Graphic Novel Review of Saga Vol. 8 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples

Read for Graphic Novel Challenge & Recently Added

Synopsis: "After the traumatic events of the War for Phang, Hazel, her parents, and their surviving companions embark on a life-changing adventure at the westernmost edge of the universe."

My Review: It has been a while since I last read Saga, but it was time to finally get caught up. It took me a while to remember how all the characters got to where they were in this volume. I am surprised I haven't seen more about this as it touches on some even more controversial subject matters, but I like the way it is handled. I loved seeing how some of the characters have grown so much in strength and almost to the point of being happy. As always with this series, I love the artwork, it is so bold and with wonderful colors. It was great to revisit some favorite characters and I can't wait to see what happens next.

My Rating: I am really enjoying this series again, it is current and yet set in a fantasy world with a very unique cast of characters.  I give this one a rating of Four Paws.

Bedtime Story: The Magic is in You by Colin Hosten & Illustrated by Brooke Vitale

Read for Children's Book Challenge

Synopsis: "A picture book featuring inspirational messages from beloved Disney and Disney*Pixar films, The Magic is in You focuses on moments of perseverance and resilience in Disney's main characters and encourages readers of all ages to believe in themselves in any situation."

My Review: I have a major soft spot for Disney so decided to pick this one up for Munchkin (and myself) and it ended up being way more than I ever expected. This is a fantastic book for end of school year gifts, especially graduations. This one is simplistic but has such words of wisdom! I found it to be very inspiring. It was also a great conversation starter with Munchkin about how sometimes things seem to hard but we just have to believe in ourselves or reach out for a helping hand. Really a simple but beautiful book.

My Rating: This was so much more than I expected and even though Munchkin is outgrowing picture books quickly,  I think this one will remain on the shelves for quite a while.  We give it a rating of Four Paws and a Stump Wag!

Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

Review of Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Read for: Recently Added & 2nd Book is a Booktube SFF Shortlist 

Synopsis: "A cursed girl escapes death and finds herself in a magical world - but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination

Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks--and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday.

But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.

It's then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart - an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have. To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests - or she'll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate."

My Review: I picked this one up because so many other readers have loved it and also because the next book in the series made the 2019 Booktube SFF short list. Sadly, I really struggled with this book. It seems to have been greatly influenced by Harry Potter, which I really disliked. We have a young character who is treated horribly and left in the dark as the story progresses only to find out that she might be someone special (aka the chosen one). All that works into being my all time most disliked trope. With that said, it does have a unique and interesting world with some very intriguing side characters. I think if you really loved Harry Potter, you will probably really enjoy this book. It just did not work for me and I will not be continuing with the series.

My Rating: I should have known better than to pick up a book with Harry Potter influences. It had so many of my disliked tropes that I really couldn't get past.  I have to give it a rating of One Paw and a Stump Wag.  I am also going to have to pass on reading Wundersmith for the Booktube SFF shortlist this year.

May 2019 Challenge Update & June TBR

Yikes! What happened to May!! I didn't get nearly as much reading done as I wanted, and I am having to admit that Munchkin is growing up and doesn't really want to read picture books or beginning reader books any more.  I also have relied heavily on audio books and library books this month. 

Children's Books

30-40 books

None

Early Reader Books

30-40 books

8. Pete the Cat and the Tip Top Tree House
9. Get a Hit Mo
10. Pearl & Wagner: 5 Days Till Summer

Graphic Novel

25 books

12. Roller Girl
13. The Black Bull of Norroway

Audio Book Challenge

50 books - (Caffinated Reader hosted)

26. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow
27. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World
28. Trail of Lightning
29. In an Absent Dream
30. A Long Walk to Water
31. Beyond a Darkened Shore
32Her Royal Highness

Classic Books

5 books

None

Big Books
10 books over 500 pages

None

RI Authors

20 books

None

Borrowed Books

30-40 books

14. Roller Girl
15. In an Absent Dream
16. A Long Walk to Water

Re-Reads 

15 books

None

Beat the Backlist

75 books - (Novelknight hosted) - only using books I already own
17. Beyond a Darkened Shore

The Never Ending Series

Warland Chronicles: Book1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4,

Requested Reviews

No more than 25 new acceptances (& catch up on old requests)
10. Printed Letter Bookshop (Netgalley)
11. Untitled (Netgalley)

Recently Added to Shelves

Limited purchases (must total less than 200) and read soon

1. Dragon of Ash & Stars - (Jan./ Jan.) DNF
2. The Snow Gypsy (Jan./ )
3. Book Nerds & Boyfriends (Jan./Feb. ) *
4. WarDance (Jan/ )
5. Warsong (Jan./ )

6. The Only Harmless Great Thing (Jan/Jan.)
7. Who in the World is Carmen Sandiego (Jan./ Jan.)
8. Lost Boy (Jan/ )
9. Year One (Jan/ )

10. Girl Who Drank the Moon (Jan/ )

11. King of Scars (Jan/ )

12. Dactyl Hill Squad (Feb./)

13. The Darkdeep  (Feb./)
14. Voices (Feb./Feb.) 
15. Wicked King (Feb./March) 
16. Lord of the Fading Lands (Feb./)

17. Crown of Feathers (Feb./)

18. Argos: The Story of Odysseus as told by his Loyal Dog (Feb./)

19. 100 Hugs (Feb./ Feb.) 

20. Binti 2: Home (Feb./March)

23. Binti 3: Night Masquerade (Feb./March) 

24. Artificial Condition (Feb./March)

25. Rogue Protocol (Feb./March)

26. Trial of Lightening  (Feb./ May) 

27. The Last (Endling) (Feb./March)

28. Aquicorn Cove (Feb./Feb.) 

29. Thick as Thieves (Feb./ Feb.)

30. Aru Shah and the End of Time (March/) - DNF

31. Foundryside (March/ April)
32. Wundersmith (March/) - UNHAUL 
33. City of Ghosts (March/March) 
34. Saga Vol. 8 (March/ April)
35. Saga Vol. 9 (March/April)
36. Warrior of the Wild (March/March)
37. Book Love (March/March)
38. Queen's Shadow (March/March) 
39. A Curse So Dark and Lonely (March/May) 
40. Shadow of Doubt (March/)
41. Gates of Stone (March/)
42. In Her Sights (March/April)
43. Nevermoor (March/May)  
44. A Conspiracy of Truths (March/)

45. The Wild Robot (March/March)  

46. The Resurrectionist (March/) 

47. Viper (April/)

48. Vortex Visions (April/) 

49. Through the White Wood (April/)

50. Descendant of the Crane (April/)

51. The Princess and the Fangirl (April/April)

52. Holy Sister (April/)

53. Rhapsodic (April/May) 

54. A Strange Hymn (April/May) *

55. The Emperor of Evening Stars (April/)

56. Dark Harmony (April/)

57. The Black Bull of Norroway (April/May) 

58. We Rule the Night (April/)

59. The Unbound Empire (April/)

60. The Opposite of Always (May/) - UNHAUL
61. The Sea Queen(May/)
62. The Mountain of Kept Memory(May/)
63. Metamorphica (May/)
64. Misfits of Avalon Vol. 1 (May/)
65. Misfits of Avalon Vol. 2 (May/)
66. The Sea King (May/)
67. Ride Hard (May/)
68. Ride Rough (May/)
69. Ride Wild (May/)
70. Irresistible Force (May/)
71. Force of Attraction (May/)
72. Primal Force (May/)
73. Rival Forces (May/)
74. A Rogue by Any Other Name (May/)
75. A Scot in the Dark (May/)
76. The Day of the Duchess (May/)
77. The Pirate Bride (May/)
78. Pirate Stories (May/)
79. Man Made Boy (May/)
80. This Monstrous Thing (May/)
81. The Case of the Missing Moonstone (May/)
82. Dear Santa (May/)
83. An Endless Christmas (May/)
84. Christmas Magic (May/)
85. Falling Softly (May/)
86. Christmas Town (May/)
87. The Christmas Star (May/) 
88. Crazy Rich Asians (May/)
89 Once and Future (May/)
90. Highland Crown (May/)
91. Her Royal Highness (May/May) 
92. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World (May/May) 
93. Seal's Honor (May/May) 

January Reading Stats:

I read a total of 19 books this month

2,649 pages read and 2 days, 2 hours and 53 minutes of listening

Resolutions Check in:

1. Borrow More Books: I have been borrowing more books, 3 this month and 2 more holds that have come up now! - CHECK

2. Purchase Less Books:  Last year in May I purchased 25 books and this year I purchased 34, YIKES! Talk about blowing it this last month! Time to get back on track. - :(

3. Read Big Books: Sadly I didn't read anything over 500 pages this month, but after last month's big success, I guess I get a pass but time to get back on track. - :(

4. Re-Read More: I didn't re-read anything in May but again, I was focusing a lot on all the new purchases. I do have plans for at least one re-read in June. - :(
5. Put Less Pressure and Stress on Myself: I have been doing really good with this, I have gotten posts up but I have also not let it stress me out too much. I had a little vacation and I did my best to get posts up but it didn't happen but I didn't take time out of my vacation to get them up. - CHECK

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had a really flexible TBR last month and I did a pretty good job on it but I also didn't get much reading done in May. I do still want to have a pretty loose TBR since my mood is really leaning to romance but there are so many fantasy books that keep drawing my eye when I look at my shelves. I also have several requested reviews to catch up on this month. With that in mind I also have company a majority of the month as well as several family events, so we will see what this month holds.

Sniper's Pride *Currently Reading
Proud *Currently Reading
Holy Sister
Emperor of Evening Stars & Dark Harmony
My Corner of the Ring
Realm
The Manticore's Vow
Highland Crown
The Pirate Bride
K-9 Rescue Series Books 1-4
Lost Boy
The Storm Crow
The Alchemist
Valor

I have quite a variety on my TBR for June.  Do you mix your genres or do you read mostly the same genre at any given time?