Here we are at the end of another week. Not having a set schedule means that weeks tend to go by really quickly. Especially when all your work shifts are stacked at the beginning of the week. No complaints, here! That means I’ve gotten a lot of reading done this week, including reading all of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I’ve got some review books planned for the upcoming weeks, too, thanks to NetGalley and a few publishers. But here’s what I read for the week of 5/16!
I read 7 books this week! Don’t let that number fool you–I think half of them are graphic novels. There was a debate on Twitter a few weeks ago about whether or not graphic novels should count toward your Goodreads goal. I think they should! You’re still reading, so they should absolutely count. Graphic novels are books, too!
Check out previous week’s reviews for 2020: 3/21, 3/28, 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9
Bite Size Reviews: Week of 5/16
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (5/16)
This was a re-read for me, so I could be prepared for the new book that came out this week. The Hunger Games always stands up to re-reads for me. There’s always something new that I notice or I just get lost i the characters again. I know a lot of people didn’t like this book, but it actually might be my favorite of the series. I like how Collins leads up to the revolution and how the events unfold. It’s realistic. Maybe I don’t like what happens at the end, but it’s still amazing writing (5 stars).
Civil War: Front Line, Vol. 1 by Paul Jenkins (5/17)
In my quest to read as much back list Spider-Man as possible, I’m at the beginning of the Civil War story line. These volumes follow some of the reporters covering the Superhero Registration Act, which has the hero community divided. What I liked about this volume was the juxtaposition with other wars within some of the issues. It adds some depth to the story. And the art is amazing! I’m ready to get back to Spider-Man issues, though (3 stars).
Saga, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan (5/18)
I’ve been re-reading a lot of books lately, and this is one of them. They’re just so comforting! Saga is one of my all-time favorite comics and I’ve enjoyed revisiting it. Being able to pick up things that reference future events is one of my favorite things about re-reading books. Especially when there’s a definite ending (for now). I’m still in awe of Fiona Staples artwork too. Have you read this series? If not, you definitely should (5 stars).
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (5/20)
I actually wrote a full review of this the other day, but it’s still worth mentioning here. I’m actually still thinking about this book. Also curious to see what other people think about it. The plot itself is a bit all over the place. I’m all for the history that we learn about Panem, though. I love books where the author builds up more of the world, especially one as complex as Panem (4 stars).
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (5/21)
I’ve finally finished the audiobooks for The Mortal Instruments series! I actually think that I liked this one the best. It really pulls together this series and The Infernal Devices. Plus, I didn’t have to hear as much from Clary, which is a good thing in my book. She just isn’t my favorite narrator from the shadowhunter books. Bring me back Tessa, please. Though the plot itself felt a little on the long side, this was a good overall wrap up for these characters. We’ll see if they show up again in other books (4 stars).
The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones (5/22)
Ryn is a gravedigger who tries to keep the bone houses (zombie-like creatures) from getting into her village. When they start to creep out of the forest, she and Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker, venture into the mountain where the bone houses come from. In order to save the village, they have to destroy the cauldron that created them. I went into this book without really knowing the plot, and I’m so glad that I did! This is spooky and an interesting take on zombies. Plus, there’s such chemistry between the characters! One of my favorite things (4 stars).
Saga, Vol. 3 by Brian K. Vaughan (5/22)
What to say about Saga that I haven’t already said? I’ve been basically reading entire volumes in one day. They’re the type of graphic novels that you just don’t want to put down. Honestly, I could probably binge the entire series in one day. But I want to savor it! I don’t want it to be finished too quickly. Trying to keep it to one volume a week (5 stars).
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