The Coffee Book Tag!

Today I have a book tag for you! If you're not familiar with those, book tags are theme-based questions about books and bookish stuff. So today I'm doing the Coffee Book Tag, created by BookTuber BangadyBangz (best name ever?). You can check out his YouTube channel and the original Coffee Book Tag video here:

BangadyBangz's channel

Original Coffee Book Tag video

Now, you probably already know that I'm more of a tea person but this tag looked so fun that I just couldn't resist. So without much delay, let's get started!

1. Black coffee - Name a series that's tough to get into but has hardcore fans 

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (Oh, shame). I actually own the first book but I never got to finishing it. Why? Because the characters sing ALL THE TIME. I'm not kidding. They just keep singing as they go about their journey. Not only is it distracting as hell, but it also takes the seriousness out of the story. Well, at least it does for me. I do intend to finish this series one day but for now, I think I'll stick to the movies. 

2. Peppermint Mocha - Name a book that gets more popular during the winter or a festive time of the year

Harry Potter is for me the ultimate Christmas book. Not only do those books have gorgeous Christmas and winter scenes, but I also happen to have discovered Harry Potter on a Christmas morning, many years ago. I remember being eleven, the same age as Harry in the first book, when I first held this book in my hands. I was so fascinated by it, that I started reading the book right away, still wearing my PJs with torn gift paper scattered around me, the other gifts pretty much forgotten. Best Christmas ever.

3. Hot chocolate - What is your favorite children's book?

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. I remember taking this out of my school library whenever I had the chance, never tiring of re-discovering this story. It's about some kids who befriend the magical creatures that live in a huge tree, with whom they go on adventures in the various lands that appear at the top of the tree. Each time they visited, they would discover a new land above the tree, each with its own share of amazement and adventures. Another thing that I loved with this book? The food! Enid Blyton did such a good job describing food that reading about all these honey pop cakes, cherries, plums and toffee would often actually make me hungry. Damn, I miss that book. 

4. Double shot of espresso - Name a book that kept you on the edge on your seat from start to finish

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. This book is about Agnes, a woman who is accused of murder and sent to live in at an isolated farm while awaiting her execution. At the beginning of the book, the family under whose charge she is put is horrified by this situation. With time though, they start to realize that there might be another side to the story they were told. Reading this book was a roller-coaster of emotions. On one hand, you want to know more about Agnes but at the same time, you are almost scared of reaching the final page as the ending could easily go either way. Will she make it? Will she be executed? These are the questions I kept asking myself throughout this book and it's really in the last page that the answer is finally revealed. Kept me on the edge of my seat for sure! 

5. Starbucks - Name a book that you see everywhere

Here, in Mauritius, one book that I keep seeing in bookstores is Revival by Stephen King. I know this book was published last November but here, it's still being displayed in the best-selling section of bookstores. I don't know much about this book other than it's supposedly one of the best, and arguably the darkest, horror stories of Mr. King. I've been super tempted to get my own copy of this book but given my recent book hauls, I'm trying very hard to keep my book buying in check. I might get my copy of Revival this Halloween though. We'll see.  

6. That hipster coffee shop - Give a book by an indie author a shout-out

Wake (Watersong #1) by self-published author Amanda Hocking. Okay, this is something that I read eons ago, back in my teen days, and while I never even completed this series, I did remember enjoying this book. My mom had brought back this book for me from a trip abroad, which is why it has an extra special place in my heart. I do remember it being about mermaids, although it's been too long since I read this book to remember much else about it. The author has since then written several other books including the quite well-known Trylle trilogy. If you like fantasy YA, do check her books out. 

7. Oops! I accidentally got decaf - Name a book you were expecting more from

The Blood of Olympus, by Rick Riordan, is the last book in the Heroes of Olympus series. While I did enjoy it, I felt like the ending could have been executed better. As compared to the progressive build up of the series, the conclusion kind of fell flat. I had the feeling that things were concluded too quickly and too easily. Also, I personally think that Gaia failed to deliver as the supreme villainess she was supposed to be. If you've read this book, do share your thoughts in the comments! I'm very curious to see what other people have thought of it in general.

8. The perfect blend - Name a book or series that was both bitter and sweet but ultimately satisfying

Okay for this one, I'm going to cheat and name two books. The first is Clockwork Princess, the conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy and the second is City of Heavenly Fire, the last book in the Mortal Instruments series, both by Cassandra Clare. Both books were emotionally-loaded, action-packed and highly satisfying conclusions to their respective series. Awesome story, great characters... Very much the perfect blend indeed. 

So that's it guys for this tag. If you've enjoyed it, do check out the original video linked above, as well as Bangadybangz's channel. If ever you do this tag on your blog, link your post in the comments below. I'd love to see the books you'd pick for this tag! 

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In Real Life (graphic novel) by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang - Book review

This is a graphic novel set in the universe of online gaming. This story isn't merely about the actual game though. It follows main character Anda as she takes her first steps in the virtual world of Coarsegold, meeting along the way new acquaintances and discovering new strengths within herself when very much real issues start to crop up in her life. 

The story

Anda has newly joined Coarsegold Online, a massively-multiplayer role-playing game, where she goes on virtual missions and adventures through her in-game persona, a powerful redheaded warrior. Through the game, Anda comes across new acquaintances, including kick-ass virtual warrior Sage who quickly becomes her friend and ally. Things take a complicated turn when Anda come across a gold farmer, one of the strange, silent avatars who seem to be illegally collecting valuables intended to be sold to other players. When the avatar talks to her, Anda is intrigued and immediately wants to know more about the avatar, and the person who controls it. The avatar turns out to belong to a poor Chinese boy who is paid to conduct these illegal in-game dealings. There are many others like him and while what they are doing is illegal, it's also pretty much the only thing that keeps them safe and fed. Anda thus comes to question what's morally right or wrong and embarks on her own real life mission to strive to be the hero who's only so far been real in her imagination.

My review

The characters

This graphic novel has a beautiful cast of well-fleshed out characters, each with their own flaws and redeeming qualities. Anda is a formidable main character. She is a little on the plump side, with your average looks, which makes her a very relatable character. When we first meet her, she seems to be a calm-tempered and somewhat quiet girl, with a passion for gaming and the Internet. Also, Anda is just one of the cutest characters ever drawn. I mean, look at those cheeks! As the story progresses, we see her build the character of her powerful, flamed haired warrior persona, before slowly emerging in the real world as an equally strong young woman herself. Her parents are also portrayed very realistically as stern but equally loving parents. The secondary characters of Sage and the gold farmer were also fun to read about, both of them adding depth to the story.

The story

The story is fast-paced, juggling an intriguing plot-line with just the right amount of exposition and narrative description. Since it's a graphic novel, you don't get whole paragraphs of descriptive writing but instead, the story takes root and unfolds through the actions and dialogues of the characters at a pace that will keep you entertained without being overwhelmed by information. 

The artwork

As you can tell from the pictures, this graphic novel uses a palette of light colors, giving the book a general light atmosphere which makes a beautiful contract with the somewhat serious storyline. This enables the story to be conveyed in a way that will encourage readers to read on, even when things are not always bright and perfect in the worlds of the characters. The artwork, too, is beautiful. There is a softness to the artwork that immediately makes the reader feel comfortable in Anda's the little world.  

The Rating

I ended up giving this graphic novel 5/5 stars on Goodreads. If you hadn't figured it out yet, I loved In Real Life. Also, clever title there! This is not a book I would recommend strictly to fans of comic books. This graphic novel has a very harmonious flow to it, which makes for an easy read. The story is easy to follow and the beautiful artwork does a great job capturing your attention. So, this is something that I believe would appeal even to people who don't normally read comics or graphic novels. 

Have you read or plan to read In Real Life? Let me know in the comments! I'm curious to see what you've thought of it. 

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February Wrap-Up

Welcome back guys! It's the 1st of March already (or it will be soon, depending on your timezone) and I thought it would be good to start the month by looking back on all the books I've read in February. 

Starting this March, I'll be making reading wrap-ups at the beginning of each month, where I'll be listing down the books I've read, show you the ratings I gave them on Goodreads and write a brief synopsis for each book so that you get a better idea of what they are about. For those of you who are not familiar with the Goodreads star rating system, see below to know what it looks like.

So this month, I read a total of 8 books, out of which 3 were actually graphic novels (these were over 100 pages each so that DOESN'T count as cheating). This isn't too bad, I guess. Although for me, that's kind of the equivalent of a bad reading month. 


My reading average per month is usually 10 books, so yeah, February wasn't the best of reading months for me. 

I'll list the books I've read starting with the one to which I gave the lowest rating till the one I enjoyed most.

Maybe something will catch your eye from the list? Just don't come blaming me if you somehow inexplicably end up with a bunch of new books in the coming days! Now pour yourself a warm cup of tea, make yourself comfortable and enjoy this little wrap-up.

So starting with the one I enjoyed least...




8. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr - 2 stars


This is the second book in the Wicked Lovely series, a YA faerie series. Now, YA fantasy is something I am usually very selective about, especially with the likes of faeries. This is not a bad series per say but let's just say that the only reason I kind of forced myself to read Ink Exchange is because this series had been sitting unread on my shelf for years and the guilt was really started to gnaw at me. 

This book, and the series in general, deals with royals from faerie courts and the repercussions from their mingling with mortals in Huntsdale, a small American town (aren't they all?). There is not much plot other than the scheming of some and the plotting of others. It's a quick read though, so although I didn't quite enjoy this book, in many ways it was the perfect read for this particularly busy February. Click here for my full review of Ink Exchange.


7. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell - 3 stars

This book is set in 1999 and it is about a man, Lincoln, whose job is to monitor emails sent between the people working in a newspaper office. One day, he comes across a series of emails exchanged between co-workers and best friends Jennifer and Beth. However, instead of turning them in for improper office behavior, he keeps on reading their messages, strangely captivated by their stories. As the days pass, Lincoln becomes oddly familiar with the girls, especially Beth, for whom he soon starts to develop a particular fondness. By the time he realizes that he may be falling in love with her though, it is too late for him to properly introduce himself because then, he would have to confess to have secretly been reading the girls' emails and risk passing for a creepy stalker. 
This was quite an enjoyable read, although too chick-lit for my taste. If that's a genre you appreciate though, do check this one out. This is no Fangirl nor Eleanor and Park, two popular books by the same author, but it's still quite fun to read. Click here  for my review of Attachments. 

6. Amulet Volume 1: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi - 3 stars

This middle-grade graphic novel follows the story of Emily and her little brother after they move in with their mother in their great-grandfather's house. Shortly after they move in, they realize that evil, supernatural forces lurk in the shadows of the old house. When their mother is taken away by a terrifying creature, Emily and her brother decide to save her by following the monster into the strange and dangerous world it came from. Thus ensues an adventure filled with monsters, unexpected allies, talking animals and robots. And as if that wasn't work enough for the young Emily, she also finds herself entrusted with a strange amulet with mysterious powers. The artwork is gorgeous and the story too isn't too bad. My main problem was that Emily is a little too accepting of all the weird things that are happening around her. The story has barely started that she already knows, somewhat inexplicably, how to fight monsters and channel the powers of the amulet. But overall, it's still an enjoyable story and that too, regardless of your age.

5. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black - 4 stars
Hazel and her brother live in the town of Fairfold, where humans and faeries have been living together for years. The townspeople though, have learned to remain cautious of the fae, aware of both their magic and the danger it can represent. In the woods sits a glass coffin. Inside rests a beautiful faery boy, who has been sleeping for decades in silence, such that he has pretty much become part of the town's lore. Then one day, he inexplicably awakens from his slumber, triggering a series of events that changes everything the people of Fairfold have always known to be true. Overall, this book was quite fun to read. And I realize it also means I've read two faery books last month when I don't even particularly like faery books that much. Anyway, this book was quite good but the ending could have been executed better. It also suffered from slightly underdeveloped plot elements, hence the missing fifth star. Click here for my review of this book.

4. A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin - 5 stars (obviously!)

This is the 5th book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. This book follows the stories of main characters Jon, Tyrion, Arya and Daenerys in parallel to the events of the 4th book, up to a point in the book where all the stories catch up with where we had left the other characters' stories in the previous installment. This marks the return of characters we hadn't heard about since book 4 and brings all story lines to the current timeline. This book was superb, spectacular even. Saying more would mean spoiling this book so you might prefer instead to read my spoiler-free review here. 


3 & 2. Alex + Ada (Volumes 1 and 2) by Jonathan Luna - 5 stars

Numbers 3 and 2 are a tie between the two first volumes of Alex + Ada. This is a sci-fi comics series set in a futuristic, but highly realistic world, where androids, robots with high artificial intelligence, have been developed. These androids take care of an array of things from mundane housekeeping to performing jobs previously held by humans. In recent times, a new and somewhat controversial type of android has been developed. These high-priced robots are made to looked like normal people and equipped with a huge database of intelligence which gives them the ability to act almost human. Because of this, these androids have been adopted by rich people for companionship purposes. Or for downright sex, 'cause, why not? Our main character, Alex, one day receives an unexpected gift for his birthday from his (rich, filthy rich) grandmother (who might also be the sexiest grandma I've ever come across in fiction). Alex opens the box and to his shock, finds within a female android ready to be switched on and activated. What he chooses to do next changes his life forever, which may or may not be a bad thing. This is one of the best comics I've read in a long time. Simplistic but beautiful artwork, great character development, gripping story... A must read, most definitely. Check out my review for Alex + Ada volume 1 here.

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - 5 stars (only because Goodreads doesn't have 6 stars)

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Honest. Now that's been settled, let me try to tell you what this book is about without spoiling too much.
Celia and Marco are two magicians who've been trained since childhood by their respective mentors in preparation for a challenge whose outcome will determine who is the better magician. Years later, after they both become involved in a circus called Le Cirque des Rêves, they decide to make it their arena. As they compete against each through feats of magic and imagination, the circus quickly grows to become a phenomenon of its own, ultimately tying the fates of various people to Marco and Celia's. 
That's all I can say about the story. After all, part of the magic of this book resides in figuring things out along with Marco and Celia. If you can't tell already, I love this book. The beautiful prose and the vivid, highly imaginative descriptions make an otherworldly journey out of this unique story. It combines intertwining plotlines and intriguing characters in a singular and very much enjoyable book that will leave you hooked till you turn the last page and realize you've come to the end of the book. The Night Circus is one of those stories which you do not read but savor. A must read for sure!

So that's it for the books I've read this month guys. Overall, I've read some pretty good books in February. If you've read or plan to read any of the books mentioned in this wrap-up, let me know in the comments below. 

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