Three Mini Reviews: Snug, You Can't Kill Me Twice, Animosity

Snug: A Collection of Comics about Dating Your Best Friend by Catana Chetwynd

4 stars

Snug is a collection of comic strips from a famous webcomic artist who focuses on making cute strips about her and her partner’s relationship. She and her boyfriend have been the chuckle of many shared Facebook posts. At least that’s how I become familiar with her comic strips. When I saw the book was available for review on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to check it out. Y’all, this book was CUTE. The comic strips are funny and sweet. There are times when I couldn’t stop laughing, but there were also times when all I could say was, “Awe.” I recommend this collection if you are fan of Catana’s comics or if you just like reading feel-good stuff. I tend to read and gravitate towards darker novels, so this was a sweet palate cleanser. Some of my favorite strips were the fortune cookie, the leftovers note, lost in conversation, I want pasta, when I’m cold, telling a story, and there were so many more I enjoyed, but I won’t bore you by listing them all. Go check the book out for yourself!
I have also never related as much to a comic strip as I do with the “Why did I come in here?” strip. That was so relatable.



Art Scale: 4

Whimsical Writing Scale: 4

Plotastic Scale: 4

Cover Thoughts: Super cute and it fits the comics so well.

Thank you, Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

You Can’t Kill Me Twice (So Please Treat Me Right) by Charlyne Yi

3.75 stars

“A child bangs his head
against a wall,
trying to understand
why the adults supervising this world
need convincing that his father
shouldn’t be murdered because of his black skin.”

Poetry is hard to rate. Particularly poetry that deals with personal experiences and showcases a person’s vulnerability and raw pain. It feels cruel to rate poems like those, but I am a book reviewer. So, I will try to rate this collection as kindly as possibly without being too harsh to her experiences. For that reason, those very deep and personal poems are not factored into my rating because this collection is much harder for me to rate because of those few poems. However, that is Yi’s strong suit—vulnerability. I don’t think I’ve read a collection from a modern-day poet that is raw and vulnerable about her experiences like she is. With that being said, huge trigger warnings for most heavy and triggering topics because it is obvious that Yi has had a hard life, but her poetry is a great reflection of how she will not let the substance of her hardships define her narrative. I wasn’t always a fan of this collection. There are some poems that are just plain ridiculous in the sentimentality of love and pandering, but that’s the be expected of modern poetry. It’s become the norm. I much preferred the raw poetry even if it showed layers of her soul. It reminded of Wintergirls in that respect. Beautifully written, but with sad and hard topics behind those vicious and layered words.


“The humans stared at their screens
as they missed another sunset.
Too bad it was the last.”

Yi has a lot of social commentary poems, which I really like. The good thing about these poems is that they feel like a protest against society which are the poems I generally prefer. If you are interested in a poet who isn’t afraid to pack a punch, then I suggest giving Yi’s collection You Can’t Kill Me Twice a shot. I am greatly impressed by it. It has its issues with being consisted throughout, but there are some striking poems inside. Just not as many as I would personally like.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 3.5

Plotastic Scale: 3.75

Cover Thoughts: I kind of love this cover. The colors and the little drawings of two people walking away. I love how the image doesn’t take up the whole cover. It’s different.

Thank you, Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this collection in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

Animosity Volume 1: The Wake by Marguerite Bennett, Rafael de Latorre, Juan Doe, and Rob Schwager

4 stars

One day the animals around the earth began to think. They woke up and then they started murdering. Suddenly, the animals that have cohabited the earth as pets began killing their owners, animals began attacking each other, but animals also began killing humans in the streets. The world erupted in chaos. An eleven-year-old girl, Jessie, and her dog, Sandor, are trying to leave New York City. This is the saga of their adventures in a world in which animals think like humans and humans begin to think more like animals. I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The premise is interesting and it’s different. I recently took a class on post-apocalyptic literature and looking at the story through that particular contextual lens makes this graphic novel ten times more enjoyable. I’ve recently learned that I really love post-apocalyptic worlds and this is an interesting premise. It’s not the end of the world through cataclysmic events. It’s the end of the world through an animal awakening. Through beings becoming sentient and deciding that they’ve had enough of humans running the show. The plot for the first volume is gripping and intense. I wasn’t interested in Jessie’s brother’s storyline, but I can see it being developed into something really cool in the future volumes. The art is also stunning and there were times where I would turn the page and be struck by how well done and intricate the panels and details are.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 4

Art Scale: 4.25

The characters in this graphic novel series are sweet. They are nothing particularly groundbreaking and I don’t have any huge favorites. Naturally, Sandor steals the show. He’s a gruff dog who loves his girl, Jessie, but he can be ruthless and does not mind killing those who get in his way. Jessie is sweet, but she is kind of a stock character. I haven’t been sold on why I should love her, but I do love their dynamic together. I also really loved Animilitary characters and found them all fascinating. The way characters flip from one side to the other is so fascinating.


Character Scale: 3.25

Overall, this graphic novel is awesome. It’s not the best graphic novel in the world, but the premise is so inventive and gripping that it makes this story digestible and entertaining. I highly recommend it!


Plotastic Scale: 4.5

Cover Thoughts: Creepy, but it doesn’t do a great job of really luring me into the story and wanting to pick it up.

Huge thank you to Diamond Books Publishing for gifting me with a Christmas copy of this graphic novel.

 

 

Have you read any of these books? What are some graphic novels that you recommend I check out? Any favorite poetry collections this year that I should read in 2020? Let me know down below in the comments!

 

 

Reflecting on 5-star Predictions and New Predictions

Hey, everyone! One of my favorite things is the 5-star prediction videos and blog posts. I love the guessing of what will be a favorite and then seeing what will not. If you are not familiar with the concept, it's choosing books that you think will be 5-star reads- the absolute best. This should be how most readers read, but I've been blogging for eight years now and reviewing for nine, so I don't have the tendency to read just for pleasure. I read for a multitude of reasons and I like to say that I think every book is a 5-star when I pick it up, but sometimes I go in with expectations that are too low, too high, or just hitting the nail on the head. I like the idea of 5-star predictions because you don't know if you are right in your initial assumption based off of the cover, synopsis, or reviews if that has influenced you in some way. I previously did a prediction at the beginning of 2019 in April and I'm going to update you and where I'm at in my predictions.

THE Original 5-star Predictions

   

THE RESULTS:
Misery by Stephen King- It is no surprise that I loved Misery. It's surprising, however, how twisted and nasty this book got. I had watched the film and I'm familiar with Kathy Bates and the hobbling scene, but reading that scene almost made me throw up. Chilling. Also, let's not forget what lawnmowers can do. Poor Paul Sheldon. If you are looking for a suspense novel that focuses on the psychology and torture of the character with some horror thrown in, then this is for you. It's slow, but gripping at the same time. Hard to put down! Results: 5 stars SUCCESS
Us Against You by Fredrick Backman- Backman has become one of my favorite authors in 2019. I read Beartown at the beginning of the year and was wrecked by it. It only makes sense that Us Against You would be a favorite and it was! This book broke me. It's gritty, raw, honest, and one of the best character studies of a small town that I've ever read. So beautiful. I ugly cried forever. My emotions were wrecked and my face was a mess. Still grieving, man. Results: 5 stars SUCCESS
Here, Now: Unearthing Peace and Presence in an Overconnected World by Kate Merrick: I thought this one would be a hit with me because it's about the author's experience in living is Israel when her family moved out there to try some treatments for her daughter's cancer. It's all about unplugging and abiding in the Sabbath (or Shabbat). I really enjoyed the book. There were some beautiful moments and commentary, but the book wasn't a must-have for me. It's one that I highly recommend and enjoy, but now an absolute favorite. However, the writing was really good and I own another book by Merrick, so I'm planning to read her other work for sure! Check out my review here! Results: 4 stars ALMOST A SUCCESS
The Invited by Jennifer McMahon- I was expecting this novel about a woman building a haunted house to become an absolute new favorite. It wasn't an absolute favorite, but I did enjoy it a lot. I wouldn't consider this to be an all-time favorite novel, but it is definitely a favorite novel (if that makes sense). It just wasn't 5 stars for me. I did love the mysteries introduced and the creepiness of the women. Plus, I love generational stories, so that was a fun bonus. Results: 4.25 stars ALMOST A SUCCESS
Disciple Her: Using the Word, Work, & Wonder of God to Invest in Women by Kandi Gallaty- I was so excited to read a book all about discipling women. Books on discipleship are common, but this is the first one to be published that is specifically by women and for women. It's a nice instructional manual. I love discipling women. It's one of my greatest passions and callings in life. I enjoyed this book. There was some awesome information in here, but I didn't always agree with Gallaty's approaches. However, we have very similar discipling techniques and processes. Check out my review here! Results: 4 stars ALMOST SUCESS

Success: 2/10
Almost Success: 3/10
Miss: 0/10
Huge Miss: 0/10
Didn't Read: 5/10

Do I still think it will be 5-star?
Dreamer's Pool by Juliet Marillier- FOR SURE. I love Marillier. She is my favorite fantasy writer. I savor her books and tend to always want to read them and never pick them up. It's a horrible pattern that I'm trying to break.
An Illusion of Thieves by Cate Glass- I don't think so. I'm still going to give it a read and hope that I love it, but now I'm not sure if it'll be 5-star read for me. It may be a 4-star read, but I'm not getting 5-stars from it. That makes me nervous!
The Raven's Tale by Cat Winters- Edgar Allan Poe retelling with Lenore being a Muse that drives him mad? SIGN ME UP! I think I'll love this one! I've read Winters before (wasn't able to finish the ARC before it expired) and I loved her writing, so I think this could be a hit.
The Familiars by Stacey Halls- This is about a woman who wants to have a baby, but isn't lucky. She meets a woman who wants to help her and the woman is accused of witchcraft. That sounds WILD and right up alley. I love historical fiction surrounding witches. I think this could be a favorite if the writing catches me and wins me over. Really with books like this it's all about the writing for me.
How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Gasglow- I love the synopsis. It's the type of writing that draws me in and steals an afternoon from me. It's captivating, so I can't wait to read this novel. It's sounds gritty and sad. I'm excited!

15 NEW PREDICTIONS:

 
  
The goal for the end of 2020 is to have the five books I originally predicted read as well as the new ones.

Here's to actually completing my predictions list next year and checking in. :)

Have you read any of these books? Did your prediction line up with your rating? Let me know down below in the comments!

Three of the Come Join Us By the Fire Horror Stories

Hey, everyone! Night Fire is a new division focusing on horror novels and short stories that is joining Macmillan. Super excited as a horror fan to see that the genre is expanding. Night Fire has created a series of short stories released as 35 audios called Come Join Us by the Fire. I'm super intrigued by this new series and I want to listen to as many of them as I can (hopefully all). I'll keep you updated on my thoughts. All of the stories are free and they aren't too long. If you love horror stories, especially listening to a good one (because SPOOKY), then this is something you definitely want to check out!

And When She Was Bad by Nadia Bulkin

1 star

I'm always excited to support women in the horror genre mainly because there are so few of them and I'm trying to actively search out more women in the genre and read their work. Nadia Bulkin is a great example of women who stick to the sluts, whores, and guts trope of if you could potentially be branded by other cruel people as one of these labels then you deserve to die. The audiobook was nicely narrated, but hearing those two famous brands constantly used in regards to the heroine's "friends" who have died was cringe-inducing. I wasn't a fan of the story's route of progression. It was typical and it reminds me more of a creepypasta than a horror short story. It had promise, but I was just unimpressed. There are better horror short writers out there. Skip this one.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 1
Villain Scale: 1
Whimsical Writing Scale: 1
Plotastic Scale: 1

Cover Thoughts: It's kind of nice, but nothing really striking.

My Body, Herself by Carmen Maria Machado

1.5 stars

This was not the best short story in the world. In fact, I don't care for it all that much, but I did like the ending which is why it's not a 1-star read for me. The writing is strong, but has a tendency to be weak in leaning towards the concept of being so sophisticated that there has to be an aura of not telling you what's going on. This kind of writing is prevalent with magical realism and I enjoy magical realism, but I'm not sure it works for a horror short story. Or at least not this one. I think this one is worth giving a shot.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 1
Whimsical Writing Scale: 1.5
Plotastic Scale: 1.5

Cover Thoughts: Ghastly.

 

 

Black Bark by Brian Evenson

3 stars

I just really liked this one. The story follows two cowboys looking for a cabin that may not even exist. One of the cowboys gets injured and tells the story of Black Bark. I wish this was longer because it was excellently done and I think if it went further, I would've loved it even more. Alas, it didn't and it cut off at a part that I think did the story a disservice, but Evenson does a great job of creating a suspenseful and unsettling atmosphere through the injuries of the two cowboys. Pleasantly impressed and surprised.

Whimsical Writing Scale: 3
Villain Scale: 3
Plotastic Scale: 3

Cover Thoughts: I like the color palette, but it's an ugly cover.

 

 

Overall Thoughts: 

So far, this series is not a huge hit, but I'm enjoying the experience of listening to the stories. My favorite of the three is "Black Bark". Cowboy and westerns are not my thing, but I love western horror and its a weird subgenre I totally want more of. 

 

Have you heard of Come Join Us By the Fire? Will you be listening to any of these? Let me know down below in the comments!
 

2020 Releases I'm Living For and Looking Forward To

Hey, everyone! I am not normally one to keep up with the newest and upcoming releases, but the last two years I've been reading more new releases. This is because 1) I'm getting better at actually reading new release ARCs 2) my library has new audiobooks and I love being on the waitlist for them! This has really made reading fun for me when it comes to new releases as it's not something I normally do. Here are some of the books I have my eye as of right now!

January 2020

 

The Tenant by Katrine Engberg: Y'all just have to go read this summary because it is wild! I can't wait to read this one because it sounds like it's going to be a twisting game of cat and mouse.

Fire & Wind by Stan Jantz: I'm all about the power of the Holy Spirit. Let's GO!

The Will and the Wilds by Charlie N. Holmberg: This fantasy story sounds like something I'll enjoy. It has woods which is the call to my fantasy loving heart.Long Bright River by Liz Moore: A thriller about two sisters with alternating time periods. This is what I want!

Blood Countess by Lana Popovic: YA historical horror? Say no more! 

Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau: Coney Island in a novel? I'm intrigued and hoping to love this one.

Post-Christian by Gene Edward Veith Jr.: I'm interested in how modern Christianity is not actually about following Jesus (it's scary and sad), but I'm curious to see this author's viewpoint on this new movement. 

Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim: This sounds so fascinating and I can't wait to eat it up.

February 2020

Snug by Catana Comics: I already read this graphic novel and it was so cute! Everyone should go check out her comics they are precious. 

Stop Calling Me Beautiful by Phylicia Masonheimer: Easily one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and it's so good! I've already started this one and I'm already loving it! Go preorder it!

Making Peace with Change by Gina Brenna Butz: This is exactly what I need for next year because I'm leaving college. Change is hard.

Isaiah's Legacy by Mesu Andrews: I don't normally read Christian fiction, but this one sounds really fascinating.

Ghosts of the Missing by Kathleen Donohoe: Two people connected to a missing child try to piece the puzzle pieces together. I'm here for it.

Beyond Betrayal by Phil Waldrep: This sounds like a challenging Christian living book and I'm hoping that I'll enjoy it.

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace: Magic and pirates!

March 2020

 

The Return by Rachel Harrison: A girl returns two years after she has gone missing, but she isn't the same girl and she may not even be human. This sounds so good!

Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas: I'm hoping to love this one! I'm excited about a new Maas book and I think this one is going to be a wild ride.

God Sees Her: 365 Devotions for Women by Women: I have already started reading this one and I am really enjoying it so far. Nothing groundbreaking, but there is some really good stuff in here. 

Bloom by Kenneth Opel: This is about an invasion that brings rain that carries seeds that carry something that takes over the environment.After taking a post-apocalyptic class this semester, I want more and this sounds right up my alley.

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski: I love The Winner's Curse so I'm curious to see what her next series brings!

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin: Jemisin just seems like an author I'm going to love. I will continue to add all her books to my TBR.

Open Fire by Amber Lough: This follows Russia enlisting an all-female battalion during WWI. It sounds interesting and the cover is pretty creepy.

The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis: Floating kingdoms? Raven princes? I'm here for it. 

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen: I am a sucker for their thrillers.

A Conspiracy of Bones by Kathy Reichs: "she thinks might be hallucinations when she receives a series of mysterious text messages, each containing a new picture of a corpse that is missing its face and hands..." say no more! This sounds like a darker mystery/suspense novel I can't wait to dive into it!

The Vinyl Underground by Rob Rufus: This is a historical novel about music in the 1960s. It sounds like it'll be interesting and something new to the genre.

April 2020

 

The Beetle by Richard Marsh: This is an old classics horror novel that is being republished and I'm curious to see if it'll be a favorite.

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha: This follows four women in Korea whose lives are intertwined. It's supposed to be a huge hit for the 2020 year and I'm interested in checking it out.

Something She's Not Telling Us by Darcey Bell: I didn't like A Simple Favor, but I ate it up like it was candy. I know this will be quick and I'm hoping I'll like this one more.

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier: This sounds like a hurt woman decides to take revenge on a woman who has taken her husband after she has already lost a son. I'm intrigued. 

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown: This follows thieves and con artists. It sounds fun!

The Women with Silver Wings: Katherine Sharp Landdeck: A nonfiction about women pilots during World War II. YES! I am so interested in this topic.

May 2020

If It Bleeds by Stephen King: A new King story collection!! I can't wait. I love his novellas!

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones: "Four American Indian men from the Blackfeet Nation, who were childhood friends, find themselves in a desperate struggle for their lives, against an entity that wants to exact revenge upon them for what they did during an elk hunt ten years earlier by killing them, their families, and friends." I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS! I was shocked to get this one so early on Netgalley and I can't wait to dive into it. I hope it's terrifying! 

Shepherd by Catherine Jinks: This follows a thirteen-year-old tracking a killer in the Australian outback. How wild does that sound?!? 

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna: This follows a girl who is scared to bleed anything, but red at the blood ceremony and bleeds gold. She is offered the opportunity to die in her village or to fight for the emperor with other girls with the same gold blood.

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora: This follows three generations of women before and after the Civil War. One of my favorite things to read in literary ficiton is trans-generational stories. 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins- I may hate this, but I'm going to give it a shot. It's been years since Collins has released anything and I'm definitely intrigued. 

 

June 2020

 

Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee: This sounds like an intense and beautiful wild! I'm so intrigued and the cover is stunning.

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles: I think that this will be something that I will like a lot! It has a circus club, that's legit!

September 2020

 

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff: THIS SOUNDS EPIC!!!!! I know how much Kristoff loves vampires, so I can't wait to see his take on the genre. 

There are so many books releasing in 2020 and I love the beauty of finding them as the year goes on. As of right now this is all that's on my radar for the new year!

What are some books you are highly anticipating and want me to check out on GR? Let me know down below in the comments!