Top 5 Wednesday: Back to School Reading List

I miss going back to school, I'm not going to lie.

And I feel a little left out with college being back in and my mom being an adviser, helping those students who think starting the year off with procrastination was a good idea. The smell of new text books! the rush of getting an overview of what the semester has in store!

ANNNYYYWAAAYYY...

The topic for this week's Top 5 Wednesday is Book List: Create a required reading list for your chosen subject (genre, trope, etc)

So if I was a teacher of Breaking the Mold! A look at diverse protagonists in graphic novels, I might list Moonstruck Vol 1: Magic to Brew by Grace Ellis and Shae Beagle. However because I can't list five this isn't the topic I actually choose, but thought it'd be a fun example.

If I were to teach a class, my current fancy would be around magic.
so...

Hello Students! Welcome to Constructing Magic: A look into the Magic systems of YA/Middle Grade books

Required reading is as follows (in no particular order):

1) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Magic System: Wishy Washy at best: this series plays loose with some of it's magical "rules" leaving plot holes through out the series. Primarily based on mythology and historical texts of witch craft.

Disclaimer: I can't promise this will be the only one we'll read.

2) Eragon by Chirstopher Paolini

Magic System: A heirarchy of magic through races: Dragon's being the dominant species being able to wield magic to their will. Elves creating the "ancient language", a language able to control magic so long as you speak it correctly, Dwarves dabble in magic but feel that life is in the hands of their Gods. Humans, few study in magic, but being the weakest of the races can only control so much of it. The magic system adheres to strength, pending on the strength of a person pends on the strength of the spell cast. However if ancient language is said incorrectly or there is no subtext, magic can go beyond the caster's control and strength, leading in death.

Disclaimer: And most likely the rest of the Inheritance Cycle as the magic system isn't truly explored until book two: Eldest

3) The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol

Magic System: Magic is treated as though a natural element. Vein's of magic are stronger in wild as opposed to cities. Witches control said magic through writing glyphs in certain elements pertaining to spells, and concentration.

4) An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Magic System: Seems to restrict Humans from doing magic at all. Magic is used as a source of payment for human crafts. Faye can't craft but can enchant and work spells. Have a knack for collecting "pretty" crafts from humans. Seem to mostly work in illusion to make themselves "prettier" to humans, down to the food they eat but don't need.

5) Wicked Like Wildfire by Lana Popovic

Magic System: Seems rooted in witch covens, but from there branches out to "gifts." This family line are born with a "gift" from baking a treat and getting the consumer to see places as they eat the treat, to singing how people feel to bring out their emotion, and fracturing/blooming objects. This starts off simple and gets more complex as the story goes on, then continues to act as though it's still a "typical" witches coven from history.

I personally thought if I'd ever be a teacher it'd definitely be an art teacher. I even looked the part for a while while I was in college, at least my shoe sock combo did...

Otherwise if you've read these, what did you think of the magic systems? Do you have a book in mind that you really enjoy the magic system of?

Let me know!

Until next time

Litta

Top 5 Wednesday: Sequels I Still Need to Read

I enjoy these free-bee Top 5 Wednesdays. I don't feel so overwhelmed with how many books I haven't read.

For today's free-bee topic I decided to go with sequels I have yet to read.

Barring in mind that: These books have been released, they've been released for a while, I own them, there's really no reason for me to have not to have read them...I just haven't

These wont be in any particular order.

1) One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake

The second book in Blake's Three Dark Crowns series, the third book Two Dark Reigns comes out this September, I just didn't expect so much from this series. I mean it's great, I'm really happy for Blake. However, I feel like I didn't enjoy Three Dark Crowns that much to invest myself into an unknown number of books that follow in this series. Already Blake has three novella's that are sort of "prequels" to Three Dark Crowns, the third sequel being released in September and a fourth book in the making. I had originally loved the idea of this series, and was very conflicted on which sister I wanted to win the throne. But, it turned out to be more petty drama than actually politically or violently dramatic. Does that make sense? It was also just a bit slower than I had anticipated. I still want to pick this up, I just haven't been motivated to do so.

2) Rip Tide by Kat Falls

The sequel to Dark Life, this duo-logy has an interesting enough premise, colonizing the ocean depths in order to survive on an ever overpopulated land, but ultimately after reading the first one, I wondered why there would be a second. So I haven't picked it up out of fear that it's not going to be any good.

3) Thunderhead by Neil Shusterman

The second book in Shusterman's Arc of a Scythe series, I, again, didn't feel a need for a second book, and out of fear of it not being as good as Scythe haven't picked it up. This seems to be an unpopular opinion though, as my boyfriend has stated on multiple occasions that it leads perfectly into a series that he has so far absolutely enjoyed. The hype is also what's stopping me.

4) Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones

The second book in the Howl's Moving Castle trilogy, I haven't picked this up just out of confusion. I know Howl's Moving Castle has a movie adaptation that Studio Ghibli made, but so is Castle in the Air but I don't think they actually have anything to do with each other in terms of these movie adaptations (if Castle in the Air was indeed a movie adaption from Diana Wynne Jones). So I was hesitant on picking up this book just out of wondering if it's really a sequel? Or is it more of a companion book with cameos?

5) Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

The second book in the Monsters of Verity duo-logy, I picked this up once and promptly set it back down after the first chapter was following Kate...talk about useless drama. I loved August Flynn, had it started with him I'm sure I'd be done by now.


Not to mention finishing up Brisingr and Inheritance by Christopher Paolini and Winter by Melissa Meyer, they're taking me way to long to frickin finish!

Those are the sequels I still need to finish and really have no excuse not to aside form laziness and a lack of motivation.

What series did you have a hard time finishing?

Let me know

Until next time!

Litta

Booktube-a-thon Wrap-up

Booktube-a-thon is over!

And I didn't get everything done.

Just letting you know that now.

I'm not upset by this by any means. I still read everyday, and didn't feel overwhelmed and actually really enjoyed the week. Which I believe is the point.

So I'll treat this like an end of the month review and give some stats, and as I get into books I'll talk about the book challenges and at the end some of the video/instagram challenges. Good? Good!

So over all I was able to read 4 books for this read-a-thon

Format:

0 - Audio 
2 - Graphic Novels
2 - Hard Cover
0 - Soft Cover
0 - E-books

Genre:

1 - Fanatasy
1 - Fantasy/Dystopian
1 - Screenplay
1 - Middle Grade Fantasy

Star Ratings:

0 - 1 Star
0 - 2 Stars
2 - 3 Stars
0 - 4 Stars
2 - 5 Stars

Giving the week and average rating of  4.

Pages:

I read a total of 924 pages. Giving a daily page average of  132.

52 Books Around the Year Challenges

2) A book from the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards

Books and Challenges

Challenge One: Let a coin toss determine your first read.

So if you remember from my Booktubeathon TBR  this was The Mistress of All Evil. However when i started reading it, I was lost. Turns out it was the fourth book in a series. So I did the coin toss again and got:

Rat Queens Vol 1: Sass & Sorcery by Kurtis J. Wiebe, illustratated by Roc Upchurch

Published March 2014

This comic book series follows 4 women who are "maiden's-for-hire" as in will kill for profit, and is described as Buffy meets Tank Girl in a Lord of the Rings setting on crack.

In this first volume, our four main characters get into a bit of trouble after having one too many drunken brawls. As punishment the mayor of their town sends them and those they were brawling with (several other for-hire groups) on minor errands to help the town. However, these annoying yet simple tasks or more than they seem when all groups are meet assassins trying to kill them.

For some reason I hesitated buying this comic book. I think I was worried that the art style wouldn't suit me. That the lack of character detail on the cover and the extreme detail of the monster would be a constant through out, and that was by no means the case. I loved this book and whole heartedly agree with the description of this series. It has this element of listening to a DnD play where all involved are strong willed drunk women. Everything from the art to the plot to the language I was game for and immediately bought the next two volumes. Five out of Five stars.

Challenge Two: Read a book about something you want to do.

Originally I had A Thousand Paper Birds, but I just could get into the book (you see why I don't do TBR's monthly right?) so instead I picked up:

The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol

Published July 2017

Arianwyn was unable to pass her Witch's assessment. After years of being her grandmother's apprentice (an apparent "old school" way of going about things) Wyn was ready to get her assignment and help the Kingdom like her mom, her dad, and her grandmother have. However when her title still remains "Apprentice Witch" after her assesment, Wyn feels as though she's doomed. Placed in the small town of Lull, Wyn feels dejected and disgraced much to the glee of her arch-rivel Gimma. Lull is not as boring as it seems, however. Strange things are being sighted in the Great Wood, hexes are creeping into town, and magical visitors are giving Wyn a helping hand. When Wyn feels as though she's getting the hang of her magic, a darkness continues to loom in her spells, and there may be much more at stake than her pride.

This book was pretty cute. I would love to be an apprentice witch like this. This book gave me Practical Magic meets Howl's Moving Castle vibes. The magic system was interesting and made me reflect on other fantasies that I've read. However, I did find somethings a little irritating. I didn't contect with Wyn. Her name is not only odd but she didn't have much for me to connect with. There wasn't much personallity there, and from what there was it came from her troubles and her self doubt. I have issues with the plot of a book hinging on the lack of communication, and that's all this book relied on. I also found it lack luster and lazy how the magical rabbit was named, after everyone else in the book had a name that took me several times to figure out how to pronounce. There were also questions that were never answered, which in some cases I understood but in other thought they'd be leading somewhere and never did. Otherwise I loved the idea of this book. Three out five stars.

Challenge Three: Read then watch the book to movie adaptation.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling

Published November 2016

If you've seen the movie you've pretty much read this book. So why would I bother reading it? Because I figured it would help explain some of the questions I had in the movie, and it did. There were emotions the actors were supposed to be feeling or reasons they were doing something in a scene that didn't translate, and this book spelled it out for me. I loved reading some of the minor details that didn't get translated into the movie, that just helped me enjoy the movie over all. 5 out of 5 stars.

Challenge Four: Read a book with green on the cover

Rat Queens or The Apprentice Witch could count for this.

Challenge Five: Read a book while wearing a hat the whole time you're reading said book

Did not complete this. Had an idea for this and just ran out of time.

Challenge Six: Read a book with a beautiful spine

The Apprentice Witch counts for this. This book has a gorgeous cover that wraps onto the spine.

Challenge Seven: Read seven books

Nope.

So I read four and only talked about three so lets talk about that last one.

The Girl from the Other Side by Nagabe, translated by Adrienne Beck, Lettered by Lys Blakeslee

Published January 2017

In this book there are two Kingdoms, The Dark, known as "The Outside" where twisted creatures roam, and with a touch "curse", and The Light, known as "The Inside" where people are protected and safe. The girl and the Beast should never have met, and when they do a fairytale blooms.

This was interesting enough, but aside from that I don't have much to say about it. The art contrast between the girl and the creature is nice, the background is entertaining, however the manga as a whole is a bit slow moving, we kind of go about this day by day and it kind of drags by. I do intend on picking up the next volume but I'm in no rush to do so.

So that was my Booktubeathon wrap up, I did complete more challenges but I'm going to hold that information back from here and say that if you want to know more information about that you'll have to watch my Vlogs and/or my Wrap-up.

Otherwise

until next time,

Litta

July Review

Holy cow...July went by quick.

I read 4 books this month that I'm putting into this review, I did finish two more, but those will be put into my Booktube-a-thon wrap up next week. Read-a-thon's that start at the end of the month and end at the beginning of the next month throw me off...Because I technically did read 6 books this month.

If you'd rather watch this than read it here's the VIDEO

Any way here are the stats for this month:

Format:

1 -Graphic Novel
1- Audio Book
1 - Soft Cover
1- Hard Cover
0 - Books

Genre:

1- Conteporary
1- Non-fiction Autobiography
1- Horror/Thriller
1 - Historical Fiction

Star Ratings:

0 - 1 Star
0 - 2 Stars
1 - 3 Stars
2 - 4 Stars
1 - 5 Stars

With an average rating of 4

Pages

112
370
256
288

With an average of 33.1 pages per day

Around the Year in 52 Books

8) Read an "own" voices book
48) A book related to one of the 7 deadly sins
47) A book where the main character (or author) is of a different ethnic origin, religion, or sexuality than you

Giants Days Vol. 5 by John Allison

Published June 2017

So I wont talk about this much as it is volume 5 in a series. I continue to enjoy the friend growth, the character growth, we also get more of Ed and McGraw which is turning out to be rather endearing and funny. We get a bit of a peak at their summer vacation which was as entertaining as it was funny. 5 out of 5 stars.

This is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today by Chrissy Metz

Published March 2018

Have you seen This Is Us? If you haven't it's a TV drama on NBC about three siblings going through their lives, the struggles they had growing up, how it effects them today. Chrissy Metz plays the sister of two brothers, one of which is her "twin" but they were all born on the same day. It's a very heartbreaking and heartwarming show that usually leaves me in tears by the end of every episode. I, however, fall out of shows after a bit and have missed a couple episodes. However, this show captivated me not just because of it's drama and life lessons, but because of Chrissy. I'm not sure how I feel about Chrissy character Kate Pearson, as I wasn't able to relate to her. But I was surprised that Chrissy, as a person, fit into this character as herself, no fat suit, and she wasn't the comedy relief or the butt of a joke. Kate has her own issues that she tries to deal with, one of the main ones is her weight, but it becomes so much more than that as the show goes on. I was intrigued with this biography Chrissy published because I was curious about the woman behind the character. I don't think I knew really what I was expecting. I didn't read the synopsis before listening to this on Audible. I enjoyed the sample and bought it. The book over all, was a quick read, and really enjoyable. I didn't expect the life lessons Chrissy incorporates, some of which were really thought provoking, others I felt were too self-help bookish (which is one of the genre's this falls under if I had read the synopsis). I was surprised with some of the experiences that I connected with Chrissy on. Laughed at the embarrassment as she told her stories, and kept wondering how she was the beautiful positive person she was despite her childhood. Not to say that I feel like I "really know her" now that I've read this or anything, it was just honest. And I appreciated that. 4 out of 5 stars.

This book completed challenge 8) Read an "own" voices book.

Horns by Joe Hill

Published March 2010

Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk, doing terrible things. When he wakes up the next morning he can't quite remember what it was he did, or drank, but does know he has a nasty hang over and horns growing out of his head. On the year anniversary of Merrin William's death, the love of Ig's life, Iggy is trying to figure out his life. The whole town of Gideon believes Iggy is the one who raped and murdered her, though he was never charged, he was never cleared either, believed to be the work of his privelaged and known family name to get him out of trouble and try to sweep it all under the rug. When Iggy goes around town trying to clear his head, people are starting to tell him some strange things, sins that are on their mind, they don't seem to mind his horns. But because of Gideon's opinion of him, Ig feels as though everyone has abandoned him, including God.

I didn't have high hopes going into this book, I don't know if it was because the opinion I keep hearing is "it's Stephen King's son so you know it's going to suck." But it all honesty, I preferred this over the movie. The movie left me going "what the fuck?" by the end while the book was so much smoother and more in depth with it's characters and it's surroundings. The movie did not do it any justice. Don't get me wrong, I had enjoyed the movie too, to a certain degree but this was better. I appreciated the different outlooks of the Devil. I knew what was going to happen, but not how, and the climatic scene where Ig confronts Merrin's murderer was a bit gruesome and better than how it ended up in the movie. And the background of the murderer was definitely chilling and helpful for the story. 4 out of 5 stars

This book completed challenge 48) A book related to one of the 7 deadly sins.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Published January 2018

Lale Sokolov is a charmer, a well dressed ladies man, who also happens to be a Jew. 1942 Lale is one of the first to transport from Slovakia to Auschwitz, he's supposed to work for the Germans. Better him than his brother, is how he figures it. His brother has a wife and kids. Lale stands out from his fellow prisoners. In the camp he's looked up to, looked out for. He manages to get the priveleged position of the Tatowierer, the tattooist, to mark his fellow prisoners forever. One of the prisoners he marks leaves a lasting impression with a glance, Gita, Lale finds he has a new purpose in life. Through the struggles and suffering Lale is determined to use his position for good.

This is going to sound terrible, but I felt that this book was a bit too casual. I didn't feel as much emotion as I had originally thought I was going to when beginning this book. Ultimately the story felt like it was being told to me fairly distantly, I couldn't relate because I didn't find much emotion to share with Lale. The story was told very matter of fact but felt like there were details being with held on my behalf. This is going to sound even worse, but I'm unsure if it was because the story made it seem as though death was such a normal thing that when someone went missing or died, it wasn't heart breaking. Which, I feel, is an interesting thing, the normalization of death in this book is interesting.I want to look at this from a reader prespective, and that's what I've been doing, so when someone died or went missing, in any other story I'd wonder why I should care, how was this person relevant to the story? But asking that of a book based on a true story makes me feel terrible, because they were real lives that perished in this way, and here I am wondering why they mattered?  But I didn't feel any really danger or fear towards Lale which was frustrating to me because he's in a concentration camp. There were aspects that made me think he should be more cautious, safer, not risk Gita's life or his own for that matter, bu ultimately I didn't worried about his life. He positive outlook was endearing, and there were a couple moments that I felt he wouldn't get it back due to the things he witnessed. Still a very interesting story, don't get me wrong. I loved the multiple perspective point of views from Lale and Gita to know see the difference in how women and men were treated, and how certain women were singled out to be SS toys. 4 out of 5 stars.

This book completes challenge 47) A book where the main character(or author) is of a different ethnic origin, religion, or sexual identity that your own.

And that's it for my July review.

If you've read any of these I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Until next time!

Litta