Bite Size Reviews: Week of 8/29

The first week of September is in the books! Which means these are my reviews for the week of 8/29. September will probably go by just as fast as the past few months have. However, it has been cooler this week and I am so happy. I love cooler weather. Bring me sweatshirts and sweaters and everything else. I am so ready!

Anyway, I didn’t do as much reading as I did the week before, but I got a decent amount of reading done! There are three books I need to review in September, so be on the lookout for those in the coming weeks, too!

Bite Size Reviews: Week of 8/29

The Umbrella Academy Vol. 3 by Gerard Way (8/29)

The latest installment in the Umbrella Academy series, published right around when the show first premiered. Unfortunately, this installment was a bit chaotic; there were a lot of storylines here that made it a bit difficult to follow. Plus, there are a lot of new characters that added to the chaos. Maybe this will come in future volumes? Either way, I still think I prefer the show to the comics (3 stars).

Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry (8/30)

All the Torres sisters want is to get away from their father and their San Antonio neighborhood. After the oldest sister falls to her death, the other three sisters are struggling to get over their grief. And now, she’s haunting their house. This is the perfect book to read as fall starts to come, with the haunting nature of Ana’s ghost. Honestly, the writing here is lyrical, and I always love books that focus on sibling relationships like this. Each sister gets her own voice, and learns to use it to take the power they always deserved (4 stars).

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare (8/30)

I’m almost done in my quest to listen to all the Cassandra Clare audiobooks; I’ve just got two left! Well, 2 and a half if you include the one that just came out this week. Following the children of Will and Tessa, strange demons are haunting London and Cordelia Carstairs and the Merry Thieves have figure out what’s happening. My main complaint about this one i s that it was a little on the long side. Just when I thought the book was done, it kept going. But I can’t wait to see what happens next! (4 stars)

Kent State by Deborah Wiles (9/1)

A book in verse that recounts the events that happened at Kent State University in 1970. Overall, the voices were really well done in this book. Honestly, it’s also chilling how much the events here are still happening today. Even though this happened 50 years ago, it’s still highly relevant. This is a quick read, but it still packs a punch (4 stars).

One Year at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks (9/1)

Juniper wins a scholarship at the prestigious Ellsmere Academy, and she’s ready to get down to business. However, it doesn’t end up being what she expected. She got on the bad size of the girl in charge, making her life difficult. I picked this up because I love Faith Erin Hicks’ art style, and this was no different. The art was probably the best part of this graphic novel. The story itself was a bit predictable, and there was an odd element of magical realism. But overall, it was still an enjoyable book! (3 stars)

Flamer by Mike Curato (9/3)

Set in the 1990s and following Aiden during the summer between middle and high school. He’s at a boy scout camp for the summer, questioning his sexuality. There are some darker moments in this book, but I think they are still realistic to the subject matter. Much of the book is based on Curato’s own experiences as a teen, and this shows throughout the book. I also really enjoyed the art style. The limited use of color was really effective. A full review will come later this week! (4 stars)

Bent Heavens by Daniel Kraus (9/3)

Liv Fleming’s father disappeared two years ago, just after he claimed he was abducted by aliens. Despite his disappearance, Liv and her fried Doug still check the traps her dad set to catch the aliens. When something inhuman appeared in the traps, Liv must face the reality that her dad was telling the truth. This is technically YA, but it is dark. Darker than a lot of YA horror. And way different than I was expecting. I don’t usually read dark horror like this, but I can see where there might be a niche for it in YA. The writing is strong, though, so horror fans might enjoy it! (3 stars).

Deeplight by Frances Hardinge (9/3)

When Hark finds the heart of the dead gods, he initially uses it to heal his best friend, Jelt. But when the heart starts to transform Jelt, Hark realizes that something darker might be in play. This seaside mystery has some fantastic world building. One thing I really appreciated was the way Hardinge incorporated sign language into the book. It’s not something that you see often. My only complaint was that the first half of the book was a bit slow moving; it didn’t really hit its stride until the last half of the book. But it was still an enjoyable read! (4 stars).