The Written World: January 2016

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Week in Review - Week 5

Random Thoughts

It is hard to believe the first month of 2016 is over with! I have some reading time hopefully ahead of me, so I will save my reading recap until I make sure I won't finish anything else in the meantime. We had a stormy weekend which I had hoped meant lots of reading time, but something else always crops up. I am also finding now that I have been going through my books that there are a lot of things that I have neglected forever and really want to get around to reading. Not to mention on the series I started and never got around to finishing... My first project is Robin Hobb. It would be awesome to finish 2016 having read/reread all of her books. I could have lots of projects like that... While I did get rid of some series that I started ages ago and feel no excitement to get back to, there are still many others on my shelves. Then there are the ones that I have never started...

Graphic Novel Year

Phonogram - Volume 1: Rue Britannia (e-book)

Wayward - Volume 1 (reread)

American Vampire - Volume 3

Batgirl - Volume 1: The Batgirl of Burnside

Jem and the Holograms - Volume 1: Showtime (Scribd)

Hexed - Volume 1 (Scribd)

Hexed - Volume 2 (Scribd)

Currently Reading

Weekly Reading

(e-book) I wanted to love this, but this was just weird and I am not sure what to think of it. It was part of a recent Image Humble Bundle so I also have book 2 to see if the series grabs me or not.

(reread) I read this last year and loved it, so I of course had to own it. It is being compared to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Saga. That is what grabbed my attention in the first place. In reality, it is a glimpse of Japan with charges I enjoy visiting with and adventures that are worth checking in on. Plus, there are cats on the cover...

I bought this for Christmas because I read volume 1 and 2 and then stalled on the series. I like this series, but it is not my favourite series I am in the midst of. I imagine for Christmas I will grab the next two volumes. There are other series I am in the midst of I want to get more from first. I do have Volume 4 here to read, though, so I might change my mind.

I may have got some books as my early Valentine's Day gift... And I may have read some all ready. Like this one! I neglect DC because they are not as easy to read as the easiness that is Marvel Unlimited. I look forward to more from this series and checking out other DC series in the future.

(Scribd) I figured I would finally see what all the buzz about this series was about. I remember the show and the general storyline, but I am not sure I ever watched it that much and wouldn't consider myself a big fan. But, I liked this comic and am glad I gave it a try. I am sure I will read more in the series! Recommended!

(Scribd) I read the first 7 issues in this series back in 2015 thanks to Scribd. They didn't have any more, though, so I stalled while I waited to get the trades. Then I randomly noticed that Scribd had the whole series! So, I binged and I just love this series. It is definitely one of my favourite comic book series and I wish it was longer! That being said it ends with an ending that works. Strongly Recommended!

Finally! This book had so much buzz when it came out. I likely bought a copy soon after... (Or this might have been a gift...). I finally read it! And I loved it!! I thought it was a fantasy novel so imagine my surprise when I settled in with a book that takes place in the 1980's and talks about AIDs and how it was handled back then. It was a pleasant surprise, though! Strongly recommended!

New Additions

Lazarus - Volume 2: Lift

The Sculptor

Hammered by Kevin Hearne (gift)

Hexed by Kevin Hearne (gift)

Morning Glories - Volume 5 (gift)

Morning Glories - Volume 6 (gift)

Morning Glories - Volume 7 (gift)

Wayward - Volume 2 (gift)

Batgirl - Volume 1: The Batgirl of Burnside (gift)

Weekly Posts

Week in Review - Week 4

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Women I Met in 2016 (Thanks to Marvel!)

Weekly Pictures

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Women I Met in 2015 (Thanks to Marvel!)

In 2015 I splurged and joined Marvel Unlimited. As a result... 2015 was all about the comic books! I had planned to maybe post something about them, but I don't really blog that much. BUT, the Top Ten Tuesday this week is a freebie and this seemed like a fun idea!

Princess Leia - Yes, I have met her before... But, she kicked ass in this mini-series and I loved it!

Gamora - I had seen the movie, but the comics show a very interesting, hard-ass Gamora. I love her!

Thor - A female Thor. Sign. Me. Up!

Squirrel Girl - College student with unusually powers. Definitely a good role-model for young girls!

Agent Carter - She is awesome on the big screen, small screen, and in comic books. I hope there will be more about her!

Black Widow - Well, another one that isn't really a surprise... But, this series based around her gives you a great view of the awesomeness that is her!

Spider-Woman - Love her! Way better than Spider-man... He annoys me...

She-Hulk - I am sad her series didn't go very long. I really like her and look forward to seeing more from her.

Ms. Marvel - I had read Carol as Captain Marvel and read the newer Ms. Marvel series, but this older one was really good. Carol is one of my favourite characters!

Silk - We are still getting introduced to her, but I am really liking what I have seen so far!

Check out more from this feature here.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Week in Review - Week 4

Random Thoughts

I need to stay away from online bookstores. I was so proud of myself for buying less than I normally do around Christmas... But I made up for that in January! I find December and January are usually when I buy books that have been out for a while. The rest of the year I tend towards pre-orders. There are a couple comic book series I would like to keep reading but that will depend on the book budget as the new releases start trickling out. I am not off to a great start. The first book I pre-ordered for 2016 was Shutter Volume 3. It came out last week, but all ready says it is temporarily unavailable and I never got a copy. I remember when pre-ordering was a for sure thing and you would get the books before the store... Times have changed!

Graphic Novel Year

Morning Glories - Volume 1: For a Better Future (reread)

Morning Glories - Volume 2: All Will be Free (reread)

Morning Glories - Volume 3: P.E.

Morning Glories - Volume 4: Truants

Lady Killer - Volume 1

Lazarus - Volume 1: Family

Giant Days - Volume 1

Outcast - Volume 1 (e-book)

Currently Reading

Weekly Reading

(reread) I really liked this series when I started it, but it took me a while to get around to more from it so I decided to revisit the ones that I had read. They are just as good with a reread!

(reread) I originally read this one in January of 2015, so it took me a while to move on! So, here I am almost exactly a year later rereading this series so that I can finally move on to the next two volumes in the series.

I finally got this edition with my Christmas money. And, I have to say, this series definitely gets better as it gets going. When I read the first two volumes I enjoyed them, but was not feeling a pressing desire to rush on. Now there are lots of things happening and I am curious to see how things are going to progress!

I also got this volume with my Christmas money and I will point out that the series continues to get better and better. I think it is probably a good thing that I never went to boarding school because look at all the creepy things that happen at them!

This comic has been popping up on a lot of best of lists, so I had to check it out. I mean, look at that cover? I loved it! I am all for strong female characters and it is especially interesting considering it is set in a time where women often play a background role. It was a great idea and I am so glad I read it.

This was a fun comic! And compared to what else I read this month... Very different! There was no magic or fantasy or horror. It was just a real life comic about college students. It might be exaggerated a bit, but the adventures were fun in nature and I can't wait to read the next volume!

Another series that I decided to start... Because I don't have enough series on the go! And, another one where there is strong, ass-kicking woman. There was an accidental theme in my comic purchases recently! I really liked this and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Of everything I have read this week, this was likely my least favourite. I read the first issue in this series last year and it didn't really blow me away... But, I had a chance to read the first volume thanks to Humble Bundle. It's good, don't get me wrong, but not something I feel like rushing out and getting the next volume of immediately. Maybe it will be in a future Humble Bundle!

New Additions