Tag Archives: graphic novels

Review: Graphic Novel Roundup

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! That time when we all start freaking out about meeting our Goodreads goal. I had some rather wonderful changes happen this year which left me with much less time for reading. I had to lower my Goodreads goal twice and I am still reading half of what I usually read! Admittedly, I read quite a few graphic novels this year to even make that measly goal. So here I am to share with you some mini reviews of said graphic novels! Also, I want to make sure everyone knows about Hoopla! Hoopla is available through your local library (if you are lucky, like me) and it allows you to borrow movies, videos, music and audiobooks straight from your browser, tablet, or smartphone. The graphic novels look AMAZING on my iPad, I almost prefer them to the print! That is how I read most of the books featured in this review!

monstressTitle: Monstress

Author: Marjorie M. Liu

Genre: Fantasy, Horror

Series Information: 1 collected edition (so far)

Source: My public library via Hoopla

I waited to pick up Monstress and I was so worried that it wouldn’t live up to the hype. Boy was I wrong to wait. Monstress was amazing. It has such a deep and interesting plot with so many layers, and the artwork is absolutely stunning. This was one of those graphic novels that kept me guessing throughout, and kept me wanting more from all of the characters. The ending completely blew me away and I absolutely need to know more. In a few words, it was vibrant, intriguing and one of the best graphic novels I have ever read.

wdTitle: The Wicked & The Divine

Author: Kieron Gillen

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Paranormal

Series Information: 4 collected editions (so far)

Source: My public library via Hoopla

I am somewhat all over the place with my opinions on The Wicked & The Divine so let me share with you my initial review of the first two collected editions: I barely knew what was happening for the first half of this graphic novel. However, things came together and I was very impressed. I read this using Hoopla and the artwork blew me away, it was so stunning. Too impressive for words, really. Overall, it was an entertaining read, and I look forward for what’s to come. Then, upon reading book three, I wasn’t sure that I was going to continue on with the story as I found it to be so underwhelming, and the artwork was lacking the vibrant nature of books one and two. Finally, I just finished the fourth collected edition and wow! I absolutely could not stop reading. Everything came back together and the beautiful artwork returned and I could absolutely not put it down. I need to see where this series goes. As long as you can power through that third collected edition, you will be rewarded. Definitely recommended!

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On the Same Page: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

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Hello my friends! This month the gals and I read American Gods by Neil Gaiman! It should come as no surprise to you that I love, love, LOVED it. It is well known that I am a Neil Gaiman fangirl. Therefore, it is no question that people usually come to me and ask questions like, “If I wanted to start reading Neil Gaiman books, where should I begin?” This question is generally so hard to answer because Neil Gaiman is such an interesting author, he writes all types of books, for all ages and levels of enjoyment. Due to his eclectic nature, I think that it is important  to do a reference interview of sorts before recommending any of his books, you may read something by him and loathe it, but then pick up something else he wrote and fall in love. Keeping that in mind I decided I would put together a little guide on Gaiman. If you don’t know where to start, read on and let me help!

If you like fairy tales…read Stardust:

Stardust is much more than a fairy tale, and given Gaiman’s nature it holds a lot of so called “horror” aspects as well. Stardust is a coming of age novel, a novel about family. It is also a story about different kinds of love. Like those feelings of “love” that really turn out to be just being in love with the idea of who you want someone to be and not who they really are. Stardust has witches, fallen stars, and pirates. It’s filled with intrigue, bravery, witty banter, and a sweet romance. The best thing that I can say about Stardust is that it is often compared to The Princess Bride by William Goldman, how can a review get any higher than that? If you enjoy fairy tales, witty main characters, and novels filled with light and dark moments, then Stardust is the book for you.

If you want to laugh out loud…read Good Omens (co-written with Terry Pratchett):

Good Omens is, in a word, brilliant. I am unfamiliar with the work of Terry Pratchett (I know, I KNOW) but I am looking to pick up his Discworld series immediately due to my love for Good Omens. In a nutshell, Good Omens is a story about the coming of the apocalypse. It’s the story of the angel Aziraphale and demon Crowley, who would rather it didn’t interfere with their very spoiled lives, thank you very much. What comes next is a novel full of shenanigans from a mass of people who are trying to prevent the end of the world, not to mention find the Antichrist who is somewhere, being raised by a rather regular sort of family. Hilarity ensues, as Aziraphale and Crowley do their best to save the world while also trying to maintain some sort of dignity. If you can, listen to the full cast audio of this one as it is rather fantastic.

If you need something to read aloud to the kids…read Fortunately, the Milk:

I say read this aloud to your kids but if I am being honest I laughed out loud to myself while reading this while on the train home from NYC. Fortunately, the Milk is a great read aloud as it is funny and quick, not to mention the fact that it is filled with wonderful illustrations. Fortunately, the Milk is a hilarious story of time travel, and dinosaurs, and of the love of a father who really just wants to get home to his kids who are obviously in dire need of some milk for their morning breakfast.

If you like fables, mythology, superheroes and some philosophy…read Sandman:

That’s right. Sandman has all of these things and more. I wasn’t much of a reader of graphic novels before I picked up Sandman, but now I am completely hooked. So much happens throughout this series but ultimately the reader is taken on many journeys through many different places and time. We travel through Hell at one point, and Shakespeare’s time, and to an inn at the world’s end. We meet some superheroes, and some different gods and goddesses. I love this series so much because so much happens in each volume that re-reads are absolutely inevitable. Our main character, Morpheus, is one of the seven Endless (Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Despair, Delirium) and as our title character much of the story revolves around his troubles. The only thing (potentially) negative is that I want MORE from the other Endless. NEED more, please. Continue reading →

Book Hoarder’s Anonymous: Best of 2014

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Let’s get a little personal for a minute…2014 wasn’t the best year for me. In truth, it was actually one of the hardest years of my life, and quite frankly there were moments I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it through. It was a year I spent in a long distance relationship (that is, after living together for 5 years, we were forced to live 4 hours apart due to career choices). It was the year I obtained my DREAM JOB, and also the year I lost said DREAM JOB only a month later. It was the year I had to reevaluate everything I had been working toward for years, I was forced to make decisions that nearly had me throwing up from anxiety, but I did it, and am better for it. 2014 was filled with angst and “I don’t think I can do this anymore” moments, but it was also filled with so much love. It was one of those years where it was imperative to surround myself with loved ones who could help carry the burdens I was attempting to shoulder. Those of you who read my blog know that Amy (Tripping Over Books), Brittany (The Book Addict’s Guide) and myself are very close. To be quite honest, I cannot put down in words how much these two have helped me over the past year. They listen to the same stories over and over, always offering encouragement and support. They often offer to Avada Kadavra anyone who is annoying/hurting me and most importantly, they remind me of my strengths. They are quite literally, sunshine on my cloudy days. To come full circle, I will remind you all that the three of us wouldn’t be friends if we had not started blogging, we would not be here as a group to offer you our #samepage feature, and I would be missing an integral part of the person I am today. I feel blessed to have the kind of people in my life who have become soul friends. Despite the darkness of 2014, I look forward to what 2015 will bring.

Now, let’s get into the more bookish stuff, shall we?

lies

Overall favorite book of 2014: This is a hard one, but I think The Lies of Locke Lamora. I will leave you with my initial review: So very good. Incredible, even. It was as if The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Kingkiller Chronicles had a baby. The relationships were some of the best that I have ever read, loyalty at its best. The plot was driven, and interesting, Lynch left clues throughout that made up a very detailed plot. Also it must be said, the language was fantastic! Some may find curses to be vulgar, but let me tell you, The Lies of Locke Lamora is enriched by stellar insults and perfectly timed sailor language. In short, read this book, read it now.

Favorite BAMF: Well I am just getting into the (long) series but I really love Nynaeve and Egwene from The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. They were especially coming into their own in book two, The Great Hunt and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Favorite debut author: Rosamund Hodge. I loved Cruel Beauty so much, the writing and the darkness of the story were all things that spoke to me.

woods

Books with Pictures: Definitely Through the Woods by Emily Carroll. It was GORGEOUSLY illustrated and written and completely an “Alyssa” book.

BFF: I should say BFFs, as in bromances, because Locke and Jean take the cake for this one. I love their friendship immensely!

Most swoon-worthy lad: OH, Jared from The Lynburn Legacy. I loved him so much that upon finishing book one in the series, I immediately picked up the third and fourth. Continue reading →

Review: The Unwritten Series by Mike Carey

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Title: The Unwritten Series

Author: Mike Carey

Publishing Information: Volume 1 published January 12th 2010 by Vertigo

Genre: Adult, Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Mystery, Horror

Series Information: 10 Volumes

Format: Paperback, 144 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Readers who enjoy the Fables series by Bill Willingham, or those of you looking to foray into reading graphic novels without being overwhelmed by back issues and superheroes.

Related Reviews: Fables by Bill Willingham

Tom Taylor’s life was screwed from go. His father created the Tommy Taylor fantasy series, boy-wizard novels with popularity on par with Harry Potter. The problem is Dad modeled the fictional epic so closely to Tom’s real life that fans are constantly comparing him to his counterpart, turning him into the lamest variety of Z-level celebrity. In the final novel, it’s even implied that the fictional Tommy will crossover into the real world, giving delusional fans more excuses to harass Tom.

When an enormous scandal reveals that Tom might really be a boy-wizard made flesh, Tom comes into contact with a very mysterious, very deadly group that’s secretly kept tabs on him all his life. Now, to protect his own life and discover the truth behind his origins, Tom will travel the world, eventually finding himself at locations all featured on a very special map — one kept by the deadly group that charts places throughout world history where fictions have impacted and tangibly shaped reality, those stories ranging from famous literary works to folktales to pop culture. And in the process of figuring out what it all means, Tom will find himself having to figure out a huge conspiracy mystery that spans the entirety of the history of fiction.

The series starts off great, upon finishing volume one I immediately wanted to continue on in order to find out where the story was going. I loved Tommy as a character, he is incredibly flawed but perseveres through the continuous trials he is put through. Richie and Lizzie are secondary characters in the series but they are both given thorough story arcs that I loved. Lizzie is given a great backstory and Richie is provided an excellent story arc that really makes his character change and grow. Basically, no one is safe, which I love!

The best part about this series is that while telling a new story (that maybe has underlying aspects found in Harry Potter, just a little), Carey also brings in fantastic aspects from “classic” literature such as Moby Dick, Aesop’s Fables, and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Obviously, as an English major, this was right up my alley!

If I am being completely honest, it was volume 9, The Unwritten: Fables showing up on Netgalley that originally got me to start the entire Unwritten series. I had never heard of The Unwritten, but I am a lover of the Fables universe by Bill Willingham, so naturally when I saw that they were doing a crossover I had to jump on the chance to read it. I quickly ran to my library and checked out The Unwritten volumes 1-8 and read them in very short time. I am happy to say that I am now a lover of the series and I anticipate when volume 10 will be available.

For those of you who are debating trying out graphic novels, or for those of you looking for a unique and creative twist on some classic literature, you should definitely pick these up as soon as possible! Although they didn’t take the cake for my favorite graphic novel series, they’re certainly coming in at a close second.

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Review: Peter and Max by Bill Willingham

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Title: Peter and Max

Author: Bill Willingham

Publishing Information: October 13th 2009 by Vertigo

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Folk Tales

Series information: Standalone – but companion to the Fables graphic novels by Willingham

Format: Hardcover, 400 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Readers looking for a darker retelling of some well known fables

This story stars Peter Piper and his incorrigible brother Max in a tale about jealousy, betrayal and revenge. Set in two distinct time periods, prepare to travel back to medieval times and learn the tragic back-story of the Piper family, a medieval-era family of traveling minstrels. Then, jump into the present to follow a tale of espionage as Peter Piper slowly hunts down his evil brother for a heinous crime, pitting Peter’s talents as a master thief against Max’s dark magical powers.

Based on the long-running and award-winning comic book series FABLES, PETER AND MAX is its own tale. Readers don’t have to be familiar with the comics to fully enjoy and understand this book.

As you all know I love, love, LOVE Bill Willingham and his Fables! When I heard Bill Willingham had another piece of literature coming out I was very excited. Upon further reading I found that this was a novel set in the Fables land and that it would provide some background to different characters such as Bigby wolf (marry me?) and Frau Totenkinder so clearly I had to own it!

Peter and Max is the story of two siblings, Peter and Max Piper, the sons of a traveling family of minstrels. The story alternates between the present, where Peter and his wife Bo Peep are living in a quiet area of Fabletown and the past, where both Peter and Max partake in many adventures and trials that mold them into the adults they become. In the present day, Peter gets word that his evil brother Max has resurfaced in their world and takes off to find him and kill him once and for all.

The flashes from their childhood shows the friendships between the Piper and Peep family, especially the close ties between Bo and Peter. One evening, Peter’s father gives him the magical flute, Frost that has been handed down to the eldest son in each family for generations. The only problem is that Peter is not the eldest brother, Max is. Peter is the best musician, which is why their father deems him worthy to wield Frost, but Max becomes extremely jealous and soon hatred starts to eat away at him. Soon, the families are forced to flee due to the Adversary’s men infringing on their land and the families become separated in the Black Forest. Peter grows into a courageous, well-rounded man and eventually finds some sense of peace. Max, on the other hand, meets up with an ally who gives him his own flute, one he names Fire, becomes the famous Pied Piper of Hamelin and seeks to kill both Peter and Bo.

One of the best things about this book is the way in which Willingham takes what would be considered nursery rhymes and twists them into something dark, mysterious and epic. Willingham manages to re-write Peter Piper, who both eats a pickled pepper and stuffs his wife in a pumpkin shell, the story of Little Bo Peep, who does lose her sheep in a rather dark way, and the Pied Piper, who rids the town of more than rats; while also introducing new plots and background stories for beloved Fables characters before they changed their ways to fight on the side of good and not evil! A fun side note: I am pretty sure that McTavish from Down the Mysterly River makes a silent and brief cameo in this book and I couldn’t help but smile.

Though I don’t think Mr. Willingham should put aside his Fables and work strictly on novels I have to say that I loved this book and I believe that it would be enjoyable to readers who haven’t read and loved his Fables series. However, for those of you who have read Fables and are picking Peter and Max up for the first time you should know this book fits in right after Fabletown’s attack on The Adversary and Peter and Bo both play their own parts in the war by the end of the novel.