My new thing is reading graphic novels at lunch at work and then trying to get through a text book at home.
Hence the lack of anything very long on here as I’m still working on City of Blades.
Also, I realized I’ve almost read all of Jeff Lemire’s original works, I think I only have two now that I haven’t read, so I’m making that a goal for the next few months. So, yeah, lots of Lemire on here.
P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever by Raj Haldar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A worthy addition to the slightly-messed-up alphabet book collection, put it on the shelf right next to Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book.
The illustrations are lots of fun and I really appreciated the glossary of terms in the back!
This would be a great read-aloud for those older elementary school visits.
Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I picked this up because of Jeff Lemire, but it was Dustin Nguyen’s artwork that really made this book perfect. In a story about a strange attack by gigantic robots, Nguyen’s gorgeous style (reminiscent of watercolor paintings) keeps the story grounded. I loved this first book and cannot wait to see where the story goes! I already adore Tim-21 and I want to see him save the galaxy!
I read all 6 volumes of Descender this month, not going to post each one, just the first and last reviews
Descender, Vol. 6: The Machine War by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
Hm…well…that was a finale. There were several things in this volume that I felt should not have been kept until the very end, especially Mizerd’s “stick”. And then the reveal on the final page of an upcoming tie-in series made me feel even more frustrated that some plot points were hidden until this book.
Overall, still an enjoyable series but the ending felt rushed.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
At 150 pages, this managed to be the most fun read I’ve had in awhile. I’m will definitely check out other books in this series to see what Murderbot gets up to on her next adventure. I think I prefer my sci-fi with a dash of snark/humor.
Unicorn Theater by Dana Simpson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another super-cute addiction to this series. This book is actually one long story vs just a bunch of comics together. I really liked the overall theme of friendship and jealousy and getting along.
And also Sue and Ringo. I’d totally read a whole book of their hijinks, together or separate.
I Moved to Los Angeles to Work in Animation by Natalie Nourigat
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Stopped this one about half way through because I don’t actually plan to move to L.A. to work in animation and she was getting very specific.
Cicada by Shaun Tan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I don’t like cicadas in real life and now I feel bad about that. But I’d never treat a cicada co-worker this way, I promise!
Gideon Falls, Vol. 1: The Black Barn by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This rating might change depending on how the rest of the series goes because I don’t even know WHAT this is all about. But I am definitely going to keep reading because it is dark, creepy, and mysterious and I need to know what happens next!
The Agony House by Cherie Priest
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
I was “finished” with this book about halfway through. Such a disappointment. I forced myself to read to the end to find out what was going on and yeah, that was also a disappointment. After I Am Princess X this just felt like a book mandated by a publisher who said “Write that again!”
That or I have just read more YA since then and know how much better the writing can be. I had some hope because there was a genuinely scary moment about a third of the way through, but after that it just became ridiculous. Everyone was pretty chill about the house being haunted and the ghost trying to MURDER THEM!
Third person was a mistake for the narration, this would have been far better in first person.
Plus, there was some weird social commentary that was going somewhere but then didn’t? I was waiting for the whole rich/poor dynamic to pay off but it never did.
I have not been so upset with a book in awhile. If it had not been a library book, I would have tossed it across the room.
City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked a good book for my foray back into adult sci-fi/fantasy. Bennett does a wonderful job at world building without slowing down the plot. I realized very quickly that I needed to be awake when I sat down to read this because the complex world and complex plot required my attention to keep up. Lots of action and humor to keep me invested in the characters. I’m really curious to see where it all goes!
Paper Girls, Vol. 5 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I don’t know how Vaughan is managing both this and Saga at the same time and keeping the quality so high! Things are getting extra crazy in this one, especially if your memory is starting to fade of the very first volume! I think a re-read will be in order once the series is complete.
What was the best/worst thing you read this month?
For me, ‘All Systems Red’ was the best and ‘Agony House’ was the worst.
orangerful 