End of 2016 Part 1

At this point, I'm just trying to play catch up with all of these books that I've yet to post on my blog. I hope to get better at this next year :)

One-Punch Man by ONE
A regular guy decides to train to become a superhero. But one he does, he's bored with the results of defeating every foe with a single punch.

Vol 1
4 STAR RATING

I've had this book checked out for a while from my library and I'm just now getting around to reading it. It's for people who don't normally read manga. You have humor, action, and witty dialogue. I think it appeals to both young men and women who are looking for a series to introduce themselves into manga. Saitama, the protagonist, is hilarious. Even the way he looks and how people react to him made me laugh. I'm wondering whether this story will get more serious with each new volume. I'm eager to find out.






Vol 2
4 STAR RATING

This series is just weird enough to make me wanna read more. More than that, Saitama is really funny. I love his interactions with the villains, who are equally ridiculous. I have this weird feeling that Genos, the cyborg following him around, might turn into a bad guy. I hope I'm wrong because I like his character.









Vol 3
4 STAR RATING


It just keeps getting funnier and funnier. I finally read the infamous scene that has now become internet popular, when Saitama bites a sword into pieces. I cackled with laughter. The story lacks focus but I think that's why I'm enjoying them so much. It's a light read that doesn't require me to think too much.











Sunstone Volume 2 by Stjepan Šejić
3 STAR RATING

This volume was a little slower and heavier than the first one but still kept my interest with the story. Ally and Lisa are a great couple and I am so eager to see their bond turn into a lasting relationship. And since you get little flashes into their future (5 years), it's safe to say everything works out for them. The art is beautiful, which is a necessity for graphic novels. Sejic is definitely talented.



Every Kind of Wanting by Gina Frangello
A group of people deal with the harsh realities of having a "community baby"
ONE STAR RATING

This is gonna get a big ol' no from me. It was just...too much and not enough at the same time. The plot and characters had so much potential to be interesting and engaging. Even with no one being completely likable, any one of them could have been a worthy protagonist. Instead, you just get whiny and selfish POVs from every person involved in the story. There were no twists or revelations that shocked me. Everything fell flat. I'm sure I'll forgot about this book in a few days and I'm not even a bit sad about it.








Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
The fourth book in the Throne of Glass series
4 STAR RATING

One day. It only took me one day to devour this book, since I finished it around 1 am this morning. I always forget how amazing these books are. I get frustrated with all the names and places and events I can't remember and with how thick the book is. But around chapter 5, I was hooked. It's not just the core three anymore. Aelin, Chaol, and Dorian are still very important but the author has masterfully introduced other key players in this series. My favorite being Manon. I'm excited to see how the witches will affect the big war yet to come.












Rooms by Lauren Oliver
BOOK CLUB READ
4 STAR RATING

I knew nothing about this book when my book club picked it and it worked in my favor. I was pleasantly surprised with the theme and plot of the story. Two protagonists are ghosts but their voices are very much grounded in reality. I could relate to each character, even the ones I didn't like at all. Every person was vulnerable and held nothing back when it was their turn to speak. I'm a bit disappointed at the lackluster ending. I wish it could have been drawn out a little more.













The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
NEW FAVORITE
5 STAR RATING

Devastated, I am absolutely devastated by this book. I don't think I've cried that hard from reading a novel since The Book Thief. It was a different kind of crying though. It was a hopeful, joyous cry. A cry for how amazing love can be. 

The story follows Natasha and Daniel on the day they happen to meet. There's an instant connection that neither can deny. So we are taken on their discovery of what may be love at first sight. And if that wasn't beautiful enough, you get little snippets of the side characters who interact with the couple. You learn the past, present, and future of most of them. I was appreciative of that so I didn't have to wonder the significance of chance meetings and whatever happened to them. 

Now for the crying. I was able to keep it together the whole book. I withstood the great chemistry between Natasha and Daniel, the lyrical writing, the side stories that could have easily been their own novels. I made it through all of that, just to lose it with the last two chapters. I mean, come on. It was an onslaught of the feels. I'm still trying to recover hours later. This book needs to be read by every person. Any time someone asks for a recommendation, I will say this book. I will buy this book, which I rarely do. And I will love it, for as long as I have my wits about me.