August 2014 Roundup

Hi Birds!

Just wanted to post a quick roundup of the books I read in August. I read nine books. I've already talked about The 5th Wave and Inside Out so I'll just skip over those.

Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP ~ B+
- This manga reminded me of Sailor Moon because it's about three young school girls with magic powers, special weapons and color-coordinated outfits. Hikaro is my favorite. She's a shorty like me and I love that she meets the adventure head on. The villians were easy to escape which I expected because it's the first volume and they don't know how to fight or use their magic. I enjoyed the artwork. It was excellent.

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger ~ A-
- This is the second book in the Finishing School series. The first book is Etiquette & Espionage. The main character Saphronia is fun and smart. I love all of the trouble she gets into. She's like a teenage James Bond in petticoats. The world is so playful and quirky. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

The Selection by Kiera Cass ~ A-
- I wasn't really sure I would like this series because of the Bachelor-like plot line but I was pleasantly surprised. I like America. She's feisty and speaks her mind. The prince is a pretty cool dude too. Love triangles are usually a pet peeve of mine in YA fiction but I think it really works in this first book. I'm interested to see who she picks and what happens with the rebels.

Nightschool: The Weirn Books by Svetlana Chmakova ~ B+
- I enjoyed the first volume in this manga series. Alex is a young witch with amazing powers. When her sister is wiped form existence she must infiltrate the Nightschool to figure out who is responsible. There are a lot of secondary characters which was kind of confusing. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of Alex's abilities.

Bone: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith ~ C-
- I had high hopes for this graphic novel but it didn't live up to the hype for me. It wasn't as funny as I was hoping and what I did find funny was juvenile. I don't understand why they're bones either. Does that have anything to do with the story? Fone Bones crush on Thorn was kind of cute. I will not continue this series.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Tucholke ~ C
- I have mixed feelings about the main character but the plot was strong enough to give it a C. Violet has horrible taste in guys. She knows River is a horrible person but she lets him control her. She should have kicked him to the curb fast. The 'real' bad guy Brodie seems to have been added just to take the spotlight off of how crappy River really is. Why would you continue to let this guy, who is a stranger, continue to live with you after you have learned he is a straight-up murderer? I will not continue this series.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton ~ C
- This retelling of the Persephone myth fell flat. The idea was better than the execution. The characters were boring and the story was very slow paced. For someone with only six months left on Earth, Nicki sure takes her sweet time trying to figure things out. The love story was very sappy and slowed the plot even further. I will not continue this series.

LEAVE A COMMENT! Have a suggestion for a good manga series? Let me know in the comments below.