These Books Among Us

Hey guys! Two posts in one week? Who is this strange new Dana? (It's low key because I felt bad that I didn't post last week, so surprise!) Okay, hear me out on this post. I know a lot of you reading this do not necessarily disagree with me. We all love our favorite prime time shows and blockbuster movies. But for some reason, when a person loves their favorite best selling book (and tries to get others to read it and love it as much as they do) there is a more negative reaction from the book community. I am in no way saying that people are not entitled to their own opinions. I respect that fact and want others to feel comfortable enough to share those opinions whenever they choose. But once an opinion turns into trying to control what their peers enjoy, that's when it becomes a problem. I am sure you have gone through this yourself once or twice in your lifetime. You'll be so excited to share this cool new thing you've found out about and then be shunned by y...

If you are a big reader, or a book nerd, or just enjoy reading in general, there is a chance you have a really long TBR list. If you are new to the game, TBR means to be read. I mean, honestly. It’s hard to not have such a long list because so many good books that all come out at the same time. You can’t help but keep a list of what you want to read! I know for a fact that I have this problem, so let’s see how we should deal with this. One way, especially if you tend to buy books in large quantities as I do, is to try to not buy as many at once. I know, I know, easier said than done. But at least give it a shot. I am talking to myself here too, so we will have to try this together. Set yourself on buying bans. Or making limits on how many you can get a month. I have been putting myself on bans off and on for the past four years, but I still end up buying more often than I had if I didn’t put on that ban. There’s something about not being able to do something th...

  We have all been there. One second, you’re reading a series and loving it. The next, for some reason, you hate it. But why does this happen? What should you do when you run into this problem? Is there an appropriate amount of time you should give the books after you make this discovery? Can anyone help you make your decision? Let’s find out! Okay, so we must start at the beginning with this one. Let’s say it’s a long book series and the first two (out of six) were so good, you finished them both in the span of a single day. You were even given all six (the entirety of the series) as a Christmas present. You were loving them. But then you get to the third one and you have been stuck on it for six years only being half way, but you don’t know if you should continue. This is completely hypothetical, no personal experience at all… Ahem. So what do you do? Obviously in this situation, you have not continued the series, but you have hope you may. So you keep the books...

If you're a writer , you have probably heard the phrase, "sometimes you have to kill your darlings." I know the first time I heard that, I was confused to all kinds of new levels. In my head, I was asking, so I have to kill off my main characters in order to have a good book?  i can assure you, that is not necessarily what is meant by this phrase. Most commonly, this can refer to one of two things: killing a beloved character of having to if one of your favorite words, sentences, paragraphs, scenes, orchards from what you are writing. The main question here is how do you know when it is the right time to "kill your darlings" and to that there is no one answer, but I will try to explore when you may be seeing the signs throughout this post. Let's start with killing a character off. Many authors use this as a plot device to either move the story along or to see how their main characters will react to said death. It's a form of test, if you ...

Okay, so with school being back in session for a lot of students around the country, I thought I would share my thoughts on the idea of the “classic” novel. You may have noticed my use of quotations around the word classic. That was intentional. Mainly because what people consider a classic novel nowadays means more that it is old rather than something that should be inherently taught in classrooms to students to help them understand the way of the world of yesteryear. Now I will say that there are some novels in this category that I agree should be taught, but there are others that I disagree with. Partly because I did not like the books. Partly because I think teachers read too much into them or have thoughts on them that do not connect with what is written in the pages. But I will get to that later. Let’s start with a list of some books that I have had to read, more specifically in high school, not college because that opens another can of worms. So, let’s begin: ...

Hello Everyone! Nice to see you again! As I told you in the last post, I am changing this blog up a little. Instead of doing book reviews, I am going to be attempting to do some more “intellectual” posts dealing with themes that I can then transition onto the books I am reading or have read. There will also be some recommendations on the genre I am talking about in the post and some possible topics that you can come up with your own answers for in the comments! So, without further ado, here’s the first post. So let’s talk about King Arthur. I know, I know. Why talk about some legends that don’t tie into anything I like to read? How can this tie into young adult novels? I am glad you asked. I am going to explain my theories to you right now in this, probably, long winded post! Okay, we all know the legends of King Arthur. A man, who is chosen by his lineage, draws a sword from the stone, becomes king, gets betrayed by his best friend and his wife, then being possibly ki...

Arkham Asylum: Madness by Sam Kieth (112 [ages) My Rating: 3 Stars Date Read: 5 January 2017 Synopsis: It is the most feared house in all of Gotham. It contains the worst that the city has to offer. It is the place where the Dark Knight's most dangerous and psychotic foes call home. Writer / artist Sam Kieth, the creator of THE MAXX, invites you to spend 24 hours in the most haunted house in the DC Universe, Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane in this original Batman graphic novel. My Review:  While I enjoyed this comic, it was not as good as the others I have read recently. This one focuses more on the fact that these villains are cruel with not much reasoning behind their actions. They torment the staff because it is fun and they get off on it. The story itself was weak to me, but it was still entertaining for what it was. Like I said, it was not my favorite, so I don't have much to say about it.

Batman: Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth (216 pages) My Rating: 4.5 Stars Date Read: 5 January 2017 Synopsis: In this groundbreaking, painted graphic novel, the inmates of Arkham Asylum have taken over Gotham's detention center for the criminally insane on April Fools Day, demanding Batman in exchange for their hostages. Accepting their demented challenge, Batman is forced to live and endure the personal hells of the Joker, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Two-Face and many other sworn enemies in order to save the innocents and retake the prison. During his run through this absurd gauntlet, the Dark Knight's own sanity is placed in jeopardy. This special anniversary edition trade paperback also reproduces the original script with annotations by Morrison and editor Karen Berger. My Review: I have not read too many of the DC Comics, but this one was really good. Batman is one of the few DC heroes that I like, so it was cool to see this side of him through the J...

The Killing Joke by  (50 pages) My Rating: 4 Stars Date Read: 5 January 2017 Synopsis: For the first time the Joker's origin is revealed in this tale of insanity and human perseverance. Looking to prove that any man can be pushed past his breaking point and go mad, the Joker attempts to drive Commissioner Gordon insane. After shooting and permanently paralyzing his daughter Barbara (a.k.a. Batgirl), the Joker kidnaps the commissioner and attacks his mind in hopes of breaking the man. But refusing to give up, Gordon maintains his sanity with the help of Batman in an effort to beset the madman. My Review I really enjoyed reading this comic. We get the Joker's origin story. He was in a robbery gone wrong and fell into acid because his wife and unborn child died in an electrical fire accident right before the robbery. He was poor, down on his luck, trying to get a job as a comic, and needed some money fast to keep them from losing their apartment. He started off...

Annihilation: Conquest Book One Kieth Giffen (272 pages) My Rating: 3.5 Stars Date Read: 5 January 2017 Synopsis: The next sci-fi epic blasts-off here! In the grim aftermath of the Annihilation War, a devastated universe struggles to rebuild. Gripped by fear and paranoia, civilizations have collapsed and entire worlds are now smoking ruins. What is next for the battle weary heroes known as Nova, Peter Quill and Quasar? What are Ronan's plans for the once-mighty Kree Empire? Which cosmic characters of the past are about to return? Who is the new hero approaching on the horizon? And what is the new threat that no one suspects? Collecting: Annihilation: Conquest Prologue, Annihilation: Conquest: Quasar 1-4, Annihilation: Conquest: Starlord 1-4, Annihilation Saga My Review These guys can't catch a break, can they? So, plot summary: Sentinals are destroying the Kree empire. Starlord (aka Peter Quill), Heather (aka Moondragon, Drax's daughter) and Quasar (aka Ph...

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher (260 pages) My Rating: 5 Stars Date Read: 4 January 2017 Synopsis: The Princess Diarist is Carrie Fisher’s intimate, hilarious and revealing recollection of what happened behind the scenes on one of the most famous film sets of all time, the first Star Wars movie. When Carrie Fisher recently discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved—plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Today, her fame as an author, actress, and pop-culture icon is indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a (sort-of) regular teenager. With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, The Princess Diarist is Fisher’s intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time—and what developed behind the scenes. And today, as she reprises her most iconic ro...

A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis (376 pages) My Rating: 4.5 Stars Date Read: 30 December 2016 Synopsis: Grace Mae knows madness. She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum. When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own pas...

Heartless by Marissa Meyer (456 pages) Date Read: 29 December 2016 My Rating: 3.5 Stars Synopsis: Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Long before she was the terror of Wonderland, she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen. Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, ma...

Annihilation Book Three by Keith Giffen (304 pages) Date Read: 27  December 2016 My Rating: 4 Stars Synopsis: The epic collection of the cosmic event concludes! One empire has fallen. Two heroes are dead. It all comes together here! Individually, the Silver Surfer, Super-Skrull, Ronan and Nova have faced down the Annihilation Wave...and lost! Now, they must unite those who remain or die by Annihilus' hand! The Annihilation has only begun! Plus: Get caught up on all of the players in the Annihilation event - Annihilus, Nova, Ronan, the Silver Surfer, the Super-Skrull, Thanos and more - courtesy of the Xandarian Worldmind files of the Nova Corps! Collecting: A nnihilation 1-6, Annihilation: Heralds of Galactus 1-2, Annihilation: The Nova Corps Files My Review Again, this review will probably be quite short because I have already stated a lot of my thoughts on these characters. I really enjoyed what they did what this series. The story line was well thought out, thou...

Annihilation Book Two by Keith Giffen (320 pages) Date Read: 27 December 2016 My Rating: 4.5 Stars Synopsis: The epic collection of the cosmic event continues, as the the Annihilation Wave targets Galactus' ex-heralds! Hunted by beings every bit as powerful as himself, the Silver Surfer must find a way to unite the one-time heralds against a common foe. But can even the united cosmic might of those who served Galactus stand against these powerful beings!? Meanwhile, no longer recognized as "Accuser," Ronan himself has been accused, tried and stripped of his rank. Now, he's out to clear his name! And finally, from one of the writers of ABC's smash hit Lost comes a new vision of a venerable villain as Super-Skrull brings his devious cunning to bear on an unstoppable enemy! Super-Skrull bursts into the frontline of the war against the Annihilation Wave, taking the fight to the enemy in his own ruthless way! Collecting: Silver Surfer 1-4, Super Skrull 1-4,...

Annihilation Book One by Dan Abnett (256 pages) Date Read: 27 December 2016 My Rating: 4.5 Stars Synopsis: The Annihilation Wave has come! Annihilus, lord of the Negative Zone, has declared war! Hordes of loyal soldiers swarm from the center of the universe, and only a handful of heroes can resist destruction! As the Xandarian Nova Corps meets its doom, only Richard Rider - the man called Nova - survives. Drax the Destroyer returns from exile on Earth to mentor Nova - but wait until you see his dangerous new persona! Guest-starring Quasar, Ronan the Accuser, the Super-Skrull and Thanos! Collecting: Annihilation Prologue, Annihilation: Nova 1-4 My Review: So this was my first time being introduced to some of these characters, others, such as Drax, Ronan, Thanos and Gamora I was a bit more familiar with, but only their basic story lines from Guardians of the Galaxy. My dad gave me these three books to borrow and read because I had told him I wanted to read more graphic ...

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan (297 pages) My Rating: 3 Stars Date Read: 23 December 2016 Synopsis: Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead. But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized. With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet. My Review: Okay, so in this review, there will be some pretty general spoilers in the charact...