Gotham Academy, Volume 1: Welcome to Gotham Academy

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Pages: 146

Edition: Adobe Digital

Time Read: 06.25.15 - 06.25.15

I'm not the most knowledgeable about the Batman universe. Read that as I've seen like two movies about it and they were the Dark Knight movies. However, I still thought this book would be a great one to jump into, as it was it's own story in the universe.

I wish I knew more about Batman because I would probably have given this a 5, but for being a beginner, I really enjoyed this graphic novel.

The artwork is spectacular and remains very consistent throughout the volume. I was also super interested in the story the whole time. There are a few twists and turns here and there that threw me off and kept me fascinated the whole time with what was going on.

The only problem with this novel was the fact that there wasn't much backstory given and everything happened so quickly. The backstory problem is likely my own fault, because as I've stated I don't know much about the lore of Batman.

Overall it really is a great read. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes Batman or superhero graphic novels in general.

Pretty Little Werewolf by Katie Salidas

Final Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Pages: 188

Edition: Kindle

Time Read: 06.09.15

I wish I could have rated this book higher than I did, because it really wasn't a bad one.

First of all, this cover is absolutely gorgeous.  I love the girl on the front, I love the lighting, I love the font. It's all beautiful.

There were a few errors in formatting and some odd sentences here and there which detracted from being involved in the story, and it kind of pulled me out.  I'm not sure if they were changed with the publishing of the book, but the copy I got had quite a few paragraphs where multiple characters were talking and it made it difficult to tell who was saying what.

I really like the world this is set in.  I like that there are witches and werewolves, and even though vampires exist I'm glad they weren't a central part.  Werewolves deserve love, too!

The plot is interesting, but it feels a little predictable.  There is some mystery, but it wasn't really anything that kept me on the edge of my seat. 

I have a love/hate relationship with the main character, Giselle.  As an individual I love that she stuck to her guns so to speak.  She was determined to solve what happened, and she kept going until the bitter end, no matter what was thrown in her way.  However, the love triangle in here was painful to read. The romance was painful. Her drooling over both guys made me want to stab myself and stop reading.  Giselle has proven herself to be a very strong, independent girl... unless there's an attractive man involved. I understand attraction, I can understand being nervous around an attractive guy, I've done it. But damn girl, be confident! She let Asher walk all over her and only stood up for herself towards the end.

A lot of the other characters were frustrating.  The only two I really liked the whole book was Taylor and Gavin; I wish there were more of both of them. 

Overall, this is a slightly above average young adult read. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a quick, easy, YA read.

Borrow-A-Bridesmaid by Anne Wagener

 

Final Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Pages: 292

Edition: Kindle

Time Read: 06.05.15 - 06.08.15

Borrow-a-Bridesmaid starts out so strong that I was convinced it was a 5 star book. Then it got really slow and it wasn't as funny and I found myself getting kind of bored. The final wedding is when the story picked back up.

The concept for the book is pretty unique; Piper Brody, in need of some extra cash, rents herself out as a bridesmaid. She meets some very interesting people, including the love interest, Charlie, and her close friend, Alex, during various weddings. She works at a dead-end job in the meantime.

There is a slew of interesting characters throughout the story. Some of them you love, and some you love to hate. They all remain pretty memorable, however. The best part of this story is the characters by far.

Piper as a character was fascinating and I love the growth and revelations she has about herself. They weren't obnoxious and unrealistic, they actually were valid realizations that I could see when she did. She starts as a meek young woman who does what she's told while trying to avoid any conflict. By the end she's standing up for herself and doing things you and I probably wouldn't dream of.

There are a few different twists thrown into the book here and there. While there are some that really blew my mind, the final plot twist, or "secret", was very predictable to me. I wasn't shocked in the slightest, I was mostly just waiting for everyone else to find out.

There's really not much else to say about the book. It was good. It was cute. It was fun. It's something I would totally suggest if you were going to the beach and wanted something to read.

A Dress the Color of Dusk (Regency Rhapsody #5) by Elizabeth Cole

Final Rating: 3/5 Stars

Pages: 90

Edition: Kindle

Time Read: 06.02.15-06.03.15

Let me start this review by saying that I love the regency era. Pride & Prejudice is one of my all-time favorite books, and so I had high standards for this story to reach. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark with me. That’s not me saying that I hated the book or that it was bad.  It just means that I was expecting Jane Austen quality work and didn’t see it.

I’m not a fan of the writing style because it doesn’t feel authentic. While I am woefully aware that not living and speaking and experiencing the regency era makes it difficult to write like it, I still can’t help but be a little disappointed by the fact that the book reads like a modern story.  There are spots where it feels like an authentic piece from years long past, and there are times where I am completely withdrawn from the story by a certain word or phrase. 

I’m not a fan of the romance between the two main characters, which is really upsetting.  They were awkward together, shy around each other, and then in love with each other.  I really wish it took longer than a few weeks and seeing each other less than 10 times to fall in love, but then again, I’m a relatively progressive thinker.  

I was a fan of Verity due to the weight of her situation resting on her shoulders and the grace she carried with it, and also because she was super awkward and I can totally relate to it. Verity felt like a real person who was trying her hardest to get by with what she was given and I can appreciate that. 

I was not as big of a fan of Duncan, who had a nasty temper that he did not even seem to try to keep together.  When he got mad, he got mad and everyone knew about it.   It seemed like he was supposed to be the tragic hero but I really didn’t feel anything other than annoyance at his attitude.

The bond between Rosie and Verity is my favorite part of the book. Having two sisters, I know what it’s like to be a mother and a sister and the same time. It is so hard to find the proper balance and I think Cole really shows it nicely.

 

Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead

Final Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Pages: 588 pages

Edition: Paperback

Time Read: 04.17.15

It physically hurts me to not give the epic finale to one of my favorite series a 5 star rating, but I really didn't feel like it had the sort of punch I was expecting. I didn't have much emotion throughout the story. Whether this is because I knew what was going to happen or was distracted, I don't know. I just know there wasn't major satisfaction at the end of the story.

I think my issue is the amount of jumping around between characters throughout the story. It's almost disorienting trying to keep up with what's going on where. The beginning was great, but once it started switching perspectives I got tired of it.

The ending feels entirely too fairytale like for the series for me to enjoy. Everything just falls into place and it honestly just irritated me.

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5) by Richelle Mead

Final Rating: 5/5 Stars

Pages: 489

Edition: Paperback

Time Read: 04.06.15

Be still, my beating heart.

Gosh the ending to this story is just one for the history books. It's also crazy how rereading a book can make you feel so many different things than you felt the first time.

Onto the next one!