Night and the Enemy

author: Harlan Ellison
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.18
book published: 1987
rating: 2
read at: 2016/02/28
date added: 2016/02/28
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Night and the Enemy' with stories by Harlan Ellison illustrated by Ken Steacy takes five Earth-Kyba stories and adds illustrations to them. The stories are good. I have mixed emotions about the illustrations.

First off, the cover design is amazing, and is what drew me in. After a brief introduction by Harlan Ellison and another by Ken Steacy, we get to the stories. Some are fully illustrated like comic book stories (sort of), others are full text with some illustrations.

I've liked Ken Steacy's work in Tempus Fugitive and in Robotech. It feels like a wrong fit for these stories. The art feels overly colorful for the dark stories presented. Another problem is in the fully illustrated, comic style stories. The text is black, but not in word balloons. This creates a lack of contrast between the dark text and the dark background and makes for a tough time reading.

The stories are classics and deserve to be read. I'm just not crazy about this version of them. Go find them elsewhere and read them. They are great shared universe stories that only have a long running war in common, but the themes are of people at war, and what they bring home. Timeless themes and well written.

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


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Death Vigil: Volume 1

author: Stjepan Šejić
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/28
date added: 2016/02/28
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Death Vigil: Volume 1' by Stjepan Šejić is about a group of grim reapers trying to fight off evil. It took a while to win me over, but at 284 pages and 8 issues, it eventually did.

Bernadette is the lead reaper. Her army consists of people she's collected at death. Their enemy are the necromancers, with their tentacled horrors. After Bernadette creates a new Death Knight, they all receive a sort of weapon to use in the war. The weapons all relate to them personally, so one has a pick and shovel, another has a deck of cards, and the newest member has a feather. Discovering how to use them is up to each new Death Knight. They are a close knit family with the kind of secrets that only long term family can have. Some of that may come back to haunt them.

It took me a bit to get into this, but I ended up really liking it. The character interaction was really good, and had enough gallows humor to keep me turning pages. I mostly liked the art, but the characters were drawn a little too perfect to me, but I liked the individual character design. The monsters were actually pretty cool, and I liked the shapeshifting white T-Rex. You'll have to read it to see what I mean.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from 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 Don Freeman Treasury of Animal Stories: Featuring Cyrano the Crow, Flash the Dash and The Turtle and the Dove

author: Don Freeman
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/26
date added: 2016/02/26
shelves: children-s
review:
'The Don Freeman Treasury of Animal Stories' by Don Freeman is a reprint of three stories I was not familiar with. I enjoyed them, and I think kids might but there will be some story elements that might puzzle them.

In Cyrano the Crow, we meet a crow who has a talent for imitating other birds. He gets a chance to star on television, but his elevated ego might get the best of him. In Flash the Dash we meet a lazy Dachsund who gets motivated by his spouse to go out and find a job. He realizes that she has a reason for getting him out of the house. In The Turtle and the Dove, we meet a dove flying across the sea who lands on a small island for rest and meets a new friend. The story follows them as their families grow.

They are charming stories and well illustrated in the familiar Don Freeman style. Some story elements like tv antennas or a job as a messenger might puzzle more modern readers who have never seen such a thing, but I think the characters are fun and relatable. My favorite among the stories was the last one, which was gentle and nice.

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


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Oh, Brother! Brat Attack!

author: Bob Weber
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/26
date added: 2016/02/26
shelves: children-s
review:
'Oh, Brother! Brat Attack' by Bob Weber with illustrations by Jay Stephens is a playful book full of cartoons that show the fun side of sibling rivalry.

Sister Lily and younger brother Bud are the stars of this series of comics. She looks after him, and he looks for ways to annoy her. He is a typical little brother: willing to eat your cupcake, but not willing to do the chores. Bud gives as good as he gets though. Lily may seem to get the worst of things, but she gets Bud back. Lest I make you think this is just a big fight between two siblings, there are also moments of genuine affection between them. Bud and Lily really care about each other.

The humor is great and so is the art. I enjoyed this and it brought back memories of times with my brother and sister. It's a perfect collection of laughs for younger readers. I really enjoyed it and if you're looking for kid-friendly comics for kids, you can't go wrong with any of the AMPkids line of books.

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


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The Age Atomic (Empire State, #2)

author: Adam Christopher
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2016/02/26
date added: 2016/02/26
shelves:
review:
'The Age Atomic' by Adam Christopher is book 2 of the Empire State series. Like the last book, it had a cool idea and vibe, and I liked it about as much.

Events in 'The Empire State' left a weird rift, called The Fissure, between the Empire State and New York city. It's now 1954 and a mysterious woman named Evelyn McHale is working for a shadowy new group known as Atoms For Peace. Meanwhile, in Empire State, Rad Bradley has been hired to find a missing man. It's not as straightforward as it seems and leads him to discover a strange conspiracy, some old friends, and a huge robot army.

I like the concepts. I like the world. I even like some of the characters, but something about it just doesn't quite seem to add up to something I would love, and it seems like the sort of thing I really would. Still, I'm glad I read it, and it's a pretty cool take on a pocket universe featuring an alternate New York.

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


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City Birds

author: Dean Norman
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.80
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2016/02/23
date added: 2016/02/23
shelves: graphic-novels, children-s
review:
'City Birds' by Dean Norman takes a true event, and creates some fun comics around it. It's gentle humor that would work well for younger readers.

Beginning with the story behind the comics, we learn that they were inspired by two falcons building a nest in Cincinatti. Since it happened close to Independence Day, the city named the eggs Stars and Stripes. The comics take place shortly before the eggs hatch and deal with things like the cameras watching them, or the odd sort of meals to be found in a city. There is sibling rivalry and birds on a ledge in peril, or are they?

The art is fine, as are the cartoons. This is probably really best for children as the humor is pretty simple. I liked it ok, but might not have picked it up if I hadn't been given a copy.

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


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Happy Habits: Energize Your Career and Life in 4 Minutes a Day

author: Vicki Morris
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2016/02/22
date added: 2016/02/22
shelves: non-fiction-business
review:
'Happy Habits: Energize Your Career and Life in 4 Minutes a Day' by Vicki Morris has a title that's almost longer than the promised 4 minutes. It's also a pretty quick read.

The book is more about starting new habits and how to go about doing that. That's the first portion of the book. The rest are a series of ideas for short things to do during the day. Each chapter offers ideas for different parts of the day, and builds on previous chapters.

Thinking positively and changing bad habits are good ideas. I don't know how much I buy this as a way to find a new job, but I'll give it credit for presenting simple, bite-sized ideas that only take a few minutes a day to do, and they can probably make you a better person to be around.

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


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Shaman

author: Ben Kahn
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2016/02/22
date added: 2016/02/22
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
Ben Kahn's 'Shaman' was pretty good, but the art left me pretty cold. If you can overlook that, it's decent. Since it's a graphic novel, it's kind of a big thing to overcome.

The Shaman is a sort of surly superhero with one weird trick. He can raise people from the dead. But he can't raise everyone, and the people he sometimes chooses to bring back leave others scratching their heads. He's accompanied by a foul-mouthed teenager who gets her powers from tattoos applied by fairies. Rounding things out is a sort of retired teleporter.

The trouble starts when The Shaman wants to reanimate a supervillain. This leaves him fighting the forces of good, but the villain he is raising may just be our only hope against monsters. Or become the new monster. Endless cigarettes are smoked, battles are waged, and there is even an appearance by a celebrity.

But the art left me cold. It's a bit abstract and lacking the kind of perspective I like in art to have it seem to be grounded. Instead, it just kind of angles off to the sides. The writing is pretty good, though, and I think worth it, if you like your heroes on the snarky side.

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


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The Crown Tower (The Riyria Chronicles, #1)

author: Michael J. Sullivan
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2016/02/19
date added: 2016/02/19
shelves:
review:
'The Crown Tower' by Michael J.Sullivan is the first book in the Riyria Chronicles series. It takes place before the Riyria Revelations, but it was written after. You can start with either. I started with this series.

This book tells how Royce and Hadrian met. They are the stars of the later series, and of course, when they first meet here, they seem like oil and water together. Unfortunately, knowing they team up later makes this all feel a bit inevitable. Hadrian is a soldier by trade and chivalrous, although tired of pointless, wearying fighting. Royce is a little more wary and cynical. They will eventually make a good team, but they start out distrustful. They are paired together to steal a magical item from the Crown Tower.

The action flows along easy enough, and I liked the book. There is a woman character named Gwen who is a prostitute. I wish she'd been something other than a prostitute because it seems like women in these kinds of books in these kinds of settings have limited choices. She is a good character though, as are Royce and Hadrian, and I'd like to travel a bit further on with them.

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


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A Hat Full of Spells (Upside Down, #2)

author: Jess Smart Smiley
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.85
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2016/02/14
date added: 2016/02/14
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'A Hat Full of Spells' by Jess Smart Smiley is the second book in the Upside Down series. I didn't get to read the first one, but this one was pretty cute and I had no problem following the story thread.

Harold is a vampire boy who loves sugar. He lives in a house with frogs and bats and a cat named Canine. In the last book, witches disappeared, including one called Vermillion, but they left their hats behind. The problem with the hats is that once you put one on, it can't be removed until it does it's one last spell. While Harold and his friends try to stop people from putting on the pointy hats, the spells are causing more and more mayhem. Can they reverse all the damage being done?

I like monsters and it's cute looking, but I thought it was just average. The art felt a bit uneven at times. I think younger readers might enjoy it.

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


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Ghosts and Girls of Fiction House!

author: Matt Baker
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/14
date added: 2016/02/14
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Ghosts and Girls of Fiction House!' is volume 11 in The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics by Yoe Books. It features color reprints of pre-code comics.

The book begins with some great essays to talk about the works and the artists in this book. There is a cover gallery and then lots of reprints of The Ghost Gallery featuring ghost hunter Drew Murdoch. Drew is always called in when some otherworldly menace is about, although occasionally the otherworldly is a friendly spirit that seeks to be helpful. Mostly though, they are out for revenge.

These are comics from the pre-comics code days. They were considered lurid for their cover depictions of women in peril and the gruesome nature of the stories. By today's standards, these are amazingly tame, but for their time, I suppose they had shock value, especially in the hands of young boys. The reprints are fairly good, but some seem rather off with color. I'm sure this is just based on the condition of what was able to be found and scanned. It's a fun collection to read, but the stories kind of run together after a while. I ended up reading it over a series of weeks, and that was a better way to read it, cracking it open to read one or two at a time.

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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Snoopy: Contact!

author: Charles M. Schulz
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/14
date added: 2016/02/14
shelves: children-s, graphic-novels
review:
'Snoopy: Contact!' is a collection of Peanuts reprints, featuring Snoopy. I loved this collection because many of the comics featured are from the late 1960s, which I think are the golden era of the strip.

The strips in this feature Snoopy as the great World War I Flying Ace, but we also see him as a vulture and a piranha. His Sopwith Camel is shot down by the Red Baron and he is stuck behind enemy lines. He is also snowed on, and his house gets burned down (including his Van Gogh!). He meets an unnamed bird that has problems flying and is confused about his direction. This bird wouldn't get a name until later in the strip, but we know him as Woodstock. Charlie Brown also makes Snoopy manager of his team, and even trades him off to Peppermint Patty for 5 players.

I love Peanuts and especially Snoopy. He's always been a favorite of mine. The strips in here are reprints and colorized, but done well. There is a flip book cartoon that runs along the pages, and a section in the back with maps and flying terms from World War I, which would have been handy when I first read these strips, but it made me seek out encyclopedias to find out where Tipperary was and why it was such a long way. I think this would be a fun collection for kids, and I certainly had a great time reading it.

i received a review copy of this graphic novel from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Bitch Planet, Vol 1: Extraordinary Machine (Bitch Planet, #1-5)

author: Kelly Sue DeConnick
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/13
date added: 2016/02/13
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
I read a feminist graphic novel, and I really liked it. If you know me, that sentence probably just knocked you over, but of course I'm talking about 'Bitch Planet, Vol. 1' by Kelly Sue DeConnick with art by Valentine De Landro.

In a future where patriarchal rule is even stricter, women who find themselves branded as 'non-compliant' find themselves shipped off to ACU, or Auxiliary Compliance Outpost, aka bitch planet. The stereotypes of prison films begin, and the plot forms into a kind of rehash of The Longest Yard, where inmates are challenged to a game of football. In this case, it's some future sport, but seems similar enough. Along the way, we get a little backstory of some of the characters.

It's kind of a cross between 'The Handmaid's Tale' and exploitative women in prison movies. The art style has a retro vibe that I like. I love the comic book ads in the back for pills to make you compliant or classifieds. I love De Landro's covers and her art throughout the book. I was a bit less enthused about some of the characters which seem to be little more than caricatures. Hopefully that gets fixed as things go along. So, lots of stars for art, less for character development. There's also a pretty good discussion guide included. I also got the point without feeling like I was being targeted or hated on. Kudos for that.

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


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Jim Butcher's Dresden Files: Down Town (The Dresden Files Graphic Novels #5)

author: Jim Butcher
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/11
date added: 2016/02/11
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Jim Butcher's Dresden Files: Down Town' is an original Harry Dresden story told in graphic novel form and like it's predecessors, it's a pretty good addition to the universe.

Harry finds himself with a new apprentice named Molly Carpenter. She might be more powerful than Harry in some ways, but she shares some of his riskier habits. That may come in handy since there is a rogue wizard running around Chicago. A couple strange murders has Harry on the case and even possibly in alliance with one of the last people he wants to ally himself with. That ally might also come in handy because Harry and company find themselves in Undertown, a particularly dangerous place.

The stories are good, the art is good. I'm a fan of Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden and these are a great addition to the series. I feel like the art in this one fell off a bit, but I still liked it and recommend it for fellow fans.

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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If I Had a Gryphon

author: Vikki VanSickle
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.83
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2016/02/09
date added: 2016/02/09
shelves: children-s
review:
'If I Had a Gryphon' by Vikki VanSickle with illustrations by Cale Atkinson is a laugh out loud book of "what if" choices for pet owners.

When Sam gets a hamster for a pet, she is a bit underwhelmed. She imagines what owning grander (and imaginary) pets might look like and discovers that they would hold their own excitement. Perhaps a bit too much. She thinks about owning a dragon, a gryphon, a hippogriff, a kraken and many others. They all pose their own problems. Imagine what happens when a dragon sneezes? Or the fact that you need the proper gear to hang with your pet kraken.

The prose is in perfect lilting rhyme. I had to find someone to read it out loud to, and it was perfectly metered. And the illustrations are the best! I laughed out loud at the story and pics and I know younger readers will too. This will be on my gift list for friends and family with young readers.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Random House of Canada Limited, Tundra Books, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this hilarious ebook.


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Noni Speaks Up

author: Heather Hartt-Sussman
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/09
date added: 2016/02/09
shelves: children-s
review:
'Noni Speaks Up' by Heather Hartt-Sussman with illustrations by Geneviève Côté is about a young girl with a tough choice to make.

When we meet Noni, we see that she is a kind girl who gives up her seat on the bus and opens doors for people. She has a harder time standing up for Hector when he is bullied at school. If she sides with Hector, she might not have anyone to play with and she might not be popular. The decision weighs really heavy on her. Will she make the right choice?

A timely book about speaking up to help others. The theme is bullying which might be a bit old for the intended audience here, but learning these kind of things before school might not be so bad. The illustrations are nice and I was quite taken by Noni's dilemma. I think it makes a point without being preachy.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Random House of Canada Limited, Tundra Books, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this delightful ebook.


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Three (Legends of the Duskwalker, #1)

author: Jay Posey
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2016/02/08
date added: 2016/02/08
shelves:
review:
'Three' by Jay Posey takes place in a strange post-apocalyptic world and has an unlikely hero. I kindof liked it.

When bounty hunter Three accepts the job of protecing a young boy and his ailing mother, he is a bit reluctant about it. The job is to escort them from point A to point B, but of course that's not going to be easy. There are all manner of strange bad guys in this world, like brain-hackers and the Weir, with their glowing eyes and scary nature. This is world where life is cheap, but if you've played your cards right, you might be able to come back, but I'm not sure why you'd want to.

It's an interesting cyberpunk kind of world, so I liked that enough. The main characters are a bit stereotypical: brooding hero, beautiful but tragic mother, smart adorable waif. I liked it well enough, and I'd like to see where the story goes. I definitely enjoyed the world more than the characters so far.

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


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The Lion Comic Book Hero Bible

author: Jeff Anderson
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/07
date added: 2016/02/07
shelves: children-s, graphic-novels, non-fiction
review:
'The Lion Comic Book Hero Bible' is exactly what it says it is, a comic book version of the Bible focusing on the characters. They take a unique approach by renaming the people in the Bible (Elijah becomes Rain Man, Peter becomes Rock) in an attempt to make it feel more like modern comic books. At first, I found it weird, but I went with it and didn't mind it.

The book is divided into 2 distinct art styles. Artist Siku does the Old Testament and Jeff Anderson does the New Testament. I actually preferred the art in the Old Testament more. The character drawings are more interesting and the frames have interesting composition. Cloaks billow and the characters move more like superheroes might. I'd be really interested to see what Siku's take on the New Testament would look like.

The Bible is the story of how God is able to work with common people, so elevating them to supposed superhero status is a bit dangerous. This plays more into the Old Testament than the New. The book covers a lot of ground in it's pages, and I think it does a fairly good job of it. Much of the dialogue is directly from the Bible, and there is an appendix citing all the Biblical references. It's a bit on the intense side so, it may not be as younger reader friendly. Also, having the characters referred to by their special names is a bit tricky, but not too hard to follow.

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


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Dream the Impossible Dream: Zen Pencils: Volume Two

author: Gavin Aung Than
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/07
date added: 2016/02/07
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Dream The Impossible Dream: Zen Pencils' by Gavin Aung Than proved to me that comics can be really inspiring. It felt like comics meeting TED talks.

Gavin Aung Than takes poems and inspirational quotes, some are famous, some are less so, but all are inspiring, and draws a cartoon based story around it. The book opens with an original one by Gavin about struggling for art. Among the others are Isaac Asimov, Maya Angelou, Kevin Smith, Chris Hardwick, William Shakespeare and many others. The cartoons are whimsical. Some are straightforward, some are fantastical (like a guy chained without a brain trying to regain his life). All are the kind of things you'd want to share with people around you that need inspiration.

I was so glad I got to read this book. I absolutely love the concept, and I love the art style too. It's not heavy handed. The whole thing put a smile on my face and made me feel inspired.

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


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Self-Obsessed

author: Sina Grace
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.64
book published: 2014
rating: 1
read at: 2016/02/06
date added: 2016/02/06
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Self-Obsessed' by Sina Grace should have warned me off with the title. As someone who doesn't like this self-obsessed age we're in, I should have known I wouldn't like it.

It's a collection of work from the artist's early days to the present. It's highly possible that much of it was just personal journaling and was never meant to see the light of day, but I found the tone of it all not to be to my liking. The art starts a bit rough with the early work and you can see the progression through the pages. There are articles from school newspapers and rants about breakups. Strange family cartoons and dreams about his someday wedding, where he seems more concerned about the shoes and feathered headdress he will wear than the potential groom.

The tone moves from self-deprecation to egotistical and back and forth. I wasn't sure whether I should feel sympathy or distaste or humor. It's a scrapbook approach to an artist's work. While I've enjoyed them in the past, this one just left me cold.

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


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Dream the Impossible Dream: Zen Pencils: Volume Two

author: Gavin Aung Than
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2016/02/06
shelves:
review:



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Bryant & May and the Burning Man (Bryant & May, #12)

author: Christopher Fowler
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2016/02/04
date added: 2016/02/04
shelves:
review:
'Bryant & May and the Burning Man' is the 12th book in the series. Christopher Fowler has a great series going with no signs of slowing down.

It's the week before Guy Fawkes Night and a new financial scandal has protestors out in the streets in large crowds. Hidden among the rioters is a murderer, hiding his crimes in fire. The first victim is a homeless man killed by accident when a building is set on fire. When others begin to die, it looks like someone has an agenda. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be anything linking them together. Further complicating things are Bryant's quirky style which seems to leave him faltering a bit more. Can the Peculiar Crimes Unit stay open and solve the case?

I haven't read too many books in this series, but I love the ones I've read. I love the oddball inellectuals who have their own way of sniffing out criminals. I love Bryant's meandering knowledge that almost always leads to cracking a case, and May's steady support and dependence. I have more of these to read and I can't wait.

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


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Dead Boy

author: Laurel Gale
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/03
date added: 2016/02/03
shelves: children-s
review:
'Dead Boy' by Laurel Gale proves that just because you're dead, that doesn't mean you don't need a few friends in your life.

Crow Darlington is the title's dead boy. He's not sure how it happened, or why he's still walking around, but here he is. When he loses a body part, like an ear, his mom chides him and sews it back on. When he sneaks out one night and meets, Melody, the girl next door, they become friends. With Melody's curiosity, they start trying to figure out why Crow is dead, but undead. This leads them on a strange adventure where their friendship will be put to the ultimate test.

It's a middle grade reader. It's macabre but feels like something from a Tim Burton movie. Crow is likeable, brave and earnest. Melody is just the kind of friend you'd hope to have. I like this middle grade reader and it's just the kind of thing I would have liked to read when I was in the fourth grade, like Crow.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Random House Children's, Crown BFYR, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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A Reaper of Stone (A Reaper of Stone #1)

author: Mark Gelineau
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2016/02/03
date added: 2016/02/03
shelves:
review:
'A Reaper of Stone' by Mark Gelineau and Joe King is part of a shared world series of novellas. I had read 'Rend the Dark' first and it features the main character of this novella.

The book opens with Elinor as a young student. She's been sent out on a prank to kill a rendworm, a hightly dangerous act. Usually the student gets stopped before attempting this, but Elinor didn't and her mentor Conbert thinks she needs saving. He thinks wrong and this look at Elinor as a younger person shows the serious dedication she gives to the art of killing.

Years later, Conbert and Elinor are sent throughout the kingdom. There mission is to oversee the dismantling of strongholds throughout the kingdom. It all goes well until they get to Timberline. Then, it doesn't.

I like this world and it's strange creatures. I especially like the characters. I like the format. Each story is short and manageable, unlike a lot of ponderous epic fantasy. I'll be back for more.

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


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It Shouldn't Happen -

author: Don Freeman
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.75
book published: 1945
rating: 3
read at: 2014/12/19
date added: 2016/02/01
shelves:
review:
'It Shouldn't Happen (to a Dog)' by Don Freeman is an interesting book from another age. The art is okay. The story behind the art makes it worth looking at.

If you have something you want to say, but are not able to, how do you go about saying it? For Don Freeman, a cartoonist in the military, he saw inequality based on skin color, but couldn't say anything openly about it. Instead, he tells the story of a soldier who joins the military and gets turned into a dog. We follow the dog as he goes through training and daily army life. We see him go on leave and tries to ride in the front of a city bus. It's not comical, but it is sharp social commentary for a time when this might have been the only way to talk about these things.

I found it to be of historical interest. The introduction is very good, and you get to learn about the artist, Don Freeman. I knew of Don from the children's book Corduroy, but I was unfamiliar with this side of his work. I'm glad I got to read this.

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


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