Witchy

Volume 1

By Ariel Slamet Ries

253 pages

Owlcrate 

Graphic Novel

This graphic novel was a bonus book in one of the Owlcrate boxes. 

Both of my teens snatched it up and read it - one the same day it arrived, the other the next morning. Apparently it's an online comic - they both went off and read the next chapter as well. 

Isn't this the cutest about the author page? 

In all honesty, though, although this was a fast read I don't really care about it. The characters didn't stick with me, nor the world. The magic isn't super interesting to me either. 

I'll probably take this to my classroom library, if we ever go to school again.

Incendiary

By Zoraida Córdova

Hardback

450 Pages

YA Fantasy

Owlcrate 

So this book was really readable. I didn't want to put it down. But as soon as I finished I began questioning things. 

I did like the main character. She's a little annoying, but she is also well rounded, and flawed, and there are reasons for her to be the way she is. 

The magic is cool- illusionist, memory, empathy, and lie detectors, basically. Certain metals enhance those powers. 

But - some characters behave inconsistently at times. And maybe I was reading too fast, but there are a few continuity errors - nothing huge, but like: what fabric are those gloves made of? Are you sure?

I was a bit disappointed because when I got 3/4 of the way through I actually thought it was a stand alone book. And then I wasn't sure how it was going to get wrapped up. And then, curve ball!

So there is at least one more. I'll probably read the next one, but I don't feel an urgent need. 

It would be nice, though, to just read a YA novel that doesn't have to be the start of a duology or trilogy. 

I love the little author notes we get with Owlcrate books!

And the signatures are cool too. 

Bone Crier's Moon

By Kathryn Purdie

Hardback

YA Fantasy 

453 pages

This was a really good read.

The world is interesting, the characters likable and believable.

I love the exclusive editions we get in the Owlcrates. 

But it's the first in a duology! Argh! 

It ends at a good point for a first book - a mix of satisfaction and questions. And enough still up in the air that I really wish the sequel was out already. 

But I'll have to wait.

Little Fires Everywhere

By Celeste Ng

Also read this one on my friend's Kindle; no ideas how long it is. 

Fiction

Not YA - just a normal, mainstream, adult fiction book.

This was really good. I started it yesterday afternoon and finished it this morning. Now I'm curious about the Hulu adaptation. 

Mia & Pearl - mom and daughter, artistic drifters - move to an Ohio utopia. 

The Richardson family is not all as sunshiney as it seems on the surface. 

Of course, these two families become intertwined. 

Super satisfying ending, with hints of what will happen, but not explicitly laying it all out. 

Blueberry Pie

I hadn't made a blueberry pie in years. When I wanted a summery pie I usually made peach blackberry or peach black currant. Maybe apple. 

But the grocery store had these weird 4 pound bags of blueberries, so I thought that would be a good idea. 

Since the berries were frozen, I put the right amount in the fridge to thaw overnight.

filling recipe, bake time and temp. 

filling all mixed up and getting juicy while I make the crust.

crust recipe- the numbers in the middle, ignoring all those other notes. 

SIDE TANGENT!

Leftover crust? Roll it out, spread with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then roll it up again! Cut in slices, not more than an inch wide. 

bake at 350 for 20ish minutes. 

I call these Snails. 

Now, back to pie!

completed pie!

The flowers allow for the steam to escape during cooking. 

I forgot to take a picture of my own piece of pie. This is my child's next day breakfast pie. 

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

By Grady Hendrix

I read this on my friends Kindle, so I literally have no idea how many pages it is.

It was kind of slow, and really gross at times. 

It was very readable - I went through the whole thing in a single day - but I don't think I'd ever read it again. 

There's a book club, and a lady gets attacked by her elderly neighbor. She thinks her neighbor is a creepy vampire thing. Her friends and family thinks she's crazy. 

Hijinks ensue. 

I read it for my work book club. 

The Kingdom of Back

By Marie Lu

313 pages

Hardback

YA Fantasy

Owlcrate 

Isn't this book gorgeous?

Can you tell that the page edges are gilded in silver?

It's about the Mozarts. 

And there is a pretty map.

And it's signed.

Honestly it took me forever to read this slim volume. I've had a lot of trouble concentrating lately. It was good, and interesting, but I'd read a few pages and then set it down for a couple of days. 

I finished reading it a week ago, and am only just now posting it. 

I don't know. It's kind of hard for me to follow through on stuff right now. 

At the moment I'm supposed to be cleaning and organizing. That's not happening either.