Month: August 2022

The Sunday post #7

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

Brief post today!

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia has been doing very well – such a big appetite and lots of books to read! And we did read two cat books which she and I absolutely loved (more below).

Last night, however, Olivia became quite concerned – somehow, a moth flew into our apartment! Olivia was not impressed. Whatsoever. In fact, it made her so anxious that she was yelling at this moth for quite some time. In an attempt to assist her, we were about to evacuate said moth; however, by the time we went to the lamp where it was situated, the moth had already flown away, nowhere to be found. Because Olivia is terrified of insects (as am I), we snuggled for quite some time afterwards, consoling both her and I. The location of the moth is still unknown, but we’d like to think it happily flew away sometime last evening or this morning. Now our Olivia is all settled – with a little bit of extra catnip to pep her step.

Life Update

A few highlights:

  • My partner and I went for a long walk a few days ago and found a really cool area in the city nearby that we had not visited before! There were lots of stores and even a new bistro that we will visit in the future.
  • We finished Netflix: Keep Breathing. Although I did enjoy some episodes, overall I would rate it around a 6/10. I enjoyed: the survival aspect, the main character, and how the story was revealed. Being from Northern British Columbia, I liked that this was filmed BC and gave an insight into the beauty we are fortunate to be surrounded by in Canada. I did not enjoy: the constant flashbacks, some plot and emotional mechanics used, the romantic element, and some of the overall plot points. I would recommend giving the first 2-3 episodes a shot, and if you like them, it gives a pretty clear indication if you may enjoy the rest of the show. I will say I thought that Yellowjackets was my favourite survival-type show watched this year (also filmed in BC).

Keep Breathing Trailer:

Yellowjackets Trailer:

Reading Update

We are doing the ARCathon, hosted by Marti and Britt! And we are reading our TBR game picks, which overlap. Our NetGalley feedback ratio is something we have been working on and we are happy to say it is currently at 94%.

In general, we’re very conservative with requests, opting to read and review many “read now” titles that we simply don’t want to wait for and get to reading them immediately! We have found so many amazing books this way. Although sometimes the request bug does bite, too!

We currently have two requests pending. A book we’ve requested is A Cat Cafe Christmas – if we receive an eGalley, Olivia and I will be so happy! But we will also happily request from the library if it doesn’t come our way – it looks absolutely purrfect! And I’d love to give our insight from a feline and cat lover purr-spective.

The second book we’ve requested is Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying. It is a YA graphic novel, and it just looks and sounds stunning. It discusses difficult topics, such as disordered eating and mental health. Again, I will need to read this book, regardless of my pending request – very much looking forward to reading and reviewing this one.

Recently Finished

We’ve finished several books this week from NetGalley (see below, thank you to NetGalley for providing review copies). I will discuss these more in future reviews and/or wrap ups; however I do want to say that the manga for Anne of Green Gables, Baker And Tale and the Mystery Cats, A Treacherous Tale, and The Ghosts of Rose Hill were just great! You can see reviews for Anne of Green Gables and The Ghosts of Rose Hill below.

Currently Reading:

We are enjoying and finishing The Kindest Lie tonight and continuing Lore forward!

This Week on the Blog

Next Week on the Blog

  • Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Love That Were Written Over Ten Years Ago
  • Reviews for The Kindest Lie
  • Review for Lore
  • Stacking the Shelves/Sunday Post/Sunday Salon

QOTD: Did you have a good weekend? Let us know!

REVIEW | Anne of Green Gables, Manga classics

Book cover of Anne of Green Gables Manga Classics. Text: Book Review, Anne of Green Gables, Graphic Novel, www.sarasreadignook.ca
| sarasreadingnook
Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: Anne of Green Gables
Author: Stacy King (Adaptor), Crystal S. Chan (Contributor), Daria Rhodes (Lettering), Kuma Chan (Illustrator), L.M. Montgomery (Original Author)
Genre: Manga, Classics, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Ya/Middle Grade
Publisher: Manga Classics Inc., Manga Classics
Format: E-book & Hardcover Physical Copy
Pages: 319
Source: NetGalley and Local Library

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert were planning to adopt an orphaned boy to help out around their farm, Green Gables – instead, they got Anne Shirley. A plucky redheaded girl with a vibrant imagination, Anne turns first Green Gables and then the rest of Prince Edward Island on its ear. 

Manga Classics® is proud to be the only authorized manga adaption of Anne of Green Gables by the Heirs of L.M. Montgomery. This volume presents a faithful recreation of this classic kids novel, from the Lake of Shining Waters to the Dryad’s Bubble!

Foreword by Kate McDonald Butler – granddaughter of the original author! 

Review

The setting of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables is stunning. There is the beauty of the nearby ocean, with beaches filled with reddened sand. And the smell of the lush greenery and delicate flowers that are abundant during the warm months. This is quite a famous classic and I was so thrilled to see that there was a manga copy available since this provides a new arena for this story to be told, in an addition to all other adaptations (e.g., film, audio theatre, graphic novels, etc.)

Prince Edward Island. Source

Now, let’s discuss the manga itself. The manga is quite true to the book, which is the first of many books about Anne Shirley. The original book itself was written in 1908 and covers Anne’s life from the age of 11-16 in which you see a lot of personal growth and development of her character with time. The manga does a great job of illustrating Anne, her adoptive family, and other characters, as well as the home in which Anne lives. I was very impressed with the care that was taken to ensure the setting and scenery appeared accurate. Some characters have differences in appearance and I think those distinctions were translated quite well using manga artwork!

Anne has a very distinctive voice and doesn’t quite talk or act like anyone I’ve read about in any other book – and I think this was very well captured by the manga, which appears to be quite similarly and well adapted from the original dialogue. In fact, all of the characters – their dialogue and actions feel quite authentic!

I also appreciate the ancillary information at the end of the book which includes Crystal C. Chan’s thoughts and process on adapting the book: setting the focus, processing the details, Easter eggs, notes on incorporating feminism into the manga, and the ways in which manga is a strong medium for presenting the book.

In my opinion, this is the most entertaining, fun, and creative adaptation I have read of Anne of Green Gables that also manages to stay quite true to the original book. It was a total joy to read and I’m so happy it is in illustrated form since I think it has the potential to create an impact on young readers and fans of manga, alike!

Feelings

  • Hopeful
  • Humorous
  • Hopeful

Themes

  • Friendship
  • Home
  • Coming of Age
  • Imagination vs. Expectation

Rating

Numerical rating: 4.75 stars

QOTD: have you read the
original Anne of Green Gables? Let us know!

REVIEW | A Lot Like Adiós

| sarasreadingnook
Storygraph | Goodreads

Title: A Lot Like Adiós
Series: Primas of Power, #2
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, LGBT
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Format: Physical Copy
Pages: 387
Source: Indigo, Chapters

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Hi Mich. It’s Gabe.

After burning out in her corporate marketing career, Michelle Amato has built a thriving freelance business as a graphic designer. So what if her love life is nonexistent? She’s perfectly fine being the black sheep of her marriage-obsessed Puerto Rican-Italian family. Besides, the only guy who ever made her want happily-ever-after disappeared thirteen years ago.

It’s been a long time. Gabriel Aguilar left the Bronx at eighteen to escape his parents’ demanding expectations, but it also meant saying goodbye to Michelle, his best friend and longtime crush. Now, he’s the successful co-owner of LA’s hottest celebrity gym, with an investor who insists on opening a New York City location. It’s the last place Gabe wants to go, but when Michelle is unexpectedly brought on board to spearhead the new marketing campaign, everything Gabe’s been running from catches up with him.

I’ve missed you.Michelle is torn between holding Gabe at arm’s length or picking up right where they left off—in her bed. As they work on the campaign, old feelings resurface, and their reunion takes a sexy turn. Facing mounting pressure from their families—who think they’re dating—and growing uncertainty about their futures, can they resolve their past mistakes, or is it only a matter of time before Gabe says adiós again?

Review

Second chance romance, friends to lovers, and so much fun!

Two main characters I love: Gabe (gym owner; Peurto Rican/Mexican heritage) and Michelle (freelancer and web designer; Peurto Rico/Italian heritage). Gabe is set to start a new gym in NYC and his business partner unknowingly reaches out to Michelle who has a very complicated past with Gabe.

What I really enjoyed most about this book was just how much fun it was to read and how witty it was! I feel like I just flew through it. I adored both characters, who had backstory’s that had depth to them and truly showed how influential their past has been for both of them, separately and together.

It’s well written, it’s funny, it’s intense – a little too much for me at times haha but it was fun to read, overall!

Content Warnings

Feelings

  • Fun
  • Passionate
  • Emotional
  • Lighthearted
  • Funny

Themes

  • Romance: friends to lovers, second chance romance
  • Family
  • Pursuing one’s passion
  • Confronting the past

Rating

QOTD: do you enjoy
books set in NYC? Let us know!

REVIEW | The Ghosts of Rose Hill

| sarasreadingnook
Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: The Ghosts of Rose Hill
Genre: Fantasy, YA, Magical Realism, Poetry
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Format: E-book and Audiobook
Pages: 452
Source: NetGalley and Audible

Synopsis:
Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez—a biracial Jewish girl—finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career.

When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth

But Benjamin isn’t the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him—forever.

With spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.

Review:

Haunting, entrancing, and so poetic.

Absolutely beautiful story of a biracial Jewish girl who is sent away to stay with her aunt in Prague. I was soon hooked after reading the first chapter and read this book late at night finding it difficult to put down.

Ilana is torn between pursuing her parent’s wishes of having a stable career, for example in the sciences or medicine, and becoming a violinist. While she’s in Prague, she learns about a forgotten Jewish ancestry, encounters a ghost name Benjamin and also a man with no shadow, Rudolf Wassermann and is compelled to know their stories.

The book stresses the importance of remembering our history. Quick and impactful read – I recommend this to anyone who enjoys poetic storytelling and is intrigued by the synopsis. Beautiful.

Feelings

  • Haunting
  • Enchanting

Themes

  • Heritage
  • Fairy tales
  • History

Rating

QOTD: do you enjoy
listening to the violin? Let us know!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a review copy. All opinions are my own.

The Sunday Post #6 & More!

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with:

Today’s post will be very brief! Busy day today.

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia had a wonderful week! One evening, I decided to give her a little treat. So I created a little triangle out of her cat food and called it a “cat food pizza.” There is no pizza – it’s just her soft food that I shape into a triangle. But she really likes it! Somehow, perhaps this makes it more exciting for her.

Life Update

It’s been super busy this week. But here are a few highlights:

  • Went out to eat with my partner last night. It’s a 20 minute walk away, so we decided to get some exercise by walking to and from dinner. I think the walking was super useful!
  • The weather has been cooling. We’ve had some rain, which I adore.
  • Watching a show on Netflix called “Keep Breathing.” Enjoying it so far – have you seen it?

Reading Update

Check out my Friday Reads blog post for a reading update! We are doing the ARCathon, hosted by Marti and Britt! 

In our August TBR game, you can see which ARCs we are reading this month.

New to our shelf: We were approved this week for an ARC we are looking forward to! It is a YA thriller. Thank you to author Robin Roe, NetGalley, and HarperTeen/HarperCollins Children’s Books.

This Week on the Blog

Next Week on the Blog

  • Weekly memes (hopefully) for TTT and Stacking the Shelves/Sunday Post/Sunday Salon
  • Review | The Ghosts of Rose Hill
  • Review | A Lot Like Adiós
  • ARC/other Reviews

QOTD: Did you have a good weekend? Let us know!

August TBR Game | Fighting Evil by Book Light | Play at home | #ARCathon

| sarasreadingnook

Hello everyone and welcome to another round of our TBR Game, “Fighting Evil by Book Light!”

RULES

1. Five turns: two spins, each. First: card; Second: prompt
2. Played monthly.
3. If the wheel arrow lands exactly between two pieces, re-spin.
4. Cards updated.
5. Must accept result of each spin. No re-spins.
6. Unfinished books may be carried over to next month (optional)
*7. If participating in a readathon, can modify TBR game for that readathon.

August TBR Game Video

August TBR Candidates

Today’s Candidates

Here all our candidates for our August TBR Game! We did quite a bit of research to find some great ARCs via NetGalley. Many of the ARCs are “read now” titles. Thank you to ARCathon hosts Marti and Britt!

Add a Book
Spin for either a romance, cat book, manga/GN, fantasy, thriller/contemporary, or Nonfiction novel.

New Releases

  1. Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty.
  2. Violets Made of Thorns by Gina Chen.
  3. The Family Remains by Lisa Jewel.
  4. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
  5. The Witchery by S. Isabelle.
  6. The Clackity by Lora Senf.

Cat Books

  1. Nine Lives by D.B. Borton.
  2. One Cup at a Time by Matt Tarpley.
  3. Death in the Margins by Victoria Gilbert.
  4. Baker and Taylor and the Mystery of Library Cats by Candy Rodo.
  5. Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking by Raquel V. Reyes.
  6. A Streetcar Named Murder by T.G. Herren.
MODIFY 3 for LOST WITCH

Fantasy

  1. Ghostcloud by Michael Mann.
  2. Realm of Lore and Lies by Claire Wright.
  3. The Lost Witch by Paige Crutcher.
  4. The Nine Origins by Kes Trester.
  5. The Gravity of Existence by Christina Sng.
  6. Misfit’s Magic – The Last Halloween by Fred Gracely.

Manga / Graphic Novel or Picture Books

  1. One Cup at a Time by Matt Tarpley.
  2. War and Peace the Graphic Novel by Leo Tolstoy, Alexandr Poltorak (Adapted by), and Dmitry Chukhrai (Illustrations).
  3. A Nico Colored Canvas by Nao Shikita.
  4. Manga Classics: Anne of Green Gables by Stacy King (Adaptor), L.M. Montgomery, Kyma Chang, and Crystal S. Chan (Artist)
  5. All the Families in My Town by Ophélie Célier, Thomas Piet, and Ariane Caldin (Illustrations).
  6. Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels by Serena Blasco.

Reread

Either poetry, children’s, middle grade, fantasy, YA or Manga.

Romance

  1. Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant.
  2. The Unbalanced Equation by H.L. Macfarlane.
  3. The Season of Dreams by Fiona Valpy.
  4. A Heartbeat Away from You by Ann M. Miller.
  5. The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown.
  6. Orchid Blooming by Carol Van Den Hende.

Thriller/Contemporary

  1. Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant.
  2. Where Wild Peaches Grow by Cade Bentley.
  3. Maame by Jessica George.
  4. The Parlour Game by Jennifer Renshaw and Micaela Alcaino.
  5. Hidden in the Pines by Victoria Houston.
  6. Cleopatra’s Vendetta by Avanti Centrae.

TBR Game Playlist

Playlist Link

Want to play at home?

Simplified Version:

In this version, the Random Name Picker below will choose your genre cards for you!
Enter the following:

For list of names, enter:
New Releases (Sailor Mercury)
Add a Book (Tuxedo Mask)
Fantasy (Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Pluto)
Thriller/Contemporary (Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune)
Cat Books (Sailor Venus with Artemis and Sailor Moon with Luna)
Manga/Graphic Novel (Sailor Moon)
Romance (Sailor Mars Saturn)
Reread (Sailor ChibiMoon)

Do this five times to select your genre cards and from there, you can pick whatever book you would like to for your TBR! But remember, if “Add a Book” is selected, you will have to add a book! Or, you can delete this option since it can get out of hand pretty quickly! Alternatively, you can pick as many books as you’d like to.

Random Name Picker
Random Name Picker by GIGAcalculator.com

If you would instead like to download the genre cards and select your cards in a different way, they are included below.

Genre Cards:

TBR Cards:

Detailed Version:


Before you play this version, download the Combined Genre + Book Cards below and add your own candidates to each card. For your first turn, select your genre card by pasting the following into the random name generator. This will provide you with your genre card.

for list of names, enter:
New Releases (Sailor Mercury)
Add a Book (Tuxedo Mask)
Fantasy (Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Pluto)
Thriller/Contemporary (Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune)
Cat Books (Sailor Venus with Artemis and Sailor Moon with Luna)
Manga/Graphic Novel (Sailor Moon)
Romance (Sailor Mars Saturn)
Reread (Sailor ChibiMoon)

Random Name Picker
Random Name Picker by GIGAcalculator.com

Once you have your genre selected, then roll the dice to select your candidate. Repeat this process five times, or as many times as you would like to in order to pick your TBR. Remember to add a book each time you choose Add a Book.

Random Number Generator
Random Number Generator by GIGAcalculator.com

Combined Genre + Book Cards:

TBR Cards:

QOTD: Will you be playing along?
Let us know your TBR picks!

Friday Reads #2

| sarasreadingnook

Hi everyone!

These are our Friday reads which includes all of the books I’ve read since my last Recent Reads video. And guess what? We are doing the ARCathon, hosted by Marti and Britt! And trying to catch up to our July TBR reads (note: we’ve had to forward a couple of books and DNF one). I’ve included summaries of all books here for a quick glance. Make sure to watch the video below – it was a lot of fun to film with Olivia!

Content warnings links are included if listed on The Storygraph.

Recently Read

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Always Never by Jodi Lafebre. This was a love story told in reverse over a long timespan – 40 years! Many people will love the story. I ended up not being a fan of the artwork and story as it progressed.
Content warnings.

I am a Cat by Sōseki Natsume. A story narrated by a highly observant cat who has a witty take on the humans of the household, set in middle-class Japanese society during the Meiji Era. I found it challenging to read and review due to some of the subject matter within the book.
Content warnings.

From Eve to Dawn: A HIstory of Women in the Worly by Marilyn French. This book was such an impressive historical account of women throughout history, beginning in prehistory to ancient Egypt, China, India, Peru, Mexico, Greece and Rome. Also, there is commentary of women’s relationship to various religions. Read this if you want to learn more about women’s issues told through a feminist lense.

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Yasmin the Detective by Saadia Faruqi and Hatem Aly (Illustrator). Very cute book about a young girl named Yasmin who helps her grandmother find some missing items by using her detective skills. Lots of fun! There is a glossary in Urdu at the back of the book among other gems.

Lola and the New School by Keka Novales. Beautiful book about Lola who has just changed schools and is making friends. I loved the infusion of Guatemalan culture in this book. Excellent for young readers, with lots of activity and prompts in the book. Learn how to make the Abuelita’s limeade!

How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower by Emma Bland Smith and Lisa Visirin (Illustrator). This book was so cool! It’s filled with scientific facts and applications of the Eiffel Tower. I would highly recommend this nonfiction for young and adult readers, alike. Fascinating!

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Shoo! by Susie Bower, Grancesca Gambatesa (Illustrator). This was beautiful picture book about a woman who has a new neighbour – a zoo! And the inhabitants really cause quite a caucus, so Mrs. Golightly has to figure out how to maintain the peace at home – or adapt. Funny, beautiful, and teaches about adapting to changes.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: Baby’s First Book of Extraordinary Women by Rebel Girls. This was filled with lots of short biographies of empowering women. Filled with diverse representations of women, and that will hopefully become even more diverse, inclusive, and expansive in future volumes.

With the Right to Fight: Planting Peace by Anika Christopher. Wonderful story about a Nobel Peace Prize winner from Kenya who enriches the world by starting an initiative the lead to the planting of millions and millions of trees. Totally amazing, beautiful, poetic and amazing to read. Highly recommended.

Storygraph | Goodreads

A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria. Second chance romance Gabe (gym owner; Peurto Rican/Mexican heritage) and Michelle (freelancer and strategic marketer; Peurto Rico/Italian heritage). Gabe is set to start a new gym in NYC and his business partner unknowingly reaches out to Michelle who has a very complicated past with Gabe. It’s well written, it’s funny, it’s intense – a little too much for me at times haha but it was fun to read, overall!
Content Warnings.

Currently Reading

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

A Treacher Tale by Elizabeth Penney. Loving this so far! This is the second book in The Cambridge Bookshop Series in which our protagonist, Molly, owns a bookstore and learns that Iona York, author of The Strawberry Girls classic tales, lives closeby! She visits her cottage and discovers a dead body right beside her home! That is where I’ve left off in Chapter 1 and I can’t wait to see how Molly and company get to the bottom of this mystery.

The Kindest Lie by a Johnson. Enjoying this – reading for my July TBR Game! Speaking of which, I think I need to limit next month’s TBR game to five books because August is going to be full of books for ARCathon and catching up to last month’s TBR game. But we can do it! Olivia and I are up to the challenge.
Content warnings.

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Lore by Alexandra Bracken. Need to finish this for the July TBR game! I’ve mentioned this one before, it’s been described as a mixture between Greek Mythology and The Hunger Games. I’ve barely dug into this one and am starting to remember what it’s all about. Can give a deeper analysis next Friday!
Content warnings.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero. Reading for ARCathon. This is beautiful and tells a story of a girl of a biracial Jewish girl who is sent away to stay with her aunt in Prague. She is torn between pursuing her parent’s wishes of having a stable career, for example in the sciences or medicine, and becoming a violinist. While she’s in Prague, she learns about a forgotten Jewish ancestry, encounters a ghost name Benjamin and also a man with no shadow, Rudolf Wassermann. This is beautifully written, every page feels like your being entranced by the author, and I’m enjoying it so much!
Content warnings.

Next Reads

Storygraph | Goodreads
Storygraph | Goodreads

Anne of Green Gables by Stacy King (Adaptor), Crystal S. Chan (Contributor), Daria Rhodes (Lettering), Kuma Chan (Illustrator), L.M. Montgomery (Original Author). This is a manga adaptation of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. I started to read it for NetGalley a few months ago, however I had to stop because it was just really ill formatted. I want to finish it, though, so I have the book on hold at the library. Would love to have this read for ARCathon, hosted by Marti and Britt!

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Reading this lovely retelling via the Top Shelf Society buddy read! I am a cohost and we definitely invite you to join us! Click here for details and synopsis. Can’t wait!
Content warnings.

QOTD: What are you reading?
Let us know!