Hello, lovelies! I started writing monthly favorites posts in February 2017 mainly to share what books I had been reading. Back then, I’d only talk about three or four books each month, which was much more manageable. After a while, I started doing them every two months since I didn’t have much to talk about. The thing is that my reading habits have changed drastically since then, and I get through on average about eight or nine books a month now. Talking about almost twenty books every two months got overwhelming and I couldn’t unpack my thoughts on them very thoroughly (I also suck at summarizing books), which is why I decided to change the structure of how I talk about my books.
I mainly started this series to keep track of the books I read, and I want to keep doing that even though I use Goodreads now. I’ll still talk about the movies and shows I watched each month near the end, but this series is mainly about books. I hope you enjoy.
//Books//
I read 7 books in the month of January. I didn’t read any books the first two weeks of January and three of the books I read were graphic novels and a comic book volume (4 comic books), so these posts will likely be longer in the future.
//Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Goodreads Synopsis
This is a world divided by blood – red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.
My Review
I’m kind of sad that this was the first book I read this year because it wasn’t good. I gave it three stars on Goodreads, which is a pretty low rating for me. I don’t like leaving low reviews for books. I really have to hate it to give it one or two stars, and I usually don’t finish those books, to begin with, since I put down the books I’m bored with.
Anyway, Red Queen had a pretty good start, even though it was in a typical dystopian fashion. I was in the mood for a trash fairytale middle-grade book, but I couldn’t think of one to read, so this one scratched that itch a bit. I liked the main character, Mare, and the premise was interesting enough until you add powers into the mix. I would’ve preferred if the silver-bloods put themselves in power simply because they found themselves superior (similar to how the Europeans justified colonizing indigenous land), not because the blood meant they had powers. I did like that the powers were genetic and were passed down to each child, which made arranged marriages about picking the most powerful suiter in order to create an even more powerful offspring rather than social gain. The book went downhill near the end.
I’ve heard that many people dislike Mare, but I personally liked her. She wasn’t perfect by any means, but she wasn’t that annoying. I thought all her choices were pretty human.
I also couldn’t tell who the love interest was for a good chunk of the book. Normally, there is a clear love interest or love triangle in YA series, but there were like five different guys where I couldn’t tell if they were just going to be friends or if they were going to be potential love-interests. I didn’t ship her with anybody because I didn’t like any of them for her. There’s obviously a lot more to that, but there were a few moments where a new character was introduced where I was like “Is it him?” Her motivations weren’t romantic though. It was more the men were projecting onto her than her seeking it out. She was just trying to survive and protect her family.
Spoiler Section
First off, there is a difference between foreshadowing and shoving the plot twist down the reader’s throat. If Mare had the thought “Anyone can betray anyone,” once more after the first incident, I feel like it could’ve worked no matter how cliched it was. But the thing is that she had that exact thought six or seven times before Maven’s betrayal. The entire time I was like, “Either she’s gonna betray him, or he’s going to betray her.” And when he did, we saw it coming from a mile away.
You know, I wish he hadn’t betrayed her. Not because I’m a romantic and I want them to be together, but because it would’ve been such a different concept. I mean, the prince working as a secret spy for the rebels and not infiltrating the rebels for information. That’s such a unique concept. It never happens1 But noooo, you had to go the obvious route and make Maven be a spy for the evil queen the entire time.
About the romance. At the beginning of the book, I thought the love triangle was going to be between Mare and her best friend, Kilorn, and the other prince who was in disguise, Cal. Then nothing happened with the friend, and I really hope they just stay best friends because I can already tell that he’ll reveal his feelings in the second book. After that, I assumed the love triangle was going to be between the two princes since Mare was arranged to get married to Maven. Then Mare didn’t end up really liking Cal and disagreed with his beliefs, and started caring about Maven. But then Cal kissed her after very little relationship development. Sure he taught her how to dance (which was mentioned in passing), but not enough scenes were written about that where you see them connecting, so it kind of came out of nowhere. Sure, they had chemistry, but Mare point blank said that she cared about Maven more.
And the thing is, I couldn’t root for Maven because I very much had one foot out the door when it came to him. So many of his rebellious actions would’ve been so cool if he were just a member of the Red Guard, but I was still sure he was going to betray Mare.
And the part where Maven was like, “I get it, you choose him” (not a direct quote), Mare was like. “I cared about you, I thought you were better than Cal. I’m not a part of this brotherly rivalry bullshit. I pick no one,” which would’ve been so much better if she didn’t give a fuck about either relationship throughout the story. And truth be told, she didn’t. Her character arc was a lot more about protecting her family and friends from being killed, but I wish there wasn’t any romance at all. That entire encounter was also kind of cheesy, though I get what the author was going for, trying to be different from other dystopian series at the time. She just didn’t follow the rule about showing instead of telling.
To be fair, this book wasn’t awful. It just wasn’t good. I had deeper thoughts when I first read it a month ago, but I’ve rambled long enough. It was really the “Anyone can betray anyone” thing that got to me the most because it kept getting mentioned over and over again before the big betrayal. It was super annoying. I will give this book props for getting me out of my reading slump after not reading anything for two weeks. I don’t recommend this if you’re looking for a good dystopian series, but it’s pretty entertaining if you’re not in the mood to read anything serious.
Also, I was so sure her brother was alive. I didn’t believe them for a second. But eventually, so much much time had, where I considered, “Hmmm…maybe he is dead.” Then the whole deus ex machina ending happened where he showed up. At least his surviving made sense considering his powers. I plan on reading the second book, but I don’t think I’ll like it very much.
//The Universe Is Expanding And So Am I by Carolyn Mackler
This is the second book to The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, which I read in December, so spoilers ahead if you haven’t read that.
Goodreads Synopsis
Virginia Shreves’ world implodes again in this long-awaited follow-up to Printz Honoree The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.
Sixteen-year-old Virginia Shreves’ life is finally back on course: she’s accepted who she is inside and out and is rebuilding her relationship with brother Byron, whose date-rape charge shattered everything.
But just as she adjusts to her new normal, her world turns upside down again. Sparks with boyfriend Froggy fade, her best friend bombshells bad news, and then the police arrest Byron. As Virginia struggles to cope, she meets Nate, an artist with his own baggage. The pair vow not to share personal drama. But secrets have a way of coming out, and theirs could ruin everything.
Just in time for The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things’ 15th anniversary, Virginia’s hope-filled story of love, friendship, and the beauty in imperfection continues, by acclaimed author Carolyn Mackler.
My Review
I just read the Goodreads synopsis now, and I’m very confused because there isn’t a character named Nate. The love interest’s name is Sebastian, so the publisher or Goodreads made a big mistake in terms of that.
Anyway, I liked this book significantly more than the first one. I read both within the span of two days. The same thing happened with the second book. I read maybe 35 pages one day, then read the last 250 in one sitting. Carolyn Mackler’s writing style is just easy and fun to read through. I really hope there’s a third book because the ending wasn’t good enough for me. Too much was left open-ended.
Normally, I don’t like it when the significant other changes in the sequel, and I had never seen it be done in a contemporary series (though most of the contemporary books I read are stand-alones). I loved it when it happened here. At first, I was sad that she had gotten over the love-interest from the first book, but there was a narrative reason for it and I appreciated it. The very little romance in the first book was more about her loving herself before she was ready to get into a relationship. Not about the relationship itself. The romance in this book was significantly better because it showed Virginia and Sebastian getting to know each other and slowly falling in love.
I’m also glad that there were more realistic consequences to the date-rape that occurred in the first book, and it was interesting to see the legal proceedings that occurred in the background because of it.
Also, Virginia’s family still sucks. But their scenes were fun to read.
//Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
A celebration of nonconformity; a tense, emotional tale about the fleeting, cruel nature of popularity–and the thrill and inspiration of first love. Ages 12+
Leo Borlock follows the unspoken rule at Mica Area High School: don’t stand out–under any circumstances! Then Stargirl arrives at Mica High and everything changes–for Leo and for the entire school. After 15 years of home schooling, Stargirl bursts into tenth grade in an explosion of color and a clatter of ukulele music, enchanting the Mica student body.
But the delicate scales of popularity suddenly shift, and Stargirl is shunned for everything that makes her different. Somewhere in the midst of Stargirl’s arrival and rise and fall, normal Leo Borlock has tumbled into love with her.
In a celebration of nonconformity, Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the fleeting, cruel nature of popularity–and the thrill and inspiration of first love.
My Review
I don’t have much to say about this book. It made me feel kind of sad. It’s a super wholesome middle-grade novel that’s happens to be a social commentary about popularity. Of course, it was going to be sad. I don’t really have much to say about this. Disney bought the rights to the book and are going to stream the movie on Disney+ in March, so I definitely plan on watching it. The casting is spot on.
//Sheets by Brenna Thummler
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Marjorie Glatt feels like a ghost. A practical thirteen-year-old in charge of the family laundry business, her daily routine features unforgiving customers, unbearable P.E. classes, and the fastidious Mr. Saubertuck who is committed to destroying everything she’s worked for.
Wendell is a ghost. A boy who lost his life much too young, his daily routine features ineffective death therapy, a sheet-dependent identity, and a dangerous need to seek purpose in the forbidden human world.
When their worlds collide, Marjorie is confronted by unexplainable disasters as Wendell transforms Glatt’s Laundry into his midnight playground, appearing as a mere sheet during the day. While Wendell attempts to create a new afterlife for himself, he unknowingly sabotages the life that Marjorie is struggling to maintain.
My Review
I started getting into graphic novels last year, but most of them were add-ons to shows or books I already had read. This graphic novel was its own original story. I genuinely enjoyed the plot of this book and the art was absolutely beautiful. The antagonist of this graphic novel made my blood boil every time he was in a scene.
The world-building in this graphic novel was also really good considering it could use only so many words. The ghost, Wendell, was killed as a child and doesn’t remember how he died. The way the ghost world addresses kids like that was so unique and fun to read about (I mean, “death therapy?!” ). It was a good graphic novel, but I think the YouTuber, Ariel Bissett, hyped it up too much that my expectations were too high. There’s going to be a sequel, and I’m curious about what’s going to happen since most everything was wrapped up by the end.
//Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K Rowling
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Harry Potter’s life is miserable. His parents are dead and he’s stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he’s a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. But even within the Wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the Wizarding world, only to vanish after failing to kill Harry.
Though Harry’s first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There is a dangerous secret object hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it’s his responsibility to prevent it from falling into evil hands. But doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined.
Full of sympathetic characters, wildly imaginative situations and countless exciting details, the first installment in the series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come.
My Review
I first read the entire Harry Potter series when I was 11-years-old, soon after the last book came out, so I didn’t have to wait like a lot of other people did. (I didn’t know that there was a three-year wait between Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix. That’s insane! Fans must’ve gone crazy!) I didn’t reread it again till college. I reread the series in 2018 and still loved it, but didn’t plan on rereading it again for another few years. I ended up picking it up again during my reading slump.
I’m going to post a book ranking blog post when I finish rereading the series again, so I won’t talk too much about it here. I enjoyed reading it a lot, but it felt kind of boring because I knew how much more complex and entertaining it gets in future books. Still a 5-star read. Just not in my top 3.
Spoiler Section
I’ve always liked Neville’s character, but I fell in love with him in this one. He’s so innocent and is the brunt of almost every possible injury. I completely forgot about this, but during the second quidditch match, when Ron got into a fight with Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, Neville literally jumped into the fight to defend Harry’s honor and so that Ron wouldn’t get beat up too bad. There were so many little scenes like that where Neville does something wonderful in the background.
More to come when the final Harry Potter blog post comes out at some point by the end of this year. I plan on reading Chamber of Secrets in February.
//Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel by L.M Montgomery; Adapted by Mariah Marsden & Illustrated by Brenna Thummler
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Schoolyard rivalries. Baking disasters. Puffed sleeves. Explore the violet vales and glorious green of Avonlea in this spirited adaptation.
The magic of L.M. Montgomery’s treasured classic is reimagined in a whimsically-illustrated graphic novel adaptation perfect for newcomers and kindred spirits alike. When Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert decide to adopt an orphan who can help manage their family farm, they have no idea what delightful trouble awaits them. With flame-red hair and an unstoppable imagination, 11-year-old Anne Shirley takes Green Gables by storm.
Anne’s misadventures bring a little romance to the lives of everyone she meets: her bosom friend, Diana Barry; the town gossip, Mrs. Lynde; and that infuriating tease, Gilbert Blythe. From triumphs and thrills to the depths of despair, Anne turns each everyday moment into something extraordinary.
My Review
This was illustrated by the same author as Sheets, so the art style was absolutely beautiful. So many of the artworks didn’t need words to accompany them because they encompassed the beauty of Avonea without. Anne of Green Gables is one of my favorite classics, so I knew I had to read this. I wouldn’t recommend reading the graphic novel if you haven’t already read the original book because it’s very abridged. The book is about an orphan growing up, and it chronicles all of the shenanigans and trouble she gets into throughout her life. The graphic novel does show everything that happens, but since it isn’t plot-heavy, I think only fans of the original could appreciate it. I genuinely loved reading it and reminiscing.
//Miss Marvel: Last Days (Issues #16-19) by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
From the moment Kamala put on her costume, she’s been challenged. But nothing has prepared her for this: the last days of the Marvel Universe. Lucky she’s got the help of Carol “Captain Marvel” Danvers! Between teaming up with her personal hero to rescue her brother and trying to keep her city from falling into an all-out frenzy, Kamala has barely had time to come to terms with the fact that the world is literally collapsing around her. But the truth will catch up to her, and soon. When the world is about to end, do you still keep fighting? Kamala knows the answer. Let’s do this, Jersey City.
My Review
I did it! I’ve officially finished the Ms.Marvel origin story series of comics. There are 19 comic books in her origin story and I started reading them in December 2018, so it’s taken me a little over a year. I read issues 16&17 in January and the last two at the beginning of February, but I’m just going to include them here since they’re a part of the same volume.
Ms. Marvel was the first Muslim-American superhero, and I find her comics extremely funny and relatable. This last volume is tied in with the Secret Wars, which was a relatively recent cross-over event with the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, etc. A lot was left open-ended because it ties in with other comic books, but the main purpose of it wasn’t the war. This was about how Kamala protected Jersey City while most of the superheroes were in New York (there was a very funny joke about that fact).
Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel finally meet and team up. I think Carol Danvers got attached to Kamala too quickly, though there’s only so much of a relationship you can develop in one comic book issue. I thought Wolverine and Kamala’s dynamic was a lot more fun, though they weren’t in an “end of the world” situation like she and Captain Marvel were.
I don’t plan on continuing on with the Ms. Marvel comics anytime soon. I do know that her next stand-alone comic series is after she joins the Avengers, so if I want to stay in the timeline I’d have to read those, along with the Spiderman comic book she’s a part of. I also know she’s a part of the second civil war that happens later. We’ll see when I get back to it. The next comic books I plan on reading are the Captain America & Black Widow crossover, so expect that review next month.
Spoiler Section
I thought the final two issues were a little bit dramatic, though I can look past that considering the situation. I loved it when Kamala finally told her mom that she was Ms.Marvel. Her mom already knew! And her reasoning was perfect since brown moms try to keep track of where you are at all times. It made sense that she noticed Ms.Marvel was in the news every time Kamala snuck out. Plus, she literally gave Kamala the outfit she used to create the super suit. It wouldn’t be hard to put two-in-two together.
And when the girl from Issue #1 apologized for the little accidental micro-racist comments she made at the beginning of the series (was such a callback. When they started talking more seriously, I was thinking, “what are you talking about barista?” until I remembered who she was.
The interactions between Kamala’s older brother and their parents are always funnier than her own interactions with them, so I’m glad we got to see a bit of that. “That boy is going to give me a heart attack! First, he drops his engineering major without telling me, then he refuses to get a job, and now this! He says he’s going to pray about it! That’s his solution! If that doesn’t work, maybe a chappal (sandal or slipper) to the backside will do the trick!” Kamala then mentions that her brother is 21, and too old for that. Plus, I love that the son is more religious than the parents. It added such a cool dynamic to the comics.
Everyone saw the romantic declaration at the end coming. The thing is that I read another Avengers comic that takes place after this, so I knew that they wouldn’t end up together. The art where Bruno was holding her face in his hands was so sweet, though.
//Other Entertainment//
//Movies
No Strings Attached – This is a rom-com that I’ve been hearing about for years, but have never watched. It’s about two acquaintances, who get into a friends-with-benefits relationship. You can guess how it ends. It was a cute and funny movie to watch that happened to be on Hulu. It was recommended to me because I watched Instant Family a few months ago (another feel-good movie I would recommend).
Knives Out – This movie was really good, but I was so upset that I predicted the ending! I think I’ve read too many mystery novels because I guessed so many things early on. I was really hoping they’d surprise me since it was pretty obvious who the killer was. I even predicted why this death could’ve been avoided. I still really enjoyed the movie. There were many laugh-out-loud moments and the theatre was full of people, so their reactions also added to the movie-going experience.
To The Bone – I went to my cousin, Lima’s house at the beginning of January and she turned on this movie for us to watch because she loves it so much. Lily Collins plays an artist with anorexia, who is sent to an in-house treatment center. We pretty much see her life and the lives of the other residents there. This movie isn’t really about her recovery. It’s more about her mindset and reaching the point where she’s ready to go into recovery. The other characters have very interesting arcs too, and Keanu Reeves plays the doctor, which I did not expect.
Abominable – This was a Dreamworks film that I hadn’t heard of before. I hadn’t even seen any trailers for it. It was created by the people who made How To Train Your Dragon and has a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomato. Basically, my mom, brothers, and I wanted to go to the movies and checked what was playing in the dollar theatre. Zidan and I had already watched some of the movies, and this was the only animated one.
The movie is set in China. The main character, Yi, recently lost her father, so she wasn’t spending as much time at home and worked odd jobs in order to save money to take the trip across China she and her dad had always planned on going on together. A creature escapes a lab he is imprisoned in, and a bunch of government officials send a search party to find it. Yi ends up finding this creature and ends up helping it get to Mt. Everest with two of her neighbors, Jin and Peng. This wasn’t a pre-planned adventure or anything. A lot of things happen leading up to this journey, so I don’t want to oversimplify it. The movie is really good. It exceeded my expectations.
(I’ll link the trailer below, but only watch the first minute because the end is kind of spoilery)
//T.V. Shows
Party of Five – I hadn’t heard of the original show until I started watching the new one this month. This show is about a Mexican family whose parents get deported. The oldest son, who is 24, has to put his life on hold to take care of his four siblings and run his father’s restaurant so that the employees don’t lose their job. He has a one-year-old baby brother, a 9-year-old sister, and twin sixteen-year-old brother and sister. The show follows them going through life together and getting through this tragic situation. Watch the trailer below. (It’ll make you emotional)
You (Season 2) – Wow. This season was interesting. I have nothing to say that isn’t spoiler-y, but I will say that I noticed a reference to the books. I love that the last two episodes went in a completely different direction, but I didn’t like the cliff-hanger for Season 3. It could’ve been better.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Season 3) – This is my favorite season of my favorite show, and my friend Stellah and I are finally watching it! We’re watching this season a lot more slowly (2 episodes at a time instead of 4-5 episodes at a time like the first two seasons). I’m also including the show here because my brother and I watched the second half of the season in the car on our way to Michigan.
I watched a few other shows this month. I caught up on Good Trouble one weekend because I was bored and I watched Season 2 of Sex Education. I also rewatched Anne With An E when it was released on Netflix.
//Music
- Breathe by Seinabo Sey
- Why by Sabrina Carpenter
- Already Gone (Cover) by Sleeping At Last
- As Long As You Love Me (Cover) by Sleeping At Last
Well, that’s it for now. This format takes a bit longer than my original one did, but I like that I can go more in-depth into the books I’m reading, which was the point of my Favorites posts to begin with. Until next time!
There was a massive tornado warning this morning (February 6th) and I didn’t know about it. So while some people left their dorm rooms to sit out in the hallway, I was sitting on my dresser next to the the heater, drinking water out of a mug (because I have no other cups) looking out the window at the pouring rain like a fucking Pinterest photo because I didn’t know about the inclement weather. So that was my idiotic act today.
Also, I’ve written four blog posts in four days! This never happens. I’m getting so ahead on my editorial calendar 🙂
I’d Appreciate Your Support Of This Blog By Following Me On:
What books did you read in the month of January? Did you watch any good shows or movies?
Stargirl is such a good book! I remember reading it awhile ago. Thanks for sharing. ?