Amulet Volumes 1-4 Review

Amulet Volumes 1-4 Review
By Kazu Kibuishi

Amulet Volume 1: The Stonekeeper Summary from Goodreads

Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi creates a world of terrible, man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, a giant robot---and two ordinary children on a life-or-death mission.

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.

Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.

My Review

I normally don't read graphic novels. I've just never been one of those people who are drawn to them. Other than this series, I have read one graphic novel, and that was Blankets, which was completely different from the Amulet series. Even though this isn't the type of book I would usually read, after reading the first volume, I will find myself drawn to these books and I always look forward to picking them up and reading the next one. I really liked the first four books I've read, and I can't wait to keep reading them.

This map is found in the back of Volume 3, The Cloud Searchers, and it so beautiful.

The artwork in this series is so beautiful and I love the use of color in this series. Their are some really beautiful full-page drawings that can be found throughout the series and they are all so detailed and so well done (some of these will be placed throughout the review, as you may have already noticed).

Volume 4, The Last Council, p. 21

In this story, a really strong aspect is the presence of family. Family is what started this entire series from the first fifteen pages and it continues to drive and motivate the characters. The love that Emily and Navin have for their mom is so sweet and touching, and their mom is so protective and supportive of them. Emily and Navin also have a really good relationship, especially since they have to stick together to survive in this foreign world that they were thrown into, and it's nice to see such a solid sibling bond in a series.

Volume 3, The Cloud Searchers, p. 31 

Emily and Navin are also exceptionally strong characters. They were thrown into this entirely new world, with magic systems and creatures and dangers that would never be found on Earth, and they take everything with a grain of salt. Emily and Navin accept a lot of responsibility and some powerful leadership roles in this series, and they have really grown up in just the four volumes I've read. 

The villains and magic system are really intriguing in this series. The magic system takes a little while to learn about, and it confused me at first, but over time, things start to make more sense. The villains are also all so complex and they all have so many layers to them and so much mystery surrounding them, which I really want to learn more about. All of the characters, curses, and magic, in general, are just so cool and whimsical.

Volume 3, The Cloud Searchers, p. 1

Overall, this series is just so much fun and, like I mentioned before, the artwork is just so beautiful and full of color and detail. My favorites of this series so far are probably Volume 1, The Stonekeeper, and Volume 4, The Last Council, but I think Volume 4 might pull a little bit further ahead and claim the sole spot as my favorite. I would definitely recommend this series, especially if you've never read a graphic novel or haven't read many before (like me), since it's pretty easy to follow. I gave Volumes 1-3, The Stonekeepers, The Stonekeeper's Curse, and The Cloud Searchers all 4 out of 5 stars. I gave Volume 4, The Last Council, 5 out 5 stars.  

Point of Retreat Review

Point of Retreat Review (Slammed Book #2)

By Colleen Hoover

CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS FOR SLAMMED

Summary from Goodreads

Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’ 

My Review

Compared to Slammed, I liked this book a lot less. Part of the problem, I think, had to do with the fact that I read Slammed at the very beginning of the year, so I spent a little while in the beginning of the book just trying to remember everything that had happened. It took me way too long to remember whether Lake's little brother was Kel or Caulder (after about thirty pages, I figured out that it was Kel).

Like in Slammed, I really liked the inclusion of poetry. After reading Slammed, I became really interested in slam poetry, so reading this having having watched some slam poets and liking it more, I appreciated the slam poetry in the book more than I did when I read Slammed.

"A first glance

A first smile

A first kiss

A first fall" (p. 189) 

I liked the addition of Kiersten in this book. I thought she was really funny and refreshing, because we there aren't many nine or ten year olds who are as vocal of their opinions as Kiersten and it made all of her scenes, especially when we first meet her, pretty funny. I also liked Kiersten's mom, because she was one of the few older adults in this book. Will and Lake are so young and they have so many adult responsibilities, so I think that it's good for them that Kiersten's mom is right down the road and that she can support them.

"'Sorry,' Kiersten says to Lake and me. 'Mom says the FCC is responsible for inventing cuss words just for media shock value. She says if everyone would just use them enough, they wouldn't be considered cuss words anymore, and no one would ever be offended by them.'" (p. 10)

A big problem for me in this book was its tone. It was so different from that of Slammed, where Will and Lake faced so many problems that were serious issues. In this book, though, some of their issues felt childish and so did their fights. I felt like after everything Will and Lake had been through together that they wouldn't really have trust issues, but there were some major trust issues in their relationship in this book. In the first half of the book, maybe a little longer, I found it a bit boring and Will and Lake's problems kind of annoying. However, a little past that halfway point something happens, and that was when I got more interested in the story and that helped to save the book a little for me.

"'Lake, stop it! You're acting like a ten-year-old!'" (p. 135)

I also liked the whole group parenting/family thing that Will and Lake have. I like that they were raising Kel and Caulder together, and that Eddie and Gavin would come over and they would all just hang out. I also thought it was funny that nobody ever knocked when coming into their houses. They were all so supportive of each other and I just like the community feel that they all had.

"Write poorly.

Suck

Write awful

Terribly

Frightfully

Don't care" (p. 86) 

Overall, I did like this book, but definitely not as much as I liked Slammed. I don't think this is a necessary read, but if you liked Slammed and want to know more about Will and Lake and their relationship, then I would say read it. It's not that long and it's a pretty quick read, so it doesn't take long. I gave this 3.5 out of 5 stars. 

Top 10 Most Read Authors | Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly meme created by the Broke and Bookish, and has weekly top 10 topics.

So this week's Top 10 Tuesday Topic is your top 10 most read authors. Going through all of the books I read when I was younger meant a lot of counting but also a lot of reminiscing about these books. So let's start with the list.

10 Lauren Oliver, Stephanie Meyer and Alexandra Bracken

I have read five books from each of these authors. I read the Twilight series from Stephanie Meyer. I read the Darkest Minds trilogy, plus the two novellas, from Alexandra Bracken. I read the Delirium trilogy, Before I Fall, and Panic from Lauren Oliver.

9 Kiera Cass, Richelle Mead, Wendy Mass, Jenny Han, and Ann Brashares

I have read six books from each of these authors. I have read the Selection trilogy, plus two novellas, from Kiera Cass, I have read the entire Vampire Academy series from Richelle Mead. I have read the first three novels from the Willow Falls series, Every Soul a Star, A Mango-Shaped Space, and The Candymakers from Wendy Mass. I read the Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy, To All The Boys I've Loved Before, Burn for Burn, and Fire with Fire by Jenny Han. I read the entire Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares.

8 Sara Shepard

I have decided to start separating based on how many different series I've read from the author. So, Sara Shepard gets the number eight spot because I have read eight books from her. I read the first eight books in the Pretty Little Liars series, but then I stopped after that because there are just so many of them.

7 Cassandra Clare

I have also read eight books from Cassandra Clare.I have read five books from the Mortal Instruments series (I haven't read City of Heavenly Fire yet, I know, I'm a bad person). I also read all of the Infernal Devices trilogy.

6 Lemony Snicket

I have read nine books by Lemony Snicket. I have read the first nine books from the Series of Unfortunate Events. One day, I'll finish the last three, one day.

5 J.K. Rowling

I have ten books from J.K. Rowling. I have read the seven Harry Potter books, and three companion guides with it.

4 Beverly Cleary  

I have read eleven books by Beverly Cleary. Beverly Cleary was one of my favorite authors when I was in, like, third grade and I loved the Ramona Quimby series so much. I read eight books from the Ramona Quimby series and three from the Ralph S. Mouse trilogy.

3 James Patterson

I have also read eleven books by James Patterson, but from more series. I read the seven books from the Maximum Ride series, the first three books from the Witch and Wizard series, and the first book from the Daniel X.

2 Rick Riodran

I have read twelve books by Rick Riordan. I read the five books from the Percy JAckson and the Olympians series, the Kane Chronicles trilogy, and the first four books in the Heroes of Olympus series (I haven't read Blood of Olympus yet, I'm horrible, I know, I'll read it soon).

1 Margaret Peterson Haddix

I have read, about, 24 books by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I have read almost everything she has written. I think she was the first author I was really obsessed with, and I read anything by her that I could find from the end of elementary school through middle school.

Siege and Storm Review

Siege and Storm Review (Shadow and Bone Book #2)
By Leigh Bardugo

CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS FOR SHADOW AND BONE

Summary from Goodreads

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Review

This book was so good, like the first one. I think I have to say that I liked this sequel more than Shadow and Bone, though, but I loved both of them. I really loved the writing in this book. The writing was so beautiful and wonderful and spectacular and all the adjectives. The pacing was well done in this book and her descriptions were specific and made the image really vivid in my mind.

"His voice was raw white wood, torn from the heart of the tree." (p. 418)

The writing in this book was also really funny at times, too, and would help to lighten the mood. And I actually laughed out loud sometimes, which doesn't happen a lot with me, so that was a plus.

"'My brother snores like a drunk bear.'

I laughed. 'Mal snores, too.'

'Then they can perform a duet.'" (p. 90)       

Alina progressed so much in this book. It was great to see Alina finally come into her own and accept her fate as a leader. Alina had to take on a leadership role and she embraced it and faced it head on, which was so different from the same girl who used to run from her powers. Alina is also really loyal to her country, which is an admirable quality for her to have and shows her bravery. I liked Alina a lot in this book and I can't wait to see where she progresses in Ruin and Rising.

We meet a new character in this book and, boy, is he a great new character. Early on, Alina meets Sturmhond and he is such a good character. Sturmhond is so funny and sarcastic and sassy and all of his lines are just great and laugh-out-loud worthy. Sutrmhond was super confident and sometimes a little arrogant, but he was never too arrogant or cocky to the point where I found him annoying.

"Mal crossed his arms and considered the privateer. 'I can't decide if you're crazy or stupid.'

'I have so many good qualities,' Sturmhond said. 'It can be hard to choose.'" (p. 81)

I really liked most of the book. I got a little bit bored in the middle, but it didn't last long. One thing that I didn't like, but always seemed to be there, though, was Mal. He annoys me to no end, and I don't like the relationship he has with Alina. I didn't love him in the first book, but now I just really don't like him. I can sum up most of my feelings with this one thought Alina had in the beginning of the book and I'll just leave it at that.

"I felt like I had when we were kids: capable Mal and useless Alina." (p. 13)

Overall, I liked this book and I will be completing the trilogy and definitely be reading more of Leigh Bardugo's work once it comes out. I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Obsidian Review

Obsidian Review (The Lux Book #1)
By Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary from Goodreads
Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

My Review

This was such a fun book. It wasn't a perfect book, but it was fun and an addictive read and I think it was a good paranormal romance story. This book was fast-paced, especially towards the end, when I was left on the edge of my seat and I couldn't wait to pick the book up again. In this book, I really liked the backstory behind the aliens and all of their powers. I think that part of the book was really well done, which is an important backbone for the rest of the series to build off of. The aliens' powers are really interesting and different, and I really liked that, especially since some mythologies in paranormal romances can seem repetitive and over-used at times.

I really liked Katy as a main character. She was sassy and never took any crap from Daemon, and I just loved their interactions. I also loved that Katy loves books and is a book blogger. Whenever she would get excited about books and ARC's or talk about blogging, it was really cool. I do like how that wasn't her entire character, though, and that there were other likable parts of her besides her love of books, which many of us can relate to. Katy was also a loyal character and she could be strong, especially when she was put in tough situations.

One of my favorite parts of the book was Katy's and Daemon's relationship. All of their interactions were hilarious and so great. I liked that they hated each other, but they still really wanted and kind of liked each other, and it made for some great tension between them. Daemon was a good character, because he could be kind of a jerk and rude at times, but he didn't really cross the line with Katy into him being a bad person. Deep down, he wasn't a bad person, so there always felt like there was a redeemable part of him, especially because of how he treated Dee. 

I liked Dee a lot, and she was so bubbly and personable. I liked how protective Daemon was of Dee, and that he always did what he thought was best for Dee. Dee was a good balance for Daemon's seriousness, and also a great friend to Katy.

Overall, I liked Obsidian a lot and I read it pretty quickly and always wanted to pick it back up. As soon as I finished it, I jumped right into Onyx, which is proving to be just as good and addictive as Obsidian so far. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour Review

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour Review
By Morgan Matson



Summary from Goodreads

Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

My Review:

I loved this book. Plain and simply put, I thought it was amazing. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour will most likely end up being one of my favorites for the year, and probably will be one of my favorites for a long time. Morgan Matson is a pretty popular author, but, before this, I had never read anything by her, although after reading this, I will definitely be reading more by her.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour takes you on such an emotional -and physical- journey. I really grew to love the characters, and not just Amy and Roger, but also many of the side characters that we meet while they travel across America, too. Morgan Matson wrote them in such a way that made all the characters feel real, because they all had little flaws in them and they weren't perfect.

Amy and Roger also changed so much throughout the book and it was great to see how they impacted each other and made each other better people. In general, Amy and Roger's interactions were great and they had some funny dialogue together. The little things that Amy and Roger learned about each other while traveling across the country was really adorable, and it was nice to see their relationship progress. Even though this book took place over the span of about a week, it felt like longer, and at the end, it definitely  felt like Amy and Roger had known each other longer. 

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the road trip. This book made me want to be adventurous and go on a road trip in a completely new and unfamiliar place, and that may be one of the parts that impacted me the most. Throughout the book, pictures are included of places that Amy and Roger visited, which made their journey feel more real. There were also playlists included that Amy and Roger created and listened to along the way, which was a nice addition to the story.

Overall, this is one book that will always have a special place in my heart for so many reasons and I really loved it.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

TBR Takedown 2.0 | Wrap-up

So, I kind of failed at the TBR Takedown 2.0. I was fully prepared to participate in the read-a-thon and try to read as much as I could, but, I didn't. I only finished one book from my TBR. I read Siege and Storm, which brought my total page count to 435 pages. So, I read something, but not much. It was still a fun week and it was fun to see all of the Twitter challenges and participate in some sprints. Next time, I'll participate and try to do better.