The Final Empire | Poster illustration #1

Here is the first of many (hopefully) illustrations I will be posting during the year. I will be posting a series of illustrations of my favorite books as the year goes on. I am hoping to have one book illustration every week. Let's see if I could accomplish that. 

For the first illustration I mad The Final Empire, the first book in the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. This book was my introduction into Sanderson's world and I couldn't have picked a better book. This has to be one of my favorite books of all time. 

Summary: In a world where ash falls from the sky, and mist dominates the night, an evil cloaks the land and stifles all life. The future of the empire rests on the shoulders of a troublemaker and his young apprentice. Together, can they fill the world with color once more?
In Brandon Sanderson's intriguing tale of love, loss, despair and hope, a new kind of magic enters the stage - Allomancy, a magic of the metals. (goodreads)

Do you guys have any suggestions of what I should make next? I may be able to make it for one of the weeks. 

The Monstrumologist | Review 2015

The Monstrumologist (The Monstrumologist #5) by Rick Yancey   

Genre: Horror/YA
Release Date: July 20, 2010 
Rating: 
Summary:These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me.
 So starts the diary of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of monsters. In his time with the doctor, Will has met many a mysterious late-night visitor, and seen things he never imagined were real. But when a grave robber comes calling in the middle of the night with a gruesome find, he brings with him their most deadly case yet.
 A gothic tour de force that explores the darkest heart of man and monster and asks the question: When does man become the very thing he hunts? (Goodreads)

I think if I would have picked up this book earlier last year I may have enjoyed it. But sadly this was not the case.

I did think the story had potential and it was and interesting idea. The idea of people study monsters was what pulled me into the book.  The thing that threw me off were the characters. The characters didn't feel right. The Monstrumologist felt to be too forceful. It felt like the author was trying to make him a sorta Sherlock character and Will Henry to be his Watson, it failed for me.

I didn't think it would be realistic that an adult would be that naive towards a young child even in the time period the book was set into. Another thing that I felt misguided was thinking that there would be more creatures in the novel and there weren't. I felt that the book needed more action.

This story wasn't for me. I will not be continuing the series.

February 2015 | Wrap up

I have completed 7 books of the of the 12 books I wanted to read during the month. I think it's a good number. Very happy with what I read during the month. 

Novels:

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson - 3.5/5

The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson - 5/5

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - 4/5 (15 books of 2015 Challenge)

Red Dragon by Thomas Harris - 4/5 (15 books of 2015 Challenge)

The Martian by Andy Weir - 5/5

On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves - 4/5

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb -4/5

Fairest by Marissa Meyer - 3/5

Comics: 

Spider-Gwen #1 by Jason Latour - 5/5

Challenges:

I tried to participate in #ProjectTBR this month but I only got to finish 2 books in my list. I am still happy with what I read. 

Let's see how the new month goes.