February Review

February has come and gone, despite being the shortest month it felt like it was long... Perhaps that was just due to all things that happened this month, so I apologize for the lack of content.

I went on vacation for four days during Contemporary-a-thon, There were three birthday's and we unfortunately had a beloved family member pass this month, which put me in a weird state of not wanting to think at all for a weekend proceeded by a need to show him honor by fishing with my brother and my boyfriend, which was very therapeutic.

I am currently reading Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie and The Secret Lives of Color by Kassie St. Clair, this one I don't plan on finishing soon, as I'm reading a story a night, and there are quite of a few stories with in the book. I am also listening to Educated by Tara Westover.

I put out a tbr at the end of January for February of books I wanted to read this month/for contemporary-a-thon.

My Contemporary-a-thon TBR consisted of:

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde
Giant Days Vol 2 by John Allison
and
Love Letters to the Dead by Ave Dellaira

Of those four I read one and am still in the process of reading another.

For my February TBR it consisted of the above as well as:

The Haunted Vagina by Carlton Mellick III
Dear John, I love Jane by Candace Walsh
Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
Giant Days Vol. 3 by John Allison

Of those four I read three.

Over all I read 8 books:

2- Graphic Novels
2- Children's
1- YA Fiction
1- Adult Fiction
1- Bizarro Fiction
and
1-Historical Fiction

Of those only one was an audio book

All books accumulated to 1397 pages which averages to about 49.9 pages a day.

For my star ratings I had

3- five stars
3- four stars
1- three star
and
1-2 star

My Average Star rating for this month was a solid four

I have completed 5 challenges of the Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge, including challenges:

1. A book with the letters A, T and Y in the title.
5. A book inspired by real events
9. A book that has a body part in the title
21. A book in first person perspective
and
50. A book with a warm atmosphere

Alright, let's get started with the books

Sourdough by Robin Sloan

Published September 2017, by MCD Farrar, Straus and Giroux

This book follows Lois Clary, she's a software engineer who recently moved to San Francisco. With the long hours and repetitive as well as the pressure to get code done, Lois finds herself in a bit of a constant stress. Until she finds a menu on her door for a rather unconventional restaurant. After feasting on their spicy soup and home made sour dough Lois finds herself relaxed and able to sleep as well as no stress cramps. She continues to order from these two brothers to the point where they call her their "number one eater." Unfortunately the brother's work visa's are up and they are to leave the country, but before they go they leave their sourdough starter with Lois. Finding herself taking care of a living thing Lois dives into the culture of baked breads, markets and the Lois clubs.

This book was really interesting, and boy did I want bread through out this whole book. There were interesting little facts through out, not just about sourdough but also software and ovens, just little tid bits here and there as you we met more along Lois's journey. The issues I had with this book was that I found the ending a bit....random? forced? It ties in with another issue in that I never really felt connected with Lois. The book is from her point of view but everything just kind of felt mono-tone. When she did express feelings it was fairly limited, when there was a problem she had to work through she was very calm and collected for the most part and she took a break found the solution then fixed it, which is fine, but even with her happier emotions it wasn't really expressed. How this ties into the un-satisfying ending is that it was mentioned/suggested she go visit someone due to having feelings for them....this felt odd. Because yes it was hinted a little in Lois and there correspondence back and forth but we only saw it from their side, Lois never mentions it in the story nor expresses it otherwise, so it just felt like I missed out on something, like there needed to be more emails to see, more feelings to digest.

This book completed challenge 21. Read a book in first person perspective.

Over all fun, I now need to make sourdough....four out of five stars.

The Haunted Vagina by Carlton Mellick III

Published September 2006, by Eraserhead Press

Steve loves Stacey, but Stacey has a haunted vagina. Steve finds this odd and unnerving, Stacey doesn't seem to mind it, until one awkward moment during sex where a skeleton crawls out of Stacey's pubic region. Stacey has a door to another world in her vag and she's managed to convince Steve to go explore it, in which he finds it will be difficult to return, and he meets and attractive girl named Fig.

This book....So I expressed in a previous post that I thought this would make me laugh....Yeah it wasn't funny when I read it. I've heard it described as "smut" and yes there are sex scenes, but with every one something happens that's just so odd every time (never the same thing) that just kind of takes you out of the situation and go "...the fuck?" This is hands down Bizzarro Fiction like it says on Good reads. For the most part it was interesting enough for me to get through it. But it fell a little flat, it answered what it could but felt rushed. If this was a full on book, I think I would have enjoyed it a little more. but as it was it was just kind of "meh"

This book completed challenge 9. A book with a body part in the title.

Two out of five stars.

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Published April 2017, by Simon Pulse

Bailey Rydell is a major film buff. Known as "Mink" to her online friend, "Alex", she met on a film lover's website, they've been talking for months, and Bailey truly believes there is something there. However, Alex and Bailey live on the opposite coasts of the United States, that is until Bailey moves in with her dad to on the West coast, the same time Alex claims to live. Bailey doesn't tell Alex about her move, despite her strong feelings for him, she is skeptical about if he's the real deal or not. So when she's not working at the Cavern Palace Museum (a local tourist trap), she's scoping out the area to see if she can figure out who Alex is in real life. But a co-worker, Porter Roth, that Bailey has deemed her "arch-nemesis" gives her trouble, and has been since the job orientation. Soon she's unsure of her feelings towards Porter, is he really the bad guy she made him out to be? Can she make it work with him? And what about Alex? Does she abandon what she thinks they had? Did she ever have a chance?

Going in this book had "re-write of You've Got Mail" all over it's reviews. I'm not sure if Bennett had stated that this book was indeed a re-write of the famous movie starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Needless, it did have elements of that in this book. I have a full review of this book HERE, but what I will say here is that I felt very wishy washy through out the whole book. Yes it had similar elements like that of You've Got Mail but I felt like they could have been executed better. Most the book I felt Bailey was just kind of a let down, she did have certain elements about her that I enjoyed, her trauma and pin-up/old Hollywood fashion sense, aside from that her character fell flat for me. Porter was interesting at first but kept losing marks the more we went on with the story.

This book completed challenge 50. A book with a warm atmosphere (love, summer)

A very "meh" book for me. 3 out of 5 stars.

Don't Blink! by Tom Booth

Published June 2017, by Feiwel and Friends

If you haven't noticed by this second month review, and this being my second picture book, I enjoy picture books. More specifically I enjoy the illustrations in the picture books I tend to buy, that's the whole reason why I buy them. The idea of this book was cute, essentially that you're having a staring contest with this child and slowly animals show up to join in the contest, SPOILER: you win. Other reviews thought this book was rather boring, I thought it was entertaining enough for a child, but I can't say for sure because I have yet to read it to one...we're see if my niece can stick through it. Otherwise I thought it was cute for what it was, I mean a staring contest isn't exactly a huge spectical to witness. But what I was more impressed with was the illustrations. I thought the child was over all really well rendered in a style that reminds me of Pixar's Up, but still unique, there's shadows and tints to give the characters form, how each layer is represented makes me feel like these very detailed pieces were put together like cut outs, giving a 3D as well as a 2D element. Mostly I'm impressed with the texture and stylization of the animals, I am in love with the spirals on that turtles shell, it just looks like I could feel those ridges if I ran my hand over the pages. The stylization of the animals and the girl is realistic enough but stylized enough to make them fun. Exhadurated in the right areas to really emphasize their features. The turtle looks rough, solid, sturdy while the fox looked elegant, soft, and light. This book was just over all fun. 5 out of 5 stars.

Contemporary-a-thon Round Two Reveiw

So for this round of contemporary-a-thon I didn't do so well, it was a busy week at work and I left half way through the week to go on vacation in which I did no reading on my travels.

But I did finished two contemporary graphic novels:

Giant Days Vol 2. by John Allison, Illustrated by Lissa Treiman and Max Sarin and colored by Whitney Cogar

Published April 2016, by BOOM! Box

For contemporary-a-thon I read Giant Days Vol. 2 the first one intrigued me enough to want to continue on with the series. It follows three girls who become fast friends in their first year of college, and explores their time in college, their heart breaks, themselves, and college life in general. This volume, I still enjoyed it, the art style is fun, and pleasing, but there were a couple things that I didn't quite agree with. Susan bugged me a bit in particular in a portion of this where Esther is baking cupcakes to make up for something that she didn't really have much control over, Susan throws the cupcakes out the window not wanting Esther to comply with 1950's standards and that her boyfriend should be making her cupcakes. I admit that it really wasn't in Esther's control of the situation she's trying to apologize for, nor should she really be apologizing for anything, but to try to enforce not enforcing "old school" standards of women is ridiculous to me. If it's my choice to bake cupcakes for something I feel bad about, then that's on me. Fuck you if you toss that hard work out the window because you don't want me "submitting" myself as a "lesser" role. What if baking provided a therapy for Esther and she just happened to want to share it with her boyfriend? And what the hell is wrong with baking cupcakes as an apology?! Fine! I wont bake you something the next time I'm at fault, your loss my cupcakes are delicious! It was just very judgy and a terrible way to say "Hey, Esther, you really didn't do anything wrong. But if making cupcakes makes you feel better, I support you."
This wasn't the last time Susan irritated me. At another point she starts avoiding her friends because of a relationship she doesn't want them to know about. She claims it's because their love lives kind of "suck" right now and she feels it wouldn't be helpful to them to be in a relationship around them. I would understand this if she just wanted alone time with her boyfriend, but to just lie and avoid hanging out with your friends because you don't think they can handle you being in a relationship seems ridiculous.

Susan wasn't really my only problem with this volume, there were a couple choppy bits where I wasn't too sure what was going on or why someone was acting a certain way, and due to lack of explanation it was just kind of lost on me. But over all I still enjoy'd the volume and will be continuing with the series.

I'm going to say this series completes challenge 1.A book with the letters A, T, and Y in the title.

4 out of 5 stars.

Giant Days Vol 3.

Published October 2016, by BOOM! Box

This one I read on a whim to get something else read during this read-a-thon. I definitely liked this volume a bit better than Vol 2. We see some character development as they handle different situations to a point where strain is put on their friendships and relationships with others. So that was nice to see, but not all the questions were answered in this volume which makes me eager to read the next.
5 out of 5 stars.

I kept reading the books I was still in the middle of, despite contemporary-a-thon being over I still wanted to finish them.

Yellow Kayak by Nina Laden Illustrated by Melissa Castrillon

Published January 2018, by Simon Schuster

This was the month of wonderful children's books. In terms of illustrations anyway, but the content and text themselves stood up very well on their own. The illustrations are what draw me in though, and this book didn't stand a chance. I got this book just after coming back from my vacation, and after seeing the Newport Aquarium the nautical creatures struck a chord and I felt like I had to get it. The illustrations are elegant and beautiful, dramatic but cute and you get what they're supposed to represent. The text was a cute poem and the illustrations gave it adventure and magic. 5 out of 5 stars.

Hearts of Resitance by Soraya M. Lane Narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden

Published January 2018, by Lake Union Publishing

This book follows three women: Rose, Hazel, and Sophia, through out a small portion of World War II. Each of them from a different country and telling their story on how they wanted to help with the war and their part in the resistance movement.

I over all found this book really enjoyable to listen to, I loved Knowelden's voice and I could tell the difference between each of the girls, particularly when they were all together, but I did find myself listening to this book on a loud volume because Knowelden tended to have a soft voice in general, and when she emphasized whispering it was hard to hear, particularly in the car.

I found the book interesting over all, but wanted more detail towards the end, I felt like it kind of ended abruptly.

This book completed challenge 5. A book inspired by by real events.

Over all 4 out of 5 stars

And that is it for my February Review! If you have read any of these let me know what you thought, I'd love to talk about them!

Until next time!

Litta

Alex, Approximately Review

So I was hoping I'd do this at some point, it was just a matter of getting enough motivation and feeling from a book to do it.

For February's Book Review I have Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

This book was published April 2017 by Simon Pulse, and is 391 pages long.

Right off the bat I have to say I don't like this cover. Not just because it looks like every other YA romance, but because it doesn't make sense after reading the book. At no point were they lounging in a pool or body of water. Surfing yes, toe dipped in pools yes, but never lounging ready to watch a film atop a body of water. Much prefer the Canada/UK addition and should have just sucked it up and bought the paper back.

However this book wasn't so good that I feel like I need another copy.

It follows this girl Bailey "Mink" Rydell, a film buff who met a fellow film buff, Alex, online. They live on opposite coasts until Bailey decides to move in with her dad on the West Coast, but she doesn't tell Alex this. Despite having fascinations about meeting him, she's wary to meet in real life. Meanwhile, she gets a job at a museum, a local tourist trap where she is constantly being pestered by her co-worker Porter Roth, who's she's deemed her "arch-nemesis". Her feeling towards Porter are becoming more intense, however, and she's having trouble thinking he's her enemy. Should she risk being with Porter? and what about Alex? Does she forget about him or does she give a chance to something she's not sure she ever had?

So the reviews talk about this book being a re-write of the popular movie "You've Got Mail" starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, and in a way...sure I can see that, that was the potential with this book and Bennett did an alright job with it. Over all this book had great potential, and I wanted to love it. However, there were parts of this story that just bugged the hell out of me. For instance, with people saying it's a "You've Got Mail" retelling, I went in already assuming the Alex and Porter were the same person. Once it was confirmed I felt like the book was really trying to push it's length by making Bailey take too long to figure it out, and due to this, makes Porter an undesirable person.

Bailey "Mink" Rydell- she was a whirl wind of hypocrisy and repetition. Aside from her style she really wasn't much different from Bennett's other female protagonist, Beatrix Adams, in The Anatomical Shape of A Heart (or The Night Bus if you're any where but the US), her temper was the only thing that really stood out as different. Which was ironic in a way because Bailey claimed, and continued to claim that she disliked confrontation and was a "master evader" but did not prove it in anyway, in fact through out the book she criticizes herself because since moving to California she's become sloppy at evading confrontational situations. She also tends to put herself into them. When Porter provokes her, Bailey snaps back until getting frustrated. The fact that the book is in her point of view, didn't really get me to like her either, as most her narration felt very whinny particularly toward the end, I found myself skimming because it all just felt like filler that wasn't needed. Bailey's choice of words distracted me from the story as well. I get the she's a classic film buff, and I would accept if she quoted movies, but she didn't. Instead she seemed to use a random assortment of words that just felt out of place to me: Lame-o, Hootenanny, Dickbag, Doofus, etc... I get, to an extent, the need to vary vocabulary but she doesn't use these words again, and them combined with cursing and having those words being repeated (not overly) just felt odd, like Bennett couldn't quite figure out how teenagers talk so this was her guess at it. It pulled me out of the story.

She wasn't all bad though. I actually enjoyed her style, despite having to look up her constant references to different hair style to actresses in the 1950's, despite it being hard to picture because we don't really get a description of Bailey's features (except blonde hair...I think and "not great but not bad" boobs). I also enjoyed that she had trouble processing a trauma in her past, despite her blatantly refusing to go to therapists because "they don't work" was worry some but I'm glad it got resolved towards the end, but not so much to my liking. She accepts words her therapist had originally told her but I would have felt better if she continued to see a therapist rather than just assume she needed an outlet to hit people. I also really sympathized with her. Towards the end, just before the big reveal, Porter becomes a manipulative ass and it drives Bailey to feel like she's going crazy. I honestly cried during this part, having emotions pulled every which way to prove a point is just terrible. I'd like to say that I wouldn't be able to forgive him after that, but thinking about when it happened with me, I forgave and just let it happen again. So it's a little troubling to me that Bennett put this in the book with out much discussion, even if it was a misunderstanding.

Porter Roth- He's just enough of an asshole and cares enough that I fell for this one. Much better than Jack from The Anatomical Shape of a Heart. Porter feels a bit more realistic, he has flaws, he has scars (mentally and physically.) Though there are a couple things I wish were a little better about his character: He's constantly in Bailey's space, whether he does this to everyone is not said, but I wish he had a little more respect for her personal space, it is revealed later that despite his this flaw he has great respect in waiting until Bailey is ready to do anything. He also has this quick to judge attitude. Upon first meeting he's constantly berating Bailey with rude comments about her privilege, that she's snobby, stuck up or her "champagne tastes" and parent's money could only take her so far. I personally would have a hard time with this, but I'm spiteful so...I understand to a point when someone needs to be given a check on their privilege, but to immediately take it and start harassing them with it with out provocation is a little ridiculous. Particularly when he assumes Bailey is embarrassed of him, when really she lied to her dad about who she was hanging out with and didn't want to blow her cover. In reality that's Bailey's fault for lying, but Porter's reaction is still uncalled for.

Bailey's lying was a bit ridiculous, I'm glad she fessed up, but what happened to wanting to avoid confrontation? I feel like that would only add to a bigger confrontation rather than dealing with the little one if she had told the truth.

What I really liked in the book was that Bailey made a female friend that she wasn't comparing herself to, wasn't competing with, and wasn't putting down. This was a good female-female friendship. Grace Ashebe and Bailey made a good team and it reminded me of my friends and I, teasing each other as the tension between Bailey and Porter became more and more obvious. There was a good learning experience at one point as well, that have Bailey accept her flaws and understand she needs to work on them enable to be reliable, not just to Porter.

On that note though, despite this book being almost 400 pages, it still felt insta-lovey. Yeah Bailey quickly recognizes how cute/hot Porter is, and there's a bit back and forth but I wanted more back and forth tension before they find out they like each other.

Over all 3 out of 5 stars.

And those are my thoughts on Alex Approximately by Jenn Bennett

If you've read this let me know what you think! Would love to discuss!

Until next time!

Litta

Pixar Book Tag

So my schedule will be a little wonky this month, due to me feeling like the Top 5 Wednesday Prompts are....not sure how to explain it....I feel like I need to read more books enable to answer them. So I'm putting that on hold for a bit and do some interesting Tag Tuesdays.

This week is Pixar Book Tag

I absolutely love Pixar, they're movies are so touching and inspirational.

The Pixar Book Tag was created by youtuber ThisIsMe and I added the last two questions because I wanted Up and Wall-e to be represented.


Questions:

Cars: Name a book in which the character go on a long physical journey:

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I really enjoyed reading this. having seen the Lord of the Rings movies it was interesting to get this "prequel". I have not watched the movie adaptation to this, don't know if I will.

Inside out: Name a book about the mind:

Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton

In a way this book is about the mind as it follows a boy named Adam who is taking a trial drug to help with his Schizophrenia only for it to not work as it should.

I am not schizophrenic, nor do I know anyone who is, so I can't say for sure if this is a good representation of it, but I enjoyed the book and the information it had to offer.

Monsters Inc: Who/What's your most lovable book creature?

When trying to figure this one out I realized I don't read a whole lot of books with creature companions....

I'd probably have to say Erg from Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter

Erg is an enchanted doll that loves to eat. She was given to Vassa by her mom before she died. Erg is a bit mischievous and trouble some but cute in her own way. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of her wooden body and the care they took to make sure she stayed pristine.

Finding Nemo: Who's the best book dad?

Marie-Laure's father in All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Marie-Laure is blind, but she hadn't always been that way, so to help her cope and get around town her father builds a miniature version of the city for her, as well as complex puzzle boxes that contain treats. He was so loving and caring for his daughter, and new just how to brighten her day. I was sad when he didn't come back into the story.

Brave: Who's the best book mom?

I guess I wont choose Molly Weasley....Again....
Lottie Reeve's mom in Everything All at Once by Katrina Leno

This whole family has an awesome relationship with each other. They communicate, they joke, and they understand each other's boundaries.

Toy Story: A book from your childhood you think every kid should read:

There was this book series I remember reading over and over again at my grandma's and at my moms. It always had to do with bugs and it always rhymed and when you flipped a book over there was another story on the other side... I'll get back to you on this, I think my mom still has the books

The Incredibles: If you could have any superpower/ability what would it be and why?

I remember there being a "would you rather" quiz asking if I would rather know every language in the world or know how to play every instrument. In my opinion, music is a type of language, so I would choose language. I think that would be so awesome to be able to talk and try to connect with anyone.

Ratatouille: Name a fictional food you would want to eat?

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

It's been a while since I read this, but I remember a dinner party with sugar spheres, the were perfectly spherical and each one was a different color on someone's plate. They were a dessert, and when you cracked it with a spoon there was a filling inside (I picture Cadberry egg filling) each one was a different flavor that the person who ate it loved , but unique to the point where they couldn't quite pinpoint what flavor it was supposed to represent. Ugh it made my mouth drool.

Coco: A book with an international setting:

Consider the Fork: A History About How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson

Arguably this book doesn't really have a setting outside of the ever changing kitchen. But I enjoyed how Wilson included everyone's history of kitchen-ware, from Ingeniousness America to Japan, she jumped around and I really enjoyed listen to different variations of similar utensils around the world.

Up: An book setting you'd like to visit:

Aside from: Hogwarts, Narnia, and Middle Earth

Wicked Like Wildfire by Lana Popovic

This book is set in Montenegro, and how Popovic writes about is just so beautiful and serene, with the magic involved this book was very atmospheric, too bad it's story is slow.

Wall-E: Music you listen to when you read:

Honestly I can read with nearly anything going on, but what I prefer to listen to is something like Glass Animals on a Pandora station and cycle through those on a low volume.

And that's the Pixar Book Tag!

If you've done this tag, link it below, I'd love to check it out!

Until next time!

Litta



Questions:

Cars: Name a book in which the character go on a long physical journey:

Inside out: Name a book about the mind:

Monsters Inc: Who/What's your most lovable book creature?

Finding Nemo: Who's the best book dad?

Brave: Who's the best book mom?

Toy Story: A book from your childhood you think every kid should read:

The Incredibles: If you could have any superpower/ability what would it be and why?

Ratatouille: Name a fictional food you would want to eat?

Coco: A book with an international setting:

Up: An book setting you'd like to visit:

Wall-E: Music you listen to when you read:

January Book/Adaptation Review: Practical Magic

After the New Year started I tried to think when my first post for this blog was. I kept thinking the one year mark was bound to come up soon. It was until almost the end of January that I actually bothered to look, see, and realize that my first post was actually January 2nd of 2017.

Happy Birthday Scribbled Inks!

I realized when looking that up that I did a "First book of the year" post and thought "...well that was smart...why didn't I do one this year"...because the first book I read this year was this January was the Book/Adaptation Review....

In my 2018 goals I had hoped for at least one in depth review of a book per month...I didn't take into consideration the Book/Adaptation Review....This will need to be remedied.

I know I mentioned doing this early last summer, but let's try it now. I can't promise there wont be spoilers....so going in, just know that if you haven't read the book or watched the movie this review may give things away.

January Book/Adaptation Review

A side by side comparison of Practical Magic A novel written by Alice Hoffman, and the film directed by Griffin Dunne.

The Book: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Published June 1995, by Putnam Adult

 Gillian and Sally Owens, raised by conjuring spinster aunts that don't abide by 3 square meals a day or curfews but believe in magic spells and respect for the power of nature.

"Read" via Audio book: Narrated by Christina Moore, Approx. 9 hours long.
Right off the bat, there isn't as much witchcraft and spell casting as I had initially hoped for. The aunts preform some but when it came to Sally and Gillian it was much more of a strong intuition than anything else. One thing I did really appreciate was the development of the characters, more so of Antonia and Kylie. Their personalities as little girls were cute and endearing. I saw a lot of my niece in these two as little girls. Antonia being the one who knows she's pretty and cute and who the aunt's doted upon, while Kylie was doted on by their parents, but always having a mysterious edge to her. As they grew older Antonia grew into a familiar beauty like that of her Aunt Gillian, and much of the same attitude, with the lack of the sisterly comfort Gillian and Sally had; she knew she was pretty and no one was going to take that away from her especially Kylie. While Kylie grew more self conscious and less secure of herself and her looks, with no help from Antonia who constantly pointed out her sister's lack of appeal.  Sally's daughters grow so much in this book. I have to admit that I didn't much care for Antonia's narcissism through out most the book, but understood where it came from. It was also just interesting to see her dynamic with her Aunt Gillian, in which they just straight didn't like each other. But as she grew and learned through out the book I enjoyed her growth and developing a personality more than her looks. As a character we got to see her develop her own depth to her personality. With Kylie, she was fairly reserved due to her sister's bullying, and unlike Antonia she idolized their Aunt Gillian, to the point where Gillian made Kylie over as a birthday present, which didn't go over well in with everyone else, but we got to see Kylie try to understand why everyone was upset with her new look, more than just spite and jealousy. We got to see Kylie work out that it wasn't quite what she wanted as she got attention she didn't want, ultimately bringing her and Antonia closer as sisters, which as cruel as that was, melted my heart to see them come together as such and just have an over all better relationship in the rest of the book.

As much as I enjoyed Antonia and Kylie's development, I felt little attachment to any of the characters. This book jumps from perspective to perspective, that I only feel slight more attachment to Sally and Gillian because I watched the movie first, so as character's I recognized, I gravitated to them more so, I feel, than I would have if I had just read the book.


The Movie: Practical Magic Directed by Griffin Dunne

Released 1998, by Warner Bro.

Two witch sisters, raised by eccentric aunts in a small town, face closed minded prejudice and a curse that threatens to prevent them from ever finding lasting love.

The Owen's Curse was an interesting twist. The book goes into how the death of Sally and Gillian's parents are accidental, rather than the movie saying their dad died due to the Owen's Curse and their mother dying of a broken heart. I enjoyed the book version a bit better in that the death beetle could be heard as a warning of something bad to come as opposed to it just happening due to a curse.
This is the core difference between the book and the movie. As this curse kind of defines how Gillian and Sally grow up at people. Sally doesn't want to fall in love, out of feat of having a broken heart, to the point where she creates a spell to create a guy that "never" existed, and therefore a guy she can never love. While Gillian can't wait to fall in love, but rather than doing so tries to beat love in being promiscuous, leaving a guy before it get's too serious.

The magical difference between the book and the movie is that the movie actually has them doing magic, Sally is able to blow a flame into existence onto a candle wick, is able to stir coffee with her mind, and opens her own store full of herbal soaps and shampoos. Gillian doesn't really seem to have much in terms of magic aside from knowing her poisons, in the movie she want's nothing more than to have Sally's power, but leaves because she feels she's a disappointment to the aunts. While Sally stays but dreams of being normal and snubs her nose at magic, restricting her girls to even learn it, despite using it herself.

Antonia and Kylie aren't a big part of the movie, we don't learn much about them aside from they follow the family style of one having red hair and the other brown, They don't learn life lessons as they do in the book, they're just kind of their to help move the story along, as they're able to see Jimmy's ghost int he Rose bushes, foil Gillian's plan to get rid of the cop. and scream and cry when Gillian is being possessed.

I enjoyed the book, don't get me wrong, but if the book had some of the elements the movie had I think I would have enjoy'd it a bit more. I do think Sally grows more in the movie than she does in the book. She gets a wake up call when she finally has to ask the Aunts for help to dis-spell Jimmy's ghost from Gillian. In the book they need help getting rid of his body, there in getting rid of his ghost. The Aunts (in the movie) kind of force her to acknowledge that she's a witch, first to the community: she calls everyone on her daughter's phone tree to come help with her sister, admitting she's a witch. Then later to herself as she preforms an act to save her sister's life. This part here, is what makes me tear up, as Sally hold Gillian's hand and tells her sister she can't go, they were supposed to grow old together, as the camera pan's to the Aunts holding each other tight, not wanting to lose the other. That intensity wasn't in the book.

Some little things I liked better in the book than the movie was Sally's relationship with the cop, the fact that there wasn't a spell that drew him near her like there was in the movie was refreshing, he just genuinely wanted to be with her, and you got his point of view when he interviewed Sally and Gillian about Jimmy's disappearance. How when he wrote in his note book it was just words to make it look like he was paying attention because Sally was distracting him. The spell: In the movie the cop was the guy that Sally put a spell on to love her, thinking he didn't exist and saving herself from heart break. While somewhere out there the petals from the flowers she picked for her spell twirled and landed around Gary Hallet. So then there are issues when he comes to investigate Jimmy's disappearance and question why he's so drawn to Sally. Is it love or is it the spell? In the book I enjoyed the fact that there was no spell to question it. In terms of leaving the magic out, I agreed with that part. With everything else it would have been fun to see.

Over all they both had their pluses and minuses, I'd have to say I enjoyed the movie a little more than the book, but I appreciated what the book had to offer.

I don't know if this was a "proper" Book/Movie Adaptation Review, but it's my first and I hope you got something out of it.

Stay tuned for the next one!

Until next time!

Litta

January Haul

I'm curious....Is a haul interesting content? Is it something you really want to see, or that I think you'd like to see? Or do I want to show off the books I got, throw it out there to the void and tell myself someone is listening but really all I want to do is show off while you think "...who needs this many books?" It's a weird concept to me. Is this just a verification that I'm getting new content to read to tease you in case I happen to pick it up one day?

 Ooohh look what I got! Here's what it's about, see how pretty it is? But who knows when I'm going to read it? Not even me!!! Muahahahahaha!

All right rant over....moving on...

I think this is my most exciting haul, in all honesty. So many interesting books came out in January that I felt like I had to snag up! 21 books let's just get into them.


The Gracekeepers by Kristy Logan

Published April 2015, by Harvill Secker

This story follows Callanish who administers shoreline burials and isolates herself on an island, maintaining the watery graves as penance for something done long ago that still haunts her.
And North, who is a circus performer with Excalibur, an acrobatic group that travels by sea from archipelago to archipelago entertaining in exchange for sustenance. The world is divided by those who live on the main land, "Landlockers" and those who float on sea, "Damplings." Loneliness is a way of life for North and Callanish until a sudden offshore storm comes and changes the worlds they live in, offering new understanding the world they live in and the consequences of the past, restoring hope in an unexpected future.

This book is based off Scottish Myth and folklore, it's cover is stunning and lovely in terms of illustration. I had been wanting it for a while and finally bit the bullet and ordered it, and I'm so happy I did.

These next two I'd like to thank two of my good friends for getting me a gift certificate to my favorite local book store to get these two books. So thank you so much!

The first being:

Autonomous by Annalee Newitz

Published September 2017, by Tor Books

This book follows Jack, a rakish female pharmaceutical pirate, who traverses the world in her own submarine. An anti-pantent scientist who fancies herself as a Robin Hood type heroine fighting to bring cheap drugs to those who need it most, but her latest drug has been leaving lethal overdoses across what used to be North America, a drug that get's people addicted to their work.
On Jack's trail is an unlikely pair, an emotionally shut down military agent, Elias, and his partner, a young military robot, Paladin. This book alternates between Jack and her conspirators, and Elias and Paladin as they race to stop this epidemic that is tearing apart lives, causing train crashes and flooding New York City.

I remember having this on my radar before it came out, and I just didn't really want to spend the money on this new adult hard cover, however, thanks to my friends I now have it!

I also got:

A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole

Published January 2018, by Katherine Tegen Books

Octavia has one goal: follow in her parent's footsteps and become a prestigious whitecoat: A scientist who studies the natural wonder's of Faloiv. The secrets of the jungle's plants and animals are well kept secrets of labs of the Council of N'Terra, but when rules change, allowing students in the labs, Octavia should be overjoyed. But something isn't right. The new leader of the Council of N'Terra has some extremist views, and he's getting others to follow his change to how things are run. When Octavia sees a Faloii, and indigenous people of Faloiv, attacked at night in front of her, she knows the council is hiding something. They are living in different world's on a shared planet, and his decisions could lead to an out right war. With the help of her hacker savvy class mate, Rondo, and her inquisitive friend, Alma, Octavia is set on discovering secrets behind the history she's been told, the science she lives by and the truth about her family.

Saw the cover of this and wanted it. I love being able to go to Northtown Books and say "hey can I special order 'X'?" and them go "yeah it'll be here this Friday" only for them to call me the next day saying it's in.

Speaking of which this next book goes along with that, but I have to thank my brother for his gift card to me for Northtown books.

again...Thank you bro!

The first book being:

Robots Vs. Fairies edited by Dominik Parisien

Published January 2018, by Saga Press

This book is an anthology pitting Fairies and against robots and seeing who wins. There's a bunch of different authors for this book. I enjoy this cover so much. The concept is just so out of the blue for me, but my curiosity just took the reins and said "GET IT GET IT GET IT!!!!" and I was so happy that Northtown Got it in so quick, they actually got it before the release date on Goodreads, so yeah I'm stoked.

The next one I have to thank my brother for is:

Batman: Night Walker by Marie Lu

Published January 2018, By Random House Books for Young Readers

This is the companion? sequel? to Leigh Bardugo's Wonder Woman: Warbringer of DC Icon's Series. I have not looked at the synopsis out of fear of spoiling it for myself as I have yet to read the Wonder Woman book...

This next one I pre-ordered when I picked up the other's and am nervous but happy I did.

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

Published January 2018, by Simon & Schuster for Young Readers

This is the second book in was has recently been announces as a trilogy (so far) the Arc of a Scythe Series. I read Scythe back in November (you can see what it's about here, and my full review Here) and I actually enjoyed it for the most part, and honestly wasn't sure if it really needed a sequel....let along having it be a trilogy, but my boyfriend really enjoyed it so I figure why not? I suppose we can more to gawk about that Harry Potter (I mean I guess but do we really?)

Here with some children's and middle grade books I also got at Northtown books....because I have no self control.

Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers

Published November 2017, by Penguin Young Readers

I don't look too into children's stories if they're a picture book, if I like the illustrations I like the illustrations and I'll get it, the story is a plus if I like it.


The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon

Published September 2015, by Greenwillow Books

This book follows Archer B. Helmsley and his friends Adelaide L. Belmont and Oliver Grubb as they device and adventure to rescue Archer's grandparents, famous explorers before they were lost on an ice burg. There plan sounds like it's going to work, well for the most part, that is if Archer's overprotective mom doesn't get in the way and if things go to plan.

After reading Harry Potter at the end of the year I felt like something was missing in my life, and when I stumbled upon this middlegrade book and the next, I realized it was a bit of adventure.

The Wonderling by Mira Bartok

Published September 2017, by Candlewick Press

Welcome to the Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures, an institution filled with terrified part animal part human groundlings. Miss Carbunkle runs the place, a villaeness who believes her charges only exist to serve and suffer. They toil from classroom to factory forbidden to enjoy anything regular children have; particularly singing and music.For one eleven year old, part fox with a missing ear, this has been his only home. Never given a proper name, the number 13 is etched on a medallion around his neck. But unexpected courage leads him to acquire the loyalty of a young bird groundling named Trinket who gives the loneliest inhabitant two gifts: A real name, that of the good King in old Stories, Arthur, and a best friend. Embark on this duo's adventures as they use Trinket's inventions to try to make their own path by escaping "Home."

Snow and Rose by Emily Winfield Martin

Published October 2017, By Random House Books for Young Readers 

This book is about two sisters, who don't know they're in a fairy tale. Their father has disappeared into the woods. Their mother has disappeared into sorrow. The enchanted woods have been waiting for the sister, to break a set of terrible spells.

If you've been seeing my hauls for a bit you will probably recognize the name Emily Winfield Martin, or perhaps even the art (or not? why knows?) But I've gotten a couple of her books before for my niece, as well as myself. I enjoyed her art in Dream Animals and Day Dreamers: A Journey of Imagination but those were more picture books (reason why I got them for my niece, they came in the format of thick cardboard pages) But when I saw that this was middle grade it perked my interest even more. I want to see more of her writing style and how it goes alone with her illustrations.

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) by Rick Riordan

Published June 2005, by Disney Hyperion Books

This book follows Percy Jackson (duh), he's about to get kicked out of another boarding school. But something's wrong, and it's not his fault. He can't seem to control his temper or stay focused, it probably doesn't help that his mythology book seems to spit up mythological monsters that try to kill him. And what's worse is that he seems to have angered the Greek God Zeus, who's accusing Percy of stealing a lightening bolt. After meeting new friends and Camp Half Blood, a camp for demi-gods, Percy has to find and return Zeus's lost property before the world sees the wrath of Mount Olympus. But who's the real thief?

I remember trying to read this a couple years ago...rather a boyfriend was trying to read it to me before we went to bed (yeah don't do that..especially if you want me to pay attention) but lately I've been wanting to find a book series that brings that similar excitement that Harry Potter gives....if that makes any sense. I also enjoy mythology and was actually hoping to read Riordan's Apollo Series, it had been suggested I read this first as there are cross overs.

How to Train Your Dragon (Book one) by Cressida Cowell

Published February 2003, by Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is a Viking known to all as "the Dragon Whisperer"...but it wasn't always like that, back when the mighty warrior was just the quiet thoughtful son of the Chief. Back when Hiccup tried to capture a dragon and train it without him being torn limb from limb.

I had heard that this was a book series after watching the movie a couple of times. I'm debating on doing a book to movie comparison...

The next two I ordered off Book Outlet and thought I was going to be getting them sooner than the new year honestly.

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Published April 2017, by Simon Pulse

Bailey "Mink" Rydell is a classic movie fan, and has been crushing on a witty film geek for months. Only issue is she only knows Alex online. Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad in the same surfing town your online crush lives. Faced with doubts, Bailey doesn't tell Alex she's moved, she lands a job at the local tourist trap museum where she begins to be heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth- a.k.a her new archnemesis. But life is messier than the movies and Bailey discovers there's a tricky fine line between love, hate and whatever she's feeling for Porter. As the summer months go by Bailey is having trouble, does she take the risk that is Porter and give up on her dreamy online fantasy Alex?

This book is supposed to be similar to You've Got Mail, which was the sole reason why I got it. I have read Bennett's The Anatomical Shape of a Heart and found it a little forgettable and unbelievable but a decent YA romance nonetheless.

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

Published March 2016, by Ecco

I'm going to be completely honest with you, I really only wanted this for the cover. I love Rococo/Baroque art and this cover just screams it. What I do know about this book is that the characters are fairly hate-able and its about a entitled family with problems....

These next few are from Amazon (smile, because then I don't feel as bad)

The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite #4 (Vol. 1) by Gerard Way Illustrated by Gabriel Ba

Published May 2015, By Dark Horse

 This comic....I've had my eyes on this comic book for years and for some reason, never got it. I think it's because when you put something on a "list" in amazon and that particular seller is no longer selling it, it no longer looks like that product is available at all. I only just figured that out, so thinking they just never had it anymore only to figure out I just needed to find another seller I snapped this one up. This cover is glorious. It's dramatic, it's dark, it elegant, it's romantic, it surreal, my heart just melts for this cover. I don't even know what the comic is about I'll be honest. This art style reminds me so much of James Jean it's hard to think it's Gabriel Ba, whom I will now be researching and adding to my watch of illustrators. I'm also just curious because it's by Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance, a band that I haven't been able to let go since it's introduction into my life back in 2001 (of which James Jean did illustrate their cover for Black Parade) So there's all kinds of reason for me to want this, I'm fan-girling over EVERYTHING!

...expect content...I'll get to that. Still unsure of the order of this comic series however, will look more into it figure that out.\

Dear John, I Love Jane: Women Write About Leaving Men for Women - Edited by Candace Walsh and Laura Andre

Published October 2010, by Seal Press

This is a collection of stories of women leaving men. Pretty self explanatory. Thought it'd be an interesting read and I thought it was a cute retro cover.

Snotgirl: Green Hair Don't Care (1-5) by Bryan Lee O'Malley, Illustrated by Leslie Hung, colored by Mickey Quinn and lettered by Mare Odomo

Published February 2017, by Image Comics

I don't know a whole lot about what this comic is supposed to be about, even the Goodreads synopsis doesn't help much. Ultimately I found the colors stricking and the art style stylized and fun so I wanted to give it a try.

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

Published August 2017, by Riverhead Books

Isma is free. Years after her mother's death she's been taking care of her siblings, but now has accepted an invitation from a mentor in America. However, she still worries for her siblings back in London. Her sister, Aneeka, is beautiful and headstrong. Her brother, Parvaiz, has dissapeared to prove himself to the dark legacy left behind by their jihadist father they've never met. When he resurfaces half a globe away, Isma's fears are confirmed. Then the son of a  powerful political figure, Eamonn enter's the sisters' lives, but he has a birthright to live up to, or defy.

I forget where I saw this book, but the cover was stunning and I found I really enjoy literary fiction, so I ordered it right away

And finally my Book of the Month picks (yes there's multiple):

The Power by Naomi Alderman

Published October 2017

This book revolves around the prospect of a power change, women can hurt and/or kill people with the touch of their hands. This book was offered a couple months ago, I've been hearing good things and really just wanted to pick it up

Red Clocks by Leni Zumas

Published January 2018, by Little, Brown and Company

This book follows four women in Oregon in the near distant future where abortion and invitro pregnancy is outlawed and companies or people have steak in everyone's embroys.  This and the next were one of the picks for January and it just sounded really interesting.

Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna

Published January 2018, by Doubleday

This book was another pick for January and it almost sounded like Child Finder in that two girls go missing and a female detective teams up with a guy with a troubled past and not a great reputation with in the community. I didn't want to read too much of the synopsis as it is a sort of thriller/horror and I like to go into those not knowing too much.

And those were the book I received in January. If you've read any of them let me know what you thought, and keep an eye out for monthly reviews to see my thoughts.

Until next time!

Litta