So here are all the books I reviewed this month, mainly for NetGalley but hey. *shrugs*
Obsidio by Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman ***** – So, after re-reading both Illuminae and Gemina on audiobook I was eager to jump into Obsidio to see how this story ends. Obsidio opens in the courtroom once more for the final part of this tale. So far, we know about the attack on Kerenza 4, the destruction of the Alexander and the Lincoln and the siege and subsequent destruction of Jump Station Heimdall, leaving all of our heroes stranded in Kerenza, yet it would be impossible for them to be talking to the court if they were still in the Kerenza system. Hannah opens to story by introducing our new hero Rhys Lindstorm.
2. Drop by Drop (Step by Step #1) by Morgan Llywelyn **** – The premise of Drop by Drop was very interesting, so I requested it on NetGalley. I used to read a lot of dystopian novels but have been on a real fantasy kick lately. The opening to Drop by Drop was quite interesting, we are introduced to a variety of characters including Nell, Bea and Dwayne as the incident begins. The incident itself is that all plastics mysteriously begins to melt, at first nothing seems amiss as ATM’s swallow bank card but when pens and other devices containing plastic begins to melt too it seems a little odd. However, we are also introduced to a suspected murder of Lila Ragland and this has a very strong connection to Dwayne.
3. Dead of Night (Aftershock #1) by Carlyle Labuschagne DNF – So, all I know about this book is the synopsis: “In a dark and desolated After Earth, love still does exist, but the cost of bearing such a flaw is death. World War III has left Earth in utter turmoil. People’s beliefs are said to be the cause of the worldwide destruction. After the Clearing new laws are set about – to show certitude in anything besides the law is weak and chargeable as mutiny. To be illogical and have faith in religion is illegal, to be limitless is dangerous. And Illness is seen as a defect – all flaws that are inexcusable. But to love is the greatest betrayal of all mankind. It is a fault the world has long forgotten and punishable by death, a fatal risk Aecker and Opel are fully prepared to take – because in love there is freedom. But how far can they push back before it claims their lives and those they care about.” From this, it reminds me a little bit of Delirium by Lauren Oliver which I really liked so I eager to jump into Dead of Night.
4. The Oddling Prince by Nancy Springer **** – The opening to The Oddling Prince was great, we are introduced to Aric and his father the King of Calidon who lays dying after a cursed ring appears on his finger. His son is not ready to be King but despite everything, no one can remove the ring. However, when a mysterious fey named Albaric arrives at the castle, he does the impossible restoring the King to health but there seems to be more to his relationship with the King as he asks if the King knows who he is. Aric seems to notice this as he has a strange emotional connection to Albaric and wants to know all about him. Albaric seems to have come from the fey world as he doesn’t understand the concept of time or mortal things like sleeping and death.
5. The Earth, my butt and other big round things by Carolyn Mackler ***** – The opening to The Earth, my butt and other big round things was, we are introduced to Virginia Shreves as she explores her sexuality with Froggy Welsh the 4th. The layout and style of this novel immediately reminded me of the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series which I loved and since I got an e-arc of the long-awaited sequel I decided it was time to read this book. From the offset, we can see that Virginia is self-conscious about her weight and when she and Froggy are making out she is constantly thinking about how she looks. I can’t tell yet whether she actually likes Froggy or whether he is just an easy option for Virginia.
6. The Universe is expanding and so am I by Carolyn Mackler ***** – The opening to The Universe is expanding and so am I takes place five months after the end of The Earth, my butt and other big round things. We re-join Virginia and Froggy who have been together in a relationship for five months, something the old Virginia thought she’d never have. After dating for a little while Virginia seems to have left the honeymoon period behind and discovers that she doesn’t really feel anything for Froggy but doesn’t want to break up with him because he is the first and only boyfriend she’s ever had, but she doesn’t want to lead him on when their relationship won’t go any further than it already has. Despite this her life is good, her sister is returning home from the Peace Corps and she and Shannon are doing a summer internship together, but she also has to pass her driving test and is hating every second of it. One thing that still struck me was her relationship with Byron still isn’t what it used to be, and I doubt it ever will be.
7. Dragon School: Dragon Piper by Sarah K. L. Wilson **** – The opening to Dragon Piper was great, it starts five days after the amazing stunt Amel pulled off and the end of Pipe of Wings but there is still a lot that needs to be done and a lot that couldn’t be undone even with Amel’s extraordinary gift.
8. Sense and Sensibility by Stacy King (Goodreads Author) (Story Adaptation), Po Tse (Art by), Jane Austen (Original Story) **** – The opening to Sense and Sensibility was, we are introduced to Marianne and Elinor Dashwood. Shortly before their father’s death, his estate is left to his son John, after his death John and Fanny move into their home making them effectively lodgers. John makes many changes to home upsetting his late father’s and his two stepsisters, but they manage to live in relative harmony especially when Edward arrives, and Elinor is smitten with him. However, the peace doesn’t last long, and the sisters and their mother eventually move with Devonshire far away from everything they have ever known.
9. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Crystal Chan (Goodreads Author) (Adapted by), Kuma Chan (Art by), Mark Twain, Jeannie Lee (Lettering) DNF – In the opening of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn we are introduced to Huck Finn in the mid-1800’s in Missouri, USA. Huck is living with a widow and her old maid friend who have taken Huck in away from his father. Huck is a very smart boy as he hides his money with a friend after his father comes snooping around. While people protect him, his father kidnaps him and holds him, prisoner, beating him on a regular basis. After a while, Huck has had enough and fakes his death and sets off in a boat down the river, but along the way, he bumps into his friend Jim a black man who worked for the widow he lived with.
10. Red Dragon by Thomas Harris **** – The opening to Red Dragon was, after watching the movies religiously for years and obsessively reading Clannibal fanfiction I finally decided to bite the bullet and read the books. I am reading this series combined with the audiobooks so I couldn’t wait to jump into this, a definitely predicted 5* series. So, we are introduced to Will Graham a retired FBI agent who was the man responsible for the capture of Doctor Hannibal Lecter, when he is approached by Jack Crawford about helping out with a new case. Will is hesitant at first because of his last encounter with a serial killer, Dr. Lecter nearly killed him and despite Jack’s assurances I already have a bad feeling about this. It soon becomes very clear why Jack chooses Will, after spending a couple of hours at the house and pondering on the evidence he finds something that no has noticed before and Jack has to rush to collect the evidence before the funeral the following afternoon. Seeing the smart man find connections no one else had seen makes me think of what happened between him and Dr. Lecter, a battle of the minds maybe.
11. The Stereotypical Freaks (Forever Friends Trilogy #1) by Howard Shapiro ***** – The opening to the Stereotypical Freaks was great, we are introduced to Tom, Dan and their other friends who are all into music and are part of a band. Tom’s favourite songs are Bara O’Riley and Ruby SoHo which are both amazing songs. Tom has a major crush on Jaelithe but given this graphic novel is set in high school she obviously ends up dating more on her social level which isn’t Tom.
12. The Hockey Saint (Forever Friends Trilogy #2) by Howard Shapiro **** – The opening to The Hockey Saint was good, we are introduced to Tom, a great hockey player living with his grandmother as he is made assistant captain for his team. I am not sure if this is the same Tom from the Stereotypical Freaks because the character design is a little different but the dream he has about his parents seem to be identical to the first Tom’s parents. Tom’s hockey idol is Jeremiah Jacobson and through a friend he accidentally finds out where he is currently living.
13. Hockey Karma (Forever Friends Trilogy #3) by Howard Shapiro ***** – The opening to Hockey Karma was great, we re-join Jake and Tom who seems a lot older than he did in Hockey Saint and Felicity even mentions kids, but Jake isn’t himself at all and might be coming to the end of his career. Tom, on the other hand, has finally got a chance at his dream girl Jaelithe after getting her number after his parent’s death.
14. Chimera: Book One – The Righteous and the Lost by Tyler Ellis ***** – The premise of Chimera was interesting, it reminded me of Six of Crows crossed with Star Wars, basically, it is about a group of thieves that must navigate hostile worlds in the middle of an interstellar holy war in order to complete their mission. The opening to Chimera was great, we are introduced to siblings living in the desert with talking animals (I’m talking Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy type of talking animals) hunting bloodthirsty locust. While this seems absurdly strange it really seems to work.
15. La Magnifique Grande Scène #1 by Cuvie ***** – The opening to La Magnifique Grande Scene was, we are introduced to Kanade who after watching her neighbor Risa perform decides to become a ballet dancer. However, Kanade is constantly struck by how ugly her dancing is compared to Risa’s, but she forgets that she is just a beginner. Risa helps Kanade through her issues and helps her develop and very soon she is being taught by the experienced teacher because she has the potential to be great.
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