Wonder Woman (2016-) Vol. 2: Year One

author: Greg Rucka
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/30
date added: 2017/07/30
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Year One' by Greg Rucka with illustrations by Nicola Scott and Bilquis Everly collects even numbered issues 2-14 of the DC Rebirth series.

This story tells about the first year of Wonder Woman as Earth's protector, but before that, there is some backstory to take care of. We see Diana's early childhood on Themyscira and in alternating panels how her life and Steve Trevor's seemed to have some parallels. When Steve Trevor crashes on the island and is the only survivor of his plane, a decision has to be made to send someone. Diana is a bit of a fish out of water at first, but is a fast study. With Steve, Etta Candy and Dr. Minerva helping her out, she has found a solid team.

The book also includes a back up story about Dr. Minerva. There is a flashback to her childhood, then a search in the present for something involving the Amazons.

It's another origin type story, and it fits in a bit with the recent movie and other origins I've read. Did we need another origin for this character? There have been so many over the years, so why not. The art is good, and there is a cover gallery showing alternate covers for these issues.

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


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Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary

author: Susan Rennie
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.56
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2017/07/30
date added: 2017/07/30
shelves: children-s, non-fiction
review:
'Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary' compiled by Susan Rennie, illustrated by Quentin Blake, with original text by Roald Dahl is a Roald Dahl approved, actual Oxford Dictionary for children (and fans of Roald Dahl).

The dictionary starts with a nice illustrated guide to how to use this dictionary. The words that were made up by Roald Dahl are in blue. Just about all of the entries include a sentence showing how the word is used in a Roald Dahl book. The reader is encouraged to find rhymes or ways to use the words in sentences. There is a handy alphabet down the side of the page for easy flipping to the right page. There are also fun illustrations throughout.

The book starts with an entry for aardvark. Not because Roald Dahl used the word, but because that's the word that all dictionaries should start with. I found that hilarious and completely appropriate.

This is such a fun dictionary. I really enjoyed getting a chance to look through it. Roald Dahl was really good at making up funny words. I didn't realize how many he had until I saw them in this volume.

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


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Gotham Academy: Second Semester #1

author: Brenden Fletcher
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.66
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2016/09/18
date added: 2017/07/29
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Gotham Academy: Second Semester #1' by Becky Cloonan with art by Adam Archer feels more like a winter break filler, but has potential to bring new storylines.

Olive Silverlock is left alone at school during the winter holidays. A teacher befriends her, but then stands her up. She also gets a new roommate named Amy who seems like she's going to be trouble. Add in a trip to creepy Wedgwood Museum and a couple interesting secrets and you have the start of a sort of gothic mystery.

I've read a few issues here and there and I really want to like this concept, but it just hasn't done it for me so far. This issue feels like a prelude, and there is nothing wrong with that, but for a school that seems to be so empty, there sure seem to be a few people around. I don't know Olive or Eric's backstories, but they seem interesting enough. I don't know what I want in this title, but it just hasn't happened for me yet.

I received a review copy of this issue from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this comic book.


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Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters: Inside His Films, Notebooks, and Collections

author: Guillermo del Toro
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2017/07/28
date added: 2017/07/28
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters: Inside His Films, Notebooks, and Collections' by Guillermo del Toro was written as a companion piece to a museum exhibit by three museums. I think even without the exhibit, it's a completely fascinating read.

Guillermo del Toro is known best as a film director, but he is also an avid collector of all kinds of things. His home, Bleak House, is stuffed with items, but his house is also meticulously curated like a museum. He uses the rooms and objects as inspirations for his film ideas. They include life-size statues of famous horror creators and actors, like characters from Tod Browning's Freaks, and H.P. Lovecraft. The Frankenstein monster holds a special place for him and it is a feature in his house.

The book includes a series of essays and interviews separated into two parts. Part one is about collecting monsters and talks about Guillermo del Toro's collecting passion and an interview. The second part is called Inspiration and Obsession and talks about the things that influence the director, like Victoriana, magic, freaks and monsters, and death and the afterlife.

Throughout the book are pictures of the items in the director's house. There are also pictures of his notebooks.

I almost got to see this exhibit last year at LACMA, but the museum was closed on the only day I could make the trip. I really wish I'd been able to view this in person. Guillermo del Toro is a film buff, a culture collector, and appreciates both high and low forms of art with no distinction between the two. He is also creative and passionate about his art, as you can tell from this book.

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


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Practical Letter Book

author: J. H. Kaemmerer
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.57
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/28
date added: 2017/07/28
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Practical Letter Book' by J. H. Kaemmerer is a historic collection of 140 different lettering plates first published in 1911. The book was for sign painters and show card writers.

There is a pretty good introduction written and the different plates are introduced. Topics like spacing and centering are brought up. Having done some hand lettering myself, these notes are very useful. Then follows 140 plates showing different styles from English to Gothic to Dutch block letters. There are Hebrew, German, and Roman as well. Many of the plates are full alphabet, and many include sample logos written using the lettering.

I'm a font and hand lettering fan, so getting a chance to look through this collection was fun and a bit inspiring. There are some great looking classic alphabets here, and this would make a good resource for hand letterers today.

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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MAD About Trump: A Brilliant Look at Our Brainless President

author: Various
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.04
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2017/07/27
date added: 2017/07/27
shelves:
review:
'MAD About Trump: A Brilliant Look at Our Brainless President' by MAD Magazine falls pretty short of brilliant, but it has some laughs liberally sprinkled throughout (pun intended).

The gags stretch back quite a few years to Trump's Apprentice show, but for the most part are from the last couple years. There are fake movie ads and comparisons between Trump and the preceding 43 U.S. Presidents. There are famous hilarious things Trump has misspoken about other American heroes.

I read MAD years ago, and it was funny at the time. This doesn't feel that funny. Maybe because the subject already has the feeling of a parody. Some of the humor feels like it just lays there. There are gags that feel like they are from a late night tv show. This isn't the MAD that I remember, but it is mildly funny.

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


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Motro Vol. 1

author: Ulises Farinas
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/27
date added: 2017/07/27
shelves:
review:
'Motro Vol. 1' by Ulises Farinas, Erick Freitas and Ryan Hill is the kind of book I finish and wonder what I just read. In this case, I enjoyed the strange journey.

This volume has three stories in the life of a strange man with superhuman strength named Motro. In the first, he is a young boy looking for his father. He is mocked and bullied to the point where he uses his strength to gruesome effect. Then he fights a prince and becomes a favorite son of a ruler.

It's a world of strange inventions. A mirror that shows the future, ice dragons, and tanks that seem to speak with emojis. The art is worth the journey. This is a world filled with strange characters that have a roundness to them. The lettering is even different. I liked what I read.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press, 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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Generation Zero Vol. 1

author: Fred Van Lente
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2017/02/18
date added: 2017/07/26
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Generation Zero Vol. 1'by Fred Van Lente with art by Francis Portela was a good start to a series, but I feel like there is something that happened before this issue that I wasn't aware of.

Keisha Sherman lives in the town of Rook, which seems just a little too perfect, with her law enforcement father. When her boyfriend dies in a really suspicious car crash, she starts to learn that her town may be hiding some really strange secrets. The only people she can turn to are a strange group of heroes called Generation Zero. They are a strange group of kids with odd powers, and they start looking in to what is happening. She finds out that someone else seemed to have a crush on her boyfriend, and this turns into a strange trip into that person's psyche.

It feels familiar and yet a little different. The Generation Zero team seems a bit menacing and dangerous, but not to Keisha. I like that edge. I also liked the strange trip into Adele's mind and how it looked like an Archie comic. The art is really good in this book, and I like this start. My review copy didn't have all 5 issues that are in this volume, but I had enough to see that this wasn't too bad.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Valiant Entertainment, 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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A Bunch of Jews (and other stuff)

author: Trina Robbins
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.75
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2017/07/23
date added: 2017/07/23
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'A Bunch of Jews (and other stuff)' by Trina Robbins is an adaptation of a book her father wrote in Yiddish in the 1930s called A Minyen Yidn.

An introduction by Robbins talks about how the book was found by her daughter. It is translated here in English and illustrated into graphic novel form by a series of artists including Ken and Joan Steacy, Jen Vaughn, Steve Lealoah, Anne Timmons and others.

Many of the stories are about a shtetl in what is Belarus called Duboy. The stories are about stern rabbis, devoted dogs and everyday life. There is food as women bake matzos and a young boy yearns for a chance to eat something called kotletn (the recipe is included after the story for those curious to know what it is).

The book finishes with a short Yiddish glossary and artist bios for all the creators. I really enjoyed reading this book adapted from another time and place.

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


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X-O Manowar (2017) Volume 1: Soldier

author: Matt Kindt
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.09
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/23
date added: 2017/07/23
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'X-O Manowar Volume 1: Soldier' by Matt Kindt and Tomas Giorello follows a soldier who doesn't want to fight anymore. Will he get that chance?

Aric of Dacia was born in the time of the Roman Empire. Now he is far from that time and planet. He is known as Aric of Earth. He wants to live at peace and raise crops. He wants to never use the X-O Manowar armor ever again, but when he is captured and forced to fight against impossible odds, he might have to rethink that. He and his fellow prisoners are given impossible objectives which will surely kill them. Can Aric rise above this and survive?

I wasn't familiar with this character, but I had no problem jumping right into the story. The backstory wasn't included, but it was enough to know the character. Matt Kindt's plot is very good. Tomas Giorello's art is fantastic. I had fun reading this one.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Valiant Entertainment, 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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Doom Patrol (2016-) Vol. 1: Brick by Brick

author: Gerard Way
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2017/07/22
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Doom Patrol Vol. 1: Brick by Brick' by Gerard Way with art by Nick Derington is a reboot of a classic DC series. It's part of the new Young Animal imprint and I really liked it.

Casey Brinke drives an ambulance with her partner Sam. Her life is pretty crazy, but it's about to get even more surreal. She finds a broken up robot with a human brain. She meets up with his teammates too, a man wrapped in bandages, and a talking ambulance for starters.

This is a weird comic, and as reviewer states states, it's more to be experienced than read and understood. It's best to just jump in and enjoy the ride. The art by Nick Derington is some of my favorite, and I really like how the main character is so upbeat. The funny thing is, I'm more familiar with Gerard Way from his work on comics than his musical fame. I've enjoyed everything by him I've read, but I think this is my favorite.

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


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Lucifer, Volume 1: Cold Heaven

author: Holly Black
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2017/07/22
date added: 2017/07/22
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Lucifer, Volume 1: Cold Heaven' by Holly Black is a continuation of a series about a character who was spun out of the Sandman series. That there are things that have gone before should be understood before you dive into this one.

Lucifer, cast out of heaven, has also seemingly been cast out of hell. He has a new nightclub on Earth, and all seems to be going ok. Except someone has killed God, and angel Gabriel is pretty certain that Lucifer did it. These two unlikely partners team up to find out who really did the crime.

It's as weird as it sounds, and as sacrilegious too. It's hard to know who is sympathetic here. Perhaps it's the young girl adopted into a family and treated like crap in one of the subplots. The book also includes a backup story about a death in a satanic church and a strange young man who has shown up in town.

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


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Wellth: How I Learned to Build a Life, Not a Resume

author: Jason Wachob
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2017/07/21
date added: 2017/07/21
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Wellth: How I Learned to Build a Life, Not a Resume' by mindbodygreen founder Jason Wachob is a self-help book.

The author talks about his life and how he came to make life choices. He talks about how wealth isn't nearly as important as well-being. The reader is encouraged to build a healthy life that includes gratitude and mindfulness.

I've read a number of these type of books. This one feels a lot more autobiographical than others. I learned that the author was an athlete and had a good paying job on Wall Street. The book feels like it's telling more than showing. While it's important to know how the author came to have this viewpoint, there was just too much backstory to most things. Also, while this advice seems good, I felt like I was being shown the magic formula. This may be the author's magic formula, but it's not everyones.

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


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Dog Night at the Story Zoo

author: Dan Bar-el
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.18
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2017/07/21
date added: 2017/07/21
shelves: graphic-novels, children-s
review:
'Dog Night at the Story Zoo' by Dan Bar-el with illustrations by Vicki Nerino is about a night at the zoo unlike any I would have imagined.

At night when the zoo closes, the animals come together for an interesting event. They gather together in a swanky nightclub and have story slams.

On this night, as you can guess from the title, it's time for the dogs to tell their stories. There are 4 different dogs that tell their tales. One loves playing fetch. One likes to bark. One is good at solving crimes.

The book is a fully illustrated graphic novel. The art is pretty good. The stories are good for younger readers, although the idea of a story slam or a night club might go over their head.

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


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The Wendy Project

author: Melissa Jane Osborne
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2017/07/20
date added: 2017/07/20
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Wendy Project' by Melissa Jane Osborne with illustrations by Veronica Fish is a story about loss and grief. I found it to be beautiful and moving.

When Wendy crashes her car into the lake, her two younger brothers, Michael and John, are in the back seat. Michael can't be found, and Wendy thinks he is still alive and lost. Wendy finds herself with a therapist who wants her to keep a journal. She also finds herself getting in to trouble at school and with a boy. Will she find Michael?

The names of the kids are no accident as Peter Pan is heavily involved in the story. The art is mostly black and white with clever uses of color. The art is free flowing and feels like sketching done in one sitting.

I absolutely loved this story. Grief has it's stages. This story is about denial as well as forgiving yourself. The story tells it so well, that you don't even realize it as you are reading.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Super Genius, Papercutz, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Letters from Santa: A Christmas Alphabet

author: Katrina Streza
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/19
date added: 2017/07/19
shelves: children-s
review:
'Letters from Santa' by Katrina Streza is an alphabet book using the Christmas holiday as a theme.

Each letter looks kind of like a stamp. There are angels and elves and jingle bells. The text has a nice cadence. The illustrations are clean and colorful.

This would be a good storytime book for December for young children. It is a good introduction to the sights and traditions of the season. I enjoyed reading this, even in July.

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


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The Classic fM Musical Treasury: A Curious Collection of New Meanings for Old Words

author: Tim Lihoreau
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/19
date added: 2017/07/19
shelves:
review:
'The Classic fM Musical Treasury: A Curious Collection of New Meanings for Old Words' by Tim Lihoreau is a humorous dictionary of made up words. Musicians and music fans will find things to chuckle about in the contents.

The book is divided into sections like Performers and Performances, Opera and Dance, and Composers and Their Works. What follows is a collection of definitions about the idiosyncracies of music. Since this book is by Classic FM, the music in question tends toward those genres, but there are some jazz things thrown in. There are jokes about sopranos and the spitvalves on trumpets and the know-it-all patrons in their bow ties.

It's a clever little collection, and having been a performer and attendee, I found quite a few laugh out loud jokes herein. Whether you need a 181 page book full of British made up words about music is up to you. Perhaps it's a great gift idea for that favorite alto or percussionist.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Elliott & Thompson, Trafalgar Square Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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ATTU: The Collected Volumes

author: Sam Glanzman
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.14
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2017/07/19
date added: 2017/07/19
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'ATTU: The Collected Volumes' by Sam Glanzman features the two published books as well as a third never-before-published book. It's about cavemen and dinosaurs and space, but my review copy had terrible art reproductions.

Starting with a foreword by Jeff Lemire and an introduction by Timothy Truman, we learn about the history of the book, and some about the artist Sam Glanzman. The books follow.

Attu explores a mysterious cave which seems to have artifacts from the future and what looks like a crashed ship. Most interesting to him is the strange woman trapped in a glass case. Once she is freed, Attu learns that there is more to the universe than he could have imagined.

The volume concludes with an afterword by Stephen R. Bissette and an extras section.

Is this a classic? I don't think so. Sam Glanzman is a pretty good artist and I recommend another work I recently read by him called U.S.S. Stevens for a better example of his talent. Besides feeling really dated, the review copy I received looked like really bad photocopies and they were hard to read.

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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Poetry for Kids: Walt Whitman

author: Walt Whitman
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/17
date added: 2017/07/17
shelves: children-s
review:
'Poetry for Kinds: Walt Whitman' by Walt Whitman with editing by Karen Karbiener, PhD and illustrations by Kate Evans is a well curated introduction to the life and work of one of America's greatest poets.

The included poems are broken up by section based on phases in Whitman's life. There are poems about his childhood, his time as a wound-dresser in the Civil War and as an older man.

The poems are many times excerpts and include annotations to explain difficult phrases (or ones that the poet made up). There are poems which show that he wanted to abolish slavery and that he supported the rights of women.

At the end of the book, there is a section telling when the poem was written and what Walt Whitman was likely thinking. Each page also has illustrations that fit with the poem and the poet's age.

It's a really good introduction to this great poet. His style may seem atypical for children since his poems don't have meter or rhyming, but I think it's really well presented.

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


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Pirate John-Wolf

author: Natalie Quintart
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.70
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2017/07/17
date added: 2017/07/17
shelves: children-s
review:
'Pirate John-Wolf' by Natalie Quintart with art by Philippe Goossens is the story of a timid young dog (not wolf!) who learns to be brave.

John-Wolf, who looks like a dog to me, gets taken advantage of at school. He's too weak to answer the teacher, or stop his lunch from being stolen. But things are different when he is home alone and he can sing songs about brave pirates. One night, he is kidnapped and taken to a pirate ship of Captain Drake. Captain Drake wants John-Wolf to sing a song about him. Can John-Wolf summon up the courage to keep the pirates happy?

It's an odd story, and one could say that John-Wolf picks an odd time to be courageous. It's the kind of time in the real world that could be pretty dangerous, but this is a world of cartoon animals dressed like pirates, so I guess there is no harm. The illustrations are fun, although I'm still wondering why John-Wolf looks like a dog.

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


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The Wolf

author: Renne Rahir
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.09
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2017/07/16
date added: 2017/07/16
shelves: children-s
review:
'The Wolf (Animals in the Wild)' by Renne Rahir is a non-fiction book about wolves with some really nice illustrations. I found myself confused by who the target audience is supposed to be.

The pages tell about the wolf: where they live, what they look like, and how they spend their day. There is good text and illustrations showing wolves. On full illustration pages, there are silly text that might appeal to younger children.

The descriptive text is definitely for older readers while the text on the pictures is for younger readers. Perhaps this is meant to be a book for a child to grow with. It's possibly a translation problem, but I found the word intercourse to be an awkward choice when discussing how wolves procreate. It might cause uncomfortable conversations among those reading the book. Perhaps this is a cultural difference between the author's country and ours. It makes it a bit hard to recommend though. Still, the illustrations are nice and the facts are interesting.

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


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Superwoman, Volume 1: Who Killed Superwoman?

author: Phil Jimenez
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.99
book published: 2017
rating: 1
read at: 2017/07/16
date added: 2017/07/16
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Superwoman, Volume 1: Who Killed Superwoman' by Phil Jimenez is a story that seemed like it should be interesting, but it took me a long time to work my way through it.

In the new Rebirth universe, Superman is gone. In his place, Lex Luthor has power armor and wants to be the new Superman. There is also a Superwoman. Actually two. Lois Lane and Lana Lang have discovered they have powers. They are untrusting of Lex Luthor. Also, Lois' powers seem to be killing her. It may be up to Lana and a few surprise guests to set things right.

The art is fine by the series of artists in these 6 issues. I just really didn't care. It was exposition heavy, even during fight scenes. A lot of the pages had split points of view, which was fine, but it was just so dialogue intensive. I did manage to finish it, but I found myself reading it, then putting it down. That's never a good sign for me and graphic novels.

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


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Manga Classics: Sense and Sensibility

author: Stacy King
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/16
date added: 2017/07/16
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Manga Classics: Sense and Sensibility' by Jane Austen with adaptation by Stacy King and art by Po Tse is another great addition to the Manga Classics line.

The Dashwood's family fortunes are changed when their father suddenly dies. Sisters Elinor and Marianne live with their mother and are forced to move from their family home. Both find romance, Elinor with Edward Ferrars and Marianne with John Willoughby, but this being Jane Austen, you know there will be bumps along the road to a happy ending.

I have not read the original work (shame on me), but I have seen film adaptations. This adaptation seems very complete, and even covers ground that is not in the films. I've read a couple other adaptations by Stacy King, so I know she is typically very faithful to the original. The art by Po Tse is very much in a manga style. These are great gateway mangas for fans of literature, and great gateways to literature for manga fans. It seems like a win-win to me.

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


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Artful

author: Peter David
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2017/07/12
date added: 2017/07/12
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Artful' is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel by Peter David. The adaptation is by Nicole D'Andria with art by Laura Neubert. It seems like an interesting story, but I wasn't that impressed with the art.

Combining characters from Oliver Twist and Dracula with real life characters like Spring Heel Jack, this is an adventure story starring the Artful Dodger. The story takes place after Oliver Twist and England is being taken over by vampires. Artful befriends a young woman. When she is taken by the vampires, he teams up with a relative of Abraham Van Helsing to find her.

There is a lot of action and the Artful Dodger comes across as a kindly but resourceful resident of the streets. There are cameos by other Oliver Twist characters and a few from other books.

The art just didn't impress me. The coloring feels dense and heavy, even in scenes that are in full daylight. The characters seemed skewed and the perspective feels off sometimes. The garish caricaturing of features works okay for the vampires, but on other characters it makes the characters expressions hard to make out.

This includes all 6 volumes of the series. 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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Goodnight Lab: A Scientific Parody

author: Chris Ferrie
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.71
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2017/07/10
date added: 2017/07/10
shelves: children-s
review:
'Goodnight Lab: A Scientific Parody' by Chris Ferrie is similar to a famous children's book. I've read a couple of these, and this one is not too bad.

Life as a scientist can be tiring. The scientist in this lab starts her night by bidding goodnight to the items around her. There are lasers and notebooks and a picture of a famous scientist. There are other items too.

It is a clever enough concept. This book mimics the color scheme of the original, but the digital drawings just lack some warmth.

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


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Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends

author: David Stabler
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.04
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/10
date added: 2017/07/10
shelves: children-s
review:
'Kid Artists' by David Stabler with illustrations by Doogie Horner tells the story of many famous artists and events that happened when they were growing up.

In some cases, it tells how nature inspired them, like Emily Carr and Georgia O'Keeffe. Sometimes it was a rough life, like being shy like Charles Schulz, or a family losing it's fortune, like Yoko Ono. There are also stories about Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo and others.

The stories include illustrations which are mostly humorous. These don't lessen the tragedy of some of the stories, but they help to show the young artists at work and play. It's a well represented group of artists and it reads very well for a book for younger readers.

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


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Lot and Lot's Daughter

author: Ward Moore
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.33
book published: 1954
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/09
date added: 2017/07/09
shelves:
review:
'Lot and Lot's Daughter' by Ward Moore is a collection of two stories written during the 1950s. Unlike most "prepper" fiction today, I think it paints a pretty realistic view of how some might survive in the aftermath of disaster.

In Lot, Mr. Jimmon has been preparing for the day when disaster will hit. He's been stockpiling and planning his escape route and even where he thinks he can ride out the catastrophe. When it finally hits (and the beginning of the story), the family hits the road. The problem is that everyone else does too. Also, his family wants to delay his escape with their biological needs. Finally, in a calculated move, Mr. Jimmon does what he thinks he must to ensure his survival.

In Lot's Daughter, it is now years later and Mr. Jimmon in encamped with his daughter and a young boy. He forages for food, mostly unsuccessfully, while his daughter stays in camp and does the bulk of the work. As things fall apart, we see that Mr. Jimmon is not really all that prepared for this future after all.

There is an introduction by Michael Swanwick and a short bio at the end of the author, including pictures.

Mr. Jimmon is never a likable protagonist, in my opinion, but these are good stories of the dream of survival versus the reality. I am glad I got the chance to read these stories.

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


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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: A Young Child's Introduction to the Classics

author: Charles Nurnberg
name: Wayne
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2017/07/08
date added: 2017/07/08
shelves: children-s
review:
'Read-Aloud Classics: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' by Charles Nurnberg and Joe Rhatigan with art by Glenn Harrington is a picture book version of the famous story condensed down for younger children.

Told with a series of lush and beautiful paintings, this is the story of Tom Sawyer. Here is Tom who plays hooky, and paints a fence. He has adventures with his friend Joe and Huck playing pirates on a raft and going inside a haunted shack and finding a cave with treasure.

The rough bits are suppressed. Even the parts with Becky seem to have been lopped out. What's left is a pretty gently story with nothing to frighten small children. What wins it for me are the illustrations. Full paintings fill each page, and you can see the brushstrokes flowing across the rivers and skies.

This acts as a nice introduction to a classic work by a classic author. I first read the full book when I was 8 or 9, but this is meant to provide some familiarity for younger readers, and a lovely to look at one, at that.

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


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Cheer Up, Ben Franklin!

author: Misti Kenison
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.16
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/06
date added: 2017/07/06
shelves: children-s
review:
'Cheer Up, Ben Franklin!' by Misti Kenison is a board book for young readers with elements of American history included.

Poor Ben Franklin. He has no one to fly his kite with. Paul Revere is out riding his horse. Sam Adams is having a tea party. He decides to go to Independence Hall. Will he find his friends there?

My first thought on reading this was that the timeline was all messed up, but the book includes a handy timeline so that you can discover when Paul Revere rode and when the Declaration of Independence was signed. It's a really cute board book and I loved the easy to view illustrations.

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


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Can You Find My Robot's Arm?

author: Chihiro Takeuchi
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/06
date added: 2017/07/06
shelves: children-s
review:
'Can You Find My Robot's Arm?' by Chihiro Takeuchi tells the story of a robot looking for a replacement arm in lots of strange places.

One morning, robot wakes up missing an arm. Initially replacements around the house are suggested: a fork, a pencil, scissors. None of these things is a good replacement, so robot goes looking in some unusual places. The arm can't be found in a tree or an amusement park or inside a whalebone. What will robot do?

The story is pretty simple, but the illustrations are the real standout here. They are all silhouettes and have lots of details. The art is so much fun to look at.

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


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Be a Star, Wonder Woman!

author: Michael Dahl
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.32
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/06
date added: 2017/07/06
shelves: children-s
review:
'Be A Star, Wonder Woman!' by Michael Dahl with illustrations by Omar Lozano follows a young girl through her day and also shows what Wonder Woman is up to. It's the third book in this DC Superheroes series, and it's every bit as charming as the books featuring Batman and Superman.

A young girl starts her day by posing heroically, just like Wonder Woman. At preschool, she sees some kids fighting over toys and proposes a peaceful solution. She faces her nemesis, a rope up to a treehouse, out on the playground, and faces it with courage.

These are fun picture books with superheroes and the kids that want to act like them. The illustrations are fun as well.

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


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The Hum and the Shiver (Tufa, #1)

author: Alex Bledsoe
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2017/07/06
shelves:
review:



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All-Star Batman, Volume 1: My Own Worst Enemy

author: Scott Snyder
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2017/07/04
date added: 2017/07/04
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'All-Star Batman, Volume 1: My Own Worst Enemy' by Scott Snyder may not be much like other Batman stories I've read, but it's an absolute guilty pleasure.

Batman has a chance to cure Two-Face once and for all, so they are on a road trip together. The Harvey Dent side wants this. The Two Face side wants to fight it, so it has arranged a reward for the person who can stop Batman and kill him. If they don't kill Batman, then Two Face will spill the secrets he knows about them. All of them.

The story weaves back and forth in time, and the miles are counted down as they go. It's an adrenaline fueled trip that would probably make an awesome movie, like the weirdest buddy picture ever. And we do find out the history that Harvey and Bruce Wayne have together.

The writing is great. The art is also great. The plot is mostly breakneck, and I just really, really liked this one.

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


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Love Addict: Confessions of a Serial Dater

author: Koren Shadmi
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.47
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2017/07/04
date added: 2017/07/04
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Love Addict' by Koren Shadmi is about the world of online dating and casual sex. It's a shallow enough topic, but I'd hoped the plot would offer more.

"K" has had a recent breakup and he's on the rebound. He has a friend who recommends a dating app called Lovebug. Soon "K" is dating and sleeping with all kinds of women. It becomes an addiction for him. He can't focus on work. Sometimes he confuses the dates he is with. He can't seem to have an ongoing relationship with one woman.

I'm not sure what the point of this graphic novel was besides drawing naked people. It seems like the author gets close to making a point, then veers away from it. This lifestyle seems to have a negative effect on his friend, but then the story veers off into more casual sex.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Top Shelf Productions, 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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The Flood Girls

author: Richard Fifield
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/04
date added: 2017/07/04
shelves:
review:
'The Flood Girls' a debut novel by Richard Fifield is a story about the strange characters that inhabit a small town. It made me think about the town I grew up in.

The book revolves around three characters. Rachel Flood has come back to town after leaving a wake of destruction nine years ago. She is clean and sober now, ready to make amends, but people in town are still not ready to forgive her. Rachel's mother, Laverna, own's The Dirty Shame, the only bar in town. She is none too thrilled to have her daughter back. Rounding out the threesome is young Jake, who lives next to Rachel and spends his free time and money buying flamboyant clothing at the local thrift store, collects rosaries, and listens to Madonna music on his walkman.

There are a variety of weird characters in town, like Red Mabel and Black Mabel. All the volunteer firemen are named Jim. There are a group of female miners that hang out at the bar and get in fights. The softball team is called the Flood Girls, and they are notoriously bad.

The book made me laugh out loud and cry. I could see the ending coming from quite a way away. The writing style is good, but the book leans pretty heavily on stereotypes. There were a few small twists along the way, but I was hoping for something more to happen. Still the story of Rachel making amends and fixing up her dad's old trailer, Jake trying to find his way, and Laverna and her violent friend Red Mabel made for a fun read.

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


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Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy (Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy series, Book 1)

author: Doug Savage
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.71
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/07/02
date added: 2017/07/02
shelves: graphic-novels, children-s
review:
'Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy' by Doug Savage is a pretty hilarious book about an overprotective moose who shoots lasers out of his eyes and a trusting squirrel.

This volume has three stories. In the stories, there are aliens, a strange mutant fish-bear, a cyborg porcupine and a poor deer that loses a limb when Laser Moose is startled. In each case, Laser Moose wants to eliminate the threat, but Rabbit Boy thinks there might be more going on.

The lessons are about reacting with fear or with trust. There are certainly things to be afraid of, but sometimes, it's just because it's something that is different that we don't understand. The lesson of this book is stated very well.

It's also really hilarious, with trigger happy Laser Moose shooting everything in sight. The art is clever and it would be a fun, albeit violent, read aloud for kids.

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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Aliens/Vampirella

author: Corinna Sara Bechko
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.05
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2017/07/02
date added: 2017/07/02
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Aliens/Vampirella' by Corinna Sara Bechko with art by Javier Garcia-Miranda posed an interesting question for me. Could these two horror franchises actually meet up into a good story? The answer is mostly.

Humans have colonized Mars. As part of their digging, they unearth a long forgotten colony of Nosferatu that were on the planet long before humans. They decide to call in Vampirella the only vampire known to exist. The problem is that the ancient vampires aren't the only thing dwelling in the dark.

When Vampirella arrives, the investigation triggers the birth of the Xenomorphs. As the humans start to die off, even Vampirella is not safe from infection. There is a fight and flee and Vampirella even finds an ancient ally to help. Will the humans trust her long enough to save them?

It's a decent Aliens story. They are mindless killing machines who replicate and destroy. They do that well here. Vampirella is a bit of a different story. She comes across as a bit afraid to insult the humans. This is not the confident, almost arrogant, heroine I've come to know. It's a weird situation, but she has been in stranger and always seems in control. That's not the case here. The covers are all included, which feature Vampirella in her signature outfit, even though she doesn't wear such an impractical outfit in space.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Dynamite Entertainment, 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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Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye (2016-) #1

author: Gerard Way
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2016/10/20
date added: 2017/07/01
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye' by Gerard Way and Jon Rivera with art by Michael Avon Oeming takes a little known character from DC that was first around in 1960 and gives him a weird twist via DC's Young Animal line.

Young Animal is just a weird imprint. I like Doom Patrol quite a bit. Shade the Changing Girl is something that might grow on me, and now we have this piece. It's just as strange as the other titles from Young Animal. Cave buries his wife and has to deal with his estranged daughter Chloe. He works at EBX which seems to be a corporate gig but includes excavations and cave digging. He's got a weird cybernetic eye (hence the title) which reports strange things to him.

I just read that and it sounds somewhat normal, but this comic is not. Add in the strange art by Michael Avon Oeming. Sometimes the characters look like puppetmation, sometimes things are just skewed and off. There is a really weird backup comic called the Wonder Twins by Tom Scioli included in this issue.

I like weird comics. I don't know how many weird comics I can take, but if you like weird comics, check out this one.

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


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