Week 46 Review: The Possessed

From Goodreads:

Can loyalty and love transcend a history of betrayal and blood?

Maika, Kippa, and Ren return to their own world to discover a full year has passed in their absence—and Zinn is back in the clutches of Maika's father, the megalomaniacal Lord Doctor. From the relative safety of the pirate-controlled Spice Islands, Maika and her friends must regroup, recover, and find a way to stop the Lord Doctor's murderous rampage before he destroys the Known World.

Collects MONSTRESS #49-54

My Review:
This was another great volume of the series! I really enjoyed reading the issues collected together! They might be very gruesome and dark, but they are such a great story and one that I can't get enough of! And after that ending of the last one, things are changing, and I was so excited to see what was going on!

I really enjoyed watching these characters as they recovered from being away, their bodies being severely malnourished. Like the fact that Maika had lost Zinn to the Lord Doctor, and he's been waging war, it's pretty grim. 

We also had the cats that had been trapped in the other realm for all this time, who knew more about the world before everything seems to have become a secret. So I really enjoyed watching them deal with that and try to figure out what they're gonna do in this world that things have changed so much from what they knew. I still want to learn more of what's been hidden, they know, but they have to tell us now that they're here. We've only gotten hints, just bits and pieces and I can't wait to see more of the bigger picture.  

That ending, though has me so excited to see where the series is gonna go from here as things are getting worse and worse. I can't wait to see what Maika's plan might be to deal with her father, as well as rescuing her pseudo father. I need him to be rescued, he can't stay where he is, that one scene with his leg was horrible.

This was another great read from the series and I can't wait for the next one! 

Author: Marjorie Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda
Series: Monstress #9
Read: November 14th, 2024
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Image Comics
Published: November 13th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Clear Your S**t Readathon Update 15

I read my next book for the Clear Your S**t Readathon, and it was The Possessed which is for the prompt Read your smallest book, and I'll be reading Spy×Family, Volume 13 next! 

My Reading Journey:

King of None by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book that has a monarchy of some kind

Started On: November 1st

Finished On: November 1st, 5:36 PM

Pages Read: 296

Queen of All by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Prompt Fulfilled: Book that finishes or starts a series

Started On: November 1st

Finished On: November 1st, 10:01 PM

Pages Read: 332

Desperate Measures by Katee Robert 

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book with a red or brown cover

Started On: November 2nd

Finished On: November 2nd, 5:03 PM

Pages Read: 330

The Tinker's Daughter by Josephine Angelini

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book where one goes on a quest or to a different world

Started On: November 2nd

Finished On: November 2nd, 10:25 PM

Pages Read: 288

Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book that is set in the future or an obscure time

Started On: November 3rd

Finished On: November 3rd, 9:36 PM

Pages Read: 368

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book where there is a bad guy/villain of some kind

Started On: November 4th

Finished On: November 4th, 9:30 PM

Pages Read: 464

Installment Immortality by Seanan McGuire

Prompt Fulfilled: **Side quest**

Started On: November 5th

Finished On: November 5th, 7:39 PM

Pages Read: 432

The Stepping Off Place by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book that was gifted, purchased second hand, or borrowed

Started On: November 6th

Finished On: November 6th, 6:27 PM

Pages Read: 480

Born Into the Night by Emily Bisbach

Prompt Fulfilled: Free Space

Started On: November 7th

Finished On: November 7th, 8:10 PM

Pages Read: 432

A Drop of Fortune by Danielle Garrett

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book that was purchased locally, or, mentions shopping

Started On: November 8th

Finished On: November 8th, 11:38 AM

Pages Read: 420

The Great and Terrible by Gena Showalter

Prompt Fulfilled: Book that has a character you think or know you'll love/be obsessed with

Started On: November 9th

Finished On: November 9th, 5:04 PM

Pages Read: 278

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book with a long book title

Started On: November 11th

Finished On: November 11th, 3:38 PM

Pages Read: 336

The Death King by Penelope Barsetti

Prompt Fulfilled: Book with a character you want to fight personally

Started On: November 12th

Finished On: November 12th, 11:07 AM

Pages Read: 418

Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book you purchased urgently, or have been anticipating highly

Started On: November 12th

Finished On: November 12th, 6:46 PM

Pages Read: 448

The Possessed by Marjorie M. Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda

Prompt Fulfilled: Read your smallest book

Started On: November 14th

Finished On: November 14th, 2:05 PM

Pages Read: 176

Spy×Family, Volume 13 by Tatsuya Endo

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book outside of your normal intended audience picks

Started On: November 14th

Currently On: Page 0 of 200

Prompts Left: Read a book that either is old, or feels old, or is set in an older time, Read a book where the font on the cover is aesthetically pleasing to you, Mini Boss, Weaknesses surprise prompts, Read a book outside of your normal genre picks, Read a book that you almost didn't get, but decided to get anyway, Free space, Mini boss, Strengths surprise prompts, Book with a mother-like character, Have someone pick a book for you to read, Free Space, Boss Battle, Weapons surprise prompts

Books Read: 15

Pages Read: 6128

Third Sentence Thursday #692, November 14th

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to watch fireworks especially while eating a cookie!

1) Take the book you are currently reading and open it to a random page. Share the third full sentence on that page. (If there isn't a third one – like at the end of a chapter or a blank page – you can share the third sentence of the book or just choose another random page.) Feel free to share more than one sentence, if you feel the need to do so.

2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)

3) Post a link to your sentence at Words I Write Crazy (This Blog)

4) Visit one or two of the other blogs to check out their third sentences!

"Took you long enough, whelp." -The Possessed by Marjorie M. Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda, page 3.

That could be good, or it could be bad! Must read more now! What are your guy's 3rd lines? Link up below!

WWW Wednesday #709, November 13th

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll read next?

Thanks to MizB of Should Be Writing now A Daily Rhythm for starting this meme! And thanks now to Taking on a World of Words for reviving it! 

I'm currently reading The Bones Beneath My Skin, and I'm loving it!

I read Games Untold and it was such a great collection of stories!

I'm going to be reading The Possessed, and I can't wait, I love this series! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Clear Your S**t Readathon Update 14

I read my next book for the Clear Your S**t Readathon, and it was Games Untold which is for the prompt Read a book you purchased urgently, or have been anticipating highly, and I'll be reading The Possessed next! 

My Reading Journey:

King of None by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book that has a monarchy of some kind

Started On: November 1st

Finished On: November 1st, 5:36 PM

Pages Read: 296

Queen of All by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Prompt Fulfilled: Book that finishes or starts a series

Started On: November 1st

Finished On: November 1st, 10:01 PM

Pages Read: 332

Desperate Measures by Katee Robert 

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book with a red or brown cover

Started On: November 2nd

Finished On: November 2nd, 5:03 PM

Pages Read: 330

The Tinker's Daughter by Josephine Angelini

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book where one goes on a quest or to a different world

Started On: November 2nd

Finished On: November 2nd, 10:25 PM

Pages Read: 288

Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book that is set in the future or an obscure time

Started On: November 3rd

Finished On: November 3rd, 9:36 PM

Pages Read: 368

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book where there is a bad guy/villain of some kind

Started On: November 4th

Finished On: November 4th, 9:30 PM

Pages Read: 464

Installment Immortality by Seanan McGuire

Prompt Fulfilled: **Side quest**

Started On: November 5th

Finished On: November 5th, 7:39 PM

Pages Read: 432

The Stepping Off Place by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book that was gifted, purchased second hand, or borrowed

Started On: November 6th

Finished On: November 6th, 6:27 PM

Pages Read: 480

Born Into the Night by Emily Bisbach

Prompt Fulfilled: Free Space

Started On: November 7th

Finished On: November 7th, 8:10 PM

Pages Read: 432

A Drop of Fortune by Danielle Garrett

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book that was purchased locally, or, mentions shopping

Started On: November 8th

Finished On: November 8th, 11:38 AM

Pages Read: 420

The Great and Terrible by Gena Showalter

Prompt Fulfilled: Book that has a character you think or know you'll love/be obsessed with

Started On: November 9th

Finished On: November 9th, 5:04 PM

Pages Read: 278

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book with a long book title

Started On: November 11th

Finished On: November 11th, 3:38 PM

Pages Read: 336

The Death King by Penelope Barsetti

Prompt Fulfilled: Book with a character you want to fight personally

Started On: November 12th

Finished On: November 12th, 11:07 AM

Pages Read: 418

Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book you purchased urgently, or have been anticipating highly

Started On: November 12th

Finished On: November 12th, 6:46 PM

Pages Read: 448

The Possessed by Marjorie M. Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda

Prompt Fulfilled: Read your smallest book

Started On: November 13th

Currently On: Page 0 of 176

Prompts Left: Read a book that either is old, or feels old, or is set in an older time, Read a book where the font on the cover is aesthetically pleasing to you, Mini Boss, Weaknesses surprise prompts, Read a book outside of your normal genre picks, Read a book that you almost didn't get, but decided to get anyway, Free space, Mini boss, Strengths surprise prompts, Read a book outside of your normal intended audience picks, Book with a mother-like character, Have someone pick a book for you to read, Free Space, Boss Battle, Weapons surprise prompts

Books Read: 14

Pages Read: 5952

Waiting on Wednesday #702, October 23rd

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating! 

Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Romance, luxury, and secrets abound in this thrilling new collection that take readers deeper into the world of the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games series

 

There is nothing frivolous about the way a Hawthorne man loves.

 

An amnesiac playboy and the woman with every reason to hate him. A daredevil, his favorite heiress, and three nights in Prague. An unlikely pairing between a cowboy and a goth. Four brothers with an inescapable bond, strengthened by the family they chose, in a house of wonders that promises to always deliver one more secret. 

 

Discover their stories of love and loss, power, puzzles, and life-and-death secrets in this mind-blowingly romantic collection that proves that when you love the way Hawthornes love, there is no going back.

 

This collection That Night in Prague (novella) The Same Backward as Forward (novella) The Cowboy and the Goth Five Times Xander Tackled Someone (and One Time He Didn’t) One Hawthorne Night* What Happens in the Treehouse*  $3CR3T $@NT@ Pain at the Right Gun *previously published in limited released

The Shadows Rule All by Abigail Owen

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Darkness ascends the throne in this electrifying conclusion to the Domionions trilogy, all wrapped up in a gorgeous cover package! Preorder coming soon!

The hidden princess, must find a way to stop the ageless king—and the Shadowraith she’s fallen for—in the upcoming final installment of Abigail Owen’s sprawling, sexy upper YA fantasy.

The Possessed by Marjorie M. Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

The ninth volume of the multiple Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, and British Fantasy Award-winning series.

Maika, Kippa, and Ren return to their own world to discover a full year has passed in their absence--and Zinn is back in the clutches of Maika's father, the megalomaniacal Lord Doctor. From the relative safety of the pirate-controlled Spice Islands, Maika and her friends must regroup, recover, and find a way stop the Lord Doctor's murderous rampage before he destroys the Known World. Can loyalty and love transcend a history of betrayal and blood?

Witch Queen of Redwinter by Ed McDonald

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Having been saved from execution at the hands of the Draoihn – powerful magic users Raine used to count as allies – Raine finds herself in the Fault, a vast magical wasteland, which is falling apart before her eyes.

Alongside her two closest companions, they are searching for the only person Raine believes can help them get back home: the enigmatic and infuriatingly elusive Queen of Feathers.

But what home are they trying to get back to? Ovitus LacNaithe, power-hungry traitor that he is, has taken control of the Draoihn and is unwittingly doing the bidding of a darker master. He is soon to take control of the Crown of Harranir and plunge the land into unending darkness.

The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance. The stakes have never been higher. It's going to take Raine's dark, terrible powers, as well as the unbreakable bond of three friends, to ensure everyone lives to see the dawn.

The epic conclusion to Ed McDonald's Redwinter Chronicles, Witch Queen of Redwinter brings together breathtaking magic, unflinching fellowship and the gruesome spectacle of war in the most thrilling of fantasy adventures.

The Ghost of a Chance by Heather Graham

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Heather Graham comes a new story in her Krewe of Hunters series…

Having run into the bank to take out cash for her son’s school fair, Angela Hawkins Crow is surprised to find herself in the middle of a hostage situation. The hostage-taker is none other than Billy Mendelson, a young man suffering after a violent armed robbery attack at his home.

Angela read about the crime but is mystified by his behavior, even as he hustles her into a vault with several others. Billy was a stellar student and so much more before the events of that fateful day. How can he subject others to such violence?

Thankfully, Angela realizes someone else in the bank might be able to help her bring it all to an end—without any injuries. It’s a ghost of a chance, but one she must cling to if she wishes to save the hostages and the young man so damaged by what has befallen him.

Only a ghost of a chance…

But one she is grateful to have. And one that just might work.

A Wild and Ruined Song by Ashley Shuttleworth

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Arlo and her friends struggle to rally against an overwhelming foe before time runs out in this gripping final book in the Hollow Star Saga, the urban fantasy series about fae in Toronto.

Arlo Jarsdel has lost everything. Her family. Her freedom. Her name. And now that she’s sharing her body with Ruin, the formidable titan of devastation, she’s even beginning to lose herself.

In their most dangerous game of deception yet, Arlo has just one goal: destroy the three Bone Crowns corrupting the mortal and immortal realms before her time runs out and Ruin takes permanent control of her being.

With Celadon fighting on the political front against the ruthless High Queen Riadne—now armed with the cataclysmic power of her Crown, the Sins, and Ruin—Vehan and Aurelian are scrambling in secret to build an army to rival Riadne’s infernal forces. Meanwhile, Nausicaä will do whatever it takes to save her girlfriend from obliteration, despite knowing the odds of survival are nearly nonexistent.

When the line between hero and villain becomes blurred, and bonds are put to the ultimate test, it has never been more imperative—or more difficult—to stand united. For this is not the first lifetime that these five friends have faced the evil behind this impending war, but if they can’t find their way back to each other, it might just be their last.

In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

The first book in a thrilling mystery duology that follows Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy from the acclaimed Jane Austen Murder Mystery series!

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that London’s first female solicitor in possession of the details of a deadly crime, must be in want of a suspect.

The tenacious Lizzie Bennet has earned her place at Longbourn, her father’s law firm. Her work keeps her busy, but luckily it gives her plenty of reasons to consult (and steal occasional kisses) with Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a stern but secretly softhearted solicitor at Pemberley.

Lizzie is hired to investigate a deadly warehouse fire and to find the mysterious woman who was spotted at the scene moments before the flames took hold. But when the case leads to the sitting room of a woman Darcy once proposed marriage to, the delicate balance between personal and professional in their relationship is threatened.

Questions of the future are cast aside when the prime suspect is murdered and Lizzie’s own life is threatened. As the body count rises and their suspicions about what was really going on in the warehouse grow, the pressure is on for Lizzie and Darcy to uncover the truth.

Classic characters with an enthralling twist—Lizzie and Darcy, as introduced in the hit novel Pride and Premeditation, are back for more suspense, danger, and romance!

Skyshade by Alex Aster

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

The pulse-pounding third novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Lightlark Saga, by acclaimed author and #BookTok sensation Alex Aster

Love kills kingdoms…

Back in Grim’s castle on Nightshade, Isla is reeling in the wake of a brutal battle and the devastating truths it exposed. Her future—and the fate of the world—now hinge on a heart split in two.

Past Isla, who fell in love with the ruler of Nightshade, fights to resist feelings she considers treasonous. The Isla of the present, who has seen the ruin her powers can cause, will do anything to save Lightlark and its king.

As the line between enemy and friend is tested, Isla is more desperate than ever to understand the oracle’s final prophecy and change her heartrending fate. But a storm is coming. And with it, a long-buried evil greater than anything the realms have faced before.

With the clock ticking on her destiny and the survival of two warring kingdoms hinging on her own shattered heart, Isla Crown will either save the world—or destroy it.

All's Fair in Love and Treachery by Celeste Connally 

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie in this dazzling next installment in a captivating Regency-era mystery series with a feminist spin.

21 June, 1815. London may be cheering the news of Napoleon’s surrender at Waterloo, but Lady Petra Forsyth has little to celebrate after discovering that the death of her viscount fiancé three years earlier was no accident. Instead, it was murder, and the man responsible is her handsome, half-Scottish secret paramour Duncan Shawcross—yet the scoundrel has disappeared, leaving only a confusing riddle about long-forgotten memories in his wake.

So what’s a lady to do when she can’t hunt down her traitorous lover? She concentrates on a royal assignment instead. Queen Charlotte has tasked Petra with attending an event at the Asylum for Female Orphans and making inquiries surrounding the death of the orphanage’s matron. What’s more, the there may be a link between the matron’s death and a group of radicals with ties to the aristocracy, as evidenced by an intercepted letter.

Then, Petra overhears a nefarious conversation with two other men about a plot to topple the monarchy, set to take place during three days of celebrations currently gripping London.

As the clock counts down and London’s streets teem with revelers, Petra’s nerves are fraying as her past and present collide. Yet while all’s fair in love and war, she can never surrender, especially when more orphaned girls may be in trouble. And to save their lives, the monarchy itself, and even her own heart, Lady Petra must face her fears with the strength of an army of soldiers and fight with the heart of a queen.

The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

From New York Times bestselling author Mary E. Pearson comes a thrilling romantic fantasy full of dangerous fae, dark secrets, and addictive romance

After losing both their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an “aunt” she’s never heard of who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meet—and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Even her father might still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures to a whole other realm—the one he is from.

Desperate to save her father and find the truth, Bristol journeys to a land of gods and fae and monsters. Pulled into a dangerous world of magic and intrigue, she makes a deadly bargain with the fae leader, Tyghan. But what she doesn't know is that he's the one who drove her parents to live a life on the run. And he is just as determined as she is to find her father—dead or alive.

I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:
Monsters and mortals, rejoice! Acheron is back . . .Though Laure has tried to close the lid on her ballet shoes and the feelings she once held for dance since the Palais Garnier incident two months ago, Laure is spinning out. Between partying, drinking, and avoiding anything and, well, everyone, she has no time to be anything but a monster. 

But when Laure stumbles across a mysterious dead body during one of her nights out, she’s forced to notice the cracks stretching beyond herself.Below the streets of Paris, Elysium is dying, and Acheron and Lethe’s influence is spilling into the streets like a blight. Laure isn’t the only of Elysium’s beasts to rise from the ruins of Palais Garnier, and someone is mobilizing an army of monsters with plans greater than Laure, Andor, and Keturah could have ever guessed. 

While Laure is warring between her wants and Acheron’s ever-demanding appetite, she and her circle of monsters are left to reckon with a not-so-simple how do you save yourself from oblivion?Jamison Shea's sharp and unflinching voice will bring readers to terrifying new heights in this vicious sequel to the "relentlessly gory and almost euphoric in its embrace of the horrific" (NPR) I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me.

Our Deadly Designs by Kalyn Josephson

Expected Publication: November 12th, 2024
From Goodreads:

The Shadows Between Us meets The Scorpio Races in the epic conclusion to NYT bestselling Kalyn Josephson's This Dark Descent, called "a fierce and darkly magical thrill ride" by acclaimed author Ava Reid.

The Illinir may be over, but the race for Enderlain’s future has just begun. The hunt for the old king’s lost heir is on, and the first to find them will win the throne.

Mikira has allied herself with the rebels in pursuit of the lost heir, but the deeper her search takes her, the closer she gets to the royal family's wicked past.

Ari is struggling to control her own growing power as she grapples with a dark secret that may be her undoing — and the truth behind Damien's greatest foe.

Damien, the new head of House Adair, joins the race to find the heir and secure the crown. But as his influence at court grows, so does his paranoia and hunger for power.

Reid is trying his best to stay true to the friend who's always had his loyalty — and the flame who has his heart — while trapped in a web of chaos and lies.

But a darker force is festering in Enderlain’s underbelly, and Mikira, Ari, Damien, and Reid will need to find a way back to each other — and themselves — before the kingdom is torn apart. Hearts will be broken and new bonds will be forged in this explosive finale to This Dark Descent, where spellbinding fantasy meets Jewish mythology in a cut-throat race for the throne — and Enderlain’s survival.

Oh, there's a bunch of fantastic releases coming out on the 12th, I'm so excited for, I love these authors and these series, I need to read these books! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Week 51 Review: Inferno

From Goodreads:

The truth about the death of Maika's mother has been revealed, and Maika has come undone. As her allies scramble to save her soul, they find themselves in the unlikeliest of places―the beautiful and brutal prison planet where the Monstra have long been locked away. This visit to the site of Zinn's worst nightmares might just hold the key to Maika's survival―and to the long-buried origins of the Known World.

Collects MONSTRESS #42-47

My Review:
Oh, this was such a fantastic read! I've really loved this series, and after the ending of the last volume, I had to know what was going to happen next! And boy, was it a ride, and so much happened, we learned a bit more about the history of the Monstra, and their prison. 

That it takes places on Golga, the place where the Monstra have been locked away, was so fascinating, and we learned so much about them, and Zinn's betrayal, and what they've done to survive, and the Fallen Houses and the and how they're different. 

Maika wants to die-she killed her mother, and she ended up shredding her mental self almost to pieces-until she was a head, connected to Zinn instead of the other way around. So that was an interesting dynamic, and I enjoyed that, and Maika's mental healing.

One big thing was that Maika is descended from Zinn-and the Monstra haven't been able to have kids, so they don't know how they did it. And we briefly saw said kids, and that one special one, but that whole past is still shrouded in mystery, and I can't wait to find out! 

Absolutely loved reading this volume, and I can't wait for more, this ends in another shocking way! 

Author: Marjorie Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda 
Series: Monstress #8
Read: December 22nd, 2023 
Source: Online 
Reason Why: Love this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2023 Book! 
Publisher: Image Comics
Published: November 28th 2023

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

WWW Wednesday #662, December 20th

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll read next?

Thanks to MizB of Should Be Writing now A Daily Rhythm for starting this meme! And thanks now to Taking on a World of Words for reviving it! 

I'm currently reading Knight Assassin, and I'm really enjoying it! 

I read This Vicious Grace and it was such a great read and I really need to read the sequel! 

I'm going to be reading Inferno, and I can't wait, I just love this series! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Week 44 Reviews: Awakening, The Blood, Haven, The Chosen, Warchild, Talk-Stories #1, Talk-Stories #2, The Vow, Devourer

From Goodreads:

Set in alternate world of art deco beauty and steampunk horror, MONSTRESS tells the epic story of Maika Halfwolf, a teenage survivor of a cataclysmic war between humans and their hated enemies, the Arcanics. In the face of oppression and terrible danger, Maika is both hunter and hunted, searching for answers about her mysterious past as those who seek to use her remain just one step behind… and all the while, the monster within begins to awaken…

Collects MONSTRESS #1-6. 

From Goodreads:

Maika Halfwolf is on the run from a coalition of forces determined to control or destroy the powerful Monstrum that lives beneath her skin. But Maika still has a mission of her own: to discover the secrets of her late mother, Moriko.

In this second volume of MONSTRESS, collecting issues 7-12, Maika's quest takes her to the pirate-controlled city of Thyria and across the sea to the mysterious Isle of Bones. It is a journey that will force Maika to reevaluate her past, present, and future, and contemplate whether there's anyone, or anything, she can truly trust - including her own body. 

From Goodreads:

A Hugo and British Fantasy Award-winning series—and current Eisner Award nominee for Best Continuing Series, and Best Publication for Teens, with Marjorie Liu nominated for Best Writer and Sana Takeda nominated for Best Painter and Best Cover Artist!

Maika has spent most of her life learning how to fight, but how will she fare when the only way to save her life… is to make friends?

Collects MONSTRESS #13-18

From Goodreads:

A new war between humans and Arcanics is bubbling to the surface. A rift in the sky has revealed the devastating potential of the long-imprisoned Monstra. And Maika Halfwolf is at the center of it all.

In this fourth volume of MONSTRESS, collecting issues 19-24, Maika comes closer than ever before to the answers she’s long sought - but those answers carry a steep price. As her friends and allies reveal long-held secrets and shifting allegiances, Maika finds herself at the mercy of the Lord Doctor, a charismatic demagogue whose connections to Maika and Zinn run deeper than anyone could have imagined.

From Goodreads:

The next volume in the best-selling Eisner, Hugo, Harvey & British Fantasy Award winning series by MARJORIE LIU and SANA TAKEDA!

There's no turning back from the long dreaded war between the Federation and Arcanics - a massive human army gathers, ready to destroy the frontier city of Ravenna and enslave its inhabitants. Maika must decide whether to finally embrace her destructive power in the hopes that it can protect her friends - but what will be the consequences of no longer fighting her hunger? Will the repercussions be too much to bear?

Collects MONSTRESS issues #25-30

From Goodreads:

Bridging the gap between the fifth and sixth arc (which resumes in January 2021), MONSTRESS returns with TALK-STORIES, a two-part limited series that invites you to eat dumplings beside the fire and listen as Kippa recounts a defining moment from her childhood.

From Goodreads:

Once again bridging the gap between the fifth and sixth arc (which resumes January 2021), Part Two of MONSTRESS: TALK-STORIES follows Maika as she opens up to Kippa and recounts an important day from her childhood in Thyria

From Goodreads:

War has engulfed the Known World, and Maika Halfwolf is at its epicenter. As she and her friends grapple with the consequences of their actions, long-buried secrets and long-awaited reunions threaten to change everything. Join MARJORIE LIU and SANA TAKEDA in the newest volume of this Eisner, Hugo, Harvey, and British Fantasy Award-winning series.

Plus, learn about the happier childhood days of Kippa and Maika in MONSTRESS: TALK-STORIES 1 and 2!

Collects MONSTRESS: TALK-STORIES #1-2 and MONSTRESS #31-35

From Goodreads:

Humans and Arcanics are at war once again, but battles of the heart and soul are the most dangerous of all. Caught in the calculating grip of the Dusk Court, Maika and Zinn uncover painful secrets of the past while Tuya fights to preserve her future -- and young Kippa might be the Known World's only hope for the present.

Collects MONSTRESS #36-41

My Review:
I binge read this series. I was only planning on reading the first volume, but this world sucked me it, and I couldn't stop reading! I had to  know what was going to happen next, what awful thing was going to happen to these characters-or what awful thing they were going to do.

The first few issues, we're thrown into this incredibly violent, heartbreaking world, with the war between Humans and Arcanics supposedly over. But humans can gain abilities from Arcanics including consuming their flesh, so there's a thriving slave trade. This graphic novel is brutal and graphic, and some of the scenes depict truly heinous acts.

Into this whole situation we meet Maika, on a quest to find more about her mother, and who betrayed her. Which sets into a whole domino effect of events, learning more about her mother, about the entity that's attached to her, about the past with the Shaman Empress, and causing tensions to rise.

Maika really grows over the course of these volumes. In the first she's stubborn and single-minded. By the end, she's shown tactical prowess, some of which she already had, but just wasn't using, because what she wanted was more important than that. 

There's this huge scope to the world, that we only slowly start to learn. I mean, the Old Gods are visually introduced in the first issue, but we learn almost nothing about them until later on. There's so much detail, we barely scratch the surface. I'm really glad for those little lessons at the end of most issues, that Professor Tam Tam gives! 

Between what's personally going on with Maika, and what's going on in the world, and how her power affects it all, things hardly ever take a breather. I really enjoyed the Talk-Stories, though Kippa's was espcailly bittersweet! 

The events of Devourer, yeah, things are starting to go into the end game. Hopefully it won't actually get there for a while, but the pieces have been built, and where we left off was just incredibly evil, and I need the next issue now! 

This was just incredible to read, and I can't wait to see what happens next! 

Author: Marjorie M. Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda
Series: Monstress #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5.1, 5.2, 6, 7
Read:  October 30th, 30th, 30th, 30th, 30th, 30th, 30th, 30th, 30th, 2022
Source: Online
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2022 Books! 
Publisher: Image Comics 
Published: July 19th 2016, July 5th 2017, September 5th 2018, September 25th 2019, September 29th 2020, November 25th 2020, December 30th 2020, September 14th 2021, September 7th 2022

Awakening:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Blood: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Haven: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Chosen: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Warchild:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Talk-Stories #1:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Talk-Stories #2:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Vow:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

 

Devourer: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars