Yesterday, I kept thinking that there’s another week in August, but I was definitely wrong. August ends on Monday, meaning that my semester also starts next week. Which makes me sad, because that means bye to all the reading that I’ve been doing, probably. But it’s my last semester, so I can do it! Just two classes standing between me and my degree. For the Week of 8/22, we can cherish the fact that I didn’t have classes.
Anyway, I did a lot of reading this week! 12 books in all, which might just be a record for me. Granted, a decent amount of them were graphic novels. But those still count! Plus, I have a lot of reading to do for the award group I’m a part of. I feel really up to date on the new releases for 2020, though!
P.S. I meant to post this on Saturday, but I definitely forgot. So here it is a day late!
Bite Size Reviews: Week of 8/22
This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewel (8/22)
Written by Tiffany Jewel and illustrated by Aurelia Durand, this is an introduction to anti-racism for young adults. I would probably put the target age group on the younger side, though there’s a lot anyone can learn from this book. Throughout, Jewel includes journaling prompts and actions that readers can take to help work against racism in everyday life. The illustrations complement the text really well, making this a great reading experience (5 stars).
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan (8/22)
This book is a bit out of my wheelhouse, but I read it for the 2020 Read Harder Challenge from Book Riot. Dan Egan was a reporter focused on the Great Lakes for most of his career. This book chronicles some of the environmental issues with the Great Lakes, like invading species and water levels. Though I don’t read a lot of nonfiction in this genre, it was interesting to learn about the lake that I’ve lived next to all my life and all the obstacles that it has faced over the years. Egan’s writing style is also engaging, investigative and informative (4 stars).
Supernova by Marissa Meyer (8/22)
Finishing the third novel in this trilogy on audiobook, and that ending! Meyer leaves us with a little gem (which I won’t include because of spoilers), but I hope that means she’s thinking about returning to this world. I really enjoyed how the Renegades series looked at the definitions of hero and villain and the way that maybe people are a bit of both. I love Nova and Adrian, and that battle at the end of the book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Meyer’s writing is fantastic, and I can’t wait to see what else she does! (5 stars).
The Umbrella Academy Vol. 1 by Gerard Way (8/22)
Reginald Hargreeves adopted seven children with extraordinary powers. Raising them to fight evil, they’re called the Umbrella Academy. After being disbanded for about a decade, they’re brought back together when their father dies. Because I love the Netflix series, I decided to pick up the graphic novels they’re based on. There are elements that are the same, but I’m more of a fan of the show than the comics. They just flesh out the characters so much more, and as someone who is a character reader, that makes all the difference (3 stars).
The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter (8/24)
In the land of Enchantia, fairy tales are prophecies of the future. Everly Morrow currently lives in the real world, but what she doesn’t know is that she’s a princess from Enchantia; one who can communicate with mirrors. After going back to the place of her birth, Every learns that she’s prophesied to be the evil queen. Will she live up to what’s expected of her? Unfortunately, though this book is 100% up my alley, I just couldn’t get into it. I think it was because of the narrator, Everly. She felt like she didn’t have any emotion, and I had a hard time wanting to pick this up and read it. Plus, she constantly was pointing out what people smelled like and it was driving me nuts (2 stars).
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (8/25)
This was another audiobook listen! While I was waiting for the next Shadowhunter book, this book was available, so I decided to pick it up. Set in historical London, we follow Audrey Wadsworth as the Jack the Ripper murders are happening. Interested in forensic medicine, Audrey investigates the murders with her uncle and Thomas Cresswell. What I loved about this book was how ridiculous Audrey thought society’s expectations for women were. Because it was true! Why couldn’t she practice forensic medicine if she wanted to? This is the perfect series to start for fall/Halloween season, so I can’t wait to get to the other books! (4 stars)
Civil War: Captain America/Iron Man by Ed Brubaker (8/26)
The next installment in the Civil War saga, and this one was pretty good. We get more in-depth stories of Iron Man and Captain America, who both essentially started the Civil War. I liked that we got more background from both of them; it made the whole conflict more complex and interesting. We also see Iron Man struggling with his decisions, mostly because of the carnage that comes from it. Close to being done with these, I think (4 stars).
Heartstopper Vol. 3 by Alice Oseman (8/26)
In this volume, we get to follow Nick and Charlie as they go on a school trip to Paris, navigating dating without being out to all their classmates. We really get to delve deeper into Nick and Charlie’s relationship, especially as Nick starts to notice that Charlie doesn’t really eat much. There are little nuances included throughout that really bring all of the characters to life, especially their struggles with coming out and navigating a new relationship. Seriously, I love Nick and Charlie so much. I could honestly read about them all day! (5 stars).
Power Divided by S. Behr (8/26)
I already did a full review of this book earlier this week, so just a small blurb here. I loved the world-building in this book; Behr has created such a unique dystopian world and I found it fascinating. Plus, I just loved all of the characters in it. They were so well done (4 stars).
The Umbrella Academy Vol. 2 by Gerard Way (8/27)
In this volume, which is actually my favorite of the three out so far, we get a more in-depth look at the characters. For those familiar with the show, this is a blend of season’s one and two. Here, we get a bit more of Five’s background, as well as more of the family dynamics between the characters. The plot was fast paced and exciting to read, and I really enjoyed the art style for the most part. If all the volumes were like this one, I think I would enjoy the comics a bit more (4 stars).
Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro (8/28)
Xochital is destined to be alone. As a cuentista, she takes the stories from her village and gives them back to Solis, their god. After an incident in her town, she finds herself wandering alone in the desert, looking for companionship. She finds it in Emilia, but the two must brave nightmares in order to survive. This is one of those books that’s difficult to describe what it’s about without spoiling it too much (but I did my best!). This book was so lyrical and beautiful, though it’s not necessarily plot driven if you’re looking for that. It’s about Xochital and her journey towards finding herself. Magical and definitely worthy of all the praise (4.5 stars).
Almost American Girl by Robin Ha (8/28)
This graphic novel memoir follows Robin’s journey immigrating from Korea to the United States. After what’s originally a vacation becomes a permanent residence in Alabama, Robin has to figure out how to adapt to the US, in addition to learning the language. Completely cut off from everything she knows, she eventually finds kinship through a comics class. This memoir is so well done, accounting Ha’s experiences coming to the US in a unique way. The illustrations were well done and I was really impressed with the way she showed learning a new language through comics. It felt so realistic. An excellent graphic memoir (4 stars).