Books Read: June 2011
A big reading month for me. Lots of graphic novels and weird children's books that straddle graphic novels and illustrated stories (without being picture books).
**64. The Secrets of Tamarind (sequel to The Lost Island of Tamarind), by Nadia Aguiar. Juv Fantasy. 3.5 stars. Read ARC
65-66. Nightschool, Vols. 3-4, by Svetlana Chmakova. YA Graphic novel/Manga. 3 stars.
67. New X-Men, Vol, 1: E is for Extinction, by Grant Morrison. Graphic novel. 3 stars.
**68. Cleopatra’s Moon, by Vicky Shecter. YA Historical fiction. 3 stars. Read ARC.
69. This Girl is Different, by JJ Johnson. YA Fiction. 3 stars.
70. Red Glove (Curse Workers, Book Two), by Holly Black. YA Paranormal. 5 stars.
71. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Cat Valente. Juv/YA Fantasy. 5 stars. Review here (Goodreads)
72. Ultraviolet, by RJ Anderson. YA Fiction/Science fiction. 4 stars. Review here (Goodreads). E-ARC provided by Netgalley.
73. Toys in the Basement, by Stephane Blanquet. Juv Graphic novel?/Illustrated book. 3 stars. Review here (Goodreads)
74. Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, by Barry Deutsch. Juv Graphic novel. 4 stars.
75. The Dark City (Relic Master, Book One), by Catherine Fisher. YA Fantasy. 3 stars. Review here (Goodreads). ARC provided by LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
76. Lost and Found, by Shaun Tan. Juv Graphic novel/Illustrated book. 5 stars.
77. The Boy in the Oak, by Jessica Albarn. Juv Graphic novel/Illustrated book. 3 stars.
78. Beauty Queens, by Libba Bray. YA Fiction/Fantasy. 4 stars.
79. Page by Paige, by Laura Lee Gulledge. YA Graphic novel. 3 stars.
80. Rebirth (Aftertime, Book Two), by Sophie Littlefield. Horror. 3.5 stars. Review here (Goodreads). E-ARC provided by Netgalley.
81. Like Mandarin, by Kirsten Hubbard. YA Fiction. 3 stars.
82. Smokin’ Seventeen, by Janet Evanovich. Mystery/Humor. 3 stars. Review here (Goodreads)
83. Leverage, by Josh Cohen. YA Fiction. 4 stars.
84. Ward Against Death (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer, Book One), by Melanie Card. Paranormal Romance. 4 stars. Review here (Goodreads). E-ARC provided by Netgalley.
**85. Liesl & Po, by Lauren Oliver. Juv Fantasy. 4 stars. Read ARC.
**86. Everybody Sees the Ants, by AS King. YA Fiction. 4.5 stars. Read ARC. Review here (Goodreads)
**Booklist reviews
Best book I read this month: This is a hard one. I read so many incredible books that I don't know if I can pick just one. I'd say it's a tie between The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, Ultraviolet, Liesl & Po, and Everybody Sees the Ants. Can you even have a four-way tie? If I had to pick one, I'd pick The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland for its sheer inventiveness in plot, world-building, and character, and its incredible use of language.
Worst book I read this month: Also a tough decision. Nothing sucked really bad, and in most cases the books I had problems with excelled in other areas. For example, the story in The Boy in the Oak is quite boring and too simple, but the artwork is beautiful. I didn't enjoy reading Cleopatra's Moon much, but that's partly because I don't care for historical fiction and not because it's poorly written (the story has some pacing issues, though). Smokin' Seventeen still has characters I love but in every other way, the series has become an insult to its own fans; everything has gone so far downhill that I don't know if it's possible to salvage it. I guess I could pick that one due to my sheer disappointment at how far the series has fallen.
**64. The Secrets of Tamarind (sequel to The Lost Island of Tamarind), by Nadia Aguiar. Juv Fantasy. 3.5 stars. Read ARC
65-66. Nightschool, Vols. 3-4, by Svetlana Chmakova. YA Graphic novel/Manga. 3 stars.
67. New X-Men, Vol, 1: E is for Extinction, by Grant Morrison. Graphic novel. 3 stars.
**68. Cleopatra’s Moon, by Vicky Shecter. YA Historical fiction. 3 stars. Read ARC.
69. This Girl is Different, by JJ Johnson. YA Fiction. 3 stars.
70. Red Glove (Curse Workers, Book Two), by Holly Black. YA Paranormal. 5 stars.
71. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Cat Valente. Juv/YA Fantasy. 5 stars. Review here (Goodreads)
72. Ultraviolet, by RJ Anderson. YA Fiction/Science fiction. 4 stars. Review here (Goodreads). E-ARC provided by Netgalley.
73. Toys in the Basement, by Stephane Blanquet. Juv Graphic novel?/Illustrated book. 3 stars. Review here (Goodreads)
74. Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, by Barry Deutsch. Juv Graphic novel. 4 stars.
75. The Dark City (Relic Master, Book One), by Catherine Fisher. YA Fantasy. 3 stars. Review here (Goodreads). ARC provided by LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
76. Lost and Found, by Shaun Tan. Juv Graphic novel/Illustrated book. 5 stars.
77. The Boy in the Oak, by Jessica Albarn. Juv Graphic novel/Illustrated book. 3 stars.
78. Beauty Queens, by Libba Bray. YA Fiction/Fantasy. 4 stars.
79. Page by Paige, by Laura Lee Gulledge. YA Graphic novel. 3 stars.
80. Rebirth (Aftertime, Book Two), by Sophie Littlefield. Horror. 3.5 stars. Review here (Goodreads). E-ARC provided by Netgalley.
81. Like Mandarin, by Kirsten Hubbard. YA Fiction. 3 stars.
82. Smokin’ Seventeen, by Janet Evanovich. Mystery/Humor. 3 stars. Review here (Goodreads)
83. Leverage, by Josh Cohen. YA Fiction. 4 stars.
84. Ward Against Death (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer, Book One), by Melanie Card. Paranormal Romance. 4 stars. Review here (Goodreads). E-ARC provided by Netgalley.
**85. Liesl & Po, by Lauren Oliver. Juv Fantasy. 4 stars. Read ARC.
**86. Everybody Sees the Ants, by AS King. YA Fiction. 4.5 stars. Read ARC. Review here (Goodreads)
**Booklist reviews
Best book I read this month: This is a hard one. I read so many incredible books that I don't know if I can pick just one. I'd say it's a tie between The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, Ultraviolet, Liesl & Po, and Everybody Sees the Ants. Can you even have a four-way tie? If I had to pick one, I'd pick The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland for its sheer inventiveness in plot, world-building, and character, and its incredible use of language.
Worst book I read this month: Also a tough decision. Nothing sucked really bad, and in most cases the books I had problems with excelled in other areas. For example, the story in The Boy in the Oak is quite boring and too simple, but the artwork is beautiful. I didn't enjoy reading Cleopatra's Moon much, but that's partly because I don't care for historical fiction and not because it's poorly written (the story has some pacing issues, though). Smokin' Seventeen still has characters I love but in every other way, the series has become an insult to its own fans; everything has gone so far downhill that I don't know if it's possible to salvage it. I guess I could pick that one due to my sheer disappointment at how far the series has fallen.