Monday, April 2, 2012

2012 March Book Roundup

Book Roundup time . . . weee! A quick primer: At the beginning of each month I do a quick review the books I read the month prior. But instead of letting myself get too wordy, each book gets a Twitter-length summary and a Twitter-length review. Genres are listed at the beginning of the reviews and my absolute favorites of the month are marked with a star ().

Looking for Alaska by John Green
YA Contemporary Fiction--Pudge is off to an Alabama boarding school to search for his "Great Perhaps." There he meets the smart, sexy, and self-destructive Alaska Young. § This book is the better version of Paper Towns. Love how Green tackles the hard issues, but wish his characters didn't sound college-age.

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracy
YA Paranormal Romance--Braden was born with witch eyes and can see the world as it truly is. Also, horrific visions, feuding witch clans, and crazy power plays. § A very refreshing read--the magic was unique and the gay romance was handled nicely. Though, battle sequences were a bit confusing at times. 

Manga--Usagi is the guardian of justice--Sailor Moon! The Dark Moon is here to take over the world with the malefic dark crystal! Also, revelations! § This story arc is much more exciting than the last one ... also, character development! Feelings! Dramatic happenings! All the good stuff!

Legend by Marie Lu
YA Dystopian--June is a military prodigy who's been groomed for success since birth; Day is the country's most wanted criminal. Insert dystopian agenda. § So much military goodness and a dystopian world that felt and acted dangerous! The instant romance was unfortunate, but I guess it worked.

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
YA Sci-fi--Chaos Walking #2. After fleeing into the clutches of Mayor Prentiss, Todd and Viola are separated and used against each other. Also, misery. § Ugh, this is such a dark, miserable read, though the atmosphere is perfectly appropriate. Ness is a master at playing with my sympathies. 

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
YA Contemporary Fiction--After Katherine XIX breaks up with him, noted prodigy Colin and his best friend Hassan are off on a road trip of self-discovery and worth. § Haha, Colin's thought-process is so ridiculous it's fabulous. In fact, I love all characters. But the epiphanies got heavy-handed at the end.

Purity (ARC Copy) by Jackson Pearce
YA Contemporary Fiction--When Shelby's father becomes organizer of the annual Princess Ball, the three promises she made at her mother's deathbed become hard to keep. § Liked this a WHOLE lot more than expected. Some pretty deep themes here--love, loss, and sex--but they're all handled nicely. Go pick up a copy! 

Johnny Wander Vol. 1: Don't Burn the House Down by Ananth Panagariya and Yuko Ota
Comic--A collection of autobiographical, "slice of life" strip comics about life after college, finding out who you are, and surviving the modern world. § These comics are always a pleasure to read (hint: I've recommended them to you before). Not only are they clever, but they're easily relatable.

Johnny Wander Vol. 2: Escape to New York by Ananth Panagariya and Yuko Ota
Comic--Again: a collection of autobiographical, "slice of life" strip comics about life after college, finding out who you are, and surviving the modern world. § Haha, more cat comics in this volume, so I was definitely happy. Also, I think the comic gets a bit more of a refined direction, which is nice.

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
YA Fantasy--Seven Realms #1. After encountering underage wizards, Han gets ahold of a forbidden amulet. Also, Princess Raisa, longs to escape her gilded cage. § Now this is some high fantasy! Started off a little slow, but it takes place in a Yellowstone-esque area and the politics get pretty interesting.