The Good Neighbors: Kin

Holly Black in one of the best writers, in my opinion, when it comes to Fay. Almost as if she lived partially in their world herself! The Good Neighbors is no exception to her phenomenal story telling!

In graphic novel format, Black pairs with Naifeh to tell the dark and chilling story of Rue, a teenager whose mother had gone missing, father seems to have lost touch with reality, and whose own world seems to be turning into one crazed distortion of reality. Trying to get a grip on something Rue is thrown for a loop when she discovers her mother was a faerie.

This first volume in the series was incredible and gripping, just what I expect from Black! And it has me itching to reach for the next one!

Wires and Nerve

Another story in the Lunar Chronicles, Meyer tries her hand in a new medium bringing us a story of Iko, Cinder's android best friend, as a graphic novel. This installment takes place after the events in Winter, Iko is hunting down the mutant wolf hybrids left behind on Earth after the war.

So, I actually picked this one up on a whim. Yes I loved the Lunar series, it is now among my top favorites in fact, but I had not planned to read this one for a little while. But as I was browsing the manga section at the library it caught my eye on the shelf and I grabbed it up without thinking. I am so glad I did! First off, as a huge fan of both Meyer and graphic novels I was thrilled to hear about this beauty. Then the story follows Iko, one of my favorite characters in the series! And she is on Earth which means we get updates on everyone else as well! And of course the story Meyer tells is incredible! Ugh, no wonder I finished it in one day and am seriously considering rereading the series because I want back into that world!

If you have read the series but not this book, get on it! It is a must read! If you have read it all, let me know so we can fangirl together because there is too much to contain! If you haven't picked up any of the books yet...what are you waiting for! It is such a great series with a little something for everyone I think. And this book is just another great addition!

Library Wars: Love & War vol. 9

This series has been amazing so far! Along with a love story that has me squealing and mumbling under my breath on every other page, this manga tells the story of the library. As Iku, now a Defense Force Member, works her job and figures things out, the library is put through some serious trials. From the threat of a pervert targeting patrons to rumors of one of their own burning books, Iku and her friends deal with a lot in the year and half that is covered in volumes 1 through 9.

My primary reason for writing the post is to talk about how awesome these books have been. Yumi is an incredible writer and artist as she turns the story into a manga that is both exciting and sweet. I even loved the little skit panels at the start of every new chapter.

But I also wanted to note that this is as far as I can go with the help of my local library. I know there have been at least 6 others published, but the library does not have any copies at this time. That leaves me to buy them myself or find an alternative method of reading the series. So, for now I have to put it down, which just breaks my heart because I am so enthralled by this story. If I manage to get my hands on more I will let everyone know. Otherwise I am currently moving on to a new series and book.

So, if you haven't read these yet, please do, the story is incredible. And if you have, let me know what you think of it. Especially if you know where I can find more of them! Until next time!

A Wrinkle In Time

December: Re-Read Favorites

A Wrinkle In Time was the first book that I read in which the main character was so much like myself that I felt a connection immediately. Meg is just an ordinary girl, unassuming, a little better at some subjects, and very protective of her family with a temper that could get out of hand, I loved her instantly.

In this story Meg has to take an incredible journey through space and time to find her father and bring him back. With the help of her little brother and a new friend, Calvin, she finds a strength inside herself that allows her to do incredible things.

And all these years later, I still love this story so much, Even though Meg kind of annoyed me at times as I was reading it, it was fun, because the younger me would no doubt annoy me too, now. What's more, I found this graphic novel version of the book I love so much and it gave me a new way to see the story I have memorized. What better way to close out a year of books than by joining something I love with a new format I am finding myself more and more in love with, with each new story I discover.

If you haven't read this classic, take a minute to pick it up, in what ever form you can, and discover the joy of Madeleine L'Engle. If you have read it before, pick it up again and read it with different eyes. It's always fun to see things from a new angle, and this is a story you can enjoy more than once!

Library Wars: Love & War vol. 1

Ok, so looking through the teen manga section at the library led me to this new discovery. Which, thank goodness because I just found out that Sword Art Online: Progressive only has three books in the series. So I have read as much of that as I can. So here we have another series that doesn't go very far as of yet, but I am still enjoying it.

The story is that censorship of books got out of hand. So, governments got together with libraries to start an army to protect their collections from those trying to get rid of books they find wrong in some way. When Iku was younger she had to wait 10 years for a book of fairy tales that she wanted to read. And when it finally came in it was going to be taken from her. Instead, an agent from the Library Defense Force showed up and stopped the confiscation and gave Iku back her book. Since then she has been determined to join the DF and save books for other young readers. This is about her journey starting with training, trying to make proud a man she barely remembers while dealing with a commanding officer that is a bit too hard on her.

I love this story. Not only is the concept of a nerd army going out to protect books just awesome, but I am really loving the characters Iku and Dojo who seem to have the face they show the world and then the part of themselves they are slowly showing to each other. In this first installment alone Iku learns some important things about being in the forces and pushing herself to new heights.

I am really looking forward to reading more in this series. Even though I went in knowing that there are only 9 books available to me right now. This will be a new series for me to follow as it come out. You should check it out!

Sword Art Online: Progressive vol. 1

So, during my long wait for whoever else is reading the Attack on Titan series to finally return it, I started looking among the other mangas. And look what I found! I absolutely love the anime series with all my little heart (ask me about a cross over fanfic I wrote) and was so excited to see this on the shelf.

So, this is kind of a retelling of the story we love. Except it goes back to the beginning and gives Asuna's side of the story. In this first one we have just a taste at why she started to play the game, when she first met Kitito, and even a couple of mildly inappropriate drawings of her taste in undergarments. But hey, the story is rated Teen for a reason.

I love that we get the chance to see Asuna more. In the show she takes a little while to show up and a little longer to be someone awesome. This is her half of things. I hope. Only one book in isn't going to give me much. But I am excited for the series anyway.

As with other graphic novels I will let you know more about what I think when I reach a pivotal point in the story, or when I finish. Until then, let me know what you thought about SAO! Or the manga. Or if you have any recommendations for new manga/anime inspired by this title!

Attack on Titan v. 9

I have been reading the series since I started it two months ago, reading on the mangas between other books and when I was out of the house (yes, this was my purse book). Finally I have reached the point at which the anime stopped with volume 8. Here in volume 9 is what comes next in the story! And wow, in just one manga, a total of 4 chapters, so much more of the story has been revealed, only leaving me with a ton more questions! It is nonstop action for our characters as they are not given a moments rest before the next attack occurs. And we get to see more of the 104th training corp Eren was a part of as they are watched closely and backstories are revealed. Because there are more secrets among these new recruits than anyone could have guessed!

If you are looking to pick up where the anime left off this is the book to pick up. Although,  would recommend reading volume 8 because there was a single scene in it that may prove to be important as we move forward.  Or, you can wait until 2017 when, rumor has it, season 2 will finally be released!

Let me know if you do, did, or will read the manga, I love finding fellow fans of this incredible series!

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Part 1)

As a lover of the video games, I of course had to pick this one up when I saw it at the library. It took a while to read because I ended up lending it to a friend's daughter so that she could read it first. She enjoyed it and is eagerly waiting for me to pick up the next one for her, which is awesome. So I finally read it today and I love the story just as much as I enjoyed playing the video game.

Himekawa tells Link's tale, from being an odd kokiri with no fairy to becoming the Hero of Time himself. This is only part one, following Link up to a point in middle of his quest to freeing the sages from their curses to help save Hyrule. So if you are a fan be sure to have the next one on hand so you can continue the story.

I will be quickly picking up the next one when I go to the library next for both me and my young friend to read. I may even search out the older games so I can play and delve back into the world of Hyrule!

Attack on Titan v. 1

After a long dry spell in the book department, I immediately went to the graphic novel/manga section at the library. Because what doesn't push you back into the mindset of reading like a good comic? I started the show Attack on Titan last week and after getting half way through season 1, I saw this sitting on the shelf. Of course I had to pick it up because the show is awesome but there is only one season available at this time. Reading the manga, I was hoping to get further into the story that is so interesting. I am so glad I did!

Attack on Titan is the story of 2000 years from now when these giants have appeared to try and wipe out the human race, simply for the pleasure of killing off humans. Eren Jeager is the main focus of the story as he watched his home town destroyed by titans and his mother eaten by one five years before the main story takes place. Now the titans have attacked again and Eren is a cadet in the army and determined to kill every last one of them. But things are never that straightforward.

I've only picked up the first volume because sometimes the differences are too great or maybe the story telling isn't as good. . . Now I am kicking myself for not getting the first 10! The only real difference between the show and the manga is the added training scenes that showed a little more of what the cadets went through to become soldiers in the show. But maybe those will come a little later, I don't know. Either way I like the quick pace of the manga that throws you right into the story and makes you keep moving forward.

That being said, I didn't breeze through this one like I have with other mangas. Not because I didn't want to, no, I think if I had all day I would have read it all in one sitting. But as it was I was forced to put the story down at chapter 3 to get things done. And the story if heavy. It isn't just a couple of nice pictures with dialogue bubbles. Even watching the show first I had to slow down, take a little more time with each page, really let it all soak in. And if you ask me that is what makes it great!

Bonus: I was reading it at the DMV and the kind lady that got me my ID replacement smiled and said she loves Attack on Titan. Already I liked her and things went smoothly.  And my husband and I may have scared a few others waiting with our talk of killing titans and Vertical Maneuvering Devices.

So if you are cool with manga and haven't already, pick this one up! The story is intense, the thought behind every aspect of the story is incredible, and the characters and plot are just awesome. Check it out!

Serenity Vol. 2 & 3

Vol 2 - Better Days

Following the example of the first book in the series, this one begins with a letter from one of Serenity's crew members: Adam Baldwin who played Jayne Cobb, the "Hero of Canton." It's nice to see his words, the excitement he had for the show and his characters, and his admiration for Joss Whedon. It's a great way to start a book.

Another day, another crime for the crew of Serenity, and another chance for things to go epically wrong. This chapter in the story focuses around two men hunting down the crew for very different reasons, one to get revenge on Mal and his crew for destroying something he created for a job, and an Alliance Special Ops guy looking to take in a former terrorist. Of course there is action, misunderstanding, chaos, and humor as the crew deals with this new problem.

Again, I loved the story!

Vol. 3 - The Shepherd's Tale

One of the biggest mysteries in the series has been Shepherd Book's past. How is it that the priest is so good at fighting, knows so much about the internal workings of the Alliance, feels such heavy guilt? Well, here is the glimpse into his past that fans have been waiting for. And it is everything I could have asked for and more.

Being a graphic novel, and I suspect it would have been the same if this story had been told in an episode, there is little space for a story to completely unfold, and Book's story goes way back in his life. But using a reverse timeline and focusing on pretty pivotal moments, this chapter gives us a ton of insight on Book! A great addiction to the story in my opinion.

In a change of protocol this chapter is ended with a letter to the reader. Instead of getting words from Chris Samnee, the man who played Book, we instead get Zack Whedon's take on this story line, the man who actually wrote it. And it lends the perfect parting words for this character and his story.

The Circle Trilogy

Last month I read Black: The Birth of Evil, a graphic novel by Ted Dekker. Well, I finished the series and here is my follow up with the next two.

Red: The Heroic Rescue

Sticking with what I said about Black, I wasn't thrilled with this one.

While it has an intreguing premise, it just doesn't translate well to the graphic novel format.

This one starts off simultaniously years after the events in the last one and only moments later. Let that mess with your mind. And while you get glimpses of what filled those 15 years in one world, mostly you are just expected to live with the gap. Because the story must move on.

Also, while the Christian God/Elyon correlation was there in the first one, it goes above and beyond in this one with Elyon sacrificing himself, demanding the followers "drown" in his blood (baptism), and then offering a salvation. If the Christ story is not your thing, you'll want to avoid this series.

And yet I was still interested to know how Dekker was going to make ends meet. So on to the next one.

White: The Great Pursuit

Reading this one led me to believe that with each installment, this story got just a little harder to read. The gaps between them in terms of years going by in one reality, coupled with all the story Dekker tried to cram into just three short books, became just too much. And with this last one, my suspension of disbelief was stretched too thin, making it hard for me not to roll my eyes and think "well of course things fell into line for this guy."

With each new event, particularly in this book, things just got harder and harder to "roll with." Of course so-n-so was someone conveniently placed in a position of influence in both worlds. Of course Thomas magically convinced the bad guy to help his cause. Of course everything was just a little too convenient and easy to fix. I was expecting more from Dekker and I just don't think graphic novels are his medium.

All that being said, I still find the concept mildly intriguing and perhaps in the future I will still pick up the novels, read the story in a format that gives Dekker more room to move and tell his story, and hopefully the result will be better.

Until then I can only willingly encourage hardcore Dekker fans to pick up these graphic novels. Sorry. They just weren't my thing.

Black: The Birth of Evil

Oh guys, I really hate to say this, but this was not a good read. Let me explain a little further, you may still want to give this one a chance, especially if you prefer graphic novels.

Ted Dekker is an amazing writer. My husbands loves his work, I have many of his books, and I always look forward to them. In fact, I have the book Green which is book zero in the Circle Series, I just haven't had the chance to read it yet. So imagine how thrilled I was to find a graphic novel version of his circle series, sans Green though.

However, despite being a great storyteller, Dekker does not translate to graphic novel so well. I don't know, this is just my personal opinion and without the comparison of the books this series imitates, so take all this with a grain of salt.

The Circle Series follows one Thomas Hunter who falls asleep after a gunshot grazes his head and finds himself in another world, where he is just waking up. What follows is a crazy switch between two worlds, the second o which could be the future of this one if a giant talking white bat is to be believed. Thomas then continues to bounce back and forth between the two worlds to save one and live in the other (complete with learning to fight and wooing a woman). The back and forth is just too much for this format. I think it was missing a little too much in the narrative, something that you have to be careful with when writing a graphic novel. Because of this, I find some of the conversations and events to be a bit ridiculous. And it actually took me 2 days to finish this one.

That being said I sat down at my computer fully prepared to tell you that not only did I not enjoy this, I had no plans to pick up the next two installments. But, no, you know what, I think I will. After all, they are simply graphic novels, short and easy to read. Dekker took the time and believed that it was worth moving his story to this format, I can give him a little bit of my time to finish the series, see if it gets better. And even if I don't like these I will also be picking up the novels, because I already told myself I was going to read them, and I believe this concept will be great as told by this writer.

So I won't tell you not to read these, I just won't push it on you like I have other books. And check back in a day or two for the reviews of the next two books. I'll attach them to this one for convenience.

Edit: I finished the series and posted my review of Red and White.

Serenity: Those Left Behind

Well, I found this little surprise at our local library and of course had to pick it up. As a huge fan of the show (and Fillion and Whedon in general) I was happy to have yet another reason to return to the story. After all, I just rewatched the show and movie a couple weeks back and was starting to feel the familiar ache of loss.

So here we have a short graphic novel looking into that time between the ending of the show and the start of the movie. In classic Whedon fashion it helps explain why Inara and Shepard Book are not on the ship at the start of Serenity without having to explain anything at all!

The story was too short, much like an episode of Firefly, but also like the show it is filled with sharp witty comments and near death moments. Although, I feel obliged to point out that a comic does not have the same punch as a show, this comes close with a few surprises and new escapes.

And bonus, there is a letter from Nathan Fillion to start off the story recounting his love of comics and superheros that led him to eagerly sign up for the role of Malcolm Reynolds.

So if you like the show, find this little bit more and get some more story on Mal and the crew. I will be looking forward to finding the others in the series to continue this story line and get my fix!

In Odd We Trust

At the start of the year I read Odd Thomas and thoroughly enjoyed the book. I plan on adding the rest of the series to my shelves as soon as I can. Recently my husband was looking through the graphic novels at our tiny local library and found this! Of course I picked it up as soon as I had the chance.

In Odd We Trust is the first of so far 4 graphic novels Koontz has written. It takes place before the novels, something that is glaringly obvious if you have read the book. I really enjoyed the little forray into Odd's early days. He is just 19 in this one. Although I think he has gotten more cynical with age since he isn't as sarcastic as he was in the novels. That didn't make this quick read any less fun to read.

If you want to get a taste for the character without jumping head first into the series, this is a great place to start! Give it a shot! I don't think anyone could regret picking up a graphic novel.

Chew Volume One: Taster's Choice

Tony Chu is a cibopath, someone who can take a bite of something and determine it's history. An apple will tell him the tree in the orchard it grew from. A piece of bacon will show the horrible living conditions the pig suffered through before it's brutal murder. A bit of human blood can show a person's past crimes. All except for beets for some reason. Tony eats a lot of beets. He also works for the FDA in a special crimes unit. These are his stories.

Taster's Choice is the first 5 comics in the series, just a little taste of what's to come in the series. (See what I did there. Hehe.) Anyway, it was given to my son and he handed it to me with a "read this mom, it's really weird and cool." He was right. I like the artwork, it's unique and perfect for the weird nature of the story. The events of Tony's life are completely random and sometimes completely out there. But hey, that means you never know what is going to happen next.

For those looking for something completely new, this is your thing. If you are looking for a tame comic to introduce your kid to the world of graphic reading. No! This is not it. This guy gets readings from food. So that dog corpse vacuum dried in the evidence room for a week, yup, he's going to take a chunk out of it. And then he is going to cuss up a storm about having to do it. Of course as a bad parent that let's her nine year old watch The Walking Dead, I have approved it for Jareth's reading list. But if you don't want to see the blood, violence, foul language, and one very suggestive water-color vision, don't pick this one up. If you don't mind all that, give this one a try. It's actually kinda funny, a lot weird, and a little promising. I'll be getting the next one soon.