I Love Him to Pieces (My Boyfriend is a Monster #1) by Evonne Tsang

Title: I Love Him to Pieces (My Boyfriend is a Monster #1)
Author: Evonne Tsang; Illus. Janina Gorrissen
ISBN: 97807613370796
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Released: April 28, 2011
Page #: 126
Source: My local public library

Summary:
"Can love survive the zombie apocalypse?
Maybe Dicey Bell's first chance at a real relationship was dead from the start. She's the star of her high school baseball team, and Jack Chen's the star of the science program. Her idea of a study session includes sleeping in the sun, and his idea of a good game involves dungeons and dice. But opposites start attracting when they are assigned to be partners in a class project. When an outbreak of a weird infection hits the town - it eats your brains and makes you hungry for the living - it might not mean just the end of their first date. It might mean the end of everything.

Will Dicey and Jack's relationship fall apart faster than zombies in the Florida sun, or can they beat the odds and find a happy ending?"
_________________________________________
First Lines:

"'Where's Jack Chen? Jack Chen? Anyone?'
'I think Jack's in the Bio Lab.'
'Thanks! Jack Chen?'
'Yes?'
'Jack Chen, you're the father of my baby!'"
Page 3
_________________________________________
Review:

I don't do a ton of graphic reviews, but that's mostly because it feels a little like cheating. It takes me no time at all to read them, so I feel like I'm not doing them justice. But after reading this book, I just knew it deserved a review.

Girl meets boy. Boy meets girl. They decide to skip school together. Zombie outbreak ensues.

Okay, so it's not quite that simple (or is it?). They are high schoolers from two separate worlds - nerd-dom and jock-dom. All of Dicey's friends are boys, but they're her teammates. When she is forced to work with someone so intriguing and from a whole other world, she starts to fall for him. On their first date, the zombie virus takes over their town. Luckily, Jack's parents are scientists studying this particular thing. But for the moment, they are on the run and fighting for their lives.

I love Dicey's character. She's spunky, funny, and very real about things. She seems like just the type of person you'd want to be friends with. She's also a jock - and spends all of her time surrounded by guys. I think that allows you to build up a pretty tough skin. Jack, on the other hand, seems a little emo. It's a fun combination and I love how it's handled.

The illustrations in this book are very cool. Keep in mind that art isn't really my area, but I loved the way the zombies are portrayed. It's almost more like something is eating them than the other way around. Which is how the virus is described. I'm definitely a fan.

If your a graphic fan, I really think you'll like this one. It's realistic, it's fantasy, it's horror, it's a love story... it has everything. I have already requested the second book from the library - I'm sure it's going to be just as awesome!
_________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

An Abundance of Books
Book Dragon
Attack of the Book
Ana Mardoll's Ramblings
everead
1 More Page Please

Gunnerkrigg Court by Thomas Siddell

Title: Gunnerkrigg Court: Volumes 1 &2: Orientation and Research
Author: Thomas Siddell
ISBN(s): (1) 9781932386349; (2) 9781932386776
Publisher: Archaia Studios Press
Page #s: (1) 292; (2) 252
Source: From my public library

Summary: (#1)
"Antimony Carver is a precocious and preternaturally self-possessed young girl starting her first year of school at gloomy GunnerKrigg Court, a very British boarding school that has robots running around along side body-snatching demons, forest gods, and the odd mythical creature.

The opening volume in the series follows Antimony through her orientation year: the people she meets, the strange things that happen, and the things she causes to happen as she and her new friend, Kat, unravel the mysteries of the Court and deal with the every day adventures of growing up.

Tom Siddell's popular and award-winning webcomic (www.gunnerkrigg.com) is here collected in print for the first time."
__________________________________________
First Lines:

"Gunnerkrigg Court does not look much like a school at all. It closer resembles a large industrial complex than a place of learning. Within the first week of my attendance, I began noticing a number of strange occurences. The most prevalent of these oddities being the fact that I seemed to have obtained a second shadow."
Page 2
__________________________________________
Summary: (#2)
(same first paragraph as summary #1)

"Finding a secret tomb of ancient robots beneath Kat's workshop leads the two friends to question how they are linked to the mysterious ghost that attacked Annie the year before. And as a new Medium In Training, Annie is able to visit the powerful trickster god Coyote in Gillitie Forest, a visit that reveals more than she ever imagined possible. Parts of Annie's past are revealed, as well as mysteries hat tie back to the origins of the Court itself, in this sequel to Gunnerkrigg Court: Orientation, Gold Medal winner of FoWord Magazine's 2008 Graphic Novel of the Year Award."
___________________________________________
First Lines:

"Throught the summer I realised the similarities between Gunnerkrigg Court and Good Hope, the hospital in which I used to live."
Page 2
___________________________________________
Review:

So.... I loved these books. The reason I picked them up is because of the art as I flipped through. I've read so many graphic novels that either use very little color or even just black and white. While these are just fine for many books, I was completely drawn in to the bright, vivid colors in this book.

I'm so glad I picked them up too, because the story was just as fun as the colors. I honestly didn't have any ideas about what the story would be like, so that it turned out to be a sci-fi/fantasy/mythological wonderfulness... well, that was just lucky. Completely in my wheelhouse. It's a fun story about a girl starting at a boarding school where things are not as they always seem.

I didn't realize it was a webcomic until I had finished the first book and looked into the second. Luckily, I had already checked that one out. But if you want to read the whole thing online, you can! The url is listed above in the summary, but here's a link for you just in case :). There's more beyond the second book that hasn't made it into a book yet. I know these were published a year or two ago... so I'm not sure if it's still being updated. I sure hope so, though. It's wonderful!

If you're into comics, I'd love to hear your opinion on this one. I really loved it and I think others will too. The writing is very clear and you get pulled into the mystery of Annie's story. Little by little, the story unravels and you learn more about her character. It's well done and I can't wait to read the rest of these online.

It was a little silly at times, but I thought it was really cool how they pulled in characters from mythology and ancient stories. It gave this book some depth that I wasn't expecting. But it was a welcome change. Figuring out how the main characters fit in with all of the history at the Court is really interesting.

It's got a little bit of magic, a lot of science, some really fun robots, and more. I think this one will be loved by anyone who gets their hands on it. There really was no point in the story where I felt lost or anything. I loved looking at all of the different landscapes in this little world that was created. I thought it was very interesting how they pulled in new characters throughout the story. Just really clever and fun.
___________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Comic Book Resources
Jenny's Books
The Daily Genoshan
Fantasy Book Review
ComicMix
Tita's Playground
Bookslingers! Reviews

Clover by CLAMP

Title: Clover
Author: CLAMP
ISBN: 9781595821966
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Page #: 508
Source: From My Library

Summary:
"Kazuhiko is a young, but already deeply wounded, black-ops agent of a baroque, retro-tech world - pulled out of retirement to escort Sue, a mysterious waif, to a destination she alone knows. Sue and Kazuhiko have never met... yet she knows him, having grown up since the age of four with her only human contact being two distant voices: that of her elderly 'grandma' - Kazuhiko's commander, General Ko; and that of Kazuhiko's dead girlfriend, the beautiful singer Ora.

And Sue has been kept in that cage all these years because of what she is, and what the Clover Leaf Project found her to be: a military top secret... and the most dangerous person in the world."
____________________________________________
First Lines:

"'Forget it. I'm a civilian now. There's no reason to work for the government.' 'Oh, but there is. When you were court-martialed, how many times to you think we pulled strings for you?' 'I never asked for any favors.'"
Pages 6 & 7
____________________________________________
Review:

I'm just gonna say this upfront: I don't think I'm very good at reading manga. It's not the back to front reading... it's not the left to right reading... I think it's something about the way the stories are told in most manga. It could also have something to do with character names I can't ever remember and ambiguous drawings of characters. I always end up having to check earlier images to make sure they're the same person.

So... all that's on me. I don't want that to affect my review of this book, but I honestly don't think I can help that. The one word I would use to describe my reading of this book was "confused." I understand having a bit of intrigue to start out - something to get the reader involved. But there was something about the way this book went about it that made me really wonder what in the heck was going on.

I spent the first hundred pages or so waiting to see what kind of story was going to come out of all of this. Turns out that the story completes itself in the first two "books" - it's an omnibus, so it's all in there. basically the story ends. And then it goes backwards and explains who all the characters were that you read about. It was almost backwards in that way.

I was shocked when I finished this book and realized that this was the entire story. I was really expecting to hear that there were 15 more books or something to complete the story... but no. This was it. The confusing mess that I was wading through was the entire thing. I was a little disappointed when I learned that.

I know there are probably tons of people who are thinking I'm insane now. This was their favorite manga of all time or something. Now, on the positive side of this thing - the artwork was beautiful. I especially loved the color inserts. Just beautiful. I also really enjoyed the whole steampunk aspect of the book. That gave it a lot of edge, for sure.

If you're a lover of this book, I apologize for this review. It just didn't work for me, even if I did love the art. I' say you should got ahead and give it a try though - it certainly didn't take very long to read (even though it was 500 pages). I hope you like it better than I did!
____________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Anime Princess
Candied Hearts
Kuriousity

Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel

Title: Ghostopolis
Author: Doug TenNapel
ISBN: 9780545210287
Publisher: Graphix
Page #: 267
Source: From My Library

Summary:
"Garth Hale is as good as dead...
The only problem is he's still alive.

When Garth Hale is accidentally zapped into the ghost world by Frank Gallows, a washed-up ghost wrangler, he discovers that he has special powers. Soon he finds himself on the run from the evil ruler of Ghostopolis, who wants to use Garth's newfound abilities to tighten his grip on the spirit world. After Garth meets Cecil, his grandfather's ghost, the two search for a way to get Garth back home, nearly losing hope until Frank Gallows shows up to fix his mistake."
___________________________________________
First Lines:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we're having a little engine trouble. NEEOWW! If you are prone to motion sickness, please locate your barf bag in the seat pocket in front of you. Just pull out the bag, open it up, and place it entirely over your mouth. Then -"
Page 1-2
___________________________________________
Review:

I've enjoyed getting into graphic novels more and more lately. This one was a lot of fun, for sure. I think this one was built specifically for the middle school boy :). It's a story about a boy who accidentally gets sent into the afterlife and has to fight his way out. He finds out a lot of things about himself while he is there - a really good story. But it's perfectly gross and disgusting with all of the boy-love references - bugs, poop, stinks, just gross stuff.

You know, I really enjoyed this look at the afterlife - or Ghostopolis. It was all separated out into different sections... Mummyville, The Bone Kindom, and so on. It's a clever way of looking at it all and having a kingdom dynamic that works well in the story. It's also cool that they have the bad guy bugs roaming around. There's just a cool

I thought the art in this book was fantastic. As I've said before, I'm not an artist or anything and my opinion of the matter may not be all that informed, but I thought this book had some gorgeous images. They are all done in color, which may have altered my opinion a little bit. But with the darkness of this book, it almost doesn't make sense to do it in black and white.

One aspect of this story that I loved was the emphasis on family. You get a little bit of that in the beginning of the story. But as it goes along, you realize how important the family connections are to the overall course of the story. I mean, it only makes sense if you're traveling in the afterlife that you will come across some of your relatives. It's just played really well and leaves you with a sense of satisfaction.

You know, with the number of books out right now that are parts of trilogies or series' or whatever, it's really great to come across a book that has every little thing wrapped up. You leave this story feeling like you know how everything turned out. There's nothing left unfinished and most everything feels right. I'd say the author did a bang up job and I would definitely read more of his books.

Speaking of which, check out the author's website. It looks like there are lots of other things to read, so I hope to get around to that. :) I'll be recommending this book to anyone looking for a great graphic novel. I think this will be enjoyed by many and it's one for the ages. Definitely give this one a try if you're wanting to get into graphics.
___________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Ink Splot 26
Graphic Novel Review
Sean Ingvard Ashby
ComixTALK
Read About Comics
Kiss The Book
Hindsight

The Clique: the Manga by Lisi Harrison and Yishan Li

Title: The Clique: the Manga
Author(s): Lisi Harrison and Yishan Li
ISBN: 9780759530294
Publisher: Yen Press
Page #: 197
Source: From My Library

Summary:
"Claire Lyons is the new girl at Octavian Country Day School, an exclusive private school in Westchester County, New York. But Claire is totally unprepared for the social (and fashion) demands of her new classmates. To make matters worse, Claire's family is living in the guesthouse of one Massie Block, the queen supreme of her new school! And Massie couldn't be less thrilled with the new squatter on her family's estate. Does Claire have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the 'it' girl in her school?"
____________________________________________
First Lines:

"'Massie, it's really simple - you're not going.'
'But I have plans and i would be rude if I broke them. Right? I mean, haven't you always told me to "honor my engagements"?'"
Pages 3 & 4
____________________________________________
Review:

As a bit of a disclaimer: I haven't read the Clique novels. Not a one. I've read plenty (all, I think) of Harrison's other books, but there were way too many of this series for me to decide to pick it up now. So this made me really excited to see there was a graphic version of the books coming out. But I don't know how close the story line sticks with the original novels.

That being said, I really liked this book. Sometimes the catty girl-fights or behind-the-back secrets thing can get very disheartening and a little uncomfortable when it's a full novel of it. Having just the graphic where you can see it coming and be through the drama quickly is very refreshing.

I'm a big fan of the art in this book. I know that many of my graphics readers are completely into manga. But it was nice to have some art that was a little more... defined. I don't know if that's insulting to other drawing styles, but this one was just more my style. There was a little manga-ish drawing every once in a while, but that just helped the story along.

I know that for a graphic, this book is fairly long. I would have loved for it to be longer - I think there were a few more story elements that could have been fleshed out a little bit. But I do understand when you have to chop things down to make them fit better. I really do hope they continue and make more of these. Wouldn't it be great if they did the whole series?! I'd be all over that.

As always, here is the author's website. She always seems to have lots of new stuff going on, so keep your eyes peeled. :) Uhm, and maybe I'm just missing it, but I can't find the manga listed on her website! Weird. Of course, neither is the second book in the Alpha's series. Perhaps she's been busy... writing all of these great books. Aha! But I did find the website of the illustrator!
____________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Manga Maniac Cafe
The Manga Critic
Comics Village
These were the only actual reviews I could find. Have you read this one and I totally skipped you? Let me know so I can add ya :).

kimmie66 by Aaron Alexovich

Title: kimmie66
Author: Aaron Alexovich
ISBN: 9781401203733
Publisher: Minx
Page #: 148
Source: From My Library

Summary:
"Telly Kade is pretty much your typical 23rd century teen. She's got impossible hair, misfit friends, a big sloppy brother... and a pair of VR goggles that lets her live among the vampires - online, at least. She's also got a problem: a suicide note from her best friend, Kimmie66. But if Kimmie is really dead, why is she still being seen all over the 'net? Ghost, prank, or something much, much creepier? To find out, Telly will have to dig through every dark corner of the internet and uncover the truth behind the mysterious life and death of the girl she thought she knew best."
____________________________________________
First Lines:

"Hullo... My name is Telly... I'm 14 years aged... full of bounce... And it is time to PAR-TAY!!
Nah, just kidding. I'm not really a big party-person. Aren't you relieved??"
Pages 6-8
____________________________________________
Review:

After reading this book, I remember why I loved the Minx publications. I have no idea why they stopped... ah well. kimmie66 can only be described as a science fiction graphic mystery. Intriguing, huh?

I've read several graphics lately and none are even close to this one. Not only is it set hundreds of years in the future, most of the story takes place outside of reality. Namely, virtual reality... but not quite how we see virtual reality today. It's more like places to socialize and such instead of just playing games. Anyway, it took me a minute to really grasp what was going on - but the story is so cute and explains it all for you up front. I like that sometimes where the main character is chatting with the reader.

Especially when the main character is a cute little goth girl :). It's all about her going on a search for her friend that she thinks may not have fully committed suicide like the note she left. There's lots of strange characters - as you can imagine in a virtual reality world. This makes for some really great art... though it is very dark at times (and sometimes you're really not sure what's going on).

I think those that are into futuristic stories will really dig the worlds in this book. I'll be handing this book to any of my teens interested in more graphic novels that have that modern, goth twist. I know plenty of people who will love it. I'd say go find this one :).

But all in all, it's a fast and interesting story. Kinda packs a punch in such a small package. See? This is why Minx needs to come back. I've read and loved many of their publications. Anyway, I didn't find a website for the author of this one, so you'll have to settle on other reviews:
____________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Avid Book Reader
The Boston Bibliophile
The Manga Curmudgeon
Comics Worth Reading

Desert Tales: Sanctuary by Melissa Marr

Title: Desert Tales: Sanctuary (Wicked Lovely)
Author: Melissa Marr and Xian Nu Studio
ISBN: 9780061493546
Publisher: TOKYOPOP
Page #: No idea. No page numbers.
Source: From My Library

Summary:
"Discover Melissa Marr's mesmerizing world of Faerie...

The desert is far away from the schemes of the Faerie courts - and that's how Rika likes it. Once a mortal and now a faerie, Rika seeks isolation and revels in her ability to appear invisible to humans. Then, she meets him. Artistic and kind, Jayce is the last person Rika wants to hide from.

But change is coming, challenging Rika's freedom and her new romance, as her past pursues her, even into the heart of the desert..."
___________________________________________
First Lines:

(Always difficult in a graphic, but here goes...)
"It's beautiful out here. Warm. The paint nearly dries on my brush before I can capture him. He sees it, too. The beauty in the wilderness. That's one of the traits that makes him interesting to watch."
Page 1-2 (or maybe 2-3?)
___________________________________________
Review:

I had to read this book twice. The reason being that I really didn't understand what was going on when I first opened the book. I almost wished for a little blurb before I got started that gave me a little insight into what I was seeing/reading. Of course, after a little while it got a whole lot clearer... but I wished for it to start out making sense :).

This is another companion book in this whole Wicked Lovely universe. It's the story of Rika, a former winter girl, who used to be a mortal. Honestly, I had to go back and figure out who she was because it's been a while since I've read one of the Wicked Lovely books. But I think I've got a good handle on it now.

So once I figured out who I was looking at and what was going on, I had a good time with this story. It's very action packed in a very small amount of space. You find out that Rika has been watching this mortal boy for a while and has finally shown herself to him. It's about their blooming relationship and what it is going to become. I do have questions about that Shy dude and his intentions, but I'm hoping that will be answered in the next book.

I've read mangas based on novels in the past. But there's something different about a comic that is drawn straight from the novel - text and all. And this one that was written as a companion to the story. It seems to work better this way and I look forward to reading more that are like this. I think people should sign on to the idea.

I do recommend this book for anyone who is looking to read some manga. I'm not sure if you need the back story of Wicked Lovely to get into it, but it probably helps. I do recommend that you read it twice :), but it's easy to do. I'm definitely going to find the second book so I can see what happens next!

Check out Melissa Marr's website to get more info about her series'.
___________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Book Smugglers
Fyrefly's Book Blog
Teen Book Fanatics
Scribing Shadows

Hayate the Combat Butler (Vol 1&2) by Kenjiro Hata

Title: Hayate the Combat Butler
Author: Kenjiro Hata
ISBN(s): 9781421508528 (vol 1); 9781421508511 (vol 2)
Publisher: Viz Media
Page #(s): 182 (vol 1); 186 (vol 2)
Source: From my Library

Summary:
(Volume 1)
"Since the tender age of nine, Hayate Ayasaki has busted his behind at various part-time jobs to support his degenerate gambler parents. And how do they repay their son's selfless generosity? By selling his organs to the yakuza to cover their debts! But fate throws Hayate a bone... sort of.

Hardworking Hayate has a plan to pay back the yakuyza - who are the legal owners of his body parts: he'll kidnap someone and ransom them for a mountain of money! But things get trickywhen his would-be kidnappee - who as luck would have it is the daughter of a mind-bogglingly wealthy family - mistakes Hayate's actions for a confession of love, and subsequently hires him to be her personal servant. At least his employment future is secure, or so he thinks..."
______________________________________


(Volume 2)

"Hayate's new career as a live-in butler for the mega-moneyed Sanzenin family is in full swing, but this job requires more than just mental fortitude and brute strength - he needs to be entertaining too. Whether it's standing up to fire-spewing robots or protecting his mistress's millions from her tycoon grandfather, Hayate must remain calm, composed, and hilarious at all times. the question now is whether Hayate will actually live long enough to pay off his debts... and things aren't looking too good!"

_____________________________________
First Lines:

"So I made my decision. On the day Santa didn't give me any good presents... I would become a 'bad person'!"
Page 5, I think
_____________________________________
Review:

So... there's two reasons I decided to read these books. One being that I didn't have enough room on my shelves, so I opted to take them out instead. The second is that I need to read more manga to make sure I'm up on what my kids are reading. And that's manga. No doubt about it. Honestly, this one might not be all that popular righ tnow - as I was able to get volumes one and two in my first shot. That's not always a good sign :).

Anyway, so I've read a few manga in the past. I'm not counting any of those that are novel-to-manga though... I'm meaning ones that originated somewhere else (Japan, mostly) and have been translated into English. But I'm not sure that I've read enough to really have a strong point of view when it comes to this particular manga. So take anything I say with a grain of salt.

First of all, I think the story is a lot of fun. I mean, the whole parents selling your organs to pay off debts thing is pretty funny - and there's a lot that can be done with that. This story has our main character Hayate running from them and looking for ways to pay back the debts. I thought it was very humorous that his first thought was to kidnap someone... not rob a bank or something :). Maybe that's a westernized idea.

I also loved all of the misunderstandings and drama that followed. It seems like a great story for anyone to get into - guys, girls, anyone. There's plenty of action and there are a few romantic spots as well. They really tried to cover all of the bases.

Now, there are a few things that kinda threw me off (and I'm not sure if this is a complaint of manga in general or this particular one). One of those is that it was almost like the characters were acting out a play - because of all the asides that were like, "I thought this was a boy manga!" Like they were only telling the story and showing you what happened... instead of it just being like a novel. Another thing had to do with the art - I really loved the art. I did. Now, I get confused sometimes about who the characters are. Especially in the second book where there are a lot more new ones. I just had a hard time keeping them straight (especially when Hayate looks so much like a girl sometimes).

But beyond those things, I really enjoyed the story a lot. People don't tend to ask for recommendations when it comes to manga (at least in my experience), but I think this one is worthy. I'm not sure if I'll read the rest of the volumes - it's a large undertaking - but maybe one day I'll get around to it. :)
_____________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Anime News Network
My Anime List
Anime-Planet
Shonen Sunday (I think you can read it from here)
Mainichi Anime Yume
Er... okay, so a lot of these talk about the anime instead of the manga. I haven't seen it, but it seems like it might be cool. Oh, and there are other reviews of the books, but they all seem to be later volumes. So, check those out. :)

Cirque du Freak (Manga, v.1&2) by Darren Shan

Title: Cirque du Freak (Manga, Vol 1 & 2)
Author(s): Darren Shan and Takahiro Arai
ISBN(s): 9780759530416 (v.1)
9780759530386 (v.2)
Publisher: Yen Press
Pages: 199 & 191
Got book(s): From my library

Summary:
(Volume 1)
"Darren Shan was an average kid until destiny brought him to the Cirque Du Freak. Now Darren's been immersed into a shadowy world inhabited by vampires, werewolves, and strange creatures the likes of which he's never imagined, and his life will be changed forever!"

(Volume 2)
"Darren Shan's days as an ordinary schoolboy over and his life as the vampire's assistant has begun! With his mentor, Lartan Crepsley, Darren joins the Cirque Du Freak and slowly begins settling into his new role there, an adjustment made simpler when he makes a couple of new friends. But his life as a half-vampire can never be easy or ordinary - as Darren learns only too well when tragedy strikes!"
_______________________________________
Review:

This is now the second novel-to-manga that I've read and I've decided that I really like the concept. Earlier I read one that I had read the novel from (Maximum Ride) - this one is a story I haven't read yet. Mostly because I haven't gotten my hands on number one. When the manga became available, I jumped at it. And I'm so glad I did!

I did find myself paying more attention to the story than the art. The story is very interesting. It was about what I expected, but there were some twists and turns that caught me off guard. I had several "Oh no!" moments while reading both of these volumes.

It's definitely a bit more "horrific" than I was expecting. I've read one of Shan's other books (Demonata) and it wasn't quite as gorey and frightening - but perhaps it would be if I were seeing pictures of it instead. The story flows really well and I found it very interesting how things played out.

One thing that bothers me in retrospect is that while reading the first volume, I didn't realize we weren't carrying a lot of those characters on in the story. I spent too much time trying to figure out who everyone was - only to be ripped away from them. A little bit of the same in the second volume, but as much. I do get that you can't very well say "Don't worry about this dude, you'll never see him again." That would ruin the whole story. Perhaps future volumes would pick these people up.

Speaking of future volumes - I absolutely plan on reading the next ones as soon as I order them for my library. I think they are up to volume 5 (don't quote me on that), so I look forward to reading more of this story.

Here's the official website for Darren Shan. I didn't find any sites for the illustrator - am I just overlooking it somewhere?
_____________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Manga Recon (PopCultureShock)
Graphic Novel Reporter
Tiamat's Manga Reviews
Manga Maniac Cafe
About.com Guide
Manga News

Maximum Ride (Manga, v.1) by James Patterson

Title: Maximum Ride (Manga, Volume 1)
Author: James Patterson and NaRae Lee
ISBN: 9780759529519
Publisher: Yen Press
Page #: 246, I think. Had to count...
Got book: From my Library

Summary:
"Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of her "flock" - Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel - are just like ordinary kids, except they have wings and can fly! It may seem like a dream come true to some, but for the flock it's more like a living nightmare. When the mysterious lab known as the "School" turns up and kidnaps their youngest member. Now it's up to Max to organize a rescue, but will help come in time?"
___________________________________________
First Lines:

"Here we can be ourselves. No grown-ups. No schools. No doctors. No cages...
I force myself out of my cozy bed, taking in the mountain view. Safe, just me and my family."
Page 9
___________________________________________
Review:

If I remember correctly, this is the first graphic novel I've read that is directly from a book. I know there are more out there (because that's my next read), but this is the first I've read. Something tells me that you get a whole different thing when you're reading this story for the first time in graphic form. That is to say, I was comparing it to the novel the entire time. I probably should just stick with one or the other.

That being said, I was really, really picky about things. This is probably because I love the MR series so much... and I want things to be perfect like they are in the novel. There were a few little things. Like, they have lunch in a Taco Bell (it's pretty much labeled) and they're eating burgers. Erm... And Nudge seemed a little too filled out for the image in my head. Now, I know the artist is from Korea, so this could really have something to do with some things getting lost in translation. So I'm going to attempt to ignore some of the inconsitancies.

There were a few things that seemed to be left out from this version that I loved about the novel. When the flock is in trouble, there was a saying Max or whoever would yell when they were in trouble - the "up and away!" thing. I loved that. It was very telling about how they lived their lives. But that wasn't in this version.

I know I'm complaining a lot. I apologize. It's well done. I loved the drawings - it really captured the essence of flying and the power they have ... it does a pretty decent job of sticking with the story you get in the novel. So, even though I've been picking at it, I still recommend this graphic novel. Now, I am recommending it only to people who haven't read the full novels before. Someone who wants to get the story (as though the novels take that long to read anyway). If you've read the novels, you might have the same problems I did. Maybe not.

I hope you all enjoy this one. It was definitely fun - but it's a great story. I'll always be a fan! :) The illustrator has a blog of his artwork. It's pretty cool, so check that out.
___________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Graphic Novel Reporter
Tiamat's Manga Reviews

Refresh, Refresh by Danica Novgorodoff

Title: Refresh, Refresh
Author(s): Danica Novgorodoff, Benjamin Percy, James Ponsoldt
ISBN: 978159643523
Publisher: First Second

Summary:
"In a small town in rural Oregan, many husbands and fathers who enrolled as Marine Reservists have been shipped off to fight in the Iraq war. Left behind, three sons, boys on the verge of becoming men themselves, struggle to grow up fast enough to fill their fathers' shoes.

After school, in a backyard boxing ring circumscribed by a garden hose, armed with homemade weapons and the fury of fatherless sons, the three friends fight. They fight to make men out of boys. They fight to make their absent fathers proud.

In the moments between their violent games, their new responsibilities at home, and their youthful escapades, Josh, Cody, and Gordon endlessly refresh, refresh their email, waiting to hear that their dads are still alive."
___________________________________________
First Lines:

"Hit him in the face!"
Page 1
(First lines tend to lose something in translation from a graphic :).)
___________________________________________
Review:

After typing up that summary from the book cover, I think the summary says a lot more than the book itself. I mean, there are things in the depth of the book, but you really get the entire story line from it.

I really find it awkward to review graphic novels because I'm definitely no expert. I have a coworker who really is. So really I'm not going to say anything about the art - except for the cover. It's a little... intense. I mean, I know the book is about boys who have had their fathers leave them for the war... but a bloody kid on the cover is very crazy-seeming.

But this story is becoming more and more of a reality these days. Kids left at home - waiting to hear from their dads. I think the title is clever - Refresh - as in, refreshing your browser to see if you have new messages. Very well done. And it's a very interesting story and told in a very real, stark way.

I would recommend this book to anyone into the more meaningful graphic novels. It's a very heavy story, but it's told simply and is easily appreciated. I would probably keep it to the older teens, but not necessarily - there's just a bit of fighting and bloody bits... so it might make a difference.

ps - First Second Books rocks - check out their website.
___________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Librarilly Blonde
Comic Book Resources
Under the Radar
Comic Mix
Graphic Novel Reporter
BookSlut

The First Escape by G.P. Taylor

Title: The First Escape: The Dopple Ganger Chronicles
Author: G.P. Taylor
ISBN: 9781414319476
Publisher: SaltRiver/ Tyndale House Publishers

Summary:
"At Isambard Dunstan's School for Wayward Children, life is trouble for fourteen-year-old twins Sadie and Saskia Dopple and their friend, former thief Erik Morrissey Ganger. But what starts out as a perfectly normal day of food fights, rioting classmates, and (yawn) threats of expulsion goes suddenly and horribly wrong when a mysterious, wealthy woman appears at the school and adopts Saskia... without her sister.

On her own in a mansion full of dark secrets, Saskia stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens her very life. Meanwhile, desperate to find Saskia, Sadie and Erik escape from the orphanage with a gang of enemies in hot pursuit. Faced with perils beyond their imaginations, the trio must decide who to trust - and what to believe - if they are to survive long enough to find each other again."
_____________________________________________
Review:

My last review was all about graphic formats and such with the latest Chris Wooding book (Malice), so I'm going to try to stay away from format talk on this one. But I have to mention it, because it was the reason I picked up this book. When I was looking at purchasing this book for my library, I was really struck by the word "illustronovella" that was mentioned in connection with this book. I fell in love with the word and the idea, so I got excited about this book :).

It honestly didn't disappoint! I've read a few reviews that weren't inspired, but I was really into this story. A great story that is packed with adventure and intrigue. The pictures very much added to the story and put me in a specific mindset while I was reading. I don't think I would have seen the characters exactly as they were drawn, but I loved the drawings and appreciated the look into the world of the story.

I just have to mention how fast this book was. I wasn't really expecting it to read as quickly as a normal graphic novel, but it really only took me a couple of hours on a lazy Sunday morning. I was surprised, but glad for it. I could have definitely staying in this story a bit longer, so I'll probably go looking for the next book soon (I think we got it at our library this past week).

I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone - it's a great adventure/mystery/graphic novel. There was a weird little dip into a religious theme for a while that didn't seem to fit in the story very well, but otherwise it was wonderful! (I think the author is a minister of some sort, so this does make some sense.) I'm thinking this might be best for the middle grades, but teens could get into it as well.

There is a whole online world for this book, so go check that out.
_____________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Blog Critics
Mama Buzz
Associated Content

Malice by Chris Wooding

Title: Malice
Author: Chris Wooding
ISBN: 9780545160438
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Summary:
"Once you get into the story, there's no way out...

Everyone's heard the rumors: If you gather the right things and say the right words, you'll be taken to Malice, a world that exists inside a horrifying comic book. It's a world that few kids know about... and even fewer survive.

Seth and Kady think it's all a silly myth. But then their friend disappears, and suddenly the rumors don't seem silly after all.

Malice is real. Malice is deadly. And Seth and Kady are about to be trapped inside it."
______________________________________________
Review:

Chris Wooding is one of those authors who tends to write outside the box, but his books are always intriguing and very well written. I was very interested in this book when I found out that it was part novel and part graphic. I think this is starting a bit of a trend in YA fantasy or sci fi books. But I was a little worried about how this would happen - how the graphic part would be placed within the story. I didn't want things to get choppy or weird because of the need for this new thing.

There are some stories that lend themselves to a new format, and this one definitely falls into that category. It's perfect to have a story about a graphic novel to have some bits that are graphic themselves. At no point did the graphics take away from the story that was written in regular prose. There were a few moments where I hoped for a bit more of the graphics - because I enjoyed getting a visual of some of the creatures they were fighting.

I know there have been stories written before about people getting stuck in books and having grand adventures and such, but there was something about this book that made the concept seem new again. And for that, I very much appreciate it.

This review has been a lot about the format, but that's almost what makes this book so interesting. The story is definitely well written and interesting, so I plan on recommending it to anyone looking for sci fic or fantasy. It can almost go either way. But I think anyone who enjoys drawing comics would love this one too. I'm absolutely waiting for the next installment of this story to come out - I think it's going to be epic!

Check out Chris Wooding's website for more info!
______________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Ultimate Book Hound
Bookshelves of Doom
The Guardian
Genrefluent Teens Talk About Books
Nerd Dads

The Good Neighbors: Kith by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh

Title: The Good Neighbors: Kith
Author: Holly Black and Ted Naifeh
ISBN: 9780439855631
Publisher: Graphix

Summary:
"For generations, the faerie realm has been waiting to take over the human realm.

Their time has come.

Something is going wrong - majorly wrong - in Rue Silver's world. Her boyfriend has changed. Her friends are drifting in strange - and sometimes homicidal - directions. And even the land around her seems to be shifting.

Rue is in a unique position to see these things. She's half faerie, half human... and her family history is tied directly to the fate of her friends and the future of everything around her. In order to save the humans, she's goin gto have to travel deep into the realm of the faeries - and resist the temptation to stay there."
_______________________________________________
Review:

I've always been a big fan of anything written by Holly Black. She's just a great author who does a great with the faerie stories. I'll pretty much read anything she's written. And I love that she's moved into the graphic world.

The story of Rue is very intriguing and I always wonder where it's going to go next. Its a quick book, but it's chock full of interesting twists and turns. The art is always cool as well - seems very much like a sketchbook of ink drawings. It's very well done.

I guess I don't have a lot more to say than "read it!!" The graphics are so fast, it's almost required to read them :). Especially if you like the dark faerie stories. Totally great! I'd also recommend anything else by Holly Black as well - if you haven't already read them.

Here's the author's website!
_______________________________________________
Other Blog Reviews:

Cindy's Love of Books
Robots and Vamps
Graphic Novel Reporter

Heroes: Volume One by Various and Tim Sale

Title: Heroes: Volume One
Author: Various and Tim Sale
ISBN: 9781401217112
Publisher: DC Comics

Summary:
"A mere television show couldn't contain us. There are still more stories to tell, that we wanted to tell but couldn't... We hope you enjoy (this graphic novel) and let yourself get lost in the Heroes world."
-- Masi Oka, from his introduction

"Heroes volume one collects the first thirty-four installments of the online graphic novel. Read the amazing stories that happened in-between the aired episodes!"

____________________________________________
Review:

I am a huge fan of this tv show! I am one of those people who is upset when I miss an episode. I hadn't read any of the online comic books, so I was really excited to get my hands on the book that includes a bunch of them.

The story was interesting - because it was really between the stuff on the tv show. I was expecting more of the regular characters, but was happy to see there were more stories I hadn't seen before.

The art was really cool because it was so much like the characters on the show (the ones that are on the show, that is). It's a little creepy at times, but I really enjoyed the graphics. I'd recommend this only to the people who are fans of the show, though... just because I think most others would be a little confused by the story. But I do recommend it.
____________________________________________
Other blog reviews:

Ugo
Associated Content

The Umbrella Academy: Dallas

Title: The Umbrella Academy: Dallas
Author: Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba
ISBN: 9781595823458
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Summary:
"The team is despondent following the near apocalypse created by one of their own and the death of their beloved mentor Pogo. So it's a great time for another catastrophic event to rouse the team into action. Trouble is - each member of the team is distracted by some very real problems of their own. The White Violin is bedridden due to an unfortunate blow to the head. Rumor has lost her voice - the source of her power. Spaceboy has eaten himself into a near-catatonic state, while Number Five dives into some shady dealings at the dog track and The Kraken starts looking at his littlest brother as the key to unraveling a mysterious series of massacres... all leading to a blood-drenched face-off with maniacal assassins, and a plot to kill JFK!
_________________________________________
Review:

Through the first part of this story, I was honestly very confused. I felt like I'd missed a first part, but I'm not sure that I did. It does give a review of what's going on at the beginning, but parhaps I wasn't good enough to let it sink in :).

Because I had a little trouble keeping up with what the story was doing in the first few segments, this story probably was a bit more complicated to me than it is to other people. Though, once I figured it out the story was it was high fantasy, really.

I'd definitely recommend this graphic to anyone who loves comics and such - perhaps they'd do a better job understanding it than I would :). But I really did enjoy this story, so no time lost. Enjoy it!

Other blog Reviews:
Fictions: PROPAGANDA reviews
Weekly Comic Book Review
Every Day is Like Wednesday
Comics for Serious

Japan Ai by Aimee Major Steinberger

Title: Japan Ai: A tall girl's adventures in Japan

Author: Aimee Major Steinberger

ISBN: 9781933617831

Publisher: Go! Comi

Summary:

"In Japanese, "Ai" means "Love" - and if you love Japan, get ready to dive head0first into the incredible world of Japanese pop-culture!

Join Aimee Major Steinberger (a professional animator with a passion for all things cute) on the ultimate otaku vacation! Visit fantasy restaurants, maid cafes, and the world's most exclusive doll store! Cosplay on the infamous Harajuku Street! Attend an outrageous all-female Takarazuka musical! See beautiful shrines, hot springs, stores full of manga, and so much more!

Aimee captures it all in a manga journal that is both adorable and breathtaking!"

_____________________________________________________

Review:

I really didn't have any idea what this book was like when I got it for our collection, but it's so awesome! It's almost a travel guide to Japan for anyone who is into manga or cosplay. It details all of the places the author went, the food she ate, the crazy people she saw... and much more. It's probably the best kind of travel guide there could ever be.

The illustrations vary from hilarious to fairly pretty (of some of the people/places). Her descriptions are pretty humorous as well - just because she was constantly hitting the height and size issue.

I would recommend this to absolutely anyone. Period. More specifically the anime/manga lovers - which is almost all of the teens around here. And middle school and up would be best. Adults should pick it up, just because it's so cute! :D

Other blog reviews:

Manga Blog

Comics Worth Reading

Oriental Desires

Manga Maniac Cafe

Mania

Kin: The Good Neighbors by Holly Black

Title: Kin: The Good Neighbors
Author: Holly Black and Ted Naifeh
ISBN: 9780439855624
Publisher: Graphix

Summary:
"The human realm and the faerie realm have always been good neighbors. But all that is about to change...

Rue Silver's life isn't at all what it appears to be. Her mother has disappeared - and her father is being blamed for a murder. Is he guilty? Or is there another truth beneath it all?

Rue digs deeper into her family's past and makes a startling discovery: Her mother is a faerie, and she has vanished back into the faerie realm because of a broken promise. In order to get her back, Rue must plunge into the depths of her own identity - and must follow the sinister twists of her own fate.

Beware: The faerie realm is about to crash into our own.
______________________________________________________
Review:

I have loved everything I have read by Holly Black - and this book is no exception. The art of this book gives the story a depth that meshes really well with Black's writing. I absolutely loved this story. It's brooding and fantastic and keeps you wondering...

There's a second installment that will be around in October of this year... and I'm already wishing I had it. The book leaves you on a cliffhanger - and the answer seems not at all obvious (at least at this point). I plan on pawning this book off to the next person who tells me they want fantasy books... because I really think any fantasy lover can find a place for this book.

Other blog reviews:
Charlotte's Library
Avid Book Reader
Eva's Book Addiction
Mrs. Hill's Book Blog
Graphic Novel Reporter

Cairo by G. Willow Wilson

Title: Ciaro: a graphic novel

Author: G. Willow Wilson and M.K. Perker

ISBN: 9781401211400

Publisher: Vertigo

Summary:

"A stolen hookah, a spiritual underworld, and a genie on the run change the lives of five strangers forever in this modern fable set on the streets of the Middle East's largest metropolis.

Cairo interweaves the fates of a drug runner, a down-on-his-luck journalist, an American expatriate, a troubled young student, and an Istrali soldier as they race through busting present-day Cairoto find an artifact of unimaginable power, one protected by a dignified Jinn and sought by a wrathful gangster-magician. But the vastness of Africa's legendary City of Victory extends into a spiritual realm - the Undernile - and even darker powers lurk there..."

____________________________________________

Review:

There were certain parts of this book that really set it apart from other graphic novels (that I've read, at least). There is one part that stands out to me - it's when the Genie is teaching the boy to tap into his ability to use the sword. The way it's drawn is just very vivid and stands out to me in a way that other fantasy-graphics haven't.

I also really liked how the story takes you to another world entirely and gives an interesting perspective on politics and other issues. I'd recommend it for older graphic lovers - just because topics and such aren't really going to be of interest to the younger reader.

Other blog reviews: Here, here, and here.

Life Sucks by Jessica Abel

Title: Life Sucks

Author: Jessica Abel, Gabe Soria, and Warren Pleece

ISBN: 9781596431072

Publisher: First Second

Summary:

"Life sucks when you're a baby-faced kid in LA - broke, girlfriendless, and stuck in a dead-end job. And when we're talking about Dave Miller, we really mean dead-end.

Life sucks harder when that job is a night manager at the Last Stop, LA's finest vampire-owned 24-hour convenience store, and you're facing an eternity of restocking beef jerky and blood brew for Radu, your crappy boss and vampire master.

It's bad enough that Dave pines for his days as a vegetarian, but when he finds himself competing with psychotic surfer-vamp Wes for the affections of Rosa, a beautiful mortal with a romantic fixation on the dark side, unlife really gets complicated."

______________________________________________

Review:

This was a very interesting take on the whole vampire theme that's overtaken the world. I've honestly never read a graphic novel that was as snarky and cynical as this one. That doesn't make it a bad book - it's just different from what I'm used to. Perhaps I should be reading more of them :).

I do love that the main character is such a wuss even after being put in a position to be on top (aka part of the vampire elite). It's just hilarious to me that the most average, working-joe's are vampires and all. And that the main "masters" are all card playing lackeys. It's just very clever and interesting.

I did want to kinda smack around the main guy - just because he couldn't get himself together. But otherwise it was a pretty good book!

I wasn't expecting to see many other reviews and such, but they were easy to find! Here, here, and here