Mini-Review! (Comics Edition!) - Bread and Butter #1

Title: Bread and Butter #1

Author: Liz Mayorga

Genre: Comics, Contemporary

Series: Bread and Butter

Release Date: 5th October 2016

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

I received a free digital review copy of this comic from the publishers, Rosarium Publishing, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Liana, a young Latina woman living in San Francisco, dreams of making a living as an artist. Instead, she ends up working at a local coffee shop.

Honestly, I was surprised by how much I liked this one - it was uber-readable. 

I think there are a fair few millennials who will empathise with being stuck in the sh*ttiest of jobs, when what they really want to do seems so far in the distance...

Even worse for Liana is the way some people treat her. Working for a low wage, she has to deal with customers she would rather punch in the face (I would too!)

There's also the casual racism - like the creepy guy who asks 'What are you?'

The way Mayorga weaves all this into this 24-page first issue is impressive - and hopefully will continue throughout the series!

The artwork is distinctive... and quite unusual; I'm not sure whether I liked the style or not. 

I think it may've worked better in colour rather than black-and-white, and I found the lack of background in a lot of the panels really odd, but by the end it was starting to grow on me.

Oh, and there's some swearing in there - just letting you know; bloggerly duty and all that!

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Mini-Review! (Classics Edition!) - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Title: And Then There Were None

Author: Agatha Christie

Genre: Classics, Crime

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

I read this for the Mystery-a-thon hosted by the lovely Ely @ Tea & Titles, which was last week. I decided to only read one book for it because it was my birthday on Thursday and BIRTHDAY BOOKS ;)

Firstly, to the big, galumphing, heffalump in the room (yes, I say heffalump not elephant. Blame either Disney or my mother - both are equally valid,) - I had some major moral/ethical dilemmas with this book.

Largely, this was because of the history of the book's title, and some anti-Semitism and disparaging comments about indigenous peoples (within POV of not-very-nice people.)

I've already talked extensively about my befuddled feelings on the subject, so I won't repeat myself here: let's just say I had some issues with this book that can't be easily dealt with.

So, putting said heffalump back in his corner, having been acknowledged: this book is exceptionally well written and sooooooo atmospheric!

I also liked that there were depths beneath the surface of each and every one of our ten main characters.

They aren't nice people. None of them are nice people. But, all the same, Christie tricks you into a certain level of uncomfortable investment in them.

And it's the interplay of characters, the sense of things unsaid, and the atmosphere of the prose, that will keep you reading.

The writing is truly masterful, and I can only thank the BBC adaptation for inspiring me to read it, despite my muddled feelings on some of the distasteful aspects.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads

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Mini-Review! (Comics Edition!) - The Sun Dragon's Song #1

Title: The Sun Dragon's Song #1

Author: Joyce Chng, Kim Miranda

Genre: Kids, Fantasy

Series: The Sun Dragon's Song

Release Date: 21 September 2016

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publishers, Rosarium Publishing, via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I know I normally write full reviews instead of mini-reviews when I have an ARC, but this is only a single comic issue, so I figured a mini-review would give me enough time to talk about it. :)

This is the first issue in 'The Sun Dragon's Song' series - and it's a promising start.

First off: the artwork. THE ARTWORK. SERIOUSLY, THE ARTWORK.

It's stunningly beautiful. I would frame any page from this book and put it on my wall. Wow. Just... WOW.

I also liked the slow pace to this first issue, it's very gentle, but not at all boring - which I really like.

Pretty much the only criticism I can make of this book is that some of the dialogue felt a little overly-exposition-based, and perhaps a little forced...?

But overall, that really wasn't a big problem. And I'm being a little nit-picky now, I know; but that was really the only thing that I could criticise.

I just hope the rest of the series is this beautiful! Seriously, it's hard to exaggerate just how stunning this comic was visually.

(And dragons! I mean... dragons!!!!!)

Hopefully our little hero will get closer to his dream of being a Sun Dragon Rider, and prove the a**-holes who make fun of his disability wrong! (Yes, I'm invested in this... very much so!)

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads

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Mini-Review! - The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer

Title: The Shock of the Fall

Author: Nathan Filer

Genre: Contemporary

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

'There was the shock of the fall and the blood on my knee...'

A book with a schizophrenic protagonist is a delicate balancing act. One which Filer excels at.

Matthew - our point-of-view narrator - is a complex, realistic character. He doesn't fall head-long into stereotypes, but neither is his illness ignored.

He is mentally ill. He is also a nineteen-year-old boy in Bristol. One who wants to tell his own story, thank you very much.

He wants people to listen to him - even if he's not making much sense, he still wants to be heard. And it's the characters who listen to him - even if they ultimately disagree with his opinions - who Matt prefers.

Because people with mental illnesses don't just want to be talked at, over, or around. They want you to hear them out, even if you make decisions that go against their wishes, they'd still like their wishes to at least be acknowledged.

We want you to understand that we are not children. We are adults who are ill.

If you made a decision for a cancer patient without at least listening to their opinion, there would be uproar. Make a decision for a mental health patient without asking their opinion? Meh.

But Filer explains this without ever explaining it. He simply allows the character to tell his story, and places the reader in Matt's shoes for a while.

Not that he paints Matt as an angel - far from it. He's not some martyred saint. He's a real person, with all the flaws and quirks that brings.

He's not pitied, but neither is he demonised. And that is an incredible achievement.

And I love the non-linear structure.

We experience the story as Matt does - with flitting thoughts as he moves from one train of thought to another. We experience his present as well as his past, complete with complaints at people reading over his shoulder.

This is an excellent book guys. Read it.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Mini-Review! - Switched by Amanda Hocking

Title: Switched

Author: Amanda Hocking

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal* (*ish)

Series: Trylle Trilogy #1

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

This book is nuttier than a squirrel's hoard.

OK, so we have mademoiselle-YA-heroine Wendy. Who is completely unlikeable and pretty abrasive. When she's not whining, she's making truly stupid decisions.

But then, she's a YA heroine, and these things happen.

Then Wendy finds out she's a troll (I know - what?!) and a changeling-child t'boot.

She moves in with the other trolls, and we find out that she's about the nicest and least whiny of all of the trolls - who knew?

Everyone continues to make stupid-a*s decisions, although there is a ray of intelligence at the end - which I can't go into, cos, y'know, it'd get spoiler-y.

Sometimes I questioned why I was still reading it but... I just couldn't seem to help myself.

You know when you see an accident? And you know you shouldn't stare, but you can't look away? It's that feeling.

I shouldn't've wanted to keep reading... but I did.

Oh and those of you who hate/love/love-to-hate/hate-to-love love triangles?

Yeah, this book actually has more of a love rectangle/multi-sided shape... comprised mainly of Wendy and countless broody mystery-dudes. (There are a lot of them. Turns out teenage trolls are naturally pi*sy.)

Other girls also fancy various members of the broody-dude-troop. See? Multi-sided love-shape. (I don't even know.)

There's some violence, and eternally-thwarted sexy-times of one type and another. (Troll society is one massive chastity belt as far as Wendy's concerned.)

There might be swearing... but I honestly can't remember, so if there was it passed me by. It's possible that there was the odd 'cr*p' in there, I really don't know.

If you read this, you will enjoy it... you just won't necessarily want to enjoy it.

*Shrugs* - sometimes you need some absolutely crackers YA, if you love it, go for it.

I liked it. I really don't know why.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Mini-Review! - Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

Title: Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit

Author: Jeanette Winterson

Genre: (Modern) Classics, LGBTQ+, F/F

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

This is held up to be a modern classic, so I figured - why not? It looked interesting, after all.

I think this book doesn't get read enough because it's about *whispers* lesbians. We need to get over the narrow-mindedness, in all honesty.

Let me explain something straightaway, though - given the knowing glances and reluctance to talk about this book, I was expecting there to be sexy-times.

There was none of the sexy-times in this book. There were references to the sexy-times, but that's all. And even those are fairly tame, to be perfectly honest.

And I'm always honest with you guys ;)

This is a book about the fictional Jeanette (not to be confused with the real Jeanette,) a girl being raised in an evangelical Christian family up North in the 60s/70s.

They're raising her to be a missionary and do the Lord's work.

This is fine until Jeanette falls in love with another girl. Then the problems start.

This is a semi-autobiographical novel, where the author uses aspects of her own life to create a fictional version of herself.

I really enjoyed this book. The fable-style interludes were cool, and the way the characters were written was the right mix of affection, humour, and frustration.

It was also hugely readable, and quite short (less than 200 pages - practically bite-sized!) And if you want an interesting read, it's a sure-thing.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Mini-Review! - Panic by Lauren Oliver

Title: Panic

Author: Lauren Oliver

Genre: YA, Contemporary

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

Ahhh summers as a teen. Long lazy days of such wholesome activities as... walking across a main road blindfolded and... playing Russian roulette.

No? Yeah, me neither. But in the no-hope town of Carp, New York, this is what summer means to the high school's graduating class.

Every year, the seniors play Panic. A game where people get hurt.

Why take the risk? Because the prize is enough money to get the hell out of Carp - and that's what most of these kids want.

This book was a) well-written, b) full of complex characters and real life problems and c) generally awesome.

BUT DO NOT TAKE THESE CHARACTERS AS ROLE MODELS.

THE DECISIONS ARE SOOOO BAD! BAD DECISIONS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!

That said, the decisions, despite their stupidity, are realistic ones. You can see desperate teens doing these things, just because they feel so trapped.

I liked our protagonists - there's a duel point of view from seniors Heather and Dodge - but I so wanted to scream at them to NOT DO THE THING.

But this is an awesomely readable book - it may be a cliché, but it really was a page-turner.

I also loved the realism here - not gritty for the sake of it, but most definitely not sugar-coated either.

Oh, there's some swearing, a dash of violence, and references to sexy-times, but nothing your average teenager can't handle!

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Month in Review(s) - June 2016

We're half-way through the year folks! Which is kind of rocking, really, because it means we're that much closer to Christmas.

(I love Christmas!)





Anyway, back to the summer-ish-ness of June, and I can honestly say I read a little bit of everything this month.

Plus it was a pretty fab month blog-wise: I reached over 750 Twitter followers, over 15k blog page-views (ARGH!!!!!) and over 30 Bloglovin followers.




AND JUNO DAWSON LIKED MY TWEET!!!!!!

(I'm a massive Juno Dawson fan - so this was kind of a fantabulously big deal to me.)

So catch up on all my reviews this month with this handy link-list (and I've added cover images, because I spoil you.)

Kids

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - Fantasy

Young Adult

Say Her Name by Juno Dawson - Horror, Ghost Story

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly - Historical Fiction, Crime

Adult

Life Blood by V M Black - Romance, Paranormal, Vampires, Novella

Landline by Rainbow Rowell - Contemporary, Chick Lit, Magic Realism, Romance* (*ish)

Graphic Novels

Codename Baboushka, Vol: The Conclave of Death - Spy, Gangster, Thriller, Crime

Klaw, The First Cycle - Young Adult, Fantasy, Superhero*, Paranormal* (*ish - there are shifters of various types and somewhat of a superhero origin story.)

Mini-Review! - Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Title: Inkheart

Author: Cornelia Funke

Translator: Anthea Bell

Genre: Kids, Fantasy

Series: Inkworld #1

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

You know all the books you loved as a kid? All the magic and wonder that seemed unique to places like Narnia, Hogwarts, and Neverland?

This book is that feeling. This book has that magic.

Inkheart is a book about magic, and a book about books.

It has a woven enchantment to the language that manages to shine through even in translation (props to Anthea Bell, the translator.)

Meggie, the 12-year-old daughter of a book-binder, is about to find out that her father has secrets, and that some people have such a talent for story-telling that they can actually bring the story to life.

I've wanted to read this one for a while, having seen the film (UK - US) starring Brendan Fraser more than once. (Because... Brendan Fraser! Man, I love him.)

I wonder now why I put off reading this book for so long - probably just slipped to the back of my mind. I'm glad I've read it now though: it's awesome! :)

If you have ever loved fantasy, or books in general, then read this.

Yes, it's a kids book (the author's website recommends ages 9+,) but who cares? You'll love it.

And if you don't absolutely adore Dustfinger, I'm not sure we can be friends any more (just kidding - but I'll totally pout and stamp my foot.)

I've already added the next book in the trilogy - Inkspell (UK - US) - to my TBR - seriously, this book rocks.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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