My Purple Scented Novel

author: Ian McEwan
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/30
date added: 2018/11/30
shelves:
review:
'My Purple Scented Novel' by Ian McEwan is pretty great short story of a crime that goes undetected.

A not so famous novelist is invited to take care of his more famous friend's home. While their, he learns of an unfinished novel, and devises a plan of literary deception that will change the fortunes of each man.

I really liked this tightly plotted story. It comes off a bit like a heist story in the execution. I liked that the story mentioned the literary crimes of Lee Israel, as I just saw the movie based on what she did.

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


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Of Dust & Blood: The Battle at Little Big Horn

author: Jim Berry
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/29
date added: 2018/11/29
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Of Dust & Blood: The Battle at Little Big Horn' by Jim Berry with art by Val Mayerick is a retelling of a famous historical event.

The famous story is told from two points of view that are both fictional as far as I can tell. Both are foot soldiers on each side of the conflict. One is on Custer's side and one on Sitting Bull's. We see the building conflict, then the massacre through their eyes.

It tries to not offend anyone, and manages to be vague in it's approach. It doesn't really give us much of anything, and I'm not sure anyone not familiar with the history would really learn much of anything.

Still the art was good throughout and it helps to elevate a story that I found just mediocre.

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


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Abbott and Barley: A Perfect Place

author: Silvia Vecchini
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.43
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/29
date added: 2018/11/29
shelves: childrens
review:
'Abbott and Barley: A Perfect Place' by Silvia Vecchini with illustrations by Sualzo is a story about the lengths a father will go to in order to spend time with his son.

One day, Abbott is out fishing with his son Barley. Barley is bored, and Abbott finds out all his friends are off doing fun things. Abbott works some magic and takes his son on journeys to ride the back of a whale and bicycling in the desert and other things. As hard as he tries, he seems to not find a place until Barley reminds him that there is a special place for both of them.

I really liked this cute story with it's fun illustrations. I kept getting surprised by this story, and I loved the touching ending.

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


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Curioddity

author: Paul Jenkins
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/26
date added: 2018/11/26
shelves:
review:
'Curioddity' by Paul Jenkins is about a hapless drone who wanders in to a weird world full of the kind of luck you have when you can unsee the world around you.

Will Morgan has a dead end job, but it's not the one his father wants him to have, so he takes a little comfort in it. His routine takes him to the same coffee place where they mess up his order, and into the same office building with an elevator that reeks. He is terrorized daily by the local clocktower.

One day, and odd little man with an odd museum pays him a visit and offers him a job to find a missing artifact. Without a clue as to what he is looking for, Will's life takes random turns that change his life. Armed with an untrustworthy cell phone and an assortment of random items, Will is ready to take on the world.

I kind of liked this book full of wit and wonder. At first, I wasn't sure, but I was won over by the end.

I received a review copy of this ebook from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Orphans Vol. 2: Lies

author: Roberto Recchioni
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.10
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/24
date added: 2018/11/24
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Orphans Vol. 2: Lies' by Roberto Recchioni with art by Emiliano Mammucari continues the story of a world that is changed and the children brutally trained to defend it.

As in the first volume, the stories move back and forth in time, showing the characters as children then as grown adults dealing with the emotional trauma they've lived with. This time around, we learn more about the quieter members, Sam and Ringo. Both are loners, and we get good flashbacks from them. There is also plenty of combat and alien fighting along the way.

This collects the next three issues, but these issues are over 100 pages long, so there is a lot of art and story. There is also a nice collection of extras with lots of sketches and character formation background.

I really liked the first volume, and this one feels even stronger. It's a good story with solid art, and I look forward to finding out where this story goes.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lion Forge, 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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World War One Posters: An Anniversary Collection

author: Dover Publications Inc.
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.59
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/24
date added: 2018/11/24
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'World War One Posters: An Anniversary Collection' by Dover Publications Inc. is a collection of 100 posters from the World War I era. The description states that the book has detailed captions, but I wished there had been just a bit more detail.

The book primarily has examples from the US, but there are posters from some of the other countries in the conflict as well. There are calls for service, and calls to invest in war funds. The most famous image of the era included is that of Uncle Sam pointing at the viewer and demanding their enlistment. Where artists are known, they are given as well as the printing company. The dates of the poster are given and the country it's from.

This sort of thing is of great interest to me. The era of the First World War is less known to me since the US joined the war late, but these posters show an actively engaged country seeking assistance to fight. They can be viewed as propaganda as some, but I feel they are appeals to the public consciousness. The art is of the era, and I really had a great time looking over these posters.

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


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The Jewish Brigade - Volume 1 - Vigilante (La Brigade juive)

author: Marvano
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2018/11/24
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Jewish Brigade' with art and script by Morvano is a story that takes place in post-war Germany.

Ari and Leslie are two soldiers in a Jewish Brigade doing surveys of the German countryside. Along the way, they pick up a young girl names Safaya who has survived the war. They find a war criminal in hiding. They witness escaped Jewish prisoners being executed in the field. The Russian soldiers they meet are tolerant of them, barely, but let them go because they are British soldiers.

I was unfamiliar with this part of history, so I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The horror of post-war, the obviously bad feelings and the trauma of surviving are all here. The art is also really good.

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


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Harbinger Wars 2

author: Matt Kindt
name: Wayne
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/21
date added: 2018/11/21
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Harbinger Wars 2' by Matt Kindt and a bunch of talented artists is the kind of big epic battle that other comic imprints wish they could create.

Livewire is trying to protect the young psiots, and the government is intent on killing them. This leads her to use her powers to create a sort of EMP that takes out power to lots of things. People die as a result and familiar heroes are on both sides of the conflict. There are scared kids on the run, and powered heroes taking swings and, sometimes, switching sides.

Throughout it all is some really good art. I say it's what other companies wish they could create because the stakes feel pretty real, and the motivations for each side are felt and understood. I really like this conclusion to the story, and a chance to see these characters battle things out.

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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Lettering with Purpose: Creative techniques and prompts for making meaningful, inspirational hand-lettered art

author: Brittany Luiz
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/21
date added: 2018/11/21
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Lettering with Purpose: Creative techniques and prompts for making meaningful, inspirational hand-lettered art' by Brittany Luiz is an instruction guide for those looking to create beautiful lettering.

The book starts with letter basics and lists of tools and materials. Then moves on to styles and techniques, flourishing and floral monograms. There are embellishments, tips on curing a chalkboard and lots of ideas for projects.

The initial instruction feels a bit brief, so this may not be enough for first time pen artists. I liked the examples, the lists of tools and some of the projects. They seem like attainable goals for any skill level.

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


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Look

author: Jon Nielsen
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.92
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/19
date added: 2018/11/19
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Look' by Jon Nielsen is a graphic novel about a couple unusual travelers in a desert at some indeterminate point in the future.

Artie is a robot on a mission. He travels the desert with his vulture friend Owen. Occasionally, they check in with other animals living in the desert. Artie questions what he is doing. This leads him to get checked out, and his fellow robots try to have him wiped and reprogrammed. He and Owen escape and head for the mountains. Along the way, there are other surprises that I dare not share.

I liked this story of a bleak future, but one with friends. There is no indication what happened to most, if not all, of the people, and what Artie is looking for. The art is in black and white, and I liked it's simplicity.

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


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My Friend Sleep

author: Laura Baker
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/18
date added: 2018/11/18
shelves: childrens
review:
'My Friend Sleep' by Laura Baker with illustrations by Hannah Peck is a going to bed book that shows sleep as a helpful guide through different worlds.

A young child falls asleep and is joined by Sleep, a friendly guide. Along the way they see things that are good and not so good, but nothing is really scary with friend Sleep along. Sleep helps the child banish the monsters and arrive safely in the morning.

I like this story that acknowledges that dreams can be scary, but they are not real. The idea of a friend along who empowers the child is good, especially because it is the child that has the power. The illustrations seem a bit busy to me for a bedtime book, but I still liked them.

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


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Batman and the Justice League Manga Vol. 1

author: Shiori Teshirogi
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.88
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/17
date added: 2018/11/17
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Batman and the Justice League Vol. 1' by Shiori Teshirogi is a manga take on DC comics that's been translated for American audiences from it's original publication in Red magazine.

A young boy from Japan who has missing parents follows the trail to Gotham city. After a nasty run in with Gotham police who have been "jokerized," he is rescued by Batman. Batman knows a thing about not having parents, so he takes an interest in the boy. A bigger plot is uncovered involving a new beverage that the Joker is selling, and supervillains interested in ley lines. Along the way Superman, Wonder Woman and others show up.

It gets cool points from me for being a manga. I like the idea of how other cultures interpret the things I like. The story is a bit weird, and the characters feel a bit flat. I'm not sure I really care about this boy from Tokyo, and it's not clear yet why all the other Justice League characters are hanging around. I found it interesting and entertaining enough.

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


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Invincible - Volume 1: Justice and Fresh Vegetables

author: Jousselin
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/17
date added: 2018/11/17
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Invincible Vol. 1: Justice and Fresh Vegetables' by Pascal Jousselin was a fun approach to breaking the fourth wall and playing with perspective.

Invincible is an odd hero. In a series of panels, he can reach in to future panels and fight crime. This means things are moving vertically between panels like a stolen work of art. In one gag, a cat in a tree is brought down by Invincible reaching down in to the tree from a panel above. Along the way, he meets a young hero who has two dimensional powers named Toodee who can play with objects in the background of a frame.

I thought it was a lot of fun. The pages work best seeing them all together, and there is a lot of play with the art and panel layout. I liked Invincible's costume which consisted of a series of boxes like comic page panels.

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


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History's Greatest Villains: Dracula

author: Bernard Swysen
name: Wayne
average rating: 1.88
book published: 2018
rating: 1
read at: 2018/11/17
date added: 2018/11/17
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'History's Greatest Villains: Dracula' by Bernard Swysen with art by Julien Sole is a graphic novel for people who like their humor tinged with humor amid all the morbid stuff.

Vlad the impaler was a pretty bad guy. He had a nasty temper and killed viciously at the drop of a hat. Besides a few dates along the way, that's about all the reader will learn. There is little mention of the context of the times, and a few references to his family, but beyond that, it's just a series of Vlad killing people. Sometimes he eats amid the impaled victims. Sometimes he feeds his enemies to other enemies.

The humor is oddly out of place amid child rape, murder and cannibalism. The art is cartoonish, but that also feels weirdly out of place. The whole thing was a slog to read. I was hoping for more history and less glorification of such a terrible person.

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


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The Art of Brush Lettering: A Stroke-by-Stroke Guide to the Practice and Techniques of Creative Lettering and Calligraphy

author: Kelly Klapstein
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.29
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/14
date added: 2018/11/14
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'The Art of Brush-Lettering: A Stroke-by-Stroke Guide to the Practice and Techniques of Creative Lettering and Calligraphy' by Kelly Klapstein is a pretty great basic guide to introduce the art of lettering with brush pens.

Starting with the calming effects of lettering and setting the stage with mind, body, pen and paper, the book has a gentle calm manner. Exercises are stressed and built on. Tools are discussed. The basic strokes are broken down, then the alphabet is presented in a way that builds from simple to more complex. Final chapters deal with the kinds of freestyle lettering that can be done once the basics are understood.

This book made beautiful lettering something that was completely in my grasp. I have a couple brush pens and I've attempted to use them, but this book helped me really understand how I was using them wrong. I liked this instructive book and the exercises in it.

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


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Change the World Before Bedtime

author: Mark Kimball Moulton
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/14
date added: 2018/11/14
shelves: childrens
review:
'Change the World Before Bedtime' by Mark Kimball Moulton, Josh Chalmers, and Karen Hillard Good is a picture book to get young kids thinking about ways they can change the world around them.

The book follows a group of children throughout their day as they eat and play and recycle. The kids take cupcakes to sick friends and have a yard sale to build a well in Uganda. There are lots of other ideas along the way before bedtime. The book ends with some activity pages.

The art is cute. The text is supposed to rhyme and I'm picky about my rhyming text. This doesn't just roll off my tongue as I read out loud. Still it's an interesting idea for a kids book to teach them to give back rather than just take.

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


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Guinea Pigs

author: Benacquista Tonino
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/10
date added: 2018/11/10
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Guinea Pigs' by Benacquista Tonino with art by Barral Nicolas is a story that could be happening even as you read this review.

A drug company has a new drug they want to test. They are looking for people who don't normally test. In exchange for 21 days of testing, the subjects will get 3,500 euros. The subjects selected are Daniel, Romain and Moira. They all have some personal problems, so they willingly sign up. The test isolates them and they are forced to take drugs and give blood daily. The drug has a weird side effect on each of them.

I liked this slowly moving story of science and side effects. I wasn't sure how to feel about these characters, but I cared more for them as the story moved along.

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


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The Man of Steel

author: Brian Michael Bendis
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/10
date added: 2018/11/10
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Man of Steel' by Brian Michael Bendis and a pile of artists, is Mr. Bendis' big move to DC and a chance to tell a story of the big boy scout.

We meet Superman in this book as he is being pummeled by Rogol Zaar, an intergalactic type intent on wiping out all things Kryptonian. We then take a flashback to events leading up to this. Lois and Jon are not in the picture, but we don't know why...yet. Superman/Clark Kent won't talk about it. A series of fires breaks out in Metropolis and Superman brings in Batman to help figure things out. Then the Fortress of Solitude is destroyed and Superman and Supergirl vow revenge. They find the being who wiped out Krypton, but can they stop him?

The story isn't bad, and neither is the art. There is a cohesion between issues that I liked. I've seen other Superman shakeups and this one had a few big things in it. It will be interesting to see how events here change things.

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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The United States of Murder Inc. Volume 1: Truth

author: Brian Michael Bendis
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2014
rating: 2
read at: 2018/11/10
date added: 2018/11/10
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The United States of Murder Inc. Volume 1: Truth' by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Michael Avon Oeming is a story of alternate history where the mafia is thriving and in charge of parts of the US.

Our protagonist is Valentine Gallo. He is charged with delivering a package outside the mafia zone to a senator. Accompanying him is a beautiful killer named Jagger Rose who will protect Valentine, but that's all. When the senator dies in an explosion, Valentine is suspected in the murder. He also learns a big secret from his mother. She has been grooming him his entire life to be a double agent for the FBI and inform on his mafia family.

It's an interesting idea, but it feels unfinished. The art also felt a bit unfinished at times. Sometimes I liked the art and story, and sometimes, it felt rough and rushed.

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


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This Is a Whoopsie!

author: Andrew Cangelose
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.08
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/10
date added: 2018/11/10
shelves: childrens
review:
'This is a Whoopsie' by Andrew Cangelose with illustrations by Josh Shipley is another fun book like 'This is a Taco.'

This time around, the book is about a clumsy moose named Whoopsie. He is the star of the book, but he keeps thinking they should have picked a less accident prone moose. He has a cheerleader in the form of a little blue bird named Bird. When Whoopsie trips on a log and causes all the letters to fall down, he tries to fix things with pretty funny results. Taco even finds a way to make a cameo.

It's a cute silly story. The lesson at the end is good. It's ok to fall down as long as you always get back up again.

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


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Space Cat

author: Ruthven Todd
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1952
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/10
date added: 2018/11/10
shelves: childrens
review:
'Space Cat' by Ruthven Todd with illustrations by Paul Galdone is a reprint from the era before we actually went to the moon, but it's still a fun read with some great illustrations.

A young cat, nicknamed Flyball by the pilots he meets, sneaks his way on to an airbase and on to a jet plane. He gets invited along for a trip to the moon. A special suit is made for him (which he is not terribly fond of), and he sets off for space. On the moon, he even makes some interesting discoveries and becomes a hero.

It's the first in a series about Space Cat, and I really liked it. It's the kind of early reader science fiction I loved as a kid. The science and principles don't hold up, but the story has enough imagination and wonder that it holds up as a pretty good read.

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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Duck is Stuck

author: Zoubida Mouhssin
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.20
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/07
date added: 2018/11/07
shelves: childrens
review:
'Duck is Stuck' by Zoubida Mouhssin with illustrations by Pascale Moutte-Baur is a picture book about a duck in a pretty impossible situation. It's cute and funny.

Duck and his family are migrating when they stop to rest in a lake. Duck falls asleep and when he wakes, he is stuck in the lake which has frozen over. A variety of nearby animals come to see and laugh and help. From the large moose, to the tiny fish, they all try to help. Will Duck ever get unstuck?

It's a pretty silly book, and I'm not sure it's even possible for a duck to get stuck this way, but it's worth suspending your disbelief. The text is simple and the illustrations are nice. Poor duck.

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


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Lovecraft Country

author: Matt Ruff
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2018/11/07
date added: 2018/11/07
shelves: sword-and-laser
review:
'Lovecraft Country' by Matt Ruff was my book club's pick for October and it was a good one.

Lovecraft himself was a known racist, so the title has a perfect double meaning for the stories inside. A series of linked short stories in Jim Crow America sheds a different view on these alternate takes on Lovecraft stories. The title story features Atticus Turner who heads in to dangerous country to find his missing father only to realize he's been lured because of something unique to him. Escaping this odd enclave of natural philosophers (aka wizards) is only the beginning of the troubles that Atticus and his family and friends will encounter.

I loved how the real horror is not the supernatural weirdness, but the horror of racism. I liked how historical things like the Green Book and the Tulsa riot have an impact on the stories. The writing is well done, and I really enjoyed this book.


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Good Night, Kitty Kitty!

author: Brenda Ponnay
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.76
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/07
date added: 2018/11/07
shelves: childrens
review:
'Good Night, Kitty Kitty!' by Brenda Ponnay is a picture book about a small cat that isn't ready for bed quite yet.

A young child gets ready for bed and tries to convince the cat that it's time to sleep. Kitty doesn't want to settle down, hiding around the house and not getting in to bed. Will Kitty Kitty finally get the hint?

This is a cute little book with pretty cute drawings. The kitten is black with green eyes and has a mischievous look. I'm not sure it would settle a toddler down, but I'm sure it might get a few giggles.

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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London Letters: From Angel to ZSL London Zoo, Discover Where to Eat, Drink and Explore

author: LucyLovesThis
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.45
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/07
date added: 2018/11/07
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'London Letters: From Angel to ZSL London Zoo, Discover Where to Eat, Drink and Explore' by LucyLovesThis is an unconvetional guidebook.

It's part insider guide and part art project. All the areas around London are assigned a letter, then the book proceeds from A to Z. For each area, there is a bucket list of things to do and see. The letter is drawn out with highlights of the area. A loose map of the area is then shown with highlights and transit stops, then a recap of stations, food and drink, landmarks, and things to look for in the area.

I don't know how well this would work as a guide for a first time visitor since it's presented in an A to Z fashion, but I loved how it was done. It also feels like the recommendations are a bit like you'd get from a local and not from a guidebook. I really had fun paging through this book, and I really liked the illustrations.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing Grou-Rock Point, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Scarlet, Book 1 (Scarlet, #1)

author: Brian Michael Bendis
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at: 2018/11/07
date added: 2018/11/07
shelves:
review:



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Batman, Volume 7: The Wedding

author: Tom King
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/05
date added: 2018/11/05
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Batman, Vol. 7: The Wedding' by Tom King with art by Tony S. Daniel and Mikel Janin seemed like it was going to be a grand story in the long tradition of comics. I felt weirdly let down by all the hype. Let me explain why.

Two words: Booster Gold. The first half of this volume is a story of Booster Gold trying, and failing, to deliver the appropriate gift to Batman for his wedding. The problem is that Booster is in the wrong timeline and he keeps getting stuck. Worse still, he keeps screwing things up in prime Booster fashion. Which has little to do with the upcoming wedding.

The back half of the volume is a bit better and features things I'd read in the deluxe wedding album like the Joker showing up at some random soul's house because he's convinced his wedding invite will show up there. And there's the big issue leading up to the wedding with lots of big art panels by artists past and present.

Overall, I liked it, but I guess I was looking for more actual wedding story. The art is solid enough. I just wanted more epic and less mundane.

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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Small Country

author: Gaël Faye
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2018/08/09
date added: 2018/11/03
shelves:
review:
'Small Country' by Gael Faye with translation by Sarah Ardizzone is a coming of age story set against a civil war in a small African country.

The main character is Gabriel, and the book is framed as a memoir he is writing in his 30s now that he lives in France. It tells the story of his family in 1992 living in Burundi. His Rwandan mother escaped her own atrocities years earlier and Gabriel and his family seem to have a pretty good life at the beginning of the book.

The looming future hangs over the book, but it seems like it takes a while to start. When it does, Gabriel sees it affect those around them, including himself.

I felt a little detached from the main character. He was hard to feel empathy for, and I can't understand why. Is it because this is a story we are familiar with in more recent news? Maybe it's because Gabriel himself seems a bit detached about things. I liked the book, but not as much as I imagined I might.

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


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Anne Arrives: Inspired by Anne of Green Gables

author: Kallie George
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/03
date added: 2018/11/03
shelves: childrens
review:
'Anne Arrives: Inspired by Anne of Green Gables' adapted by Kallie George with illustrations by Abigail Halpin is the first book in a new early reader series, and I found it as charming as the book it's based on.

Told with easy fonts, less words, and lots of pictures, this book follows the early days of Anne arriving at Avonlea. She meets Marilla and Matthew and has an incident with a nosy neighbor.

All the familiar elements are here and with the abridgment, nothing feels really forgotten. The illustrations are a real nice addition, and this would be a good gift for a young reader to introduce them to a classic series.

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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Scarlet Book One

author: Brian Michael Bendis
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/03
date added: 2018/11/03
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Scarlet Book One' by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Alex Maleev was an interesting story and not one I expected to see coming from DC.

I'm familiar with Brian Michael Bendis' work at Marvel on titles like Daredevil, The Avengers and others. This time around the character is an original creation, and one who seems to push at boundaries of the comic panels.

When we first meet redheaded Scarlet, she is standing over a corpse and seeming to talk directly to us. Who this woman is and the events that brought her here will be revealed, but she is the victim of a seemingly corrupt system, and she wants our help to do something about it.

It's a striking call for help. Made moreso by Alex Maleev's photorealistic art style. The characters look like they were shot on film, then colored over. As a style here, it's impressive. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this one.

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


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The Snow and the Sun / La Nieve y el Sol: A South American Folk Rhyme in Two Languages

author: Antonio Frasconi
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/11/02
date added: 2018/11/02
shelves: childrens
review:
'The Snow and the Sun/La Nieve y el Sol: A South American Folk Rhyme in Two Languages' by Antonio Frasconi is full of the author's woocuts, which is the reason I liked this book.

The story here is from a textbook from Argentina with translation by the author. The story starts with a simple question about why the snow hurts our feet, and continues to build on a causal list of things that are interrelated. The narrative runs from snow to sun to rat and cat to man and on and on, finally coming back to snow.

Originally published in 1961, I liked the bilingual nature of the text. I really liked the original woodcuts present here in multiple colors.

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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Encyclopedia of Black Comics

author: Sheena C. Howard
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.62
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/02
date added: 2018/11/02
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Encyclopedia of Black Comics' by Sheena C. Howard is an A to Z look at people of African descent who have had a hand in creating and discussing comics and comic strips.

I knew about famous contributors like Morrie Turner and Christopher Priest. I'm a fan of Joel Christian Gill's work in Strange Fruit and Tales of the Tenth. I was less familiar with some of the pioneers like Sam Milai. I confess to being surprised that George Herriman was an African American. Along with these there are founders of comic book conventions, scholars of sequential art, webcomic artists and so many more.

Throughout the book are some examples of artwork. Each entry is a page or so. It's all interesting and fun to page through and I learned so much. I'm glad there is such a resource out there.

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


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