Witchy by Ariel Slamet Ries Review

Let me just start by saying that this graphic novel was just beautiful inside and out. The art was so interesting and the story was really wholesome even though it dealt with some dark things, and it was something that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I read it in a couple hours, and I really couldn’t get enough of it. I also loved that this is another book that the main character had almost my exact old haircut, as I’ve been seeing a lot lately in comics. Makes me feel good, and makes me want to shave the back of my head again. But this isn’t about my hair.

 

5/5 Stars 256 pages
Published: September 17th 2019 by Lion Forge

I knew when I started this, that it would be something that I would remember. Following a girl named Nyneve, we first meet her as a child. The burners, cloaked figures, have showed up at her door, and her mom tells her to go to her room. That’s not going to happen, though, and she hides at the bottom of the stairs. Her father comes down and gives her a dagger, and says she’ll need it to remember him by when he’s gone. Later that day, he’s executed in what’s called a witch burning.

 

See, the world they live in is called the kingdom of Hyalin. A full witch kingdom, the strength of their powers are determined by the length of their hair. That, and their young must compete to join the guard and protect their kingdom when they’re at a certain age. If you have too long of hair, you’re deemed an enemy, and killed. That’s exactly what happened to Nyneve’s father, and that’s why she keeps her hair short.

 

What I really enjoyed about this, was how even though the world was so out there, the characters still had seemingly normal problems. School bullies, broken families, confusion within themselves, feelings of despair and depression, and everything like that. They faced very real problems in a very unreal world, and they also battled problems that we don’t have to deal with everyday, like magic powers, unruly kingdoms, and armed guards attacking and chasing them down with magic.

 

Growing up in this world has been hard, and nothing like our own world outside of the book. Easy to sink right into, I think this is one of those stories that I would recommend to everyone and anyone, doesn’t matter what kind of books they like. The characters are easy to get to know, and though we didn’t get to know much, there weren’t many people I didn’t like. I could probably count them on one hand. If this isn’t one of my new favourite books, I don’t know what is. I absolutely need this book on my shelf, and even though I’m not one to read things over and over again, I want to with this one.

 

If you’d like to snag a copy, you can do so here.

Here is a link to the creator’s Twitter account, if you’d like to keep up with them.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments.

Hope you have a good day!

The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project by Lenore Appelhans Review

The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project by Lenore Appelhans 5/5 Stars 272 Pages Published March 5th 2019 by Carolrhoda Lab

Where do I even begin with this book? I know it’s early in the year, but this has to be one of my favourite’s that I’ve read this year. It has a good message, it’s completely unique, I loved the characters, and I just felt so good reading it that I spread it out as long as I could, which is something that I don’t often do.

 

Tropetown is a town where fictional cliché and stereotypical characters live when they’re not working in the stories, different from where the main characters live, and a lot different than where the readers live. Following the last remaining Manic Pixie Dream Boy in town, Riley, it shows his life in first person as he goes through the hardest part of this short life so far, first beginning group therapy and then facing retirement because of what he is. I was immediately interested in his character, not because of his stereotype fully, but because he’s such a thoughtful person, and he really tries hard to carve out his own life, to be different and to make himself happy. And I think that’s something that I really needed to learn from someone else. Riley is that someone else.

 

After accidentally bumping into a girl named Zelda, another Manic Pixie but a Dream Girl, he knows she’s someone he wants in his life. Though she does send mixed signals, she’s most of what he thinks aout, and even more once he realizes that they’re in the same Manic Pixie Group Therapy. The characters in the therapy group really grow together, and I loved (almost) every one.

 

I think that this book is really about finding yourself within your stereotype, not being ashamed of it, but making it your own completely. I loved how good this book made me feel, even at the low points, because even though the world and the characters were fictional, they were really relatable and easy to love. The way they acted and the people they were seems like something to strive for, and I would love to take bits of their personality and add it into my own. My favourite character, of course, is Riley for all of those reasons.

 

Overall, I know I loved this book because of how long I stretched out reading it for. Even though I have so many books that I need to read, I made this last all weekend, and I wish there was more I could know about it. It’s something I just need for my bookshelf, and I know it’s something that I would read again. No matter what kind of books you read, I think that you should check this one out.

 

The book is available here, and here’s a link to the author’s Twitter.

Thanks for reading!

Trouble picking what to read next?

I feel like I have this problem all the time. With all the books I have on my currently reading list, I always feel lost at where to pick up the next one, when I’m looking to read something that isn’t coming out right away. My ARC website lists? My entire shelf of paper copies I haven’t read? My ereaders and reading apps? It’s a little overwhelming at times.

Here’s what I’ve been trying to do lately.

Read one book from one list, and try to work through one at a time. For instance, I might be trying to do my email list, alternating between that and my ARC website lists, and if I have time, maybe a paperback or two a week.

Now, my reading goal isn’t as ambitious as it was a few months ago, when I was reading 5 books a week. I have stuff to do that isn’t books, and although I would like to read that much right now, it’s just not really an option, but that will change. I’m just glad I’m not falling behind on my posts as bad as I did previous weeks.

Anyways, what I’m trying to say is that if you’re feeling overwhelmed because of your lists and books and workload you set yourself, it’s okay because it’ll change.

Thanks for reading.

Mind Detox: Discover and Resolve the Root Causes of Chronic Conditions and Persistent Problems by Sandy C. Newbigging Review

Mind Detox: Discover and Resolve the Root Causes of Chronic Conditions and Persistent Problems by Sandy C. Newbigging 5/5 Stars 224 pages
Published January 15th 2019 by Findhorn Press

If this book taught me anything, it’s just how much your emotions really effect your day to day life as well as your health. I know I’ve kind of been on a self help book kick lately, and although I wasn’t sure I would like them at first, I’ve really gotten into them, and noticed that a lot of non-fiction is actually really interesting despite what I’ve thought in the past.

 

Mind Detox is something that claims that it will benefit everyone who reads it. I wasn’t sure that was true before I started it, but I feel like I’ve actually learned a lot about my emotions. Not only does it teach you how your body reacts to your emotions, but it also gives you a ton of ways to stay calm, achieve inner peace, and really just feel better.

 

I found a lot of really nice quotes in this book, ones that I want to remember. “To increase health, we must decrease stress.” is just one that sounded important, so I thought that I should write it down. I also learned that relationships should be for giving love first rather than getting love, which feels like something a lot of people should know. This book is about removing the bad feelings from your memories, and learning to detach enough so that you don’t associate your daily life with those feelings. The other thing that it’s about, is learning to work through your emotions, and that it’s okay to feel those things, just put a positive spin on it, and learn to let things go easily.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I think if you need to read something that will help you grow or help you become a more positive person, than this is the book you need to read next. Books like this make me want to read more on the same kind of topics. Definitely check it out if you get a chance.

 

The book is available here, and here’s a link to the author’s Twitter if you’d like to keep up with them.

Thanks for reading!

You Are Not Your Thoughts: The Secret Magic of Mindfulness by Frances Trussell Review

You Are Not Your Thoughts: The Secret Magic of Mindfulness by Frances Trussell 5/5 Stars 104 pages
Published November 30th 2018 by O Books

Are you plagued by overthinking that eventually leads to depression and even suicidal thoughts? Scared that your life is going nowhere and you’re doomed to the darkness forever? Then this is the book for you.

 

At only about one hundred pages, this book is jam packed full of techniques not only to ground yourself when you start to spiral, but why you feel this way and why you should change it. I learned a lot more than I thought I would, but mostly that a lot of people feel the same ways and don’t know it. This book can help people all around the world wake up and realize that there’s more to life than suffering, addiction, and sadness.

 

You may think that you are your thoughts and that your thoughts are you, but this proves exactly the opposite. It gives you ways to calm down when you’re feeling like you’re out of control or overthinking, and motivational ways to keep your cool. It even explains how meditation and mindfulness works even if you feel like it’s not working!

 

I think the biggest thing I’ve learned from this book is that mindfulness is something that suddenly clicks on for a lot of people. Like a light switch, it seems like it’s so simple and makes so much sense, but you couldn’t even think about it when you’re in the darkest parts of your life. That and, your brain can’t distinguish between memories and real life, so when you’re stuck in a thought cycle of living in the past, your brain gives you a kind of fight or flight for it.

 

Overall, this was a really interesting book, and it’s really worth the read. I definitely recommend it for anyone at any part of their lives, good or bad, because I think it’s just so important that everyone should know it. After all, all we have is the present. The book is available here, and here’s a link to the author’s Twitter if you’d like to keep up with them.

Thanks for reading!