Month: March 2021

PIGPEN Review

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A relaxing getaway in paradise, or a death trap? A young man wakes up on a breathtaking beac, but he has no idea who he is or how he got there. Try as he might to piece it all together, untangling this mind-bending mystery won’t be easy when every clue leads to more maddening questions… and the family that welcomes his into their home is not what they seem.

City of Secrets Review

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Ever Barnes is a shy orphan guarding a secret in an amazing puzzle box of a building. Most of the young women who work at the building’s Switchboard Operating Facility, which connects the whole city of Oskar, look the other way as Ever roams around in the shadows. But one of them, Lisa, keeps an eye on the boy. So does the head of the Switchboard, Madame Alexander . . . a rather sharp eye. Enter Hannah, the spunky daughter of the building’s owner. She thinks Ever needs a friend, even if he doesn’t know it yet. Good thing she does! Lisa and Madame Alexander are each clearly up to something. Ever is beset by a menacing band of rogues looking to unlock the secret he holds–at any cost. And whatever is hidden deep in the Switchboard building will determine all of their futures.

February 2021 Wrap Up

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Well, this was a very successful month for me. I didn’t read as many books as last month but I really enjoyed the ones I did read. I also read my first 5 star novel this month which was amazing.

  • I read 5 books this month.
  • I continued with all my challenges.
  • Genre: I read 2 classic murder mysteries, 1 sci-fi and 2 fantasy.
  • Gender of authors: 4 by women and 1 was by a variety of authors.
  • Race of authors: 2 white, 2 asian and 1 was by a variety of authors.
  • Age range: I read 4 adult and 1 I was not sure of the age range.
  • Format: I read 2 paperbacks, 1 ebooks and 1 manga.

Death Going Down – Maria Angelica Bosco (2.5 stars)

So, this was my first step into Argentinian Literature, I read this novel as part of the ONTD Reading Challenge. I found it to be a really easy read. The novel didn’t blow me away but I still enjoyed reading it and I would consider reading more of Bosco’s novels.

Lord Edgware Dies – Agatha Christie (4 stars)

This was a solid addition to her series. While it wasn’t as good as some of her other work I still had a great time reading it. I read this book as part of my sequels challenge and I do hope to read the next book in her series before the end of the year. I found that I enjoyed Hastings the most in this book out of all the others books he’s been in. He felt like a great sidekick to Poirot where in other books he’s been a liability to him.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Manga – Akira Himekawa (4 stars)

I have read some mangas before but they had all be apart of the same series. So, this was the first time I had tried a completely different author. I felt that this was a solid adaptation from a video game which had so much content and I really enjoyed the art style. I did wish that some of the dungeons are expanded upon in the manga and I found that some of the pages were too busy but it didn’t ruin my enjoyment.

Star Wars: From A Certain Point of View – Various Authors (3 stars)

I don’t read many short story anthologies but I was really interested in reading these stories set in the Star Wars universe. I decided to rate each story out of 5 and then average out the scores for my overall rating. Overall, I loved how creative and imaginative the authors were and how they could get me invested in this new characters in just a handful of pages!!!

The Poppy War – R.F. Kuang – (5 stars)

This was the book I was most anxious for! I had seen such great things from this trilogy and I desperately wanted to enjoy as much as everyone else did. Thankfully, I loved it! Such amazing world-building, I was super invested in the main character Rin and I was just so connected to the story. I believe this book to be a must read if you want to read more fantasy!

The Poppy War Review

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When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising. But surprises aren’t always good. Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school. For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View Review

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On May 25, 1977, the world was introduced to Han, Luke, Leia, a pair of droids, a Wookiee, an old wizard, a villain in black, and a galaxy full of possibilities. Forty years on, Star Wars remains an unparalleled cultural phenomenon, having inspired and influenced generations of fans and creators. Decades of rich storytelling were sparked by one film, in part because the Star Wars galaxy feels alive. Strange and wonderful characters fill the edges of the screen and make us wonder: What are their stories? This unique anthology celebrates that legacy, as more than forty contributors lend their vision to this retelling of the original Star Wars film. Each of the forty stories reimagines a moment from the film through the eyes of a supporting character. From A Certain Point of View features contributions by bestselling authors, trendsetting artists, and treasured voices from the literary history of Star Wars.