What If We Were Somewhere Else

author: Wendy J. Fox
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.64
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/31
date added: 2021/10/31
shelves:
review:
'What If We Were Somewhere Else' by Wendy J. Fox is a book of linked short stories exploring our deep need to want more with our lives if we could only figure out what.

This book follows the lives of a handful of people who work together in an office as they struggle with layoffs, divorces, personal dissatisfaction and other issues. Each character feels individual and unique and the level of detail is almost uncomfortably intimate with the level of frankness. The loneliness and isolation are stark and yet, we face many of the same struggles. We work with people and form bonds, but do we really know them?

There are some interesting surprises along the way as characters show up intertwined in other stories and viewpoints shift. There is even a jump to the not too distant future. The author's writing style here is in top form and the prose kept me turning pages to read more.

I received a review ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much for allowing me to review this book.


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Nottingham

author: David Hazan
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/24
date added: 2021/10/24
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Nottingham' by David Hazan with art by Shane Connery Volk is a dark take on the Robin Hood legend.

There is a serial killer in Nottingham killing the rich and robbing them. The killer wears a scary mask full of teeth. The Sheriff of Nottingham is narrowing down suspects, and the path leads to familiar characters we know from folklore.

As a fan of the Robin Hood legend, I enjoyed this bloody take on it, and I think the unique, angular art really helped contribute to it. The art is angular and caricatured and I really liked the character design.

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


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The Living Word: Inner Land - A Guide Into the Heart of the Gospel, Volume 5

author: Eberhard Arnold
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/24
date added: 2021/10/24
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'The Living Word: Inner Land - A Guide into the Heart of theh Gospel, Vol. 5' by Eberhard Arnold is based on writings that were packed in metal boxes and buried to keep them from the Nazis.

First publishd in 1936, this 5 part series has a different focus in every book. This book talks about how the Bible is the living word of God, but not of itself. Anyone can read the Bible, but without the Holy Spirit, it lacks the ability to produce righteousness and other Godly qualities.

I liked what this book had to say. The uninspired reading of the Bible and misquoting it have led to reliogisty and worse. I enjoyed this journey to the Inner Land.

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


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Terra Nullius

author: Claire G. Coleman
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2021/10/22
date added: 2021/10/22
shelves: sword-and-laser
review:
'Terra Nullius' by Claire G. Coleman was the October book club book pick for my book club.

Taking place in Australia, the book is about a young man named Jacky who has escaped a residential school in Australia and is being hunted down to be brought back. This feels like a standard story of indigenous people and the colonizers who only see them as lesser or animals. It is that and a bit more as the scope of the book changes about the 1/3 mark.

I liked the story by the end, but it was hard for me to get in to the story and it felt overly long to make its points. I liked the story and characters though.


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Super Chill: A Year of Living Anxiously

author: Adam Ellis
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/22
date added: 2021/10/22
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Super Chill: A Year of Living Anxiously' by Adam Ellis is a book of comics about a man obsessed with crystals and Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons.

The comics here deal with depression, self-esteem and justifying eating bad things. That makes them sound not very funny, but they are. The comics feel somewhat personal in nature and that gives them a level of authenticity.

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


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The Girl, The Shovel, and the Evil Eye Vol. 1

author: Chouchouhasshi
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/22
date added: 2021/10/22
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Girl, the Shovel, and the Evil Eye' by Chouchouhasshi with illustrations by Kayatamaru is a manga which depicts the afterlife as a type of roleplaying adventure.

When Tsuguto Sumihara dies in a bus accident, he wakes up in a mine where desperate miners try to find odd gems. He finds an ally in a young sheep-girl with a shovel and learns he is tagless, or has no stats. Before long, he is trying to find gems to survive and fighting monsters to try and level up.

I liked this strange story of dying and waking up as a D&D character. The main characters are fun as is the art.

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


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Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven

author: Kami Garcia
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/19
date added: 2021/10/19
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:
'Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven' by Kami Garcia with art by Gabriel Picolo is a graphic novel telling a version of how these two characters met.

Raven Roth and Garfield Logan both get called to a strange city to meet a man named Slade Wilson. They both have secrets to hide and when they meet, they don't even know they are in town to meet the same person. What follows is a story of two teens discovering who they are.

This was a pretty great story. Kami Garcia has a good feel for these characters so the story feels right. The art by Gabriel Picolo is just a joy to look at.

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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Unicorn Playlist

author: Dana Simpson
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/19
date added: 2021/10/19
shelves: childrens, graphic-novels
review:
'Unicorn Playlist' by Dana Simpson is the 14th book in the Phoebe and Her Unicorn series.

When the collection opens, Phoebe is sad, and Marigold tries to figure out why. Then it's on to mail delivery systems and we learn about the Pointy Express. We also learn that unicorns invented bluetooth and there are alternate worlds with very different versions of Phoebe.

These books offer consistent humor and fun situations. There are always new things to find out about the world of unicorns. The book also includes a glossary for younger readers to learn new words.

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


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The Thirteenth Floor Volume Three

author: John Wagner
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/16
date added: 2021/10/16
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Thirteenth Floor Volume Three' by John Wagner, Alan Grant and Jose Cruz continues the freaky adventures of the Maxwell Tower building and the computer who runs it all, Max.

Max is back with his hidden thirteenth floor and his vindictive nature. This time around Max is visited by a Soviet computer which results in a covert mission behind the Iron Curtain. In another story, Max seems to be going crazy and putting innocent people at risk. In other stories, Max puts the not to innocent at risk to keep the Maxwell Tower inhabitants protected.

These comics are from Eagle magazine in Britain from the 1980s. As such, they have a funny way of portraying computers and former Soviet spies, but that doesn't mean they are not entertaining to read. These stories are a hoot to read and I loved the black and white art and the narrator, Max.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Rebellion, 2000 AD, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Violeta - Corazón Maldito

author: Virginia Tonfoni
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2021/10/16
date added: 2021/10/16
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Violeta: Corazon Maldito' by Virginia Tonfoni with art by Alessio Spataro is a graphic novel that tells the story of a musical artist from Chile.

2017 was the centennial birthday of Violeta Parra, a poet, artist and musician. Her story starts with the parent that inspired her to pursue music, mainly as a way to raise money for an impoverished family. Her life was filled with tragedy, travel and some fame.

The problem I had with this graphic novel was that it jumps forward in time with little consequence and characters have died or disappeared. It lacks a narrative structure for the reader to learn anything about Violeta Parra. I wasn't crazy about the art either.

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


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Alas

author: Hervé Bourhis
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/16
date added: 2021/10/16
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Alas' by Herve Bourhis with art by Rudy Spiessert is a graphic novel about sentient animals and the discovery of a young human, who are thought to be almost extinct.

When a young girl is captured in the forest, it sparks all manner of interest because humans are viewed as curiosities by their animal captors. The interest varies from scientific to hunger to being owned as a pet. When the girl escapes and a flood happens, all manner of chaos ensues.

I liked the story and the characters. It is really a strange one, but perhaps not as original as it could have been. I did really like the art by Rudy Spiessert.

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


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Garlic and the Vampire

author: Bree Paulsen
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/16
date added: 2021/10/16
shelves: childrens, graphic-novels
review:
'Garlic and the Vampire' with story and art by Bree Paulsen is an adorable graphic novel about sentient vegetables and bravery.

A witch has a vegetable farm tended by anthropomorphic vegetables. Little garlic struggles with fears of being small. When a new neighbor has moved in to the lonely castle on the hill, garlic is selected as the only one who can do something since it's a vampire. She is sent off to meet the new neighbor. Can she overcome her fears?

First of all, I adored the illustrations in this graphic novel. I loved these character designs. The story is really great too and, since I'm writing this in October, seasonally appropriate. There are also good lessons about overcoming anxiety.

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


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Emotions Explained with Buff Dudes: Owlturd Comix

author: Andrew Tsyaston
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/15
date added: 2021/10/15
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Emotions Explained with Buff Dude' by Andrew Tsyaston is a collection of comics about (mostly) bad reactions to emotions.

The humor here is the kind of self-dialogue between the main character and some labeled emotions. The humor is in some of the terrible advice that is given, but along the way, there are a few nuggets of truth to glean. It's a fun collection and I enjoyed reading it and laughing at the comics and myself.

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


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The Last Witch: Fear & Fire

author: Conor McCreery
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/15
date added: 2021/10/15
shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult
review:
'The Last Witch: Fear and Fire' by Conor McCreery with art by V.V. Glass is a graphic novel about a young girl who discovers something extraordinary about herself.

In a long ago Ireland, a witch comes around once a year to hunt children. Young Saoirse and her brother Brahm disobey orders and things get pretty scary. Saoirse finds out she has to fight a family of witches by tapping in to inner strength she doesn't know she has.

This is a solid young adult fantasy with just enough scary bits to make it a really good read. The art is also very solid making this a good one to recommend to younger readers who like supernatural tales.

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


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Boni - Volume 1 - The Last Bite of Carrot

author: Ian Fortin
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.50
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2020/07/11
date added: 2021/10/14
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Boni Volume 1: The Last Bite of Carrot' with art and script by Ian Fortin is a series of comic strips about a little bunny and his family.

Boni is the oldest sibling in his family. He's got a friend named Milo who wears glasses. There is a bunny named Brigitte who Bruno likes. There is a also a really large bully bunny named Bruno.

The gags are the usual kid type gags, but there are some more mature type language in a couple, so I'd call this a PG rated book. The art is mainly just the characters and whatever props the gag needs. There is not background art, which keeps the page clean. I liked this collection of comics.

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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Guinea Pigs

author: Tonino Benacquista
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2018/11/10
date added: 2021/10/14
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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Another World: Nineteenth-Century Illustrated Print Culture

author: Patricia Mainardi
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/07
date added: 2021/10/07
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Another World: Nineteenth Century Illustrated Print Culture' by Patricia Mainardi is a non-fiction book that sets out to find the origins of modern comic books and graphic novels.

Starting with the development of lithography, it is noted that this brought art and illustrations to the masses. It also brought the beginnings of caricature. Next up is the illustrated Press where newspapers begin including illustrations for stories. Throughout this is the very beginnings of sequential storytelling with pictures and illustrated novels for adults.

This was a fascinating look at a field of art development that I'm particularly interested in. There are lots and lots of examples along the way to show the progression towards modern comics.

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


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Galloping Gertie: The True Story of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse

author: Amanda Abler
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/07
date added: 2021/10/07
shelves: childrens
review:
'Galloping Gertie' by Amanda Abler with illustrations by Levi Hastings is a picture book about a young boy and a famous disaster.

A young boy named Dale and his family walk across a new suspension bridge when it opens in 1940. The bridge kind of rolls under their feet as they walk, but as they soon find out that shouldn't be the case. The bridge was the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, also known as Galloping Gertie.

This story did a good job of mixing story and science. Also, even though this was a tragedy, it's not portrayed as too scary. The illustrations are really top notch too.

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


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Frank Pe's Little Nemo

author: Frank Pé
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.80
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/04
date added: 2021/10/04
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Frank Pe's Little Nemo' with story and art by Frank Pe is a graphic novel tribute to Windsor McCay's Little Nemo in Slumberland.'

The book is a showcase of Frank Pe's tribute to Winsor McCay. The comic strips are sometimes about Nemo and sometimes about Winsor McCay experiencing Nemo-like dreams.

The strips feel authentic. Astute fans may see the absence of a character from the original strips and that is covered in an afterword from the publisher. The art is splendid, but I could have used less full double page spreads and more story content.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Magnetic 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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