Comic Book Tuesday: Asterix Omnibus #2 by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo

Author: René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo (Illustrations)
Series: Astérix le Gaulois
Audience: +7
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Papercutz
Release Date: July 14th 2020
My Rating: 3.5 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Asterix mixes it up with everyone from Julius Caesar to Cleopatra in this outstanding Omnibus!

After conquering Europe, where this feisty, little warrior is a true pop culture super-star, Asterix is invading America with another three classic adventures, newly translated into American English. Asterix conquered Europe ironically by keeping his tiny village in Gaul from being conquered by the Roman Empire. Turns out, Asterix and his fellow villagers have a secret weapon, a potion that imbues them all with super strength. But the Romans aren’t about to give up no matter how many times Asterix and his friends fend them off. These classic comics are not only incredibly entertaining, filled with humor, adventure, and great characters, but the historic figures are brought to life in a way that’s exciting and humanizing, providing educational elements to each story, similar to the Geronimo Stilton graphic novels.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Papercutz and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

I'm back with another comic book review and guys, this is probably my most anticipated read. Let me give you a little backstory before I begin, shall we? So child Ruby had the chance to discover comic books...erm... over 20 years ago. But she had no idea that girls read comic books, much less that it wasn't just for children. So she didn't take advantage of the chance. Because my first comic book, that I have no idea how I ended up owning, by the way, is Asterix and Cleopatra. Unfortunately I don't have it where I live now, otherwise I probably would have devoured it by now. Which brings us to today's review.

The minute I saw an Asterix comic on NetGalley, I knew I had to jump on it. I was fortunate enough to be granted my request, and here we are. Let's get started!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Should be Adapted into Netflix Shows/Movies

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Hello my dear readers! Finally, my favorite topic. I know, I know, it's not often that book adaptations are just as amazing as the source material, but since we're on a "should be" type of post, we can dream that our favorite books will have 5-star adaptations. Let's dive right in!

Book Review: Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

Author: Elizabeth Lim
Series: The Blood of Stars #1
Audience:  Young Adult
Genre: High Fantasy, Fairy tale retelling
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: July 9th 2019
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Netgalley

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

Spin The Dawn is one of the books I've been deathly afraid to read. The more of my friends were reading it and loving it, the more I was afraid of reading it. Thankfully ARC August happened and Soph @ Bookwyrming Thoughts had been lovingly and gently pestering urging me to add this book to my TBR, and since I also had the sequel, I decided this was the time. I did not expect to love this book as much as I did, and if you take nothing else from my review, know that I am very tempted to double my rating into a 10-cups rating, which I've never done. EVER. In 10 years of blogging. So there you have it. Let's get to it, shall we?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Loved but Never Reviewed

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Hello my dear readers! We've all done it. We've all read book we loved but never reviewed them on our blogs. I'm guilty of this. There's no real reason why some books end up reviewed on my blog while others don't. It's usually a matter of time. If I read a book just to read it, I usually move on to the next book and then the next, and by the time I remember to review certain books, I end up not remembering the finer details of the first book enough to write a proper review. It doesn't mean I completely forget about it, it just means I don't have enough material to write more than "omg I loved this". Let's start with the post though.

Comic Book Tuesday: Blackbird by Sam Humphries, Jen Bartel, Triona Farrell

Author: Sam Humphries, Jen Bartel (Artist), Triona Farrell (Colourist)
Series: Blackbird #1-6
Audience: +16
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: May 14th 2019
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Image Comics
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Nina Rodriguez knows a hidden magical world run by ruthless cabals is hiding in Los Angeles. When a giant magic beast kidnaps her sister, Nina must confront her past (and her demons) to get her sister back and reclaim her life. Don't miss the first collection of the smash-hit neo-noir fantasy series from fan-favorite writer SAM HUMPHRIES (Harley Quinn, Nightwing) and red-hot artist JEN BARTEL (Mighty Thor)!

Collects BLACKBIRD #1-6

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Trigger warning: substance abuse

Aside from books, I've collected some comic book ARCs over the last few months and I thought that it's finally time to read them. First up is this really interesting story by Sam Humphries, Jen Bartel, and Triona Farrell. Let's dive right into it.

Book Review: Chasing Bliss by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Nights in Bliss, Colorado #7
Audience:  +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment, LLC
Release Date: April 23rd 2019 (first published August 10th 2012)
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Social Butterfly PR

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Re-released in a second edition with new content.

Gemma Wells came to Bliss, Colorado, after a scandal cost her everything. Utterly lost, the disgraced attorney built walls so high that she thinks no one can get through them. She’s given up on love, friendship, and all matters of the heart.

Jesse McCann and Cade Sinclair have floated through life, enjoying the world around them, but never allowing themselves to become a part of it. One look at the pretty attorney and Jesse realizes he’s finally found a reason to stay put. Cade isn’t so sure. He’s crazy about her, but he also knows he doesn’t deserve her.

As they begin to find their way together, a dark secret from Gemma’s past threatens to wreck their futures. Her ex-fiancé is back, bringing danger with him, and their time is running out. Jesse and Cade have to melt this Ice Queen’s heart, or she might not leave Bliss alive.

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

I finally got to read Gemma's story, guys!! I'm so happy! I truly feel like my month is complete, and this is not me exaggerating. I come back to the world of Bliss, Colorado with a giant smile on my face each and every time, and with each book I finish, my smile gets bigger. This series has become sort of like my "reset" series: whenever I need to read something I know I'll love, I go to Bliss. Gemma's story is no different. Let me tell you all about it!