January 2013 books
Accelerate
Richard Kadrey
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
Science fiction. Dystopias. Los Angeles. Underclass. Drugs. Computers. Robot suits. Dance clubs. Friendship.
Good concept, but I found the art cluttered to the point of distraction and found it took away from the story.
The Carter Family: Don't Forget This Song
Frank Young
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Country music. Poverty. Families. Husbands and wives. Divorce. Early recordings.
I liked this just fine, but didn't love it. Nice that a cd is included so you can hear a bit of their music.
Kevin Keller (Archie)
Dan Parent
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Classic comics. Gay characters. High school. Dating. Crushes. Best friends. Jealousy.
Kinda cheesy in that everything is grand in Riverdale way that Archie comics are, but handles the introduction of a gay character into that world pretty well.
Little White Duck: A Childhood in China
Na Liu
Kids Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Memoirs. Childhood. China. Hardship. Education. Celebrations. Family. Communism.
Not bad. I'm not sure who the best audience is for this, but could work for middle school.
Hilda and the Midnight Giant
Luke Pearson
Kids Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Fantasy. Mythological creatures. Home. Safety. Slow romance. Mothers.
Very fresh and creative. Good for post-picture book crowd.
Midnight At the Dragon Café
Judy Fong Bates
Adult Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Canada. Chinese immigrants. Ontario. Small towns. Toronto. Restaurant owners. Family. Friendship. Betrayal. Secrets.
I thought this was a memoir at first. Sad story, but decent read.
What Came from the Stars
Gary D. Schmidt
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
New England. Family. Friendship. Science fiction. Bravery. Loss. Guilt. Land development.
Another solid read with endearing characters.
Timeless (Parasol Protectorate - Volume 5)
Gail Carriger
Adult Audiobook
Recommend?: Definitely!
Werewolves. Vampires. Supernatural. London. Egypt. Toddlers. Actors. Secrets.
Continues to be a fun series.
The Elementals
Francesca Lia Block
Adult Fiction
Recommend?: Shrug.
California. College. Missing persons. Romance. Mysteries. Contemporary fairy tales. Cancer. Friendship. Family.
The Bloody Doors Off (The Boys - Volume 12)
Garth Ennis
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Superpowers. Corporations. Sociopaths. Decency. Violence. Destruction. Betrayal. Closure. Romance.
I suppose this was a suitable ending to the series, but sad to see so many favorite characters go.
The Secret of the Stone Frog
David Nytra
Kids Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Fantasy. Dreams. Children. Giant bees. Talking animals. Magic cities. Journeys.
Very vintage looking style with interesting characters. Good for 3rd-5th grade.
The Shark King
R. Kikuo Johnson
Kids Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Hawaii. Folk tales. Sharks. Romance. Children. Mischief. Loss.
One of the best blendings of comics and folklore I've seen.
John Dies at the End
David Wong
Adult Audiobook
Recommend?: Yes.
Horror. Humor. Evil. Dogs. Small towns. Dead end jobs. Friendship. Romance. Ghosts. Monsters. Reporters. Parallel worlds. Darkness.
Somewhat goofy and disgusting, but also very thought provoking exploration of what horrifies us.
The Deformed of Body and the Devious of Mind (The Goon - Volume 11)
Eric Powell
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Horror. Violence. Humor. Vacations. Sparkly vampires. Monsters. Orphans. Small towns. Evil. Burlesque. Romance. Unions. Thugs.
Amusing and gross, as always.
Chi's Sweet Home (Volume 9)
Konami Kanata
Kids Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Kittens. Injuries. Housebound. Friendship. Missing families. Food. Adventure. Cuteness.
Adorable as usual.
Saga (Volume 1)
Brian K. Vaughan
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Science fiction. Romance. Outlaws. Forbidden love. Monster baby. Travels. Escape. Fighting. Ghosts.
Original and intriguing. Looking forward to reading more in this series.
You'll Never Know (Soldier's Heart - Volume 3)
Carol Tyler
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
World War Two. Fathers and daughters. Road trips. Archives. Research. Family. Hardship. Secrets. Heartache. Death. Loss. Love.
Nice wrap up to this enthralling personal journey.
Sorta Like a Rock Star
Matthew Quick
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Homelessness. High school. Secrets. Hardship. Poverty. Alcoholics. Serial killers. Death. Loss. Grief. Safety nets.
A bit preposterous at times, but overall heartwarming and delightful.
Seraphina
Rachel Hartman
Teen Audiobook
Recommend?: Definitely!
Dragons. Musicians. Court life. Intrigue. Family. Secrets. Bastards. Romance. Adventure.
Loved this! Wish I could give it to my middle school self.
Gonzo: A Graphic Biography of Hunter S. Thompson
Will Bingley
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
Biographies. Authors. Journalism. Addiction. Thrill seekers.
Kind of disjointed and shallow. Didn't feel like I acquired any real insight into the subject.
Stupid Perfect World
Scott Westerfeld
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Science fiction. Education. School. History. Hardship. Empathy. Hormones. Sleep. Dreams. Romance.
Lovely little novella. Kind of wish it was a longer book.