Dora Reads is the book blog of a Bookish Rebel, supporting the Diversity Movement, bringing you Queer views and mental health advocacy, slipping in a lot of non-bookish content, and spreading reading to the goddamn world! :)
(All posts may contain Amazon links, which are affiliate, unless marked otherwise. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. USA ONLY - please do not make UK purchases with my links)
Genre: Media Tie-In, Horror, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales (-ish,)Magic Realism(-ish,) Young Adult (Maybe? Maybe just adult with YA appeal. It's kind of difficult to gage the
age range here!)
I'm super-tired this week, so if I'm spouting nonsense and/or using verbiage and syntax usually found only in 19th Century novels (a weird habit I have sometimes when I'm tired,) then that's why! 😅
Graphic Novels
This week I read Captain America: First Vengeance (UK - US.)
This is actually a media tie-in with the Captain America: The First Avenger (UK - US) movie, but unlike most tie-ins, it doesn't simply re-tell the story.
Instead we get more background on both the Red Skull and the allies' team making the Super Soldier Serum.
Yes, it treads some well-worn ground - kid from Brooklyn, wanted to join the army, etc.
But we also get aspects that the film doesn't show - more detail on the Howling Commandoes, more background on Steve and Bucky in New York, etc. etc.
I was actually pretty damned impressed by how well this works - and (always important) the artwork is great too.
Other Stuff Marvel (and, more specifically, Brian Michael Bendis,) have announced that the new Iron Man - black teenage girl Riri Williams (and how awesome is that!) - will be known as 'Ironheart.'
I still think that they missed a trick by not going with Iron Maiden, but apparently that would've been 'a legal nightmare.' (Dammit!)
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Marvel latte art vid! Short, cool, and coffee-ful; just what I need in a video ;)
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And, with adult humour, gore, and a sh**-load of randomness, here's a hilarious spoof of the Wonder Woman trailer:
August was actually a pretty good month for me. Despite how difficult my anxiety made it, I came out as sexually fluid; and that felt great ;)
Blog-wise, less impressive stats than last month. But they were still pretty damn good :) Over 4k page-views this month, reaching over 25k page-views over-all!!!!!!!!!!! XD I mean - wow! 25k!!!!!! XD XD (Actually I've now reached over 26k, but 25 is such a round and shiny number, lol!) And I now have over 950 followers on Twitter. Things've stagnated a little on BlogLovin' - but still trotting along with a handful of new followers this month :) And shameless plug time! The Bookish Diversity Link List 2016 is up and running. Be sure to check it out, and let me know if you find anything I can add! (It's easier when people help me, lol.)
I've just finished reading Sun Dragon's Song #1 by Joyce Chng and Kim Miranda - I'll be writing a mini-review of this beautifully-illustrated comic soon :)
(Why a mini-review and not a big, grown-up, full-blown, review? Because it's 24 pages long - a mini-review will be enough, methinks!)
Other Stuff
This week I reviewed the non-fiction book Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life by Liesa Mignona (Ed.) (UK - USA).
This is a fantastic and beautiful book - not just about superheroes, but about the people who use them for hope, inspiration, and strength.
I
received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.
NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair
and honest reviews.
This is a re-release of one of Tokyopop's most popular titles.
Seeing as how Tokyopop are back, back, back! and working very closely with Disney, they're doing another release of the series, which was first given unto the world (sorry, I'm in a really weird mood,) circa 2007.
It's still as cute today ;)
This is a manga volume, and reads right to left, in traditional manga style.
Premise:
Kilala is living in admiration of her favourite Disney princesses. Little does she know that they're about to help her save the day!
Best
bits:
This book is so sweet and cute and kawaii that I'm going to get a cavity from all the sugar! At the same time, it's not sickeningly-sweet (which takes some skill!)
There are bits of what can only be described as swashbuckling action, and Kilala is a relatable heroine with a pet mouse. I defy you to resist the sweetness!
I actually quite liked the romantical-aspects, true it verged on insta-love, but managed to juuuuust dodge the most annoying parts of that trope (plus, we're dealing with Disney princesses - insta-love is going to happen. Deal with it.)
I also liked the way Snow White (our princess for this volume,) was a part of the story without dominating it - this is Kilala's story, not Snow's.
But neither do the Disney elements feel forced - they're woven in very well, particularly when you consider the balance of the manga style with the more traditionally 'Western' style of Disney princesses, which this volume totally pulls off :)
Not
so great bits:
Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once (let me know if you got that reference, I will love you forever,) -
GIRLS SHOULD NOT BASE THEIR ENTIRE FUTURE PLANS ON MEETING A HANDSOME DUDE TO MARRY. #JustSaying.
Also, if you're looking for something deep and intellectual? Yeah... this isn't the book for that.
Don't get me wrong, it's sweet, it just has the net substance of cotton candy (hence the cavities.)
Verdict:
A fun and sweet manga that any fan of princesses will love, but which is perhaps a little heavy on the gender stereotyping in places.
Ahhh, July - funny old month, some good things, some not-good things. But, y'know, I'm still standing, and blog-wise things are looking uber-awesome if I do say so myself! :)
This is me this month. #TrueStory ;)
This month has been rockin' as far as blog-stats are concerned:
I hit over 20k page-views in all, with over 5k views just this month.
A lot of this was due to my most popular post of the month - my review of Luna the Vampire, which hit over 2k page-views all on its lonesome! (Honestly, I don't know why that post was so popular, but I'm not complaining!)
Diary of a Reading Addict now has 50+ followers on BlogLovin'.
I reviewed some awesome-a*s books this month - stand-outs for me include Nina Is Not OK by Shappi Khorsandi and Monstress, Vol: The Awakening. But honestly, I reviewed a lot of rockin' stuff this month!
And yes, before you say anything - I realise that of the 8 books I reviewed this month, 4 were graphic novels *shrugs* - there's nothing wrong with that!
Even for us unlucky folks who may very well never make it to the holiest of nerd-pilgrimage sites which isSan Diego Comic Con (SDCC,)(dude, it's expensive!) this uber-celebration of geekery is important for all of us who love the nerdy-stuffs!
And, due to the magic of the interwebs (particularly YouTube) we can share in the goodies that are the interviews, announcements, and reveals of the event.
(And there's loads of them! Yay!)
This week's wrap-up is a look at some of the awesome things coming out SDCC - not all of it though, because, dude, I'm human!
So here are my picks of the fresh vids and news of SDCC, as well as the usuals from my week faffing around the medium of comics.
Film Trailers
Second Doctor Strange trailer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
(Still can't get over Benedict Cumberbatch & that accent though.
Like when Martin Freeman was putting on a Yank accent in Captain America: Civil War.
Reckon they'll end up in a movie together? With their awkward American accents and everything... lol!)
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This teaser-type-trailer for Suicide Squad was actually released last week - but I only saw it this week, so it counts under this week's wrap-up. Because I said so. ;)
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The trailer many people were waiting for was for Wonder Woman:
I have to ask though... is that supposed to be WW1 or WW2? Because there are parts that kind of look like both to me...
Anyway, this looks like it could be pretty cool... or not. Let's hope for cool ;)
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There was also footage released of the upcoming Justice League movie.
I'm really not sure about this one... for several reasons that it would take too long to go into here but which start with Ben Affleck and the Batman costume, and move through various niggling points from there.
But what you gonna do? DC man, DC.
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And last but not least, we have the character-focussed Suicide Squad trailers which've been released over the past week, featuring Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and The Joker:
DEADSHOT
HARLEY
THE JOKER
TV Trailers
I love this trailer for Legion. Legion is an X-men character who really hasn't been explored all that much - but has so much potential.
I'm glad FX have decided to pick this up. (Though of course, I still mourn the loss of the 'Marvel's Agent Carter' series.)
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There are SPOILERS for the most recent series of Gotham in this next vid - a show-reel of the craziness we went through last series, and a glimpse of the next series to come.
If you don't watch Gotham then why the hell not?! Seriously. Go think about your life choices ;) (and then watch it.)
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There are also SPOILERS for the previous series of Arrow in this next vid:
Much as it pains me to say this - and it does pain me, of all the DC series this is one of my faves, and I'd even put it ahead of some Marvel properties (Gasp!) - I think this series has more than run its course.
I may be wrong - and lord knows I'd be happy to be - but it feels like we've actually come to not one but two natural endings over the course of the last 4 series, and now we're trying to reinvigorate something which maybe should've just been let be. #JustSaying
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Annnnnddd this vid has SPOILERS for the previous season of The Flash:
Fans: Barry, don't do the thing.
Characters: Barry, why did you even TRY to do the thing?
The forces of good storytelling: Barry, please don't do the thing, please!
Everyone: FOR GOD'S SAKE BARRY, DON'T DO THE THING.
Barry: ...Guys? ...I did the thing...
Hopefully they can fix this, and not make it too irritating while they're doing it *buries fangirling head in hands* - we live in hope.
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Some SPOILERS in this vid too, for the previous series of DC's Legends of Tomorrow:
Oh my gosh, this looks like it's going to be so GOOD! :)
One of my favourite things about Legends is that it's essentially the dregs of a bunch of DC shows cobbled together. It really shouldn't work. BUT GOD IT DOES.
*Brief interlude for me to hop about like the insane fangirl that I am*
Seriously, whoever decided to take a chance on this wacky beauty of a show - well done!
Other Stuff
I found this interview with G Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel writer) uber-interesting - check it out:
This includes a discussion of Millar's repertoire with regards to people of colour (PoC) and female characters, as well as his track-record when it comes to inclusions of rape in storylines.
There are some very interesting points made. I don't agree with all of them, but, then, when do I ever?
I certainly understand the trepidation over Millar's potential plans with this latest character, but also think that Millar has a reputation as a boundary-pusher. No, I don't always agree with his decisions (no way, no how!) but do I think we need boundary-pushers in comics? Hell yes!
Likewise, though, we need people like Stephanie Tran to question the decisions those boundary-pushers make, and explore the repercussions of the representations they decide to portray.
So yes, I understand the trepidation and worry about what Millar may or may not do with a black female Kick-Ass, but personally I reserve judgement until we've had a chance to see what Millar actually comes up with.
Never say I don't provide you guys with variety. :)
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UK people can see a documentary - we Brits do love a good docky-wocky ;) - on 'Britain's Favourite Superhero' on Channel 4 @ 7.30pm on Saturday, 30th July.
It features Stan Lee. You have to love Stan Lee. It's the rules.
Unfortunately, the Civil War porn parody has decided to spam the hashtag with explicit pics.
As I've said before, I don't have a problem with porn as long as it's safe, sane, consensual, and non-exploitative, but as far as I'm concerned it doesn't have a place on this hashtag.
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The new Iron Man is a 15-year-old black girl!
While this rocks, (out loud!) it does beg the question, can we still keep calling her Iron Man?
