretty average so I won’t be continuing.
I enjoyed The Young Elites even less than I did Legend and I won’t be continuing this one either. This was another one that was just average so not worth continuing for me.
Another overhyped one for me. I just don’t get it for this one. I found it slow and a little dull personally so I don’t think I will be bothering with reading more.
End of the World was just bad honestly. This is marked as a series but there is no info on a book 2 at all. It definitely read as a start of a series but who knows if that will actually happen.
It is a HARD no from me for this series. If it hadn’t been for the audiobook being available on Scribd I would not have even finished Zenith. It is poorly written and even more poorly edited. It was extremely repetitive all the time and everything just felt flat. It had so much potential but unfortunately it was poorly executed.
Let’s Chat!
Do you agree with any of my choices? Or disagree? Let me know your thoughts on the series I won’t be continuing.
Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!
Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!
So, I’m joining a weekly feature that is kind of like a Throwback Thursday! Last Year I Was Reading… was created by ReadingMaria!
Take your current read and compare it to what you reading this exact time last year. Which one do you like better? What is different about the books? Any special facts/things you want to make note of or bring attention to? Be sure to link it back to my blog so I can see them!
This Year I Am Reading…
Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
I am currently 101 pages into Wolf by Wolf and I am enjoying it! This is a super interesting story based on World War 11 but with a small fantastical element. I LOVE WW11 based books and this is definitely the most unique one I have read so far. I can’t wait to keep reading and see how everything is going to play out.
Last Year I Was Reading…
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Wilder Girls, I rated 3 stars and I did review this one so you can find that HERE! This one was a huge disappointment for me! The only thing I enjoyed was the setting which was very creepy and atmospheric. The plot, characters and writing in general though all felt very flat. I couldn’t connect with the characters and couldn’t really get invested in the plot at all. The romance was a big no for me as well as. It felt super forced and like it was only thrown in their half heartedly to make sure there was LGBT+ diversity in the book.
So, I’m definitely loving my current read, so far, a lot more than my read from last year! I can’t wait to keep reading Wolf by Wolf.
Let’s Chat!
What were you reading this time last year? Did you love it?
Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!
Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!
From the author of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender comes a haunting maelstrom of magic and murder in the lush, moody Pacific Northwest.
When Rona Blackburn landed on Anathema Island more than a century ago, her otherworldly skills might have benefited friendlier neighbors. Guilt and fear instead led the island’s original eight settlers to burn “the witch” out of her home. So Rona cursed them. Fast-forward one hundred–some years: All Nor Blackburn wants is to live an unremarkable teenage life. She has reason to hope: First, her supernatural powers, if they can be called that, are unexceptional. Second, her love life is nonexistent, which means she might escape the other perverse side effect of the matriarch’s backfiring curse, too. But then a mysterious book comes out, promising to cast any spell for the right price. Nor senses a storm coming and is pretty sure she’ll be smack in the eye of it. In her second novel, Leslye Walton spins a dark, mesmerizing tale of a girl stumbling along the path toward self-acceptance and first love, even as the Price Guide’s malevolent author — Nor’s own mother — looms and threatens to strangle any hope for happiness.
The Price Guide to the Occult book cover. Black background with lime green title surrounded by fern leaves & vines of the same colour. Three of the fern leaves have red on the tips.
Trigger Warning: Child abuse & self harm
I was pleasantly surprised by The Price Guide to the Occult. I previously attempted The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender and couldn’t get into it at all so this was a surprise that I enjoyed this one.
Firstly, the story was a bit choppy and confusing at times. Especially when we swap time frames and jump back to her childhood without any warning at all. This led to a bit of confusion until I realised what was going on. I did enjoy that we had those glimpses into the past as they set the picture of what Fern, the MC’s mother was really like. However, I do wish they indicated that change somehow in the book by maybe putting a date at the top or even Nor’s age at the time of the event. This confusion was also present when Nor was having a dream. It took a couple pages to realise that she was not doing these things and that it was a dream..
The other small thing I didn’t like was the romance. It felt forced and a little flat and I don’t feel like it was really necessary. It would of been a lot more enjoyable if they had the focus on the friendship between Savvy & Nor rather than the romance between Nor and another character. Also what the heck was that random bit of love triangle thrown in at the end?? I get that if you are in a situation where you believe you’re about to die that you may do something unexpected but it just didn’t make sense and added absolutely nothing to the plot.
The Price Guide to the Occult was an enjoyable, quick, fun & easy read. It’s super short but packs a lot in and is fairly action packed so I found myself flying through it. I think I read it in basically 2 sittings which is quick for me even for a book just under 300 pages. I was also engaged the entire time and didn’t want to put it down. There were a couple things I didn’t understand but overall and enjoyable reading experience.
I loved that we got a prologue that really set the scene and explained the world and magic systems. For such a short book I feel like we got a tonne of world building and explanation about the magic. There were a few things that were never explained and I feel like this book was set up to have a sequel where we got more explanation but alas, it is only a standalone.
The ending was also slightly disappointing. There was tonnes of build up to this big ending and then when it came to defeating the bad guy it just kinda happened and then that was it. It wasn’t draw out and there wasn’t some big battle or anything. There was like 2 lines and it was all over. So the ending definitely felt a tad lacking compared to the rest of the plot.
Most of the major characters like Nor, Savvy, Judd and a couple others felt fleshed out and we got some background from them however there were a fair few side characters that were talked about but weren’t really given any depth. They were kind of just a name and that’s it.
Overall while this book was enjoyable there were a few things that definitely could have been improved. I feel like this book would have made more of an impact if it had been a duology rather than a standalone. There would have been more time for explanation and also a better conclusion possibly. However, that is not the case and while I did enjoy the reading experience this isn’t a favourite.
Let’s Chat
Have you read The Price Guide to the Occult? Did you enjoy it?
You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below. There is an alternate cover which I will leave below and those links will feature a * beside the format.
You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.
Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!
Today I will be showing you all the books I purchased/received in August! There is a lot of books so let’s jump straight in!
eARC/Review Copies
The Tea Dragon Tapestry by Katie O’Neill
Loveless by Alice Oseman
Indigo Owl by Charlie Archbold
The Tea Dragon Tapestry I received through NetGalley from Oni Press and it releases 27th October. Loveless I received a physical review copy from Harper Collins Australia and it releases 1st September. Indigo Owl I received through Aussie YA Bloggers from Wakefield Press as part of a Blog Tour. It releases 1st of September & my review will be up on the first day of the Blog Tour, 26th Sept!
Library
The Price Guide to the Occult by Lesley Walton
Paperbacks
The Game by Linsey Miller
The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed
The Deck of Omens by Christine Lynn Herman
Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu
Misfit City: Vol 2
The Other Side of Dawn by John Marsden
Hardcovers
The Deck of Omens by Christine Lynn Herman
Detective Mysteries: Short Stories
A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen stories of Black Girl magic, resistance & hope
The Sound of Stars by Alecia Dow
Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanna A. Brown
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
Cinderellea is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
Books from Past Subscription Boxes
OwlCrate: All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
Lit Joy Crate: Nocturna by Maya Motayne
These are both from previous subscription boxes. I purchased the February OwlCrate from the ‘Past Boxes’ section on their website which included All the Starts and Teeth with the exclusive cover, exclusive sword design on the spine & silver foiled crown on the naked hardcover. I purchase the Lit Joy Crate edition of Nocturna on Facebook for super cheap. It features character artwork on the reverse of the dust jacket, signed, letter from the author and character art inside the book.
eBooks
The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill
The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’Neill
The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
Audible
The Magician’s Diary by C.J. Archer
The Convent’s Secret by C.J. Archer
The Ink Master’s Silence by C.J. Archer
Let’s Chat!
What did you pick up in August? What are you most keen to read?
Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!
Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!
The fourth novel from the phenomenally talented Alice Oseman – one of the most authentic and talked-about voices in contemporary YA.
It was all sinking in. I’d never had a crush on anyone. No boys, no girls, not a single person I had ever met. What did that mean?
Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush – but as a fanfic-obsessed romantic she’s sure she’ll find her person one day.
As she starts university with her best friends, Pip and Jason, in a whole new town far from home, Georgia’s ready to find romance, and with her outgoing roommate on her side and a place in the Shakespeare Society, her ‘teenage dream’ is in sight.
But when her romance plan wreaks havoc amongst her friends, Georgia ends up in her own comedy of errors, and she starts to question why love seems so easy for other people but not for her. With new terms thrown at her – asexual, aromantic – Georgia is more uncertain about her feelings than ever.
Is she destined to remain loveless? Or has she been looking for the wrong thing all along?
This wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance sees Alice Oseman on towering form as Georgia and her friends discover that true love isn’t limited to romance.
Loveless book cover: Pink background with drawing of girl holding a love heart with hearts floating away
Firstly, the representation in Loveless is AMAZING! Loveless features a Latinx Lesbian, Asexual/Aromantic, Gay Asexual Indian, Bisexual or Pansexual (not specified but liked both male & female) & Bisexual Aromantic! I’m not sure I’ve actually read a book with an Asexual or Aromantic character before so this was awesome.
I loved the themes of friendship that were prominent in Loveless. As someone who doesn’t love romances in books its amazing to see good friendship themes instead. I loved how the friendships developed in this book and I also loved that it showed the rocky side of things when it comes to friendship.
I also really enjoyed the characters, especially Georgia. There is so much character development for all the characters in Loveless but especially Georgia. It was amazing seeing her learn and struggle and grow throughout the book. I also love that even when she did something that was problematic she realised that mistake and genuinely apologised for it. It’s so annoying to see problematic actions made by characters thats never discussed afterwards or rectified in any way. *Cough* Leah on the Offbeat *Cough*…
This book was also super fun and easy to read. There were lots of drama to keep you interested and it was very unpredictable. I had a tonne of fun reading this and it definitely helped with my reading slump!
Overall I really enjoyed Loveless and I highly recommend picking it up! I can’t wait to see what Alice Oseman brings out next and I’m super keen for Nick & Charlie to release in physical copy! I will definitely be jumping on that one!
Let’s Chat
Have you read Loveless? What did you think of the representation? What’s your favourite Alice Oseman book? I think Loveless or Radio Silence are my faves!
Huge thanks to HarperCollins Australia & NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of Ever After in exchange for an honest review
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Title: Ever After Author: Olivia Vieweg Genre: YA Horror Graphic Novel Publication Date: June 4th, 2012 (Sept 1st, 2020 for English Translation) Pages: 288 Publishers: Lerner Publishing Group Rating:
2 Stars
Goodreads Synopsis
Vivi and Eva are two travelers in a countryside filled with the undead. After a train breaks down, stranding them between safe zones, the young women partner up to stay alive. Vivi is struggling with grief–and guilt–over the loss of her sister. Eva is hiding the start of a horrifying transformation. Together they’ll face heat, zombie hordes, and their own inner demons, searching for signs of life in a land of the dead. This graphic novel addition to an enduring genre is thoughtful and emotion-driven, but also full of zombie scares and action.
This graphic novel was just straight out confusing. I still have no idea what really happened in this graphic novel. It was very hard to follow and didn’t have any context or really explanation as to what the heck was going on. I found my self not really following what was going on for majority of the book. There was a couple sections where I thought ‘ahh okay, I get it’ and then the next page I was back to being confused.
This is on the longer side for a graphic novel. This one is nearly 300 pages and majority of graphic novels are around 100 – 150 pages. So this had the potential to really build the world and grow the story but it simply didn’t do any of that. There is a zombie apocalypse but that is literally all we find out. I don’t think there was really any world building to this and the characters were just flat and didn’t really developed or even get fleshed out at all. I couldn’t follow what was going on in the plot so really there is nothing positive for me to really say.
Also this book kinda just ended. It didn’t wrap anything up or answer any questions at all. It feels like there should be a book 2 to explain everything but this is a standalone. So that definitely felt off.
The only positive is that the art is nice but even that left me slightly confused because when you look at the cover compared to the inside of the book it REALLY doesn’t match. The cover makes it look like it’s going to be a cute or whimsical story (well thats the vibe I get at least) and then the themes of the Graphic Novels are mental health & zombies… So I’m not sure how that fits at all.
Overall I don’t recommend this book. Nothing was explained, nothing made much sense and nothing was concluded.
Let’s Chat
Have you read Ever After? What were your thoughts?
Huge thanks to Lerner Publishing Group & NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of Ever After in exchange for an honest review
You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.
You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.
Some of the links on my blog are affiliate links. This does not change the price of your purchases, however, I receive a small commission if you use any of those links to make a purchase! Which I highly appreciate!
