Enjoy this post from our new contributor Katie:

Last year I read 121 books. My goal was 75. This year my goal is still 75 but I want to do something a little different than just push myself to read as many books as I can. So I decided to take a reading challenge. The list that I decided to go with comes from Pop Sugar and it has a really nice variety of topics that I hope will provide a unique reading experience. Check it out here at  http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-Challenge-2016-39126431.

Not everything I read will be chosen in order to meet the challenge. For example, I read Super Mutant Magic Academy just for fun without intending to use it to check off a box, and it is now one of my favorite books.

Most of the books I read last year were graphic novels. Currently I read graphic novels almost constantly, but before last year this wasn’t the case. The library in my college town was woefully underfunded and graphic novels are expensive. I was overjoyed to find that our library here in Everett has a wonderful graphic novel selection that not only has many of my favorites but also allows me to find new and interesting ones to read. This is why I read The Wicked and the Divine Vol. 1: The Faust Act as “a book from the library” for the reading challenge. I want to help bring awareness to the amazing and diverse and beautiful story telling that is the graphic novel.

The Wicked and the Divine has been on my To-Read list for quite some time. When I saw that it was at the library I picked it up immediately. I was unprepared for just how much I was going to enjoy it. I’m frequently drawn to books that take interesting twists on mythology, such as the Percy Jackson series which is one of my favorites. The Wicked and the Divine takes place in a universe where 12 gods return to Earth every 90 years. They live for two years and then perish. In this particular cycle, each of the gods is a rock star. I found some similarities with their styles and certain current pop stars/celebrities today, but you’ll have to read it to find out which ones.

The main character is a mortal girl named Laura who follows the gods almost obsessively. She is a huge fan and tries to go as many concerts as she can. We are privy to her thoughts as she interacts with the gods and becomes involved in the dangerous world they inhabit. An interesting twist is that their divinity is not necessarily obvious. Much like current celebrities and pop stars, their god-like qualities could easily be attributed to stardom, loads of money, and special effects. Not everyone is convinced that they are in fact actually gods (though we the readers know better).

The gods cover a wide variety of pantheons. This current cycle has Lucifer (as a woman — my favorite), Sakhmet (my other favorite), Minerva, Baal and others as they get revealed through the story. As I read I became emotionally invested in these characters. It’s so easy to like them, but they are also complex. All of the gods and side characters are brought to life vividly by the beautiful and colorful artwork. It’s incredible. The storyline balances heartbreak and happiness with ease as the plot develops. I was unprepared for so much fun and drama, but I can’t wait to read more. I have a feeling that this series is going to break me (in a good way).