2015 Reading Challenge: The Graveyard Book, The Rithmatist, Alanna, the John Cleaver series, & more!

I'm doing very well with consistently working on my novel, but doing very poorly when it comes to updating my blog, so I apologize.

It's time for me to catch you up on all the books I've read lately.

First, the ones I've read for the 2015 Reading Challenge. Since there are so many today I'm not going to go very in-depth. You'll just have to read them for yourself (or not).

A book of short stories: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Synopsis:

After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own. 

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family 

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

Condensed review: Action packed, spooky, and beautiful all at once. The ending was bittersweet--very sad but also very uplifting and inspiring. Live your life to the fullest!!


A book a friend recommended: The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

Synopsis:

More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles. 

As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing—kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery—one that will change Rithmatics—and their world—forever.

My rating: 5 out of 5

Condensed review: Dad: "I never thought I'd care so much about chalk." Me: "Mwuahahaha! I finally got you hooked on a Sanderson book!" Ashley: "This book says 'rithmatist' a lot."

If you're wanting to get into Brandon Sanderson's books but don't want to pick up a 1000+ page epic fantasy, then this book is the one for you! It's ultimately going to be a series, but for now this book stands very well on its own with great characters, an exciting plot, surprising twists, and, of course, a brilliant, unique magic system. I expect nothing less from Sanderson.


A book you can finish in a day: Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

Synopsis:

From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight.

And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page.

But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's first adventure begins - one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Condensed review: I can't wait to read the rest of this series! It's a children's book, so it's pretty short and simple, but it was a very fun read and didn't tiptoe around the issues surrounding a girl who's masquerading as a boy.


A trilogy: John Cleaver by Dan Wells

(SORRY FOR THE LACK OF PHOTO!!)

Synopsis: John Cleaver is a diagnosed sociopath who must struggle with his inner demons while battling actual serial killers that threaten his home town and the few people John has really brought himself to love.

My rating: 5 out of 5

Condensed review: (Yes, really, this is my condensed review) You already know how much I liked I Am Not a Serial Killer. The other two books in the trilogy didn't disappoint, and I can't wait to get my hands on the new book that came out last month.

That being said, this series is not for the faint of heart. Very PG-13, very gritty. My friend Heather puts it this way: if you can read the first chapter of I Am Not a Serial Killer without being completely disturbed, then you can handle the rest of that book. Mr Monster (book 2) is the worst of the trilogy--not saying its badly written or anything (because it's amazing!!) but it's just hard to stomach. These books in general are tough to read, but in a way that makes the victories all the more satisfying and the good moments all the more beautiful.

I know that anyone who picks these up by my recommendation is going to suffer--either you'll be thoroughly revolted by Chapter 1 of I Am Not a Serial Killer and miss out on the rest of the series, or you'll be as sucked in by them as I was and not be able to sleep well at night after reading that last page of I Don't Want to Kill You. You've been warned.


Other books I've read lately that aren't on my Reading Challenge list:

Synopsis: Please. Like you don't already know.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Condensed review: I'm glad that the author actually knew about shark behavior and pointed out that this one was abnormal, instead of perpetuating beliefs that all sharks are relentless man-eating machines. I'd heard that this book was terrible, but aside from the anticlimactic ending I found it pretty enjoyable.

Synopsis:

Ronald Thompson knows he is not guilty of the murder for which he is about to be executed. There are only two days left to unmask the real villain - a terrifying psychopath who has killed before and has unfinished business with his victim's family.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Condensed review: I picked this one up on vacation and it definitely combated boredom. Clark is excellent with dramatic irony and weaving clues in and out of the story. On an unrelated note, that cover is weird. The story has nothing to do with a lake or a dock, and it bothers me when they make the author's name a thousand times bigger than the title.

Synopsis: If you need a synopsis then you've been living under a rock. But okay.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." 

So begins Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's witty comedy of manners--one of the most popular novels of all time--that features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues.

My rating: 5 out of 5

Condensed review: I've seen several movies based on this book so I thought I knew it all. Not true! The book has what all the characters are thinking, which adds a whole new dimension to the story for me. It was also very fun to listen to it as an audio book. I thought in an RP British accent for weeks.

Okay that's all for now! According to Goodreads, I've read 28 books this year. My goal was 52, so I'm actually 3 books behind. I'm not worried about reaching 52 by the end of the year, but I am worried about actually reading all 50 books on my 2015 Reading Challenge list. I've gotten through most of the fun ones, so now I have to crack down and read the less exciting ones.