Hello all. I know I skipped my March wrap up, and that's sad, because I read a TON of books. However, I had an amazing April reading month. I cannot believe I read as many books as I did. I took part in the OWLs Magical Readathon and much to my delight, I managed to read all 12 books! So instead of going in the order I read them, we're going to instead go in the order of the OWLs courses. Let's go!!!
1. The Anatomical Shape of the Heart by Jenn Bennett
Artist Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she's spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Da Vinci's footsteps, she's ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital's Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down. Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco's most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is-and tries to uncover what he's hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in Beatrix's own family's closet tear them apart?
I read this one for Ancient Runes (Heartrune: Read a book featuring a heart on the cover or in the title) and I did enjoy it. It was a quick read. Personally I would love to get to know Jack the terrible Buddhist and his sister and just be in that world. It was very fun. I can understand Bex's reaction to the cadaver though, too. It was a great read and I'm glad I decided to stick with Jenn Bennett. Now I have to find her other books. I've already read Alex, Approximately so I think all I've left of the older works is Starry Eyes? I don't know.
2. Saga #1 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples
When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. From bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan, Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults.
I don't like science fiction. I don't like books set in space. I don't like Romeo & Juliet like stories. So for Arithmancy (2 "Balance/Opposites": Read a book outside of your comfort zone) we had to go with an old one that we've read before. I still don't care much for sci-fi or space things...but I did enjoy this. I won't rehash my old review, but it's still as good now to me as it was then. Perhaps graphic novels are the way I can get into this particular genre?
3. Ghost Diary #1 by Seiju Natsumegu
Sukami Kyouichi and his older sister Hanaichi come from a long line of exorcists. Both are accustomed to fighting ghouls, ghosts, and monsters, but when Kyouichi angers an actual god, it's Hanaichi who pays the price and mysteriously goes missing. While searching for her, Kyouichi meets Chloe Kowloon, a grim reaper who claims to be Hanaichi's friend. Chloe promises to tell Kyouichi anything she knows if he will help Chloe retrieve her lost memories. But the only way to do this is to complete the "Ghost Diary" -- a notebook belonging to Hanaichi with knowledge on defeating any supernatural being. Can Kyouichi and Chloe finish the diary, or will its subject matter finish them first...?
I read this one for Astrology (Night Classes: Read the majority of the book when it's dark out) because it was quick and a good spooky one to go with. It was amazing. I love the idea that they are ghost hunters. Sort of. It's like mixing Bleach and Inu-Yasha together. I was impressed by the plot and I am looking very forward to finding the next volume in the series so I can continue. I am wondering if there isn't going to be a romance between Chloe and Kyouichi. It seems like it would be, much to his friend, whose name I've suddenly forgotten. It is definitely an interesting start.
4. The Art of Mindful Reading by Ella Berthoud
The healing power of reading has been renowned since Aristotle; focus, flow and enlightenment can all be discovered through this universal act. Bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud explores how reading mindfully can shape the person you are, teach empathy with others and give you your moral backbone. Through meditative exercises, engaging anecdote and expert insight, discover the enriching potential of reading for mindfulness. Learn:
• How to use reading to develop your emotional intelligence
• Different ways of reading
• Reading like a child – without preconceptions and in exciting places
• The benefits of reading with others
• How to find yourself in a book – remembering what you have read
I was very interested in this, and willing to entirely go off-script just to get to it in April. Then I saw it. I could read this for Care of Magical Creatures (Read a book that has an animal with a beak on the cover) because hiding just to the left of the title, there are two ducks in the pond. Ducks have beaks. This one is a nonfiction and I believe the only one on the wrap up list. I didn't quite understand the concept of mindful reading at first, but now I think it's what I've been doing this whole time. Especially when I created my library down in my basement complete with my little reading corner (which is totally where I am sitting to write this blog post). I enjoyed it immensely and am likely going to look for more books by this author or at least in this series.
5. Good Boy by Jennifer Finney Boylan
"This is a book about dogs: the love we have for them, and the way that love helps us understand the people we have been. It’s in the love of dogs, and my love for them, that I can best now take the measure of the child I once was, and the bottomless, unfathomable desires that once haunted me. There are times when it is hard for me to fully remember that love, which was once so fragile, and so fierce. Sometimes it seems to fade before me, like breath on a mirror. But I remember the dogs." In her New York Times opinion column, Jennifer Finney Boylan wrote about her relationship with her beloved dog Indigo, and her wise, funny, heartbreaking column went viral. In Good Boy, Boylan explores what should be the simplest topic in the world, but never is: finding and giving love. Good Boy is a universal account of a remarkable story: showing how a young boy became a middle-aged woman—accompanied at seven crucial moments of growth and transformation by seven memorable dogs. “Everything I know about love,” she writes, “I learned from dogs.” Their love enables us pull off what seem like impossible feats: to find our way home when we are lost, to live our lives with humor and courage, and above all, to best become our true selves.
Remember one prompt ago when I said that was the only nonfiction book on my list? Yeah, I lied. I forgot that I had read this one for Charms (Lumos Maxima: Read a book with a white cover). I received this one for free from the publisher in return for a review (which I think I posted here? I don't remember). It was really interesting. I've read one of Boylan's fiction novels (ironically, that one has a predominantly black) and loved it. So when they asked if I wanted to read it, I said yes. I liked the idea, but would have been happier with less tangents.
6. Fairy Tail #1 by Hiro Mashima
Cute girl wizard Lucy wants to join the Fairy Tail, a club for the most powerful wizards. But instead, her ambitions land her in the clutches of a gang of unsavory pirates le by a devious magician. Her only hope is Natsu, a strange boy she happens to meet on her travels. Natsu’s not your typical hero – he gets motion sickness, eats like a pig, and his best friend is a talking cat. With friends like this, is Lucy better off with her enemies?
This one I read for Defense Against the Dark Arts (Grindylow: Read a book set on or near the ocean). The first third of this takes places in a port city and on a yacht in what I assume is an ocean. Then we are shown a map and told about how the main village where the guild itself is located is near the port. So I counted it. I adore Fairy Tail and think it's funny. I definitely enjoyed this and am looking forward to the rest of the series.
7. Love Recipe #1 by Kirico Higashizato
Tomonori Ozawa has just landed his dream job at a large publishing firm. The only catch is, he is the new editor of a Boy’s Love magazine! With that, comes the responsibility of managing Sakurako Kakyoin, a male yaoi artist who is notorious for missing his deadlines. To become a full–fledged editor, Tomonori-kun has to start from the bottom – checking drafts, editing scripts and lettering. Now if only Kakyoin-sensei would stop sexually harassing him, he could actually get some work done!
Another re-read, but an old favorite of mine. I enjoy these books a lot for the actual nature of them. Yes, it is yaoi (explicit m/m content, be warned). Though I like the fact that it's someone falling in love for the first time and realizing what it means to be in love. I don't think he is gay so much as probably bisexual. We don't get any indication whatsoever that he doesn't like women, just that his first love is male. I can't remember if we get more on that in volume 2 or not...perhaps I'll reread it. Anyways, this was to cover the prompt for Divination (Assign numbers to your TBR and use a random number generator to choose a book for you). I just went with my manga collection. Was cutting it close to the wire here.
8. Mythical Beast Investigator #1 by Koichiro Hoshino
Ferry is a mythical beast investigator, charged with keeping the peace between humanity and the many magical creatures that populate the world. When a dragon starts attacking a small village, Ferry and her otherworldly bodyguard, Kushuna, go to investigate. They soon discover that the dragon has a good reason for its rampage.
I read this one for Herbology (Mimbulus Mumbltonia: Read a book beginning with the letter M) because it looked amazing and I wanted another short read. Plus I am easily amused with the manga I purchase and have a terrible habit of reading them immediately. This one was very well drawn and I loved the whole idea behind it. If this wee powerhouse is just an apprentice or whatever, not even a proper Investigator of their alliance? Group? I don't remember offhand, then I am terrified of what a powerful proper one is going to be like. World ending super strength I would assume. I found this, much like most of the others, on BookOutlet.
9. Captive Hearts in Oz #3 by Ryo Maruya
The story is back on track, but darkness is still creeping down the yellow brick road. With danger hot on her heels, Dorothy finally gets her chance to see Oz. Will their meeting really be everything shes been hoping for? Something about this feels familiar, like a book from her childhood the one where the wizard was a fraud.
I read this one to complete the prompt for History of Magic (Witchhunt: Read a book featuring witches or wizards) I was racking my brain for something quick that involved witches or wizards and couldn't come up with anything. Then I remembered. Captive Hearts in Oz takes place IN Oz where there are four witches and a wizard. Duh. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it earlier. I enjoy how instead of being the original characters, what we see are all human versions of them. Though this is not the land of Oz from the original book series. This is a recreation by a young man. I cannot wait to see how it concludes in volume 4.
10. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. She’s an anomaly in her friend group: the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon. So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.
I read this one for Muggle Studies (Read a contemporary) because I've been dying to get to it and it fit nicely for the prompt. I think I read the first one last year or the year before, and I have been looking so forward to this one. It did not disappoint. I love that we follow Leah as she is a bit sad over the realization she can't have her first crush (Simon) but then falls for someone else and gets the girl. Yes, girl. I think this is my first sapphic romance, but I loved it. It was so good and now I am entirely excited to read The Upside of Unrequited.
11. Satan's Secretary #1 by Kamotsu Kamonabe
Satan has awoken and is dead set on conquering the human world. His secret weapon? A human woman with an unimaginable talent for organizing his demon army and keeping the conquest on track. But why would a mild-mannered woman like the Secretary betray the human race? And will Satan survive her strict schedule? Either way the human world is in big trouble!
I read this for the Potions (Shrinking Solution: Read a book under 150 pages) OWL prompt. This one came it at 144 pages. It read like a terrible RPG. I loved every minute of it. The demons of the underworld hate humans, hate them. So when Satan is awoken and they need help with the current world in the universe, they are now subjected to a human who wants...to kill all of the other humans in the world. I really think something more is going on than what we were told and I am very looking forward to locating the next volume in the series and finding out if things are actually what they seem. I keep thinking that she's not human at all. She's either like a minor half-demon, or maybe a golem? I don't know. This is just me speculating.
12. Supernova by Marissa Meyer
The Renegades' worst enemy is back among them, threatening to reclaim Gatlon City. Nova and Adrian must brave lies and betrayal to protect those they love. Their greatest fears are about to come to life, and unless they can bridge the divide between heroes and villains, they stand to lose everything. Including each other. Intrigue and action will leave readers on edge until the final, shocking secrets are revealed.
Last but certainly not least, I read this one for Transfiguration (Animagus Lecture: Read a book featuring shapeshifting). A friend and I had read the previous two books for a buddy read and thought we could just finish out the series together. I knew it would already be hard to get twelve books in for OWLs and then this on top of it. I didn't know where to put it. Then I remembered. Monarch. A superhero who's (my brain wanted to say quirk, no, bad brain, not quirk) power is the ability to shift into a swarm of monarch butterflies. Duh. That's shapeshifting. Then there was probably a few people who also could shift that I have just forgotten about. I loved this book a lot. It was a very good conclusion to the story. I kind of figured it would end that way, but you know, a girl can hope for not a predictable ending. I'm going to read Cinder next month and hope the writing is just as good.
The healing power of reading has been renowned since Aristotle; focus, flow and enlightenment can all be discovered through this universal act. Bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud explores how reading mindfully can shape the person you are, teach empathy with others and give you your moral backbone. Through meditative exercises, engaging anecdote and expert insight, discover the enriching potential of reading for mindfulness. Learn: • How to use reading to develop your emotional intelligence
• Different ways of reading
• Reading like a child – without preconceptions and in exciting places
• The benefits of reading with others
• How to find yourself in a book – remembering what you have read
I was very interested in this, and willing to entirely go off-script just to get to it in April. Then I saw it. I could read this for Care of Magical Creatures (Read a book that has an animal with a beak on the cover) because hiding just to the left of the title, there are two ducks in the pond. Ducks have beaks. This one is a nonfiction and I believe the only one on the wrap up list. I didn't quite understand the concept of mindful reading at first, but now I think it's what I've been doing this whole time. Especially when I created my library down in my basement complete with my little reading corner (which is totally where I am sitting to write this blog post). I enjoyed it immensely and am likely going to look for more books by this author or at least in this series.
5. Good Boy by Jennifer Finney Boylan
Remember one prompt ago when I said that was the only nonfiction book on my list? Yeah, I lied. I forgot that I had read this one for Charms (Lumos Maxima: Read a book with a white cover). I received this one for free from the publisher in return for a review (which I think I posted here? I don't remember). It was really interesting. I've read one of Boylan's fiction novels (ironically, that one has a predominantly black) and loved it. So when they asked if I wanted to read it, I said yes. I liked the idea, but would have been happier with less tangents.
6. Fairy Tail #1 by Hiro Mashima
Cute girl wizard Lucy wants to join the Fairy Tail, a club for the most powerful wizards. But instead, her ambitions land her in the clutches of a gang of unsavory pirates le by a devious magician. Her only hope is Natsu, a strange boy she happens to meet on her travels. Natsu’s not your typical hero – he gets motion sickness, eats like a pig, and his best friend is a talking cat. With friends like this, is Lucy better off with her enemies?This one I read for Defense Against the Dark Arts (Grindylow: Read a book set on or near the ocean). The first third of this takes places in a port city and on a yacht in what I assume is an ocean. Then we are shown a map and told about how the main village where the guild itself is located is near the port. So I counted it. I adore Fairy Tail and think it's funny. I definitely enjoyed this and am looking forward to the rest of the series.
7. Love Recipe #1 by Kirico Higashizato
Another re-read, but an old favorite of mine. I enjoy these books a lot for the actual nature of them. Yes, it is yaoi (explicit m/m content, be warned). Though I like the fact that it's someone falling in love for the first time and realizing what it means to be in love. I don't think he is gay so much as probably bisexual. We don't get any indication whatsoever that he doesn't like women, just that his first love is male. I can't remember if we get more on that in volume 2 or not...perhaps I'll reread it. Anyways, this was to cover the prompt for Divination (Assign numbers to your TBR and use a random number generator to choose a book for you). I just went with my manga collection. Was cutting it close to the wire here.
8. Mythical Beast Investigator #1 by Koichiro Hoshino
Ferry is a mythical beast investigator, charged with keeping the peace between humanity and the many magical creatures that populate the world. When a dragon starts attacking a small village, Ferry and her otherworldly bodyguard, Kushuna, go to investigate. They soon discover that the dragon has a good reason for its rampage.I read this one for Herbology (Mimbulus Mumbltonia: Read a book beginning with the letter M) because it looked amazing and I wanted another short read. Plus I am easily amused with the manga I purchase and have a terrible habit of reading them immediately. This one was very well drawn and I loved the whole idea behind it. If this wee powerhouse is just an apprentice or whatever, not even a proper Investigator of their alliance? Group? I don't remember offhand, then I am terrified of what a powerful proper one is going to be like. World ending super strength I would assume. I found this, much like most of the others, on BookOutlet.
9. Captive Hearts in Oz #3 by Ryo Maruya
I read this one to complete the prompt for History of Magic (Witchhunt: Read a book featuring witches or wizards) I was racking my brain for something quick that involved witches or wizards and couldn't come up with anything. Then I remembered. Captive Hearts in Oz takes place IN Oz where there are four witches and a wizard. Duh. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it earlier. I enjoy how instead of being the original characters, what we see are all human versions of them. Though this is not the land of Oz from the original book series. This is a recreation by a young man. I cannot wait to see how it concludes in volume 4.
10. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. She’s an anomaly in her friend group: the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon. So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.I read this one for Muggle Studies (Read a contemporary) because I've been dying to get to it and it fit nicely for the prompt. I think I read the first one last year or the year before, and I have been looking so forward to this one. It did not disappoint. I love that we follow Leah as she is a bit sad over the realization she can't have her first crush (Simon) but then falls for someone else and gets the girl. Yes, girl. I think this is my first sapphic romance, but I loved it. It was so good and now I am entirely excited to read The Upside of Unrequited.
11. Satan's Secretary #1 by Kamotsu Kamonabe
I read this for the Potions (Shrinking Solution: Read a book under 150 pages) OWL prompt. This one came it at 144 pages. It read like a terrible RPG. I loved every minute of it. The demons of the underworld hate humans, hate them. So when Satan is awoken and they need help with the current world in the universe, they are now subjected to a human who wants...to kill all of the other humans in the world. I really think something more is going on than what we were told and I am very looking forward to locating the next volume in the series and finding out if things are actually what they seem. I keep thinking that she's not human at all. She's either like a minor half-demon, or maybe a golem? I don't know. This is just me speculating.
12. Supernova by Marissa Meyer
The Renegades' worst enemy is back among them, threatening to reclaim Gatlon City. Nova and Adrian must brave lies and betrayal to protect those they love. Their greatest fears are about to come to life, and unless they can bridge the divide between heroes and villains, they stand to lose everything. Including each other. Intrigue and action will leave readers on edge until the final, shocking secrets are revealed.Last but certainly not least, I read this one for Transfiguration (Animagus Lecture: Read a book featuring shapeshifting). A friend and I had read the previous two books for a buddy read and thought we could just finish out the series together. I knew it would already be hard to get twelve books in for OWLs and then this on top of it. I didn't know where to put it. Then I remembered. Monarch. A superhero who's (my brain wanted to say quirk, no, bad brain, not quirk) power is the ability to shift into a swarm of monarch butterflies. Duh. That's shapeshifting. Then there was probably a few people who also could shift that I have just forgotten about. I loved this book a lot. It was a very good conclusion to the story. I kind of figured it would end that way, but you know, a girl can hope for not a predictable ending. I'm going to read Cinder next month and hope the writing is just as good.
