Something Different...

One thing I don't exactly talk about much on here is my love for manga, comics, and graphic novels. It's obvious that this form of literature is coming into the front-light, especially with novels being turned into graphic novels. So I thought I would highlight some of my favorites from each of these!!

Manga 
I prefer reading manga over watching anime, with some exceptions.  But there's some amazing anime that also has amazing manga! But here are a few of my favorites (and I'll mention about their show adaptations!) :

- One Piece 
This manga is extremely long, intricate, and totally worth it. I would give this series a solid 4.8/5. Why not a whole 5/5? Because it's still being made. Luffy and the crew haven't even reached their finale yet! This anime was the first one I ever saw as a kid, and still one of my all-time favorites.

- Tegami Bachi (or "Letter Bee")
I'm not sure if there's an anime for this, but this series is beautiful. The illustration is breathtaking, and even though the plotline seems to have some holes, I thoroughly enjoy diving into this world. I would definitely give this series 4.5/5.

- Vampire Knight
Look. People talk down on this genre of anime. Even I do, but this manga is a guilty pleasure read. I don't exactly have a reason for liking this series so much other than I just do. Sue me.
I don't watch the anime because, like I said earlier, it's a laughing stock genre. I would give this 3.8/5.

- Pandora Hearts
Now this is an anime I wish they would've finished. I watched all of the episodes before I started reading the manga, and it was a happy day when I found out that the series is longer than the anime. Why they discontinued it, I'm not sure.
This series is a dream-like fantasy, and honestly it gave me Black Butler vibes (if Black Butler was a more wonderland-ish). This story is phenomenal, and I adored the characters. They felt wholesome and well-rounded. I would recommend this one for sure. But, I'd rate it around 4.3/5 because I had expectations that weren't met.

- 07-Ghost
LISTEN. I absolutely ADORED this series. The characters, the plot, the action, the use of religious warfare, EVERYTHING. I have only watched one episode of this anime, and I'm not sure if they even finished this series, but the manga is amazing. It's illustrations can be kinda wonky at times, but the characters' very different and unique personalities make up for it in the long run. I would give this series a perfect 5/5 because I probably will never shut up about this series.

Comics
So let me put a disclaimer here. I don't read many comics. I don't care enough for Marvel/DC to read their comics. So the comic I'm talking about is from a film.

- Legends of the Dark Crystal
This movie is one of my favorites from the 80s. It's mystic, and fantastical. The characters and plot had so much potential that wasn't met in the 90 minutes of film-time. So, to combat that, they created comic series. There's two separate ones before the film takes place, and one after Jen saves Thra.
This comic is intriguing and introduces what happened to the rest of the Gelflings. It's thrilling and beautifully illustrated. I'm still reading this series, so I don't want to rate it just yet. But if you're a fan of The Dark Crystal, or if you haven't watched it, YOU NEED TO. It's essential for any good movie fan!

Graphic Novels 
I'm not gonna lie. I've only read two graphic novels in my reading lifetime. But of course I'm going to list them and talk about them!

- Twilight
All I'm saying about these is that they were gorgeous and better than the actual books. The end.

- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
I love this series, and when it was released that a graphic novel series was coming, I definitely lost my mind. The characters, ever lovable, were drawn exactly as I envisioned them to be. The realm of the Loop was so pretty, and the attention to detail was totally not lost. The story flowed better than I was expecting in this form. If you're a fan of this book series, I highly recommend this graphic novel series. Also, I'd like to throw out there that I'm so excited for Map of Days to come out!!!

Alright y'all. This was something a bit different, but I hope it was interesting all the same. Catcha later!  

College Reads!

Since moving into college, finding time to read has been a daily struggle, but one that I've been willing to do! I didn't bring many books with me, but I fully intend to bring more books when I come back from visiting home! So for now, let me tell you guys about my rereads from college!!

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 
Guys. I love this book so much. Rereading it this time, I picked up on small themes and characteristics from Tolkien himself in the writing. I recently read this thing on Tumblr about how people would hate taking walks with Tolkien because he would stop and observe everything in nature for a long time. Like, twenty minutes on one tree. And that definitely shows in his books!! No matter how many times I reread this series, I still fall in love with it every time.

Shades of Magic Trilogy by V.E. Schwab 
I finished this trilogy completely for the second time the end of last week. Now, I know these are books on the bigger side, but once you get into them it's so hard to put them down! The relationships between Kell and Lila, and Kell and Rhy always just warm my heart. Delilah Bard is, and probably forever be, my favorite strong female character. I can relate with her on many levels. I've joked before that she was my "feminist icon," but I'm so serious now after rereading this series and seeing just how much of the story line wouldn't have been seen through without her. Overall, this is still one of my favorite series.

I'm going home today and coming back at the beginning of the week, hopefully with more books and a refreshed mind to start the next week! 

Graduation Playlist!

I'm Not Gonna Cry by Corey Smith
Footloose(Finale) from Footloose
Blurry-Eyed Worries by Bronze Radio Return
On My Way By Phil Collins (from Brother Bear)
Closing Time by Semisonic
Best Day of My Life by American Authors
You Can't Stop the Beat from Hairspray
It's Time by Imagine Dragons
Priceless by for King & Country
God's Plan by Drake
For a While by The Band CAMINO
I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas
There Will Be Time by Mumford & Sons
She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5
What Are You Waiting For? by Nickelback
My Shot from Hamilton
Good Riddance(Time of Your Life) by Green Day

Spring Playlist!

So here is the colorful playlist I've been listening to to get in the spring mood and thought I would share! I recommend all of these songs, of course. 

Life Worth Living by Laurel

Revolution by Van William 

There Will Be Time by Mumford & Sons and Baaba Maal

Golden Dandelions by Barns Courtney 

Symmetry by Colouring

Sea Legs by The Ballroom Thieves 

Old Yellow Bricks by Arctic Monkeys 

Still in Motion by Bronze Radio Return

Best Day of My Life by American Authors 

Helm by Tow'rs 

The Animal Tag!

So this a cute little tag I stumbled upon, and thought I'd give it a try!

Here we go:

Elephant

A book with a character who gave wise advice that you'll always remember.  

Chiron from the Percy Jackson and The Olympians Series always seemed like a wise old centaur to me, and I loved his fatherly approach to Percy, and especially Annabeth, who needed the guidance and parental figure. 

Alligator

A book that the pace suddenly picked up. 

So the pacing in Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King was pretty good. The beginning was a nice setup, and I didn't get bored like I normally do in the prolonged descriptions that King is infamous for. Given I was super excited for this book, it probably helped understanding the pacing and character development more. 

Owl

The smartest character in your favorite book.

Since pretty much all the characters in Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is smart, but I think Inej is the most quick-witted. She has to be with all those daring, last second stunts she has to pull off. Plus, she's Kaz's impulse control and the team's glue that keeps them all together. I totally love her. 

Duck

A funny book you've read most recently. 

Though it's not entirely meant to be comedic the whole story, the newest Magnus Chase book by Rick Riordan had me laughing out loud. Magnus is so sarcastic and witty in his actions and remarks, I would be friends with him in real life for sure. He and Alex have such a unique relationship, and it's fresh to read something platonic for once. Way to go, Uncle Rick. 

And there ya have it, a quick and cute lil tag! Hope you enjoyed.

An Update on 2018

I went on a short hiatus by accident, but here I am once more! 

So, I thought I would give a short update as to how my new reading year has been going. This year has been a wild ride already. School has been hit and miss with issues in the building and with the teachers going on a work stoppage for better pay and insurance ( #secureourfuture ). So the reading aspect of my life, like everything else, has been hit and miss. Here's a small list (with no summary or synopsis) of what I've read so far in 2018:

wild by Cheryl Strayed (3.5/5)

I Am Messenger by Markus Zusak (4/5)

A List of Cages (4/5)

The Wind and The Willows by Kenneth Grahame (3.25/5)

So I am happy to report that this year has been decent! Sadly, this is not where I projected myself to be. I was expecting to be at least ten books into my goal, but I'll be making up for it in March! Currently, I am reading Scythe by Neal Shusterman. I'm about 150 pages in, and it's kind of taking a bit to get into it for me. Hopefully it'll get better once everything picks up!

Alright, here's to a lame update post! Catcha next time!

The Year in Review - 2017

As we move on into the new year, it's time we take a stroll down memory lane and review the best and worst books of 2017. Disclaimer: Just because I didn't enjoy a book doesn't mean you can't love it, just like if I loved a book you despised, doesn't mean that I'm wrong. We're all equal in our opinions :)

In total, I read 51 books this year. I've decided to list them all at the bottom, for anyone interested. I'm going to be reviewing only the absolutely best and worst for this post, though..so not all 51 will be included. And so, without further ado, let's get into it!

The Best

The top of the food chain (or should I say book chain?) for 2017 were pretty easy to pick out. I was actually surprised how well my reading year went in terms of not hating that many books. I picked a total of seven books. In no particular order, here they are:

• The Shades of Magic Trilogy by V.E. Schwab
• The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness
• The Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo
• Eliza and Her Monsters by 
• They Both Die in the End by Adam Silvera
• Strange the Dreamer by Lani Taylor
• The Asylum Series by Madeline Roux

The Worst 

Just as easy as it was to get the best, the worst was even easier. There's honestly maybe three that I would without a doubt say were the absolute worst for me. All the other ones in between theses two categories were just 3-4 star books. 

• The Miseducation of Cameron Post by
• It Looks Like This by Rafi Mittlefehdlt
• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

I'll be posting a separate blog with the actual reviews of each book later on in the next few days.