December Reads (2019)

What did you read this December? Keep reading to find out what I read this month!

As you venture into this reading list, please, keep in mind that I believe no book is ever truly perfect. I rate books based on overall quality and enjoy-ability from my perspective. I may feel a book wasn’t written very well, but still give it a good rating, because it had great characters, or I just really enjoyed it.

A person can love a certain book/series while another hates it, so please be courteous of people’s right to their own opinion.

I present to you, my December reads & listens:

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

My Rating: 4 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 36 of 20

This YA Graphic Novel takes place in outer space when humanity has evolved to living in space and occupying other planets. This story follows a girl who never really felt motivated in school and is now placed on a team that goes around the galaxy fixing up abandoned planets and site to be renovated into something new.

Worth noting, this book only ever shows us women, and there isn’t a single male mentioned, not even a father or brother. All relationships are between women and the story is composed of all females, except for one non-binary character.

This space lesbian adventure was super interesting and I actually really enjoyed it. The art style and color scheme are great, and the characters likable.

My only complaint would be that, like all graphic novels, I want more. I wish this was a novel so that I could spend more time with these characters and get more of this interesting world. There is so much history and politics and character that we don’t get in a graphic novel, so this book just left me wanting more, but not in a good way.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare Volume 3 by Paul Tobin *

My Rating: 2 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 37 of 20

This was a funny little read to keep myself busy one day. It was pretty nonsensical, but still funny. I don’t feel like I wasted my time, but I would not recommend this to people.

I think this book would have been better if (1) the art on the pages wasn’t so chaotic and messy making it hard to focus in on what is happening and (2) the humor wasn’t so painfully cheesy and dumb. I feel like kids aren’t stupid and don’t need a fart joke on every page to stay engaged. This book was too dumb in that way, which is a pet peeve of mine. Kids are not stupid and shouldn’t be talked to in that way.

It was still a mindless and mildly entertaining read despite those complaints.

Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

My Rating: 3 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 38 of 20

I had heard this series was good from some popular booktubers, so I decided to give it a shot. This is a space-opera with heavy fantasy and SciFi elements.

I enjoyed the characters in this book, they seem very real and complex. I like the point of view (the baby) and the action is pretty good. The art style is gorgeous and the humor pretty good.

I was a bit shaken by the heavy topics this graphic novel covers and the detailed nudity during more mature scenes, but the nudity didn’t bother me. What did bother me is the seemingly random inclusion of child sex slaves that came up. I do not feel like that added to the story or made the right kind of impact for me, but I guess it could have been included to add some world building and maybe a bit of character development (which could have been done in a different way)? I don’t know, seemed unnecessary to me.

In conclusion, I liked a lot of this graphic novel, but the things I didn’t like turned me off enough to not continue the series. I think it is good, but the negative elements are enough to stop me from recommending it and from continuing.

Thornhill by Pam Smy

My Rating: 5 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 39 of 20

This is a children’s novel that consists entirely of full page images of a present day story following a little girl new to town and diary entries from the perspective an orphan girl in the past.

I didn’t go into this book with any expectations, but this book still exceeded my expectations! This book is devastating in the best ways and it will hit you with the feels (unless you’re heartless). It is fast, emotional, and all around amazing.

I feel like saying a read is fast is usually a complaint of mine, but in this case the pacing helped with the impact of the story. I very much enjoyed this read, even though I don’t usually like sad or negative things.

It is worth noting that this book punted me out of a reading slump instantly, like within two hours. I really recommend this book for all ages (not sensitive children though).

Be warned, there are heavier topics including, mental illness, suicide, fear, and death.

I wish I had read this in the Fall, because it has the right dark spooky vibes and some very thrilling parts.

Age of Swords (The Legends of the First Empire #2) by Michael J. Sullivan

My Rating: 5 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 40 of 20

Oh my gosh. I love this series and this world and everything about this. These books only continue to get better. That’s really all I have to say. I love it, I recommend this adult fantasy to anyone and everyone. I will never touch a Tolkien book again (I may be being a little dramatic there) and I will definitely re-read this series in my life.

I recommend reading this on in particular during rainy months, like late Winter and early Spring.

Thanks for checking out my December Reads!

I know I read a lot of graphic novels and cheater books, but I needed to feel like I was completing something while tackling some of the bigger books I was also reading, like “Age of Swords”.

Don’t forget to check out my January TBR!

-Knight of Cups ❤

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