Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the BeanstalkFrom Goodreads:    Jack has always been told that giants are not real. But if that’s the case, how do you explain the huge, foot shaped pond in the yard, or the occurrence of strange and sudden storms in which the earth quakes and dirt rains from the sky? When his father is carried away in such a storm, Jack gives chase in the only logical way: by trading the family cow for some magic beans that will give him access to a land beyond the clouds. He arrives to find that the giants themselves have giant-sized troubles. With the help of an overachieving little sister, a magic goose and a chatty cook (who is not interested in grinding human bones into bread, thank you very much!) Jack sets out to save his dad and save the day.





My Thoughts:

-    I liked Rump a lot, so I was excited to read more of these, but this one was a little disappointing. It wasn't as good as Rump.

-    I wish the story has strayed from the original a little more. 

-    I really like that the giant world was the same world as Rump. It was really fun to see old characters come back.

-    I liked the characters a lot. I like Jack and his sister, and I liked their relationship.

-    The story was a little slow at times. I think the pacing was just off.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Waterless Mountain

Waterless MountainFrom Goodreads:    Winner of the 1931 Newbery Medal, this is an authentic novel about an eight-year-old Navaho boy's training as a medicine man. This deeply moving and accurate account of one young Navaho's childhood and spiritual journey is filled with wonder and respect for the natural world--a living record of the Navaho way of life before the influence of the white man.











My Thoughts:

-    Another painstakingly boring Newbery winner. Oy! Not only was this super boring, but I'm not sure how accurate it was.

-    I don't like when there are a lot of stories within stories.

-    There wasn't anything to really keep my attention. There wasn't a main storyline. The story was just following a Navaho's boys day to day events.

-    I was a little confused about the time period. I couldn't figure it out.

-    I hope I get an interesting Newbery winner soon! When I started this goal, I didn't realize what a drag a lot of these books would be.

Monday, May 28, 2018

Manga Classics: The Count of Monte Cristo

Manga Classics: The Count of Monte CristoGoodreads Synopsis:    A Conspiracy and a miscarriage of justice turn the gentle Edmond Dantès into an implacable agent of fate: The Count of Monte Cristo . Obsessed by vengeance and empowered by providence, the Count avenges himself on whose who have wronged him - but is this justice, or is this hubris? In the end, does even the Count know?

Alexandre Dumas' skillful narrative combines intrigue, betrayal, and triumphant revenge into a powerful conflict between good and evil. Now this exciting saga, rich and diverse, takes on an entirely new life in this Manga Classics adaptation!






My Thoughts:

-    I LOVE these Manga Classics. I love that they stay true to the original story. 

-    The story is so complex and interwoven. I love how characters effect each other, and how the Count uses connections to create his plans.

-    The overall story is very sad, but there is some happiness in the end. Most of the characters are doomed to suffer though. 

-    The illustrations and character designs were beautiful! Each page was amazing.

-    I think I attempted to read the book once. Dante spent so much time in prison, and it was so slow. I don't know if I'll try again.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo and Chewbacca Adventure

Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca AdventureGoodreads Synopsis:    It is a period of civil war. The heroic freedom fighters of the REBEL ALLIANCE have won their most important victory thus far with the destruction of the Empire's ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR.

But the Rebellion has no time to savor its victory. The evil Galactic Empire has recognized the threat the rebels pose, and is now searching the galaxy for any and all information that will lead to the final destruction of the freedom fighters.

For the MILLENNIUM FALCON's crew, who saved the life of Luke Skywalker during the Battle of Yavin, their involvement with the rebels is at an end. Now HAN SOLO and CHEWBACCA hope to take their reward and settle some old debts....



My Thoughts:

-    The hardest reviews to write are the ones where you don't have anything to say about the book. This is one of those books.

-    It was a fun Han and Chewy adventure. That is all.

-    I did like that old man Han is telling the tale and reminiscing of his younger rebel days. 

Friday, May 25, 2018

The Cat Who Went to Heaven

The Cat Who Went to HeavenGoodreads Synopsis:    In ancient Japan, a struggling artist is angered when his housekeeper brings home a tiny white cat he can barely afford to feed. But when the village's head priest commissions a painting of the Buddha for a healthy sum, the artist softens toward the animal he believes has brought him luck. 

According to legend, the proud and haughty cat was denied the Buddha's blessing for refusing to accept his teachings and pay him homage. So when the artist, moved by compassion for his pet, includes the cat in his painting, the priest rejects the work and decrees that it must be destroyed. It seems the artist's life is ruined as well -- until he is rewarded for his act of love by a Buddhist miracle. 

This timeless fable has been a classic since its first publication in 1930, and this beautifully reillustrated edition brings the magic and wonder of the tale to a new generation of readers.

My Thoughts:

-    The title of this book should have been The Artist Paints with His Imagination. There is a cat, and it has a decent role in the book, but most of the story is about this artist imagining he is different animals.

-    The cat's story is odd yet tender. I was happy and sad for the cat in the end.

-    The book is really short, so that was nice. I hope there are more short Newbery winners.

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Leia: Princess of Alderaan

Leia: Princess of AlderaanGoodreads Synopsis:    A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY....THERE WAS A PRINCESS WHO BECAME A LEGEND.

Sixteen-year-old Princess Leia Organa faces the most challenging task of her life so far: proving herself in the areas of body, mind, and heart to be formally named heir to the thrown of Alderaan. She's taking rigorous survival courses, practicing politics, and spearheading relief missions to worlds under Imperial control. But Leia has worries beyond her claim to the crown. Her parents, Breha and Bail, aren't acting like themselves lately; they are distant and preoccupied, seemingly more concerned with throwing dinner parties for their allies in the Senate than they are with their own daughter. Determined to uncover her parents' secrets, Leia starts down an increasingly dangerous path that puts her right under the watchful eye of the Empire. And when Leia discovers what her parents and their allies are planning behind closed doors, she finds herself facing what seems like an impossible choice; dedicate herself to the people of Alderaan--including the make she loves--or the galaxy at large, which is in desperate need of a rebel hero.

My Thoughts:

-    I didn't feel like the author captured Leia's character. When you write an iconic character like Leia, you need to nail her personality. 

-    The story was really slow. Leia was supposed to be proving herself worthy to be princess, but she spent a lot of time hiking with friends. 

-    I didn't like that Leia's parents were keeping the rebellion a secret from her. She is perfectly capable of handling the truth. I was so bugged, and I didn't feel like it was in Bail's character to hide that from Leia. 

-    I wish the story had covered more of the early days of the rebellion and Leia's role in that. 

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Ivy and Bean Doomed to Dance

Ivy and Bean: Doomed to Dance (Ivy and Bean, #6)Goodreads Synopsis:    Finally! After begging their parents for ballet lessons, Ivy and Bean finally get what they want...well, not exactly. Much to their surprise, it turns out ballet lessons do not include karate chops and roundhouse kicks to the villain's heart. The girls have no interest in learning how to dance gracefully, but they promised their parents they would finish the entire ballet course! When it comes time for Ivy and Bean to participate in the ocean-themed class recital, the girls must figure out a way to get out of it without breaking their promises.







My Thoughts:

-    This book was pretty funny. I love that Ivy and Bean wanted to take ballet because they read about a gruesome scene from a ballet. Ha!

-    It was funny to read about Ivy and Bean trying to get locked in the aquarium too. They have some fun shenanigans. 

-    I can't believe Gnome and I are still reading these. I think I need a break though. 


Previous Books

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Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter (Ivy and Bean, #4) Ivy and Bean: Bound to be Bad (Ivy and Bean, #5)

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Deep Dark Fears and The Creeps

Deep Dark FearsGoodreads Synopsis:    A charmingly creepy collection of 100 illustrated comics based on idiosyncratic and universal "deep dark fears."

We all have weird fears, from getting sliced to ribbons in subway station revolving gate to getting turned around by the wind while swimming and going too far out to sea. Based on the wildly popular eponymous Tumblr, Deep Dark Fears explores our odd, creepy, and hilariously singular fears. Animator, illustrator, and cartoonist Fran Krause brings these fears to life in vividly illustrated comics based on real fears submitted by readers (plus a few of his own). These "deep dark fears" run the gamut from unlikely but plausible to completely ridiculous, highlighting both our deeply human similarities and our peculiar uniquenesses.


The CreepsFrom Goodreads:    Illustrator, animator, teacher, and comic artist Fran Krause has touched a collective nerve with his wildly popular web comic series–and subsequent New York Times best-selling book–Deep Dark Fears. Here he brings readers more of the creepy, funny, and idiosyncratic fears they love illustrated in comic form-–such as the fear that your pets will tell other animals all your embarrassing secrets, or that someone uses your house while you’re not home-–as well as two longer comic short-stories about ghosts.






My Thoughts:

-    Both books are full of irrational fears people sent to the author.

-    A lot of the fears were so outlandish that they were hilarious, but some of the fears were pretty dumb. When I say dumb, I mean there is NO possible way that could EVER happen dumb.

-    Both books were fun quick reads, and they were perfect for the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon.

Monday, May 21, 2018

Bull

BullFrom Goodreads:    SEE THE STORY OF THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT

Minos thought he could
Pull a fast one
On me,
Poseidon!
God of the Sea!
But I’m the last one
On whom you
Should try such a thing.
The nerve of that guy.
The balls. The audacity.
I AM THE OCEAN!
I got capacity!
Depths! Darkness! Delphic power!
So his sweet little plan
Went big-time sour
And his wife had a son
Born with horns and a muzzle
Who ended up
In an underground puzzle.
What is it with you mortals?
You just can’t seem to learn:
If you play with fire, babies,
You’re gonna get burned.

Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda did in Hamilton, the New York Times best-selling author David Elliott turns a classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. A rough, rowdy, and darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, Bull will have readers reevaluating one of mythology's most infamous monsters.

My Thoughts:

-    This was the classic tale of Theseus and the Minotaur, but it was SO hilarious! I laughed out loud several times.

-    The characters, especially Poseidon, speak a little more modernly than you would expect, which just adds to the humor.

-    Poseidon was my favorite! He is hilarious in this book!

-    I really liked how the words turned into art.

-    I didn't feel jipped from this book in verse. It has everything. 

Friday, May 18, 2018

Hitty, Her First Hundred Years

Hitty, Her First Hundred YearsFrom Goodreads:    Hitty is a doll of great charm and character. It is indeed a privilege to publish her memoirs, which, besides being full of the most thrilling adventures on land and sea, also reveal her delightful personality. One glance at her portrait will show that she is no ordinary doll. Hitty, or Mehitable as she was really named, was made in the early 1800s for Phoebe Preble, a little girl from Maine. Young Phoebe was very proud of her beautiful doll and took her everywhere, even on a long sailing trip in a whaler. This is the story of Hitty's years with Phoebe, and the many that follow in the life of a well-loved doll.







My Thoughts:

-    I actually liked this Newbery Award winner. It was slow at times, but I liked Hitty and most of her adventures.

-    I really liked Hitty's down to earth personality. She was just happy to be around. She didn't mind who played with her or admired her as long as she had an owner who took care of her.

-    Hitty was the luckiest doll EVER! I can't believe she survived some of her adventures, especially being tossed into the ocean.

-    I liked most of the people that Hitty encountered. Each person was interesting in their own way.

-    Not bad for a 1920s book! 

Thursday, May 17, 2018

By Your Side

By Your SideGoodreads Synopsis:    When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Only he doesn’t come. No one does.

Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?

My Thoughts:

-    This book pleasantly surprised me. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected.

-    When I heard the library in this story was patterned after my own library, I knew I was going to read it. I love my library!

-    I thought the characters were going to spend the whole book in the library, but I was happy that they didn't, and I got to read about the aftermath stuff.

-    I liked that this wasn't just a romance. Dax and Autumn had issues to deal with. I like that Autumn was sensitive about her anxiety. A lot of people are scared to be open. 

-    I liked the characters, and there was great character development.

-    There were some eh moments, and there were some eye rolling moments, but overall it was a fun fluff book. 

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Ivy and Bean Bound to Be Bad

Ivy and Bean: Bound to be Bad (Ivy and Bean, #5)From Goodreads:    The adventures of Ivy and Bean continue in the latest installment from series creators Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall. In Ivy and Bean Bound to Be Bad the two girls decide to be so good and kind and pure of thought that wild animals will befriend them. When this doesn't work, they decide that perhaps a little badness can be good.











My Thoughts:

-    When I was little, I wanted animals to be my friends just like in Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Sadly, I could never get a bird to land on my finger. I think it is hilarious that Ivy and Bean try to get animals to flock to them by being extra good.

-    I love when Bean decides she wants to be bad instead of good. She does some funny things. 

-    Can you believe Gnome and I have read 5 of these!? The series really grows on you. 

-    Gnome and I both enjoyed this. I think Gnome enjoys these more than me, but I think they are cute and true to life. 

Previous Books

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Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter (Ivy and Bean, #4)

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Gay-Neck: The Story of a Pigeon

Gay-Neck: The Story of a PigeonFrom Goodreads:    Writing out of his own experience as a boy in India, Dhan Gopal Mukerji tells how Gay-Neck's master sent his prized pigeon to serve in World War I, and of how, because of his exceptional training and his brave heart, Gay-Neck served his new masters heroically. Winner of the 1928 Newbery Medal.













My Thoughts:

-    There were some interesting moments, but mostly I was really bored. 

-    When the pigeon would tell the story, it was kinda weird. I didn't like that the perspectives would change. 

-    These books from the 1920s are slow going. 

Monday, May 14, 2018

All's Faire in Middle School

33517044Goodreads Synopsis:    The author of Roller Girl is back with a graphic novel about starting middle school, surviving your embarrassing family, and the Renaissance Faire.

Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire, and she's eager to begin her own training as a squire. First, though, she'll need to prove her bravery. Luckily Impy has just the quest in mind--she'll go to public school after a life of being homeschooled! But it's not easy to act like a noble knight-in-training in middle school. Impy falls in with a group of girls who seem really nice (until they don't) and starts to be embarrassed of her thrift shop apparel, her family's unusual lifestyle, and their small, messy apartment. Impy has always thought of herself as a heroic knight, but when she does something really mean in order to fit in, she begins to wonder whether she might be more of a dragon after all.

My Thoughts:

-    This was such a great book! This is a must read for Telgemeier fans and Roller Girl fans.

-    I loved how much I related to Imogene. I've never been a part of a Renaissance Faire, but I've lived through middle school, and it is an awkward time of life. 

-    I loved Impy's struggles and character development. She makes not-so-good choices, and has to fix them and recover from the consequences. 

-    I really enjoyed all the side characters as well, especially the Faire people. 

-    I think this book has something for everyone. I loved it!

Friday, May 11, 2018

Long Way Down

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Goodreads Synopsis:
A cannon. A strap.
A piece. A biscuit.
A burner. A heater.
A chopper. A gat.
A hammer
A tool
for RULE

Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he? 

As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that’s when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn’s gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn’t know that Shawn had ever actually used his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck’s in the elevator?

Just as Will’s trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck’s cigarette. Will doesn’t know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES.

And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if WILL gets off that elevator.

My Thoughts:

-    I think my expectations for this book were a little too high. My library director highly recommended this book, and he has great taste in books.

-    I loved the whole idea of this story. I think it is a topic that a lot of people avoid or don't know about.

-    I really liked the characters, especially Will and his inner struggle.

-    I usually love books in verse, and I liked this one, but I really wish there had been more content. I wish Will spent more time getting to know the people on each floor. The book is fairly short, so I think it would have been okay to add some more content. 

-    Overall, I liked it, but I it left me hanging. 

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Battlefront - Twilight Company

Battlefront - Twilight CompanyFrom Goodreads   A companion novel inspired by the hotly anticipated videogame Star Wars: Battlefront, this action-packed adventure follows a squad of soldiers caught in the trenches of the ultimate galactic war between good and evil.

The bravest soldiers. The toughest warriors. The ultimate survivors.

Among the stars and across the vast expanses of space, the Galactic Civil War rages. On the battlefields of multiple worlds in the Mid Rim, legions of ruthless stormtroopers—bent on crushing resistance to the Empire wherever it arises—are waging close and brutal combat against an armada of freedom fighters. In the streets and alleys of ravaged cities, the front-line forces of the Rebel Alliance are taking the fight to the enemy, pushing deeper into Imperial territory and grappling with the savage flesh-and-blood realities of war on the ground.

Leading the charge are the soldiers—men and women, human and nonhuman—of the sixty-first mobile infantry, better known as Twilight Company. Hard-bitten, war-weary, and ferociously loyal to one another, the members of this renegade outfit doggedly survive where others perish, and defiance is their most powerful weapon against the deadliest odds. When orders come down for the Rebels to fall back in the face of superior opposition numbers and firepower, Twilight reluctantly complies. Then an unlikely ally radically changes the strategic equation—and gives the Alliance’s hardest-fighting warriors a crucial chance to turn retreat into resurgence.

Orders or not, alone and outgunned but unbowed, Twilight Company locks, loads, and prepares to make its boldest maneuver—trading down-and-dirty battle in the trenches for a game-changing strike at the ultimate target: the very heart of the Empire’s military machine.


My Thoughts:

-    I didn't care for this book. It didn't feel like a Star Wars book to me.

-    I didn't like that the main characters didn't believe in what they were fighting for, and they were just waiting for an opportunity to leave Twilight Company. That isn't what the Rebels are about.

-    Some of the battles were fun, but most of the book was pretty slow.

-    I love the Battlefront games, but I haven't played the new one. I was worried they wouldn't be able to make a story out of the game, and I was right.

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Color

Created by The Broke and The Bookish in June 2010 and moved to The Artsy Reader Girl in Jan 2018

Top Ten Books with My Favorite Color on the Cover

I love easy prompts like this!

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Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle, #1)
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow The Phantom Tollbooth
The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy, #1) Sea Glass (Glass, #2)
The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3) The Icebound Land (Ranger's Apprentice, #3)

Monday, May 7, 2018

Avengers: Infinity War

Image result for avengers infinity war


My Thoughts:

-    I thought the movie was good. I liked it a lot better than some of the other MCU movies. 

-    I loved all the moments right out of the comics. Things happened just as they should have. Yay!

-    There was a whole lot of handsome on the screen! Seeing some of these guys in the same shots was awesome! I would love to see Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr. do another movie together.

-    The Chris-off was my favorite! I loved Chris Pratt and Chris Hemsworth's exchange on the Milano. It was hilarious!! 

-    I loved teenage Groot!

-    There were a lot of funny moments. I laughed a lot.

-    I miss Adam Warlock and Silver Surfer. I understand why Silver Surfer can't be in the film, but what happened to Adam Warlock? We saw his cocoon at the end of Guardians 2, but where did he go? How will they defeat Thanos without him?

-    I'm also wondering if Lady Death is going to make an appearance. 

-    I'm excited to see Captain Marvel in the next movie!!

-    I'm glad they did the Infinity War in two parts. I was worried about everything they were going to have to squeeze into this movie, so I'm glad it is going to be two movies.

-    Overall, this is one of the better MCU movies. I liked it. 

Friday, May 4, 2018

Judy: A Legendary Film Career

Judy: A Legendary Film CareerFrom Goodreads:    Through her incomparable work on screen, stage, record, radio, and television, Judy Garland earned renown as “The World’s Greatest Entertainer.” It was as a motion picture star though, that she first rose to international fame. From her feature film debut in 1936 through the aptly titled I Could Go on Singing in 1963, she lit up the screen with a magic uniquely hers—and dazzled world-wide audiences of all ages.
 
Judy Garland starred in two dozen of the all-time classic movie musicals, among them A Star is BornMeet Me in St. LouisBabes in Arms, Easter ParadeFor Me and My Gal, and The Harvey Girls. Her dramatic turns in Judgment at NurembergThe Clock, and A Child is Waiting won added acclaim. And perhaps most unforgettably, she starred as Dorothy Gale in the best-loved motion picture of all time: The Wizard of Oz.
 
Judy: A Legendary Film Career tells the story of Garland’s movie work in unprecedented detail. Hundreds of never-before-published photos, newly-assembled contemporary reviews, insight from her costars and coworkers, and production histories are provided for each film in which she appeared. Highlighting and complimenting the feature films is a definitive biography; an examination of Judy’s short subjects; details of the movies she did not complete; and an enthralling compendium of film projects for which she was considered or rumored. The text is illustrated by more than five hundred photos, encompassing poster art; costume tests; behind-the-scenes candids; onstage and backstage glimpses of her theatrical successes; and personal snapshots.
 
Judy is the exhaustively researched work of historian John Fricke. He celebrates as never before the heart, humor, and incandescent motion picture achievement of the one-and-only Judy Garland.

My Thoughts:

-    I'm a big Judy Garland fan, and I really enjoyed this book.

-    I love that this book was a biography on Judy's life and her career. It covered both equally.

-    I feel bad for all the struggles Judy had in her life. I really believe that MGM should have been held accountable to what they did to her as a girl. I wish Judy could have gotten the help and rest that she needed. I'm glad that she had a lot of good things in her life as well. 

-    I liked the way this book was formatted. I loved going through every single movie and getting all the quotes and everything.

-    Judy was SO talented. Singing, dancing, and acting came so natural to her, and I think she was one of the greatest entertainers in all of history. When she is on the screen, I can't help watching. 

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Gone Rogue

Gone Rogue (Wires and Nerve, #2)Goodreads Synopsis:    Iko – an audacious android and best friend to the Lunar Queen Cinder – has been tasked with hunting down Alpha Lysander Steele, the leader of a rogue band of bioengineered wolf-soldiers who threaten to undo the tenuous peace agreement between Earth and Luna. Unless Cinder can reverse the mutations that were forced on them years before, Steele and his soldiers plan to satisfy their monstrous appetites with a massacre of the innocent people of Earth.

And to show he’s serious, Steele is taking hostages.

Cinder and Kai, Scarlet and Wolf, Cress and Thorne, and Winter and Jacin all feature in this epic new battle. But it is Iko who must face her deepest fears when she uncovers the truth about her own unusual programming.

My Thoughts:

-    I loved this book!!

-    I think this is the last book. It wrapped up all nicely.

-    I loved revisiting this world and all the characters in graphic novel form.

-    I loved that Iko got to be the star of this series, and I like how her humanity was questioned and realized.

-    It is hard to write reviews for books that you just love and want to gush about.

-    If you loved the Lunar Chronicles, this is a must read!! It is awesome!

Previous Book

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Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Deception

Deception (Courier's Daughter, #2)Goodreads Synopsis:    Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander's whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father's death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it's up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his side. Under constant threat from rival Carrington's army, who is after the device that controls the Cursed One, the group decides to abandon the ruins of their home and take their chances in the Wasteland.

But soon their problems intensify tenfold: someone—possibly inside their ranks—is sabotaging the survivors, picking them off one by one. The chaos and uncertainty of each day puts unbearable strain on Rachel and Logan, and it isn't long before they feel their love splintering. Even worse, as it becomes clear that the Commander will stop at nothing to destroy them, the band of survivors begins to question whether the price of freedom may be too great—and whether, hunted by their enemies and the murderous traitor in their midst, they can make it out of the Wasteland alive.

In this daring sequel to Defiance, with the world they once loved forever destroyed, Rachel and Logan must decide between a life on the run and standing their ground to fight.

My Thoughts:

-    I have mixed feelings about this one. I wasn't sure if I'd read the third book, but I think I will.

-    For almost the whole book, I wanted Rachel to get swift kick in the butt. She needed someone to smack her and tell her to get over herself. I'm glad Quinn lectured her. It was what she needed. I'm glad Rachel was able to finally grieve.

-    I don't like Logan. I don't think I've ever really liked him. I don't know what it is, but he just doesn't seem like the leader people would rally around.

-    The stupid monologuing that Rachel and Logan do in their heads is tiresome! I understand thinking about things, but the monologues last WAY too long.

-    There was a lot of filler between the story essentials. The group traveled a lot. I'm glad the ending had a lot more going on. The ending really saved the book for me.

-    I hope the next book goes by quickly. I just want to find out what happens, so I can put this series behind me.