Graphic Novel Review of Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Year One by Greg Rucka & More

Read For: Graphic Novel Challenge

Synopsis: "A part of DC Universe: Rebirth!

New York Times best-selling writer Greg Rucka continues his return to Wonder Woman! The team of Rucka and artist Nicola Scott weave the definitive and shocking tale of Diana's first year as Earth's protector.

Paradise has been breached, Ares stirs, and the Amazons must answer with a champion of their own...one who is willing to sacrifice her home amongst her sisters to save a world she has never seen. Wonder Woman's journey begins in this epic origin story!"

My Review: I never really followed Wonder Woman as a kid like so many others did but I did know the basics about her; I have also not seen the movie, so this is a review from someone basically new to her story line. With all that said, I was very pleasantly surprised. I like how it starts at the beginning, where she came from, what her mission is and how she got here. I also liked how much mythology played a role in this story line. Diana is a fun character, quirky, loyal, dedicated and rather unique. My favorite part about this story, it doesn't refer to 37 other back stories and other super heroes, it is just for her and you don't feel lost jumping into this story.

My Rating: I really enjoyed this one, I did get lost, I felt like I was starting at the beginning and the illustrations style had a classic comic book look to it.  I give this one a rating of Four Paws!

Bedtime Story: Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems

Read for: Childern's Book Challenge

Synopsis: "Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In Can I Play Too? Gerald and Piggie meet a new snake friend who wants to join in a game of catch. But don't you need arms to catch?"

My Review: We have been a fan of Elephant and Piggie since we discovered them but this is definitely one of our favorites now. This story has a very important message but kids won't realize that they are learning something so important. It is all about allowing everyone to participate no matter how they look or their skill level, and about adjusting the way you play to include everyone. It is such a great book and Munchkin really enjoyed it too.

My Rating: We did really enjoy this one, while it isn't our favorite Elephant & Piggie book, it is still one that will rank high on our shelves.  We give it a rating of Four Paws.

Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

Early Reader Review of Planet Earth by Leonie Pratt

Read for: Early Reader Challenge

Synopsis: "What makes Planet Earth so special? It’s the only planet to have anything living on it for a start... But it also has fiery volcanoes, magnificent mountains, scorching deserts and icy landscapes. Learn all about it in this easy to read book."

My Review: Munchkin is a very literal little kid, he loves learning facts so the Usborne non-fiction books are perfect for him. With that said, this is put out there as a level 2 beginning reader book but it is far too long and dense to be that, it would be closer to a level 4 book. It is extremely long with a lot of facts packed into it. It does have some beautiful pictures and does a good job breaking down the facts and explaining them in understandable terms. While we did enjoy this book it had to read over several weeks because it was just too much to take in all at once for a young reader.

My Rating: While Munchkin did enjoy a lot of the facts in here and likes spouting them off from time to time, this is not a level 2 reader, it is much more advanced than advertised.  We give it a rating of Three Paws.

Review of Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Read for: Author Attending the Boston Teen Author Fest

Synopsis: "Anything can happen once upon a con…

When geek girl Elle Wittimer sees a cosplay contest sponsored by the producers of Starfield, she has to enter. First prize is an invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. Elle’s been scraping together tips from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck behind her stepmother’s back, and winning this contest could be her ticket out once and for all—not to mention a fangirl’s dream come true.

Teen actor Darien Freeman is less than thrilled about this year’s ExcelsiCon. He used to live for conventions, but now they’re nothing but jaw-aching photo sessions and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Federation Prince Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the diehard Starfield fandom has already dismissed him as just another heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, closet nerd Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise."

My Review: I could pretty much sum this review up in a few simple words; cute, light, fun and immersed in fandom. With that said I will go a little more in depth. I picked this one up because I have heard great things about it and Poston is supposed to be attending the Boston Teen Author Festival in a couple of months. I am so glad I picked this one up, not only did it pull me out of the first reading slump I have had in years, but it gave me everything I was expecting from Fangirl (and didn't get). I loved the way that the story of Cinderella was integrated into the story, it added a light side and fairy tale feel to the story but it didn't detract from Elle's individual story. Speaking of individual, each and every character in this book was unique and well rounded, I absolutely adored Sage and her mom, even Elle's parents were there in spirit. Now add in the whole fandom and convention element, it was just so fun to read. I loved the way that the fandom was represented, while it was its own individual fandom my favorite part is how it is shown that fandoms as a whole can co-mingle and support one another. Just a fun summer read!

My Rating: I am so glad I had a reason to pick this book up sooner than later, it was a perfect summer read, pulled me out of a slump and everything that Fangirl wasn't! I really enjoyed this one.  I give it a rating of Four Paws!

Top 5 Wednesday: Book Covers You Want to Live In

Top 5 Wednesday is a group on Goodreads hosted by Sam from Thoughts on Tome on Youtube.

So the topic for today is to pick our top 5 book covers we would want to live in.  At first I thought this would be a tough one, because it is not the covers we love but that we would personally want to live.  Most of my book covers have a war scene or everyone has a weapon, and honestly I am just not cut out for that type of world.  Other covers I love are covered in snow, and while it makes a really pretty cover, I kind of hate the stuff. Then we have all my After Dark books, while very tempting, usually there is already a girl in the picture (and Hubby would be none to pleased lol).  But then once I started looking at all the books I have read in the past it started become hard to narrow the choices down to 5.  But here are my picks . . . 

First is obvious . . . Books! & a friendly cuddly lion

This one has my stress melting away just looking at it, and the other books in the series are just as good! Here, this is where I want to go.

I don't know how you could have read this book at any point and not wanted to live in Dinotopia.  Odd, I know but how cool would that be?!

I had to sneak a good western book in, horses, cowboys, wide open spaces, that is home to me and always will be.

And I had to add something fantasy, a flying horse, beautiful mountains, rivers and castles in the background?! Sign me up and take me away!

I had to add one more for an honorable mention because Puppies and Kittens are life!

There you have it, you could transport me to any one of these covers and I would be a pretty happy camper. What about you? Any of these appeal to you or is there something else you would prefer?

July 2017 Challenge Updates & August TBR

So July was a bit of a struggle for me,  I read Ruin and Rising early in the month and I had such a book hangover that I ended up in a reading slump (at least for me a reading slump).  I didn't get many books read for the rest of the month until the last week when I finally read Geekerella which was such a fun light read that it pulled me out of that rut. As a result of that little reading slump, the books read obviously was hit hard, I also went out and bought some more books in an attempt to get out of the slump so I have even more books to read now, but I am definitely working on it. So here are the updates on my challenges so far this year (these are only the books read this month but you can see my full year list on my challenges tab up above).

Children's Book Challenge
42. Swimmy
43. Big Frank's Fire Truck
44. Make Way for Ducklings
45. Can I Play Too?
46. Pete the Cat and the Bedtime Blues
47. What to Do With a Problem?
48. Dinotrux Dare to Repair


Early Reader Challenge
31. Storms
32. Sir Pete the Brave
33. The Berenstain Bears are SuperBears
34. Mouse Makes Words
35. Dory's Story
36. Robin Hill School: Summer Treasure


Graphic Novel Challenge
15. Supergirl Vol. 1: Last Daughter of Krypton
16. Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Year One

Audio Book Challenge:
15. Pax



Trilogy Challenge:

1.  Snow Like Ashes Trilogy: Book 1, Book .1, Book 2, Book 2.5, Book 3 - COMPLETE

2. Winner's Curse Trilogy: Book .5, Book 1, Book 2, Book 3 - COMPLETE
3. Sons of the Revolution Trilogy: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3 - COMPLETE
4. Watersmeet Series: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3 - COMPLETE
5. A Court of Thorns & Roses Series: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3 - COMPLETE
6. Ralph S. Mouse Trilogy: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3 - COMPLETE
7. Grisha Trilogy: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3 - COMPLETE
8. Dark Jewels Trilogy: Book 1,

Requested Reviews:




Books Added to Shelves

1. Breath of Fire

2. Light Like a Bird

3. Viking Warrior Rising

4. Winners Kiss
5. Bubble Trouble
6. Blaze Loves to Race
7. Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book
8. Heartstone
9. Beauty and the Beast
10. Norse Mythology
11. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 
12. Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Library
13. Trapped 
14. Samurai Rising
15. Pancho Bandito and the Amarillo Armadillo
16. The Mating - DNF
17. Hold Your Breath
18. Fan the Flames
19. The Keeper
20. Love and Muddy Puddles
21. Irish Rising
22. The Sculptor
23. Huck: Book 1- All American
24. Dawn Study
25. The Princess Diarist 
26. Name of the Wind
27. Gone Camping
28. Saga Vol. 7
29. Over the Garden Wall 
30. The Hundredth Queen 
31. A Court of Wings and Ruin 
32. On His Watch
33. In Safe Hands 
34. After the End
35. Seduced by the Billionaire 
36. The Simplicity of Cider
37. Wise Man's Fear 
38. Dragon Teeth 
39. Flame in the Mist 
40. How to Tame a Willful Wife
41. New World: Rising
42. The Sandcastle Empire
43. And I Darken 
44. Finding Wonders 
45. World Mythology in Bite Sized Chunks
46. Eliza and Her Monster
47. Turning Pointe 
48. When Dimple Met Rishi
49. Truthwitch 
50. Windwitch 
51. Done Dirt Cheap 
52. Frogkisser
53. Lawn Boy 
54. Code Talker
55. Princess Leia: Royal Rebel 
56. This Savage Song
57. American Street
58. Pax
59. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
60. The Beast's Garden
61. Under a Painted Sky
62. The Misfits
63. Totally Joe
64. Addie on the Inside
65. Also Known as Elvis
66. Viking Warrior Rebel
67. New Leash on Love
68. Puss Without Boots
69. Northern Exposure
70. Southern Comfort
71. Eastern Ambitions
72. Western Ties
73. Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

TBR Shelf Books
58. Ruin & Rising
59. Daughter of the Blood

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We are now wading into my busy time of the year, from now through the holidays will be absolute chaos with something scheduled nearly every weekend for the rest of the year.  The good thing is that several of those weekend events are book events! I have 3 book events and a convention planned so that is super exciting for me. I am also planning to participate in 2 readathons this month alone, Tome Topple starts on Friday and lasts for 2 weeks and then the next Bout of Books starts up. So I have lots of reading to do this month.

So time to figure out what I will be reading in August:
Totally Joe
American Street (Currently Reading)
Lawn Boy
Mask of Shadows (Currently Reading)
When Dimple Met Rishi
Monstress Vol. 2
Songlines
Saga Vol. 7
Western Ties (Currently Reading)
The Kingmaking
Pendragon's Banner
Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue
Heir of the Shadows & Queen of the Darkness
Captive Prince Trilogy



and of course some children's books & early readers




Do you have any book events coming up? Favorite readathons? Author signings? Conventions?







Monday Reading List

Its Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia at Book Journey. Share what books you have finished in the last week, are currently reading and what might be coming up next!

Reviews Posted Last Week:

Links will take you to my review

Princess Leia: Royal Rebel by Calliope Glass
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo  (Series Review)
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (Series Review)
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (Series Review)
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (Throw Back Review)
Mouse Makes Words by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook (Early Reader)
Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Bedtime Story)
Super Girl Vol. 1: Last Daughter of Krypton by Michael Green & Mike Johnson (Graphic Novel)

 Books Finished Last Week:

Reviews will be posted at a later date

Pax
Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Year One
Misfits
Flame in the Mist
Geekerella

Currently Reading:

Scythe by Neal Shusterman - Print - on page 265 of 435
Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller - Kindle - on page 98 of 384
American Street by Ibi Zoboi - Audio - 23%




 Books to be Read Soon:

Songlines
When Dimple Met Rishi
Done Dirt Cheap
Truthwitch
Dragon Teeth

Pages Read/ Time Listened
131:35 Hours Listened (5:32 listened this week)
35,468 Pages Read (1,185 this week)

Books Added to Shelves Recently TBR
Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve
Samurai Rising by Pamela Turner
Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder
Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Saga Vol. 7 by Brian K. Vaughan
Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton
Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
How to Tame a Willful Wife by Christy English
New World: Rising by Jennifer Wilson
The Sandcastle Empire by Kayla Olson
And I Darken by Kiersten White
Finding Wonders by Jeannine Atkins
World Mythology in Bite Sized Chunks by Mark Daniels
Eliza and Her Monster by Francesca Zappia
Turning Pointe by Katherine Locke
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
Windwitch by Susan Dennard
Done Dirt Cheap by Sarah Nicole Lemon
Frogkisser by Garth Nix
Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac
Princess Leia: Royal Rebel by Calliope Glass
Northern Exposure by Jayne Rylon & Mari Carr
Southern Comfort by Jayne Rylon & Mari Carr
Eastern Ambitions by Jayne Rylon & Mari Carr
Western Ties by Jayne Rylon & Mari Carr
American Street by Ibi Zoboi
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
The Beast's Garden by Kate Forsyth
Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee
The Misfits by James Howe
Totally Joe by James Howe
Addie on the Inside by James Howe
Also Known as Elvis by James Howe
Viking Warrior Rebel by Asa Maria Bradley
New Leash on Love by Debbie Burns
Puss Without Boots by Shari L. Tapscott





Books Read From My Shelves




Interesting Tidbits on the Web:



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Wow, that was a whirlwind of a week last week huh?! Sorry if you are not a fan of multiple posts a day but I really did have fun with the Biannual Bibliothon Readathon challenges.  Of course I missed out on the final post challenge, ironically it was write a letter to your favorite character, probably the challenge most suited to me!   I also kind of failed on my reading challenges, I did manage to read 2 of the books I wanted to read but not the other two.  The good new is though that I read Geekerella early this week and it totally rocketed me out of my reading slump!

Can you believe it is the last day of July?!  Life is really about to get insane around here but I hope to continue keeping up with my reading.  Especially because there are so many readathons coming up.  Starting this weekend will be the Tome Topple readathon and then right after that is another Bout of Books readathon.  Hopefully I will be able to keep up with both of those challenges because I have so many books I am excited to read!  Of course we have our annual Summer Party and Munchkin's 5th (yes, believe it or not he will be 5) Birthday coming up this month too.  UGH! I better get to planning!


What is your favorite summer BBQ food?