Tuesday, February 7, 2023

{Review} She-Hulk: Jen Again by Rainbow Rowell, Luca Maresca, Rico Renzi, and Rogê Antônio

 

Page count: 120
Publisher: Marvel
Published on: October 4, 2022 
Genres:
Format: ebook personally purchased

[Purchase Here]

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

The best character ever is back in her own series and about to glam up the whole Marvel Universe! Jennifer Walters, the Sensational She-Hulk, is no longer savage - and now she needs to put her life back together. She's got a legal career to rebuild, friends to reacquaint herself with (and maybe represent in a court of law), and enemies to... well, she may not want to connect with them, but they are definitely going to connect with her. And Jen is about to be sent down a road she's never travelled - one that will shake up her life... and possibly the whole Marvel Universe! 

~ ~ ~

I don’t know what’s in the water, but I have just been consuming only 4.5-5 star reads so far this year. What a blessing!


I finally picked up this gorgeous comic book because it was blessedly only $2.99. For a grad student, that’s practically free — well not really, but I could afford it and that’s important to me. Anyway, I knew I would love this going into it because I know that this story only gets 10 issues. I’m not sure what’s up with my brain, but longer comic runs do not get finished — at least for me. I don’t manage to finish them. I’m pretty sure that will change this year because I’ve really gotten into following the weekly/bi-weekly journeys of certain manga series, but I digress.

She-Hulk is a new favorite character. I already know I’ll be searching out more content and more world lore because I’ve genuinely never consumed She-Hulk specific Marvel content. After reading this, I’m mad that I haven’t! I don’t know what brought these fascinating characters to where they are in this volume, but I’m involved now! I need backstory! I want more Jack of Hearts! I need more domestic interactions between the heroes! It’s great!

If you’ve been thinking of diving into She-Hulk, specifically Rainbow Rowell’s go at it- do it! I loved her Runaways issues, so it’s not surprising that I loved this.

‼️ The .5 stars I docked off is easily remedied and reflects on my reading experience. I just don’t know the history so that took me out of it. That part of the rating does not reflect on the story itself. It’s merely my experience.

Happy reading, friends!
Olivia
Liv the Book Nerd
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Thursday, February 2, 2023

January 2023 Reading Wrap Up





In January, I read 14 books - including novellas, comics, graphic novels, novels, manga, and novelettes. I had an excellent reading month. I started the year with so many 5 star reads. I spent the month bouncing between my Rick Riordan reread, monster romance, and myth inspired books. It was so much fun.

✨Books Read:✨

- The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan ~ 5 stars
- The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan~ 5 stars
- The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan~ 5 stars
- The House of Hades by Rick Riordan~ 5 stars
- Spy x Family vol 11 ~ 4 stars
- Chainsaw Man vol 13 ~ 3 stars
- Highly Suspicious & Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert ~ 3 stars
- Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne ~ 5 stars
- Games With the Orc by Kathryn Moon ~ 5 stars
- How Not To Date a Demon by Lana Kole ~ 4 stars
- Dear Monster Claus by Maeve Black ~ 4 stars
- Blood Moon by Jillian Graves ~ 4 stars
- A Lady of Rooksgrave by Kathryn Moon ~ 4 stars
- She-Hulk; Jen's Back by Rainbow Rowell ~ 4 stars

More reviews coming soon on my Instagram page and here! 

✨Favorite Read: Games With the Orc!!

✨Least Favorite: Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute 😕 - Still so much fun, but I was just not in the mood for YA this month. I loved reading and discussing this with my book club though! So much fun!

✨# Pages Read: 4,269
✨Shortest Book: Blood Moon
✨Longest Book: The House of Hades
✨Average Rating: 4.4 stars (What a great reading month! Ahh!)

⚡️See any favorites? Or do you have any recs based on what I read and loved? I'd love any monster romance recs I can get. I couldn't get enough of them!



Happy reading, friends!
Olivia
Liv the Book Nerd

 



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Wednesday, February 1, 2023

{Review} The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik


Page count: 407
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Published on: September 27, 2022
Genres: Adult fantasy
Format: Hardback personally purchased

[Purchase Here]

Rating: 4.5 stars

TW: torture, death, gore, violence, child death, classism, murder, confinement, emotional abuse, child abuse, racism, war

#3/3 in the Scholomance Trilogy 

Book 1: A Deadly Education: 4/5 stars

Book 2: The Last Graduate: 5/5 stars

[original mini review on Instagram]

Synopsis:

Saving the world is a test no school of magic can prepare you for in the triumphant conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate.

The one thing you never talk about while you're in the Scholomance is what you'll do when you get out. Not even the richest enclaver would tempt fate that way. But it's all we dream about, the hideously slim chance we'll survive to make it out the gates and improbably find ourselves with a life ahead of us, a life outside the Scholomance halls.

And now the impossible dream has come true. I'm out, we're all out--and I didn't even have to turn into a monstrous dark witch to make it happen. So much for my great-grandmother's prophecy of doom and destruction. I didn't kill enclavers, I saved them. Me, and Orion, and our allies. Our graduation plan worked to perfection: we saved everyone and made the world safe for all wizards and brought peace and harmony to all the enclaves of the world.

Ha, only joking! Actually it's gone all wrong. Someone else has picked up the project of destroying enclaves in my stead, and probably everyone we saved is about to get killed in the brewing enclave war on the horizon. And the first thing I've got to do now, having miraculously got out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in.

~ ~ ~

To say I've enjoyed this series is an understatement. Did the first book have a questionable anecdote? Yes it did, but it was fixed and readers have seemed to forgive Novik for her shortsightedness and appreciate her candor and urgency in fixing the wording. For that, I did not feel conflicted in finishing this series. 

I’ve really fallen in love with the Scholomance series. I think Novik has created a main character that is so incredibly realistic. I was kind of nervous about how she would represent the diaspora that comes with being from two cultures, but I also am not of that demographic. I can’t firmly speak to it, but from what I studied and from the classes I took in college, this seemed to be so beautifully done. Obviously, if POC readers disagree, what they say is so much more important that what I think. I can’t speak to it. I really really loved how El's character shifted and changed with her environment for the better. Her character growth was absolutely lovely. She really was a powerhouse in this book. 

The Golden Enclaves exceeded my expectations. I really wasn't sure where she was going with this book when I finished The Last Graduate.  It was incredible and I really had no idea what to expect. Once I read it, everything made so much sense. Every little puzzle piece fit just right and the little moments mentioned in the first novel came back full circle at the end. I loved it. That's one of my favorite things about reading fantasy novels with such lush and interesting worlds.  

Overall, I really loved this book. Novik’s writing style and the way she builds worlds and progresses story arcs is just phenomenal. I wish more people talked about these books in my little social media circle. They’re so good! I plan on diving into her dragon series once I'm back into my epic fantasy mood. 

Happy reading, friends!
Olivia
Liv the Book Nerd


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Tuesday, January 10, 2023

2022 Reading Statistics

 Hello, lovely people!

I haven't updated in a hot minute, but I just wanted to touch base to cap off 2022. I'm not going to post my ususal yearly wrap up, but I did want to share my reading statistics and share some links if you're curious about what I managed to read in 2022.

My life is currently in a state of chaos and I'm not sure when it will slow down, but if you'd like to keep up with my reading shenanigans, please head over to Instagram and Goodreads to keep tabs on what I'm reading and getting up to. 

A quick life update! I'm still married to my best friend, Alex. Our first year of marriage was so wonderful. He's teaching full time and has finished his schooling for now. He's so incredible and wonderful. We've had a lot of financial stress this year and lots of trials that have only brought us closer. For one, our car was broken into and we lost some items and my bank accounts were hijacked, but that worked itself out. It just wasn't fun to have to replace items and get our car fixed. But we're safe and making sure we're safer when we're in bigger cities. 


I'm currently working at my alma mater in the library and I'm enrolled in classes to get a master's degree in informatics and library science. I'm in my second semester (day 2!) and I'm having a blast. I'm also working hella part time at a famous coffee chain, but those shifts are just side quests to get more loot to pay the bills. I'm having a great time with my classes and it's all online, so it's just really nice to be able to study and work on my homework before a library shift or on a day off on my couch. It's the opposite of stressful most days.

I'm still working on my novel, tentatively titled Freyja, and I've been participating in the various NaNoWriMo challenges. I "won" the last official NaNoWriMo and added 50k words to my current manuscript. It's currently sitting at 180k words and I'm still working to finish at the end of this year. I'm aiming for 200k words, but I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up sitting at a higher total. If you're also participating, let's be buddies on the NaNo website! I'm livthebooknerd over there too. 

Now to the reading statistics!

In 2022, I managed to read 155 books. I met my reading goal by the skin of my teeth. A good portion of those books were manga and graphic novels. I was absolutely in my manga era in 2022. We can thank my best friend, Renee for that. I started or read so many fun new series and I'm having a great time continuing them. 


(not all are shown in the picture)

Number of Books Read: 155

Number of Pages Read: 37,514

Average Length: 242 pages

Average Rating: 4.1 stars

Shortest Book: Layover by Emily Henry (9 pages)

Longest Book: House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas (807 pages)

Most Popular: Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief  by Rick Riordan (shelved 3.7+ million times on Goodreads)

Least Popular: Ruri Dragon by Shindou Masaoki (shelved 66 times on Goodreads)

Highest Rated: The Rosebud Boy by Rainbow Rowell (4.77 average rating on Goodreads)


Interested in the masterlist? Check out my Year in Books on Goodreads!

Well, that's that! I'll be posting my top favorites and my top 5 ...probably tomorrow? We'll see! Questions? Just comment below! 


Happy reading, friends!
Olivia
Liv the Book Nerd


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Top 18 of 2022

 

Hey, guys!

I’m usually one to do a “top xx of 20xx” situation, but picking 22 books was far too daunting for me. So I picked 18? The picking process was so fun, but I can’t say I was overly organized, but I had fun picking these books! 

These 18 are not in any particular order and there are a couple that aren't in the picture because I just don't own them yet. 

◦ Sweat and Soap by Kintetsu Yamada (series)
◦ The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe
◦ Wotakoi by Fujita (series)
◦ Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo (series)
◦ Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto (series)
◦ The Dragon’s Bride by Katee Robert
◦ The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec 
◦ Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
◦ Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman
◦ The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
◦ The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
◦ The Death God’s Sacrifice by Jenny Nordbak
◦ Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
◦ Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare

◦ An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

◦ A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green
◦ The Kraken’s Sacrifice by Katee Robert
◦ House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

This was the year that I really just dove into manga and immersed myself into their anime adaptions. I also really fell in love with Katee Robert and her wonderful romances. I've found what I really love to read and I've just been letting myself mood read and pick up what I want when I want to read it. Sometimes it's stressful because I've managed to pick up 10 books at once, but I always manage to fix it and finish more books. 

What were your favorite reads from 2022? Let's discuss in the comments!

Happy reading, friends!
Olivia
Liv the Book Nerd
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Monday, October 24, 2022

{Review} Built to Last by Erin Hahn

 



Page count: 336
Publisher: Macmillan
Published on: October 18, 2022 
Genres: Adult contemporary romance
Format: ARC from Macmillan

[Purchase Here]
Tropes: best friends to lovers, childhood friends to lovers, second chance romance
Spice: 🌶/5

Rating: 4 stars
~ HGTV home reno vibes, formerly famous main characters, former child stars ~
Goodreads synopsis:
Shelby Springfield has spent the last ten years trying to overcome her past. As a former child star and lack luster pop star, it's difficult to move on from her widely documented and public meltdown and incredibly humiliating public break up with her former co-star, Lyle.
When Shelby is asked to be the star of a home renovation show, she can't help but accept. Especially if her other co-star and first love, Cameron, is involved.
This book was so adorable! I can't thank Macmillan enough for sending this my way. Shelby and Cameron were so so sweet and their love story was so much fun to read. I'm always searching for a delightful second chance romance storyline and this definitely scratched the itch.
Cameron has made a name for himself as a widely popular nature documentary videographer. When he's asked to co-star in a home renovation show with his former best friend and first love, Shelby, he can't refuse.
~~~

Thank you for the ARC, Macmillan!
** All thoughts are my own and I have received no financial compensation for my honest review **


    Shelby (27) has lived a quiet, secluded life away from the spotlight since she left L.A. She's created her own business where she refurbishes and restores furniture and works with her father to flip houses in the community. She's found purpose and peace since her wild child days in L.A. I absolutely loved seeing Shelby's growth throughout this book. Her journey to love herself isn't easy, and forgiving herself and moving past her mistakes is just as hard of a task. I was so invested in her journey and I loved the HEA that resulted. The chemistry between Shelby and Cam is undeniable. Their friendship is so so sweet and I honestly loved the minor miscommunication that aided them in admitting their feelings for one another. It was realistic and really really cute. I loved the themes throughout this book, particularly the focus on personal change and growth. Humans are meant to evolve with their experiences and I felt like Hahn represented humanity and their tenacious spirit through her characters. It was absolutely fantastic and I definitely teared up a little when I got to the end of the book. The payoff is so worth it to me. Cameron (28) is one of the sweetest fictional men. I loved his perspectives throughout because he was just sooo smitten with Shelby. I loved seeing him get to grow as a person and actually pursue his passions despite the hardships that arose. His relationship with Shelby's dad was so wonderful and I loved how he fell for not just Shelby, but the life she's created and a livelihood that he finds fulfillment. One thing that I missed in this book was flashbacks. Cam and Shelby's relationship was believable, but their chemistry kind of lacking sometimes. I felt like there should have been a few more flashbacks to really solidify their backstory. I really wanted more from their past and I felt like it would have filled in the holes where the story lacked. If there had been more, I think that S&C's development, growth, and romantic chemistry would have felt even more believable. The events of the past just seemed so incredibly important to the characters, but we only got a glimpse of how they actively affected their lives. It was talked about, but there wasn't enough showing for my taste. Overall, this was so much fun to read. I can't wait to shove this into the hands of my romance-loving friends. They're going to love this so so much.

I definitely recommend this one! Snag your copy now!

Happy reading, friends!
Olivia
Liv the Book Nerd

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Monday, October 3, 2022

{Review} Mr. October by Bethany Weaver

 


Page count: 65
Publisher: Bethany Weaver
Published on: October 13, 2022 
Genres: Adult romance
Format: eARC from Bethany

Preorder NOW on Amazon! Only $2.99!

Tropes: best friends to lovers, small-town romance, Halloween romance Spice: 🌶.5/5 Rating: 4/5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Halloween has come early in this steamy, friends to lovers, teacher/teacher romance filled with secret pining, fun hijinks, and quirky small-town feels. Sabrina is no stranger to the Halloween pranks played around Grimsby, Indiana in the month of October. In fact, she is the recipient of nearly all of them. Usually, she would laugh it off and spend the rest of month looking over her shoulder anxiously awaiting the next scare. But not this year. She’s ready to fight prank with prank…starting with her best friend and Grimsby High’s favorite history teacher: Mr. October.

~ ~ ~

Hey, guys!

I had the pleasure of reading my friend, Bethany's, Halloween romance novella while I was down with COVID -- and I have to say that it was one of the highlights from those two weeks! Bethany and I graduated together from Indiana University and I had the pleasure of taking classes with her throughout my four years of undergrad. When she told me she was releasing a novella, I was ecstatic! Her work is so much fun to read and she writes romance like no other. Any snippets of her work that I got to consume while at IU was just absolutely phenomenal. She's so talented.

Needless to say, I'm biased toward her work. But that isn't going to stop me from hyping her up to the gods. I can't recommend her work enough. When her full-length books come out, prepare to be sick of me because she is THAT. GOOD.

I'm absolutely a sucker for any kind of romance, but I love a holiday centered read. I'm a huge fan of Halloween romance novellas. It's always such a great time. A fantastic mixture of cozy, spooky, and hilarious. Bethany didn't disappoint!

Mr. October is sixty-five pages of fun and swoony romance. It follows Sabrina and Adam who are best friends and coworkers at a school. I won't explain because it's sixty five pages! They fall in love and things get spicy. It's so much fun!

There are two reasons why this only got four stars, but they're selfish reasons:

1) I really wanted just a bit more. Just maybe five thousand more words tacked onto the fifteen thousand. Some of the plot points were a smidge too rushed or glossed over, but overall, it worked so so well. I'm just always grooving for more from Bethany.

2) I've read snippets of Bethany's upcoming work. It's just SO GOOD. Compared to the stories she is preparing for 2023, this story was just four stars for me. Those that are reading this review are going to go absolutely feral for Bethany's upcoming work. Preorder them! You won't be disappointed!

If you love cozy, fall themed romances, this is one to pick up. You'll love Mr. October and the easily frightened Sabrina and swoony Adam October. You need this novella in your life. Also! It comes out on my birthday! It's fate! Read this novella!

Follow Bethany!
Instagram/ Amazon
Weaver Literary Agency



Happy reading, friends!
Olivia
Liv the Book Nerd



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