The Quintessential Quintuplets

The Quintessential Quintuplets is a manga about a guy who is insanely smart and is asked to tutor five sisters who are awful at anything academically. They are quintuplets and look so much alike that no one can tell them apart. They are all dramatically different from one another so if someone were to take the time to get to know them individually, they could figure out their quirks enough to tell them apart. Tutoring them, figuring them out, and trying to help them all graduate is a high task for anyone Uesugi has his work cut out for him.

Throughout the series there was a good bit of character development and I, as a curious reader, was able to figure out who was who and remember names by about volume 2 with their different hairstyles and personalities, but when they dressed alike, I was at a loss. "If you love them, you'll be able to tell them apart" was something repeated over and over again which seemed directed at the reader who was still probably having trouble alongside Uesugi, our main character. It was rather fun to pick out who was who and wanting to be right.

The plot was fun and the drama between the girls' father and Uesugi was driven. I even liked the side characters brought in, though there could have been more of them for the girls to like and be friends with other than our main character male. It was good. There was drive to finish it. I ended up finishing 3-4 volumes in one day (under gov mandated quarantine). I wanted to read more.

For the fact that it was a rom-com written by a guy, it was fairly cleanly drawn. No pantie shots or things like that. But there was a lot suggested. It defiantly was written by a guy because of the excessive amount of (covered) boob and "coming out of the shower wrapped in a towel" moments, but they weren't hung onto and grossly emphasized. It could have been far worse and comparatively to other manga, I was able to skim over them without much attention.

If you were to take out the last book, I'd have given this a 5 star rating, but I didn't like how it ended. I read it originally because my husband found it and said it was really good. I started, but then he finished it and really wanted to complain. So I finished it faster and found that I had the same problem. *SPOILERS-ish* I was not content with "who he picked" do to lack of deep character development and her lack of thorough drive to do anything after high school. She wanted to "be a bride." What kind of life goal is that? How is she honestly going to survive mentally if he were to be away on a business trip or some other nonsense when the kids are grown out of the house? She will "be his support" and that's it. She had no arch other than the "sporty girl who helps out everyone because she feels bad." She didn't grow. She didn't change. The other sisters changed, at least in part. There was some "eureka" moment for them all though for one of them it happened more before the story actually started. They all moved. They all progressed even a little except for the one he chose. Bad writing author. Bad writing. *End of Spoiler*

I did give it a 4 because the rest of the story and writing was pretty well done. There were some parts that were drawn out (like a thirteen chapter segment of the end of school festival, seen through the eyes of everyone; over and over and over again), but there was a good story there. It was just the ending that killed it for me. Way to ruin it, dude.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

This book was dramatically let down by the movie. Just saying.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was comical and actually got me to sniffle with tears in my eyes. Cedric Diggery is actually a very awesome person (hence the tears) and Mrs. Weasley is by far my favorite character in the Harry Potter series. Period.

Harry, before returning to school, has crazy dreams, his scar hurts, goes to the Quiddich World Cup and sees Death Eaters and almost get stunned and put in prison. Hooray for the summer holiday! When school starts, the school is informed that they will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament. Someone puts his name in the drawing for it and is considered a champion in the Tournament. Is someone trying to kill him again? Obviously, the answer is yes. He has to survive the tasks and school ground and school assignments. Go Harry! But, of course, dark forces as encroaching upon the quickly dwindling happiness that happens at school.

The characters are beyond brilliant. J.K. Rowling does and excellent job with her character development. The ending was very powerful where we were just as shocked with Harry about what happens in the graveyard, then have just as much heart ache as Harry does when realization sets in (particularly for me with Dumbledore's speech at the end), and I defiantly felt the love of Mrs. Weasley who, like I said, is my favorite character. We were right there, with Harry, feeling the same things. But then everyone else there was growing too. Ron and Hermione growing as people throughout the World Cup and the Tournament. Friendships are tried and unregistered love is too. Then others as well are given enlightening moments that make their character bloom. Neville, I'm looking forward to you. Obviously.

It is a long book with many things happening, and the fact that they are all interconnected (either in series or simply the awesomeness that is the book) makes them a great read. Plot is very well done here with a major twist at the end for those who are reading it for the first time. There are long, almost info-dump, of explanation at the ending between many of the characters but they were very needed and did explain so much. Rather similar to a "so who dun it" moment at the end of a mystery novel where the detective explains or the bad guy confesses.

In the end, it was a great book. I finished the last 25% in a day (hooray for quarantine). It was very binge worthy. I'm taking a quick break from Harry Potter (mainly because my husband is asking me to read something), but will be back for Umbridge soon. Bwahaha. I can't wait.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in the Harry Potter series.

Harry has had the worst summer and now there a house-elf in his room telling him he shouldn't go back to Hogwarts. Well, that's not happening. Getting away from the Dursley's is a must. Between getting bailed out of the Dursley's house, missing the train and hitting a Whomping Willow on school grounds, he'll make it to school even if he is nearly expelled for it. But then there is more. Strange things keep happening. Harry is hearing voices, finding new abilities, and students all over the school are being attacked. Harry and his friends must find out what the Chamber of Secrets is, what is inside it, and how to kill this monster before someone dies...like last time.

I've discovered something about J.K. Rowling, she really likes her alliteration. Reading it in my head, I didn't notice so much, but reading it aloud to my son had me tongue timed at times. The constant repetition of letter sounds, while sounding nice and someone fun, had my dyslexic brain and tongue spinning. It takes a bit of a poet to keep that going and I think she did a good job at it.

I think the story is well laid out with funny tidbits and great (sometimes intentionally obnoxious) characters who move the story along well.

I don't really have anything bad to say about it. The fact that my 7 year old is really enjoying it too is always a bonus. Way to go Rowling!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I know it's kind of out of order, but reading the second book with my son was taking too long and I wanted to read faster. So we're about 1/3 of the way through Chamber of Secrets, and now I'm done with Azkaban.

For book 3 of the Harry Potter series, a high security prisoner of the wizarding world has escaped and Harry is no longer safe. Harry runs away from his aunt and uncles house and sees this large, dark beast prowling around. Saved by the Knight Bus and somehow didn't get expelled for underage wizardry by the Minister of Magic--who came to get him personally. Being famous is one thing, but all this attention is a little off. On the train to Hogwarts, they meet their sleepy new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, which is a good thing because the train was attacked by Dementors who are out looking for this escaped prisoner. Things become more high strung as the year goes on and Harry finally finds out who this escapee is and why he's after Harry.

Out of all of the movies (yes, I know, forgive me all you Potterheads), this was always my favorite one. I did very much enjoy the book and Sirius and Lupin so much more here than I had from the movie. Lupin is probably my now favorite character in the HP series. Ron is far more awesome than he is in the movies and I like how it showed how much Hermione was actually struggling throughout the year with all of her classes (not eluded to at all in the movies). I also really enjoy the growth that happens to all of them as characters.

Something that I'd noticed before in "previous readings" was that how in different books it gives time for both of Harry's friends to shine and grow. They both shined in The Sorcerer's Stone, Ron got his time while Hermione was petrified in Chamber of Secrets, and here Hermione gets to shine at the end while they both stand by their friend and help and support him.

The whole plot of the series is amazing. Filtered between schoolwork and teachers, Quidditch, Hogsmede, and Sirius Black (also Ron's rat), there are many things going on that makes it feel very much alive and vibrant.

Because of the movies, I do have a good sense of the setting but I do feel that J.K. Rowling has a problem with settings in the book. I am one who likes a good description of where the characters are at and I don't feel she did very well on that one. Basic descriptions, yes were we get the jest of where we are, but I like more. I know people don't like feeling "bogged down" by it so that is up to the individual person.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

It has been years since I've actually read a Harry Potter book, but here we are. I started reading it aloud to my 7 year old  and found that he really enjoyed it. We'd watched the movies and started playing the Lego games and figured I should actually read them to him, that it help him to like reading more.

At least he's enjoying being read to.

Harry Potter, unknowing that he is a famous wizard who somehow defeated the Dark Lord while only a baby now living with his abusive aunt and uncle, receives a letter that his aunt and uncle won't let him open. They burn it and more and more letters suddenly bombard their home. Then a giant man comes and hand delivers a letter to Harry telling him that he's been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "You're a wizard, Harry." Suddenly a whole new world opens up where he discovers he's famous and an learn to do magic. But the world isn't as easy going as he thinks. The Dark Lord is out there, somewhere, wanting to gain back his power to take over the Wizarding world and kill Harry in the process. Can he and his new friends figure out what is going on to stop the Dark Lord from returning?

We all know this story by now. Hopefully it's a good enough summary.

I didn't enjoy reading these when I was younger because I didn't enjoy reading at all. It was something every loved and I didn't read it and didn't know all that was going on. The movies helped, but every saying "the books are better" "the books are more awesome" or whatnot turned me off more to them.

But now I'm older and because my son started liking the Lego games and we watched the movies, I figured I'd give them another shot. (I'm not really counting listening to them on audio books, though the reader was beyond excellent.)

J. K. Rowling is actually very funny. The way she describes things had me and my husband (who also hadn't read them before) chuckling and smiling. Simple, yes, but for young teens it's a great read. I know that the other books become more developed as the story goes on and as she grows as a writer, which also makes these books fascinating.

I think the world that she's built is a very well developed one, even for just the first book. There are things going on behind the scenes that you know she is developing for the rest of the series that make the whole story come alive.

In the end, I have found it to be very enjoyable (so much so that we spent most of a Sunday afternoon where I read half the book aloud til my voice became horse). We are going to be reading the next book probably starting tomorrow because being sick is dumb and takes a lot out of you as well as your voice.

Arcanum Unbounded

 Arcanum Unbounded is a compilation of short stories and novellas written by Brandon Sanderson about his Cosmere Universe.

Compiled by Khriss, a worldhopper from the Taldain System (White Sand graphic novel series), Arcanum Unbounded are some of the documents from the many Cosmere planets that give background, world building, character development. While they aren't dire, at this point in time to read them all alongside the major series, they are enlightening and a joy to read. 

Through reading these, I've discovered that my favorite story that Brandon has produced so far is Misborn: Secret History which has major spoilers for the Mistborn series (for both Era 1 and 2, read them first before you read Secret History otherwise you'll be vastly disappointed). But it is my favorite because Kelsier is amazing, Fuzz makes me cry, and Ruin is a major nasty piece of work but such an interesting character. 

As I said before, it is a compilation of stories of : 

The Selish System

• The Emperor's Soul, 
• The Hope of Elantris, 

The Scadrian System 

• The Eleventh Metal, 
• Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Elantia: Episodes  28-30, 
• Mistborn Secret History,

The Taldain System

• White Sand (an excerpt of the graphic novel and an excerpt from the written, rough draft version, which I like better than the graphic novel version)

The Threnodite System

• Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell

The Dominad System 

• Sixth of the Dusk

and The Rosharan System

• Edgedancer

These are very good books that I highly recommend reading. If you haven't read any of the Cosmere series (which I suggest you rectify quickly) many of these stores are good to read as a standalone, except Misborn Secret History and Hope of Elantris. The rest could be enjoyed on their own without any hiccups or misunderstandings. My only other suggestion would be to read White Sand completely with the other volumes in the series to help things make sense, though for the excepts you'd be fine as a jumping off point for further reading. (For the rest of the written story of White Sand you can go onto BrandonSanderson.org and become a part of their newsletter and be able to ask for the link for the whole story. I've yet to be able to do it myself as my life isn't always free of craziness, but it's something I plan to indeed do in the future.)  

Sixth of the Dusk

Sixth of the Dusk is another novella by Brandon Sanderson. This is another from the Arcanum Unbounded as part of the Cosmere.

On a world without a Shard, this world is different than the others in the Cosmere that we've been told up to this far. Dusk in a trapper of a very treacherous and deadly island that is more likely to kill you than give anything that one would consider helpful, except for the birds that grow up there have amazing abilities that no one on the outside and in the cities can explain. The world is a deadly one that would sooner kill you than look at you. Only with the help of his birds, through their visions of potential dangers where he sees himself dead in many many ways, is he able to stay safe. For the most part.

Dusk comes back to the island and finds that others have been here. Others who don't know what they're doing. Many bodies litter the ground and it seems like someone has been taking one of his trails to his sanctuaries. He finds a woman, who was part of the expedition force that died and finds out that she has not come alone and with reasons that will easily cause the end of his world, as deadly as it is, as he knows it.

This was a very interesting story that I was able to gobble up very quickly. It was fast paced and thrilling. And as ever the world that Brandon built here was different and engaging. A world that is constantly trying to kill you, where you should be deathly afraid of ants let alone the giant beasts the prowl and seek you out. Dusk, also, is an interesting character because he doesn't talk much. Not many of Brandon's characters do that.

It is a short story, less than 60 pages  that is deep into a new world to discover and be careful while treading into. I rather enjoyed it.