Meteor Men: Expanded Edition

author: Kevin Volo
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.80
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/27
date added: 2022/02/27
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
Meteor Men' is a perfect story for the graphic novel format. In this new expanded version, it has an additional 20 pages of art and story. It's mystery and wonder are perfect for this medium. Some slight spoilers follow.

Alden Baker lives on his deceased parent's farm until he's old enough to own it. On the night of the Perseid meteor shower, he and others are out in the pasture to observe it. Along with the shower, meteors crash on Earth, including not far from where he is. A fight ensues over who owns the meteor, but what are they really and why did so many land? The mystery deepens over weeks as mysterious things are seen on the planet, and Alden finds himself in a unique place in the middle of a global crisis.

The art and story work well together, and it's the kind of visual story that works better with sequetial art. It's a good story completely suitable for YA. Alden is a likeable character. There are some strange jumps in the story. Some are possibly because of the story, but some were just a bit strange to me. I liked it well enough and I do recommend it.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Big Alien Moon Crush

author: Art Baltazar
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/02/26
date added: 2022/02/26
shelves: graphic-novels, childrens
review:
'Big Alien Moon Crush' with story and art by Art Baltazar is a graphic novel about love blooming in a war zone.

Two alien species, on pink and one green, are at war. A green crashes and is taken hostage by the pinks and ends up falling in love with one of the pinks. What follows is the two of them trying to grow a relationship while the world is falling apart around them.

It's a mostly wordless story, but the message of hope during wartime is pretty clear and seems oddly timely as I write this review. The art is exactly what you expect from Art Baltazar and the story is fine for younger readers.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Action Lab 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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Fungus and Iron (Fungus and Iron, #1)

author: Ayaka Katayama
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.17
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2022/02/26
date added: 2022/02/26
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Fungus and Iron 1' by Ayaka Katayama is a manga about a war and the unlikely odd young man who may be the hero.

Dante is a soldier for Amigasa. Because he is dyslexic, he is one of the soldiers who hasn't been brainwashed by his leaders. When he is sent in to war against the enemy, he is overwhelmed by being outside for once and when he meets his first woman, Aoi, they fall in love.

This story is pretty uneven and suddenly weirdly violent. The main character is described as dumb, which might be offensive for those struggling with dyslexia. I liked the concept, just not the execution.

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


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The Beatles in Comics!

author: Gaet's
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2022/02/25
date added: 2022/02/25
shelves: graphic-novels, non-fiction
review:
'The Beatles in Comics' by Michels Mabel and Gaet's is a history of the supergroup in essay and comic form.

From the founding of The Quarrymen and the early band members to the final breakup of the band and beyond, the history of band is told. Along the way, lots of lesser known facts are featured. A favorite chapter was about Astrid Kirchherr, the early photographer of the young band in Hamburg.

There are a series of essays followed by short comics. The short comics repeat the essay. I would have preferred one or the other, but not both. The art is by different artists and some is better than others. It was still a fun read and a great way to learn about (or in my case, revisit) this great band.

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


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Brink Book Four

author: Dan Abnett
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.09
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/25
date added: 2022/02/25
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Brink Book Four' by Dan Abnett with art by INJ Culbard is a graphic novel in space with a mystery at it's core.

Bridget Kurtis is a cop with an attitude living on a Habitat. When a gruesome mass murder happens, the clues point to a video file that is deadly and the man responsible for the death of Bridget's father.

Although I hadn't read the first 3 volumes, I was able to become immersed in this world pretty easily. I liked this gritty police procedural and the art was great too!

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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Better Angels: A Kate Warne Adventure

author: Jeff Jensen
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/20
date added: 2022/02/20
shelves: graphic-novels, non-fiction
review:
'Better Angels: A Kate Warne Adventure' by Jeff Jensen with art by George Schall is a graphic novel that tells the true story of a woman detective that saved Abraham Lincoln's life.

Kate Warne convinces Allan Pinkerton to hire her as a detective because she is a woman and women at this time in history were largely ignored and could make excellent spies. Kate builds her group of detectives, then is brought to Baltimore to spy on a plot to assassinate newly elected President Lincoln in an attempt by the confederates to replace the US president with Jefferson Davis, a confederate one.

This is a rip-roaring story once it gets going. Part of the problem is that it moves back and forth in time a bit and that is confusing. Amazing art by George Schall has a lithographic/daguerreotype style of the time this story takes place. It is a really good read and tells of a little known woman in history that should be better known.

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


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Harlem Shuffle

author: Colson Whitehead
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/20
date added: 2022/02/20
shelves:
review:
'Harlem Shuffle' by Colson Whitehead is a book in the style of Elmore Leonard, a departure for Colson Whitehead, or is it?

Ray Carney is a family man in Harlem in the early 1960s. He's got a furniture business and is a 'striver' during the day and has a shadier side at night, thanks to his cousin Freddie. Freddie pulls him in to capers and Ray acts as a fence, reluctantly sometimes. When Freddie steals the wrong thing, Ray may be in over his head.

A crime novel is a departure, but not the themes of race and power. The world here is palpable and living. The descriptions of the neighborhood and all that furniture are great, but do slow the pace down, which I leisurely took in, but other readers may balk at. Ray is an interesting character, neither good nor bad, he's just trying to do what's right for his family against a system that seems rigged against him. I really liked this book and Colson Whitehead is a favorite author. I highly recommend this book.

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


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Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide

author: John Cleese
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/18
date added: 2022/02/18
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide' by John Cleese is an encouraging and fun look at the topic of creativity.

This quite short, but fun, read is from someone who is quite creative. Starting off with discussing the creative mindset, the book shortly moves on to hints and suggestions.

I liked the approach this book took and the positive aspect of the message. The hints and suggestions are approachable ways to get the creative juices flowing and to help one get out of their own way.

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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Decision Making And Problem Solving

author: John Adair
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.00
book published: 1999
rating: 3
read at: 2022/02/18
date added: 2022/02/18
shelves: non-fiction-business
review:
'Decision Making and Problem Solving' by John Adair is a book about how to optimize decision making and think out of the box.

This book explores the mind at work and talks about how the mind functions. There chapters on decisions and problem-solving. There are brainteasers along the way to stretch the reader's way of looking at problems.

It's a quick read and offers some good advice. If the reader gets stumped on the puzzles, the answers are in the back along with a list for further reading.

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


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Light from Uncommon Stars

author: Ryka Aoki
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2022/02/15
date added: 2022/02/15
shelves:
review:
'Light From Uncommon Stars' by Ryka Aoki is a book about an unusual donut shop and an even more unusual violin teacher.

Katrina Nguyen a transgender violin player finds a new teacher in a park, but has no idea how strange her new teacher is. It turns out that her teacher, Shizuka Satomi, has a deal with hell and is looking for her last student to complete her contract. Add in a donut-shaped donut shop full of refugee space aliens, and you have an idea of the story. Maybe.

It's a pretty disjointed read with too many disparate story elements for me. It does all come together in the end, but I wanted most story and less trope gimmicks.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood

author: Sam Wasson
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/02/15
date added: 2022/02/15
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood' by Sam Wasson is a book exploring the making of Chinatown and the characters who made it.

This book follows the creators and star of Chinatown, Roman Polanski, Robert Evans, Robert Towne and Jack Nicholson. The concept, design and ideas and the motivations behind it are all part of the narrative. The struggle to find an ending, the drugs and the friendships made and broken are here too.

This is a nonfiction story that reads like fiction. The prose is that good. I found it a fascinating story about a time and place in Hollywood that we will never see again.


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Dinosaur Explorers Vol. 3: Playing in the Permian

author: Redcode
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.91
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2022/02/02
date added: 2022/02/02
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Dinosaur Explorers Vol. 3: Playing in the Permian' by REDCODE and Albbie is a graphic novel about a group of time travelers and the strange creatures they run across.

In this volume our young explorers are in the Permian Carboniferous eras. In the first set of adventures, that brings them in contact with giant bugs like centipedes. In the second, they find a small creature that has hatched from an egg and they try to reunite it, and run in to all kinds of trouble. In between chapters, there is a lot of educational articles about the era and creatures.

The adventures are suitably silly for young readers. The facts are good, if perhaps a bit dense for younger readers. The art has a manga style that is fun (along with the Pokemon and Alien jokes).

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


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Enjoy Time: Stop rushing. Get more done.: 20 thought-provoking lessons.

author: Catherine Blyth
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.92
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2022/02/02
date added: 2022/02/02
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Enjoy Time: Stop rushing. Get more done' by Catherine Blyth is an ebook about time management.

In a series of 5 chapters, 20 lessons are given on better ways to think about time. Interspersed with creative graphics there are chapters based on not chasing the clock and how time changes speed. Each chapter includes a toolkit and links and books for further learning.

The bite-size chapters make this an easy book to pick up for inspiration, even if the content is hardly new.

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


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Jane Eyre

author: Stacy King
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1847
rating: 4
read at: 2017/11/27
date added: 2022/02/01
shelves: classics, graphic-novels
review:
'Manga Classics: Jane Eyre' by Stacy King and Crystal S. Chan with art by SunNeko Lee is a really good adaptation of one of my favorite classic novels.

Young Jane is raised by distant family who mistreat her and ship her off to school to be forgotten. Jane leads a rough existence, and loses her best friend to a sickness brought on by lack of food and heat in the school. When she comes of age, she takes a job as a governess and meets a mysterious stranger. Her life will never be the same.

And that's about the lamest synopsis I've ever done. The Manga Classics series is wonderful and I'm pleased to report that they didn't ruin this classic for me. I loved how subtly the artist worked cats into the story since she loves them so much. Also, the height of Jane and Rochester was based on the height difference between Crystal Chan and her husband. These little details along with some essays about the original story are included.

I received a review copy of this manga from Manga Classics, 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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