Monthly Re-Cap: January 2017

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Hope everyone's January reading has been wonderful! This was a rough month but the last week has been good as far as comic and graphic novel reading for me... I feel like whenever I am in a slump they help me get back on track... do you have anything that helps you get out of reading slumps? Share in the comments!

  

     ~~Books Read in January~~     

                       

How did I do on my January TBR?
I finished 3 books on my list of 5 and one of them disappeared :/ - it was an audiobook and I guess it expired so I have to figure out how to get my hands on another copy. But all in all that isn't bad :) I also forgot to add my book club book to that list so I finished that too!

~~Links to Some Reviews~~

• Harley Quinn #10 by Jimmy Palimiott and Amanda Conner (Comic) - 4 stars  (Read in December)
• Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier (GN) - 4 stars (Read in December)
• Monstress #8 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Comic) - 4 stars  
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (YA)- 4 stars 
• Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick (YA) - 3 stars 
• Lumberjanes Volume 1 by Noelle Stevenson (GN) - 4 stars
• I Hate Fairyland Volume 2 by Skottie Young (GN) - 4 stars 
• Monstress #9 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Comic) - 5 stars 

~~Coming Soon~~ 

•  Harley Quinn #11 by Jimmy Palimiott and Amanda Conner (Comic)
•  Harley Quinn #12 by Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner (Comic)
• I Don't Want a Rabbit by Ingrid Prins (Youth)
• The Queen of the Frogs by Davide Cali and Illustrated by Marco Soma 
• The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman (Adult)  - 3 stars   

Recent Reads: Monstress #9 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

Monstress #9 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
Publisher:  Image Comics
Publication Date:  December 28, 2016

 

Format:  Comic
Source: Bought/Own

Rating:
 


 


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A terrible force rises from the heart of the sea, intent on consuming Maika-and the monster inside her.

Previous Reviews - Catch Up!

Comic #: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

Review: 
The endings of these comics are so nerve-wracking... I need to know what is going to happen, the endings are so good. I am still loving Maika's character and her companions are the best she could have. There is a lot still left to be uncovered in the series so I am still really enjoying it.

In this issue we are still at sea but they are almost to their destination - Maika has to deal with a few issues along the way and there is a lot of scheming behind the scenes that we get to see as well - including more about a former friend... I still can't wait to see the depth that this series goes with the politics surrounding the various classes etc., it is such an awesome world- build. ... and again the art is breathtaking as in the other issues. Loving this series so much.   

Building the Book Pile #130

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Another week into 2017 and wow it has been a crazy year already... I hope that everyone is keeping positive and working hard on their resolutions... I am trying. I finally got some reading done this week, mostly comics and graphic novels but reading is reading right?

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog!

Coming up on the Blog...

Recent Reads: Monstress #9 by Marjorie Liu (Comic)
Monthly Re-Cap: January 2017
TBR Pile: February 2017
Recent Reads: The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman (Adult)      

Books Received this Week      

I Don't Want a Rabbit by Ingrid Prins from Netgalley and Clavis Books

  

Have you missed anything lately?
New Page: 2017 Reading Challenges 

Weeks of January 22 - January 28

Recent Reads: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick (YA)- 3 stars
Recent Reads: The Lumberjanes Volume 1 by Noelle Stevenson- 4 stars

Waiting on Wednesday: Caraval by Stephanie Garber (YA)  

Recent Reads: I Hate Fairyland Volume 2 (GN) - 4 stars

Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up/ STS/ Weekly...anything, post and I will happily stop by and say hello!

Happy Reading!

Recent Reads: I Hate Fairland Volume 2 by Skottie Young

I Hate Fairyland: Fluff My Life by Skottie Young 
Series: I Hate Fairyland Volume 2 
Publisher:  Image Comics
Publication Date:  December 13, 2016

 

Format:  Graphic Novel Paperback
Source: Bought/Own

Rating:


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

All hail Gertrude, the new Queen of Fairyland. After thirty years of wreaking havoc across this magical world to find her way back home, she must now overcome her biggest challenge yet... ruling the place she hates most. Join Gert as she continues her never-ending quest to get the FLUFF out of Fairyland. The hilariously brutal Fairytale adventure continues by superstar cartoonist SKOTTIE YOUNG. Collects issues 6-10.

Mini Review: 
I love these graphic novels, but they are not for young readers. They are violent and swear quite a bit (even though the swear words aren't real, you can tell they are swearing). Gertrude made her way through some craziness in the last volume of her story and this one is no different, except that now she is queen and isn't sure about that. She is still stuck in fairyland and still wants to get home, but she hasn't even though of anything past that - what will happen when she does get there? I am interested in finding out but for now we are still curious.

If you are into violent comics about little girls killing adorable fantasy creatures, this is for you, it is also very funny while being violent though so it isn't all murder...just most of it.

Waiting on Wednesday: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publication Date:  January 31, 2017

Goodreads Synopsis:  

Before you enter the world of Caraval, you must remember that it’s all a game . . .
Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their ruthless father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the legendary, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

Then, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation to Caraval finally arrives. So, Tella enlists a mysterious sailor’s help to whisk Scarlett away to this year’s show. But as soon as the trio arrives, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nonetheless soon becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with her sister, with Legend, and with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Why I Am Waiting:
While this cover does not give away very much, I am very interested in this plot. It makes me anxious just reading that... I can only imagine how suspenseful the book will be. I have seen a lot of references to The Night Circus... so I should probably read that one too :)

Recent Reads: Lumberjanes Volume 1 by Noelle Stevenson

Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy by  Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Brooke A. Allen
Series:Jumberjanes Volume 1
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Publication Date:  April 7, 2015

 

Format:  Ebook
Source: Borrowed from the library.

Rating:
 


 


Goodreads Synopsis: 

FRIENDSHIP TO THE MAX!

At Miss Qiunzilla Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's camp for hard-core lady-types, things are not what they seem. Three-eyed foxes. Secret caves. Anagrams. Luckily, Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley are five rad, butt-kicking best pals determined to have an awesome summer together... And they're not gonna let a magical quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way! The mystery keeps getting bigger, and it all begins here.

Collects Lumberjanes No. 1-4. 

Review: 
I have heard so much about this graphic novel on the internet lately so when I finally found it available as an ebook from my library, I was very excited to read it. I think sometimes when you are jumping into a comic or graphic novel there is a feeling that you may have missed something going in, and that is how I felt at first with this book. Like there were earlier issues and pieces that I was missing, but the story was a lot of fun and the characters are awesome. 

I was a fan of the friendship, the charming nature, and the puns :) throughout and the mystery tied it all together nicely. I will definitely be trying to pick up more of these when I can.

Recent Reads: Forgeive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Source: From Netgalley and Little Brown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alter my opinion or review. Decided to get the Audiobook from the library to finish the book.

Forgive Mr, Leonard Peacock
Publisher:  Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 13, 2013  

 

Format:  Ebook/ Audiobook

Rating:
 


 


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate, Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school’s class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting look at a day in the life of a disturbed teenage boy, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out. 

Review: 
This book has been in my Netgalley que for a long time, and it was one of those books that I really wanted to read but every time I tried to I couldn't get into it. I finally finished it after getting the audiobook version from my local library and so here, finally, is my review. 

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is a book about a teen who is about to commit suicide. It is his birthday and no one remembers or knows and that is really the least of his troubles. Leonard Peacock is an outcast who decides that he is going to do it right - say goodbye to the important people in his life, kill a kid that made him miserable, and then take his own life. So this is his day, the lead up. 

Overall this was an emotional book, there were a lot of triggers in it and the main character, Leonard, is not ok. I think that the reason that I had so much trouble getting into a groove with this book was because I knew the ending going into it - I read a review that didn't have a spoiler notice and sadly I knew the outcome as I was reading it... I just needed the pieces while reading and I felt like I could predict them the whole time so I found it hard to get invested in the book. 

The book is very well done, it was an emotional rollercoaster of laughing and crying and surprise. I think that it is a great contemporary read, if not for the tale at the very least so younger audiences learn the signs of someone in this situation. I found it to be a good book and I liked it, but since it was spoiled I was missing some of the elements first readers got. If you are looking for an emotional book, or one about psychology, this book fits that bill.