December went by incredibility fast! I read a total of 13 books. I find that insane as I usually do not read as much! I didn't notice how much I read until I was gathering all the information I needed to write this post. But before I go into detail about the books I have read, I wanted to inform you all that I am in the process of trying to change the look of this blog. I do not know when I will finish as I started an internship and I am trying to read as much as possible. So if at any point my blog looks a little weird, I am sorry if it confuses anyone or looks strange. Any way, now on to the wrap up part of this wrap up post.
I started off December by finishing Stardust by Neil Gaiman, which was good and I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars. For this novel, I read a total of 119 pages. I think Gaiman is insanely good at world building and he did not disappoint with Stardust.
"Hopelessly crossed in love, a boy of half-fairy parentage leaves his mundane Victorian-English village on a quest for a fallen star in the magical realm. The star proves to be an attractive woman with a hot temper, who plunges with our hero into adventures featuring witches, the lion and the unicorn, plotting elf-lords, ships that sail the sky, magical transformations, curses whose effects rebound, binding conditions with hidden loopholes and all the rest."-Goodreads
Pages: 333
Average Rating: 4.04 Stars
Then I started and finished Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz. I loved this book just as much as I loved the show. I gave this novel 5 out of 5 stars on goodreads. I also got the sequel recently from my mother for Christmas! I am really excited to continue the series!
"The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.
For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them."-Goodreads
Pages: 272
Average Rating: 3.5 Stars
Then I read Saga Vol.1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples! I was so pumped when I found this at the Barnes and Noble near my house, which did not have this for a while. I loved this graph novel and I thought it was epic! I obviously gave this a 5 out of 5 stars. Just a warning: It is graphic in a sexual way in certain parts, so buy and read at your own discretion. I'm also annoyed that Barnes and Noble don't have volume 2 but they have 3 and 4! How is that fair??
"Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults."-Goodreads
Pages: 160
Average Rating: 4.39 Stars
Anyway I moved on to finish The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman, which was good and I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. This was a book for my senior English class.
"One of most acclaimed books of the year, Tom Rachman's debut novel follows the topsy-turvy private lives of the reporters and editors of an English-language newspaper in Rome."-Goodreads
Pages: 287
Average Rating:3.53
Then what started as a school read turned into a personal read. We read excerpts from the Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Short Stories by Marina Keegan, which made me want to read the whole book. So I borrowed it from my English teacher. This was also good and I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars. So her works were divided into fiction and nonfiction. I happened to like her nonfiction essays better than her fiction, but her fiction was also good. I am not going to put up the synopsis because it gives something away that shocks you when you find out after you read her book.
Pages: 240
Average Rating: 3.84 Stars
Next I picked up Witches of the Glass Castle by Gabriela Lepore for the ReadWithBen goodreads book club. I loved this book as well. I liked the magic and the characters. I gave this a 5 out of 5 stars. I cannot wait to read more of Gabriela Lepore's novels!
"Mia’s life is thrown through a loop when she discovers her family secret — that she and her brother Dino are witches. After they are sent away to study their craft, they begin down a path that will change their lives forever. Suddenly thrust into a world where handsome warriors command the power of nature and people’s thoughts and actions can be manipulated at will, Mia and Dino struggle to navigate their own allegiances and do what they know to be right when everything around them seems beyond their control"-Goodreads
Pages: 255
Average Rating: 4.24 Stars
Then I picked up Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevy, which is the novel the Netflix original show is based off of. Fun fact: McGreevy is the head writer and a producer for the show. This was okay and I gave this a 3 out of 5 stars.
"The body of a young girl is found mangled and murdered in the woods of Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania, in the shadow of the abandoned Godfrey Steel mill. A manhunt ensues—though the authorities aren’t sure if it’s a man they should be looking for..."-Goodreads
Pages: 336
Average Rating: 3.46 Stars
Then I picked up Will Poole's Island by Tim Weed, which was sent to me for review. I really liked this book. It had adventure and suspense. I gave this a 5 out of 5 stars. I will be posting a review for this, so be on the look out for that! I will tweet about it when it is up.
"New England, 1643. A meeting in the forest between a rebellious young Englishman and a visionary Wampanoag leads to a dangerous collision of societies, an epic sea journey, and the making of an unforgettable friendship."-Goodreads
Pages: 184
Average Rating: 4.33 Stars
Warrior Lore by Ian Cumpstey was the next book I read. I also got this for review, but from the author. This was ok and I liked it, but I didn't love it. I gave this a 3 out of 5 stars. Like the review for Will Poole's Island, I will tweet about it when it is up. Also if you follow this blog by email, you would get a email when I post it as well.
"Warrior Lore is the second collection of Scandinavian folk ballads translated into English verse by Ian Cumpstey, following Lord Peter and Little Kerstin. These narrative ballads were part of an oral tradition in Scandinavia, and were first written down around 1600. Included in this book are stories of heroes and fighters, Vikings, and trolls."-Goodreads
Pages: 76
Average Rating: 3.90 Stars
The last four books I read in December were graphic novels. Three of which were in the same series. I read these first. They were the installments of The Crow by James O'barr. I absolutely loved these. The graphics were amazing and I loved how they were in black and white! I loved the plot and the characters! They were great! I gave all three graphic novels a 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. Just a warning: can be graphic.
"The story revolves around an unfortunate young man named Eric. He and his fiancée, Shelly, are assaulted by a gang of street thugs after their car breaks down. Eric is shot in the head and is paralyzed, and can only watch as Shelly is savagely beaten and raped. They are then left for dead on the side of the road. He is resurrected by a crow and seeks vengeance on the murderers, methodically stalking and killing them. When not on the hunt, Eric stays in the house he shared with Shelly, spending most of his time there lost in memories of her. Her absence is torture for him; he is in emotional pain, even engaging in self-mutilation by cutting himself. The Crow acts as both guide and goad for Eric, giving him information that helps him in his quest but also chastising him for dwelling on Shelly's death, seeing his pining as useless self-indulgence that distracts him from his purpose"-Goodreads
The Crow Vol.1: Pain & Fear
Pages: 64
Average Rating:4.75 Stars
The Crow Vol.2: Irony & Despair
Pages: 64
Average Rating:4.78 Stars
The Crow Vol.3: Death
Pages: 64
Average Rating: 4.78 Stars
Lastly, I read Dead Class Vol.1 by Rick Remender, Wesley Craig , Lee Loughridge . I really liked this. I liked the graphics and the plot line. I can't wait to finish the series. I gave this a 4 out of 5 stars.
"It’s 1987. Marcus Lopez hates school. His grades suck. The jocks are hassling his friends. He can’t focus in class. But the jocks are the children of Joseph Stalin’s top assassin, the teachers are members of an ancient league of assassins, the class he's failing is “Dismemberment 101,” and his crush has a double-digit body count. Welcome to the most brutal high school on earth, where the world’s top crime families send the next generation of assassins to be trained. Murder is an art. Killing is a craft. At Kings Dominion School for the Deadly Arts, the dagger in your back isn’t always metaphorical."-Goodreads
Pages: 160
Average Rating: 4.13
Those were all the books I read in December! What did you read in December? Did you read any of these? I hope everyone had a good reading month!
-Ashley <3
I started off December by finishing Stardust by Neil Gaiman, which was good and I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars. For this novel, I read a total of 119 pages. I think Gaiman is insanely good at world building and he did not disappoint with Stardust."Hopelessly crossed in love, a boy of half-fairy parentage leaves his mundane Victorian-English village on a quest for a fallen star in the magical realm. The star proves to be an attractive woman with a hot temper, who plunges with our hero into adventures featuring witches, the lion and the unicorn, plotting elf-lords, ships that sail the sky, magical transformations, curses whose effects rebound, binding conditions with hidden loopholes and all the rest."-Goodreads
Pages: 333
Average Rating: 4.04 Stars
Then I started and finished Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz. I loved this book just as much as I loved the show. I gave this novel 5 out of 5 stars on goodreads. I also got the sequel recently from my mother for Christmas! I am really excited to continue the series!
"The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.
For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them."-Goodreads
Pages: 272
Average Rating: 3.5 Stars
Then I read Saga Vol.1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples! I was so pumped when I found this at the Barnes and Noble near my house, which did not have this for a while. I loved this graph novel and I thought it was epic! I obviously gave this a 5 out of 5 stars. Just a warning: It is graphic in a sexual way in certain parts, so buy and read at your own discretion. I'm also annoyed that Barnes and Noble don't have volume 2 but they have 3 and 4! How is that fair??
"Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults."-Goodreads
Pages: 160
Average Rating: 4.39 StarsAnyway I moved on to finish The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman, which was good and I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. This was a book for my senior English class.
"One of most acclaimed books of the year, Tom Rachman's debut novel follows the topsy-turvy private lives of the reporters and editors of an English-language newspaper in Rome."-Goodreads
Pages: 287
Average Rating:3.53
Then what started as a school read turned into a personal read. We read excerpts from the Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Short Stories by Marina Keegan, which made me want to read the whole book. So I borrowed it from my English teacher. This was also good and I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars. So her works were divided into fiction and nonfiction. I happened to like her nonfiction essays better than her fiction, but her fiction was also good. I am not going to put up the synopsis because it gives something away that shocks you when you find out after you read her book.Pages: 240
Average Rating: 3.84 Stars
Next I picked up Witches of the Glass Castle by Gabriela Lepore for the ReadWithBen goodreads book club. I loved this book as well. I liked the magic and the characters. I gave this a 5 out of 5 stars. I cannot wait to read more of Gabriela Lepore's novels!
"Mia’s life is thrown through a loop when she discovers her family secret — that she and her brother Dino are witches. After they are sent away to study their craft, they begin down a path that will change their lives forever. Suddenly thrust into a world where handsome warriors command the power of nature and people’s thoughts and actions can be manipulated at will, Mia and Dino struggle to navigate their own allegiances and do what they know to be right when everything around them seems beyond their control"-Goodreads
Pages: 255
Average Rating: 4.24 Stars
Then I picked up Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevy, which is the novel the Netflix original show is based off of. Fun fact: McGreevy is the head writer and a producer for the show. This was okay and I gave this a 3 out of 5 stars.
"The body of a young girl is found mangled and murdered in the woods of Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania, in the shadow of the abandoned Godfrey Steel mill. A manhunt ensues—though the authorities aren’t sure if it’s a man they should be looking for..."-Goodreads
Pages: 336
Average Rating: 3.46 Stars
Then I picked up Will Poole's Island by Tim Weed, which was sent to me for review. I really liked this book. It had adventure and suspense. I gave this a 5 out of 5 stars. I will be posting a review for this, so be on the look out for that! I will tweet about it when it is up.
"New England, 1643. A meeting in the forest between a rebellious young Englishman and a visionary Wampanoag leads to a dangerous collision of societies, an epic sea journey, and the making of an unforgettable friendship."-GoodreadsPages: 184
Average Rating: 4.33 Stars
Warrior Lore by Ian Cumpstey was the next book I read. I also got this for review, but from the author. This was ok and I liked it, but I didn't love it. I gave this a 3 out of 5 stars. Like the review for Will Poole's Island, I will tweet about it when it is up. Also if you follow this blog by email, you would get a email when I post it as well. "Warrior Lore is the second collection of Scandinavian folk ballads translated into English verse by Ian Cumpstey, following Lord Peter and Little Kerstin. These narrative ballads were part of an oral tradition in Scandinavia, and were first written down around 1600. Included in this book are stories of heroes and fighters, Vikings, and trolls."-Goodreads
Pages: 76
Average Rating: 3.90 Stars
The last four books I read in December were graphic novels. Three of which were in the same series. I read these first. They were the installments of The Crow by James O'barr. I absolutely loved these. The graphics were amazing and I loved how they were in black and white! I loved the plot and the characters! They were great! I gave all three graphic novels a 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. Just a warning: can be graphic.
"The story revolves around an unfortunate young man named Eric. He and his fiancée, Shelly, are assaulted by a gang of street thugs after their car breaks down. Eric is shot in the head and is paralyzed, and can only watch as Shelly is savagely beaten and raped. They are then left for dead on the side of the road. He is resurrected by a crow and seeks vengeance on the murderers, methodically stalking and killing them. When not on the hunt, Eric stays in the house he shared with Shelly, spending most of his time there lost in memories of her. Her absence is torture for him; he is in emotional pain, even engaging in self-mutilation by cutting himself. The Crow acts as both guide and goad for Eric, giving him information that helps him in his quest but also chastising him for dwelling on Shelly's death, seeing his pining as useless self-indulgence that distracts him from his purpose"-GoodreadsThe Crow Vol.1: Pain & Fear
Pages: 64
Average Rating:4.75 Stars
The Crow Vol.2: Irony & Despair
Pages: 64
Average Rating:4.78 Stars
The Crow Vol.3: Death
Pages: 64
Average Rating: 4.78 Stars
Lastly, I read Dead Class Vol.1 by Rick Remender, Wesley Craig , Lee Loughridge . I really liked this. I liked the graphics and the plot line. I can't wait to finish the series. I gave this a 4 out of 5 stars.
"It’s 1987. Marcus Lopez hates school. His grades suck. The jocks are hassling his friends. He can’t focus in class. But the jocks are the children of Joseph Stalin’s top assassin, the teachers are members of an ancient league of assassins, the class he's failing is “Dismemberment 101,” and his crush has a double-digit body count. Welcome to the most brutal high school on earth, where the world’s top crime families send the next generation of assassins to be trained. Murder is an art. Killing is a craft. At Kings Dominion School for the Deadly Arts, the dagger in your back isn’t always metaphorical."-Goodreads Average Rating: 4.13
Those were all the books I read in December! What did you read in December? Did you read any of these? I hope everyone had a good reading month!
-Ashley <3
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