Isabella's Reading Corner: 5 Centimeters per Second

5 Centimeters per Second story by Makoto Shinkai & art by Yukiko Seike

Published June 26th 2012 by Vertical

5 Centimeters per Second is a really sweet, sad story about a boy named Takaki & a girl named Akari who meet & fall in love, but drift apart when she must move away with her parents. It is mostly told through the eyes of Takaki, who develops such a strong bond with Akari that it is hard for him to let go, even if he may never see her again. 

Takaki’s feelings are full of intensity and emotion. This is a heartbreaking and beautiful tale - brilliantly evocative of a romantic first love. As the story delicately unfolds we are allowed to witness their snippets of time together. Takaki’s memories are depicted with an almost dream like quality and we are left to wonder how much of those feelings have been built up in his mind.

For anyone who has ever experienced unrequited love, even if you are not a fan of manga, this book is for you. 

From the publisher:

Love can move at the speed of terminal velocity, but as award-winning director Makoto Shinkai reveals in his latest comic, it can only be shared and embraced by those who refuse to see it stop.

Takaki Tohno quickly befriends Akari Shinohara when she transfers to his school. They grow closer to each other due to similar interests and attitudes; for instance, they both prefer to stay inside during recess due to their constitutions. As a result, they form a strong bond. 

Upon ending their school year, Akari moves to Tochigi, due to her parents' jobs. The two keep in contact by writing letters, but eventually begin to drift apart.

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on 5 Centimeters per Second here.

Current Read: I'm Thinking of Ending Things

I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
Published June 14th 2016 by Simon & Schuster

You will be scared. But you won’t know why…

Isabella's Reading Corner: The Griffin & Sabine Books

The Griffin & Sabine Books by Nick Bantock

Published by Chronicle Books

The Griffin & Sabine books are a beautifully illustrated, stunningly packaged series of books. They tell the romantically mysterious story of Griffin Moss and Sabine Strohem through their love letters.

The book begins when Griffin receives a postcard from Sabine claiming she knows much about him, although they have never met. 

Their correspondence continues in the form of postcards and actual envelopes that are pasted into the books, which contain their letters that you are able to open and read yourself. I absolutely love these books – the wonderfully surreal story & the gorgeous artwork.

There are 6 books in total, that are divided into two trilogies – Griffin & Sabine, Sabine’s Notebook, The Golden Mean followed by The Gryphon, Alexandria, The Morning Star. The first book, Griffin & Sabine, was originally published in 1991 and the last, The Morning Star, in 2003.

A final volume in the series is going to be published this month, The Pharos Gate – I am so exited! It has been such a long time since I have read the books that I decided to start rereading them this month in preparation.

If you enjoy strange & fantastic art, then these books are most certainly for you. If you are a dreamer, these books are for you. They are absolutely breathtaking and the imagery and format only add to the amazing story. A gorgeous gift for yourself or anyone you love.

The Griffin & Sabine Trilogy:

Griffin & Sabine

Sabine’s Notebook

The Golden Mean

The Morning Star Trilogy:

The Gryphon

Alexandria

The Morning Star

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on the Griffin & Sabine books here.

Anticipated Reads for March 2016

Anticipated Reads for March

Below are titles of books released this month that I am most excited about reading. I would love to hear if you are thinking of reading any of the titles on my list. 

Are there any books you are looking forward to that I've not included? Please let me know!

Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie

Published March 1^st 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books 

Red Queen meets Shadow and Bone in a debut fantasy about a girl forced to use her gift for sensing—and absorbing—other people’s feelings to protect the empire from assassins. Steeped in intrigue and betrayal, Burning Glass captivates with heartrending romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s quest for redemption. 

Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor

Published March 1^st 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Addictive, romantic, and rich with historical detail, Into the Dim is an Outlander for teens.

A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes Novel) by Brittany Cavallaro

Published March 1^st 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

The first book in a witty, suspenseful new trilogy about a brilliant new crime-solving duo: the teen descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. This clever page-turner will appeal to fans of Maureen Johnson and Ally Carter.

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Published March 8^th 2016 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Rebel of the Sands reveals what happens when a dream deferred explodes—in the fires of rebellion, of romantic passion, and the all-consuming inferno of a girl finally, at long last, embracing her power.

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices) by Cassandra Clare

Published March 8^th 2016 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series. Lady Midnight is a Shadowhunters novel.

The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins

Published March 8^th 2016 by HarperTeen

Wendy Higgins, the author of the New York Times bestselling Sweet Evil series, reimagines a classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale with The Great Hunt, a dramatic, romance-filled fantasy with rugged hunters, romantic tension, and a princess willing to risk all to save her kingdom.

The Keeper of the Mist by Rachel Neumeier

Published March 8^th 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

A lush new fantasy about finding the will to lead against all odds, perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone.

The Forbidden Orchid by Sharon Biggs Waller

Published March 8^th 2016 by Viking Books for Young Readers

The adventures of a British girl in China, hunting for the orchid that will save her family.

Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

Published March 22^nd by Dial Books

The intrigue of The Raven Boys and the "supernatural or not" question of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer coalesce in this young adult mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems, no one is quite who you think, and everything can change on a dime.

The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith

Published March 22^nd by Margaret K. McElderry Books

In the tradition of Speak, this extraordinary debut novel shares the unforgettable story of a young woman as she struggles to find strength in the aftermath of an assault. 

Review: Love Me, Love Me Not

Love Me, Love Me Not by Alyxandra Harvey

Published February 22nd 2016 by Entangled Publishing/Crave

With it's fairy tale influence and Shakespeare setting, Love Me Love Me Not is a charming 

re-imagining of The Swan Maiden crossed with Romeo and Juliet.

Ana is a delightful heroine and Pierce is adorable as her best friend/love interest. The dialogue is snappy and the supporting characters play off against each other nicely. 

I'm not a big fan of the multiple POV - it's more of a personal issue than one with the book and I would have preferred to have one narrator in Ana. However, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. Pierce made me laugh and it was interesting to compare his resolute feelings for Ana with her slow realization of how she felt for him in return.

I loved the imagery of the feather cloaks, the girls dancing in the moonlight and their magical arrows!

This is a fun, quick read with lots of romance, action and magic - an entertaining way to spend an afternoon.

From the publisher:
Dating isn’t easy when you’re in the middle of a blood feud.

Anastasia Vila’s family can turn into swans, but just once she’d like them to turn into responsible adults.

After hundreds of years, they still cling to the blood feud with the Renard family. No one remembers how it started in the first place—but foxes and swans just don’t get along.

Vilas can only transform into their swan shape after they have fallen in love for the first time, but between balancing schoolwork, family obligations, and the escalating blood feud, Ana’s got no time for love. The only thing keeping her sane is her best friend, Pierce Kent.

But when Pierce kisses Ana, everything changes.

Is what Pierce feels for her real, or a byproduct of her magic? Can she risk everything for her best friend? And when the family feud spirals out of control, Ana must stop the fight before it takes away everything she loves.

Including, maybe…Pierce.

Meet The Character Interviews: Get up close & personal with Pierce Kent from Love Me, Love Me Not here!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the ebook ARC to review.

Isabella's Reading Corner: This Monstrous Thing

This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee

Published September 22^nd 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books

This Monstrous Thing is a debut YA novel by Mackenzi Lee. It is an intriguing retelling of the Frankenstein story, but takes place in an alternate steampunk version of Switzerland in the early 1800s.

The book has a wonderfully mysterious Gothic atmosphere that really appealed to me. Alasdair is a Shadow Boy – he works on clockwork parts that in his world replace the missing limbs of war survivors. After a mysterious accident, he reanimates his brother Oliver and uses clockwork parts to put him back together. There is an intriguing emotional depth between the two brothers, Alasdair and Oliver, that is very believable. I loved the detail of the world and people the author created.

This is an entertaining & exciting retelling of a classic novel that I would recommend to fans of Gothic, historical fiction or fantasy, steampunk and alternate worlds. I am looking forward to reading future books by this author.

From the publisher:

A wildly creative Gothic fantasy retelling of Frankenstein, This Monstrous Thing is a wholly new reimagining of the classic novel by Mary Shelley and is perfect for fans of retellings such as Cinder by Marissa Meyer, fantasy by Libba Bray and Cassandra Clare, and alternative history by Scott Westerfeld.

In an alternative fantasy world where some men are made from clockwork parts and carriages are steam powered, Alasdair Finch, a young mechanic, does the unthinkable after his brother dies: he uses clockwork pieces to bring Oliver back from the dead.

But the resurrection does not go as planned, and Oliver returns more monster than man. Even worse, the novel Frankenstein is published and the townsfolk are determined to find the real-life doctor and his monster. With few places to turn for help, the dangers may ultimately bring the brothers together—or ruin them forever.

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on This Monstrous Thing here.

Isabella's Reading Corner: Wolf Children

Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki by Mamoru Hosoda (original story) & Yu (art)

Published March 25^th 2014 by Yen Press

Wolf Children is a manga adaptation of the anime by director and creator, Mamoru Hosoda. It is about a woman named Hana, who after a whirlwind romance, gives birth to two children. After a tragic incident, Hana is left to raise her children on her own – which leads to many challenges, especially as they are part wolf!

At over 500 pages, this stunning hardcover contains lavish colour art with the majority of the story in black & white. It includes bonus notes by Mamoru Hosoda, as well as character illustrations. It is formatted to read back to front & right to left in the original manga style. It really is a breathtakingly packaged edition –  photos don’t do it justice.

In addition to the gorgeous art – yes, I am gushing – the story is an absolutely charming & emotional tale of unconditional love, narrated by eldest daughter Yuki. I kept returning to the pages I’d previously read to once again savour the drawings and take in all the details of the scenes. Everything about this book is adorable.

If you’ve never read manga before, this title is definitely a good place to start & the book itself is one to keep and treasure. Highly recommended.

From the publisher:
When Hana falls in love with a young interloper she encounters in her college class, the last thing she expects to learn is that he is part wolf. Instead of rejecting her lover upon learning his secret, she accepts him with open arms. Soon, the couple is expecting their first child, and a cozy picture of family life unfolds. But after what seems like a mere moment of bliss to Hana, the father of her children is tragically taken from her. Life as a single mother is hard in any situation, but when your children walk a fine line between man and beast, the rules of parenting all but go out the window. With no one to turn to, how will Hana survive?



You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on Wolf Children here.