Hello! I’m here with another installment in my Buzzword Readathon series. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
*As I went through a large period of burnout in terms of reading and reviewing, several posts, including the last three of my Buzzword read-a-thon series, will be coming in quick succession before the new year. Descriptions and thoughts about books will be lacking. I want to start fresh in 2023, so expect 4-5 posts from me in the next few days. Burnout is real, and while I do have some of my motivation back I need to plan better in order to not lose my love of reading and reviewing again in the future.*
This is the tenth post in my Buzzword-a-thon series for 2022. In case you’re new here, Buzzword-a-thon (or Buzzword Readathon) was originally created by Kayla at the YouTube channel booksandlala. It centers around readers choosing books that include specific words or ‘types’ of words. This is the second year where all 12 prompts were selected in advance and it’s being loosely hosted once a month on sites like Goodreads and Storygraph. Last year had an even split of specific words and themed-words alternating every month, but this year it’s more themed-based with a few original buzzword categories making a reappearance from past read-a-thons. In 2022, I’ve challenged myself to read at least one book that satisfies the prompt every month, and suggesting books I’ve read previously that would also fulfill it within these posts. October’s theme was “creatures,” and while I could have chosen The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, which is an lovely romance novel, I decided to choose a graphic novel that warranted a reread for this prompt.
Book(s) read in October: Teen Titans: Raven, Teen Titans: Beast Boy, and Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven by Kami Garcia (art by Gabriel Picolo)
As a kid I absolutely loved the Teen Titans television show, and would talk about it with my friends at recess. Animated cartoon shows were a big part of my childhood. So when my friend told me that DC comics was starting a graphic novel series featuring the Teen Titans characters, I ordered some from a local indie. It took me until last year, 2021, to finally pick up the first book, Teen Titans: Raven, but I appreciated how the story took on a path of its own while keeping the feel of the characters intact. For this prompt I reread the first two, Raven and Beast Boy, so I read Beast Boy Loves Raven for the first time. It was cool getting to see Beast Boy and Raven interact for the first time, and how their paths intersect because of their individual supernatural abilities. I think we might even have gotten a glimpse into Robin’s story, which will be the next installment of the series coming out in 2023. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this series brings.
In conclusion, two posts left.
Where to find Teen Titans: Raven
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Kami Garcia’s site and Gabriel Picolo’s Twitter
Additional Recommendations:
–The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (YA novel in verse)
–Bluebird by Sophie Cameron (YA historical fiction)
–Dragonblood Ring by Amparo Ortiz (YA fantasy)
–Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun (Graphic novel)
–For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten (NA/Adult fantasy)
–The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver (YA contemporary)
–How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell (Middle-grade fantasy)
–The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda Hall (YA fantasy)
–Wolfsong and Ravensong by T.J. Klune (Adult paranormal romance)
–Running With Lions by Julian Winters (YA contemporary)
–The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney by Suzanne Harper (YA contemporary)
–Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly (Middle-grade contemporary)
–Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman (YA contemporary)
–These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling (YA fantasy)
Thoughts About Things 