Hi friends! We are at the end of February already! So, for the Week of 2/20, this is my last bite size post for the month with a full monthly review coming tomorrow. I haven’t been doing much reading in the last week or so; I think it’s because I’ve been having a difficult time getting into my current read. Which I’m so sad about! I’m reading Winterkeep and it just isn’t grabbing my attention like the other books in the series. It might be because of the characters, but who knows. I’m going to try to power through.
There will be a lot of review posts coming in March, so stay tuned! I may have gone a little crazy on NetGalley, so there will probably just be more reviews in general. Anyway, for the week of 2/20, I read 9 books! About half were graphic novels, and I’m getting into comics more again, so yay!
Bite Size Reviews: Week of 2/20
Civil War: Wolverine by Marc Guggenheim (2/20)
In my quest to read Spider-Man comics, this also includes reading comics from the main events. This one is from Wolverine, who isn’t necessarily my favorite character to read from. The story line in this was one of the better ones I think, though. Wolverine is going after the guy responsible for the tragedy that starts Civil War. Fun, but not my favorite (3 stars).
Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier by Jim Ottaviani (2/21)
This is a nonfiction graphic novel that looks at the first women in NASA’s space program. Group 9 was NASA’s first mix-gendered group of astronauts and they were making stride of their own. There was a lot of great information in this book, a lot of it I didn’t know! I love this trend of putting nonfiction in graphic novel format because it reaches audiences that wouldn’t otherwise get it (4 stars).
Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu (2/21)
Definitely my favorite thing I read this week! Honestly, I want to own these books because I just loved the characters in them. And that ending! Oh my goodness. My heart melted. Baking and hockey and friendship. I just got sucked into this story and would honestly keep reading about these characters, if Ukazu kept writing about them! (4.5 stars).
A Complicated Love Story Set in Space by Shaun David Hutchinson (2/21)
When Noa suddenly wakes up on a spaceship called Qriosity, he’s not sure how he got there. The last thing he remembers is going to bed in Seattle. He soon finds out he’s also trapped with DJ and Jenny, both who have no idea how they got there. As things start to get weirder, they do their best to try to get home. This was a fun story, and the characters were probably the best part. It’s not my favorite from Hutchinson, but it was still entertaining! (3.5 stars)
Transgender History by Susan Stryker (2/21)
A nonfiction book, which I don’t read a lot of. This one looks at the history of transgender people in the United States. While some of the more recent history I was already aware of, it was interesting to see some of the other history I didn’t know. Stryker organizes the information in a way that’s easy to follow. While there is no overarching narrative, everything is connected by the timeline. A great start if you’re looking to learn more! (4 stars).
The Initial InsultĀ by Mindy McGinnis (2/24)
After Tress’s parents disappeared, she was left with nothing. Her old best friend, Felicity, is the only one who was there when they disappeared. So, Tress is determined to get her revenge. No matter what it takes. Based on a Poe story, it’s easy to see the connections throughout the book. However, the plot is difficult to follow at times and I do wish there was a bit more character development. A dark story about revenge, and I would expect nothing less from McGinnis (3 stars).
Can’t Take That Away by Steven Salvatore (2/25)
I already wrote a review for this, so just a few thoughts here! The best aspect of this book was Carey’s voice throughout the book. I also enjoyed the way that Salvatore included their pronouns throughout the book. It’s an overall engrossing story, and a voice that isn’t heard enough in YA (4 stars).
Ms. Marvel Vol. 2: Civil War by Brian Reed (2/26)
Look, I finished two Civil War books this week! However, in this one, I didn’t feel like Carol’s character was done justice. Her actions just didn’t seem to fit the way she’s characterized in other comics. I know it’s Civil War, but I don’t think she would just go into separating families without having much guilt. The last issues in this were definitely better than the first few (3 stars).