#and you asked me if I wanted a graphic novel about Nick and Charlie or Aled and Dan

[heartstopperthoughts]

MY LOVES

[heartstopper-lover123]

Okay, kinda long storytime. But I'm still freaking out about it!

So yesterday I was bored of being on my phone so I picked up my heartstopper volume 3 book and I started reading it. My mum was sat with my sisters brushing their hair when she turns to me. She asks me if my books are good. I knew I had to be calm because I would freak her out otherwise. I said yes, kinda enthusiastically. Then the most shocking thing happened. She asked if she could read one. I told her they were graphic novels, so like comics and she said that was fine. Internally I was freaking out. She had seen the cover. She knew it was lgbt. I was so excited. I said it was okay. And she said once my sisters were asleep She would read it. After we ate dinner, I said to her, if you want, we could watch the first three episode of the TV series, so you have a better understanding of what will happen, and see if you like it. She said she would love that. I freaked out again. So, my sister were asleep and we start watching the show. Immediately, she takes a disliking to Ben (obviously) and I'm just like, so this is my life. Then, I kid you not, she cries like four times. Once when Ben kisses Charlie and he tells him to stop. One where Nick and Charlie play in the snow. Once where Nick searches if he is gay and when Nick and Charlie first kiss. I was so confused. I always thought my mum was homophobic. She never seemed like the straight ally type. We finished the first episode and said Immediately, next one NOW! At the end of the second one she was like this show is so sweet. And at the end of the third I said, now you have to wait. So she said GET ME THE BOOK. I have three editions of heartstopper volume 1 so I gave her my new special edition and I grabbed my netflix edition. I kid you not we sat in silence just reading the same book in the same room. In awe by their story. Then she finished just after me and I swear she was about to cry again. She said she can't wait for the next episodes and book. But it was already 11 o'clock at night so I said if we start the next episode, we'd have to finish the whole thing. We agreed to do it another time. I went to brush my teeth and I was just freaking out (again, I know I'm mentally unstable). You could say I reacted the same way as Charlie did when Nick asked him on that milkshake date and the date after on their own. And now, she is sipping a coffee and 9:30 am, and told me we could watch the rest when she had finished drinking her morning necessity. How has my Once thought to be homophobic mum, getting excited by one of my favourite shows ever? She doesn't even know my sexuality (then again neither to do lol). Oh and one more thing. After the second episode. I told her, now do you get why I was so depressed when you banned me from going to pride parades and seeing them. She got all upset and started feeling really bad. I didn't mean to upset her, it was just a silly comment. But now I think she really understands how important the cast and pride in general is to me. So maybe next year I can actually go!

[hollyslittlelibrary]

Since I have read all of Alice Oseman’s books/graphic novels/novellas, I thought I’d do a little ranking of them all.

(Please note that this is in no way meant to insult Alice or her work. I love all of these books and these rankings are simply my opinion).

If any mistakes have been made (spelling, plotlines, main themes, etc.), please let me know and I’ll correct it/then as soon as possible.

Books:

1) Radio Silence - the whole plot just interested me so much. The way the story told us a lot more about Aled without making him the main character was so incredible to me. I love how Alice brought representation to the demisexual community without alienating everyone involved - it was such a beautiful thing to see. I could honestly read this again and again without getting bored - I love it.

2) I Was Born For This - I love how this books had not only a trans main character, but a Muslim one as well. It brought representation to two different types of people in the best way possible. While it did make me cry a couple times, I loved every second I spent reading it.

3) Solitaire - Tori is (and always will be) one of my favourite Heartstopper characters, and writing a book revolves around her was such a power move on Alice’s part. I love the whole concept of trusting someone only to find out they’ve been doing something horrific. I could also go on forever about how much I love Michael Holden but we can save that rant for another day.

4) Loveless - don’t get me wrong, I love the book endlessly, but I have to admit that the whole storyline didn’t peak my interest until about a third of the way through. Books about life at university never really interested me that much. I know Radio Silence is also quite big on the topic of university, but it wasn’t it’s main premise. However, after a little while, I did start to really enjoy the book and also how Alice once again have representation to a lesser known community. I honestly think this is the first book I’ve read with an asexual main character and, while that fact saddens me a drastic amount, it makes me so happy to see some good, accurate representation.

Graphic Novels:

1) Heartstopper Volume 3 - the Paris trip is not only the most adorable thing I’ve ever witnessed (while also being very sad due to the issues of Nick’s dad and Charlie’s anorexia coming to light), but it is also relatable to a lot of British teens. A lot of schools in the UK take trips to Paris and a lot of the things that happened in Volume 3 actually happen in real life. The parties, the games of spin the bottle, the whole “one student sneaks in alcohol and gets too carried away, making themselves sick”. All of it is just so accurate and makes me so happy, for some reason.

2) Heartstopper Volume 1 - I love the way it shows both a queer teen love story, and the whole process of a teenager figuring themselves out and realising that who they are is nothing to be ashamed of. The way Nick and Charlie met so randomly (Charlie didn’t even want to be near Nick in the beginning) but went on to become best friends, and then boyfriends makes me feel so warm and bubbly. It’s honestly such a beautiful story.

3) Heartstopper Volume 4 - this whole book broke my heart into millions of tiny pieces. Seeing Charlie go through so much was such a horrible experience for everyone but, at the end of the day, it is so, so important for EDs to be talked about nowadays. They are so common in both men and women, and are especially common in teenagers. I love the way Alice didn’t sugarcoat anything. She showed a real, raw outlook on eating disorders and it’s been so influential, it’s incredible to see.

4) Heartstopper Volume 2 - honestly, the only thing I can remember from volume 2, is the cinema fight and the fact that Nick has his beautiful coming out scene at the end of it. That scene made me so happy and also made me realise that there are people in the world that will be there for you, even if you don’t know it yet. However, if you asked me to give you the whole plot line, I wouldn’t be able to give you anything more than “Harry was being a dick to Charlie at the cinema, Nick punched him, took Charlie on a date and then came out to his mum”. Still amazing though, nothing will stop it from being an incredible read.

Novellas:

1) Nick and Charlie - I love the way it shows a raw, authentic teenage relationship. While it did make me cry at one point, it made me laugh a lot. For example, the way Nick spoke about the pillow fort scenario like we wouldn’t believe him is one of my all time favourite book moments. It’s like the characters are actually talking to you and no-one else, which I found really interesting.

2) This Winter - I love how it took place between Heartstopper Volume 4 and Solitaire, almost like a prequel to foreshadowing events. I love how it tells the story from Tori, Charlie and Oliver’s POVs because it shows that Charlie’s ED affected everyone in his family. I also love how it shows the Spring’s grandparents being against the LGBTQ+ community. Now, that sounds like a really terrible sentence, but hear me out. It’s so important for everyone to read this to realise that there will always be people who don’t like others for something they can’t control. It shows that sometimes you have to keep something hidden from others, just so the life you’ve spent with them doesn’t turn to shit. It’s also so important for young queer people to realise that, while there will be a few people who don’t accept them for who the are, the amount of people who do accept them will always outweigh those who don’t. It’s such an important topic nowadays and it was honestly shown so amazingly.

Final Ranking (with no explanations as you’ve already seen them - I’m sure you’ll be pleased to see that haha):

1) Heartstopper Volume 3

2) Radio Silence

3) Nick and Charlie

4) I Was Born For This

5) Heartstopper Volume 1

6) Heartstopper Volume 4

7) Solitaire

8) This Winter

9) Heartstopper Volume 3

10) Loveless

Ok, I have to admit, this was very fun to make. If you read the whole thing, congratulations. You, like myself, have a way too much time on your hands, haha.

[jeanmoreaux]

May I ask, what made Solitaire a 3 star read for you? (I haven't read it, but I'm a big Heartstopper fan!)

hi there! yeah, i’m happy to answer your question!! i think it’s important to mention that it was actually a reread (i put it on the wrong list on my post, but i changed it now). i think i read solitaire for the first time back in 2015 or something. so before heartstopper was even a thing. back then i gave it two stars because i *really* didn’t like it. as a 17 year old i thought the climax and resolution of the story were stupid AND i was *extremely* bitter the story wasn’t what i wanted it to be AND i was actually more intrigued by the side characters than tori. like, i’d rather read about charlie or micheal than her. (in 2016 i got my wish with heartstopper lmao but that’s another story lol).

this time around, i actually liked solitaire much more, and i feel like i have a new found appreciation for it i didn’t have before. it’s a solid debut and i can’t even imagine writing something as competent at age 17! while i was too self-absorbed and ego-centric at 17 to see it, as a 24 year old i get what alice oseman was trying to do with this novel. it makes some great points on teenage angst, identity formation, mental health and human connections from a teenage perspective. still, it definitely reads like a debut of a young author, which is probably why it landed right in that three star spot for me. (just to clarify, three stars, for me, are solid reads that will probably appeal to and be enjoyed by people who like the genre/type of story in general, but they don’t do anything particularly well that stands out to me). in the case of solitaire, the plot is a little bit flimsy and unbelievable towards the end (which is an issue with contemporary settings that go for a realistic feel more so than fantasy ones). in particular the characters’ motivations for certain actions feel a little unbelievable or cliché. a lot of the messaging is also pretty on the nose. the character work also isn’t the best; most of the characters feel a little shallow and flat at times, and i would have love to see a little more nuance in the way their ‘complexity’ was presented and explored. also, if you’re a fan of heartstopper, i don’t think solitaire might necessarily be up your alley. not just because the tone is a little darker since tori is struggling with her mental health and the story is told from her POV, but because the characters feel different to what you might expect after having read heartstopper. the heartstopper characters aren’t in the story much, if at all, and when they appear things are just slightly off. for example, nick and charlie feel more like alternative universe versions of themselves? it’s hard to explain, but they do/say things that feel slightly out of character for them (if you think of them as how they are characterized in the graphic novels). nick has more ‘dude bro’ vibes, charlie is a bit more judgemental. tori, too, is slightly altered from her heartstopper version. for what it counts ben is still the same—a massive piece of shit, maybe even worse than in heartstopper. all that makes sense considering heartstopper only really started to be a thing AFTER solitaire was already out and alice approached the graphic novel with a different tone/message/feel in mind.

like i said, there is nothing massively wrong with the novel, it’s just not oseman’s best work, which i don’t expect from a debut. since solitaire, they had time to hone their craft which is why their new works are better written. and while solitaire makes for a decent debut it’s not as great as it probably could have been. if you’re interested in read it, i would recommend it though!!

[cantfindwhoasked]

Nobody asked for my SECOND review of Heartstopper: Season 1 *spoilers.... probably*

Okay, look.... I know what you’re thinking... You’ve already done a review of Heartstopper, why are you doing another one? WELL it’s because I’m legit obsessed and have watched it so many times as well as like a billion reaction videos (because obsessed) and have so many things to talk about and now I’m not tired so I’m gonna TALK. This time, though, I’m going to go in an order.  Specifically episode order with (hopefully) minor jumping around. Then I’m probably gonna do a couple more reviews of other things I’ve watched recently after that (but maybe not right after that).  So, hopefully I don’t reiterate things that I’ve already said too much, but here we go... again. 

Meet

So, we start off with an adorable bang.  And by that I mean Charlie Spring just being adorable and as heck. Protecc the boy at all costs. And we start off with the bitch Ben.  Which, he can go jump in a hole.  Not Sebastian.... We love Sebastian.... We LOATHE Ben.  Like I hate him even more than I hate Harry.  Because with Ben it’s emotional manipulation, trauma, cheating, ASSAULT... with Harry it’s homophobia which is still horrible, but like Ben RUINED Charlie and made him think he was worthless and we HATE.  But thankfully we have our trusty golden retriever to try and start putting some pieces of Charlie back together.  I know there is a lot more to Charlie’s story that is explored later in the graphic novel series, but I haven’t read it yet (though they will be delivered to me this weekend, so maybe I will do a book review?), and already I can see that Charlie has been put through the ringer, so we PROTECC.  Anyways, some other things about this episode, the sports ball.  I know very little about sports (nor do I really care that much) but like rugby looks... rough... like I’m supposed to protecc and he be getting beat up on purpose.  But I saw an interview with Joe Locke about the running and he was talking about how difficult filming it was and like RELATABLE.  I can’t run.  I did the throwing stuff in track because running is like asking for me to injure myself. Sports ball is... something... that’s for sure. Also, quick mention of Tao getting Elle’s apple juice cause, AWWWW!!! And can we give a quick round of applause to the MVP of ever, Tori.  That GURL is my queen.  It’s such a simple scene but when he’s telling her about his breakup I always laugh at her “Well done, then.” I, also, adore when Charlie and Nick are talking about saying sorry and Charlie is like “.... I kinda wanna say it.” cause SAME.

Crush

Nick Nelson. Standing up for ya boo before he ya boo is bootiful. And I’m glad to see that we have another person on the PROTECC train. The snow scene is QUITE adorable in this episode.  And you added a dog? Do you want me to have a stroke? Like I feel like that was the goal here.  But, yeah, anyways.  The mario kart thing with the “Shut up!” was really cheesy but I couldn’t stop smiling, so clearly it is good cheese.  Moving on, I really saw how jaded I’ve become from other shows, because I was terrified when Tara and Darcy started becoming friends with Elle, but it simply is just adorable and not a horrible scheme.  Also, I love how good of friends Tara and Darcy are.  Like I know they’re dating, but it’s not like the awkward I like you and we hang out sometimes, it’s fully like you can tell it was a precious friendship before they fell in love and they already had this trust built between them because of it.  Like they are so cute. Next, going back to the bois, we love Isaac.  LOL you didn’t think I was going there, right? It does connect to the bois in question though, because we get the iconic line “I wanna believe in romance!” Because like that’s basically my life motto.  Charlie and Nick are so cute and I wanna believe in them too (in fact, I do believe in them too). Especially the almost hand holding with the animated sparks. ICONIC.  The drum teaching always makes me feel a slight bit awkward, though, because like that is a SMALL stool. But that’s literally the only reason.  Sometimes it’s the small things.  Lastly, My queen. “I don’t think he’s gay.” Legend PERIODT.

Kiss

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. First, I’m so sorry Imogen. She didn’t really do anything wrong.  Like the girl put herself out there, which is more than I can say about a lot of people.  She’s brave and I applaud her.  It sucks that it’s like... not gonna happen... like ever... But like she didn’t do anything wrong.  Then there’s the kisses.  Tara and Darcy are really cute together and I love how happy they look when they kiss.  They are actually so cute. And then Nick and Charlie. Literally one of the best kisses and lead-ups to kisses I have EVER seen.  So damn adorable. And then my poor panicking bisexual boy and my poor child who has done no wrong but thinks he has.  I don’t blame Nick for freaking out.  His who life is just a confusion at that moment.  And it seems like he just says what he says to Harry to get him off his back so he can find Charlie. And NICK ALWAYS MAKES UP FOR IT.  He isn’t perfect, but if he messes up, he makes sure to make up for it, which is SO REFRESHING.  Also, quick mention that Tao is WAY overprotective.  Like I get it to an extent but MAN it’s A LOT. He’s very dramatic and we appreciate him on the PROTECC Squad, but like just take a tiny step back.  Charlie still loves you.  Shoutout to Elle for being his calming force.

Secret

That kiss is epic.  I’ve already talked about it, but like UGH! So cute. Perfect, if you will.  Then poor child has to keep it a secret like with Ben, BUT IT’S NOT LIKE WITH BEN BECAUSE BEN IS AN ASSHAT WITH INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA AND NICK IS LITERALLY JUST SO CONFUSED POOR CHILD! Also, A+ friendship for the friends coming the rugby game.  We love support!!! And Darcy is amazing coming to get acquainted with the local gays LOLLLLL! Speaking of... we have to address it.  Imogen... You kinda dumb.... Still didn’t really do anything wrong, but like... why... why did you talk.... in two ways.  Mostly in the first, because the second was an extension from the last episode in that she can’t help who she likes.  Also, I don’t blame Nick for saying yes.  Should he have? No. But, it was better than completely embarrassing her when the DICKS were watching. And NICK MAKES UP FOR IT CAUSE GOOD GUYYYYY!

Friend

Yet again, Tao is being VERY overprotective.  To the point that.. Yes I get you are trying to be the president of the PROTECC squad, but like... don’t make him sad on his birthday.  I am one who believes that birthday’s should be sacred, so if there is any even slight ruining of a birthday, I get upset.  Again, I see why, but sometimes, it’s a bit much.  Also, Charlie does need to be protected, however, he can still make his own decisions.  Like he’s gonna make mistakes like the rest of us (luckily Nick isn’t one of those) so there is a point where you should just trust him and if things do end up badly, you can be there to pick up the pieces.  I do love Tao, but sometimes... a bit much.  Speaking of Tao, though, this is the first time we see that there are actual feelings in the Elle and Tao situation.  I hope we get another season, because I would love to see that.  Moving on to the birthday boy.  I’m so glad that Nick chose to come to the party (even though it did have some awkward moments) because I just think it was completely adorable.  The best parts were when Nick and Charlie are flirting about Nick’s arms and just the way Charlie cutely says, “Shut up.” And the second adorable part is when Charlie leans closer to Nick and says “No being sad on my birthday.” It makes me chuckle and aww at the same time. And like I said, Nick MAKES IT RIGHT with the Imogen situation.  It’s one thing to say you’re going to make it right and another to actually do it.  Also, just the fact that Imogen makes a playful joke to the friends to get them off of their back really made me feel like the two of them actually were friends.  Like she isn’t as.... Eww as the others even though she’s kind of part of them. 

Girls

I have a MAJOR issue with this episode, for one reason and one reason alone.  That is the milkshake date... So, I played trombone in band growing up - not anymore, I was rubbish and faked it most of the time so they thought I was playing when really I was just trying to hold up the instrument with my weak arms. ANYWAY, I know for a fact that Darcy and Tara play instruments that you have to blow into.  They had AT LEAST 2 milkshakes right before the concert. Like RIGHT before from what I could tell.  And from experience, you should not have sweets or something like a milkshake before you play an instrument that you have to blow into, because then your instrument will not be filled with just hot air, it will be filled with hot sticky air.  Which makes things STICKY! And NOT PLEASANT! That is asking for just not good stuff.  Like don’t! You know how you get that feeling in your mouth when you have dairy stuff too.  THAT’S ALL GOING INTO YOUR INSTRUMENT.  Like don’t eat that close to playing an instrument that you have to blow into!! Charlie is okay because he plays the drums, which, the last time I checked, you don’t have to blow into drums, and Nick, Tao, and Elle are okay because they’re not in band.  But TARA AND DARCY! AAAAAHHHHHHH!  I don’t know why it bothers me so much but it really does. Moving on, Girls are mean sometimes.  I am one.  I know how mean girls are.  ESPECIALLY to other girls. So, I understand Tara being upset because of the whole thing, but thankfully she has Darcy.  Also, I know I hate the milkshake stuff, but that was cute, with Nick telling Elle about him and Charlie and ESPECIALLY the cute adorable weirdness that ensued between Tao and Elle at the beginning.  I LIVED for that.  Since we’re going backwards, lets talk about how cute it was when Charlie got so excited that Nick told Tara and Darcy.  WE LIVE FOR THOSE BEAUTIFUL BOIS.  Is this the episode where Nick finds out he’s bi? If so, then it’s understandable that the Pirates of the Caribbean would show him da way, because like... they hot.

Bully

Bitches. Bitches and bitches. Bitch. Do I really even have to say more? Like Harry is a bitch.  Ben is a Bitch.  I’m not gonna lie though I almost angry laughed when Ben said, “I’m not even gay, I just felt really bad for you.” Cause like uhuh, Yeah... I believe you wink wink. Totally wink wink. Not gay wink wink.... That kid has PROBLEMS.  Thank you Nick for stepping up in the PROTECC Squad once again with Harry and actually punching the SONOFABITCH.  But let’s be real, the second we heard Nick say that Ben and Harry wouldn’t be there, we knew they would.  AND THEN they had the AUDACITY to say “Why is he here?” about Charlie. BITCH I DON’T EVEN THINK YOU WERE INVITED WHY ARE YOU HERE?!? Then we move on to Tao and him finding out that Nick and Charlie are ACTUALLY dating and getting upset.  Then the DICK Harry picks ANOTHER fight and Tao brings the BEAT DOWN. And he was holding his own, so like good on you!! But he’s upset about the whole Charlie not telling him and then says things he doesn’t mean, cause we all knew he would have fought Harry eventually and it wasn’t Charlie’s fault. But Charlie’s in a spiral and has already attempted to break it off with Nick at this point because he thinks it’s what is best for Nick and it just... it just.... doesn’t help anything. 

Boyfriend

There are some MAJOR cheese moments in this episode, but I low key live for them. First, My queen is back at it again with being my queen. “I’m like 95% sure they were both Harry’s fault and I wasn’t even there.” QUEEN.  And the whole “You’re not ruining my life.” WE LOVE SUPPORTIVE SIBLINGS!!!!! WE LOVE SIBLINGS THAT SHOW THEIR LOVE.  HELL YEAH MY QUEEN.  And the teach!! Another MVP! “Don’t let anyone make you disappear.” PREACH! Also, love the announcer.  I believe it was Stephen Fry, but it was hilarious! He said what we all thought.  Moving on to the MAIN EVENT aka SPORTS DAY! Honestly, I’m American.  Sports Day doesn’t exist here, but it sounds horrible.  10/10 would have hated. I love that Charlie switches jerseys and runs for Tao and then they make up which DONT YOU JUST LOVE FRIENDS! It’s actually so cute.  And Charlie stands up to Ben which HELL YEAH!!! Then we have not one but TWO fake outs from Tao and Elle, which *Insert Tao’s RRRRRUDE here*.  Plus the montage of Charlie being a good supportive friend and holding Isaac’s book for him while he javelins. WE LOVE SUPPORTIVE FRIENDS!!! Also, we need more Isaac... Also, Tao needs a haircut... Also... I think that’s it.  And then there is the recreation of the High School Musical 3 scene at the basketball game with my poor sad Nick finally seeing Charlie and being like, no this can’t wait and just running to him.  It was so cute.  Kinda cringe but adorable. Mostly just cringe for the recreation of HSM3 part, because it’s so cute how Nick just doesn’t care and Imogen is just like AWW IT MAKES SENSE THAT’S SO CUTE but with her EYES. But that kiss is INTENSE compared to the others.  Like it had PURPOSE.  It was a callback to the second (third?) kiss but like very effective. And then the beach and THE PICTURES!!! SO DAMN CUTE.  The cringey ocean yelling that was also cute while being cringey and then THE MOMENT. Olivia Coleman is a legend.  She is just so amazing and the coming out scene was absolutely perfect.  

Overall I can’t help but be obsessed.  I get this way sometimes.  I just love love OKAY?!? This was a much more comprehensive view of the entire season for me, episode by episode. I may not do it like this all the time, but probably definitely for my obsessions. The cast was amazing and from what I’ve heard, this is very true to the original story (which I will be reading soon) which is very exciting.  From what I’ve seen the cast is not only just straight (lol) up really good, they also even look like their characters.  It’s just so good and deserves a second season.  What else can I really say....

I want more Isaac and Tori.  

That’s what I can say. 

[burningdarkfire]

books i read in may 2022

[these are all short + casual reviews - feel free to msg me and ask   about individual ones if u want a full review or ask for my goodreads!!]

28 books towards my reading goal in may 🙏 heartstopper is technically my top read of the month but we all know what that’s about at this point so let me highlight smth else

at night all blood is black - david diop ★★★★★ (historical)

the first few chapters of this gut-punched me so hard i still don’t know what to do about them!! incredible story about dehumanization and war and i don’t even know what else. i still need to think about this one for a while and i’m definitely going to reread soon in the original french

heartstopper (volumes 3 & 4) - alice oseman ★★★★★ (YA romance graphic novel)

nick and charlie 💕 paris arc is cute (and way better now that i have a stronger grasp of the side characters) and my god the way i cried throughout volume 4 when all their family issues came up

radio silence - alice oseman ★★★★★ (YA contemporary)

this was a reread and oh my god the ways in which i have aged since i last read this 😂 it’s way less relatable after working an office job for a few years (it turns out that life doesn’t end even if you run the 9-5 hamster wheel), but it is still fundamentally very heartfelt and i would highly recommend it. the platonic love story at the heart of it is still so touching!

the innocents - michael crummey ★★★★☆ (historical)

if anyone is just like me and wants to read a slow-paced book about two orphaned siblings raising themselves in an insular environment and exploring both the world and themselves (yes, to be clear, this means incest) with little outside contact, then this is a great book for you!!

death in her hands - ottessa moshfegh ★★★★☆ (horror)

atmospheric, intriguing, and a great exercise for the imagination. i love books like this that never feel “solved”, you just have to take from them what you can. what a strangely euphoric ending

jujutsu kaisen (volumes 1-10) - gege akutami ★★★★☆ (YA fantasy manga)

bangers one after another. i still hate the kyoto sister school arc and i find the pacing of this series kinda whack but i am here to have a good time and gege is delivering. the classic shounen beats hit and satosugu has my interest 👀

iron goddess of mercy - larissa lai ★★★★☆ (poetry)

the wordplay and rhythm of this work is soo good and enjoyable. i love the sense of play even around heavy topics. this is poetry that should be read out loud!

before the devil breaks you - libba bray ★★★★☆ (YA historical fantasy)

libba bray writes wonderfully realized characters and relationships but the slow pace of this series is starting to grate on me. the plot feels like it only moves at the author’s convenience. the characters and relationships are really good though!

the decagon house murders - yukito ayatsuji ★★★★☆ (mystery)

this book has deep respect for the golden age of mystery and it shows. super fun read where the reader is a player, not an audience, and just the right amount of spooky!

forest of secrets - erin hunter ★★★★☆ (children’s fantasy)

solid installment. don’t have much to say about this one. the cats are meowing away and the plot is progressing

where the drowned girls go - seanan mcguire ★★★★☆ (YA fantasy)

this series is so much better when you read one a year so the fairytale style doesn’t become grating. this book is still far from subtle, but definitely subtler than previous installments in a way that i like.

the timetables of history - bernard grun ★★★★☆ (reference)

yes i flipped through a reference book page by page. no i didn’t finish it (got about ~55% of the way through to 1900) but yes it did greatly entertain me. very neat way to look at history

kim jiyoung, born 1982 - cho nam-joo ★★★☆☆ (contemporary)

this feels like reading a nonfiction article about being a woman and i hate doing shit like that because i don’t need to read something to tell me what i’ve learned just by living. it’s good at what it does (clearly, because of the feelings it evokes) but i do not have fun!

daughter of the moon goddess - sue lynn tan ★★★☆☆ (YA fantasy)

this honestly reads like a 2010 YA fantasy dystopian where we have a mary sue who has to decide between all the men who are so in love with her. it’s generally good at what it does and what it wants to be but stumbles hard coming into the ending

convenience store woman - sayaka murata ★★★☆☆ (contemporary)

some books are just perfectly competent but not outstanding or memorable in any way. this is one of them! it’s just exactly what it says on the tin

portrait of a thief - grace d. li ★★☆☆☆ (contemporary)

a heist book that absolutely, entirely, completely should not have been a heist book. the heist is by far the worst part and cripples the genuine character work the author is trying to do to explore asian-american diaspora

sun-daughters, sea-daughters - aimee ogden ★★☆☆☆ (scifi romance)

strong meh on this one. the world-building is cluttered, messy, and has way too many made up words just to drive the plot forward in a novella. the core concept of the relationship at the heart of this story is good, but its buried under too much unnecessary stuff

[DNF] seven days in june - tia williams ★★☆☆☆ (romance)

i gave this a few chapters but it’s too quirky for me. there are way too many references to pop culture and it’s just not funny or relatable to me! i even flipped ahead and spoiled myself a little to see if it gets better and nope. in fact i found out the actual premise of this book and the “seven days” and i just stopped reading lmao

[averyspoopedcorgi]

three things i wanna know about you

1. what's your major/what do you want to study in future

2. what is your favourite literary couple (if you've read any books)

3. your credit card information

hey hi!! again thanks for the ask!

1. definitely forensics, stuff like medicine never appealed to me but i still wanted to pursue something related to biology so yeah

2. ill be completed honest the only books ive read are warrior cats, wof and some graphic novels here and there 💀. so ill just go with nick and charlie from heartstopper

3. yeah its 69420-*gets thrown off the stage*

[cyanide-latte]

Sorta random, but which Alice Oseman books do you recommend?

Oh gosh, Anon, I wasn't expecting this question at all! I personally still feel kind of like an Oseman newbie since I've not read all of her books (yet) but I'll try to answer this as best as I can without just using the simple reply of "all of them" (though everyone should absolutely consider reading all of them.)

A couple of disclaimers here first! All of Oseman's books do at some point deal with heavy topics, so be aware going into any of them that you may encounter discussions of mental health, abuse, struggles in various types of relationships, body issues, racism and homophobic and/or transphobic behaviors. She does however, approach all of these with a deft hand of realism and hope equally. The happier disclaimer is that, from what I can tell, a good portion of her books are all choice picks to read during Pride Month, if you wanted that! (That's actually what my plan was, to try to get through as much of the Osemanverse as possible this month!)

If you prefer to start with the most interconnected characters and books, I would recommend Solitaire, Nick and Charlie, This Winter, and the Heartstopper graphic novel series. There are sibling characters whose stories interconnect and overlap throughout all, and if I don't miss my guess, Heartstopper and Solitaire are paraquels (taking place during the same span of time, though with different protagonists.) Do note though, that Nick and Charlie, while taking place two years into the future from where Heartstopper leaves off, is said to have been written prior to the graphic novels and the characterization of Nick and Charlie is different enough that it's left a lot of fans divided on the novel. (And it's why I'm a little hesitant to start it myself when I'm not finished with all the volumes of Heartstopper.)

But if you're anything like me, Anon, and you find you have difficulty in starting sequential contemporary novels (and yes I do consider those above to be sequential,) then I recommend starting with one of the stand-alones! I'm currently on Loveless, and previously I finished Radio Silence in a day. (Will I finish Loveless all in one day despite having to work an 8-hour shift? Stay tuned!) I'm enjoying Loveless a lot, though I'm sure if you noticed some of my recent reblogs it's clear Radio Silence left me gutted and I adore it. I Was Born For This is the other stand-alone I know of, but I've only heard very lukewarm things in the bookish community about it, so I might save that one for last personally, but if you check out the summary, you might be intrigued! I think any of the stand-alones in the Osemanverse are the best starting point, because it's an excellent way to get to know how accessible her writing will be for you, and you'll have a more self-contained timeline and characters to follow.

Sorry this got long-winded, but thank you for the ask! I was surprised and flattered anyone wanted my input on reading her books!

[alldayeveryday-candycandycandy]

on the (very late) topic of the graphic novel

hi!! you might have seen me before, my name’s nick / kirby and i’m the one that dug up a buncha receipts from the book to prove pinkypills’ inaccuracies. well i know im way late but i finally bought the comic and every time i look at it i get angry. its currrently noon, i havent slept since 3 am, and all my friends are asleep in another timezone so im up and at ‘em!!! good morning america

now to get this out of the way: NO i have not finished the comic. it makes me angry to look at and every time i sit down to read it i end up putting it back down within the span of a minute because unfortunately for pinkypills fnaf is my special interest and BIG hyperfixation.

what little i have read of the book, however, has been damn wrong and it makes me So mad .

(quick last-minute side note: i had to use a pdf version of the silver eyes novel since i moved recently and my physical copy of the book is in a box somewhere, so page numbers might not be entirely accurate in regards to the actual novel, but throughout this endeavor i unfortunately had my copy of the comic on-hand, so those should be accurate at least!! my apologies!)

first of all the book runs through the story faster than sonic the hedgehog on a treadmill and you Cannot do that . for those of us with physical copies of the book, imagine how THICK that boy is . absolute FAT chunky book (esp for those of us that got the amazon exclusive version with that sweet matte cover way back when hehehe). now compared to the physical comic book… yeah no. it’s practically paperthin compared to the original book and that’s already a red flag, which brings me to the point that drives me absolutely batshit insane every time i pick up this adaptation: The comic skims over a LOT of the book.

from page 89 to 91 in the original book, charlie either being driven to the drugstore with marla or is already AT said drugstore, patching up the cut on her arm that she got from foxy. here, marla and charlie share a moment while jason is in the car, providing a key bit of character development: “'Hey,’ [Charlie] said. 'How come you brought Jason, anyway?’ Marla didn’t answer right away, setting her sights on the first-aid aisle and heading for it. 'Here we are,’ she said. 'What do you think, Gauze?’ 'Sure, but don’t call me Gauze.’ Charlie leaned into Marla but was ignored. 'Antiseptic,’ Marla continued, grabbing the items. 'The thing is,’ she said, 'so Jason’s dad and our mom have been married since before he was born. I mean, obviously. And they’re probably getting divorced. I know about it, but Jason doesn’t.’ … 'They’re fighting all the time,’ Marla went on, 'and it scares him, you know? I mean, my dad left when I was a little kid, so I grew up with that; I was used to it. Plus, I got to have a great stepdad. But for him, it’s gonna feel like the end of the world. And they’re sure not doing anything to make it easier – they’re fighting right in front of us. So I didn’t want to leave him alone with that for a week’” (Cawthon 90).

pinkypills bypasses this entire scene by cutting straight to the motel on page 62, in which everyone is surrounding charlie, and marla dismisses everything with “there you go”. jason asks if charlie will be okay, lamar says “of course she is!” and then jessica, lamar, and carlton discuss sleeping. the next panel is everyone asleep in the motel, and chapter 5 begins.

lest we not forget the scene where charlie actually gets hurt, on pages 87 and 88: “She sprang away from [Foxy], pushing off the wall to get away, to move before it saw her, but the edge of the stage caught her foot. She stumbled forward, momentarily becoming entangled in the curtain. She struggled to get free when suddenly the thing’s arm jerked up, and the hook slashed at her arm. She ducked away too late, and it cut her. The pain was shocking, like freezing water. She tripped backward and felt herself falling for long seconds, and then she was caught. 'Charlie? Are you okay?’ It was John; he had caught her. She tried to nod, but she was shaking. She looked at her arm. There was a cut above the elbow, almost four inches long. It was bleeding freely, and she covered it with her hand, the gaps between her fingers welling over as her own blood leaked through. 'What happened?’ Marla asked, rushing up behind her. 'Charlie, I’m so sorry, I must have hit a button that caused it to move. Are you okay?’ Charlie nodded, a little less shaky. 'I’m fine,’ she said. 'It’s not that bad.’ She moved her arm around experimentally. 'See? No nerve damage,’ she said. 'I’ll be fine’” (Cawthon 87-88).

pinkypills demonstrates this entire scene within two pages.

pages 60 and 61 detail this entire event. the first two panels at the top of 60 show john looking for charlie, who’s hiding in pirate’s cove. the next three show her turning around to meet foxy, and on the bottom, a big close-up of the fox of the hour. the next page shows a scream that doesn’t happen in the book, next to everyone’s faces (that don’t look very expressive at all mind you), and below that is john holding charlie, marla being concerned, charlie smiling at them with a small scrape on her hand, waving to marla and lamar, and the last panel is a picture of foxy with marla saying “You’re bleeding, let’s get you out of here” or something along the lines of that. immediately followed by the motel.

this is my burning issue with this comic. the drawings themselves are just obnoxious, but the fact that half of the details are gone or changed entirely. what about the four-inch cut above charlie’s elbow? in the comic, she has a scrape on the side of her palm. marla and jason’s characterization is wiped away ENTIRELY and replaced with a page of everyone reconciling and going to bed.

this isn’t just an issue once or twice: it’s prevalent in the ENTIRE COMIC BOOK.

that scene where charlie and john go to freddy’s? charlie’s flashback of her with her twin brother gets summed up from pages 72 to 73, john drives her back in 74, and just as they all walk into the mall on page 75, they get caught by dave “ratboy” miller RIGHT THERE on 76. the way that major points and entire chunks, almost pages of text get entirely scrapped bothers me SO much it’s NOT even funny

the part on page 124 where the pages and drawings fall off the walls around jason? bypassed by the fact that as soon as jason sees them changing, he runs off and screams for marla as they begin to oOzE bLuD fRoM dA WaLz OoOoO sPoOoOkYyY. the animatronics slowly beginning to get out of control on page 126, knocking carlton off the stage? nonexistent! instead, bonnie immediately sees dave and goes batshit bonkers, and none of that carlton business happens. nothing about the speakers is mentioned or expressed at all. when marla tells jason bonnie can’t move off the stage, the comic instead decides that CARLTON says that to jason before he’s kidnapped. 

mind you, everything in that paragraph happens in ONE CHAPTER. if you can get so much wrong in one chapter there’s a little bit of a problem doncha think!!

hoo boy i started writing this at about 11:57 am est and now it’s 12:44 pm! im way too angry at this book so i’m gonna have to put it down for now but that’s how it is folks!! i wish i couldve gotten my physical copy but unfortunately moving’s a bitch and im NOT about 2 dig through all my boxes for it, especially when im close ta passin out.

i dont use tumblr often so feel free to follow me but theres no guarantee you’ll see much activity . i use twitter a lot more nowadays! i’m @saltysodaVEVO and i literally dont ever shut up about fnaf

tl;dr: pinkypills makes me angry and i’m late to the party so here’s my essay on why i believe the comic to be bad thanks for coming to my ted talk

-kirby (the-kay-is-a-lie.tumblr.com / @saltysodaVEVO on twitter) Jay: Dude ily so much right now. Thank you for this amazing analysis. The graphic novel pisses me off, too - i did a liveread of it in my server and it was... taxing. We can only pray that the new artist has at least 1.5 more brain cells than PP and does Comicking right. Shame she’s got to deal with (imo) the weakest of the novels.

[oh-theres-a-woman]

Valentine Parchment & Sun

✨🖤Hello lovely, thank you for the ask~~~ Sorry it took forever to get around to these. Still have your other ask with questions to get around to. Hope you’re well and happy! 🖤✨

The best gift you’ve ever received? 

I have a lot of gifts that would fit into the best gifts, a lot fo the sentimental. 

The horseshoe signet ring that I was given by my Nana: she was a child that was raised in one of the homes run by nuns as a child. When she came home at sixteen it was one of the things she was given. For sixty-four years she’s worn this ring and with her going into the hospital earlier this year and everything being so touch and go. 

A copy of A Treasury of Irish Fairy and Folk Tales. The very first birthday present my boyfriend bought me. He had actually forgotten that my birthday was on Monday. He raced back into this bookstore we found in the city and grabbed the book I was looking at but couldn’t afford at the time. 

Favourite book? 

I have a few favourites as well, can’t quite decide or place others to the side. Mostly, I go with books that leave me with the biggest impressions. 

Solitaire by Alice Oseman -- an amazing young woman that tackles the numerous issues of society in her books. I find she’s very aware of the importance of educating a person on sexuality and mental health. 100% recommend anything by her to a reader who wants a gripping and emotional read. One of the biggest things I find; she opens the eyes of the reader to live with acceptance about themselves. 

In a lot of ways, I related and probably still relate to the main character in this novel. Tori Spring, she’s one hell of a mood. Witty, sarcastic as heck, I’d say more aware of her depression and feelings than she lets on in some regard. More than anything, she’s a sister that took a step back in the hopes that her little brother got the help he needs. 

Recently picked up the release of her other book Loveless that came out two days ago. Waiting on my order of Nick and Charlie to come through so I have all of her current releases (including; her graphic novels).  Alice is also a very active author and its enjoyable to see what she comes out with, plus the general interactions she has with fans. @chronicintrovert 

If you ever want something that gets you inn the feels in soooo many way, it’s her all the way. Along with Rainbow Rowell. 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman -- There was something about this book that left me with a deep and burning feeling inside. It is one of the books for the first time in a long time make me cry. Simple things, I swear. 

It got me in the middle of recovery after a really hard time. Which, means the world to me. Touching once more on mental health and signs of when someone it’s in the best place, even when they say they are. 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell -- Ah yes, this was the high school read that I understood on a wholly personal level.  Mostly, because I saw myself very much as Cath. An anxious loner, that really has a passion for writing.  A girl that wasn’t comfortable with stepping out into college life like her sister does. 

At the point in time of my first reading this book, my school experience was very nearly over. It was where the pressure of needing to decide my future in an instance really had me stumped. By no means was I considered a straight-A student. Actually, I was considered ‘slow’ and ‘last’ because my learning rate was a hell of a lot slower than others. Nor did I conform well to the very-book learning my high school had. 

Fangirl introduced me to Cath; a fanfiction writer with a decent following. But, it also introduced me to Levi. Who, I don’t think gets enough love out there. He’s the boy that doesn’t suit the ‘normal’ education tools or learning style. Thus, he’s found ways to learn himself. A lot of these tools were things I used myself or grew to adapt in my further paths of study. He’s the awkward and lovable character that I found pulled Cath from her shell and she did the same for him with his own insecurities. This part, I’d refer to my connections with really good friends and loved ones. The people I can be my true self with, but, they also admire my talents and encourage me to push forward; like Levi does for Cath in Carry On. 

Favourite season:

Autumn 🍂🍁🍂

[journeyintotheshelves]

Back in April I took part in the O.W.L.s Magical Read-a-thon hosted by Book Roast on YouTube. Out of the twelve “exams,” I passed eight of them: Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Potions, and Transfiguration. Which set me up perfectly for this month’s read-a-thon: the N.E.W.T.s! This was my favorite read-a-thon to participate in last year, and G has just made it bigger and better than ever, and I am so glad I can participate in it again this year.

The career framework that I’m using for the N.E.W.T.s is different from the one I used for the O.W.L.s back in April. Though I could still go for a Charms professor at Hogwarts, I’m actually planning on following the criteria path for a Ministry Worker, specifically for the Department of International Magic Cooperation. Which means I only need to get an Outstanding in one subject — History of Magic — and acceptable in five others: Muggle Studies, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms.

Since I have a bunch of ARCs that I want to get to over the next few months and start posting reviews again, I’m hoping to combine the N.E.W.T.s with ARC August to see just how much of my ARC backlog I can get through. I’m ridiculously excited for all of the books I want to read this month, so hopefully I can get to most, if not all of them (in a perfect world). I am going to the beach for a week at the end of the month, which means prime reading time. Last year, I read four books while I was on vacation, so hopefully I can repeat that this year.

History of Magic

Out of all of my exams for this round of the N.E.W.T.s, History of Magic is the only one that I have to achieve an “Outstanding” to complete my career path. So did I choose easy books to complete it? Of course not! Why would I be kind to myself like that? However, I’m fairly certain that each of these books are going to be five stars, so I’m not too worried.

ACCEPTABLE: Read a fantasy

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic: 1): V.E. Schwab

Despite the fact that I own a bunch of V.E. (Victoria) Schwab books, I haven’t read a single one. A Darker Shade of Magic is one of my Top 10 Books to Read in 2019, and I think it’s finally time to dive into some of Schwab’s work.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Read a book that includes a map

Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicle: 3): Jay Kristoff Publication date: September 3rd

I’m currently in the middle of reading Godsgrave right now and am falling more in love with this story as I read every page. I cannot believe that I’m lucky enough to have an ARC of this highly anticipated finale, and I can’t wait to read it as soon as I can.

OUTSTANDING: Tom Riddle’s Diary: fond memory — reread a favorite (or a classic)

Wuthering Heights: Emily Brontë

I read Wuthering Heights for the first (and only) time back when I was a sophomore in high school and fell in love with the story. I’ve been meaning to reread this story for ages, especially since so many people I’ve talked to hate this book. I’m interested to see if I still feel the same about the story of Heathcliff and Catherine all these years later.

Muggle Studies

For my chosen career path, I only have to read the book for an acceptable grade for this exam. But I’m a bit extra motivated to get an “Outstanding” in Muggle Studies since one of these books was on my N.E.W.T.s TBR last year and didn’t get it to then, so it must happen this year.

ACCEPTABLE: Cover that includes an actual photo element

The Girl the Sea Gave Back: Adrienne Young Publication date: September 3rd

This one is a complete surprise addition to my TBR this month. But the Netgalley fairies (and the ones at St. Martin’s Press) granted my wish and I can read it early! I’m a sucker for books with a big mythology aspect, so I cannot wait to dive into this one (pun fully intended).

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Book set in our real world

Permanent Record: Mary H.K. Choi Publication date: September 3rd

The world needs more books about college-aged people that aren’t set at a  college, so I’m so excited that I get the chance to read Permanent Record. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Mary H.K. Choi’s last novel, Emergency Contact, so I’m intrigued to see how I like her newest novel.

OUTSTANDING: Book written by a person of color

A Very Large Expanse of Sea: Tahereh Mafi

If you’re having déjà vu reading this, trust me you’re not alone. This isn’t the first TBR that I’ve included A Very Large Expanse of Sea, but I definitely want it to be the last. I saw Tahereh Mafi at Epic Reads Day in July, and hearing her speak about this book and what it meant to her made me want to read it that much more.

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Like with Muggle Studies, I only have to read the book I chose for an “Acceptable” grade to complete the requirements for my chosen career path. However, all three books I’ve chosen for these prompts have been on my TBR for waaaay too long, and I think it’s time to change that.

ACCEPTABLE: Book that’s black under the dust jacket (only one necessary for my chosen career)

Legend (Legend: 1): Marie Lu

Why finish a Marie Lu series when I can keep starting them? Even though I do really want to finish her Warcross and Young Elites series, I do want to try and read her debut series; especially since Rebel, the continuation of this series, comes out in October.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Gilderoy’s memory charm — first book you remembered from your TBR

Heretics Anonymous: Katie Henry

I’ve been dying to read this book since it came out last year. I love books that deal with philosophy and religion, especially if they’re done in a humorous way.

OUTSTANDING: Cornish pixie! Swat it away with a book written by an English author or set in England

Heartstopper, Volume 1: Alice Oseman

So, technically this is a reread for me since I’ve been reading Heartstopper as a webcomic since the beginning. But, I do love this story and Nick and Charlie are just so unbelievably adorable. This will be the perfect book to squeeze between some of my darker fantasies that I hope to read this month to lighten the mood.

Potions

Potions is going to my hardest N.E.W.T. to pass with an “Outstanding” grade. All three books are fantasy over 400 pages each. But, I won’t let that deter me and sometimes a fantasy is just the perfect beach read.

ACCEPTABLE: Polyjuice potion — read your friend’s favorite book

The Princess Bride: William Goldman

Asking my friend Nicole for her favorite book was absolutely terrible. Like most bookworms, she gave me a list of about ten books about twenty minutes after I asked her. Fortunately, I read most of the books that she suggested, with the exception of The Princess Bride. I have seen the movie once and liked it, so I’m interested to see how the book and movie differ. Hopefully it has the same humor as the movie does because that was just pure gold.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: House ingredient –– book with a cover in your Hogwarts house colors (Hufflepuff — yellow & black)

Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove: 1): Shelby Mahurin Publication date: September 3rd

I’ve been in love with this book ever since I saw the cover reveal a couple of months ago. And then I heard Shelby Mahurin speak about the story and fell in love even more. Give me all of the books with a fake dating — in this case a fake marriage — trope.

OUTSTANDING: Book that starts with a prologue

The Chosen (Contender: 1): Taran Matharu

I haven’t read any Taran Matharu before, but this one sounds like a great sci-fi/fantasy book. From the synopsis, I’m getting Matrix vibes and I cannot wait to see how this story unfolds.

Transfiguration

Just like for Potions, in order to complete the tests for my chosen career path, I only have to achieve an “Acceptable.” Also like Potions, the books I chose for these prompts are all dense fantasy; but they’re all stories I’m excited to read.

ACCEPTABLE: Read a book with LGBTQIA+ representation

Girls of Paper and Fire (Girls of Paper and Fire: 1): Natasha Ngan

Just like A Very Large Expanse of Sea, Girls of Paper and Fire has been on multiple previous TBRs. Hopefully, that streak comes to an end this month. I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things about this novel, so I really hope I can join in on this bandwagon ASAP.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Read a book that’s not a first in the series

Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle: 3): Maggie Stiefvater

Over the past few years, I’ve been slowly getting through Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle. I’ve loved the first two books in the series, so I’ve been taking my time and savoring every moment. But, since her latest novel, Call Down the Hawk is related to this series (but not a direct sequel), I really want to catch up on this series before November.

OUTSTANDING: McGonagall doesn’t mess around! — Read a book over 500 pages

Angel Mage: Garth Nix Publication date: October 1st

Despite being a huge YA fantasy name, I have yet to read a single Garth Nix book. I am more than ready to finally read something by him, and I think that, since this is a standalone, this is the perfect place to start.

Charms

Out of all of my “exams,” Charms is the only one that I’m pretty confident that I can complete this month. With a graphic novel, a manga, and a short story collection that I need to read and review for a post next month, these books are more likely to happen than any of the others on this entire list.

ACCEPTABLE: A book with a gorgeous cover

His Hideous Heart: 13 of Edgar Allan Poe’s Most Unsettling Tales Reimagined: Dahlia Adler [Editor] Publication date: September 10th

I’m not a big anthology fan, but I’m ridiculously excited for this one. Edgar Allan Poe is one of my favorite authors of all time, so I cannot wait to see how his stories and themes are reimagined and interpreted.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Read a comic/graphic novel/manga (or a book under 150 pages)

Dreamin’ Sun, Vol. 9: Ichigo Takano

I don’t read much manga, but when I do it’s one of three series. There are only two volumes of Dreamin’ Sun left and I’m so sad to see this series end.

OUTSTANDING: Spongify (softening charm) — Read a paperback book

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me: Mariko Tamaki & Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

Just from flipping through this book, I know I’m going to love it in part just because the art is stunning. Stories about difficult relationships, especially in YA fiction, are always something I’m looking for, so I can’t wait to read this one.

Because I’m an overachiever, I hope to “pass” the other N.E.W.T.s that I can sit this year — Charms, Arithmancy, and Care of Magical Creatures. I make no promises, but after the past few decent reading months, I’m having a good feeling about August.

Arithmancy

ACCEPTABLE: Book that ends on an even page number

Frankly in Love: David Yoon Publication date: September 10th

I will say this every time, but I LOVE FAKE DATING TROPES AND I WILL ALWAYS READ THEM.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Read a standalone

Jackpot: Nic Stone Publication date: October 15th

I am so so so glad that I have an ARC of this book. I loved Nic Stone’s Dear Martin, and she’s such a fantastic person. I love her voice, and I cannot wait to read another one of her stories.

OUTSTANDING: Book that’s longer than 350 pages

The Beautiful (The Beautiful: 1): Renée Ahdieh Publication date: October 8th

Vampires are back in YA literature; we are thriving in 2019, ladies and gentlemen. I’ve only read one of Renée Ahdieh’s books before, but I loved her writing style and structure, so I can’t wait to see how that translates to vampiric 1870s New Orleans.

Care of Magical Creatures

ACCEPTABLE: Follow the spiders! — Book title that starts with the letter ‘A’ for Aragog!

Ash: Malinda Lo

I literally scoured my shelves, and this is the only book that I have that starts with ‘A’ that I haven’t read already. I only picked this up a few months ago, but I’m always game for a fairytale retelling, especially when it’s a LGBTQIA+ retelling.

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS: Book under 300 pages

Girls on the Verge: Sharon Briggs Waller

Ever since I watched Chelsea from chelseadolling reads on YouTube rave about this book months ago, I’ve wanted to read this book. Even though it’s a short book, I have a feeling this is going to be a difficult read, but so very worth it.

OUTSTANDING: Grab onto Fawkes’ tail! — Read a book with a bird on the cover

Black Wings Beating (Skybound: 1): Alex London

I don’t know much about this book other than it’s a LGBTQIA+ fantasy. But, I’ve also heard nothing but good things about this book from those who have read it. Since the sequel is coming out soon, hopefully I can jump on this train quickly and pick up the sequel, too.

  It's August, so you know what that means....time for the N.E.W.T.s! I'm so pumped for all the books on my TBR this month. With luck, I'll pass all my exams needed to be a Ministry Worker! Check out my #NEWTSReadathon2019 TBR here: Back in April I took part in the O.W.L.s Magical Read-a-thon hosted by Book Roast on YouTube…

[soiread-blog1]

So, I Read... Heartstopper by Alice Oseman [Graphic Novel Review]

Well, it seems that I’ll never finish my review for Shatter Me. I don’t know why I keep pushing it if I actually really enjoyed it. Anyways, if you’re asking what I think of Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, then you’re in the right place. Oh, by the way. I liked it. Although I do have some issues with it?

So, Heartstopper tells us the story of Nick and Charlie. Charlie is already out of the closet by the start of the book, although his life is still a mess when it comes to love. Nick, on the other hand, has never been in love with another man. That’s until he meets Charlie for the first time. I SWEAR IT’S NOT A SPOILER. IT’S LITERALLY THE PLOT.

You might be wondering if I enjoyed the graphic novel, right? Probably you’re not. But in case you are, yes. I enjoyed it. However, I did have to actively ignore some things in it that I wasn’t a fan of.

I think it’s great when it comes to diversity, not only because of the LGBTQ+ characters in it, but also in terms of different bodies. Nick is not necessarily your usual skinny guy. It’s also very diverse when it come to race. It is the story of Nick and Charlie, though, so don’t think that the other characters are really that important.

When it comes to the actual story, I thought it was very cute. I wouldn’t say it was something groundbreaking or new, but it’s definitely enjoyable. In fact, I want to read the sequel just to know what happens next, so I was really into the plot. It’s not only cute, however. It has some comedy in it that made me laugh or at least grin. Kind of rom-com-ish, in a good way.

Now. I know nothing about art, so I cannot tell you if the drawing were super good or whatever. But, I can tell you that I really liked it. It felt kind of like those pictures that you see on the internet, that you know the author made for fun and not to profit? What I mean is that it doesn’t feel pretentious or something like that. If you’re looking for authenticity, then I guess you’ll enjoy it.

My favorite character? Miss Singh. She states that gay and straight are not the only choices, that you cannot tell peopleʼs sexuality by looking at them, and that itʼs rude to speculate about it. Love her.

However, I did say that I had some issues with it, so let’s get into it. It’s gonna get a little bit spoiler-y, so read under your own risk.

This is my perception, so you can completely disagree with me. But if it wasn’t because they already had chemistry, I would’ve thought that their relationship developed just because Nick saved Charlie from Ben being an asshole. Also, their relationship might have developed from Charlie being unsatisfied by his ‘relationship’ with Ben, and Nick cares about Charlie, so that fits into what he’s looking for. Oh, and following someone, even if you saved that someone, is still a bit creepy in my opinion.

I love Nick. He’s one of my favorite characters. However, I do think he has some issues with entitlement. I know Charlie needed to get rid of Ben ASAP, but why does Nick think that he has the right to tell him what to do. You can give someone an advice, talk to them to make them understand the violent situation in which they are. But I don’t necessarily think it’s right to force someone to do something. Especially because it kind of replicates the same dynamic.

If you don’t like binary relationships, then you might not enjoy this one. I tell you this. It’s the description of a binary relationship. Really. Both physically and mentally. That being said, I kind of didn’t mind that? Sure, I wasn’t a fan of it. But I wasn’t mad either. Also, you might not like that it’s a ‘I wasn’t gay until I met you’ story.

That being said, Tara deserved better. She’s kind of a key character, although I do think that she was there just for that. To drive the story in the ‘right direction’. And I don’t know about you, but I need a spin-off about Tara and her girlfriend.

Do I recommend it? Sure. Not sure if it’s the first thing I would recommend, though. If you ask me if I do, then yes. The thing is, it feels like that kind of middle grade book that older people can enjoy too, unless you’re not into that kind of book. I didn’t feel like I lost my time reading it, but I’m not sure I’d re-read it. So, I guess this is my rating:

Overall: 3/5

Fun Facts:

- I thought that the picture of Tara and Nick when they were kids was super cute. I would also like a spin off based on their childhood.

- I am now a Book Depository affiliate, so it would help me a lot if you click the banner under the picture if you want to buy it. And if you do, thank you very much. In case you cannot click the banner, you can also click here: https://bit.ly/2RM55wy

[burningdarkfire]

books i read in april 2022

[these are all short + casual reviews - feel free to msg me and ask   about individual ones if u want a full review or ask for my goodreads!!]

23 books this month!! my reading challenge is thriving 🥰

piranesi - susanna clarke ★★★★★ (fantasy)

susanna clarke does it again!! insanely beautiful and utterly sunning. i absolutely loved how this book opened and the way we, the reader, have to navigate the faith of the narrator with our doubt until eventually our roles reverse. i’ll be thinking about this one for a while!

jane, unlimited - kristin cashore ★★★★★ (YA, fantasy)

i rarely say this, but i would highly recommend going into this book blind. it’s a very weird, genre-bendy, fun and funny book that i’ll definitely have to reread in the future. i love how clever this entire book is!

heartstopper (volumes 1 & 2) - alice oseman ★★★★★ (YA, romance, graphic novel)

i watched the netflix show and cried and then i reread these two volumes and cried again. nick and charlie are just so so sweet 🥺

the wicked + the divine (all 9 volumes) - kieron gillen & jamie mckelvie ★★★★★ (urban fantasy, graphic novel)

i’ve loved the concept of this series since the beginning and it’s never stopped delivering. the plot suffers at points but the emotional core never falters. it’s a story about living long enough to want to live. it reads so differently to me now in 2022 than it did when i first found it in 2016, and i'm thankful for that

beartown - fredrik backman ★★★★☆ (contemporary)

this was the first annotated book i did with my book club!! i loved the structure and narrative voice, and there was a strong and really well-rounded cast of characters. good exploration of different human facets and i teared up more than once

jujutsu kaisen (volume 0) - gege akutami ★★★★☆ (YA, fantasy)

i watched the movie and then read the manga and i’m actually impressed at how close the adaptation is. love the character beats!

fire and ice - erin hunter ★★★★☆ (children’s, fantasy)

nearly 20 years later and i still hate this graystripe storyline 🤪 anyway isn’t wild how differently the xenophobia of cats reads as an adult? i guess i’m gonna reread all of these books now

a siege of bitterns - steve burrows ★★★★☆ (mystery)

very generic mystery, in the "conventional for the genre” sense. clumsy at points where the detective work didn’t quite convince me but the birder twist was interesting and i love learning. i should read more of these!

ring shout - p. djèlí clark ★★★★☆ (historical fantasy)

tbh i lacked the vast majority of cultural and historical context to fully enjoy this but it was still fun! if you want a story about killing KKK demons then this is exactly what you’d expect

provenance - ann leckie ★★★★☆ (scifi)

the plot and themes are functional. i didn’t like the main character but i know that’s 100% personal preference and leckie wrote her well. i did really like the inclusion of a third set of pronouns though and that was the redeeming factor of the book for me!! very interesting inclusion that def challenged me as a reader

the break - katherena vermette ★★★☆☆ (contemporary)

it’s a shame i read this so close to beartown because it just feels like a worse version. the writing was fine, the story had some heartfelt moments, the characters were developed well for the time we had with them but nothing about it stood out to me at all

dowry of blood - s.t. gibson ★★☆☆☆ (fantasy, romance)

this read like the interesting outline of a novel but idk where the actual novel is. incredibly shallow and simplistic

[DNF] all of us villains - amanda foody & christine lynn herman ★★★☆☆ (YA, fantasy)

i gave this a try even though i know i don’t like amanda foody’s writing and it turns out i still don’t like her writing. everything is too dramatic with no genuine stakes. i stopped after a couple of chapters 🤷‍♂️

[DNF] fifty shades of grey - e.l. james ★★☆☆☆ (romance)

idk why i thought i was going to read this for the ~cultural impact but yeah actually i’m just not going to do that LOL i read the first few chapters and skimmed for the explicit and meh!