Goosebumps Alive!

Audience beware…you’re in for a scare.

Most of you will remember the Goosebumps books by R.L. Stine. You know, the ones with the scary yet bright covers with the dripping font, the ones that no matter where you got them from they always looked tattered and old, and the ones that perhaps your parents shouldn’t have let you read.

Or at the very least, you remember the TV series? The one with the terrifying theme song featuring the man with the briefcase, that flies open and pages and pages fly out, one becoming the ominous and always recognisable “G” floating across an unsuspecting town, revealing the horrors in wait there.

If you do, you probably also remember being utterly terrified of them – of the PlantHuman hybrid living in the basement, of the scarecrow walking the fields at night, and especially of Slappy, the living ventriloquist doll.

Well, here’s some fantastic news; Goosebumps is back, and it’s taken the form of an interactive theatre experience under the streets of Waterloo inside The Vaults – and it’s awesome.

Goosebumps Alive opened April 6th 2016, and I was very lucky to be able to attend as a guest for the show. I was incredibly excited – I’ve been completely in love with the Goosebumps books since I was a child. They were the books that got me into reading and into the horror genre in general, and they’re a huge HUGE part of my childhood. So the thought of an interactive theatre experience based on those books was incredibly exciting to me.

Just a pointer – unless you know London super well, this is fairly difficult to find. I’ve lived here my whole life and yet ended up walking in a big circle around it – so I implore you to follow the instructions on the website, and maybe put some Google Maps in there too. (Though Google Maps does get confused and seems to think you’ve arrived when you’re actually around the corner from it.) The hint you’re getting close is a HUGE graffiti-ed tunnel – you’ll know it when you see it.

When you arrive, you’re greeted by very friendly staff who take your name, tickets and explain the next process for you – to please proceed to the waiting area, complete with gift shop, bar/food, toilets and a wall of masks from Ministry of Masks. This is your chance to grab a drink/food/potty break before the show, which you will need to do – you can’t stop or go to the toilets during the show, and it lasts for an hour and a half, so do take the chance to get that out of the way and be comfortable in the show!

You’ll also be handed a card with an animal on it – this animal will represent which group you’re part of and which tour guide you should follow. Each animal will get a different route, and different rooms – this is a good way to split out the massive groups as most of the rooms are really tiny, and it also means if you enjoyed one tour, you’ll most likely come back and try another. I got a Crow.

Then after a brief and wonderful introduction to the tour featuring the theme song and very sneaky actors, your tour will begin, and so will the reliving your childhood and the horrifying things these books inserted into those precious, impressionable years.

The tour is really great – the atmosphere of the show is absolutely wonderful. Everything is extremely creepy, but with a touch of playfulness that really captures the books. Some of the rooms are only a little creepy, while a couple absolutely nail it on the “Oh Jesus Christ No.” scale. There were a few rooms on my tour that stood out; I’ll try not to give too much away, but one involved being in a tiny dark tent with only one actor and her tiny lantern – the atmosphere was absolutely perfect, and the set and sounds combined so incredibly well to give the aura that you really are in a tent in the middle of no where.

Another personal favourite set, if just for the sheer imagination and ingenuity of it, involved two floors – one floor was the kitchen of a young couples home, and the other was the basement beneath. It was a really refreshing way to watch the show, and watch the events of this particular story unfold.

The costumes and set designs are absolutely out of this world. They’re all so intricately designed, and a tonne of work has gone into them – even the seemingly simple sets like the inside of a tent or an unnervingly average apartment room.

The acting is fantastic – they’re clearly enjoying themselves, playing up into their roles with a tonne of enthusiasm and eagerness. They make the loud, eccentric moments very boisterous, and the quiet, creepy moments incredibly intense. They’re obviously a huge, huge part of the show, and they all fit their characters beautifully.

I feel like some stories could have been a bit longer or more intense – a few had some missed potential or felt a little bit short here and there. For the majority though, I really enjoyed it.

Overall, Goosebumps Alive has a tonne of heart. You can tell it was created and executed by people who loved the books, who loved the shows and who just loved bringing all this to life. It’s an exceedingly fun night out, with jump-scares, imaginative sets and a lot of surprises. And, of course, the overwhelming, nightmare inducing nostalgia for the thrill and excitement of a good old tattered copy of a Goosebumps book.

(This post can also be found on Skatronixxx.com )

“A Gathering of Shadows” by V.E. Schwab

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E.Schwab is the second in the “Shades of Magic” series and the sequel to the first installment A Darker Shade of Magic.

It’s been four months since the stone from Black London fell into Kell’s hands – four months since a Grey-Londoner, Delilah Bard, joined him on his journey, since the fall of the Dane twins, since Rhy’s fatal injuries and since Kell bound his life to him.

Delilah has found herself part of the crew about the Black Spire, sailing the ocean and exploring with Captain Alucard Emery, and Kell has been at the palace of Red London – resented and confined by his King and Queen, he lives like he’s made of glass to keep his brother safe.

However, the events of the Element Games – an international magic tournament- promises to bring all of them together. And meanwhile, another London is slowly beginning to flourish again. The balance of magic is perilous, and for one London to rise, another must fall.

A Gathering of Shadows is such an incredible sequel and I am so impressed by V. E. Schwab and her absolutely magical hold of fantasy writing.

First of all, the world building is utterly phenomenal. I could cry with how in love I am with this beautiful series of worlds that are so vivid in description and so fantastically put together. The differences between the London’s are so striking and so alive – there is no other word for it. These places don’t just feel like locations on maps – they feel so alive, I am genuinely inclined to believe they exist and Schwab is just keeping a Delilah Bard-esq secret from us about her origins.

What I also utterly adore is alongside this beautiful world building, is how incredible the Magic is. It’s wielded unlike any other fantasy novel I’ve read before – it’s treated like a living creature, that cannot be told what to do, and that can be deadly if you allow it to have control. It’s treated like an entity you have to communicate with, and I’ve honestly never seen magic treated like this. It’s so fluid and beautiful and I just adore it.

In terms of characters. Schwab not only has a astounding grasp on world building and fantasy writing, but human emotions are also part of her talent. Every reaction to what’s happened feels so real – Rhy and his terror and guilt that he’s become a burden to his brother, which pushes him to try and be more of a responsible ruler and to try his best and free his brother. And Kell, oh dear sweet Kell, you broke my damn heart in this book – his constant trying to make it up to his family, to the King and Queen he once considered parents who are now so cold and distrusting to him. I nearly burst into tears when Kell ended up breaking down to the King and the line “I can’t keep atoning” – it was so wonderful. And then his thrill at the Games, his love for the Elements and for his magic, it’s just so perfect.

And here is a paragraph just for Delilah Bard. That wonderful, beautiful character that she is. I love everything about her; her attitude, her fighting style, her ability to find trouble wherever she goes. She’s everything I wanted to be as a little child, and she’s so damn great with such an impressive thirst for adventure. I love that she’s so willing to risk everything to find out who she is, and that she’s damn willing to risk everything for Kell.

In terms of how the story holds up? A Gathering of Shadows follows on very, very well. The consequences and main focuses of the first book are kept in line and remembered, and meanwhile, the characters grow, and the new story comes to light. You learn all about the Element Games, how they’re so involved in the politics in Kell’s world, and the fight scenes involved in those scenes are kick. Ass. They’re so wonderfully written, I can pretty much see these fights when I read them and I love them so so much. I also really love how the old characters interact, and the introduction of some new ones – including Rhy’s ex-boyfriend-ish pirate, Alucard Emery.

The other part of the story also ties in beautifully – with the return of an old character, and the introduction of two new and terrifying ones, it flourishes alongside Kell and Delilah’s story despite literally being an entire world apart. It fits so beautifully in with everything else, and it’s unbearably tense and terrifying to know this is happening while Kell and Rhy and Delilah hatch plans to sneak themselves into the Games and play.

A Gathering of Shadows is a more than perfect sequel. It carries the story on, continuing to build on this incredible world V.E. Schwab has written, developing the characters without entirely changing who they are unrealistically. It’s an incredible second installment to this series, that leaves on an ending that has you begging for more because no way did it just end there.

The third installment of the Shades of Magic series hasn’t had a title or a release date announced at this time.

 

 

The Rose Society by Marie Lu

Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all…

The Rose Society by Marie Lu is the sequel to the highly acclaimed and really damn awesome The Young Elites, the story of children who are stricken with a blood fever and come out the other side maimed, but gifted with incredible powers.

The story picks up where we last left Adelina Amouteru, now known and feared as the White Wolf – and she’s got her heart set on revenge. Gathering her own team of Young Elites, she moves to strike down the Inquisition Axis who tried to kill her in the past.

But there is a darkness inside her that keeps growing – and it’s so hard to cling to the good when your very existence roots itself in evil.

The Rose Society is absolutely awesome. Everyone and their mother by now knows that I loved The Young Elites. Very much. And it is always such a delight when a sequel is everything you wanted and more.

Somehow, The Rose Society manages to be darker than The Young Elites – which is extremely impressive.

The emotive and incredibly descriptive narrative follows Adelina into her incredible troubled head space, as she slowly becomes more and more twisted due to her abilities. You feel Adelina’s pain and despair throughout the entire novel, and although you’re troubled by her decisions, Marie Lu’s incredible writing lets you sympathise and understand her entirely.

Your morals and emotions are constantly pushed, torn between despairing for Adelina and how the Daggers have cast her out, to being so frustrated that her anger and darkness are only making matters worse. You feel genuinely as torn as she does about turning against them and fighting them, about her glimmer of hope that things could be okay again – but knowing deep down they won’t be.

This book also explores more of this incredible world Lu has built – there are more Young Elites in this book joining Adelina, all of whom are absolutely wonderful, shelled out characters who are rich and full of life and story without engulfing the main plot. They have these absolutely fascinating, unique personas and these fantastic new powers – everything is just so original and wonderfully crafted.

I’m so excited to see more of these new Elites and explore their relationships – and of course, I’m always excited to see the old Elites and the Daggers – even if I’m so utterly torn in how I feel about them.

And, finally, the end revelation is absolutely damn perfect for a middle arc in a series – it doesn’t leave on an irritating cliffhanger – but it has left us with an intense revelation which makes us desperate for the next part.

Overall, The Rose Society is perfect. It’s dark, gritty, edge-of-your-seat action and drama throughout most of the novel. This beautiful fantasy world is built with incredible narrative and wonderful characters that are put together masterfully by Marie Lu. It pulls no punches, with a narrative that makes you flinch and yet yearn for more of this action filled world. Watching the main character descend into a dark, villainous headspace, feeding the darkness in her is troubling, and yet you feel desperate for more, unable to turn away from what Adelina is becoming.

I honestly could not recommend this series enough, and I am beyond excited for the release of “The Midnight Star.”

Fare thee well,

Fran

 

Three Series You Should Read This Year

It’s 2016 (no shit.), and chances are if you have a Goodreads account, you’ve set up your Goodreads Reading Challenge 2016.

In response to this, I thought it’d be good to share with all of you some series I have read/am reading that I think you should all add to your shelves – Goodreads and real life.

Chaos Walking  – Patrick Ness

The Chaos Walking series is a trilogy by Patrick Ness – I recently finished and wrote a review on the second book The Ask and The Answer, and I’ve also reviewed the first, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and only three days ago did I finally complete the concluding novel, Monsters of Men. 

This series is unspeakably awesome. The premise centres around a boy named Todd who’s growing up in a town where everyone can hear each others thoughts – it’s called The Noise, and it is a disease that was passed to the humans from the planet which made everyone able to hear each others thoughts – and wiped out all of the woman.

Then everything changes when Todd finds a spot where there is no Noise, and a girl standing in the midst of it.

This series is so absolutely stunning. It’s raw, it’s incredibly written and everything from the characters to the world building are incredible. The ending is so fucking gut wrenching and I damn near threw my book across a packed tube (justifiable.) and I’m just so. Torn up. You know when your life just feels better having read a series? This is one of those for me.

Read it, love it, sob a lot and get back to me.

The Young Elites – Marie Lu

The Young Elites is a recent series, with it’s second book The Rose Society only coming out recently. This story follows a young woman from an abusive home who has been marked by a blood disease that left her with a scar where her eye should be – and with incredible supernatural abilities.

This is one of the darkest books I’ve ever read – riddled with abuse, graphic violence and intense fight scenes, it is constantly gripping and never boring. It’s also got an incredible cast of characters, diverse and most with their own Elite powers.

On top of that, the main character is dark – she isn’t a poor fragile songbird who finds these beautiful powers – she’s a tragic, angry person with a fury in her and dark, destructive powers.

The first book left me desperate for more – it broke my heart in so many ways, with such a gut-wrenching and unexpected ending. I was in bits.

I’ve also heard very good things about Marie Lu’s other trilogy, the Legend trilogy – so that’s next on my series to read list.

Shades of Magic – Victoria Schwab 

There isn’t much I can say about the Shades of Magic series other than the fact that the first book, A Darker Shade of Magic is probably one of my favourite books of all time ever. This isn’t an exaggeration or hyperbolic -I fell hard for this magical world.

My full review of A Darker Shade of Magic can be found earlier in my blog so you get the full scale, but in short;

Kell is the last of his kind, a blood magician, who can travel through universes, between the four versions of London in existence.

However, when an artifact from the abandoned Black London makes its way into Kell’s life, it’s up to him to take it back – which can be difficult when a thief has decided to join you for the ride.

I can’t emphasise enough how much I loved A Darker Shade of Magic – it left me yearning for so much more, then low and be-damn-hold, A Gathering of Shadows will be coming out February 23rd this year. I’m so excited I can barely contain it – getting to go back to this incredible world, with such inventive, diverse characters? That’s a genuine gift.

(Oh also it is GETTING A TV SERIES!!! And Victoria is writing the pilot – follow her on Twitter for more updates! And also because she’s super nice.)

So, there we go – three series I could not recommend more highly to you in 2016. I’ll also sneakily drop in here that you should for sure be reading Saga because God knows what kind of hell you’re living in without this graphic novel in your life.

Let me know if you’ve read any of these – or, let me know what you’re reading! I’m always looking for new books to splurge on.

Fare thee well,

Fran

 

 

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

(Alternate title: Stop hurting me Mr Ness I keep having physical and embarrassing reactions in public.

The Ask and the Answer is the sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go, and second in the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness.

The Knife of Never Letting Go made my heart so sad I cried on public transport. The Ask and The Answer made me so upset and angry I audibly gasped on a plane. Thanks, Mr Ness.

The first book was brutal, unafraid and unforgiving – themes of war, misogyny, murder and genocide – all of the characters and events were incredibly cruel, realistic and well thought out.

The Ask and the Answer lives up to all these amazing points – in fact it’s possibly a hell of a lot better, because it amps this whole thing up by a good 3000%.

Mild spoilers from here on out if you have yet to read The Knife of Never Letting Go – you have been warned!

This book completely and utterly lays out realistic reactions to war and terrorism – the idea of no rights or wrongs, but only two sides who are willing to kill and die to win and for what they consider the greater good.

This is shown in the two main antagonists that Todd and Viola deal with separately; the Mayor and Mistress Coyle. Prentiss and Mistress Coyle were portrayed as two sides of the same coin and I thoroughly enjoy not knowing what the fuck is going on because then my frustrations are on the same level as Viola and Todd’s.

The Mayor is such a great villain – always having a next move to fuck with everyone, and motives beyond not caring. He’s twisted, power hungry and incredibly intelligent – which always makes for somebody formidable and terrifying. He messes with Todd so damn much and it’s honestly painful to watch – especially when Todd goes into a total emotional shut down, because it is much easier to do that than fight.

The way the Mayor manipulates Todd and Viola against each other because he knows they are each others biggest weakness – especially Todd.

Todd and Viola’s relationship has grown into something so beautiful – they adore each other so much, they’d do anything for each other and they will always forgive each other. They seem to completely understand the enormity of the situation they’re in and what they fought through together – enough to know they need each other. Their relationship is so beautiful and tragic and it’s made me fear for them.

Another thing that Patrick Ness nails, time and time again, is emotions. They’re so raw and real and unharnessed, and it’s incredible, especially with the addition of the Noise. Noise is so amazing, like last time, with different fonts to show things, with the ideas of Noise being images, of colours, of being fuzzy and grey with boredom or red and large with fury. It’s wonderful, imaginative and just so incredible!

Overall, this book is just incredible. It is such a good sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go, living up and excelling at all the things that made the first book great. Where most sequels fail, The Ask and The Answer absolutely shines. And I cannot recommend this series more.

Fare thee well,

Fran

Spoilers below to express my feelings on certain events.

 

• I WANTED DAVY TO JOIN TODD AND HAVE A WHOLE CRISIS WITH HIS DAD and instead he got shot and I cried. Fuck you Mayor.
• Viola’s torture scene was terrifying.
• The BANDS THEY USED FOR CATTLE ARE HORRIFIC AND WHEN HE STARTED BRANDED WOMEN I WAS SHAKING IN ANGER
• I was terrified the talking horse would die and I would have another Manchee incident on my hands.
• I can’t believe they captured the fucking Mayor and then had to release him because there’s a new Spackle War. And that Todd is now an enemy. Aaaargh!

Why “Saga” Should be on Your Shelf

Saga is a graphic novel series, written by Brian. K Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples. It’s an epic fantasy, sci-fi tale, with 31 single issues published, five trade issues and a deluxe trade edition coming shortly.

And it is possibly the best graphic novel you will read.

Saga is a tale of Alana and Marco, two lovers who come from two different species who are currently at war. Alana met Marco whilst guarding him in a war camp, and soon after, freed him and ran away with him. And this tale begins, when Alanna gives birth to their daughter, Hazel – who is the narrator.

This might sound very Romeo & Juliet but let me promise you that it is anything but. Because their eloping and the birth of their child has caused a political outcry that’s spread far and wide – and now the whole universe is after the child who was not meant to exist.

A quick warning before I continue – this story is probably not recommendable for anyone under the age of 18. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to police what you read, but just be warned there is a lot of sex, a lot of nudity, and a lot of gore. It’s Game of Thrones in space up in here.

Saga is, first of all, a very unique premise. Sure, everyone has heard the “forbidden lovers” story multiple times, but the execution of the story is what makes it so original and special. These species are literally at war. And, to top it off, one of the species belongs to a satellite that used to orbit the planet of the other species. That’s damn intense.

The writing of this story is great. Hazel is a very blunt, honest narrator who doesn’t try and frame her parents and their mistakes (and boy, do they make a lot.) as excusable or okay. She’s very much a narrator who grew up aware of the war and the political implications of her birth, and she’s very blunt, frank and absolutely hilarious. And it’s very strange but refreshing to watch her narrate this story, when during the tale she is very much a tiny child that you watch grow up.

What I also love about this story, are the themes dealt with and the way in which they’re handled. Thus far, in the five trade issues I’ve read, we deal with child trafficking, prostitution, drugs, addiction, domestic violence, childbirth, sex (lots of it.), monsters, war, politics and love – and I imagine, so much more. The story also handles these issues with a lot of tact and a great moral compass – everything is handled bluntly, honestly, but with a lot of tact about it. The story knows how it needs to frame these issues, and that’s what makes it all the more engaging and exciting for me. I especially love that with this war, the two actual planets of the Waring species are entirely peaceful – but the rest of the galaxy has inserted itself into this war and keeps it thriving and new.

Character-wise, this story is a full cast of completely fascinating, well-thought out, complex persons who are all interesting. I don’t find a single character boring, even if I find their actions deplorable. They’re all well written with intense motives. Even the side characters are a delight to read about! Once again, Hazel’s narrative helps with framing a lot of them – Hazel, although knowing they were enemies of her parents, frames them as people who had their own issues, morals and instructions when chasing their goals. Even when they’re messed up, twisted and say downright messed up things, ultimately they are real and they do have emotions and ways you can sympathise with them. It’s honestly fantastic and refreshing.

Fiona Staples illustrations are also (no pun intended. Maybe.) out of this world. They’re so beautiful, sharp and well laid out. Every page is an absolute delight to read, with jaw-dropping scenery and characters who look so unique and suit the writing so, so much. I mean, look at this.

Look.

I can’t even emphasise enough how well done these illustrations are. They’re so unique and they fit the Saga world so perfectly.

That and Fiona won’t shy away from the grim and gore. Emphasis on grim.

Yes, that is a giant monster’s swollen, pus covered testicles. Staples sat down at a table, picked up the appropriate equipment, and created this. With the go ahead from Vaughan. And if everything else I listed isn’t reason enough to check this out, I think the pus covered genitals should do it.

On a serious note; Saga is without a doubt one of the best pieces of literature I’ve engrossed myself in over the past year. It’s got this incredible story that’s executed with stunning illustrations, gloriously written characters and a unique narrative. It’s got so much heart, so much emotion and just a tonne of really incredible idea’s behind it, put together by two really imaginative and talented creators. It’s funny, it’s sharp and it’s deeply emotional.

So if you want to get into a new graphic novel series but not a clue where to start; start here. And brace yourself for one of the greatest journeys.

Fare thee well,

Fran

(PS: This article was also written to go up on the website skatronixxx.com – it’s all things nerdy and great and it’s got a swell little team so far!)

 

Holiday Reading Wrap Up!

So, I went on holiday at the end of July.

I went to a little town near Alicante, in Spain, to spend ten days with my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and three cousins, alongside my mum and brother. It’s been tradition since I was fourteen, and I always have an amazing time. I eat paella, I drink their insane idea’s of a single vodka and lemonade and I get chased by firework wielding men dressed as demons.

And, I also read a lot of books.

This year, I read eleven books and three graphic novels. Some were good, some were really good and I have a select top few that I’m so in love with while simultaneously wishing I drowned them in the pool for how bad they hurt.

So I’ll be going through the list, and the final five will be my top reads of the holiday!

Without further ado, let’s get started.

Proxy by Alex London.

Proxy is a distopian sci-fi novel set in a broken America. The novel follows the idea that the rich can hire the poor as shields to take their punishment – so when a rich person breaks the law, the Proxy is punished instead.
One evening Knox, a patron, makes a drastic mistake – one that will end his Proxy, Sid’s, life. But Sid and Knox realise there’s only one way out of the mess they’re both in – to run. And the further they run, the more they learn about the Proxy state.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For one thing, there’s really good minority representation. This might not seem like a massive deal but considering how little stories push their characters out of boundaries we don’t even realise we have in place it is a refreshing change.

I loved the characters; Sid plays an absolutely amazing protagonist, with no real idea what he’s doing and no desire to actually be part of what he is; he just wants to live his life as a Proxy and be done with it. He’s so used to the system, but is angry at the unfairity of all of it, knowing it’s not fair he wasn’t born into a position of privilege.
Knox, on the other hand, is equal parts sincere as he is damn infuriating. He does not understand in the slightest about the unfairity of the Proxy – Patron situation. In his mind, it’s “not his fault he was born that way” and “it’s just the way it is.” He has been so wrapped up in this privilege his whole life he really doesn’t get why it’s his problem to change anything and having him journey with Sid, watching them grow as characters together, is endlessly interesting and fascinating.

There’s also a whole host of supporting characters whom are extremely unique from one another and all give something more to the story.

The story itself? I really enjoy it. It’s a great idea and it’s executed really well, with hilarity, flair and turns that not many see coming.

The ending broke my heart – no spoilers but I was rooting for something to happen all book, it happened, and immediately after it was crushed. Like a grape.

Overall though, it’s a really good and very much worthwhile read, with the sequel already out and available to read!

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Twins, Cath and Wren, have always done everything together – until they start university. Wren wants to party, socialise and have a “normal” university lifestyle – Cath didn’t even want to go. Cath wanted to stay at home and bury herself in the world of fanfiction and the ones she writes about her dear Simon Snow, and not deal with her strange roommate or her even stranger friend. But as the year goes on, Cath finds out more and more about the real world, and more about the fictional one she’s been buried in all this time.

I have heard nothing but good things about Rainbow Rowell; Landline and Eleanor & Park are all in my Wishlist, waiting for me to pick them up and read them through. I ended up buying Fangirl on a whim after hearing a Booktuber say that it’s a really great introduction into Rainbow Rowell and so it ended up on my shelf, in my suitcase and now, in my “Read” pile.

For the most part it is just a fluffy read – there’s not a mega super deep story, and at some points a characters motives are so very unclear and confusing to me I literally sat there like “What?” But ultimately it’s a very real story and one I felt like I related to a lot.

I saw a lot of myself in Cath, her enthusiasm for her fandom and her absolute terror of 1) having to get it go and 2) having to share it with others incase they mocked or demeaned her for it. I’ve been in those shoes, and those shoes are a really shitty fit for anyone. I really liked the story for that reason – the idea that your fandom is important, and that even though adult life is going to throw a lot at you, it doesn’t mean you have to let go of that thing you love, it just means juggling some priorities. Mad props Rainbow Rowell – I haven’t actually read a story like this before so this was such a refreshing novel.

Cath’s anxiety is also portrayed really well too. She doesn’t fit in at all and is terrified of trying, despite her sister trying to push her to do so – she has no desire to be extroverted and loud, and is afraid of looking like an idiot if she tries. It’s also not portrayed in a very hit-and-miss way a lot of authors seem to go for, where the kid thinks they’re too cool to “fit in” – Cath just doesn’t want to and is nervous to. And I liked that.

Again, don’t go in expecting a life changing story – the characters have really sloppy motives at times, but I suppose most actual people do too. It’s a really good read, that’ll hopefully make you relate to some things and feel better about others!

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Leonard Peacock is going to shoot his ex-best friend today. He has the gun ready and the gifts for the few people in the world who cared about him. And we’re about to find out why…

This was one of the most depressing books I’ve ever read in my entire life. I’m really not sure what to say other than that. I don’t mean it in a bad way – it’s a good read, with a compelling protagonist who’s emotions you cling onto really quickly, and you’re desperate for his motive. The writing style is also really great; it’s mostly Leonard talking, and occasionally he’ll reference something and it’ll become a footnote/citation – sometimes a very very long one.

This book just knows how to hurt you. You spend the whole thing wondering why Leonard is planning to kill his ex-friend and himself in this double suicide and slowly, you start to suspect why. And then when the reveal comes it’s like being punched in the stomach multiple times. It’s truly a really sad, sad book.

I’d say definitely give it a read, but there’s certain themes I know a lot of people won’t be able to stomach. No spoilers here but give the book a google, and then see if you can handle that for yourself.

It’s a well written book that tears your soul out and makes you wander about empty for a while. In a good way.

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

An omnibus of all five novella’s that take place before the events of Throne of Glass, The Assassin’s Blade follows Celaena’s story before the slave camp, the glass castle and the king’s tournament.

I had a lot of fun with this book. A combination of all five prequel novella’s, it’s a must have for anyone who’s reading the Throne of Glass series. Each story follows Celaena and her relationship with others in the guild, with Arobynn Hamel as the Head Assassin and Sam Cortland as her rival.

This honestly is a must read if you’re currently reading, or plan to read, Throne of Glass and it’s sequels. You get to understand Celaena and her attitude a lot more once you read these novella’s, and understand the absolute agony of the tale behind her first love. Each story is well woven with the same narrative from the original series; laced with sarcasm and dark humour, Celaena kicks ass and takes names with a grin and a twinge of selfless acts.

I can’t really say much more without spoiling some of the events that go on, but just know that once you realise who turned Celaena in (if it’s a smidge predictable) you’re going to lose your mind. Your heart is going to hurt, you will cry and you will try and throw the book into the nearest water source.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in a cold, dark elevator, he remembers absolutely nothing about his life – except for his name. And he has yet to find out exactly how his arrival at the Glade is going to change everything for the boys trapped inside…

I enjoyed The Maze Runner one hell of a lot! The mystery behind the maze is incredible complex to figure out – and once you do, it’s so horrifying that you want the maze back. The twists and turns this story takes are incredibly tense, and a lot of fun to read. You feel so damn sorry for these kids in the story, these kids you grow to learn about, to identify and to love – it’s beyond terrifying and heartbreaking when anything happens to them.

The Maze itself is such an interesting concept – if you’re like me and incredibly claustrophobic, the thought of a huge maze that you cannot solve surrounding you constantly is absolutely horrifying, but thrilling. The more you find out about the maze and the things that comb the halls after dark, the more you wish you didn’t know.

It’s a really excellent read, a lot of fun and a lot of heartbreak. Definitely a recommended read.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

To contain the outbreak of vampires, Coldtown’s were created to keep them away from humanity. Broadcast on reality TV, Coldtown’s immortal residents are but a horrific and glamorous distance from the mortal world –  until Tana wakes up one morning from a house party, with everyone around her but her infected ex, a vampire and herself, dead. The three begin a journey to the Coldtown and along the way, deadly historical secrets begin to unfold.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. I heard a lot of very good things, about both Holly Black and this book, so I thought I’d give it a try – and I am genuinely impressed. The vampires are much more like the historic, Dracula vision of vampires, with no disturbance to gore and murder, and are exceedingly cunning and cruel, even when they seem dashing.

Tana as a character is a fascinating read; a teenage girl with a history of a turned family member, she knows all too well what going Cold will mean for her and for Aiden, and the hysterical, excruciating struggle it is to stay Cold for the weeks you must resist. She’s had it rough, and she knows how to carry herself.

The story surrounding the young, chain up vampire in the room with her ex is also an interesting one – and one I honestly didn’t see coming! It was a great surprise.

I really enjoyed it, I enjoyed the ending, and I will be picking up The Darkest Part of the Forest as soon as possible!

The Woods by James Tyrion IV

The Woods is a graphic novel about how an entire school is transported from Earth to an alien planet, and how a group of children separates from the chaos and hierarchy growing in the school to find out where they are, and why they’ve been brought here.

Volume 1. of The Woods is such a fantastic introduction to this series; the artwork is absolutely fantastic and really different to any other artwork I’ve seen in the graphic novel side of things. The first volume is mostly setting stages, so introducing us to characters, to the situation and to a larger story that’s coming into play.

The characters are really great and I’m super invested in them. The way the school system starts to fall apart and how a hierarchy of violence and aggression is built is horrifying to watch, but nothing less than you’d expect from certain people in a highly intense and panicked situation.

I would sincerely recommend picking this up from your local comic store, really, it’s a fantastic read that is equal parts in grossness, funniness and tensitness. Because those are words.

Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction

Two people discover that when they have sex, time stops. Those two people meet. Those two people have sex. Those two people start robbing banks.

Honestly, is there a better premise out there? Because this is fantastic. This is such an original, wonderful concept and I am still struck by how much delight and hilarity I get out of it. The execution matches, and even goes beyond it’s premise, in that sense. It’s a deeply funny story, but ultimately it has it’s intensely serious moments, dealing with themes like consent, rape, alcholism, hetero-normaty and so on and so forth. Our narrator, Suzie, is a bluntly honest young woman, open both about her sexuality and about everyone elses. She’s smart, she’s beautiful and she’s just really fucking funny.

The first volume instantly draws you in, with this amazing diverse cast of characters and an antagonist who is just as hilarious as the protags. It’s a fantastic graphic novel and I could not recommend it more. Spoiler alert though; it contains a lot of nudity and sex.

Also, these two wrote it.

So what could go wrong?

172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad

N.A.S.A holds an incredible lottery; for three lucky winning teenagers, it’s the chance to go up to the moon to launch their new space base, and encourage publicity and interest in N.A.S.A careers in the youth sector. However, when the crew get to the moon, they realise they’re not alone as they think, and that N.A.S.A has some secrets they’re keeping.

This book fucked me up so badly. I was terrified. For one thing, the setting is incredibly perfect; it’s the fucking moon. There is no just running away from the moon, no calling the police to come get you – you’re pretty damn stuck, and when there’s an unknown, horrifying monster coming after you and your crewmates, that isn’t where you want to be.

This book is so genius, so scary and so, so great. It contains a lot of links to actual events that occurred in N.A.S.A history, and also nods nicely to the theories of Emilie Sagee and that there is alien life on Earth’s moon.

It’s also genuinely terrifying, and not just for the setting; it’s just a really creepy, unsettling book. It draws you in with it’s amazing, beautiful atmosphere and concept, with all these clues and nods – and then it strikes, lashing out with an awful, gut wrenching grip and unnerving you on a permanent basis.

If you really like space and are really into the paranomal, or just into being scared out of your wits, 172 Hours on the Moon is the book for you.

We’re now approaching the Top 5 on my list. You may disagree with the fact these five are the top choices, but they are the ones that left me desperately needing more, that I thought “Holy shit, that was super awesome” about, and the ones that just touched me the most. I sincerely recommend every book on this list, and then especially these five.

The Thirteen Treasures by Michelle Harrison

Tanya has always been able to see fairies; and they’ve always been able to mess with her as a result. After one visit goes horrendously wrong, Tanya is sent to live in her Grandmothers old, fairy-riddled estate – a living hell for Tanya.
But then an old photograph shows Tanya an unsolved mystery that haunts the family – a missing girl who vanished in the woods 50 years ago. But no one will talk of what happened – so Tanya and Fabian, the caretakers son, decide to find the truth. And discover a sinister history about to repeat itself…

The Thirteen Treasures is honestly great. It’s aimed at a sort of middle school/young teen audience, but I honestly think everyone could really enjoy this book.

The fairy lore is great – these fairies aren’t delicate little creatures who grant wishes and are sweet and kind – they’re spiteful, vindictive and harsh little monsters, playing pranks, biting people and stealing things. They’re wicked little individuals. Harrison makes a delightful little cast of fairies, who are as interesting and funny as they are mean. From the little fairy that lives in the kitchen and swaps the sugar for salt, to the little hogfairy that sneezes and snuffles in the night, they’re all intensely interesting and not just side hosts to Tanya’s story.

The other supporting characters in this story are all interesting; Tanya’s grandmother makes for a wonderfully aloof woman who you can’t bring yourself to dislike at all, because it does feel like she reaches out to Tanya best she can. Warwick plays the scary butler with a dark tormented past role to a goddamn T, but still remains to be a somewhat likeable character, if only tarnished by how mean he can be to his own son – but he has his merits, and really does prove himself at the end. His own father, Amos, is an incredibly tragic character, driven to insanity with age and with the accusations of a crime decades old weighing on his shoulders. He shouts, he hollers, he attacks physically and verbally with no real coherentness – it’s scary and incredibly sad.

Fabian is an interesting character; obsessed with science and keeping logs, he’s incredibly intelligent, but isn’t a play on the defenseless nerd stereotype. He stands up to his father and reacts to things as most teenage boys living on an estate with their butler dad and deranged grandfather would – he’s just angry and isolated. But he’s also loyal, and he makes for an incredibly good friend to Tanya.

Tanya herself is fantastic. She’s clearly adapted to her abilities, despite finding them a constant, miserable burden on her life. She hates the fairies and the fact they know they can mess with her, but she’s not entirely heartless to them. When she finds a fairy crushed on a car windscreen, she buries them properly and delicately. When a Gnome is being bullied in her garden, she does her best to shield him from their wickedness. She works out how they communicate and how to bargain. In short – Tanya is a really intelligent, witty and caring protagonist. She’s emotional but not overwhelmed with angst. She does her best to do right, even if the fairies don’t agree with it, and she learns incredibly fast how to dodge their punishments and schemes.

The story itself is marvelous; dark, gritty and terrifying. It’s a story of two best friends making a costly childish mistake, and two realms at war. The ending wraps everything up so nicely, but not with perfect results, as most good stories shouldn’t. It’s scary, adventurous and overall just a really fantastic read. It’s the first in a series of three, and I’ve already picked up The Thirteen Curses eagerly.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown. Prentisstown is a town where it’s citizen’s are made only of males, after a virus wiped out all of the women – and made their animals talk, and brought the Noise. The Noise is the sound of every single persons thoughts, at all times. There are no secrets or privacy in Prentisstown.

Then, a month from his birthday to make him a man, Todd stumbles upon a spot of total silence. And then he sees the girl.

And then he has to run.

Oh my fucking God, you guys. The Knife of Never Letting Go is the first in a series called The Chaos Walking series, and I am beyond impressed. Stunned. Heartbroken and amazed at this wonderful, wonderful book and so angry at myself that I didn’t read this sooner.

I picked up this book years and years ago, and it’s sat in my cupboard until a friend insisted I take it with me and read it. So I did. And guys, I’m in love.

From beginning to end, the story totally grips you. From the psychopathery from the people of Prentisstown to the mystery behind the Girl and her silence, everything is intricately woven together into this amazing and devastating plot. When you start to piece together what really happened in Prentisstown, when the Noise came and wiped out the female population, you’re horrified. It’s terrible, it’s sickening and it’s magnificent to read. Without spoiling too much, it’s a really dark, dark tale that pulls no punches, dealing with themes of misogyny, genocide, and PTSD.

The other characters in the story are wonderfully complex, and there are a lot of them. They each play a crucial role in the story, helping fit together the puzzle that is the Noise. Todd’s carers, Ben and Cillian are unflinchingly like what you’d expect of two parents – his relationship with them is like most with their parents. Cillian insists Todd doesn’t do enough and berates him for his stubbornness, Todd argues he does a lot. Cillian and Todd but heads often, and then there’s Ben, to calm them and give them both equal chance. They clearly adore Todd, and when shit hits the fan, their one joint priority, is Todd.

The other people of Prentisstown are a mix of characters, but mostly, they are terrifying. There’s the deeply disturbed Aaron, the priest of the town, who only grows more and more sickening and unflinchly grotesque as the story continues, and Mayor Prentiss’s son, the unflinching leader of his army.

Mayor Prentiss is the perfect villain. He’s so set in what he’s doing and he’s doing it so well that he is constantly formidable. There’s never a moment you think to take him lightly, or think Todd and The Girl might have him beaten – he is a permanent threat and fixture, with an unwavering might. He honestly might be up there in my list of most memorable antagonists, he’s just genuinely fucking scary.

The Girl is a great character, and reminds me of the role of Teresa in The Maze Runner but on a much higher scale. Her arriving literally changes everything Todd thought he knew about the world he lived in, and it has devastating effects on everything around them. She is beyond crucial to this story, and there’s never a dull moment with her. She’s interesting, complex and your heart breaks a little for her when details of her past start to unwind.

And oh, I can’t not mention Manchee. Manchee is Todd’s talking dog, and I loved him from his first utterance of “Need a poo, Todd.” He’s just the best talking animal ever; like a mix of Dug from Up, Chance and Shadow from Homeward Bound he’s unwaveringly loyal, entirely simple and just the best. I loved that stupid dog. I loved his weird little phrases, loved his totally inappropriate little commentaries on things and argh. This dog broke my heart at least 30 times.

Todd himself is what you’d expect of most teenage boys who find out their entire lives are lies and he has to go on a really dangerous quest – he’s a bit of a shit. He’s an angry, lonely kid with only his very simple dog for a friend, and he’s mean and rude and fairly violent. He swears a tonne and is just a total brat, and it’s kind of okay. Because most 13 year old kids are. And then as his story goes on, he really changes; develops. He learns to give a shit, to challenge all he once knew. He’s brave, he’s loyal and he can be incredibly kind. His panic over the thought of spreading his Noise to the Girl and making her sick is constant, and he tries his best to keep away from her while wanting to keep his only other friend in this new and terrible world close.

Overall, this book has not a single fault. It’s unflinching, it’s brave and it’s in your face. Patrick Ness is a fantastic writer, hitting the mark on every single part of this book, and I couldn’t recommend it more.

Oh, and prepare to lose your shit at the ending. I shouted a lot. I nearly put this book in the pool, and for me, that’s the sign of a great twist – that you want to drown the novel and pretend it didn’t happen. I did it with the Red Wedding from ASOIAF I can totally do it here

The Wicked + The Divine Volume 2: Fandemonium by Kieron Gillen

Every ninety years, twelve God’s return as young people. And in two years, those young people die.

Fandemonium is the second Volume in the series of The Wicked + The Divine. No spoilers here on how Volume 1 ended, but it follows on really wonderfully. Our protagonist is in a state of both grieving, and trying to harness something she’s not even sure she’s been given.

Having been so close to the new God’s so far, and broadcasting it on social media, she’s now become a pillar for the fanbase. She’s loved and hated as much as the God’s are and even develops her own fanbase. There’s an honest look at conventions, fandoms and the effect of social media – even if you aren’t a God, just being close with them is enough.

There isn’t a lot I can say without spoiling events up to this point, so what I will say is this; pick up the first volume. Then pick up the second. And sit and cry with me as we wait for Volume 3, which will take a while to be out.

The artwork is stunning; anyone who read the recent Young Avengers run from Marvel! Now, will recognize the work, the gorgeous and colourful designs, the stunning page layouts and the inventive story telling. The quick wit, the scary but wonderful individual characters – and the God’s. The God’s are fucking incredible. They’re all so different, and amazing. They each have their own agenda, they’re deeply rude and mean and free-living; but who wouldn’t be with only two years to walk the Earth?

Shit well and truly hits the fan at the end of this novel, and now I’m so scared of being spoiled for what happens next, I’ve been avoiding any talk of the individual novels for weeks. I am in torture. I am in limbo.

How can you do this to me guys? We already spoke about my pain when Teddy and Billy separated in Young Avengers, so, yanno. Please.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

A blood fever sweeps the world, and leaves in it’s wake a cast of malfetto’s – abominations. Marked by horrendous scars, they are outcast, abused and untrusted. However, some malfetto’s are left with more than scars – they are left with powerful gifts and abilities. They are Young Elites.

This is the fate of Adelina Amoutero, with a jagged scar to replace her left eye. Her power is dark, deadly and thrives off the vengeance in her heart. And unless she learns to control it, she’s a bigger threat than anything else the world has known – Young Elite, malfetto, or not.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about this book is just a constant, incoherent shrieking in my brain. Words honestly seem to fail me, because there aren’t words for the adoration I have for this book. I am so, so fucking impressed, more so than I ever thought I would be.

When I first read about this book, I assumed – Girl finds out she has Dark and Mysterious Power and she Learns to Use it for Good. But oh it is so, so much more.

First off, the world building is beyond impressive. I can picture the towns, the people and their states of mind so very clearly. The anger, the hatred towards malfetto’s, the everything. Adelina’s father and sister play realistic and terrifying side characters; her sister is not a malfetto, somehow escaping from the blood fever unaffected, and while she doesn’t join in with the abuse, she certainly doesn’t step in to stop it. Her father is a seething, grotesque and abusive man, and the more you find out about the horror’s he subjected his daughter too, the more you understand why Adelina’s powers are embedded in darkness.

The other Young Elites are just such fantastic characters too. Mostly aloof and distrusting (for some very, very clear reasons.) they all have these incredible powers, controlled by such an individual concept. Some powers seem so small, but they’re incredibly useful and wonderful. They have their own personalities and are really great, memorable characters. They’re also very unperfect and selfish – like most people looking to build an army, they only save the malfetto they consider useful and it’s something the audience and Adelina pick up on very quickly. It’s a very uncomfortable scenario, to back people with such selfish motives.

When you discover why this particular group of Young Elites have banded together and who their leader, Enzo, really is, everything makes horrifying sense – because it means literally everything to the story. It is just such a punch to the gut and it’s not even the worst one.

The worst punch comes later, taking the story in a direction I didn’t expect when I opened this book. Adelina isn’t some kid with cool but ghastly powers – her powers genuinely lie within a darkness, that she can only allow to grow if she wants to learn control.

I just. Argh. I can’t even really be coherent about this book, because it really, really shocked me. It’s amazing, it’s horrifying and it broke my fucking heart. I was so angry and disturbed for a lot of it, and I was so angry on Adelina’s behalf – half supporting her, half being just as afraid of her as everyone else is.  I love this book, I love it, I adore it, and I will be picking up The Rose Society, the sequel, when it comes out on October 15th.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness – from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd.

The monster shows up just after midnight. But it’s not the monster Conor has been expecting; it’s not the monster from his loud, screaming nightmares that he has every night, and has since his mother’s treatment began.

This monster is different. This monster is going to tell Conor three stories in exchange for the most dangerous thing of all – The Truth.

Siobhan Dowd originally thought of the story for this book – though sadly, due to her premature death from cancer, she was unable to write it herself. Patrick Ness took the story, and wrote it best he could in her memory. And in my opinion, he did a spectacular job.

This story is one about love, loss and the moral greys of human life. It’s genuinely distressing, unfair and troubling – and it’s happening to a young child. It’s hard to read at times, but you have to read it.

The monster Conor speaks of is scary, but he’s not here to destroy anything – he’s here to guide Conor, and to take the truth from him. The truth of how Conor really is coping with what’s happening to his mother.

I feel like this book is best gone into without saying too much, so I will just say how I feel about the book.

I feel like this is a book that’s changed my entire world-view for the better. It’s so dark, but so full of hope. I started it being scared of the monster, and by the end, all I felt was this overwhelming sadness. I cried, a lot, genuine massive gulpy cries where talking wasn’t an option. It’s a book that flips all these expectations and world views on it’s head, and only gives you what it want’s from Conor – the truth. It’s unflinching, it’s beautiful and it’s just so beyond tragic.

This is a book that’s become very dear and important to me, and I feel like everyone should read this book.

If you can, pick up the illustrated version. The illustrations are done by Jim Kay, and they fit perfectly in with this story. They’re beautiful and dark, just as this tale is, and I loved them.

So that’s it; my reading wrap up for my vacation. I cried, I laughed, I got sunburnt getting too sucked into them while sitting in the mid-afternoon heat. They were my faithful, exciting (if also mean, depressing and aggressive.) friends on my ten day trip with my family and I am genuinely so happy I got to go on all these adventures with them.

I sincerely do recommend every single book on this list, I really do. Let me know if you’ve read any of them or have had any thoughts about picking them up! Because then we can talk about them all and I’d like that.

I hope you’ve all been good and that life has also been good to you.

Fare thee well,

Fran.

May TBR

So the following pieces of literature I’m about to discuss are all the things I plan to read in the lovely, length month of May!

First off, I am currently reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.    The basic premise of this book is that there is a circus that only ever appears at night, never announcing when it’s coming or going, and it’s colour-scheme is entirely black, white and grey.

At first I found this book a little bit confusing, but just paying attention to the dates and everything got my head around it all pretty quickly. It is really enchanting and it’s such a wonderfully crafted combination of these artistic, dazzling scenes of the circus, combined with this very intense, dark sub-story. It’s really great and I imagine I’ll finish it in a reasonable amount of time, it’s just one of those books you do really have to pay attention to because even the small details mean everything.

I then plan to read;

Ms. Marvel Volumes #1 and #2 by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona.

So stoked. I don’t need words right now. I’m just so scared to start, knowing I’ll have to wait forever for Volume 3!

The Wicked and the Divine by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie.

As I said in my March Payday Book Haul, I’ve already read work of Gillen and McKelvie before, and have had the pleasure of meeting them both at a signing for that series, which was the Marvel Now! run of Young Avengers, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve heard nothing but good things, and again, I’m just very excited.

Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky.

Look, I love Matt Fraction for his work on Hawkeye and this is a story about people who use their power of being able to stop time during sex to rob banks. Why on earth won’t I enjoy this?

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas.

Those of you that have been with this blog for a time know that I have fallen head over heels for the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. While trying to fill the void between now and the release of the fourth book, Queen of Shadows in September, I decided to pick up the collection of the novella’s, which explain more about Celaena’s life before the series. I’m super excited to re-unite with my babe, and find out more about her!

And finally;

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

(ft. ugly ass sticker that won’t come off properly.)

I pre-ordered this shortly after finishing Throne of Glass because honestly, I heard she was writing a new series, featuring another female protagonist with a dark past, and I was just sold. I love Sarah’s writing, I like her character developments, and I think her stories are exciting. So I’ve picked this up, and honestly I have no real clue what the book is about except lady protag, dark past/deeds, and that is it. The blurb is a little bit confusing, so I am just going to go into this book essentially blind, which is very exciting!

So, yeah. Very much an ambitious reading list, but I honestly believe it can be done! Hopefully this month I’ll be able to squeeze in my single issue comics too, so we shall see!!

Until my next post, this is me for the night! I hope you’re all doing fabulous. Let me know if you’ve read any of the books on my TBR and let us talk about them!!!

All the best, and fare thee well!

Fran

April Wrap Up!

So as it turns out, I didn’t read tonnes in April; but I read enough, considering how hectic April was! So this is my overall wrap up for everything, in order of reading them.

The Titans Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth  and The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

So as you probably assumed by the March Wrap Up I wrote a million years ago, I was reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. During April, I managed to read the final three!

I am absolutely in love with this series, mostly because I went into it with the expectation of “Okay it’ll probably be good, it is for middle schoolers and so the writing style might throw me off a bit but I’ll have fun!”

And what I came out with was, “oh my god these books were fantastic and I’m crying at the finale at 1am”.

The integration of the Greek mythology is seamless; there’s these small little nods to minor God’s and legends that are so funny, and just smart. They’re dropped in as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, and it’s so laugh inducing. The major characters and appearances of the God’s are also all incredibly inventive and believable; Ares as this terrifying biker dude with hollow, fired-filled eye sockets, and Apollo driving a fiery Ferrari across the sky, are just a few of the fun, and simple but ingenious ways to present these iconic characters. I really cannot give the integration of mythology enough praise here.

The writing itself; yeah it’s a little middle-schooley, with Percy having pauses to talk to himself, but it’s honestly not that bad. It’s fun, it’s quirky, and as Percy grows up in the books, the language grows up with him. It reminded me of Harry Potter in that sense, and also in others; but I’m not as bothered by the similarities as most others on Goodreads seem to be. Maybe I was oblivious, but I was way too busy enjoying the Greek myths and the adventures to notice the similarities to Harry Potter (yearly occurrence focusing on a boy with a destiny). It’s a great bunch of stories all connecting to this epic and really satisfying conclusion.

Overall, I think The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian were my favourites; I’ll always have a soft spot for The Lightening Thief but these two final books were so so epic. The Labyrinth was so unbelievably creative; I was in endless awe of how it works, how it grew and how it worked with the original legends. It was so perfect and better than I could have ever imagined.

The Last Olympian was so unbelievably epic too; so many huge battles, a feeling of losing hope and tiring and being overwhelmed by the antagonists. And it was so tragic; the books definitely get more adult, and incredibly morbid as the finale closes in. The ending was also not what I expected, at all; it was so heart-breaking and such a huge twist.

Overall, I loved these books. They’ve earned a really special place in my heart, and I will be re-reading them again. Hopefully I’ll move onto the Heroes of Olympus sequel series, and having read the first chapter in an e-read preview, I am very excited to do so.

I Kill Giants by Joe Jelly and JM Ken Nimura.

I do not even know where to begin with this book. I fell in love with it from the moment I opened the first page and saw this;

Call me mushy but it really put a smile on my face.

And then I went into the book, and I did not put it down and finished it in a 35-40 minute sitting.

First off, the art work is fantastic. It took me a bit of time to get used to, with it all being black and white rather than the colour format I’m used to, but it was just so striking and such a unique, gorgeous style for a graphic novel.

Character-wise, our protagonist Barbara Thorson, is a delight. She’s a very angry, troubled teenage girl who believes in the existence of Giants and Titans – and she believes it’s down to her to fight and kill them with her mythological Norse hammer. However, her giant slaying beliefs, while she entirely follows them, are covering up something a lot more sinister in Barbara’s life.

I loved Barbara. She was so funny, if incredibly rude. I felt to her, like you tend to feel towards angry, suffering and funny young characters; frustrated, often annoyed, but completely endeared and wishing you could help them in their unhappiness. She felt like a realistic young character, and I was entirely convinced by every word out of her mouth and her story.

I also really liked the other characters, such as Barbara’s older, struggling sister, and her best friend she makes at school; Sophie. There’s also some fun, if pretty hardcore school bullies too. Overall, the characters are a lot of fun and they fit really well into the story and into the high school, dramatic mantra.

The story however, shines like nothing I’ve seen before. It’s so gripping, from beginning to genuinely devastating ending. The slow reveal of what’s going on in Barbara’s life whilst she fights Giants is so artistically and wonderfully drawn out, slow enough for the realisation to dawn on you in a horrifying, gripping way. It’s so tear-jerking (/tear-pouring), but so heart-warming all at once. The ending ties everything up so beautifully, and I am so in love with this graphic novel about a giant killing teenage girl.

Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe and Roc Upchurch

I can only describe Rat Queens as an epic entanglement of all the elements that made Bridesmaids  and Game of Thrones awesome as hell. It’s just so great, and funny and absolutely unique in everything it does.

The characters are diverse and absolutely wonderful. They’re all well-written, very fleshed out women who all interact with each other in a realistic and great way – a way you’d expect from a group of long-term, ass kicking friends. The dialogue flows so smoothly, and every interaction that goes on in this book is an absolute delight.

There genuinely is not a boring moment; there’s epic fight scenes, magic, intermission scenes with brief romances. These women are totally unafraid to swear and are so open about their sexualities, and it’s entirely real – on some level, these are the conversations that a lot of women have with their close friends.

There’s a lot more gore than I expected to – severed limbs, broken bones and grizzly deaths await. It’s so, so fricken excellent and I can’t recommend it highly enough. I’m for sure going to be picking up volume 2.

PS: shout out to this page for making me laugh in the middle of a massive group of people while waiting for the Age of Ultron red carpet to open.

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang

This graphic novel is a cute story that explores themes of women in video games, online guilds and whether the integrity of a game is what’s most important when real lives are at stake.

This novel is, off the bat, absolutely adorable. The art style is so cute and vibrant. It’s a lot of fun to look at, and the illustrations are gorgeous to look at, whether you’re in the real world or the online world.

The thing I enjoyed most about this book, were the themes that video gamers are still discussing and debating today. There’s themes of feminism and female exclusion from video games, particularly online. there’s themes of how “hardcore gamers” view outsiders or “newbies” who try and enter into their world, mostly about the hostility and bullying attitude some members can take in defense of something they consider theirs. There’s themes of online communication, of labour issues, of rules within games.

For a graphic novel that’s actually pretty short, it does fit those themes in well without it being crammed or overdone. Everything is well noticed in short amounts of time, and it’s done so well and beautifully.

I felt like I related really well to the protagonist of the story; she loves games, and she joins the online guild and it helps her feel a lot better about herself. Eventually, it does become that the video game world, does effect her real life and her self esteem – and I love that. Video games are so much more important than a lot of people give them credit for, and this book really captured that.

Finally, I did also read issues #1 and #2 of Noto’s Black Widow – I’ve already read up to issue #8, but I really wanted to re-read and make it all the way through. I’m so in love with this series; Black Widow is one of my favourite comic characters ever, and the artwork, the story, the capture of her character and the handling of her life is just so wonderful and absolutely awesome to read. She absolutely holds her own and where is my Black Widow movie Marvel?

So yeah, I didn’t read as much as I would have liked in April, but considering the amount of time I was at work, and then the three day Avengers fueled gap I took, I’d say I did okay!

Hopefully this week I will make my post all about the Avengers: Age of Ultron premiere, how I won Black Widow’s leather jacket and how I have no officially met all the Avengers. I’ll talk a little about the film too, but totally spoiler free because I’m not an absolute jerk!

Coming up next is my May TBR, which is a little ambitious but totally do-able. Totally.

I hope all of you are doing amazing, and if you’ve read any of these books, let’s chat about them!

Fare thee well,

Fran

March Payday Book Haul!

(Minus one book that hasn’t arrived yet. Damnit post office.)

I don’t have a problem I swear.

So in my book haul this month, I bought four paperback novels and seven graphic novels.

In the paperback novels category I got;

The Assassin’s Blade – Sarah J. Maas.

The Assassin’s Blade is the collection of prequel novella’s to the Throne of Glass series. I’ve fallen head over heels for this series, and I’m so happy to have just a little something to hold onto as I eagerly await the release of Queen of Shadows in September!!! I’m also really interested to find out more about Arobynn and how Celaena ended up in the predicaments she’s in at the beginning of the series.

Also once again, gorgeous cover is gorgeous.

Fangirl – Rainbow Rowell.

I’ve heard nothing but praises for Rainbow Rowell for years now; she writes a lot of contemporary, teenagey romance fiction, and all of it is apparently very fabulous. I decided to dive in with Fangirl – I thought the premise sounded sweet, and I hear there’s a tonne of Harry Potter references, which I am a thousand percent here for. I’m excited to read this and hopefully it’ll encourage me to pick up more of her work!

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August – Claire North

I stumbled across this on amazon while adding some other books to my wishlist, and the premise grabbed me right away. This is the story of a man named Harry August, who lives, dies and then is reincarnated with all his memories of his past life. Then in one life, he’s told by a woman the world is going to end, and he has to stop it.

What an amazing premise!!! I went and read some reviews and it’s all been good stuff, so I am really thrilled I picked it up.

And my final novel is The Miniaturist – Jessie Burton

This is a story set in the 1600’s, of a woman in an arranged marriage. As a wedding gift, she’s given a small dollhouse that is a miniature replica of her family home – but then the house starts to reflect some much darker secrets about her home.
It sounded creepy as all hell and I’m kind of a sucker for creepy, thriller-esq stories, so I’m stoked to give this a go and scare the hell out of myself.

Then, come the seven graphic novels, because obviously the several graphic novels and the shelf full of unread single issues clearly wasn’t enough.

Graphic novel wise, I picked up Saga – Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.

I actually have little to no idea of the premise or anything – I’m pretty sure it’s about aliens and it’s science fiction! But I have been told nothing but really really amazing things, and the cover is already pretty interesting. So I picked it up for pretty cheap and I’ll hopefully be grabbing the next three on the website soon!

Sex Criminals – Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky.

When I first saw the title of this, I was skeptical. Then I saw who wrote it. And then I read the premise.

Matt Fraction wrote the wonderful recent Hawkeye series that I also really really love; it’s snappy, fun and he really wrote a great Clint Barton. So when I saw he wrote this, I decided to look into it, and I am so glad I did.

The premise is that there is a woman who has a supernatural ability; when she has sex, time stops. And one day she encounters a man with the same ability; so there’s only one thing to do with this sort of incredible revelation.

Rob banks.

I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to get into this series.

Rat Queens – Kurtis J. Wiebe and Roc Upchurch.

The cover and artwork instantly pulled me in with this one, and again, I hear nothing but good things across the internet. Booktubers have said it’s hilariously funny, and full of really cool epic fight scenes, monsters and dialogue. I’m all about a team of female heroes, and I hear it’s a mix between Lord of the Rings and Bridesmaids; what could possibly go wrong?!

Also the cover is badass as hell.

I Kill Giants – Joe Kelly and JM Ken Nimura.

Again, this was another accidental stumble across while adding other books to my wishlist. But the blurb was instantly gripping to me. Again, female protagonist; who doesn’t just tell people she’s on a quest to kill giants with her gigantic magical Norse hammer – she believes it. But it starts to become clear that Barbara’s giant slaying is a distraction for something much bigger.

I did read this as soon as it came, and I’ll be talking about it in another post!

Ms. Marvel Volume’s 1 & 2 – G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona.

I need more Marvel Comics in my life, and I have, again, heard nothing but great things! I’m so so stoked to read this; because not only is it a female protagonist taking centre stage, she’s a Muslim-American woman. It’s so refreshing and wonderful, and the covers are amazing! The first cover is so powerful and strong, then the second is so utterly playful and creative. I really genuinely can’t wait to get stuck into these and be seriously upset at waiting for Volume 3!

Then finally, the book that hasn’t arrived yet; In Real Life – Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang.

I heard about this from the YouTuber Kristina (previously “I Talk to Snakes”) – and I hear good things, again! The art work looks utterly adorable. The premise is fairly simple. A young girl plays online roleplaying games (sort of, World of Warcraft esq games) and discovers a man who is selling his in-game items for real life money, which is a massive no-no in the rules of the game and could see him banned for life from the server. However, her integrity about the game is challenged when she realises this is the man’s livelihood, and to report him means he will lose his only income.

It sounds short but sweet, and also a topic I really enjoy myself, so I am eagerly awaiting it to come through the door! Come on Book Depository!!!

Also honorary mention to The Wicked and the Divine: The Faust Act – Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. I was instantly drawn in by the bright and wonderful artwork, and also the fact that both these awesome guys worked on Marvel Now’s short run of Young Avengers which I really thoroughly enjoyed. I picked this up at the beginning of March but haven’t got around to it yet, sadly.

And that is my haul of unspeakable length and a lot of “wow I’m so excited” – because I am incredibly excitable.

Let me know if you’ve read any of these books and how you felt about them! No spoilers though please!

I hope you’re all having awesome days.

Fare thee well,

Fran