Showing posts with label 2017 favorite. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017 favorite. Show all posts

Thursday, July 5, 2018

{Comic Series Review // GN Reviews #6-11} The Runaways #1-6 by Rainbow Rowell & Kris Anka

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Page Count: (collectively 130 pages) 18, 28, 20, 22, 21, & 21 pages
Published on: these comics have been published individually starting in September 2017 up to February 2018. There are more single issues in the works and the series will continue for some time. 
Published by: Marvel
Genre(s): Comics, Sequential Art, Superheroes, Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult, Graphic Novels
Source: paperback - personally purchased in single issue form
Age Rating: marketed as YA, but everyone will love it
Where To Find ItGoodreads 

My Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis: 

GET READY TO RUN! The "IT" book of the early 2000s with the original cast is back – Nico! Karolina! Molly! Chase! Old Lace! And, could it be? GERT?! The heart of the Runaways died years ago, but you won't believe how she returns! Superstar author Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor & Park, Carry On) makes her Marvel debut with fan-favorite artist Kris Anka (ALL-NEW X-MEN, CAPTAIN MARVEL) in the series that will shock you and break your heart!


~~~

Hey, guys!

Back in December, my boyfriend and I decided to start the new Marvel show, Runaways, on Hulu. We automatically were hooked to the awesome story that was being told. Because of this, we had a genuine interest in reading the comics and fully understanding the original Runaways storyline. Soon after Christmas, we went book shopping and managed to be sucked into the comics and graphic novel section of our local Books-A-Million. We actually managed to find the first few single issues of the newest Runaways comic series by Rainbow Rowell and Kris Anka. I was, personally, hooked. Since December, I've read a few more of the single issues that have been put out and I've picked up the first two massive volumes of Brian K. Vaughan's adaptation of the Runaways.


     I'm not going to individually review every single volume of this series, but I'm just going to say that I absolutely love it. Kris Anka has perfectly captured the essence of the Runaways and Rainbow Rowell has, once again, stolen my heart with her writing. She is a beautiful wordsmith from above. I just love basically everything she writes. I cannot wait to continue on with this awesome story. I wish I had money to buy all of the rest of the single issues, and the larger compiled volumes, and the eventual massive ultra volume bind-ups. I'm that extra. 

I highly recommend this series if you love Marvel, kids with superpowers, and action-packed stories. 


Happy reading!
Olivia



Tuesday, October 31, 2017

{Review} Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas

20613470
Page Count: 565
Published on: September 2, 2014
Published by: Bloomsbury
Genre(s): Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Source: Paperback 
Age Rating: 16+
Where To Find ItGoodreads // Amazon // Book Depository




My Rating: 5 stars








Goodreads synopsis:

Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak―but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life―and her future―forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?

The bestselling series that has captured readers all over the world reaches new heights in this sequel to the New York Timesbest-selling Crown of Midnight. Packed with heart-pounding action, fierce new characters, and swoon-worthy romance, this third book will enthrall readers from start to finish.



~~~


"There was a glittering darkness in her, an endless rift straight through her core."
~Heir of Fire~

Hey, guys!

     I've been such a huge fan of Sarah J. Maas for a long time and every time I write a review for her books I'm equal parts excited and nervous to put my feelings into words. Books like Maas' books are just so much fun to write but they're so difficult at the same time. 


Expect a bit of a ramble-y review:

     Anyway, I adored Heir of Fire. Compared to the slight disappointment that Crown of Midnight, HoF was stupendously great. I adored every part of this book. SJM has really written a great book. Oh my gosh the new characters were so much fun --- MANON! Oh my gosh I love Manon. This story is becoming so fleshed out and magical. I cannot wait to see what happens next. 

     Heir of Fire follows Celeana right after Crown of Midnight. After the events of CoM, her world is going to be forever changed as Celeana has to figure out how to navigate the hardships of life and her inner demons. What will happen when crazy and dark evils are unleashed on Erilea?

     I adored this book. We were introduced to some really fantastic characters, the plot developed really nicely, the previous characters were beautifully fleshed out, and I was so addicted to this story while reading. I'm currently reading Empire of Storms, so I, of course, had to continue with the series. 
     I loved the new characters in this book. In Heir of Fire, we were introduced to Manon Blackbeak, Rowan Whitehorn, and Sorcha. I loved all three of these characters intensely. Sorcha is such a sweetie and I loved how she and Dorian interacted. I loved their relationship. However, I was really skeptical the whole time because of my doubts. I love Dorian and I just wanted him to be happy and safe. 

     Manon. Oh, she is probably going to be one of my all-time favorite characters. She is such a badass. I adore everything about her. She is so twisted and so unlike any other character I've ever read about. I love the whole concept of the witch covens and Manon and her Thirteen are just such a great group. I wish that the witch-y dynamic had been introduced into the series a bit more throughout book 1&2 (but because I just hit the 130ish page mark in EoS I'm glad that I slowly built up). 

     Oh my oh my let's talk about Rowan a bit. He is so dreamy and wow. He is just so wow. I am so in love with his character. I ship Rowaelin so hard. They are probably my #1 ship in this series. They are the perfect pair in the TOG universe. I love how their relationship progressed from the "I freaking hate your guts" to "gradual tolerance" to "we have to work as a team" to "oh I get you now we're almost friends" to "friends" to "best friends" to "soul mates" (they're soul mates in my book). He is just such a great character. He is definitely one of my favorites.  


I know I'm rambling but that's what I typically do in Maas Reviews.

      I had really hoped that Celeana and Chaol would make up a bit, but Celeana was in Wendlyn for the majority of the book, so that didn't happen. I really love how realistic their relationship is. They don't make up overnight. 

     I also really loved the political and magical aspects of this book. The world building just keeps on building with Maas books. Her writing style is so eloquent and beautifully done. The magic system just keeps developing as the historical aspects of Erilea keeps getting developed as the conflict builds. I love how Maas has been building up the conflict bit by bit in every book. It's just magic. She has that magical ability to create a well fleshed out story that you never get sick of.  

     The ending of this book really threw me for a loop. I was totally shaken to my core. I was so close to crying...I'm surprised I didn't full out sob because I was definitely screaming "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!" In my head. I don't think I'm over it still. 

I've already read Queen of Shadows and I'm probably 25% through Empire of Storms and I loooove them. Expect rave reviews for them as well. 

My Maas Reviews:
Happy reading!
Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~
@LivTheBookNerd on Books Amino

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

{Review} This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

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Page Count: 320
Published on: October 4, 2016
Published by: Henry Holt & Co. 
Genre(s): YA, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Hardback - personally purchased
Age Rating: YA
Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository
Twitter@elmify



My Rating: 5 stars











Goodreads synopsis:

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.



~~~

Hey, guys!

     Right before I started my book buying ban, I made a BookOutlet order that had the hardcover of This Adventure Ends in it. This was right after I finished First & Then and I just had to have TAE in my hands. I'm just in love with Emma Mill's writing now. TAE was even better than F&E! It is definitely going to be one of my top books of the year. 

     This Adventure Ends follows the snarky and hilarious Sloane. Sloane is the new girl in her new Florida town. She doesn't expect to become friends with Vera, Gabe, Remy, Aubrey, and Frank. Vera and Gabe are twins. When their late mother's painting is sold, Sloane decides to track it down. This book is full of fantastic friendships, an awesome parental relationship, hilarious banter, and an amazing plot. This book! Read it!

     This book had such a fantastic plot and a wonderful and diverse cast of characters. All of them were so fun to read about. They were all so relatable and natural. They had their own issues and flaws, but they stuck together. The big friend group was so wonderful. Their friendship is solid and their loyalty to each other is so great. Granted, they had their own issues amongst themselves and were prone to miscommunication sometimes, but that's normal! 

     I loved Sloane as the main character. Her voice was so great. She said things that were literally laugh-out-loud hilarious. I found myself laughing in public and I nearly cried during a couple parts of the book. This book was just so wonderfully written. I'm definitely going to be reading the books Emma Mills puts out in the future. Sloane's character development really made the book for me. She has her own flaws, but they're not the over dramatic things that frequent YA books. It's so original and fun.


      I loved the friend group. They all love each other so much even through their flaws. Emma Mills really has a skill for developing friend groups. They are always so loyal to each other, but of course, there's bound to be drama and miscommunication. I loved how they were portrayed in this book. 

     Vera is absolute friend goals. I loved her character. She's so different and she has a constant presence throughout the book. Sometimes girlfriends are just plot devices used to keep the plot going, but Vera was a true friend. I love her so much. She is a sweetheart.

      Gabe is such a cutie. I loved his character. He's kind of a butt at first, but he really grows on you as the book progresses. I loved his relationship with Sloane. It's a very natural and sweet. I shipped them throughout the book. I could just tell that he was a good egg...even with the annoying attitude at the beginning. It's not the main focus of the book, but it was such a great addition. I think I would be total trash for a whole book about Sloane and Gabe's day-to-day interactions. Add Vera and the rest of the gang and it would a hilarious and adorable book. That makes no sense, but....I want more of Sloane's snark and Gabe's attitude. 

      Remy is such a cinnamon roll. He is really flawed and imperfect. His character arc is so great to read. I love how his struggles were handled. I want more of his story. I also loved Frank. He's literally a legend. At first, I wasn't too sure about him, but by the end of the book, I wanted to be his best friend. I really loved the respectful girl and guy friendships. This book is a great example to show to those who think girls and guys can't have platonic friendships. THANK YOU, EMMA MILLS! Also! The female characters are so great in this book. There is no animosity between the girls, even if they aren't friends. I just loved that there wasn't any unneeded girl hate. Sloane literally calls herself out whenever she's being internally rude to others. I loved how aware she was of her actions. Much respect for Sloane. She's the best.
     Sloane's relationship with her parents was so refreshing. Cool and relatable parent relationships are also hard to come by in YA romance/contemporary. I don't know as much about Sloane's mom, but her dad was the best. I wish I had a dad similar to him. I'm a fan. He is such a hilarious and original character I've never read about a character like him before. He's basically an author similar to Nicholas Sparks. I would love to read his books. They sound perfectly cheesy and exactly like what I need in my life. I loved his passion for fanfiction and writing. His introduction to fandom is so REAL! I love love loved it. He and Sloane's mom have a very dynamic relationship and I loved the underlying subplot. 

     I also really liked Sloane's little sister, Laney. She's so cute and is so nine. My baby sister, Bailey, is nine and whenever Laney did anything I just had to nod my head and mutter "oh goodness she's so nine!" I love it when smaller kids are represented well in YA. Sometimes they're really annoying
    
     This book is just so fantastic. I adored every bit of it. I need more books like this. I desperately hope that Mill's books are like this in the future.This was exactly what I needed in my life. I highly recommend this book. 

Other Emma Mills Reviews: 

Other Contemporary/Romance Books You Would Love:

Happy reading!
Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository @LivTheBookNerd on Books Amino

Friday, July 14, 2017

A Court of Wings & Ruin (A Court of Thorns & Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas

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Page Count: 707
Published on: May 2, 2017
Published by: Bloomsbury 
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance, New Adult, Young Adult, High Fantasy
Source: Hardback - pre-ordered 
Age Rating: 17+ sexual content and violence
Where To Find ItGoodreads // Amazon // Book Depository
Twitter@SJMaas

My Rating: 5 stars














Goodreads synopsis:


A nightmare, I’d told Tamlin. I was the nightmare.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit—and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords—and hunt for allies in unexpected places.


~~~

Hey, guys!

      It's been over a month since I've read this book and I'm still not, over how great it was. Maas really knows how to write a kick ass book. I'm still trying to figure out how to write this without spoilers as I write this. My notes are just full of fangirl-y blathering and it's quite evident that this review could turn out the same way. That's how A Court of Mist and Fury turned out; it should be tradition that my ACOTAR reviews are just trash. That's not a good idea, so let's just try to get through this shall we?

      This book was just fantastic. Maas has successfully outdone herself. Granted, A Court of Wings and Ruin was not as great as A Court of Mist and Fury, but it comes close. This is not because of a lack of quality. ACOWAR is just a different kind of book. Unlike the character-driven ACOMAF, ACOWAR is very plot driven because of the impending war. The focus of the book was not on building the characters more, rather they were expanded upon and helped drive the story. ACOMAF helped build the world and helped lay a structure of the characters and who they are and why they're important. Without the build up from ACOMAF, ACOWAR would not have the effect that it does. ACOWAR is a war book. It is bloodthirsty, it is heavy, and it is dark. You will not come out of this book completely happy. You will, however, come out satisfied and hungry for more. 

”what we think to be our greatest weakness can sometimes be our biggest strength. And… the most unlikely person can alter the course of history.”

      This book was everything that I hoped it would be. The continuation of Feyre's story was so wonderfully done. Maas is truly a master. Her writing style is so fluid, the way she writes is so mysterious, and I never know what to expect next. I was constantly worried for my favorite characters' lives and I literally put my life on hold on multiple occasions to read this book. I felt so many things while reading this book. I laughed and cried the most, but I also got raging mad during a few moments of the book. I was absolutely terrified while reading this book. I was constantly shaken out of my core by every twist and turn that Sarah threw at us. 


       I would usually knock out a 700-page book in a couple days or even just spend a day reading it, but that is definitely not what I did for this book. I wanted my first read to be special. So, I spent three weeks on it. I know. 3 weeks is much too long...for me anyway. After ACOWAR, nothing could please me. Hence, the trail of 2, 3, & 4 star books towards the end of May and early June. I'm still looking for a series that can live up to my love for this series, so comment below your favorite books and I'll give them a read. 

Okay, let's actually get back to the review...

      The characters in this book, as throughout the previous two books, were fantastically written. Maas managed to expand and improve upon the characters from ACOTAR and ACOMAF, BUT then she added more characters and delved into the other seasonal and lunar courts! Now I have more characters that I consider my children. I really loved that each character, like everyone else in the world, had some kind of issue that they were resolving or coping with in some way. This book shows that people are not defined by the mistakes or decisions that they made in the past. 


I'm just going to put a bullet point list on my thoughts on the characters because I can't cohesively just make small paragraphs about the characters without spoiling something. 


IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT THE BOOK OR DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED FOR ANYTHING, I RECOMMEND YOU DON'T READ THIS LIST. 

I'm serious. There are spoilers about who dies and doesn't die in this list. Just don't read it if you read the book!

~~~


· The Weaver and the Bone Carver are even cooler now! They and Amren need novellas! 
· Maas introduced more High Lords and I cannot believe that she was holding out so long on us! WHAT AMAZING CHARACTERS! I need more about every single High Lord. I want novellas or full-length books about each court. I want back-story, I want more about the original war, and I want new relationships to blossom so that Feyre has more connections to the people who saved her. 
  • · WE GOT MORE ABOUT HOW RHYSAND HELPS EVERYONE AND HE'S SO BEAUTIFUL AND SELFLESS AND BRAVE AND I JUST WANT HIM TO BE APPRECIATED FOR EVERYTHING HE'S DONE BECAUSE HE IS SO WONDERFUL AND I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF HIM. HE AND FEYRE ARE THE DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF RELATIONSHIP GOALS!!!
  • We got sooo much about Azriel!!! I just love him so much and his personality is actually shown in this book. He's actually so sweet and snarky. I need more Azriel.
  • Cassian! Oh, goodness he and Nesta need to get together! I need them together. They're the only ones who could handle each other. Their bickering was adorable and I need a book with them. 
  • THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO MOR AND AAAAAH I WAS SO SHOOK THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK! SHE IS SUCH A BADASS AND SHE DESERVES EVERY HAPPINESS!
  • Amren the crazy bitch made me laugh and cry whenever she was in focus. Holy shit this butthole is so great. She's a big 'ole softy! SHE NEEDS TO PURSUE LOVE, GUYS!
  • Ianthe needs to just die already!
  • Elain literally broke my heart for a good chunk of the book. I hated seeing her the way she was. I'm so glad that she came out of her shell a bit. I want a huge book about her healing. I love how close she got to Azriel and I'm so glad that Az was able to help her. I'm still rooting for Lucien, but I hope that she and Az are great friends. 
  • Nesta is such a strong character, but she is so bitter and needs therapy. I have a love-hate relationship with Nesta just because of the way she treated Feyre. I can't get past the crap she put her through. I hope for more redemption in ACOTAR #4.
  • Poor Lucien is just thrown under the bus 24/7! He's stuck with Tamlin, gets brain warped and confused in ACOTAR & ACOMAF, his mate is traumatized and doesn't want to speak to him, and then the selfless butthole goes off and helps save the day! I just love Lucien so much and he doesn't get enough credit when credit is due. 
  • Tamlin: I don't hate him now, but I don't like him. I need more of an arc from him...I know he loves Feyre immensely, but he still needs to heal...he's traumatized too and he didn't handle it well, but he still kept on handling incorrectly for the longest time. I hope he gets help.
  • Amren the crazy witch made me laugh and cry whenever she was in focus. Holy crap this chick is so great. She's such a softy deep down, but aaaah she just needs to embrace herself and pursue that dude!!!
~~~

      One thing that I will mention in the non-spoiler section [you're there again] is that Rhysand is by far one of the most important male characters that could be written right now. He's such a feminist and he's so supportive of Feyre and they just compliment each other so well. This probably isn't new news for those who have read ACOTAR & ACOMAF, but in ACOWAR it's so noticeable and great. I just love him so much. 

Feyre about Rhysand:

"...the male who had always presented me with a choice not as a gift, but as my own gods-given right.”

      I had one issue with this book. It's minor and kind of random, but the word usage in this book was just really cringe-y at times. The word "mate" was used much too often and it just got so annoying. There were also throats bobbing everywhere and there was so much heavy breathing. I'm surprised that people weren't passing out from it. I just think that Maas was too heavy handed with some phrases. It just got repetitive and annoying. However, this doesn't take away from how fantastic the story is. I can't wait for ACOTAR #4. 


     This book was everything I could have hoped for. I loved the whole plot, the characters, the visits from old characters, the expansion on Prythian, the developed personalities of Nesta and Elain, I loved Lucien's part of the book, the expansion on Mor, Amren, Cassian, and Azriel...I obviously loved Rhysand and Feyre. They are my children! I loved reading and seeing the courts, I loved the LOTR and Snow White vibes; I just loved this book! It was fantastic! I need more!

My Reviews for Other Maas Books:


Happy reading!
Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~
@LivTheBookNerd on Books Amino


Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Eliza & Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

31931941

Page Count: 385
Published on: May 30, 2017
Published by: HarperCollins
Genre(s): Contemporary, YA, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Source: Hardback -personally purchased
Age Rating: Young Adult
Where To Find ItGoodreads // Amazon
Book Depository: {click here}

Twitter@ChessieZappia


My Rating: 5 stars






Goodreads synopsis:

Her story is a phenomenon. Her life is a disaster.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she has no desire to try.

Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.

But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.


~~~

Hey guys!

      I am so excited to share my thoughts about this book with you all. This book is most likely going to be one of my top 17 favorite books of 2017...yeah, it was that good. This book is like one giant letter to the fandom world and I am so in love with it. This book was basically perfect and I read it in almost one sitting. Okay you probably don't care about my reading habits but I want to explain the "basically one sitting" bit. So, I started this book one day when I worked a long shift at work. I work in a library, so I get to read quite a bit as a student. So basically I read the first 350 pages while at work and then I was left with like 30-40ish pages when I got home....but when I got home I was watching movies with the boyfriend so I fell asleep before I could read the last bits. As soon as I woke up the next morning I picked up the book and basically devoured the last few pages. This book was fantastic. I don't really buy books for full price, but I'm so glad that I decided to buy this one. This book was so beautifully written and Francesca Zappia has gained a new fan. I'm so excited to pick up more of her stuff...aka her other published book Made You Up. If you expect a calm and gush-less review then you've come to the wrong blog. Buckle up guys, because this is going to be a ramble-y and fangirl-y review. 

    Eliza & Her Monsters follows the introverted Eliza. Eliza is an outcast in her town and school. She's quiet, she doesn't speak much, and nobody really understands her. What everyone doesn't know is that Eliza is the writer and illustrator behind the immensely popular and internet famous web comic Monstrous Sea. Eliza loves the online fandom community and her best friends are actually online. When a new guy transfers to her school, Eliza's world is turned upside down as she and Wallace become closer. 

    Okay, the synopsis on Goodreads and in the dust jacket are wayyy too spoiler-y and I feel like E&HM is one of those books where you should just go into it half-blind. When I first picked this book up, I liked Eliza's character right away. I related to her on a creepy level. If she were a real person that I got to meet, I would want to be her best friend. She is such a dynamic and interesting character. Her whole story was so relatable and I just loved every moment of this book. The characters were so real and (again) dynamic!!! I'm not sure how to really explain how much I love these characters. Wallace, the main guy character is such a puddin'. He's so sweet and his backstory is so tragically interesting. His character development was so great to witness because of everything he went through in his past. I really did not expect his backstory to be what it was. He and Eliza were so freaking cute. They were true friends and their friendship and relationships developed so naturally. I just adored everything about their relationship. It wasn't the classic/cliche convenient relationships that frequent YA contemporary/realistic fiction IT WAS SO REAL AND WONDERFUL AND THEIR ATTRACTION TOWARDS EACH OTHER REMINDED ME OF MY RELATIONSHIP AND I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH. Okay I need to calm down. Anyway, excuse my gushing because I just cannot handle how much this book means to me. The characters are so wonderful! They aren't perfect people. They are normal and have their own issues and it was just so great to see a cast of characters who actually had substance and were natural and real. 

         Okay let's talk about the online vs. IRL (in real life) relationships. I just loved Zappia's inclusion of online friends. Most people do not realize the importance of friendships online. I'm not going to spoil anything, but even Wallace and Eliza's relationship was mainly developed online. You'll have to read the book to understand, but it is GREAT!

     The whole format of this story was fantastic. Zappia included bits of the Monstrous Sea comic in the book and I just adored those bits. I desperately need a full length comic. I need Wallace's fanfiction too. I just need more of these characters. They are just so great! I know I sound like a broken record, but they are just such fantastic characters!!! Eliza is also a huge fan of this book series called the Children of Hypnos. The book series was actually what inspired Eliza to start her web comic BUT(!!!) The Children of Hypnos is actually an actual story that Zappia has been writing for a long time on Wattpad and Tumblr! Uh hello! I need to read it ASAP and someone needs to publish it!

Okay, I'm not sure how to write the rest of my minor thoughts without saying the book is great every other sentence so I'm just going to put my last few thoughts down in bullet format. 

  • I need the Children of Hypnos book(s?) in a print format. I want to love and to hold them.
  • I need a Monstrous Sea web-comic - print format or online. I just want to have an Eliza-inspired fandom!!!!
  • The emphasis on mental health and self love is AMAZING! 
  • The emphasis on anxiety and Eliza's health made me SO happy
  • The emphasis on being an introvert and how one feels when they don't want to go out was so great to read about. Specifically this quote spoke to me: 
“I'm not normally one to take advice from my fictional characters, but there comes a point in every girl's life where she reaches a crossroads: a night alone with her sweatpants and her favorite television show, or a party with real, live, breathing people.
  • Eliza's inner turmoil and writer's block was so nice to read about. Writing is so hard and it's not really touched on much when reading about a young writer in YA. 

~~~

Author's Note From Goodreads:


I didn't do this for Made You Up but I'm doing it here because maybe someone will find the explanation helpful.

Eliza and Her Monsters is a pretty personal story for me. I wrote it in the hopes that it could help other very introverted and anxious creative types and those who feel the keen double edge of fandom and life online.

There are two other stories inside this one. The first is Monstrous Sea. That one's obvious. Monstrous Sea is my oldest story and, full disclosure, my favorite; I gave it to Eliza because it made her feelings about it real. Unfortunately, only the very tip of the Monstrous Sea iceberg is visible in this book, and it's not available to read anywhere. (Yet.)

The second is Eliza's favorite book series, The Children of Hypnos, which is a real thing I wrote and am currently putting up on Tumblr and Wattpad (https://www.wattpad.com/story/9547883...). There are new chapters every Monday and Friday @ 1pm EST, and if you like the idea of nightmare hunters, strong friendships, or creepy weird dream nonsense and ridiculous anime weapons, you should check it out.

If you have any questions, always feel welcome to ask them on my profile. :)



~~~


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I apologize if this review was a bit scattered, but I just loved this book so much and I hope I inspired at least a few people to read it. I think it's going to be a really influential book to so many people. 

If You Love This Book You Will Love Eliza:


    Happy reading!
    Olivia 
    ~LivTheBookNerd~
    @LivTheBookNerd on Books Amino