What I Read: February 2015

Wow. I've been so busy that I didn't even realize we're already four days into March! Ha!

In February, I spent the night in a New Orleans cemetery chatting up ghosts, then I headed to a planet in a far away galaxy and ran from a war, and THEN, (just for extra fun), I skipped back to 18th century France a couple of times to attend a lavish party dressed in a Rococo getup.

Well.. not literally, of course!

Let's get to it, shall we?



"Ruined" - Paula Morris

"Ruined" is a YA novel that was listed as a recommendation based on other 'fantasy'/YA books that I've read. I've always been intrigued by the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, so when I read that this story takes place there, (and deals with paranormal stuff on top), I knew I had to give it a shot.

I think I read a description somewhere, (might have been Goodreads), that compared it to Twilight, which initially made me want to avoid this, (because "meh"), but I don't think it was all that similar at all. There's a slight "budding relationship" plot, but it never really builds up. And the main female character wasn't all obsessive and clingy like the Twilight chick was, but I digress!

It's a novel about a girl named Rebeccca who very suddenly and unexpectedly gets sent by her father to live in New Orleans for a while, with a distant relation. Rebecca is immediately taken aback by how different everything there is compared to her hometown of New York City. She ends up being kind of an outcast at the all-girls private school full of snobby brats, and ends up feeling even more weird when she learns she can see and speak to a ghost girl she meets in the cemetery one night. Over time, she learns deep dark secrets about the history of NOLA and about the ancestors of the girls she goes to school with. And the mysteries only get spookier towards the end of the book, when she finds out she is set to play a major role in the outcome of an old family curse.

Overall, the idea of this novel really did hold a lot of promise, and I wish I could say I loved it. But honestly, the writing and plot development was kind of elementary and predictable. It made for a super quick, easy read, though. And it did manage to make me want to visit New Orleans more than ever, now. *One of these days..*



 "Sapphire Blue" - Kerstin Gier (book 2 of the Ruby Red Trilogy)

I read the first book in this series back in January 2014! (read about it here)

Amazingly enough, I still remembered most of what it was about, though, and all the major characters, so it was easy to get back into it. This book continues Gwen Shepherd's story of time travel and mystery! She becomes fully initiated into the secret order and gets trained in 18th century customs to prepare for meeting with the famous Count Saint-Germain, whom she is terrified of because she secretly suspects he's guilty of horrible crimes.

We are also introduced to some new characters, including a ghostly gargoyle that talks to Gwen and spies on her crush for her, and also Gwen's grandfather in his young days!

I recommend this YA series if you need something fun to read. The main character is kind of silly and it's fun to know her inner thoughts about everything.. she's kind of a dork, but she knows it and owns it! I shall be reading the final book this month, and I can't wait to conclude the adventure.

~Graphic Novels:

"Saga" - Volume 1 - Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples

This is one of those graphic novels/comics that has been suggested to me numerous times, so I finally decided to check it out.

First and foremost, the artwork is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I definitely have a new illustrator to idolize. And the story itself is really good, full of action and it's really keeping me guessing.

A couple comprised of a guy and a girl from two completely different planets/races, (who by all intents and purposes), are supposed to HATE each other, fall in love, get married, and have a kid. They then have to run for their lives before their government tracks them down and kills them.

On the one hand, it's a touching story of a family that loves each other and just wants to provide a better life for their innocent child, and on the other hand.. yeah, it really is kind of a turbulent and violent set of worlds and future that they live in.

Can't wait to see how the story develops!


And that was about it for February!

Stay tuned for March 2015's reads! In case you missed January 2015:

What I Read: January 2015