City of Stairs

author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/29
date added: 2015/06/29
shelves: sword-and-laser
review:
'City of Stairs' is the third Robert Jackson Bennett book I've read. This book is certainly different from the first two, but themes of the vast, scary unknown inhabit all three. He's definitely an author I enjoy reading.

When a murder happens in the city of Bulikov, a young "diplomat" and her "secretary" find themselves in the middle of something bigger than they initially thought. Shara Divani and strong silent Sigrud are in a city that Shara's city conquered, so there is enough bad blood to go around. Also, the city is home to six deities that are believed to be dead, but it seems that there may be folks who are trying to stir things up that should probably not be stirred up. Mix in an old flame of Shara's, a conniving aunt, a hidden city, and a warehouse full of strange miraculous items and you have some disparate ingredients that all fit together somehow.

Shara is cloak to Sigrud's dagger. She is all diplomacy and brains, he is all deadly killing machine. This is a pretty good pair of characters and I particularly liked that a man and a woman in a story can be partners without the need to always romantically involve them. They have a complex relationship that seems to go back years, but a complete respect for each other. The twists weren't so twisty to me, but they are nice surprises. All in all a very satisfying read, and another great book by Robert Jackson Bennett.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Crown Publishing, Broadway Books, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6; Witches #2)

author: Terry Pratchett
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1988
rating: 5
read at: 2015/06/29
date added: 2015/06/29
shelves: sword-and-laser
review:
'Wyrd Sisters' was a reread for me when the Sword and Laser book club on Goodreads picked it a couple months ago. I'm glad I took the time to reread it. It was just as funny as I remember it, and the satire was just as sharp.

You will get more out of this by understanding some Shakespeare (strong hints of Macbeth here), and some inkling of how theater troupes work. The three witches won't be stereotyped, but they tend to not bother with that, and even Death himself puts in a timely appearance.

You could do worse than to start your reading of the Discworld series here.


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Manga Classics: Great Expectations

author: Stacy King
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/06/29
date added: 2015/06/29
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
Manga Classics continues to put out great content with their adaptation of Great Expectations. This is a great adaptation with great art.

Young Pip helps an escaped prisoner near his home, and the act has the kind of repercussions he can't imagine. He lives with his sister and her blacksmith husband Joe. He his days visiting creepy Miss Haversham's house to play with the beautiful but distant Estella. When he gets older, he finds himself with an anonymous benefactor out to make him a gentleman. Pip finds himself on a new course in life, and he finds he has no time for those he's left behind. He's convinced his benefactor must be the strange Miss Haversham, and that she must be grooming him for Estella, but could he be wrong?

It's a pretty faithful adaptation of the story. I loved the art by Nokman Poon, especially the scenes of Miss Haversham's moldering house. The details of her rotting wedding dress and the cobwebbed feast are memorable indeed. The characters are all drawn unique enough to keep track of them, and it's a pretty big cast this time around. Crystal Chan's Japanese translation is translated back by Stacy King. The ending is a kind of compromise between the two known endings of the story, and that is discussed in an afterword. There is also some information about the artist and his character sketches. I can't say enough about how great this series really is.

I received a review copy of this manga from UDON Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this great manga.


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The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone

author: Shane McCarthy
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/29
date added: 2015/06/29
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone' features a pretty good story by Shane McCarthy and some great art by Guido Guidi. The book has a pretty epic storyline and some decent humor throughout to keep things light.

Drift is back. He's kind of played both sides, but was most recently with the Autobots. This time around he's on a mission of some sort until Ratchet shows up to try to corral him. When a couple prisoners that Drift collects spill a Decepticon plot, he and Ratchet set out to investigate. They find a couple Decepticons out to rule the world. They don't like each other, and they don't like Drift. Can Drift stop their plan without getting himself and Ratchet killed? Will Ratchet kill Drift first?

It plays out kind of like a cosmic buddy cop story and I liked it. Ratchet plays the straight man, kind of like the by the book partner, and Drift is out in space chasing down bad guys and doing his own thing, kind of like the out of control partner. There are some funny banterings between them as Ratchet can't believe the situations he's gotten himself in to.

I've read a few Transformers graphic novels. I was never the biggest fan. I've liked some books more than others. This falls into the like it more than others category. I like the characters. I really liked the art and detail of this book. The coloring pops off the page.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Stray Bullets Volume 2 Hc Somewhere Out West

author: David Lapham
name: Wayne
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2015/06/25
date added: 2015/06/25
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Stray Bullets Volume 1: Somewhere Out West' collects issues 8-14 of the comic book series by David Lapham. It's another over the top tale of violence and low lifes and I liked it.

The town of Seaside has a boardwalk, but no waterfront. They live in the hopes of a big California earthquake that will bring them the beach and make their property valuable. It's a town in the middle of nowhere populated by nobodys. This makes it the perfect town for Orson, Beth and Nina to hide from the mob in. They've got a suitcase full of drugs, or they did until Nina started helping herself. They have a nosy neighbor kid who is spying through the holes in their floor. They try to hide out and not go stir crazy. Can they stay below the radar, especially with Nina freaking out?

Seaside also has a big talking loser named Nick. He talks a good game, but he's not as lucky with the ladies as he lets on. He might get a chance at something if Beth and Nina have anything to say. He might be the distraction they need, but what goes up does come down, or does it?

It's all black and white art, and I like Lapham's style. The book is a series of stories that intertwine and weave around each other. Amy Racecar, the psychopath from the first volume, makes an appearance. The situations and violence are quirky and filled with dark humor. The characters are strange and the stuff of garishly bad dreams. I enjoyed the heck out of the first volume and this one too.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this very good graphic novel.


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Batman: Arkham Knight Vol. 1

author: Peter J. Tomasi
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/21
date added: 2015/06/21
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Batman: Arkam Knight Vol. 1' is a prequel to the game of the same name. It's a non-stop action ride as Batman and Bruce Wayne find themselves in a city in turmoil.

Arkham City was part of North Gotham and was the new incarnation of Arkham Asylum. As this story opens, that area has been shut down. The Joker is apparently dead, but even in death, he has some dangerous surprises planned. A badly injured Batman needs time to heal, as does the city of Gotham. Alfred convinces Bruce Wayne that the city needs him and not the Dark Knight. A shadowy vigilante hunts down criminals, but is also after the Batman. Harley Quinn and The Penguin sense an opportunity in the power vacuum and make their plays, but are they working together or separately. Poor Lucius Fox has a time of it in this book with various criminals hunting him and hurting him. Batman gets to say "Ich bin Fledermausmann!" while he's trying to save Lucius on a trip to Germany for a new batmobile.

It all whizzes by at a brisk pace, but it feels controlled and nothing feels too lost. There are threads left hanging, but I assume those are picked up in the game. Who is the shadowy vigilante? Will Robin learn the skills he needs to fight beside Batman? Will Bruce Wayne step up and be the leader that Gotham needs? What is the Scarecrow up to? These and others are asked, but not necessarily answered.

The art by Viktor Bogdanovic is good, but it's really Peter J. Tomasi's writing that is the focus and the star here. I really enjoyed reading this, and if there is a volume 2, I'm in.

I received a review copy of this grapic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this great graphic novel.


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Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland

author: Eric Shanower
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/06/18
date added: 2015/06/18
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland' is an attempt to update the Winsor McKay classic comic strip. I think Eric Shanower and Gabriel Rodriguez have done a fine job with what could have been pretty dated material.

King Morpheus' daughter is bored and demands a new playmate. When they find a young boy with the middle name of Nemo, she's reminded of a previous boy named Nemo. Only this Nemo is a bit resistant to join her. First off, he keeps having accidents and waking up on his way to the kingdom of Slumberland. Then he's a bit reluctant to have a playdate with a girl. Finally, he gets sidetracked by troublemaker Flip Flap and winds up being chased through a strange tower that seems like something out of an M. C. Escher painting. Will the princess find a new friend or will Nemo keep waking up and never meet her?

The first amazing thing about this series is the gorgeous art by Gabriel Rodriguez. The detail is just incredible. Eric Shanower's script is fun, but it might still be a bit dated for today's kids. It's a nice nostalgic romp for those who remember the decent animated film based on Little Nemo or are familiar with the McKay strip. If the cover draws you in, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from NetGalley, IDW Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this find graphic novel.


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Revival, Vol. 5 : Gathering Of Waters

author: Tim Seeley
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/18
date added: 2015/06/18
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Revival, Vol. 5: Gathering of Waters' by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton is the continuation of the complicated zombie story. I had heard a lot about it, but this was my first foray into it.

Revival day has happened in a rural Wisconsin town. The dead have come back to life and the town has been quarantined. The living are in with the Revivers. It's complicated because the revived are recently deceased love ones. A police officer is trying to figure out what is going on and a Reviver has found out she's pregnant. Along with that, we learn that the waters that the revived have come from are thawing and there are new species of revived. The final confrontation in the courthouse sets things up for future issues.

I like the story and characters. I like the concept. The returned are complex and intelligent, not just mindless eating machines. The plot seems set up for the long haul with ongoing complex stories. I love Mike Norton's art. Now I have to go back and catch up!

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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The Worrier's Guide to Life

author: Gemma Correll
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/14
date added: 2015/06/14
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Worrier's Guide to Life' by Gemma Correll is a laugh out loud look at our modern age and the kinds of things we find ourselves worrying about.

The book is broken up into sections like Health & Hypochondria and Whining and Dining and Ho-Ho-Holiday Horrors. Each section is a series of mostly one page gags. Many of them take familiar things, then riff them out to the extreme. There are a lot of gags about being a woman, but even though I don't carry a purse or use nail polish, I found the humor pretty accessible and hilarious. There are drawings of the Wheel of Insomnia or the Heart of an Introvert. We see other ideas for desserts like Death by Chocolate (Flesh Eating Virus by Fudge anyone?). We see less popular nail polish colors like Burnt Crab Cake and Nicotine Patch.

In a world where daily survival is no longer a worry, we still manage to stuff our heads full of things to worry about. Nothing in here is life or death, but rather a collection of first world problems. The sort of daily pet peeves and anxieties that we all think about and Gemma Correll has a lot of fun making fun of our phobias and products and quirks.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this humorous ebook.


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Pathfinder Vol. 3: City Of Secrets

author: Jim Zub
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/14
date added: 2015/06/14
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Pathfinder Volume 3: City of Secrets' continues to be a nice surprise. It's a comic book series based on an rpg system, and even though I'm not familiar with the rpg system, I like what they've done.

Our group of adventurers, led by Sorceror Seoni, finds themselves in the city of Magnimar. Wizard Ezren wants to seek out the Pathfinder Lodge to see if he can gain a seat there. Cleric Kyra wants to visit the temple of her god, in a rundown part of the city. Elf Merisiel wants to seek adventure, possibly on the other side of the law. Fighter Valeros just wants to have a good time, but before they can rest and relax, they find themselves wrapped up in a sinister mystery in the city. There are dark forces that want to take over the town. Can our party of heroes save the town of Magnimar?

Along the way, you get a flavor for places in the game with entries showing up telling you about the city or a part of town or the Pathfinder Lodge. I think it fleshes the story out as well. There are six characters in the story, but I think they keep the story mainly balanced. The book ends with a Variant Cover Gallery, which I did get to see, and the Pathfinder Chronicles RPG Appendix, which was not included in the review copy I had. Like I said, I don't play the game, but the fantasy adventure is a decent read for a fantasy fan. I like the characters and the situations they find themselves in.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Dynamite Entertainment, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Lucky Us

author: Amy Bloom
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.23
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2015/06/12
date added: 2015/06/12
shelves:
review:
'Lucky Us' by Amy Bloom is the story of two sisters and the various people that make up there lives during the course of the 1940s. Rather than luck, it's a series of misfortunes which comprise these lives.

When Eva's mother dumps her off with her real father and his family, Eva meets her stepsister Iris. Iris has ambitions to become a star in Hollywood, and before long, the girls set out to make Iris famous. When an event changes Iris' path, the girls, now with their father Edgar find themselves on the way to New York to start over working for a wealthy family. We meet the people that take Eva in: a family she works for, the owners of a beauty parlor where she sweeps and tells fortunes, and a kindly hairdresser from Hollywood who changes his life (for an unexplained reason) to help out Eva and Iris. We meet Danny, the boy who is adopted in an unconventional way, and Gus, who finds himself shipped all over the world during these dangerous times.

There was a point towards the beginning where I almost gave up. It really felt like the kind of story that wasn't for me and I had a hard time feeling much sympathy for Iris, but I think that's the point. Poor Eva gets put upon by her on way too many occasions. I actually ended up liking some of the supporting characters more than the foreground characters. I also liked the ending, so I'm glad I finished it. Overall, not a great read, but not a bad one either.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Unicorn on a Roll (Heavenly Nostrils, #2)

author: Dana Simpson
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/12
date added: 2015/06/12
shelves: children-s, graphic-novels
review:



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The Bigger Bang

author: Vassilis Gogtzilas
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.65
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2015/06/09
date added: 2015/06/09
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Bigger Bang' sets out to tell a big cosmic story and mostly succeeds, but it gets bogged down by a messy, sometimes confusing art style.

Cosmos, our protagonist, was created when a catastrophe occurred. He's nigh indestructible, and feels badly about the event that caused his creation. Because of that, he spends his time flying around in space trying to save folks and redeem himself. When an evil ruler named King Thulu has his plans accidentally thwarted by Cosmos, he sets out to destroy him or recruit him. Cosmos seems oblivious that someone might cause him harm since he spends his time feeling mopey about his origin.

I liked the story in it's bold approach. It doesn't take itself that seriously and I think that works in it's favor. What doesn't work is the sort of bashed together looking art. It seems rushed and sketchy and unfinished. Maybe others will like it better than I did. I did like the designs of the many different alien races, and it was an interesting approach to the all powerful superhero story, but I can't recommend it based on the art choices.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Civil War Adventure

author: Chuck Dixon
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/09
date added: 2015/06/09
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Civil War Adventures, Book One' is a series of illustrated retellings of stories from the Civil War. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

The stories are told in no particular order. The book provides a timeline of the war and shows when the stories take place there. There are stories of snipers and farmboys and fathers who find themselves in the path of war. There are letters to loved ones. We meet Mosby who made a famous raid behind enemy lines. We meet deserters who only want to get home to sick family and failing crops. We meet Darnel Dingus who seems to have managed to make it into a famous painting for his lack of brains.

Many of the stories are prefaced with brief information. It seems like the stories are more from the Confederacy side of things, but I think a lot of the experiences were not uncommon. It feels a bit like these were cut out of a larger work and pasted back in a different order. It gives some of the stories a strange or abrupt ending, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. I loved the art. It's very detailed and at times has a bit of caricature feel, but it brings everything to life very well.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Dover Publications and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.



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Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin, #2)

author: Robin LaFevers
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/07
date added: 2015/06/07
shelves: young-adult
review:
'Dark Triumph' by Robin LaFevers is the second book in the His Fair Assassin series. The author keeps the series fresh by continuing the story but from another character's perspective.

This time around we learn more about Sybella, who has been returned to her father's household to spy. She's been promised the opportunity to assassinate her father. When she learns the Beast of Waroch is held captive in her father's dungeon, she sets out to return him to the duchess with news of her father's plans. Things go awry, and Sybella finds herself on the run. Allies and enemies are all around, and Sybella is harsh and untrusting, but she has every reason. Her hatred of her father is equally justified which makes her a formidable weapon for the convent and the duchess.

Ismae was a good narrator in the first book, but Sybella has more steel in her spine. As in the first book, there is romance, but not enough for me to find offputting. I like this interesting corner of history, and the way the author uses it. In an afterword, the author discusses where she bent history to keep interesting things happening in the story. I think I liked this sequel better than the first book.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Southern Bastards, Vol. 2: Gridiron

author: Jason Aaron
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/07
date added: 2015/06/07
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Southern Bastards, Vol. 2: Gridiron' takes us back to Craw County, home of the Runnin' Rebs football team, and their local crime kingpin Euless Boss. It's just as good as the first volume, and the story makes a sort of sympathy turn.

This time around we meet young Euless Boss as he is trying to make the high school football team. He's got daddy issues. He wants to make his dad proud, and his dad is, well, sort of a piece of work. The coach is convinced that young Boss can't make the team, but he is determined. He also finds an unlikely ally in Ol' Big, the team's blind ballboy. Ol' Big can get him on the team, but Boss' father won't be happy about it since Ol' Big is black. Boss and Big form an alliance that will last to the present. Boss will also make a decision about his father that will echo into the present as well.

We see the makings of a man here. It puts a sympathetic spin on the Boss backstory, but he's still not a nice guy. A cool touch is the foreward by Ryan Kalil, the center for the Carolina Panthers. while not quite as strong as the first volume, this is another solid entry in the series, and continues to set up events to come with the continued foreshadowing of the return of Earl Tubb's daughter looming on the horizon.

I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributrs, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Rat Queens, Vol. 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth

author: Kurtis J. Wiebe
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/07
date added: 2015/06/07
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Rat Queens, Vol 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth' is my first foray into the world of the Rat Queens. It collects issues 6-10 of the series, but you should really start at the beginning.

The book starts with the aftermath of previous adventures, and the Queens are enjoying various night time activities. They get called in to the town magistrates office and rewarded for past and future work on behalf of the town of Palisade. All this peace and wealth isn't bound to last though. Before long something evil has been called forth to take over the town, and the Rat Queens find themselves caught up in saving a town that may not appreciate them all that much. The manifestation of these beings causes the Queens to have strange flashbacks, which probably helps to fill in character backstory. More than one character has to come to terms with their past.

The story kind of jumps around, which I found a bit confusing. I would recommend starting with Volume 1, as there is some necessary backstory that you'd probably appreciate having. I'd also advise that the content falls into probably more of an R rating if we were using movie ratings. I still enjoyed it though and look forward to reading more.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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100 Skills for the End of the World as We Know It

author: Ana Maria Spagna
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/05
date added: 2015/06/05
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'100 Skills for the End of the World as We Know It' by Ana Maria Spagna is a different sort of prepper's guide. At first, I was a little confused, but it grew on me.

This book won't teach you much about what to do when there is a crisis, but it does compile a good list of skills that might come in handy, like bartering, cheesemaking, negotiating, and tailoring. It doesn't even claim to be a comprehensive list. Some of the skills seem a bit duplicated with others, but some skills have double meanings. Each skill is given a full page illustration, and a few paragraphs. A few skills are expanded upon with extra pages showing how to tie knots or make tent shelters out of canvas for example.

The illustrations are homespun and colorful The descriptions are friendly in description while making a case for the skill. In no case would this book make you close to prepared for a major disaster. This is a prepper's guide for a kinder, gentler apocalypse. In these pages we get a glimpse of what pioneer communities might have looked like 100 years ago or so. There are no armed enclaves or militias here. The reader is encouraged to act civilly towards other folks in need. Think of this more like a reflective career guide for the end of the world. What skills will you learn to help rebuild the world?

I received a review copy of this ebook from Storey Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom

author: Cory Doctorow
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/05
date added: 2015/06/05
shelves:
review:
'Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom' by Cory Doctorow has been on my to-be-read pile. So when my bookclub picked it as an alternate, I was happy to have a reason to read it.

It's the future, and people can live a long time. They can also shelve themselves for long sleeps and wake up later. Jules and his girlfriend work in Disney World as "ad-hocs" tuning the Haunted Mansion and trying to accumulate a kind of status that can be accessed by others. When your status drops too low, you become a sort of non-person. When another attraction threatens the Mansion, Jules decides to fight back. When someone has Jules killed, this just upsets him more (it is his fourth death after all). The race between the two attractions becomes a fight of new technology versus maintaining artistic purity, which ends up making Jules truly down and out in the Magic Kingdom.

The author's familiarity with the attractions and functions within the parks was fun. I also liked the kind of loopy future world envisioned here. This was fun.


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Legendary Service: The Key is to Care

author: Ken Blanchard
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/05
date added: 2015/06/05
shelves: non-fiction-business
review:
'Legendary Service: The Key is to Care' is another winner from Ken Blanchard. His co-writers are Vicoria Halsey and Kathy Cuff.

The concepts are told in story form. Young Kelsey is taking a business course on customer service. At the same time, she is working for a retail store named Ferguson's that is facing stiff competition when an aggressive competitor is moving into the area. Kelsey gets to see what makes good customer service on the job and also as a customer at her grandmother's physical therapy clinic. She tries to make changes at work, but the management is determined not to make service a focus. Will Kelsey win the day or be forced to go her own way?

The lessons are laid out in a model called ICARE. The way the story is told builds on each step of the model. This would be a good book for service teams to read. As someone who supports internal customers and wants to give great service, I think the concepts are solid and the delivery is pretty digestible. Recommended for anyone who wants to up their game in service.

I received a review copy of this ebook from McGraw-Hill Professional and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown (Edward Scissorhands, #1)

author: Kate Leth
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/03
date added: 2015/06/03
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown' by Kate Leth with art by Drew Rausch is a pretty great sequel to the movie.

The story picks up with the final scenes from the movie and moves ahead two generations. Kim (the character played by Wynona Ryder) has died after a long life, but her daughter and grandaughter still live nearby. Edward still lives in the house on the hill, and the people down below still think he's a murderer. When he is roaming the house one day, he makes a discovery. This leads to a mistake, and a new strange creature is unleashed on the town below, but is he gentle like Edward or more malicious?

Drew Rausch's art for this are perfect! There are even some nods to other Tim Burton works (I know I saw Oogie Boogie in there somewhere). I felt like the story was a perfect sequel to the movie, and I loved how it picked right up again. Edward is still as sweet and misunderstood as ever. I really liked this one.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to read this great graphic novel.


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Knight Rider (Knight Rider, Vol. 1)

author: Geoffrey Thorne
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.57
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2015/06/03
date added: 2015/06/03
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Knight Rider, Vol. 1' is a sort of reboot of the original series, and this volume serves as a sort of origin story.

The story starts with Michael Knight out on a date with scientist Katherine. He's got a smart car, but it's not quite the one we know yet. They all work for a shadow organization and Katherine is in charge of Project:Rider, a top secret project that seems to have to do with the car that Michael drives. When they are attacked, they learn of a betrayal within their very organization. The car goes through a few upgrades and becomes more familiar to those who have watched the show.

Except the car seems to have a weird affectation, that I won't spoil here. It just made the whole story a bit strange. Then there is Michael acting touchy-feely. The origin story is the first four issues, then there is a different additional story with different art. It seems like it's got something workable, but based on this, I'm not so sure.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Get in Trouble

author: Kelly Link
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2015/06/02
date added: 2015/06/02
shelves:
review:
'Get in Trouble' is a new collection of short stories by Kelly Link. She's a unique talent and it's on full display here.

Kelly Link's worlds are inhabited by ghost actors, strange Summer visitors, robot boyfriends, and conventions full of superheroes and dentists. You'll find familiar and exotic locales, like rural North Carolina, or an abandoned theme park based on the Wizard of Oz, or a remote island where communication is cut off.

And yet, her worlds are inhabited by frail, normal people. We see that even though her worlds are filled with wonder, the people populating them are still prone to doing and saying the wrong thing, or wanting love, or feeling melancholy. Isn't that a reflection of our own world? Are we not surrounded by the wonderful and left only floating a few feet off the ground when we could be soaring?

If you're not familiar with Kelly Link, this is a great place to start. Her stories dwell in the fantastical but are so very grounded. Her style reminds me of Raymond Carver and Flannery O'Connor, but with elements of the strange thrown in for seasoning. Some might dismiss this based on the SF elements, but they'd be missing out on a great collection of stories.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review such a wonderful ebook.


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The Peculiar State

author: Patricio Pron
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.40
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/02
date added: 2015/06/02
shelves:
review:
'The Peculiar State' by Patricio Pron, and translated by Kathleen Heil is one of the entries by Vintage in their Vintage Shorts series. In it's few pages, it manages to pack a lot in.

A writer who doesn't write is living in Hamburg with his girlfriend, a statistician. She tries to get him to engage in anything. He won't read, and she has a statistic for that, among other things.

She decides to come up with a strange game involving travelling separately to a strange city. They can't go to the major tourist spots, and aren't allowed guidebooks. They are just to wander around until they find each other. She keeps stats on this. She begins to wonder what will happen if they don't find each other.

There aren't many pages, but I kept thinking about the story after it was over. It's not a fast paced story, but it is a quick read. And yet, there is a depth to it that spoke to me.

I was given a review copy of this ebook by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, vintage, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Nightlife: Hazardous Material

author: Matthew Quinn Martin
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/06/01
date added: 2015/06/01
shelves:
review:
'Nightlife: Hazardous Material' is a short novel from part of another series. It works fine as a standalone novel and isn't too bad.

Jarrod Foster is a struggling graphic artist. Meaning he is out of money and desperate to take any kind of job, including demolition of old buildings. On one job, he discovers a hidden treasure of old arcade games. But why are they hidden and boarded up in a wall, and why has someone written 'Die demon, die' near one called Polybius?

Jarrod ignores all the rules of horror and takes the weird video game home and puts it in his house. He thinks he can sell it and make money, but not before the game attempts to consume him by making him play the game and do dangerous stuff.

It all might tie in to events from years ago, and the articles and reports strewn between some chapters give glimpses of what has happened, and what might happen to Jarrod.

It's a creepy story that's not so much grotesque and surprising, as it is subtle and frightening. Jarrod seems to be aware of what is happening, and seems to be powerless to battle against it. A lot happens in a short page count, and I had fun looking up the game Polybius after I finished reading the book. Strange and creepy fun.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books, Pocket Star, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Angry Birds / Transformers: Age of Eggstinction

author: John Barber
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.86
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2015/06/01
date added: 2015/06/01
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Angry Birds/Transformers: Age of Eggstinction' isn't a crossover so much as a mashup. It works in a sort of loopy way, and I think kids who are familiar with both properties would tend to like this.

In a prologue with very different art and a more somber and serious tone, the Transformers manage to lose the Allspark. Changing location and art style, we learn that it has landed on Piggie Island in the world of Angry Birds. Whenever birds or pigs touch the now christened 'Eggspark' they are transformed into hybrid robot/animal creatures patterned after well known Transformers. The biggest change these creatures face is suddenly having arms and legs. When the birds precious eggs come in contact with the mysterious Eggspark, then birds and pigs must band together to save the island. Or will the pigs try to be treacherous as always?

When I signed up to read this, I wasn't sure how it would work. Traditional teamups or crossovers have the two different teams working side by side, but that didn't seem possible in this case. The resulting mashup style works pretty good. The humor is not bad with Angry Birds and Transformers type humor happening. Familiarity with both sets of characters is probably a must. By the end it all feels a bit outplayed, but it's not too bad, and probably a fun romp for kids in the 7 to 9 year old range.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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