March Wrap Up

 I read a total of 11 books this month!

You might notice I did not put any One Piece manga volumes here. That is because I decided to switch to the anime! So I am still consuming the story, but in a different format. I think the anime adaption by Toei is really well done! 

Anyway, how did your reading go last month? Find any new favorites?

1. Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson. A middle grade urban fantasy book of a girl named Ellie who loves superhero stories. One day, she mysteriously gets magical powers to bring dead things back to life. Ellie tries to keep her powers a secret, but it isn't easy. I unfortunately gave this book 3 stars. Interesting premise, weak execution. You can read the full review here. 

2. The Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech. A magical realism novella set in a small village in Switzerland narrated by an eccentric unnamed guardian angel. We get to meet and learn about the people in the town, most notably an American girl named Zola, who is the only one who can see and talk to the angel. Zola's father has plans to build an international school in the town, and things get more interesting when Zola finds and rescues a bunch of homeless orphans. Very unique book. Gave it 4 stars. Read full review here.

3. Bloomability by Sharon Creech. Another Sharon Creech book also set in a small village in Switzerland. It does not take place in the same one from The Unfinished Angel, but it does take place in the same world as Walk Two Moons, Absolutely Normal Chaos, and Chasing Redbird, all by the same author. Dinnie grew up in a vagabond family, but one day her aunt and uncle come and take her to stay with them for a while and attend the international school that her uncle became the headmaster of. Dinnie is unsure of this at first, but she ends up loving the experience as she meets so many new friends and finally feels some stability in her life. My favorite Sharon Creech book so far! Gave it 4 stars. Full review here. 

4. Akane-Banashi Volume 4 by Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue. Another great volume of Akane Banashi! Gave it 4.5 stars. 

5. The Story Girl by LM Montgomery. A chill, slice of life book of two brothers who visit their cousins and friends on Prince Edward Island and get into all sorts of situations. The highlight of their visit is The Story Girl, a friend who loves to tell all sorts of stories, whether they are real, made up by her, or fairy tales and myths. She tells at least of of her stories in every chapter. I really enjoyed this one! Gave it 4 stars. Read full review here. 

6. Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan. The sequel to one of my favorite books last year. I liked it, but didn't love it as much as the first book. So it's a solid 4 star book. 

7. Serafina and the Seven Stars by Robert Beatty. The final book of the Serafina series. I didn't like this one as much as the first three. So I gave it 3.5 stars. 

8. My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. A historical fantasy (and maybe sci-fi) retelling of fictionalized versions of author Mary Shelley and mathematician/scientist Ada Lovelace creating a walking, talking, very humanoid robot, and trying to get recognized for their efforts. Had a blast with this one. 4.5 stars. Read the full review here.

9. Avatar Smoke and Shadow Parts 1, 2, and 3 by Gene Yang. My second favorite comic trilogy of Avatar! After The Search. Maybe there's some bias in this one because they're both Zuko-centered and Zuko is my favorite character. Part 1 gets 4 stars, Parts 2 and 3 each get 4.5 stars.