June Wrap Up #2

I achieved my goal of fulfilling 7 prompts for the Hogsmeade Readathon. I also was able to read 2 additional books outside of the readathon.

Obtain the map out of Hogwarts (read a book with a map)- Dare to Disappoint by Ozge Samanci

This was a graphic memoir of Ozge's childhood growing up in Turkey. I found it very engaging. 4 stars

Three Broomsticks (read a book in a trilogy)- March Book 1 by John Lewis, Scott Aydin, Nate Powell

Another amazing graphic memoir of John Lewis' time and involvement in the Civil Rights movement. The artwork sometimes made the text difficult to read but the story was fascinating and incredibly relevant all these years later. 4 stars.

Madam Puddifoot's Tea and Cakes (start a read with a cup of tea)- Heartstopper Vol. 1 by Alice Oseman

This was such a cute graphic novel about an openly gay boy who becomes friends with a seemingly straight boy. They start crushing on each other and the butterflies they feel are nearly palpable. This made me smile. 4 stars

Hog's Head (read a book with less than 10,000 ratings on GR)- The Girl Aquarium by Jen Campbell

This was a poetry collection that I just didn't connect with. The author is British and writes several of her poems in a British slang/accent that made it difficult for me to understand what was being said. There were two I really liked, but the rest didn't move me. 2 stars.

Honeyduke's (read a book with a pink or green cover)- The Fire Never Goes Out by Noelle Stevenson

I was very excited to pick up this new graphic memoir because I loved Noelle Stevenson's graphic novel Nimona. However, this read more like diary entries over what has happened the last few years. She touches on some important and heavy topics, but then doesn't dive any deeper. I felt if she was going to write about her life, she needed to really analyze and examine it. I gave it 3 stars.

Shrieking Shack(read a horror or thriller)- The Southern Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

This was pitched as bored houseswives in the south take on a vampire plaguing their neighborhood. And I suppose that is definitely true. However, there is so much sexism, racism, and gaslighting that by the end of it, I didn't just want to vampire to die, I wanted several other characters to die too. I gave it 2 stars because it was a compelling read but it was not a great choice and I probably would've dnf'd it if it didn't fulfill a challenge. 

Owl Post (read the last book added to your TBR)- Dead Trees Give No Shelter by Wil Wheaton

This was a short story that I listened to on audiobook. Wil Wheaton is a fabulous narrator and a great writer too. This was a story about a man who goes home to witness the execution of his brother's murderer and gets caught up in the monster legend of the town. I do wish it was a bit longer and more fleshed out but overall, a creepy read that I gave 4 stars.

After the readathon I picked up Jeffrey by Paul Rudnick. A play focusing on a gay man named Jeffrey living in the 1990s in New York City at the height of the AIDS crisis. He decides to give up sex due to his fear but then falls for an HIV+ man. It was interesting but ultimately I wanted more character development and time to connect. I gave it 3 stars.

Lastly, I picked up Heartstopper Vol. 2 by Alice Oseman. The continuation of Nick and Charlie's relationship is so cute. I love what a positive example this is for queer teens. I gave it 4 stars.