Graphic Novels Read in 2016

Hey, guys!

      I have read 14 graphic novels in the past year and I really really liked them overall. I can't wait to read more graphic novels in 2017, but until then, here are the books that I read in 2016!

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Scott Pilgrim Volumes 1-6 by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Page Count: 192

Published on: May 1st 2011

Published by: Oni Press

Genre(s): YA, Graphic Novel, Manga, Humor, Romance, Fantasy, Comics
Source: Borrowed from Blaine

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon  
My Ratings: 4.5 stars (all)

When Finished: February 19, 2016

      I really enjoyed this series. I'm so glad that my friend Blaine lent me his copies. I really liked the art style and the plot line. The characters were really funny, and I really enjoyed them as fictional people. At first I was kind of confused about whether or not there were magical or science fiction-ish concepts, but as I kept on reading, I just rolled with it. In the first couple volumes, I found the endings to be a bit rushed, but I just went with it.



Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley & Nathan Fairbairn

Page Count: 323

Published on: July 15, 2014

Published by: Ballantine Books
Genre(s): YA, Graphic Novel, Manga, Humor, Romance, Fantasy, Comics

Source: Borrowed from Ethan

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon  
My Ratings: 4 stars 
When Finished: May 24, 2016

My friend Ethan lent me his copy of Seconds during the last week of my senior year, and I managed to finish it in two class periods. I wasn't expecting to read much at all that day, but I didn't have much to do during the first couple of periods because I was either done with a project or we did our final a week early to get other stuff done. I liked this graphic novel quite a bit, but it definitely wasn't as good as the Scott Pilgrim novels. I loved the art and I loved the basic plot, but I wasn't as interested in Seconds as I was with the SP books. I don't think anything can measure up to the awesomeness of Scott Pilgrim...

Page Count: 193; 189, 208; 192

Published on: March 1, 2010; July 1, 2010; December 4, 2012; March 26, 2013

Published by: Kodansha Comics
Genre(s): Sequential Art, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Horror, Dystopia, Manga

Source: Borrowed from Reagan

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon  
My Ratings: 4.5 (all) 
When Finished: July 12, 2016

During the Summer Cram-A-Thon, I read the first 7 volumes in the Attack on Titan manga series by Hajime Isayama. I had watched the first season of the anime show earlier in the year, and it has become one of my favorite anime and manga series. The art, I admit, is much better in the anime, but I do like how the art is progressing through these volumes. The story is really nicely done, and there's more information on the characters than in the anime.

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      Overall, I read some really great graphic novels this past year, but they weren't my absolute favorites that I've read, but I still really enjoyed them. I really enjoyed the Scott Pilgrim books and I really enjoyed Bryan Lee O'Malley's art style. I also really enjoyed reading the original story that Attack on Titan originated from. I've been a huge fan of AoT for a while, but it was really cool to see what was included in the anime and what wasn't. The whole writing style was so gorgeous, and I can't wait to read more of the volumes in the series. 

(Sorry for the weird spacing in this post. I couldn't fix it.)

Here's to another year of graphic novels!!!

Happy reading all!
Olivia 

~LivTheBookNerd~

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City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

Page Count: 453

Published on: March 25, 2008

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Genre(s): YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Fiction

Source: Paperback

Age Rating: PG-13

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @cassieclare

My Rating: 4.75 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

~~~

Hey, guys!

      About a week ago, I reviewed City of Bones the first book in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I really loved City of Bones, but City of Ashes definitely had the second book slump. It wasn't as good as book one, but it was still an excellent book. The Mortal Instruments is such a famous and popular series, but I'm reading it for the first time this year. 

      I really enjoyed the character development in this book. I learned so much about Clary, Jace, and the other amazing characters. I really enjoyed the plot progression too, the only problem I had was that it progressed really similarly to City of Bones. I really loved the awkward dynamic between Clary and Jace. After the confusing realization at the end of book one, it was so awkward and confusing but really hilarious to read about. 

      Overall, I really loved this book. I can't really reveal much because I don't want to reveal series spoilers, but I can't wait to read more of Cassandra Clare's books. Her writing is so addicting and I love her characters so much. 

      I can't wait to read City of Glass. I haven't had the time to binge read the series yet, but I plan on reading the rest of the series during my Christmas break in December. I bought books 3-5 on Amazon and a hardcover copy of book 6 at Goodwill. I can't wait to binge read the Shadowhunter world.

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

Page Count: 485

Published on: March 27, 2007 

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Genre(s): YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Fiction

Source: Paperback

Age Rating: PG-13

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @cassieclare

My Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

      When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

      This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 

      Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

~~~

Hey, guys!

      So, I'm finally going to binge read the Mortal Instruments series...I know! Finally! I've actually read City of Bones before, but I don't think I read it completely. I think I read a good chunk before I accidentally returned it to the library. I actually bought the first two books in paperback a while back and just never got to rereading City of Bones and reading City of Ashes at all. I'm so glad that I've read them now because...wow...I've been missing out on a great series and the fandom is so large and diverse. I can't wait to finish the series and to be able to join in the craziness. I don't want to be spoiled anymore on Tumblr guys! Anyway here are my main thoughts on the book. 

      City of Bones follows Clary Fray as she encounters strange people called Shadowhunters. People who hunt demons and protect humans from the evil things of the world. Clary's mother soon goes missing and Clary is pulled into the world of the Shadowhunters. This book was so addicting and I couldn't put it down. It was a great book to read during the first week of college. It's too bad that I don't have time to binge read anymore....

      I really loved the whole aspect of this book. The characters were so hilarious and the plot was really gripping and addicting. I really loved the chapters where Jace was narrating. I really enjoyed his character. He's such an ass, but he's endearing at the same time. He's one of the people that I feel like I would be really great friends with. 

      The supporting characters and minor characters were all really nicely written too. I really enjoyed the little bits with Alec, Isabelle, and Magnus. I see a really great ship when it comes to Magnus and Alec. I cannot wait for the rest of the series and The Bane Chronicles. I kinda ship Clary and Jace, but I'm kinda eh about it right now...I can't wait to get more of an explanation when it comes to books 3-6.

My review for City of Ashes will be coming really soon, so stay tuned!

Other Cassie Clare Books Reviewed:

• The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Happy reading!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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InSomnus by Molly Fennig

Page Count: 282

Published on: August 10, 2016

Published by: Createspace

Genre(s): I don't even know!

Source: Paperback - From author

Age Rating: PG-12

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @mollyfennig

My Rating: 1.5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

      Bryony "Bryn" Winters can harm people by dreaming. With no control over whom she hurts, a condition called Somnus, Bryn can't even be sure she won't kill her own family. Protecting them means running away and trusting a mysterious company that possesses as much authority as amorality. And when Bryn meets Cedar Blackthorne, a Somnus with captivating eyes, she can feel he's hiding something. So why can't Bryn help trusting him? And what if she's making a deadly mistake?

~~~

Hey, guys! 

      I was sent a paperback copy of this book for an honest review. This will be a very honest review. I wanted to really love this book. I love reading books by young and upcoming authors, but I really did not like this book. It was cliche, the fantasy or dystopian world wasn't developed at all. The plot went everywhere. It was just a mess....I really wish that I liked this book but it needs extensive work...Maybe my Goodreads updates will kind of give you an idea of what I was saying all throughout my reading experience. Warning: I was really irritated so....

Guys....I had over 50 Goodreads updates. Within a couple minutes, I'd have another comment about the book that was either disappointing or I just got really pissed.... Here are a few of the highlights:

• Insta-love. It was insanely annoying.
• The characters gain random personality characteristics that would pop up randomly and then are either never mentioned again or are only mentioned when it was convenient. 
• While I'm on the topic of convenience, everything happened way to conveniently. Almost every huge plot event was completely random or was a knock off of major events in other YA novels. 
• The main character, Bryn, was so completely annoying. I cannot stand her. She's so whiny, inconsistent, and annoying. One moment she's a total badass, but then she's a total submissive weakling. 
• There were so many bits of this book that I felt were basically from other popular YA novels. (Hunger Games, Red Queen, The Selection, Shatter Me, & Divergent). 
• The main character was so dumb...she could never make up her mind. She made me so mad. If you read my Goodreads updates, then you'll probably get an idea of my frustration. 
• The writing was not great for me...The characters were not written very well and they were very two dimensional. None of them acted their age, they didn't make any good decisions, they didn't use common sense at all, they didn't have natural reactions, and it was so annoying.
• If you really don't want to read my updates, then I'll summarize it up a bit. (No I don't expect y'all to read them, but it kind of reveals my thought process while reading. I was just really disappointed. 
• There were so many plot holes and the characters were so annoying and there was so much insta-love! I really hated it. This book was just a mess.

      I really wanted to love this book. I think Molly has the potential to be a great writer, but I felt like there needed to be more originality.... 

Reviews of Books Mentioned:

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins ~ 5 stars
• Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard ~ 5 stars
• The Selection by Kiera Cass ~ 5 stars
• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi ~ 5 stars
• Divergent by Veronica Roth ~ 5 stars

Happy reading!

Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~

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After You (Me Before You #2) by Jojo Moyes

Page Count: 353

Published on: September 29, 2015

Published by: Penguin

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Drama

Source: Paperback -Sent to me by Penguin

Age Rating: PG-17

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @jojomoyes

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

“You’re going to feel uncomfortable in your new world for a bit. But I hope you feel a bit exhilarated too. Live boldly. Push yourself. Don’t settle. Just live well. Just live. Love, Will.”

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future...

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives us two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises await. 

~~~

Hey, guys!

      If you've kept up with my reviews for the past few months, you would probably remember my very emotional thoughts on Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.... Boy was that great and thought provoking book. Well, After You follows Lou Clarke after the end of Me Before You. If you haven't read Me Before You and do not want to be spoiled, then I recommend that you read Me Before You and then come back. I will tell you though, that this is an excellent book and although it's not as great as Me Before You, I think it is essential that you read this book after it. I think it ties up Lou's story really nicely. It's not like Me Before You even needed a sequel, but the nerd in me really wanted more of Lou's story. I was so torn up about the ending of Me Before You, but I really enjoy the character development in this book. Anyway, here are my thoughts on After You by Jojo Moyes. 

       Like I said before, After You follows Lou after Will's death. Lou is in a rut and she doesn't know how to be kick started back to life. She's a shell of who she was before, and she just isn't happy. A person from Will's past shows up and turns her life upside down. On top of that, she's going to a therapy group and meets Sam Fielding. The guy who saved her life after a freak accident that she had. This book follows Lou's journey after Will's death and her attempts to find herself even after she feels like her world had ended. 

      I really enjoyed this book. Jojo Moyes's writing is so beautiful and lovely to read. Even though I've only read two of her books, I feel like I'm returning to an old friend when I pick her books up. They deal with some heavy subjects, but they still feel really light and easy. I really loved the characters that Moyes added to Lou's story and I really loved the continuation of the characters in Me Before You. Lou's mom for one, wow! What a character development. I really loved how she stood up for herself and worked hard to be the amazing woman that she is. At first, I really was surprised about her sudden shift of perspective, but then I really got into her attitude and I was cracking up about how Lou's dad reacted. 

      I really did enjoy Lily's character. At first I thought she was a bit dramatic, but once I got to know her whole story I really loved her and she was really real to me. I really want a book about Lily. I want to see her grow up and thrive and find love...I also really loved Sam's character. He is such a sweet guy and I totally ship Clarke and Sam... I also really enjoyed Clarke throughout this book. Her grief was very raw and realistic and I loved how Moyes dealt with her heart ache and her healing process. 

      Jojo Moyes is about to come out with another novel and I can't wait to read it. I'm not sure if I'll read her other books. I'm not sure where to start. Comment down below your favorite Jojo Moyes book other than MBY & AY. I adore her writing, but I don't know where to start. 

Thank you Penguin for sending me a copy of this awesome book! 

Books Mentioned:

• Me Before You by Jojo Moyes ~ 5 stars

Happy reading!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

Page Count: 96

Published on:  February 25, 2016

Published by: Macmillan's Kids UK

Genre(s): YA, Contemporary, Short Stories, Fiction

Source: Paperback --Thank you Carlisa!

Age Rating: PG

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @rainbowrowell

My Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

'Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd.'
'Are you mad because other people like Star Wars? Are you mad because people like me like Star Wars?' 
'Maybe.' 

If you broke Elena's heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she's expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does. What she's not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels. Kindred Spirits is an engaging short story by Rainbow Rowell, author of the bestselling Eleanor & Park, Fangirl and Carry On, and is part of a handful of selected short reads specially produced for World Book Day.

~~~

Hey, guys!

      If you've been following my blog or following me on Goodreads, then you would know that I am a huge fan of Rainbow Rowell's work. I've loved everything that she's written and when she announced that she was releasing a short story for World Book Day that was about a girl who loves Star Wars...I was sold. 

     Elena is absolutely ecstatic about the new Star Wars movie. She decides to camp out in the movie queue..she expects a huge fuss and a huge celebration. She finds the queue to be made up of 2 guys and herself for the week. 

     I loved this story. You would think that it would be a bit of an info-dump when it comes to the main character, but there was actually quite a bit of character development and it was very natural. The characters were all really funny and sweet and their shenanigans in life were really fun to read about. I really want a full-length novel that takes place after the movie to see Elena and her new Star Wars friends go from there.

      I'm not sure why there was a little thing on the front of the book that says "For Older Readers", but it was definitely YA. I just loved how sweet and fluffy it was. Some may not like the ending because it was a bit abrupt and could appear to be rushed, but it was a short story and I loved it. I'm not very familiar with short stories, but this was just what I needed between a fantasy and science fiction binge.

I can't wait until 2017 when the U.S. gets their own version of this book. I want to buy all of Rainbow's work. She's definitely one of the best contemporary romance writers.

My Rainbow Rowell Reviews:

• Fangirl ~ 5 stars
• Carry On ~ 5 stars
• Attachments ~ 4.5 stars
• Eleanor & Park ~ 5 stars

Happy reading!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{Review} The Children's Horrible House by N. Jane Quackenbush

Page Count: --

Published on: November 10, 2015 & October 15, 2016

Published by: Smashwords Editions

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mystery

Source: e-book: Provided by publisher

Age Rating: PG

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @hiddenwolfbooks

My Rating: 3 stars

~~~

Goodreads synopsis:

      Holly Spinatsch, a curious and rebellious tomboy, was forewarned by her siblings that if she didn't make her bed, she would be taken away to The Children’s Horrible House...and indeed she was. 

      On her search for kinship in this seemingly haunted jail like mansion, she discovers a mystery lurking and breathing, crying out for discovery.
However, when she and her friends attempt to solve the mystery, they are only left with more questions.

~~~

Hey, guys!

      I was contacted by N. Jane Quackenbush to read The Return to the Children's Horrible House. She sent me e-copies of The Children's Horrible House and The Return to the Children's Horrible House for honest reviews. I was pretty excited to get into these books because they looked super cute and like something that my little sister would really enjoy. This book follows Holly Spinatsch who refuses to make her bed and clean her room. She's sent to The Children's Horrible House, a reform school for kids who disobey their parents. Holly discovers mysterious happenings during her stay at TCHH and she starts a little investigation with the friends that she' made at TCHH. Here is my review of book one!

      The only things that I really enjoyed during this book were the names of the characters, the concept of the plot, the flashbacks, and the ending. The names were really cute. The Spinatsch family all had first names that are plant names and I thought they were really cute. The flashbacks for the background story of the house were really interesting and I loved reading those bits. The ending was really intriguing and I think that's the main reason that I'm giving the book a lower rating...

      I didn't enjoy the characters themselves because they were either really annoying, they jumped around, their personality traits kept jumping around, or I basically just hated them. For example, Holly was supposed to be a young girl who didn't really enjoy or pay attention in school. She would keep using these words that were way past her comprehension. She's about the same age as my little sister and whenever she used huge words that young kids don't usually use, I would get really irritated. 

My review for book two will be up within the next couple weeks, so stay tuned!

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{LivTheBookClub BOTM #3} Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

Page Count: 416

Published on: August 30, 2016

Published by: Dutton Books For Young Readers

Genre(s): Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fairy Tales, High Fantasy, Adventure

Source: Hardback

Age Rating: PG

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @TaherehMafi

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

      The bestselling author of the Shatter Me series takes readers beyond the limits of their imagination in this captivating new middle-grade adventure where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places.

      There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

      But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit--and with a liar by her side in a land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself--and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.

~~~

Hey, guys!

      In September the LivTheBookClub read Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi, a whimsical and magical middle-grade novel that follows young Alice Alexis Queensmeadow who goes on a quest to find her father.

      To be honest, I kind of went into this book blindly. I didn't read any reviews, I didn't watch any of the promotional videos that were posted, and I definitely waited to watch Whitney from WhittyNovel's review and ramblings on YouTube. If you haven't read the book, or if you don't really care to get a hint into what this book entails then read on! If you don't want to go into this book with much of a synopsis, then do not read on! Come back when you're done reading! 5/5 stars! Read Furthermore!!!!

      I have been anticipating this book for over a year and I've been so excited to get another taste of Tahereh's writing. I fell in love with Tahereh Mafi's writing when I first read Shatter Me, her first book in her Shatter Me series, in December of 2014. The Shatter Me series has a special place in my heart. It was one of the first series that I reviewed on my blog, and even after reading the books almost 2 years ago, I still remember the story line very very clearly. I just love these books so much, and when I found out that she had been working on a middle-grade fantasy stand-alone, I was squealing with excitement. 

      Julia will testify to this, but I bought Furthermore on the first day of the month (the day after the release day) from Target. She wanted me to have my mom or someone record me finding the book, but in the end, it wasn't that eventful. Squealing, stroking the spine, geeking out over the cover. Nothing major. I was so so so excited to get my hands on my own physical copy. I started Furthermore as soon as I finished City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare, and then I had to stop for school reading, review copies, and because I really didn't want to read it as quickly as I would have if I had just sat down and ignored my school work. Anyway, here is what I actually thought about the book.

     First of all, I really loved the whole aesthetic of this book. It was so colorful and beautifully written. Tahereh's writing gave me such a lovely feeling inside and it gave me a light and whimsical vibe. When reading Shatter Me, it's very dark, ominous, and suspenseful...but when reading Furthermore, it's very suspenseful and mysterious, but it's still really light-hearted and adorable. I really liked her narration style. She would have little author interjections that always managed to make me laugh because she was basically breaking the fourth wall of writing. It reminded me of The Series of Unfortunate Events (that I wasn't impressed with, overall) and The Secret Series (LOVE!!!). 

      Let's talk about the magic system. Okay, Ferenwood and Furthermore are so mysterious and whimsical. If you don't have an open mind to nonsense, magic, and tomfoolery then you'll probably have a hard time wrapping your mind around the magic in this book. As a college student that is expected to have a very serious frame of mind when it comes to life, it was such a relief to have a book that was so beautiful and magical and strange. I'm not sure if I'm just rambling or not, but this book was just a huge breath of fresh air when it comes to taking a break from reading dull and dense textbooks. I think I may read Furthermore again when I have more time to sink down into the world. Reading something for fun has been making me feel guilty for not utilizing my time for school work, so I really want to experience the beauty of this book for what it is and not have to worry if I have a random math assignment due the next day. 

      I would love to have another book set in Ferenwood or Furthermore. I really want to explore the whimsy of Furthermore more and I would love to read more about the magical talents of the people of Ferenwood. 


      Okay, Alice Alexis Queensmeadow. Let's talk about Alice! I loved how sassy, brave, colorful, and real Alice is. I loved her attitude throughout this book. I saw my sister Reagan in her when she would sass Oliver and I saw my sensitive little Beetle when she would have her little emotional moments. She had such a great character arc at the end of the end of the book. She accepted herself and she embraced her amazing talent. I loved how impulsive she was. I mean, kids think they're invincible. I thought this added a very relatable aspect to the book. 

      Oliver...I'm not sure how I feel about him yet. He's a little butthead during most of the book, but his personality changed a lot towards the end. I think the events that occurred humbled him quite a bit, and I really liked that. It just felt a bit rushed to me...But I binge read the last chunk of the book, so that might be the reason....

     The one problem that I had with the book was that it was really rushed towards the end and it kind of wrapped up too perfectly. I wanted a great ending that worked the problems out, but this ending was just really rushed and I felt like there could have been so much more added to the book. 

Random Things I Loved:

~The diversity of the characters! Not only did the characters have actual colored skin (purple, pink, sunset), but there were so many diverse characters in Furthermore too! 

~Characters get hurt/disabled during the book. This rarely happens, and it's so interesting to have a character like Alice to go through something like this. I kind of wish that I hadn't been fixed. 

~"If a girl is afraid she doesn't have to be nice" This is so important! Need I explain? 

~Alice went pee! I've never read a book where the character goes pee! Hallelujah! It's so normal to go to the bathroom. Why is it ignored in books? I mean it's redundant if they just keep going pee, but sometimes it should be mentioned. 

      Overall, I really loved this book. I definitely want a sequel. I need more of Tahereh's writing. She is such a beautiful human being and I love her social media updates. I not only love her writing, but I think she is a lovely person in real life too. Someday I hope to meet her, but until then I will read everything that she releases. 

Books Mentioned:

• Shatter Me review {click}
• Unravel Me review {click}
• Ignite Me review {click}
• Unite Me review {click}
• City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare {review coming soon!}

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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