Abbreviations #68 | The Storm Runner, Sadie + Check, Please!: #Hockey

Zane Obispo has always enjoyed having a dormant volcano near his home, even though having only one good leg makes any exploration a little challenging. However, he would never have imagined that this volcano is actually a gateway to another world and that he happens to be at the center of a prophecy that involves him releasing an evil god from an ancient Maya relic. When Brooks, a new girl at his school, tells him that she's willing to help him avoid ending the world as they know it by finding and destroying the relic, he has no idea that he's about to embark on an adventure to save his beloved dog Rosie, uncover his own family lineage and encounter magic and mayhem along the way... The Storm Runner successfully takes the formula that Rick Riordan novels are well-known for, but incorporates Mayan mythology in a way that still feels fun, fresh and educational the reader. I didn't know too much about this lore going into it, but Cervantes made it accessible and easy to understand (though I admittedly still had to keep referring to the glossary of Mayan mythology to remember everyone correctly). She really succeeded in writing a story that was entertaining and funny, even as it brought to life all this lore that has existed for many years now - and I really liked it and would highly recommend checking it out.

The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes | Series: The Storm Runner #1 | Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents | Publication Date: September 18, 2018 | Source: ARC received from the publisher (Thank you!)

You may be surprised to see Sadie among my reviews, mostly because I so rarely read thrillers or mysteries. I was really intrigued by the cover when I first saw it and every time I saw someone I knew talk about it, I couldn't help being curious. It's why I ended up picking this one up, and I must say, it lived up to the hype that surrounds it for me! The novel centers around Sadie, who has been raising her younger sister Mattie in a very isolated small town all by herself. But her life falls apart when Mattie is found dead, and it's only the promise of bringing justice to her sister's killer that keeps her determined to keep pressing on. Apart from this timeline, the chapters alternate with podcast excerpts that are narrated by West McCray, who slowly traces Sadie's footsteps as he tries to figure out what happened to her before it's too late... Now, as mentioned, I don't read a lot in this genre, which meant that I was always unsure of what would happen next while I was reading Sadie. It made the unveiling of clues and events that much more intriguing and unexpected, which was thrilling to experience as a reader! I found it so compelling, despite being about something very difficult (trigger warnings for a lot of things: violence, murder, rape, abuse, drugs) to read. I definitely think Sadie was well-written, well-plotted and an intense reading experience on the whole.

Sadie by Courtney Summers | Publisher: Wednesday Books | Publication Date: September 4, 2018 | Source: ARC received from the publisher (Thank you!)

If you need a complete change of pace after reading something like Sadie (which is what happened to me), I'd highly recommend Check, Please! Formerly just a webcomic (that has two more years of Bitty's life up online, but I'm going to wait till it's in physical form to read that), this is the story of Eric "Bitty" Bittle, a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger and baker, who joins the Samwell University hockey team as a freshman. The first volume covers the first two years of his university life, both on the ice and off it, and it is utterly delightful. It had such a cute story, particularly focusing on how Bitty adjusts to his new circumstances and forms relationships with his teammates as the months go by. Plus, I just adore Bitty on the whole for being such a wonderful, positive human being who also bakes constantly! The only minor thing I'd mention were that I did find the pacing to be a little quick, but that really didn't bother me too much. On the whole, this graphic novel is wonderful and I would recommend checking it out!

Check, Please!: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu | Series: Check, Please! #1-2 | Publisher: First Second Books | Publication Date: September 18, 2018 | Source: ARC received from the publisher (Thank you!)