"I told you I'd prove myself to you and I will. I'm going to make you look at me. Me. Not Jesse. I'll beat him, if that's what it takes 4.5 stars
"I told you I'd prove myself to you and I will. I'm going to make you look at me. Me. Not Jesse. I'll beat him, if that's what it takes."
Uff, how intense!
Tensions are at an all-time high in this one and I just love the passion and intensity that leaps from the page. I could feel all that energy transferring to me.
I think Tanner is super cute in his support towards Kally. He even wore a T-shirt and all. So cute.
And Seiji and Nicholas... just so intense.
It's around here when I started to really get glued to reading the story.
Merged review:
4.5 stars
"I told you I'd prove myself to you and I will. I'm going to make you look at me. Me. Not Jesse. I'll beat him, if that's what it takes."
Uff, how intense!
Tensions are at an all-time high in this one and I just love the passion and intensity that leaps from the page. I could feel all that energy transferring to me.
I think Tanner is super cute in his support towards Kally. He even wore a T-shirt and all. So cute.
And Seiji and Nicholas... just so intense.
It's around here when I started to really get glued to reading the story....more
"When you fence, don't think about the outcome of the match. Don't think about winning. Winning is a distraction. Think only about fenci 3.5 stars.
"When you fence, don't think about the outcome of the match. Don't think about winning. Winning is a distraction. Think only about fencing. Think about fencing well, in the way that you enjoy."
I feel like each issue gives protagonism and relevance to a different character, at least in a way, and I like that.
The one thing I don't like about all these issues is that they are so short and some times it feels as if nothing is happening at all. They advance slowly but they are fun, so, well, I just don't mind that much.
I liked Aiden. He's cocky and full of himself but his not delusional or anything like that. I was laughing when the other guy, Jay, wanted Aiden to lose so badly and how into the match he got, and just his facial expressions alone were so funny. I get why he was mad at Aiden but the situation was largely his fault as well.
We start to get a bit more into Seiji and seeing that maybe he's not the perfect fencer... yet. That was interesting.
And a tiny bit of Nicholas' having a conversation with the coach. I like that coach, she's fierce and I think her strategy is really good.
"The difference between winning and losing... Is... Just... One... Point." __________________
One word.
Aiden.
RTC.
Merged review:
3.5 stars.
"When you fence, don't think about the outcome of the match. Don't think about winning. Winning is a distraction. Think only about fencing. Think about fencing well, in the way that you enjoy."
I feel like each issue gives protagonism and relevance to a different character, at least in a way, and I like that.
The one thing I don't like about all these issues is that they are so short and some times it feels as if nothing is happening at all. They advance slowly but they are fun, so, well, I just don't mind that much.
I liked Aiden. He's cocky and full of himself but his not delusional or anything like that. I was laughing when the other guy, Jay, wanted Aiden to lose so badly and how into the match he got, and just his facial expressions alone were so funny. I get why he was mad at Aiden but the situation was largely his fault as well.
We start to get a bit more into Seiji and seeing that maybe he's not the perfect fencer... yet. That was interesting.
And a tiny bit of Nicholas' having a conversation with the coach. I like that coach, she's fierce and I think her strategy is really good.
"The difference between winning and losing... Is... Just... One... Point." __________________
“Doubt can paralyze you, can… can make you not want to do anything. But if you learn to ‘channel’ it, to turn those feelings away from y 3.5 stars.
“Doubt can paralyze you, can… can make you not want to do anything. But if you learn to ‘channel’ it, to turn those feelings away from yourself and out at the world… you can doubt what’s impossible.”
I'm slightly disappointed in this volume.
After the ending of the last volume, I was expecting an incredibly emotional and hard path ahead. At least for a little while. Yet, we get this.
Now, I'm not saying that it ignored the happenings of the last volume or anything, it's just that I would have loved to see more to show for it.
“Whether we like it or not, most of our deepest held beliefs come straight from the people who made us. Even when we turn against them, our parents still help define exactly what kind of ‘rebels’ we’ll be.”
I enjoyed having a little bit of Squire in it.
And not just Squire but also The Will and what is he gonna do now.
I don't know, these two characters are incredibly different and all so it's fun to see hat they both get themselves into. Do I feel bad for The Will? Maybe a little, but I'm not sure if I actually feel pity for him. Mostly because alone he isn't as interesting to me.
“One day a boy decided to break the rules. And that boy would become my brother.”
Still, that little twist almost at the end with Prince Robot was... unexpected. But I kinda like it... okay, I really like it. I find it a bit ironic.
What to expect now is something I have no idea about. I know I'm way closer to the current ending point and I'll have to do a long waiting to get anything more after that so, I suppose, it must be some stopping point.
One day, a boy decided to break the rules. Like in most children’s stories, he then had an adventure. This experience taught the boy that those aforementioned rules were there for a reason. But he also learned another important lesson… that one should break rules as often as possible. Because who the hell doesn’t want to have an adventure?” ___________________
Huh, that was nicer than I thought.
RTC. __________________
I'm ready for all the heavy and very difficult feelings this is going to provide us with.
Starting this volume I'm under no illusion of it ever going to be a fluffy peace as some other volumes have been. And, quite honestly, if it doesn't leave me feeling guttered and sad I will riot.
The cover has had me incredibly curious since I first investigated this series and saw it. Whatever could be the reason for Alana cosplaying a cowboy? Cowgirl?
Merged review:
3.5 stars.
“Doubt can paralyze you, can… can make you not want to do anything. But if you learn to ‘channel’ it, to turn those feelings away from yourself and out at the world… you can doubt what’s impossible.”
I'm slightly disappointed in this volume.
After the ending of the last volume, I was expecting an incredibly emotional and hard path ahead. At least for a little while. Yet, we get this.
Now, I'm not saying that it ignored the happenings of the last volume or anything, it's just that I would have loved to see more to show for it.
“Whether we like it or not, most of our deepest held beliefs come straight from the people who made us. Even when we turn against them, our parents still help define exactly what kind of ‘rebels’ we’ll be.”
I enjoyed having a little bit of Squire in it.
And not just Squire but also The Will and what is he gonna do now.
I don't know, these two characters are incredibly different and all so it's fun to see hat they both get themselves into. Do I feel bad for The Will? Maybe a little, but I'm not sure if I actually feel pity for him. Mostly because alone he isn't as interesting to me.
“One day a boy decided to break the rules. And that boy would become my brother.”
Still, that little twist almost at the end with Prince Robot was... unexpected. But I kinda like it... okay, I really like it. I find it a bit ironic.
What to expect now is something I have no idea about. I know I'm way closer to the current ending point and I'll have to do a long waiting to get anything more after that so, I suppose, it must be some stopping point.
One day, a boy decided to break the rules. Like in most children’s stories, he then had an adventure. This experience taught the boy that those aforementioned rules were there for a reason. But he also learned another important lesson… that one should break rules as often as possible. Because who the hell doesn’t want to have an adventure?” ___________________
Huh, that was nicer than I thought.
RTC. __________________
I'm ready for all the heavy and very difficult feelings this is going to provide us with.
Starting this volume I'm under no illusion of it ever going to be a fluffy peace as some other volumes have been. And, quite honestly, if it doesn't leave me feeling guttered and sad I will riot.
The cover has had me incredibly curious since I first investigated this series and saw it. Whatever could be the reason for Alana cosplaying a cowboy? Cowgirl?...more
"No. No more fighting. No more death. I want this to end."
I'm quite intrigued by that ending.
I mean, it's not completely out of the realm of imagin "No. No more fighting. No more death. I want this to end."
I'm quite intrigued by that ending.
I mean, it's not completely out of the realm of imagination that something like that could be done. It's just that I'm really curious as to where they came from and what their stories are.
I'm not sure there's more to say. I liked it and I will eagerly wait for the next part of their story.
Oh, well, there is the question of, where, exactly, is Vanya right now? Because I don't think I saw her in that ending scene. ________________________
I can't quite believe I actually managed to read them all before the year was officially over.
It was a narrow thing.
Why do things like this keep happening to Vanya?
RTC ________________________
The cover looks so peaceful.
I won't be fooled.
By now, I already know that this series is anything but....more
"I am the palm that grips the blade and cuts the cancer free. But man makes a weapon of everything eventually... Ad turns his rot against the flame "I am the palm that grips the blade and cuts the cancer free. But man makes a weapon of everything eventually... Ad turns his rot against the flame - illuminating his terror, his horror. Of this fear, I speak no more. Of this I am free."
Yass!!!
I really wanted that particular development to happen but thought it wasn't gonna happen. I'm so happy!
Five reading that letter was so incredibly adorable that it makes it a bit weird since this was five who did it. Still, adorable.
I don't quite like the turn Vanya's story is taking. It seems like it's the same thing that we've already seen. I want it to be something different.
And I don't trust it.
Seeing most of the academy fighting together was really cool and I just wish they were all together. When that happens it's going to be so incredibly cool. ___________________
I really wish Vanya was helping with all the mayhem going on but I guess a self-learning experience is never a bad idea.
And what's the deal with Alison? Is she just helping because.... ___________________
I want to see what that thing ends up being. Because it looks pretty wicked.
"Your jealousy turned you to a life of crime, Perseus. The world is changing - has changed. It doesn't need wicked men doing the work of 3.5 stars.
"Your jealousy turned you to a life of crime, Perseus. The world is changing - has changed. It doesn't need wicked men doing the work of the just."
Every time I learn more about Hargreeves senior I'm just more convinced that he was, indeed, a monster and a jerk.
I like that my theory panned out and I was right. Especially for how neatly it ties everything together.
I keep getting rather fixated on Vanya's storyline. Seriously, what just happened? I really want to know. I'm starting to get apprehensive about all this.
And this series can get pretty messed up.
Also, who helped Klaus? Who is this mystery person?
Perseus is crazy. Not that the revelation came as a surprise. Not at all. After all last volume did a pretty great job of establishing that. But what he just did is crazy because it doesn't have a real benefit at the end of it.
"Darkness is to space what silence is to sound, i.e., the interval. - Marshall McLuhan." ____________________
So my theory was right, which was nice, but, of course, things can't be that easy and now we have this thing going on.
I hope it's less crazy than last volume... No. I really don't. I love the craziness these comics bring. ____________________
I just want more of Vanya and her mom. I really like how her story is being told....more
"No. I'm showing you what fools they've been. Eventually, you'll see that it's not just your powers that make you more special than them."
Honestly "No. I'm showing you what fools they've been. Eventually, you'll see that it's not just your powers that make you more special than them."
Honestly? This is one of my favorite issues of this volume.
Mostly because of that little revelation that was teased a little on Apocalypse Suit. Yes, I had an inkling it happened, and been a sucker for it since, but actually seeing it is a hundred times better.
This Mr. Perseus guy is so shady and we get just a little idea of why here. I like the answers.
And, what exactly is the deal with the mom? What's she doing? I can't figure her out. Though, that conversation with Vanya was revealing ad disturbing at the same time. __________________________________
I knew they were a thing but having it confirmed and seeing it with my own eyes it's so nice.
The mom is so mysterious.
RTC. __________________________________
I'm really enjoying the Mother and Vanya bonding together. It's interesting and different from all the craziness....more
"What matters is your resolve... you never gave them an ounce of fear."
Okay... What's the deal with the mom? She's acting all weird.
Honestly, the "What matters is your resolve... you never gave them an ounce of fear."
Okay... What's the deal with the mom? She's acting all weird.
Honestly, the most interesting part of this so far has been seeing those... escapees. I find them strangely entertaining.
Though, Luther and Diego's story seems to be incredibly relevant. I'm not quite sure of everything just yet but, I'm fairly certain it will answer most of my questions. __________________________________
I have a theory about where Oblivion is located.
Also, do they have more powers now? How does that work?
RTC. __________________________________
It's time to get into this one.
Almost halfway through. I may just pull this out....more
Well, more specifically, Alison's part did. At first, I was confused as t "I heard a rumor that you love me."
Darn, didn't this one broke my heart.
Well, more specifically, Alison's part did. At first, I was confused as to what was going on but, man, when I figured it out it just hit me right on the feels. That was so messed up.
Even for these comics.
We barely have time to see anything else from anyone else but, let me tell you, I was not greatly interested in Klaus's plot-line. And I love Klaus. __________________
I loved the little insight into Alisson's marriage.
RTC. __________________
I'm trying really hard to finish all these issues before the year is over.
Here's is to see if I actually can. There are still a few hours left so there's hope!...more
“We each play the part written for us. You can’t fight the future.”
To say that I had no idea about what this volume was gonna be about is a huge u “We each play the part written for us. You can’t fight the future.”
To say that I had no idea about what this volume was gonna be about is a huge understatement. Sure, I half thought it would have something of the TV show in there that I would recognize -in which I wasn't wrong - but, overall, I had no idea what the plot could be.
I was very pleasantly surprised in what I ended up finding.
With its signature craziness and goriness, Volume 2 of The Umbrella Academy did more than I could ever dream off... mostly because I don't think I'm that crazy.
“It simply must be done.”
We finally got Hazel and Cha-Cha and how did I enjoy them!
Those surprisingly creepy masks and their own particular brand of weirdness and disregard for human life make them weirdly adorable to me. Their particular relationship is somehow cute and disturbing.
Which are two words that can describe them perfectly at any given time.
We also have more of Five's past and that... that was a completely different can of worms. The only thing I'll say about that is I'm somehow baffled that he is crazy.
“You can stand here and have a pity party… or you can unpack your things and be a ‘part’ of this family, start ‘rebuilding.’”
Of course, we also have the Hargreeves's and their particular brand of craziness and weirdness.
The kind of things they get themselves involved with is so over the top but makes so much sense when put into this world.
Diego and Klaus are two of my favorites and do I have questions about Klaus. I need some answers here people.
I wish we had gotten more of Vanya but it also makes perfect sense that she wasn't all that present. Hopefully, she will be in the next volume.
“Oh, C’mon – a normal life isn’t an option for any of us. I can say I stayed here to help, but let’s be honest – this is the only place… crazy enough for me to do my thing. I’m an animal.”
At the end of the day The Umbrella Academy is such and over the top, crazy, slightly ridiculous, and fun world that is addictive.
The second volume kept the same feeling and ambiance of the first one and, at the end of the day, it delivered what I was expecting of it.
The fact that the ending of the volume was with a song, like in a TV show, was hilarious and I absolutely loved it.
“Because the world, my friend, is big enough. Without you.” __________________
Oh goody, how many surprises.
I just love Hazel and Cha-Cha. Give me a comic of just them and I will devour it in a second.
RTC. __________________
I wanted to wait till next season of the show was out before reading this volume mostly because I didn't want to spoil myself about what the next season could be about and yet, here we are.
My main reason for going back to reading this is because I hate the idea of finishing the year without having read all that is available of this series, since I did started it this year. So, that's exactly what I'm gonna do.
I'm not sure of what I want to happen in this volume. I kind of have zero expectations, which is usually good, and I just want to see what I get....more
“It’s sweet how you think you can change the world through talking, Avatar Aang. Not all Avatars believed that. But you’re special, devo 4.5 stars.
“It’s sweet how you think you can change the world through talking, Avatar Aang. Not all Avatars believed that. But you’re special, devoted to your peaceful Airbender ideals.”
Well, that was fun.
Seeing my girl Suki in action is always such a treat.
One of the chief things that I really like about this Imbalance series is how we get to see this town grow, change and slowly, ever so slowly, become a prosperous town. Knowing what its future is, just makes it better.
It's actually kind of funny.
“Taking away someone’s bending might seem nonviolent when compared to other options, but… Is it really? You’re destroying a part of someone. And that feels violent to me.”
The main issue of the series, benders against non-benders, is such a gripping conflict. Timeless too.
Philosophizing about what was done to Firelord Ozai is great too. Before this, I don't think I had ever considered it much. It seemed like a good way to solve everything without violence... but was it really without violence?
I just really like the way something so short and breezy can make me think such deep thoughts as well as make me laugh a lot.
Toph and Sokka's friendship is great too. It really shines in these issues.
“Toph, it’s taking away someone’s bending. It’s removing a part of who they are. It’s not a decision to be made lightly.”
The art is something essential to me when reading a comic. It's the way the story is conveyed, so, I take it under careful consideration whenever I review them.
This one, well, I wasn't a fan at first.
Now, I believe it has grown on me. It's just different from what I usually find breath-taking. Nonetheless, I found myself admiring how pretty it made things look and gave myself a little start.
But it truly is pretty. The colors and style suit really well the story.
“I know a guy who was once in a similar situation. His dad was the worst dad ever and wanted to conquer the world. It took a while for Zuko to stand up to his father, but eventually, he did. And that’s one of the reasons the Hundred Year War finally ended.” _______________
That was so fitting.
I really like how the problems aren't solved so easily.
RTC. _______________
These little pieces of history that fill the year gap between Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are so cool.
I'll admit that to this point I'm more used to this art style, though I'm still no fan, and can even find it pretty. Though, I wouldn't read the comic just because of it.
Obviously the characters themselves are a great part of why I read these comics.
This particular story-line is cool. Seeing the development of this little city that will become something so much more is really cool....more
“The most important moments in our life rarely take place some numerically significant date. Most of the time, we don’t even realize we’ve lived thr “The most important moments in our life rarely take place some numerically significant date. Most of the time, we don’t even realize we’ve lived through something worth commemorating until long after it’s already ended.”
Yes, it took me incredibly long to be able to reconcile myself with that ending.
But, finally, here I am.
At this point in the story, things have been relatively calm for a while. We start off nice and smooth and we eve get the time to have some fluffy moments between Marco and Alana -which had been a little scarce in the latest issues - and relax. Just, relax.
For once, the story is moving through other characters and they are enjoying themselves. Actually, come to think of it, everyone is enjoying themselves right now.
So, it shouldn't come as a surprise when things started to get heated.
“Anyone can kill you, but it takes someone you know to really HURT you. It takes someone you love to break your heart.”
It's nothing new. I love this series so much because of all the intense drama that goes down, I would probably still read it if it was different but, as it is, it works perfectly fine and I do love the drama.
I just... well, I wasn't expecting that to happen.
They prepare us nicely by giving us some very foreboding dialogue and upping the stakes of everything with Duff -pretty sure that's his name - and even with Squire.
Which reminds me of the whole Squire plot... I'm not a fan but also it's so incredibly understandable and cliche. I don't know, maybe it's the fact that we hadn't really gotten that much of Squire as it is, but I wasn't all that invested on him.
“Anticipation and dread aren’t opposites, just different versions of the same game. Both involve knowing that something is going to happen, but not knowing when. And whether you end up winning or losing, you at least get to reach a conclusion. There’s always some comfort in that.”
The real toll that this issue takes is... way more than I had expected.
The funny thing here is, that the day before I was talking with my brother -as one does- and I was telling him about the plot of the series to try ad entice him to give them a try, and he literally predicted what was gonna happen.
It was funny. And sad.
It made everything feel at least 10 times sharper.
That ending scene really drove the message home. Sure, the whole thing hurt really badly but that ending scene completely and utterly destroyed me.
“My name is Hazel. I started out as an idea, but I ended up something more. Not much more, to be honest. It’s not like I grew up to be some great war hero or any sort of all-important savior… but thanks to my parents, at least I get to grow old. Not everyone does.” _____________________________
...
...
...
... I just can't right now.
I knew this volume was gonna be hard. I was warned, and yet...
My heart just aches right now.
RTC. _____________________________
Time to end this part of the journey.
I remember when I started reading this series that I was warned about a rather shocking cliffhanger at the end of this volume and the possible long wait for the next, so, I guess I have that to look forward to.
“Peace always sounded nice… but peace and quiet is the dream.”
I was right.
I don't think I ever wanted more to be wrong than when I was reading t “Peace always sounded nice… but peace and quiet is the dream.”
I was right.
I don't think I ever wanted more to be wrong than when I was reading this volume.
The whole volume is filled with tension and the heavy sense of foreboding, of something terrible just waiting to happen, and it only re-affirmed my suspicions.
Because in this series nothing good and nice, like the family being back together, can happen without brewing disaster and agony with it.
“If a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, then a family is more like a ROPE. We’re lots of fragile little strands, and we survive by becoming hopelessly intertwined with each other. The happiest families I’ve ever met were all frayed… but they were all tighter than a hangman’s noose.”
This volume managed something that neither of the previous ones could. It gave me chills.
It may have helped that I was reading it in the middle of the night with barely any light around and good atmospheric music, either way, the point is that it chilled me to the bones.
Everything was handled so beautifully, striking a perfect balance with all it tried to do and all the characters' development.
And it made me sad.
“Families are goddamn wildfires. They may start out small, but brother, watch them grow.”
If the ending mood is anything to go by next volume is going to be incredibly gloomy... I can't wait to see it!
I'm predicting hard times for the next volume.
“The more you care about someone, the more likely it is that your eventual parting of ways will be as sudden as it is baffling.” _____________________
Yep. This went about the way I thought it would.
My heart is so heavy right now.
RTC. _____________________
Ok. I'm not quite ready for what I'm gonna find in this volume.
After the big ending of the last volume, I don't think anything really good can happen. I see disaster coming.
Yet, I don't want disaster to arrive and destroy everything I like... better get to it I guess....more
“They were knowledge, given life. Wisdom, given voice. They sang when starlight streamed through the library’s windows. They felt pain and suffered “They were knowledge, given life. Wisdom, given voice. They sang when starlight streamed through the library’s windows. They felt pain and suffered heartbreak. Sometimes they were sinister, grotesque – but so was the world outside. And that made the world no less worth fighting for, because wherever there was darkness, there was also so much light.”
Sorcery of Thorns was such a surprise.
On one hand, I had not really heard about it. I found it because of the buddy read and I thought it sounded interesting enough but, previously, I had not heard about it.
On the other hand, I knew something about the author. Though I never did read her debut novel I remember how a lot of people didn't really like it and, on that account, how I, myself, had not really given a chance to that first book.
So you can imagine that I was a bit worried while going into the book. Well, not worried, not really, more like... I was not really expecting anything from it.
Actually enjoying the book came, therefore, as a huge surprise.
“She now understood that the world wasn’t kind to young women, especially when they behaved in ways men didn’t like, and spoke truths that men weren’t ready to hear.”
Sure, the beginning didn't quite convince me.
The world was dazzling and magical but the story didn't seem like anything special and the MC got on my nerves.
Elisabeth, our MC, is an orphan girl that has grown all her life in the confinements of a library. Not the worst place to grow up, really, but also not a place where you get a lot of worldly knowledge. So her initial naiveness can be forgiven and understood. The important thing is that she doesn't stays naive but rather actually grows and evolves into a wiser person.
Through woe and hardship, we are introduced to the world and the guidelines for the plot that seemed so clear and simple at the beginning become blurred and bigger. The story morphs and transforms soon enough into something absolutely different than what it was suggested at first. But keeping the essence.
By the end of the book, I was deeply in love with the world.
“She was no hero, just a girl in a nightgown who happened to be holding a sword.”
The writing style captures the magical and whimsical nature of the world so well. Being simple but articulate it is easy enough to read while enriching the story.
And that's just about it. This world feels so whimsical. Like a fairytale. Like a world that has been around for centuries and we are just discovering its magical existence.
Books having souls and being so alive is something I don't believe I've seen anywhere else. I love the idea. I love the idea that librarians are fierce warriors.
I like the idea that there's magic all around.
The duality of the two factions is interesting to see. The two faces of the coin. Getting to explore them was a treat for sure. Actually seeing all the sides of this world through our three main characters - Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas - and exploring their friendship was fun.
Silas is, without a doubt, my favorite of the three.
“She had never known that hope could hurt so badly, like blood rushing back to a deadened limb.”
I had such a blast seeing the romance emerge slowly and not so subtly through the book. It was cute. But as much as I enjoyed it I do think that the friendship outshines the romance.
Silas and Nathaniel's friendship is such a powerful, beautiful thing. When I remember the book this is one of the things that is stronger in my memories.
Which is also the reason why that ending was so perfect.
I can't say that I was surprised by that final, parting, revelation, I had thought about it before they did, but I was so incredibly glad they had reached that conclusion and we finished with that much hope.
“Perhaps I haven’t seen what you can do,’ she said. ‘But I ‘ve seen what you choose to do.’ She looked up. ‘Isn’t that more important?’”
For all that the plot surprised me and became something different, it wasn't difficult to follow. Meaning that I managed to guess some things before they were revealed. The most notorious one being the identity of the big baddy. Though, I do suppose it wasn't intended to be such a big revelation since it's revealed pretty soon in the book.
And it wasn't like the hints weren't there to be seen.
Though, his actual plans and nefarious deeds are much murkier and have been safeguarded more, well, safely.
“It was as though she were made of light and air, barely tethered to the physical world, at once unstoppable and in danger of coming apart, burning up, floating away.”
My biggest grievance with the book, though, is that it's standalone.
Not because the story didn't work fitted as it was in one book. I actually think the length of the book was quite perfect. But because the world is such a vast one and it could have been explored so much more.
Even this particular story, I'm sure it could hold for a perfectly reasonable sequel.
And that's just one of my biggest wishes for this book. For it to become part of a world or series or something where we get more content of this world. In whatever form. Because I'm sure the world has a lot more to give. Or, more accurately, that I would love to know more about this world.
“Books, too, had hearts, though they were not the same as people’s, and a book’s heart could be broken.” _________________________
I loved the ending.
And that's really saying something, considering that at the beginning I was not sure about this book.
I'm a little disappointed by the fact the book is standalone. This wonderful world definitely has a lot of potential. Yet, it was the perfect amount of time to explore the idea and give it a proper, fitting, ending.
The premise for this book sounds interesting enough, and that cover really is pretty. Though, I haven't really payed attention to it before, 'cause I had seen it around.
I hope it's a really good book because I just finished and amazing book and it will be difficult to not feel like meh. I'll give it a fair shot but I can't be held accountable for the results.
In a way, I suppose it's good that I don't have many expectations....more
“We’re all aliens to someone. Even among our own people, most of us still feel like complete foreigners from time to time.”
This was probably one “We’re all aliens to someone. Even among our own people, most of us still feel like complete foreigners from time to time.”
This was probably one of the nicest and more peaceful volumes of the whole series.
I'm not saying that is boring or anything because it isn't. It's just... peaceful.
And even peaceful is not the right word to describe it because the whole premise of this series -which is very accurately done - is war and chaos. And it has chaos but is a different kind of chaos.
“Her eyes said it all… You married ME, didn’t you?”
I had fun a lot of fun with it because now Hazel is a little girl and that certainly brings a lot of possibilities. She was a super cute baby and cutter toddler and now, as a little kid, I can see her becoming a pretty girl. Which is funny in a way because we literally see her grow up.
And then there's the question, what was easier, protecting a baby -no easy fit by any means - or protecting a little girl? And if you had asked me before I would have answered a baby, of course, now? Now I'm not so sure.
Little kids definitely have their own minds.
As it's becoming a habit the cliffhanger with wich we're left was, well there and had me reeling!
Sadly, I do not think it's gonna end well. The covers of the next volumes don't seem all that comforting to me.
“… anyone who thinks one book has all the answers hasn’t read enough books.” ______________
This was nice.
RTC. ______________
Here we go again.
I really want to finish this series -as far as it has been published - before the year is done. Not like it's gonna be all that difficult or anything. Or like I have a lot more to cover.
So, yeah, hopefully, I can finish this volume today but I guess will see....more
“No, Commander Guan. I won’t be returning. And I serve no one – not the Avatar, and especially not you.”
Ok, so I ended up really likin 3.5 stars.
“No, Commander Guan. I won’t be returning. And I serve no one – not the Avatar, and especially not you.”
Ok, so I ended up really liking this one.
Seeing the process that the Earth Kingdom is going through is fun and all, real progress that needed to happen. And honestly, a far better option than having Prince Wu ruling them. But the real reason I totally love this series is because of all my Kuvira goodness.
“I know you have every reason to hate me, but I didn’t know who else to turn to. Please, I need your help.”
Sure, during most of Season 4 I didn't know what to do with her but over the last issue and this one, I've really grown to like her character.
Her conflict, her drive, her want, it's all so... sad in away. She's a really ambitious person with big ideals and hopes. She's passionate and smart which makes her dangerous. But is all born from these two very different places, her life with Suyin and the abandonment of her parents.
Just seeing all that she's going through right now and getting another glimpse of her character excites me a lot.
“I saw the former Earth Queen. She’s got me doubting my plan to make the Earth Kingdom a democracy. [She also said] That people don’t really want change. She also insisted that people would much rather stick to what feels ‘safe’ and ‘secure’ than do anything outside their comfort zone.”
The whole thing going on with the General and what he's doing is interesting, especially because it has roots that we already knew about.
Honestly, the Earth Kingdom needs to stop doing that.
I'm sure they'll find some way to reverse it but I also wish they do it in a cool not-immediately-obvious way. _____________________
I always have a lot of fun reading these comics!
Kuvira is such an interesting character and I totally love what they are doing with her. She deserves better.
RTC. _____________________
I was starting to miss this world.
For a second there I had forgotten this was about to be released and, clearly, the date flew by me. But, here I am, ready to read this beauty and find myself again in this engrossing world.
I really want to see Kuvira's development and the more sedated way this conflict needs to be solved....more
Thank you to Haverlock & Baker Publishing for allowing me the opportunity of reviewing this book.
“Rather than making my own thinking, 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Haverlock & Baker Publishing for allowing me the opportunity of reviewing this book.
“Rather than making my own thinking, I had let others do the thinking for me. And in doing so, I had made my life a lie, blindly doing the work of other men.”
When entering this book I had little idea as to what to expect out of it. I knew I wanted a peek at this world and I was eager to see what it had to offer but I had no real expectations. Which is, as you may know, the best way to start a book.
If I had known how deeply it would change me and impact me I would have picked it up faster.
Colombiano is a raw and powerful story that showcases the realities of what the acclaimed guerrillas where in Colombia and just how hard they were for the people.
It's heavy, graphic and doesn't pull any punches.
“But you need to learn you can’t force a man into doing right. He has to work it out for himself. Until he does, the best you can do is keep your own house in order.”
Pedro's story starts and ends -in not so many words - with a single man and act. His dad. His death.
Such a powerful event that marked and changed his life forever.
The journey he undergoes in order to continue living is riddled with hardship and self-growth.
In a way, it truly is the story of a boy that grew too fast.
“Not knowing is an important part of life.”
I think my heart must have broken at least a dozen times. Since the very beginning, we know about this one event that is gonna happen but actually seeing it play out was harder than I thought it would ever be.
And, oh man, did it feel me with rage and sadness and stupor.
Of course, it was far from the only moment that the book made me stop and reconsider everything. I, literally, had to take a little break while reading because I couldn't take the heaviness of it on stride. Reading too much at once left me rattled and unsettled.
From beginning to end it kept its strong grip on my emotions.
“Sometimes, an idea sticks so hard in your mind that almost nothing you see or hear afterward can dislodge it.”
Pedro was such an interesting MC.
Seeing his transformative journey was painful at times but so rewarding at the end that I have o complaints.
But, seriously, he could be so dumb and emotional sometimes. Not like I blame him or anything but, as it is, it was painful to watch him do something that, obviously, wouls bring him suffering in the future.
Reading Pedro's little fantasies about how a particular situation would happen made me realize just how naive and innocent he truly was. Even after everything that had happened his view of life and the world were so narrow.
Still, his mind was an interesting place to be. So consumed by rage and revenge and hatred and trying, so desperately trying, to get his life back together. Even when everything around him was crumbling to the ground.
And he wasn't the only interesting character we got.
Palillo was way more than I was expecting at the beginning. He really surprised me. The way his journey panned out at the end and the person he became and, in fact, was is something I did not see coming. His friendship with Pedro was a true beauty.
Camilla was, on her own rights, an incredible character. Way more important than I could have guessed at the beginning I enjoyed so deeply the role she played. I was, almost always, so proud of my girl. And impressed. I wish we had gotten a little bit more of her.
Everyone on Pedro's immediate proximity was so interesting. I really liked that everyone had backstories that we got to see and they weren't just there because. Everyone played their role and that was great.
“There is only one thing worse than the most horrible acts of evil men: the silence of good men.”
The writing style gave me a bit of an issue at the beginning.
I wasn't thrilled about how Young included and kept so many Spanish words. I thought it made for an awkward break. But, but, it grew on me. In the end, I actually appreciated it. Keeping names and some relevant words on their original language gave it a sense of authenticity, somehow, that helped me get immersed in the story.
They were properly explained and if you forgot a meaning could just go to the end and search for it on the, ever helpful, glossary that was adjourned.
As a person whose Spanish is their first language, well, it was a bit of fun to see these words peppered around the book.
The rest of the storytelling was descriptive and fairly simple. And I think that worked perfectly with the book. It's a heavy book. It talks about heavy themes but is also down in reality and that is perfectly reflected in the writing style.
“I no longer thought of what I’d been doing as ‘justice,’ instead, I called it by its proper name: ‘revenge.’ And upon renouncing my revenge, I felt immediately lighter, as though what had been driving me was not a powerful engine, but rather a loathsome burden.”
One of the things that struck me the hardest about this book. The thing that will stay with me forever is the raw way we get to see how much damage hatred can really do.
I've always heard, and believed, that hating someone makes more damage to yourself than the other person but never had I seen it more startingly than through Pedro's experiences.
I don't know how to explain it but what I can say is that seeing all that it did to him, to the people around him, was so rattling and raw. It drove the message home and burned it on my mind to ever be forgotten.
In simple words: it changed something deep inside me.
“Passing around my pocketknife, we each pricked two of our fingers and swore two different pacts, both beginning with the words ‘if necessary…’ The first: to die for each other. The second: to kill each other.”
As the daughter of a former soldier, I grew up hearing the stories of war and how hard the training is. So, a part of me was really interested in reading this book to have a closer look at what my father went through or a similar situation anyways.
In its pages, I felt a little closer to my father. I felt as if I was gaining something deeply important and it certainly gave me that much respect to what he, and so many others, went through. I certainly feel proud to be able to say I can understand even a tiny fraction of what he talks about.
So, I suppose you can say reading this book was an intimate experience for me. And that may have influenced how hard it hit me.
Reading all those gory and bloody parts needed a little bit of stomaching at times.
Sure, I was ready to read a real representation of war. I was not expecting any sugarcoating or to have just a glance as to what it really means to be on war but I was still somewhat surprised when those parts appeared.
The brutality of it was nothing short of sad.
“People need to understand the truth in order to heal their scars.”
And that's the thing. Knowing that this was based on real events and that everything that was been narrated had a foot in reality, a not so distant reality at that, made everything sadder.
I don't think everything that was narrated happened like that, of course, this was a book and all, but I do see that it's based on a reality that so many people had to endure.
“I loved Camila so much. She was fearless devotion during a storm of treachery.”
I was so greatly surprised by this book I can hardly express it.
It's not one of those books that should be read fast or without consideration, I don't think you could even if you wanted to, but rather a book that calls to be analyzed and take its time with.
Satisfied and moved are two words that can barely summarized how I feel but will suffize because others don't exist.
“Of course I wanted justice to be done, but by the proper authorities, not me, I’d seen the alternative, where every individual wields his own brand of justice, and it was far worse.” _____________________
This was such a great book. I'm really glad I gave it a try.
I have so many things to say about it that is gonna take me a little while to properly write it. But, there's one single thing I'll say from now...
This book definitely changed something in me.
RTC. _____________________
I'm interested to see how this plays out. The synopsis sounds action pack enough to be an interesting ride.
Honestly, I don't believe I have read something like this ever or, at least, in a very long time. It's not what I usually read but I do like to have some variety.
The fact that I've been reading shorter books lately makes a bit apprehensive of this one, only because I don't want to expend weeks reading it. Though, the chapters look short enough to make it easy to breeze through it.
“Regardless of sex, everyone loses something in a war… but the first casualty is always the TRUTH.”
This volume was heavier than the past ones.
I d “Regardless of sex, everyone loses something in a war… but the first casualty is always the TRUTH.”
This volume was heavier than the past ones.
I don't know why I keep being surprised by everything going on, but I do. It's like I'm never quite prepared for it to go down. I really like this, the unpredictableness of it all.
That, coupled with the fact that Hazel delivers the most shocking tidbits that always leave me reeling.
She has been making a point to say the worst things she could just to hook us to keep reading. It's a great strategy because it works so splendidly. I just want to go ahead and grab the next volume and read as much as I can. But, then I would have nothing to continue with and that would be just too sad.
Point being, that future Hazel is a great narrator.
“Granny used to describe giving your life as the ‘ultimate sacrifice,’ but I don’t know about that. Dying is definitely the LAST sacrifice you can make… but sometimes, it’s your first one that sets the tone for everything that follows.”
The characters have always been one of the things I love the most about this series.
Seeing how they evolve and where they may be going now on their personal journeys is beautiful. How their decisions affect the rest of the characters and how it really is themselves that create a lot of the strife for themselves is refreshing.
Hazel is becoming more and more cute with every volume and, currently, every time I see her I want to squeeze those cheeks. Of course, I do realize that this state of things is soon to change as, as we are all aware, children grow ad change. I'm pretty sure she'll grow to be one fierce trouble-maker.
“But here’s the secret about most sacrifices… there’s nothing selfless about them at all.”
Something I don't think I have mentioned before at all is the fact that the character development and the plot of the story are both so well balance.
Not just that, but it also merges so well with the format of images making it even more powerful.
Everything about this story is so well taken care of, that it continues to amaze me every time I read a new volume. I don't think it will ever stop. I certainly don't want it to stop.
“Every relationship is an education. Each new person we welcome into our hearts is a chance to evolve into something radically different than we sued to be… There’s no graduating from this kind of education, couples just keep growing and changing until they either break up or die.” ...more
This was way different than I thought I was gonna find. Yet, I can't help but loving it for the real “Everyone needs to be someone else sometimes.”
This was way different than I thought I was gonna find. Yet, I can't help but loving it for the realism and surprised it represented at the end.
Families aren't easy. Or perfect. They need hard work and even with that it never is a path of roses, its rocky and exasperating and frustrating.
You can love someone and still want to strangle them.
The way family has been showed so far is one of the things I love the most about this series. The different family dynamics and kinds that you can find. It's beautifully portrayed.
The ending is something I'm really excited about! I really want to see that... Friendship? Partnership? And the incredibly deadly team they are gonna form. I really pity this Dengo character.
“From the moment it’s formed, a family is almost always under attack. The trick is figuring out which treats to deal with first.”
This volume was so addicting, not like the others weren't, I swear I opened it to read a chapter and next thing I knew I was reading the ending. Maybe it was the change of situation or seeing little Hazel being able to interact a bit more or just the fact that I'm more connected to the characters. Whatever the case, I read in one sitting. Which is something I do very rarely.
As always the art was beautiful and detailed.
Which really bit my butt in one particular scene of death. But it wasn't that bad. _______________________
I couldn't put it down.
RTC. _______________________
Whenever I looked at the covers of each volume and I saw this one I used to think that whoever was wearing this costume was surely a kind of robot or something, like a fighting machine or something, and now having more information into what exactly this is about I can't help but laugh at myself.
I'm excited to get down to this one, especially because if we are gonna start having some time-jumps I'm sure I'll have a great time!...more
Alexandra Elend Wolf
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Books:
2019
(110)
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