Killing Two Crows With One Stone

Yes, I made a pun concerning Six of Crows, a book I will be reviewing momentarily. In addition to finishing Six of Crows, I also added The Stranger by Albert Camus to my read shelf. That's where the second crow comes into my pun. Ha ha, I'm so funny.

First, The Stranger. I didn't know what to expect from this short novel since it was required for my English class. Most of the time, school reading is horrendous, the only exception before this year being To Kill a Mockingbird, which I loved. However, The Stranger can add itself to my blunt list of books I read in school and actually enjoyed. A lot. This book was weird, mainly because the main character is bizarre. Camus wrote this through an existential viewpoint, and that's probably why I liked it. Meursault, the protagonist, can be called a sociopath or a monster or even Monsieur Antichrist, but I found myself relating to several of his points/perspectives. Existentialism strikes a chord with me to a certain extent, so I feel like that lead me to like more than some of my fellow students.

Now, the real crows I'm talking about: Six of Crows.

 

"The autumn leaf might cling to its branch, but it was already dead. The only question was when it would fall."
-Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows 

I loved, loved this book, and I don't even think it was for the plot line. Yes, heist stories are great, but what really got me about Bardugo's new series? The characters. Six is a lot of people to keep up with, albeit Wylan didn't get his own narrative (which made me very sad, but Bardugo has said that he will have one next novel). However, the overwhelming amount of characters and backgrounds weren't annoying for two reasons.

1. I have read Game of Thrones. Once you read that, no other book has too many characters

2. The characters' strong personalities

Each of them was firmly distinguished from one another. They all had distinct traits that made them unique and lovable. There was one character I started off not liking but by the end I had grown to care for him as much as the others. My favorite character at the conclusion of the novel is Inej. That girl is amazing and lovely and I adore her and what she stands for.
The couples are also well-matched and very interesting. There was no kissing though. I'm sad about that. Leigh, please give me proof that these couples are going to happen!
I'm upset that I'll have to wait a year until the next book comes out. Let the anticipation build now.

Both the books above get a rating of...
5/5 stars!

Follow me on Goodreads to keep up with what I'm reading (Catcher in the Rye currently): Alyssa Skvarla

Photocreds:
The Stranger mock cover artwork- Lise Sasaki
Inej and Kaz fan art- fictograph
Nina and Matthias fan art- nilaffle.tumblr.com

FRAN'S THOUGHTS: Pan Movie Review

It sucked.

Recap of the week

I know so many of you care, so here's an update on what all went down in the last week for me. I'll start from the most recent event...

Carry On is out!! I didn't realize it until it came in the mail but this book is the one I most anticipated to come out. It's like a gay version of Harry Potter- how can I not be pumped? However, due to school reading and school in general this fella won't be cracked open until later this month, maybe even early November :(


So now jumping backwards to Saturday. I was up in Portland for a very random family vacation this past weekend. I love the city and its greenery and the people, but what made the trip especially awesome was that I got to meet one of my favorite YA authors: Leigh Bardugo! She was so sweet and funny, and her conversation with Laini Taylor was amazing. Both of their insights regarding writing, editing, and life were not only humorous but informative. I actually got a lot of writing tips out of this, my favorite being Leigh's idea of the 'slutty idea.' (Most of her writing analogies link to sex or love, and it's amazing and very easy to relate to surprisingly) I got three of my books from her signed, and Siege and Storm featured a quote from #1 babe of the series, Nikolai (see first picture on the right). I also got to talk to her for a bit and snatched a free pin. In summary, it was great.

And finally, a short book review on one of now favorite books of the year. It is also the book that I cried on an airplane for. May I present to you, Eleanor and Park.
Rainbow Rowell, you destroyed me but in every single way that I want to be destroyed. Both of the protagonists are unconventional and unique, which makes them and their love story unforgettable. Park is the epitome of my ideal boy: half-Asian, kind yet punk rock, WEARS EYELINER. God, I love him so much. And Eleanor, poor, dear Eleanor. You have my respect and love as well.
This is probably the best romance I've ever read, even with that ending. I swear I cried through the last twenty pages and I was sitting on the aisle seat of an airplane and I hate shedding so much as a tear in front of my closest friends. Albeit it was 11:30 PM, so hopefully no one noticed the girl silently crying one seat over.

This book is easily 5/5 stars, no doubt about it. It's most likely tied for my best book of 2015 with Tell the Wolves I'm Home. 

So that's been my life for the past week or so! Stay tuned for more review, news, and (eventually) something from Fran (I miss her and her blog entries)

ALL PICTURES BELONG TO ME (I SHOULD TOTALLY BE A PHOTOGRAPHER, RIGHT?)

SIX OF CROWS!!

So this beauty was released and came in the mail today...

But my favorite part?

The effing black pages. Like how freaking awesome is this?! God bless Leigh Bardugo and whoever else made this happen. Also, congrats to Leigh Bardugo for her new release! Can't wait to read this gem (which I will after I wrap up Eleanor and Park). The Grisha Trilogy was one of my favorite reads from last year, so I hope Six of Crows keeps up my love for the Grishaverse.
On my list of most anticipated novels of the year, Queen of Shadows definitely disappointed, but I have a feeling this won't.

Book review and rating to come some time in the future.

DISCLAIMER: THESE PICS ARE MINE. lol

ALYS' THOUGHTS: Breakfast at Tiffany's vs Breakfast at Tiffany's

This Saturday I finished reading Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote. My sister loves the movie but has never attempted the book. The opposite applies to me, so once I finished the book, I tracked my sister down to the bathroom. Her love for rom-coms and happy endings made me say, "I expected that to have a happier end."
She, in the middle of her shower, responded, "It does have a happy end."
"It does?" I tried not to sound too surprised for her sake. After all, I did ruin The Great Gatsby for her. "What happens in the end of the movie?"
"They kiss and fall in love." She paused. "Don't they?"
"Oh," was all I got out before darting from the bathroom. I wasn't going to ruin another novel for my little sister.
With these contradicting conclusions, I decided to give the movie a try. By Saturday evening I was able to compare the book and its movie reincarnation.

For starters, I enjoyed both but for entirely different reasons. Audrey Hepburn makes Holly Golightly all that more lively and slightly more pleasant than her book form. Her initial scene in front of Tiffany's make her appealing right off the bat.There's a list of a features I didn't appreciate in Holly, but she's a human-being. She's flawed, not some perfect, cookie-cutter heroine, and I get that.

The protagonist was also more likable in the movie, but I feel like that's more because I actually heard his name more than once in it. In the book, I knew him as Fred, because that's what Holly constantly called him. The movie helped him come to life and make a greater impact.

All around, the characters in the movie were better, but for the plot, I have to hand it over to the book. The movie flowed well enough but the book was more precise and gave more depth to everything, such as Mr. Golightly and Sally Tomato. What I especially liked in the book was the end. I hated it, but I loved it. Happy endings are no longer a requirement for me because I know we're never guaranteed them in real life. Unlike the movie, Holly and Paul don't find the cat moments after she abandoned it in the middle of New York City and kiss passionately in the rain. No, Holly flies off to Brazil, Paul finds the cat on his own accord, and he never hears from Holly again after her initial letter. There's no blossoming love story, no kiss in the rain, and I'm perfectly fine, even pleased, with that.

So I'm going to have to say, I have no preference here. The movie was good, the book was good, all was good--not great. But I'll probably re-watch the movie with my sister sometime soon and hopefully remember not to spoil anything.

Book Rating: 4/5 stars

Movie Rating: 8/10 stars

DISCLAIMER: PHOTOS AREN'T MINE. SEE BELOW

Breakfast at Tiffany's book cover art by Kate Berry https://www.behance.net/gallery/19601085/Breakfast-at-Tiffanys-book-cover

Movie still from Breakfast at Tiffany's by Blake Edwards (director) and Jurow-Shepherd (production company)

FRAN'S THOUGHTS: Howl's Moving Castle

I honestly don't know what I just read but I'm pretty sure I liked it. 

This is one of the few times I will admit that watching the movie first has helped me understand and delve deeper into Diana Wynne Jones's world. There's a TON of people, spells, quirks, places, and quotes to remember, so it's definitely challenging to read with no previous context otherwise. Overall, the Studio Ghibli film has tainted my perception of the events and the characters within the story in a really good way!

Likes: 

• The mysteriousness of the different curses and contracts and how each main character is essential in breaking them. 
• The adventure is pretty rad. Also the fact that old, wrinkly Sophie gets to embark on it is even cooler. 
• The message of a strong family/friendship bond (especially between the Hatter sisters). It's always refreshing to read about a true friendship without any romantic inclinations. Although I am glad that Sophie and Howl end up together, I enjoyed Michael, Sophie, and Calcifer's interactions throughout the story even more. 
• Character development everywhere!! It's hard to believe that this is a children's book. There's a lot of deeper meanings (that I will probably have to look up later since everything goes right over my head): this includes the differing spirits of the young and the old; the selflessness and courage highlighted in each character; the vices of being self-absorbed; etc.
• Also when Howl is constantly shunned for being a "slither-outer" of uncomfortable/difficult situations because he is a coward. lol that is me

Dislikes:

• Because so much is going on, sometimes it is hard to get into what is happening within a chapter. Much like the film, the audience is kind of just thrown into the world, so this is kind of typical. But for someone who doesn't like fantasy that much, the book did a good job.

Book Rating: 4/5 stars

Film Rating: 8/10 stars

Summary:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6294.Howl_s_Moving_Castle?ac=1

{DISCLAIMER-NONE OF THE ART IS MINE. REFERENCES BELOW}

Sophie Fan Art by Flyless http://flyless.deviantart.com/art/HOWL-S-MOVING-CASTLE-SOPHIE-373936482

Howl's Moving Castle Art by Studio Ghibli

Top 10 favorite books of all time!!

Fran's Top 10:

10. Winger by Andrew Smith

9. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

8. 1984 by George Orwell

7. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

6.Unwind by Neal Shusterman

5. Legend Series by Marie Lu

4. Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan

3. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

2. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

1. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Alys's Top 10:

10. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

9. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

8. Charlie Bone Series by Jenny Nimmo

7. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

5. Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan

4. Shadow and Bone Series by Leigh Bardugo

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

2. May Bird and the Ever After Series by Jodi Lynn Anderson

1. Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

In reality, this would alternatively be called our "Top 11" list because both of our all-time, absolute favorite is the Harry Potter Series, like 96% of the world (don't quote me on that statistic). We figured it wouldn't be fun to finish off our lists in such an anticlimactic way.

Disclaimer: None of this fan art is ours. We're just two losers who can't do much of anything besides read. 

(top) Eleanor and Park fan art by Simini Blocker

(bottom) Shadow and Bone fan art by Irene Koh