A Quickie Review of Saga, Volume 2, by Brian K. Vauhan

It's probably obvious by now that I'm not as comfortable reviewing graphic novels as I am with standard novels. It's more or less an entirely different medium, and my ability to criticize it is just not very well developed. I can't, for example, effectively comment on are style or layout because my experience is simply inadequate. However, my mission on this blog is to share good stories when I find them and warn against the bad ones. This is a good story.

Saga was a weird little reading detour for me. I'm not sure why I picked it up, considering the fact that the only graphic novel series I've bothered to invest time and money in (Fables and Sandman), were ones I chose because they have legitimacy and history and dozens of great reviews to recommend them. Saga, on the other hand, is fairly new. This volume only marks issues 7-12, but every single issue is a larger than life demonstration of the upper limits of what graphic novels can do when it comes to the weird and the wonderful.

Story-wise, we are still following newborn Hazel and her family, and this volume introduces us to her paternal grandparents. What has impressed me most about the series so far is the layer of sincere emotion laying right alongside the bizarre-creepy-gross. Alana and Marco fell in love, not entirely by accident--you kind of get the sense that they really wanted to. Irrational and impulsive though they might be, they really just want to hold their family together. When that means being honest with Marco's parents, and when they seem to react badly, Marco and Alana are prepared to stand their ground.

The dialogue is the best thing about this book. It's funny without being too silly. Whenever you're in danger of taking this book too seriously, the characters are there, hanging out right on the edge of ridiculous. I particularly enjoyed meeting the author of the trashy novel that changed Alana's life. He offers this sneaky little commentary on author intention vs. reader interpretation, while never tipping us off as to what his real leanings are. This, in the same book that has robot alien sex and monster penises. It's a raunchy book, but the sex and unapologetic nudity pretty much work in context. It's not a book for children, but again, the weirdness is part of the charm.

 In any case, I fully recommend that this is not a book for everyone. It is explicit and it is violent and it is easily the strangest thing I've read this year. At the same time, if that warning doesn't put you off, I encourage you to at least give the first twelve issues of Saga a try. It's worth experiencing. 4.5 stars

Review of Easy by Tammara Webber

I didn't want to read this book at first. Yes, it's true that I want to try more new adult books, but the college setting makes me leery since I'm only a year removed from living in that setting. Tammara Webber managed to win me over with a truly excellent love story, much to my surprise.

The book opens with our heroine, Jacqueline, very narrowly avoiding getting raped by her ex-boyfriend's frat brother. Her rescuer, Lucas, is sexy, mysterious, and everything her ex-boyfriend was not. The attack has made Jacqueline feel like a victim, especially when her attacker starts following her and telling lies about her. With Lucas there to support her, Jacqueline finds perspective, strength, and power against helplessness.

The relationship between Jacqueline and Lucas is simply precious. I found their emails and texts really charming. Jacqueline initially comes off a bit judgmental, labeling Lucas (because he has tattoos and piercings) as a slacker and a bad boy. To her credit, though, she seemed all too willing to be proven wrong. Once she sees him in the right light, she's eager to help him slay his personal demons (and he's got some serious demons). What I enjoyed most, though, was the fact that Lucas is protective. Not just that he's protective, really, but that he wanted her to be able to defend herself, and he fully believed that she could. The care he takes in giving her the empowerment of self defense is as emotionally impactful as it is practical.

Now, perhaps the only downside to the book is the fact that it gets a bit heavy handed with its message. Not only does it preach self defense and personal safety up, down, and sideways, but it also returns time and again to rape and how rapists should be treated--it's a huge part of the plot, and it's a little bit after-school special. Even as I write this, though, I can understand that their are teenagers and young women that can never hear these messages enough--they need to hear that rape is not the fault of the victim, that rape needs to be reported, that rapists need to be apprehended. Yes, I'm quite certain there are young readers who need to marinate their brains in these thoughts until they sink in past all of the rape culture we've been stewing in. For me though, I must admit, I got sick of it.

To sum this book up, it's a lovely romance and a nice contemporary story with awesome intentions. If the messages felt a bit tiresome to me, the characters made up for it by being adorable and sexy. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.

On Bees: A Review of The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

After I finished the first book in the Bridgerton series, I was left desperately wanting more. I really enjoy Julia Quinn's gift for story telling, and her Bridgertons are as charming as one can hope for from a large, series building family.

This, the second book, is Anthony's story. He's the eldest of the siblings and takes responsibility for all of them since their father passed when he was eighteen. His father's untimely death left Anthony with a grim certainty that he himself would die young, and thus he is determined not to fall in love. He does, however, want to marry and produce an heir. So, he sets his sights on  Edwina Sheffield, a charming, pretty, intelligent young lady who he feels no particular chemistry for, and so he is assured never to fall in love with her. The perfect wife. However, Edwina will not marry a man that her elder sister, Kate, does not approve of. Anthony starts a quest to prove himself to Kate, who is perceptive, smart, and eternally overshadowed--and someone Anthony does feel intense attraction to. As the pull toward Kate grows stronger, he wonders if he can will himself to keep from loving her.

Quinn seems to be good at building internal conflict. This book dealt with the subject of living through fears, with both main characters coming to grips with seemingly irrational phobias. They share the experience of having lost parents at a young age, and so their hang ups are similar in a way. Their coming together is rewarding both in terms of the love they share and in terms of psychological healing.

On a less serious note, I felt they were both very sexy and very sweet together. There were a lot of scenes that just plain made me smile.You want them to be happy together because that makes you, the reader, happy.

If I'm forced to rip this open and name a flaw, it's only that the supposedly too stubborn to love Anthony actually gives in to all of the things that will lead to love way too easily. He doesn't even really try to keep from marrying Kate, and once married he dives right into all the gooey relationship stuff that leads to love--from conversation, comfort, the intimacy of sharing living spaces, and of course sex. He gives in so easily that I couldn't fully buy his original hang ups.

Overall, though, this was a practically flawlessly enjoyable story. For historical romance fans, the Bridgertons should not be missed. 4.5 stars.

On Lunars: A Review of Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Cinder was my favorite book of 2013. I loved the sci-fi world, loved the very original style of fairy tale retelling. I was beyond eager to read Scarlet, and the bar was set very high.

This book alternates focus alternates between Cinder and the newly introduced Scarlet. Scarlet's grandmother has been taken by a mysterious gang, who believe she knows something about the Princess Selene. Scarlet is determined to get her back, so when former gang member Wolf offers to lead her to them, she goes with him willingly. Meanwhile, Cinder must escape from prison with Thorne,  a fellow convict who offers her a way out on his spaceship. She must decide where to go first--to Africa to find the doctor who provided her means of escape, or to find Scarlet's grandmother, who might have answers about the past Cinder can't remember.

What I liked about the first book, I continued to love about the second. The world building is brilliant, fun, and easy to immerse yourself in. It's the kind of science fiction that would appeal to readers that don't normally like science fiction. It's very accessible.

Cinder is an appealing character, with her intelligence, guts, and unusual skill set. In this book her Lunar powers start to grow in ways that even she doesn't fully understand. Thorne is a fun addition, sort of a wannabe bad boy with a great sense of humor. He and Cinder have great report, and they're entertaining, although I became nervous that the author would try to make him the third point in a love triangle. Please, God, no. But, as of now, that's not the case. Scarlet, meanwhile, is a farm girl with no remarkable talents to speak of. She's likeable, though, because of her determination to find her grandmother and her willingness to see Wolf's best side. I liked Wolf, a lot. He's less predictable than the other characters, in both personality and nature. I found myself very curious about what he actually is, as well as what his motivations were.

One of my disappointments with this book was how little time we spent with Emperor Kai. We mostly just experience his stress over ruling and dealing with Queen Levina, plus his conflicted feelings for Cinder. Not a lot in terms of insight or character development.

But the main issue with this story is the fact that the larger arc of the story does not progress as much as it could have. That's not to say that nothing happens, but...not as much as I would have though or liked. I got the impression that the big action was being saved for future books, and that this is just a bridge book. That's fine, I guess, I just wanted more--I'm greedy like that.

It's a very good, very entertaining book. It would never stand on it's own, and it raises more questions than it answers. However, I found it far above average in the page-turner category, and I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.

On Handbills: A Review of The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

Courtney Milan surprised me with this one. I've had several experiences with her work now, and I've always liked it. This book, though, was just a little more special.

Minnie Pursling has worked hard to establish herself as an anonymous wallflower, beneath the notice of most people. No one would guess that she possesses a uniquely organized mind, capable of the most precise of tactical thinking. Minni's hopes to marry before her scandalous past comes to light and forever ends her future prospects. When she accuses Robert, the Duke of Clermont, of writing radical handbills stirring workers to strike, she is only trying to keep suspicion from falling on herself. Instead, she captures Roberts attention, and he is all to quick to conclude that he must have her.

I liked Minnie. I was surprised to like Minnie, because she is so mousey and seems dry at first. As the story went on, though, I really enjoyed being inside such a clever mind. I enjoyed the path that her character development took. I related to her discomfort when it comes to large crowds and the comfort that she takes in being anonymous. Yet, I felt proud of her when she faced and overcame some of her fears, or found ways to cope with them. She's a layered, well written character, and even if you don't like her you have to respect her.

Robert is, again, so much more complex than he initially seems. He's presented as having a major case of rich person guilt, where we see him trying to make up for his father's actions by seeking political and legal justice for the working man. It seems self righteous first, but he goes about it intelligently and with an honest sense of idealism. More importantly, in a story such as this, is the emotional journey he goes on in order to find, feel, and accept love. He's all too used to feeling love for others, but less used to people loving him back, and so he suppresses any hopes he might have for a real connection with Minnie.  As an idealistic person, he also struggles with the difference between his fantasies and reality, which is at first disappointing but later proves to outdo his imaginings. Again, I found him very easy to relate to in this respect.

The chemistry is between our characters is warm and sweet. I also noticed that this was a very sexually intelligent book. Instead of romanticizing the love scenes, the author allows for awkwardness and mild disappointment.  And then, she has Minnie explain to  Robert what she needs, matter-of-factly and without sugar coating. How novel.  Seriously.

If I had to name a flaw...Well, I guess the degree to which I felt informed or invested in the workers strike/handbills subplot was pretty weak. That's not saying that I didn't care a little bit, but the conflict could have been something different or not present at all and I wouldn't have noticed.

Overall... God, this was such a good book. Smart, easy to read, and romantic. I could not ask for more from a historical romance. 4.5 stars.

Review of Fables Vol. 6 Homelands

Reviewing these is starting to feel redundant. What else can I possibly say to recommend this series, other than that it's awesome and you should read it. Graphic novel fans should read it. Fantasy fans should read it. Fairy tale fans should read it. Even if you don't think  you like fairy tales, you should read this--you might change your mind.

But, okay, what is this particular volume about? For one thing, it includes the all to amusing story of Jack, who leaves Fabletown and travels to Hollywood to make movies about himself. It's fun, and it's hilarious. I can't even say that I care for Jack as a character, but I think part of me enjoys his schemes, and enjoys seeing him suffer.

Then, as the title suggests, we take a detour to the Homelands, where Boy Blue has traveled to take down The Adversary. Boy Blue has, in fact, become one of my favorite characters within the series. He's surprisingly bad ass. This portion of the story is great, too, in that it took a turn that I did not entirely guess at.

Ultimately, I felt this was one of the strongest (if not the strongest) volume in the series that I've read thus far. It has action, adventure, and the most when written of the Fable characters right at the center of it all. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars. 

Review of Saga by Brian K. Vaughan

Hey, it's me! Remember me? Your friendly neighborhood reading penguin? Yeah, I'm still reading, I've just kind of let the reviews pile up in a big heap because finding time to post is a little like finding the Holy Grail these days. But oh well, here's a nice short review of a graphic novel I read recentishly.

Saga is a science fiction tale about two lovers from opposite sides of an old and bloody war, who have a baby together. The tale of their quest for survival is delightful in it's unusual tone and slightly bizarre characters. The baby, Hazael, often jumps in with points of narration and insights into her parent's tale. I found this clever, because she anchors the story and makes everything that's going on seem vital and precious.

For the parents in question, Marko and Alana, things seem extremely tenuous and it's hard to imagine how they got to the point of having a baby at all. They are hunted from all sides. And yet, in the midst of it, the dialogue and the character's attitudes toward one another gave me the very real feeling that they are a well suited couple. They have chemistry and they have affection. Marko is now a sworn pacifist, with a vow not to draw his sword. Alana is crass and somewhat reckless, and less inclined to forgo violence in the face of danger. The combination of these two, along with a cast of wholly unexpected secondary characters, made this book a winner for me.

If I had to name a flaw, it would be that this is definitely the beginning of a much larger story, rather than a self contained episode, so your going to get roped into buying more comics to finish the story...but oh well, right? The humor, hope, and fantastical science fictiony goodness is well worth it. 4.5 stars

On Thuribles: A Review of Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Earlier this year I read the fantastically unusual novel Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and while it was by no means flawless, it certainly left an impression. This book, it's sequel, has been on by To-Read list ever since.

In the aftermath of the massacre of the chimera, Karou is hiding out in a sandcastle in on the edge of the Sahara in the human world, resurrecting select soldiers at the command of Thiago, aka the White Wolf. Karou hopes these soldiers will be able to defend the last living chimera, but in reality Thiago is using them in a terror campaign against the angels. Akiva, meanwhile, is struggling with his desire for peace in a world full of murder. He offers mercy to as many chimera as possible, but many continue to die. His attempts to reach of to Karou are rejected, though she softens toward him when he returns certain key friends to her.

Positive Comments

This book was more successful than the first at making the world of Eretz seem large and vast and important, lending the story the epic feel that one wants in a fantasy. Where the first book was largely about a teenage girl who is unusual and out of place, this book is about the lives and deaths of entire peoples. The politics of the empire of angels are gritty and intriguing, as we see that Akiva comes from a warrior class of little prestige but much power.

Karou's very unusual position as a resurrectionist and perceived traitor made her journey in this book incredibly rocky and emotional. She doesn't want or feel able to lead, but throughout the book it becomes increasingly obvious that she's going to have to. I liked Karou's loyalty and her unique and artful magic.

I came to appreciate the secondary characters a lot more. Zuzana was surprisingly charming, and she and Mik were rather cute together. I really liked Ziri, and I was glad that he gets a somewhat central role.

Critical Comments

I was a bit disappointed with the lack of romance, or even the teensiest bit of relationship development between Karou and Akiva. They spend very, very little of the book in the same room, and all of it tense and uncomfortable.

Recommendation

I recommend this series to fantasy fans, YA or otherwise. It's so fresh and different, and it's easy to become immersed in such an intense world. 4.5 stars.

Review of Fables, Vol. 3: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham

It's rare that I latch on to a graphic novel, and I have never, ever lacked onto a graphic novel series like this. Fables just happens to have all of the qualities that I enjoy in a story, so why not dive in? And so we're on to volume 3.

The first part of the story features Jack Horner, a notorious schemer, in Civil War era America. In it, he gambles, tries to get the best of death, and also finds true lust. This little story is very funny, if a little pointless.

In the second part, a mundy reporter comes forward with loads of data on the fable community, which he mistakenly believes proves that they're all vampires. Bigby and gang have to neutralize this situation, as the fable community must remain a secret. In this part, we also meet Briar Rose, the notorious sleeping beauty, who's curse is still ongoing. Every time she pricks her finger, she falls asleep--as does anyone around her. What I liked about this part of the story was the character interactions, and the tension inherent in the situation. I really like Bigby, and his very practical way of viewing the world.

The second part really hammers home the conflict between Bluebeard and Bigby, and the conflict comes to a head in part three when Bluebeard devises a way to kill off Bigby. I can't say much without getting spoilery, but I will just say (again), that I liked the relationship and character building. I like the romantic tension between Snow and Bigby. I like the violent tension between the villains (if we want to call them that) and the heroes. I like that it gets pretty gory, and kind of dark. Twisted fairy tales, indeed.

Overall, I would say that I like this book for it's unusual and yet familiar characters, and for the fact that I really feel like I'm getting to know them now. If I had to name a flaw, it's that I would like just a smidge more back story on some of them, just because it would help me become emotionally invested in their lives (and deaths, as the case may be.  I continue to recommend the Fables series to fairy tale fans. 4.5 stars.

A Review of Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham

Fairytale retellings are big these days. They are literally all over the book market, and I couldn't be happier about that. The only downside is that, with so many, it's really difficult to sniff out the good from the bad. And so I rely on recommendations...and so I decided to try Fables, even though I rarely go for graphic novels.

The basic premise is that the fairy tale characters we're all familiar with (Snow White, Jack the Giant Killer, The Big Bad Wolf, and so forth), were forced to flee their homelands when they were attacked by a mysterious and vicious adversary. Now they reside in New York City, under a secret government with Snow White as the Deputy Mayor. This book is mostly a murder mystery, when Rose Red (Snow White's sister), goes missing amidst a great deal of blood. Bigby (the once Big Bad Wolf), is the detective in charge of solving the mystery.

Positive Comments

I liked the twisted, jaded view of these characters. Snow White is divorced from Prince Charming, who is shown to be quite the tool. Jack is full of get rich quick schemes. Bigby is portrayed as sort of werewolfish, but is also very smart and awkwardly charming. This is a world with a big cast and a lot of potential, and it knows how to use it's characters in a twisted and amusing way.

Critical Comments

As far as the actual story goes, it's a little meh. I'm not big on mysteries, so I wasn't that invested. I wasn't bored, because it was amusing enough just to watch these characters exist and interact in our world. But the plot by itself? Not so fantastic.

Recommendation

Fairytale fans, this one is for you. It's clever, unusual, and just plain fun. Even if you don't normally read graphic novels, I'd recommend this one. 4.5 stars.

On Saarantras: A Review of Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Wow, okay. This took me over a week to actually finish, but not because it's bad. More because I've been busy and...the pace is honestly a bit slow. But we'll get to that.

The story is about a girl named Seraphina, who possesses and incredible amount of musical talent. She lives in a kingdom where a tenuous peace exists between humans and dragons after years of war. As the anniversary of the peace treaty approaches, Prince Rufus is murdered in such a way that many believe dragons are to blame. Seraphina ends up caught up in the investigation.

Positive Comments

This is, in many ways, a novel about self-acceptance. Seraphina's emotional journey is extremely satisfying. She starts off hating herself and everything she is. Her connection to the dragon world makes her a secret misfit, but also provide her with unique talents and the ability to understand both cultures.

I especially enjoyed being inside Seraphina's head, quite literally, as we explore the psychic world she has built in order to contain visions and maternal memories that plague her. I found this world and it's inhabitants to be the most intriguing part of the book.

I liked Phina's interactions with Kiggs, the captain of the guard and fiance to the prince. It's not precisely a full-on romance, but there is a flirtation and a friendship that I really enjoyed.

The writing is, in itself, beautiful. The author has a real talent for clever syntax, and for building vivid imagery in very few words.

Critical Comments

The only real flaw is the aforementioned pacing issues. There are a lot of slow parts dealing with court drama, solving the murder, and so forth. Not exactly action packed, and so it drags, and so it takes patience to finish. Just be warned of that.

Recommendation

It's technically a YA, but more importantly it is a classic style fantasy novel with a great story. I would recommend it to any fantasy fan. 4.5 stars.

Blog Tour Review: The Color of Snow by Brenda Stanley

This is one of those times when I find myself really, really liking a book for reasons I can't entirely explain. One thing I can tell you for sure is that this is a young adult novel that takes it's audience seriously.

All of her life, Sophie has lived in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with her father. The story opens with the police coming into the house to arrest her father for shooting a young man, and discovering that Sophie is a long lost victim of a much publicized missing child case. From that point on, the story is divided between the story of Sophie and that of her parents, and we slowly learn the details of her life and the curse hanging over her head.

Positive Comments

With a relatively simple story structure, this book examines a multitude of complex issues. It does so subtly, with thought and respect. We are shown the story from different perspectives, with each character perceiving things differently. On one hand, Sophie's father seems abusive and insane. On the other hand, he's the hero of his own tragic love story. To one character, religion and curses are superstition, while to others they are absolute reality. Even as a reader, you find yourself questioning what is right and true, gaining clarity only as Sophie herself does.

I liked that there was no real villain. We are made to understand Sophie's father, to a point where his disturbing behavior is rendered almost logical.

The characters are written with a brutal honesty that makes them real. Oddly, Sophie is the character that I felt the least connected to, and yet even she struck me as life like. I could understand how her life so far would render her so uncertain of herself, and at times unable to cope in the larger world. It's rewarding to see her find her place.

Critical Comments

The pace is a bit slow. You'll connect the plot dots for yourself early on, but have to wait for the book to explain it all to you anyway. Personally, I found this to be a minor flaw, because I really enjoyed the deeper examination of how the story unfolded.

Recommendation

This is a dramatic contemporary young adult novel that would easily appeal to an adult audience as well. It's light on the romance, and at times actually a bit depressing. But if you want a serious book, and a very smart book, this one is a keeper. 4.5 stars. 

To purchase a copy, click here: The Color of Snow

On Dauntless: A Review of Divergent by Veronica Roth

This was one of those books that just kept popping up everywhere. Everyone that I asked insisted that I would love it, and they were not wrong.

Beatrice Prior has grown up in a faction called Abnegation, a subculture that believes in selflessness above all things. On her sixteenth birthday, she must choose a permanent faction--remain in Abnegation, or transfer to one of the four other factions. An aptitude test, meant to tell her which faction would suite her best, instead reveals something else entirely. Beatrice is divergent--she doesn't fit neatly into a category. Not fully understanding what this means, but knowing that it could lead to becoming an outcast, Beatrice makes the decision to enter Dauntless, the courage faction. Joining the Dauntless tests her physical, emotional, and psychological fortitude.

Positive Comments

I'm a sucker for a good training montage.  The journey to becoming a Dauntless was fascinating to me. Beatrice changes her name to Tris, sheds drab clothing in favor of sexier items, gets tattooed, learns to fight and use weapons, and starts to look inside herself for a deeper kind of bravery. She meets friends. She starts to fall for an older guy, named Four. And holy hell, there's not love triangle! What I'm saying, in a nutshell, is that I loved Tris' character arc, her personality, everything.

The relationship building with Four is about as good as you can expect in a book where the romance is not the main point. He's a likeable, layered character in his own right. More importantly, I liked that he respected and believed in Tris. He gets protective, but at the same time he trusts her to hold her own. I loved that.

Critical Comments

Some of the logic behind the world building is...well, it's not logical. So...having these factions somehow promotes peace? How? And the factions themselves are almost silly in their polarized ways of life. I chuckled a bit at some of the Dauntless behavior. They don't go to trains stations to board trains, they just jump on and off. And they leap off of buildings and climb stuff and pierce their bodies for no good reason...Basically, all of the arbitrary senseless displays of courage that you could possibly think of. I love the result of the world building, but you have to turn your brain off to accept that this world could ever exist.

Recommendation

If you like dystopians, this is a must read. If you like YA fiction in general, it's a must read. With a tough heroine, a solid story, and a sweet romance, I can't recommend this enough. 4.5 stars.