jilljemmett

Review: The Black Witch (The Black Witch Chronicles, #1)

Title: The Black Witch (The Black Witch Chronicles, #1)
Author: Laurie Forest
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Purchased
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A new Black Witch will rise…her powers vast beyond imagining.

Elloren Gardner is the granddaughter of the last prophesied Black Witch, Carnissa Gardner, who drove back the enemy forces and saved the Gardnerian people during the Realm War. But while she is the absolute spitting image of her famous grandmother, Elloren is utterly devoid of power in a society that prizes magical ability above all else.

When she is granted the opportunity to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an apothecary, Elloren joins her brothers at the prestigious Verpax University to embrace a destiny of her own, free from the shadow of her grandmother’s legacy. But she soon realizes that the university, which admits all manner of people—including the fire-wielding, winged Icarals, the sworn enemies of all Gardnerians—is a treacherous place for the granddaughter of the Black Witch.

As evil looms on the horizon and the pressure to live up to her heritage builds, everything Elloren thought she knew will be challenged and torn away. Her best hope of survival may be among the most unlikely band of misfits…if only she can find the courage to trust those she’s been taught to hate and fear.

Review:

I really enjoyed this story!

It may just be me, but I found a lot of similarities between this book and Harry Potter. There weren’t direct references, but there were a few things that reminded me of the series. For example, Elloren doesn’t know much about the rest of the magical world that she enters when she goes to university, just like Harry didn’t know about the magical world before he went to Hogwarts. They even have a teacher who is a Snake Elf, who teaches their science class. He reminded me so much of Snape. I loved the similarities between this book and Harry Potter, since that is one of my favourite series!

Elloren developed as a character throughout the story, as she learned more about the world around her. At the beginning, she was very naive because she was inexperienced. She had never been around different races or species, so she didn’t know what they were like. She took it on herself to try to learn the truth, rather than just follow everyone else’s beliefs.

I thought I figured out the ending, but it turns out I was wrong! I’m curious to see how the story continues in the next book.

Stacking the Shelves – August 25

This is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I received two books from Penguin Random House Canada this week:

The Exes’ Revenge by Jo Jakeman
Tell Me You’re Mine by Elizabeth Norebäck

I also bought one book from Indigo:

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

What books did you get this week?

Review: The Prince and the Dressmaker

Title: The Prince and the Dressmaker
Author: Jen Wang
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel
Publisher: First Second
Source: Library
Release Date: February 13, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.

Review:

I’m so glad I finally read this graphic novel! I saw everyone raving about it in the spring, and it definitely lived up to the hype!

This is an important story about being yourself. Sebastian and Frances have a unique relationship. Frances puts her own dreams on hold to support Sebastian’s nightly activities of dressing up as Lady Crystallia. They both have to protect his secret identity, but it can only last for so long.

One of the most fascinating things about graphic novels for me is the art. I always wonder how the artists create the story through the different panels. At the end of this story, there are a few pages where Jen Wang talks about her process. I loved reading about this, because it is so different from the work that I do. I would love to make a graphic novel one day, just to see how the entire process works.

I highly recommend this book! It was great!

First Lines Friday – August 24

This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words, where you give the first few lines of a book to hook your readers before introducing the book.

Here are my first lines:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. Never was this truth more plain than during the recent attacks at Netherfield Park, in which a household of eighteen was slaughtered and consumed by a horde of the living dead.”

Do you recognize these first lines?

…

And the book is… Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith.

Goodreads synopsis:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”

So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield. Can Elizabeth vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you’d actually want to read.

I love this book!

Have you read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? What did you think of it?

Review: The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events #3)

Title: The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events #3)
Author: Lemony Snicket
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Library
Release Date: February 25, 2000
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Dear Reader,

If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted; but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and this one may be the worst of them all. If you haven’t got the stomach for a story that includes a hurricane, a signalling device, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, and a doll named Pretty Penny, then this book will probably fill you with despair. I will continue to record these tragic tales, for that is what I do. You, however, should decide for yourself whether you can possibly endure this miserable story.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

Review:

This book is one of my favourites in the series.

I’ve always been a book nerd, so I loved the grammar elements in the story. Their Aunt Josephine is obsessed with grammar, so she is always correcting other people’s language. She is also afraid of everything, from answering the phone to turning a doorknob. She is quite extreme but it makes the story funny.

Even thought I knew how the story ended, I loved reading about the puzzle the kids had to solve at the end. After this book, the puzzles the children have to solve become more complicated.

I can’t wait to continue rereading the series!

TBR Thursday – August 23

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is Runaways: An Original Novel by Christopher Golden.

Goodreads Synopsis:

“The Pride, back in L.A.? Their parents, alive? Karolina had never realized hope and fear could feel so much alike.”

Written by New York Times best-selling author Christopher Golden, Runaways: An Original Novel is a fresh take on the Marvel fan favorite. Including the first issue of the revived Runaways comic series written by Rainbow Rowell and with art by Kris Anka, it’s easy for fans of the comics, fans of the new Hulu TV show, and first-time readers to all enjoy this new take on an old classic.

Turns out murderous Super Villains don’t make for good parents. The Runaways had no choice. They had to kill them. Well, more or less. Now Nico, Karolina, Gert, Chase, and Molly are on the run again, hiding out and trying to regain a sense of normalcy. But kids with super powers don’t get to be normal.

The city is overrun with criminals, each faction bent on murdering them for one reason or another. It’s only when the Runaways uncover the truth behind their parents’ past that they realize the evil isn’t just in L.A.

It’s everywhere.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Review: Paths and Portals (Secret Coders, #2)

Title: Paths and Portals (Secret Coders, #2)
Author: Gene Luen Yang, and Mike Holmes
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel
Publisher: First Second
Source: Library
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Gene Luen Yang is the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

There’s something lurking beneath the surface of Stately Academy—literally. In a secret underground classroom Hopper, Eni, and Josh discover that the campus was once home to the Bee School, an institute where teachers, students, and robots worked together to unravel the mysteries of coding. Hopper and her friends are eager to follow in this tradition and become top-rate coders. But why are Principal Dean and the rugby team suddenly so interested in their extracurricular activities?

From graphic novel superstar (and high school computer programming teacher) Gene Luen Yang comes the second volume of Secret Coders, Paths & Portals, a wildly entertaining new series that combines logic puzzles and basic programming instruction with a page-turning mystery plot!

Review:

This story begins right where the first story ended.

The kids have to figure out the challenge that Professor Bee gave them. He gave them the challenge at the end of the last book and this one begins with them solving it. The only problem with this is that the reader may have forgotten the very end of the last book. This one ended the same way, with a cliffhanger. If you don’t have access to the book or if you read the previous one a long time ago, it could be a problem.

I liked the way coding was incorporated into this story. The characters gave tasks for the reader to figure out along with them. The kids in the story had to figure out how to make the robots do certain tasks by typing in a list of instructions. This is a good way for kids to learn simple coding.

I enjoyed this book, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

Litjoy Unboxing – June 2018

Better late than never! I’m finally posting the unboxing of my Litjoy crate from June, and it was awesome!

I’m obsessed with the new Litjoy cards! The first two are Heathcliff and Catherine from Wuthering Heights, and Elizabeth and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. I can’t wait to see the rest of them!

This is a tattoo from the upcoming book The Devil’s Thief. I can’t wait to read it, but I don’t know if I’ll use the tattoo…

This is an adorable wooden bookmark featuring a quote from one of my favourites, Charlotte Bronte.

This is a Peter Pan tea towel! So adorable!

I’m obsessed with this pouch. This library card was used by characters from Jane Eyre.

I love this ghostly notebook! One side has Moaning Myrtle and the other has Nearly Headless Nick, both ghosts from Harry Potter.

And finally, the book is My Plain Jane! I can’t wait to read it!

Did you get this Litjoy box? What did you think of it?

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – August 22

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Elizabeth Lavenza hasn’t had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her “caregiver,” and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything–except a friend.

Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable–and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.

But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth’s survival depends on managing Victor’s dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.

What books are you waiting on this week?

Review: Giant Days

Title: Giant Days
Author: Non Pratt
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Amulet Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: August 21, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Based on the hit graphic-novel series from BOOM! Studios, the publisher behind Lumberjanes, Giant Days follows the hilarious and heartfelt misadventures of three university first-years: Daisy, the innocent home-schooled girl; Susan, the sardonic wit; and Esther, the vivacious drama queen. While the girls seem very different, they become fast friends during their first week of university. And it’s a good thing they do, because in the giant adventure that is college, a friend who has your back is key–something Daisy discovers when she gets a little too involved in her extracurricular club, the Yogic Brethren of Zoise. When she starts acting strange and life around campus gets even stranger (missing students, secret handshakes, monogrammed robes everywhere . . .), Esther and Susan decide it’s up to them to investigate the weirdness and save their friend.

Review:

I recently discovered the Giant Days comics, and they are awesome!

I really liked reading about characters that I was already familiar with. I could imagine them perfectly, since I knew what they looked like, but it was also nice to see them do more than what they do in the comics. I found that each chapter was like one volume of the graphic novel. The chapters were fairly long and they covered one topic that they all participated in, such as community service or balancing their schedules.

The story takes place in a university in England. I live in Canada but I attend a university in England remotely, so I could relate to some of the terms that were used in this book. For example, their student council or government is called the student union, and their individual courses are called modules. I learned those terms in my classes, so I could relate to them in this book.

This book was also hilarious. There were drunken moments and romances. Ed Gemmell was still trying to date Esther and Susan was avoiding McGraw… most of the time. These similarities with the graphic novels made me feel a connection with the novel.

I loved this book! I recommend it for fans of the series and new readers!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo

The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross

The Exes’ Revenge by Jo Jakeman

Tell Me You’re Mine by Elizabeth Norebäck

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang

Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Whitney Cogar

Goodreads synopsis:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events #4) by Lemony Snicket

The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles #1) by Tony DiTerlizzi, and Holly Black

Goodreads Synopsis:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Secrets & Sequences (Secret Coders, #3) by Gene Luen Yang, and Mike Holmes

Study Hall of Justice (DC Comics Secret Hero Society #1) by Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen

Goodreads Synopsis:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Giant Days, Vol. 1 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Whitney Cogar

Truth or Dare by Non Pratt