How to Be Perfectly Unhappy

author: Matthew Inman
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.87
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2017/11/03
date added: 2017/11/03
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'How to Be Perfectly Unhappy' by Matthew Inman is a gift book about why it's ok not to be happy.

The author and illustrator explains how he feels when people ask him if he is happy. The answer is that he is not, but that doesn't meant that he is unhappy. He goes on to explain why this is so in his unique style. The moral of this short tale is a good one.

The book is a very short one at 48 pages. With not a lot of text, it's a quick read. It would be a good gift book for a fr‪iend. Especially one that seems content, but maybe not especially happy.

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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Harley Quinn (2016-) Vol. 3: Red Meat

author: Amanda Conner
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2017/11/03
date added: 2017/11/03
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Harley Quinn Vol. 3: Red Meat' by Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and John Timms collects the lead stories from Harley Quinn #14-21. Harley continues her life of being an antihero with her weird group of friends.

When a group of large beings that live under the ground show up, they unleash a being that Harley isn't capable of handling, so she calls in some friends like Power Girl, who reluctantly shows up.

The mayor of New York has hired a group of people to take care of the homeless population and Harley Quinn is sent undercover to find out what is going on.

I keep thinking there are interesting things to do with this character, but I haven't found what I'm looking for yet. The humorous antihero thing has been done before and better. When I have a hard time staying interested to finish a graphic novel, that's a sign that I've just lost interest.

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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Nile Crossing

author: Katy Beebe
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/11/03
date added: 2017/11/03
shelves: children-s
review:
'Nile Crossing' by Katy Beebe with illustrations by Sally Wem Comport is a picture book telling an unusual version of a first day of school story.

Young Khepri lives with his family in ancient Egypt. He spends his days fishing with his father, but today is a different day. Today Khepri will cross the Nile with his father and enter the city of Thebes.

The story kind of ends, but there is some after story with more history and a glossary. The illustrations are really very interesting. They have a kind of old Egyptian feel to them. The story tells a historical sort of story with familiar elements. I really liked this story for younger readers.

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


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Superman Reborn

author: Dan Jurgens
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2017/11/01
date added: 2017/11/01
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Superman Reborn (Superman, Volume IV)' by Dan Jurgens, Peter J. Tomasi, and Patrick Gleason collects issues from Action Comics and Superman. It attempts to pull in all the different Supermen and combine them into one.

The Superman of the beginning of the story is new to his Earth. On this Earth, Superman died, but a Clark Kent with no powers was left behind. Lois tries to figure that out, but not before Clark goes weirdly creepy and kidnaps her son Jon. There's a reason for that which you will have to read to discover.

Along with that, Superwoman is critically ill and she comes to Superman for help. Her story gets kind of shunted aside to focus on the Superman story.

The various versions of Superman that have been around for the past few years are referenced at one point or another. I like the story they came up with. All the storylines are a bit of a mess and this tries to reconcile that. I think it does a farily good job of that. The art is pretty even between issues of Action Comics and Superman. I like the twists and turns this title takes, and the strong sense of family at the heart of it. This is a Superman that I hope we get to keep for a while.

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 Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day

author: James Kakalios
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.10
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2017/10/30
date added: 2017/10/30
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind and Ordinary Day' by James Kakalios takes the reader through a day and explains how the things we interact with work.

The book follows a person as they wake up for the day. Some of the many objects that are discussed are alarm clocks and toll booths and medical x-rays. There are airport security devices and credit card readers and hotel room card readers. There are LCD projectors and toll booths.

Most of the items may not be things that the reader may not interact with daily, but the familiarity is there. These items have a common enough use that the reader may not really consider what the science is behind them. That's where this book shines. It does end up feeling like a bit much by the time the book ends, but I found it interesting enough, and I'm sure it will make me look at the every day items I use in a new light.

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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Dunkirk

author: Lieutenant Colonel Ewan Butler
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.86
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2017/10/30
date added: 2017/10/30
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Dunkirk' by Lieutenant Colonel Ewan Butler and Major J.S. Bradford is a first hand account that was written 10 years after the battle. It's a very readable account of men caught in a war and being pushed back off the continent.

The British Expeditionary Force (or B.E.F.) was in France in 1939 and into 1940. The book talks about life on the ground with the people of France. There is also mention of the air war and how the British tried to hold off German air power with dwindling supplies and what repairs could be made to keep planes flying. The Navy was off shore, but unable to offer much in aid. This left the army to face the impending advance of Nazi Germany. As the British got pushed out of France at Dunkirk, an amazing rescue of the troops occurred. This was still a rout, no matter how history might portray it.

This book was originally the source for a 1958 movie starring Richard Attenborough. I'm not sure how well that movie has aged, but this book reads very well. The story of men on the ground leading up to the evacuation is well told.

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


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Angry Birds Comics, Vol 2: When Pigs Fly

author: Paul Tobin
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2015/04/23
date added: 2017/10/25
shelves: graphic-novels, children-s
review:
The Angry Birds are back for more fun in 'Angry Birds Comics, Vol. 2: When Pigs Fly.' It's about as fun as the first one, and definitely good for younger readers who are fans of the game.

This time around, there are mysterious green eggs, pigs on stilts, and of course, the titles flying pigs. The birds try out alternate nest materials (like stone or water) with some dismal results. There are weird shells, strange berry juice, and a broken sling shot. The pigs try to steal the eggs, and the birds always manage to stay one step ahead of them.

It's cartoony violence like the game is. The pigs are pretty dim, and the birds are pretty silly. It's got a slapstick style found in cartoons, and the colors are bright. Once again, the bottom of the pages seem to have some sort of flip cartoon, but since I'm reviewing a digital copy, I can't make the pages flip fast enough. If you're buying a copy for kids, they might have more fun with a paper version so they can flip the pages and watch the birds fly into the pigs.

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


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