Follow Me by Kathleen Barber

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I really enjoy books about social media and its implications, and Follow Me by Kathleen Barber definitely delivered on that premise. In this story, Audrey Miller is an influencer on Instagram. She shares her perfectly curated life with the world, but she just so happens to attract the attention of someone who takes obsession to a whole new level.

This book was told in three perspectives: Audrey, her college friend Cat, and Him: the man obsessed with Audrey. Audrey definitely portrayed the vapid social media influencer well. She was incredibly easy to dislike, and I think that was the point. Honestly none of the characters in this book were likable, but that was okay.  I did love the juxtaposition of the art exhibit Audrey was working on with real life. There was one instance of attempted sexual assault in the story, so I do want to point that out.

The plot itself really led you to believe that the man obsessed with Audrey was one person, but it threw you for a loop at the end! This also seemed to position itself well for a sequel, even though I don't think there has been any talk of one. 

This book truly creeped me out, and even though I was really enjoying it, I hesitated to pick it up because I knew it would make me uneasy. Social media definitely has a dark side, and this read clearly showed the extremes that it can reach. If you are looking for a book to hit the social media prompt for the PopSugar reading challenge, I really recommend this one!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Gallery Books for a finished copy of this read! Follow Me by Kathleen Barber just released last week, so be sure to pick up a copy!

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Coming in hot with my first romantic comedy review of the year! This is a genre I started exploring last year and really fell in love with, so I was eager to get to The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa.

Lina is a jilted bride. Her fiance Andrew decided to leave her the morning of their wedding, and make his brother (and best man) break the news. Ironically enough, Lina is a professional wedding planner, and she has to push through her career even though her own wedding experience was traumatizing. Fast forward to Lina getting an amazing job opportunity, but in order to ace the interview, she has to work on a proposal with none other than Andrew's brother Max.

The thing about romantic comedies is that you absolutely know what's going to happen at the end...it's just the small details along the way that are missing. This one was no different. That being said I can still enjoy the journey even though that ending is predictable as long as the characters and added story elements are good.

I loved all the references to Brazilian culture in this read, and how much Lina's family played a role in the story. It also addressed some difficult topics, like how black and Latina women are viewed differently (aka negatively, with words like feisty or angry) when they show emotion than white women, even if that emotion is warranted. This is an own voices novel, so it was great to see the inclusion of these things that the author herself has experienced. I loved Max's character and thought that he was an overall great guy, even though his brother Andrew was a legitimate piece of garbage. I also really loved seeing Lina become less guarded and more comfortable sharing pieces of herself when she found safe spaces to do so.

I would have loved a little more at the ending of the story, like an epilogue of sorts (even though I know some people hate them!) just to see where the characters are and how they're doing.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Avon for a finished copy of this read! The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa just released this week, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Graphic Novel Mash-Up Review #4

It's been a while since I've done one of these, and since I've been reading a lot of this genre lately I decided it was time for another graphic novel mash-up review, and I really enjoyed all of these!

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu: It took me FOREVER to finally get my hands on a copy of this read. I don't think they printed a ton of copies initially, and it kept selling out everywhere. Finally I got a copy and it was everything I hoped. It's a queer witchy story following a witch named Nova, and her werewolf friend Tam, as they fight to destroy a demon and fall in love in the process. I loved the art. I loved the characters. I loved the story. It was perfect. I really hope to see more from this duo.
5 out of 5 Stars

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Check, Please! Book #1: Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu: This one was originally written as a web comic, and if you couldn't tell, this book is about hockey. It's also about baking! And about social media. Bitty runs a vlog channel about baking and playing on his college hockey team. He may also be falling for his coach. There is a ton about hockey here, which I didn't really understand, but it didn't make it too hard to follow the overall story. It was a little slow, but overall pretty enjoyable and I look forward to the next volume. There is a lot of swearing in this one, so definitely not for kids.
4 out of 5 Stars

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I Hate Fairyland Volume 1 by Skottie Young: In this story, little Gert is whisked off to Fairyland, and she must complete a quest in order to return home. Problem is, it's been thirty years and she still hasn't completed her quest, and she's getting REALLY sick of being stuck there. This book was hilariously gruesome. Gert is incredibly violent and malicious as she desperately tries to complete her quest and get the heck out of Fairyland. It was so colorful and vivid, but don't let that fool you...this is definitely not a comic for kids either.
4 out of 5 Stars

The Kingmaker by Kennedy Ryan

"On rare occasion, you come across someone who just gets you, and you don't have to figure out your place. Wherever you are is okay."

―Kennedy Ryan, The Kingmaker

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

So I am not a romance reader. The closest I typically get to romance books are romantic comedies a la Christina Lauren. But I recently joined the book club of one of my favorite BookTubers, Chelsea Palmer, and The Kingmaker by Kennedy Ryan was one of the January reads. I saw it was on Kindle Unlimited, and since I finally have a working Kindle again I decided to take the leap and give it a shot. This story follows Lennix Hunter, a Native American girl set on trying to make things right for her people after her mother disappears and an oil pipeline is set on sacred land. At a protest for the pipeline, she meets Maxim Cade, a rich boy desperately trying to get out of his oil tycoon father's shadow, and sparks fly, but is he really who she thinks he is?

I loved how much this book touched on important relevant issues, like how indigenous peoples are treated and climate change. It was definitely political, but I didn't think this was done in too much of a preachy way. It was also clearly very well researched in relation to the Native American customs and traditions. There is so much passion in this story, and I don't just mean the steamy type. These two characters care immensely about their causes and it's evident in everything they do. I never expected a "romance" novel to get as deep as this does.

Until the last section of the book, I really thought it was going to be a 5 star for me. Unfortunately, a couple of things made me feel slightly differently. I suddenly saw Lennix dripping in brand name clothes, something that during the majority of the book you would have never thought she cared about, and it seemed to contradict the core of who she was. Also Maxim revealed himself to be slightly creepy with how he kept tabs on her. But neither of these things took away too much from the overall solid story.

But THAT CLIFFHANGER THOUGH. So glad the second book is already out (and on Kindle Unlimted as well!) so I can pick it up sooner rather than later. I'm definitely glad I gave this book a shot, and it taught me that I need to be a little more open-minded when it comes to picking books.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

So I absolutely ADORE the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire. This series of portal fantasy novellas is thrilling and magical with all sorts of representation. You can find more of my reviews on the series here.  The last few books have come out in January, so I am always excited for the new year to hit so I can get my hands on the next installment in this series. Being that this book is pretty deep into the series, I don't want to give anything away by going into a plot synopsis.

This installment, book # 5, goes back to the sister characters Jack and Jill, who's door took them to the Moors, a land that's basically the stuff of black and white horror movies. Think vampires, mad scientists, and crazy lightning. Being a horror fanatic, I absolutely love this world and was excited to have more of it. 

Unfortunately, this is the first book in the series that I haven't given a 5 star rating. I thought the big climax scene at the end was rushed and I was disappointed at how quickly it came and went. It also seemed far too simple considering the build up. But please don't let that fool you: this book, and the series overall, are still absolutely excellent. This particular installment just didn't deliver quite as much as I was hoping for.

There should be three more books in this series, and I can't wait to see what additional adventures we'll get!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

All the Things We Do in the Dark by Saundra Mitchell

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

This book was INTENSE. That's honestly the best word to describe All the Things We Do in the Dark by Saundra Mitchell. Intense and dark and raw. Before I even hop into this review, definitely placing a huge trigger warning on this for rape/sexual assault. One thing I absolutely loved about this book was that it had a trigger warning for this right in the very first pages, as well as resources related to this in the back. This one is a YA contemporary with a few thriller elements mixed in.

Ava experienced something as a child that no one should ever have to go through, and she even has a large scar on her face as a result. Now seventeen, she is mostly content with her life: her tattoos, her best friend, and now maybe even a love interest. But when she stumbles across a body in the woods, Ava starts to be haunted again and her life suddenly doesn't seem as solid as she thought.

Again, this book was intense. It was beautifully written, hauntingly so, which really allowed the reader to enter into Ava's thoughts and stream of consciousness. This is an own-voices novel as well, with the author using her own personal experience as the basis for this story. I loved how this addressed rape culture, and Ava many times talks about how bad experiences happen to you, you don't make them happen (referencing how many individuals wrongly blame the woman for "inviting" rape by their actions). I appreciated the LGBTQ rep in this one as well. 

There's honestly not too much more I can say about this book, other than that if you are looking for a hauntingly real read that will stay with you, pick this one up.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to a rep at Harper Teen for sending me an ARC of this read! All the Things We Do in the Dark by Saundra Mitchell is out now.

Running Like a Girl: Notes on Learning to Run by Alexandra Heminsley

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

If you know me in real life, you'll know that I'm currently training for my first half marathon. I've tried this twice before and unfortunately failed, so I'm hoping the third time's the charm! The last time I tried training about 4 years ago, I read this book for inspiration and really enjoyed it, so I decided to revisit it this time around. Running Like a Girl is a memoir by Alexandra Heminsley that details her experiences going from someone who never thought she could run to becoming a marathoner many times over.

The book is split into two parts. The first details Alexandra's personal journey, and the second is running tips and tricks for the reader based on what she has learned. From the highs of accomplishment to the lows of pain and self-doubt, the author takes us on her journey, then shares recommendation about all sorts of things: from the best running attire to nutrition tips, and she does it all with a wonderfully sarcastic and comedic touch.

This book 100% makes me want to get out and run. Even though I always knew that other runners experience the same struggles that I do, it's nice seeing that validated in writing. This is a short read, so this is definitely a book I plan to revisit even more times as I continue with my own personal running journey. 

If you have any interest in running, I definitely recommend picking this one up!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones

I received this book in a recent OwlCrate and absolutely knew I had to get to it sooner rather than later. I think this is technically billed as a "historical fantasy horror," and even though I'm not usually into historical stories, the one time I really do love them is when there's horror involved.

In The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones, the dead don't stay dead for long. Gravedigger Ryn and cartographer Ellis must team up in order to save Ryn's town from the corpses that have risen from the dead, also known as bone houses. The two trek through the forest trying to find and destroy the magical cauldron that allows the dead to rise.

I loved that Ryn and Ellis were a gravedigger and a cartographer. I feel like there are never any main characters in reads with these professions so it was a nice unique touch. I really appreciated how the romance in this story was not the primary focus, rather a nice addition to an already exciting plot. I also really enjoyed the other side plots, like Ryn's family trying to save their home from their nefarious landlord, and Ellis trying to find his family. 

I got a lot of quest vibes from this story, since they were traveling to find and destroy a cauldron and encountered all sorts of trouble and terrors along the way, so if you love those type of adventure stories, this one would be right up your alley. I didn't get quite as much horror as I was hoping for, which is why I ended up knocking off a star.

But to be honest, my absolute favorite part of this book was the bone goat. You have to read the story to really understand what I mean by that, but I promise you, the bone goat is worth it.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Dooku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

After reading Black Spire, I decided to tackle the entire Del Rey Star Wars canon. For those counting, it's currently at 23 books long. Jumping in at the beginning of the canon, my first read was Dooku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott. Now this one is a little bit different, in that it was originally created as an audio production, then the script was turned into a book. Because of this, I chose to listen to the audio while I read along to the script so I was able to consume the media in its intended form.

This is basically Count Dooku's back story. This tells the tale of how Dooku started as a Padawan, training to become a Jedi. It talks about his family, as well as the relationships he had with other major Star Wars players, like Master Yoda (he was Yoda's own Padawan), and Qui-Gon Jinn (who Dooku chose as his Padawan). It also tells of how he abandoned the life of a Jedi to become Count of Serenno. The whole story is basically told through flashbacks, as his assasin Asajj Ventress learns about what makes her master tick.

I loved listening to the audio of this story as I read along with the script. It did take me a while to get through it this way, but hearing the full cast along with the sound effects really brought the story to life. I don't listen to a ton of audiobooks, but when I do I really prefer ones with a full cast.

I think learning about Dooku's back story was fascinating, and I really enjoyed the insight into why he is the way he is as we know him in the movies. You also got to learn more about Ventress through this story as well. 

Next up in the canon for me is Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray, a story about Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I read the first book in this middle grade series, City of Ghosts, last fall, and felt like it was a very middle of the road read. I enjoyed it fine but really wanted more than it delivered. Still, I'm a big fan of Victoria Schwab and wanted to see where this story went, so I picked up book two, Tunnel of Bones, when it was recently released, and decided to use it as the "Book with Red on the Cover" challenge for Spookathon. I'm glad I did! I liked this one a lot more than the first book.

Cassidy Blake can interact with ghosts. Not only that, but after almost dying, it is her life's purpose to send ghosts to the beyond. Wouldn't be too bad, except for the fact that her parents host a show about the paranormal, leading the family to travel to the most haunted places in the world. This time, they're in Paris, and when the family goes to explore the Catacombs, a poltergeist is released that begins wreaking havoc on the city. 

I still want to know more about the side character Lara, but I liked how her and Cassidy developed a friendship that continued into this read. I also still thought the parents were clueless with Cassidy literally disappearing all the time, but I've written that off as a suspension of disbelief that is necessary for these adventures take place.

I really saw Casssidy growing in this one: not only maturing, but really coming into her own with her ghost-banishing talent. You get to see her grappling a lot with encountering danger versus fulfilling her purpose, ultimately deciding that there's a difference between being scared to do something and TOO scared to do something. Fear doesn't define action. The overall plot in this one was much better than the first as well, and the poltergeist story line really kept me intrigued. We hope to go to Paris in a few years, so I'll definitely write down all the haunted places mentioned in this book for my visit!

While I think this was originally supposed to be a duology, it looks like there will be a third book, Bridge of Souls, releasing some time next year. I heard rumors that this would be taking place in New Orleans, and if so I can't wait to read it!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Graphic Novel Mash-Up Review #3

Time for another graphic novel mash-up review! These three don't have much in common and all attracted me for different reasons. 

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Hex Vet by Sam Davies: This was a little graphic novel I was given at ALA. You can tell right away that this is meant for children, but it was so adorable and right up my alley. Witches and animals? Count me in! This story is about two witch vet interns, Clarion and Annette, who have to save the clinic when trouble breaks out and the adults are out of the office. The art style is adorable and it's all done in fun pinks and purples and blues.  It was a very simple story but again, it's for children, and I still really enjoyed it!
4 out of 5 Stars

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon: This one has been out for a while, but I just now got around to picking it up. I honestly don't understand the hype here. This story was about a dog who befriends a robot, then leaves him on the beach to rust, spending the following year trying to replace him. It was sad and melancholy. This story also had no text, just images. There might be a deeper meaning here somewhere, but I just didn't get it and the story left me feeling depressed. The art was good though. 
2 out of 5 Stars

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Pandora's Legacy by Kara Leopard and Kelly and Nichole Matthews: This was another ALA acquisition! In this story, siblings accidentally open Pandora's Box, releasing a bunch of creatures into the world. Discovering that their family is actually tasked with guarding the box, they team up with Prometheus, who has inhabited their pet cat for the time being, to put the creatures back. I liked the Greek references here, and how it was educational in addition to fun. It did feel very rushed at times. The art style was not what I am normally used to, but I did like it, and would continue this series if there were more. 
3 out of 5 Stars

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I have finally started to venture out of my Christina Lauren romance cocoon and branch out to some other romance authors! Jasmine Guillory is one I've seen mentioned a lot, so I decided to pick up The Wedding Date. 

When Alexa and Drew are stranded in a hotel elevator together, Drew spontaneously asks Alexa to be his date to a wedding he is dreading: the wedding of his ex-girlfriend and his best friend. Alexa agrees, thinking it would just be a weekend of fun in her chaotic life, because after all, they live in different cities and Drew told her he doesn't do relationships. But when the two have a fantastic time at the wedding and want to keep seeing each other, things get complicated. What are they to each other, and how long can this possibly last?

I'm really falling in love with these romantic comedy reads. Yes, they're incredibly predictable. But I think that's why I like them! You can just enjoy the journey of the story rather than worrying about what will happen or trying to guess the outcome of the plot. I loved Alexa's character in this book, especially her confidence in herself and her high-powered job. I adored the side character Carlos as well, and thought he provided some great comic relief and support to Drew throughout the story. Overall it was a super cute and enjoyable romantic comedy.

Can't wait to pick up The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory next since it features Carlos as a main character!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Graphic Novel Mash-Up Review #2

Halloween is quickly approaching, so I have been all about the spooky reads! I just can't get enough of these, so today's mash-up review is for 3 middle-grade spooky graphic novels. Even though I didn't love them all, they will definitely set the mood for the Halloween season!

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreadds

Suee and the Shadow by Ginger Ly and Molly Park: In this story, Suee finds her shadow come to life right around the time that kids in her school are turning into zombies. Could her shadow be behind this, and if so, how does Suee stop it and get her friends back? This one really seemed like a knock-off of Anya's ghost to me, but not nearly as good. I liked the art, but the story left much to be desired.
2 out of 5 Stars

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel: When a ghost hunter comes into the human world, Garth is accidentally taken back to the spirit world with him. He has to figure out a way back before the evil mayor of Ghostopolis gets him, and he even gets to meet the ghost of his grandfather along the way. I loved this story! I really enjoyed this art style, and there were some super cool skeleton animals in this one!
4 out of 5 Stars

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Graveyard Shakes by Laura Terry: In this graphic novel, sisters Victoria and Katia go off to boarding school. When they get in a fight and Katia runs away, she finds herself in the underworld of a graveyard. Victoria has to find and help her before Katia falls victim to madman Nikola. Unfortunately this one was way too all over the place for me. It had some good lessons in it, but the story was extremely hard to follow and disconnected.

2 out of 5 Stars

Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

This book was so unique and wonderful and I absolutely loved it! Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia is the perfect adult paranormal mystery thriller for this spooky season and was completely up my alley. Tuesday Mooney has always been a little odd. She wears all black, she's obsessed with all things dark and spooky, and she doesn't have a lot of close friends. But she's completely content with that. When a wealthy man in her city dies (who is named Vincent Pryce, btw!) and leaves behind a whale of a scavenger hunt, Tuesday finds herself teaming up with the few people in her life she has ever let get close to her, and finds out how much they mean to her in the process.

It's so hard to even summarize this book because so many different things happen. You get inside the head of multiple characters, each struggling with their own demons and identities. There's an amazing scavenger hunt that incorporates spooky things, Shakespeare, Poe, and all the other things I love. There are Stevie Nicks references, horror movie references, X-Files references, Salem references...need I go on? This book absolutely spoke to my weird girl heart. I adored Tuesday as a character and loved seeing her work through all the mysteries she was presented with throughout the story. 

It did take a while to read, just because there were so many different things going on that you needed to keep track of and file away. Dex, Dorry, and Archie were all great side characters and I was actually happy to follow their stories in addition to Tuesday's, when normally too many character story lines annoy me. My only real issue with this read was the ending. I thought it felt really rushed compared to how drawn out the scavenger hunt was in the majority of the book, and didn't like that there were some characters added towards the end who weren't necessary.

If you like scavenger hunts or spooky pop culture references, you would definitely enjoy this read.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for an ARC of this read! Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia is out today, October 8th, so be sure to pick up a copy to add to your fall TBR!

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I got this book in an Uppercase box a long time ago, and it arrived right when I was in my "I hate fantasy" phase. I read around 20 pages and put it down, assuming I would never pick it up again. Well, now that I've started appreciating fantasy again, I decided to give An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson another try.

Isobel is a portrait artist, and painting is her craft. She protects her family through earning wards and spells by painting portraits for the fair folk. When one day, the faerie prince of the Autumn Court, Rook, appears at her home to be painted, Isobel is beside herself. 

The more time she spends with Rook, the more enraptured she becomes. She paints him as she truly sees him, with a sorrow in his eyes - a human flaw that Rook is furious to discover. Set on making Isobel pay for what she has done, Rook steals her away to face trial for the crime she has committed. 

I think the best word to describe this story is simple, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. So many fantasy stories are drawn out, elaborate, and confusing, with many tiny elements and details to remember. These types of fantasy stories overwhelm me, and are the reason why I take frequent breaks from reading fantasy. This one was easy. It flowed well and was easy to comprehend. It's a standalone, so you don't have to worry about getting wrapped up in an extensive series. 

The writing was beautifully descriptive. Rook was enigmatic and brooding. Isobel was strong and family oriented. The plot made sense, was engaging, and I was definitely satisfied with the ending. There were magic forests and terrifying creatures, both of which I love! It was a quick read, and the perfect story to read and be engaged by, then put down and move on. Now I definitely want to pick up Margaret Rogerson's newest book, A Sorcery of Thorns!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I absolutely love horror, but don't read enough of it. I knew I needed this book from the first time I saw it, especially going into the Halloween season. The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht is a horror fantasy novella following a monster and a sorcerer, both with a love of magic and murder.

Johann knows he is a monster and nothing else. Florian is a sorcerer, bent on bringing back the plague that killed his family. Alone, they have nothing. Together, they have a power to bring the entirety of Elendhaven to its knees. But someone is watching them, hunting them, threatening to send their plans crashing down.

This book had so many different elements: horror, fantasy, queer representation, Victorian-esque history, town legends, and more. The writing was vivid and descriptive, and it was so easy to imagine the dark alleys, abandoned factories, and black ocean of Elendhaven. The blurb likens the setting to Jack the Ripper's London, and I definitely see that. There is a lot of fairly graphic violence in this one, so I want to make people aware of that. It's ruthless, dark, and gritty, much like the cover would suggest.

While I did enjoy this story, I found myself wanting more. It was hard to follow at first, and there were some plot lines that I didn't think tied up well. That being said, it was a novella, so it couldn't have the robustness of a full-length novel, though I think a full-length novel would have done this story more justice.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much for Tor for an ARC of this read! The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht is out tomorrow, September 24th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Graphic Novel Mash-Up Review #1

I have just been blowing through graphic novels lately. Since these stories are usually shorter and more simple than traditional novels, I thought I would start doing mash-up reviews of a few graphic novels at a time! 

I adore graphic novels and comics, but the downside is that I read them so quickly I always have to ask myself if it's worth the $15-20 to buy them. My answer is always yes though! I feel like it's so important to read comics and graphic novels physically vs digitally to really get to enjoy the artwork. Are you a comic/graphic novel fan? What are some of your favorites? 

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang: This graphic novel has been around for a while. The story follows Anda, a girl who gets a little too involved with a game on the internet. But maybe the internet can teach important life lessons, too. I had high hopes for this one. That cover though! But unfortunately I didn't really connect with it as much as I had hoped. The art style is cute, but the story itself was a little simpler than I would have liked. 
3 out of 5 Stars

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Heavy Vinyl Vol. 1 by Carly Usdin and Nina Vakueva: Girl gangs, unite! When Chris gets hired at her local record store, she has no idea she's getting involved with WAY more than just music sales. What she does know is that the girls she works with couldn't possibly be cooler. This story had great f+f rep and a strong female empowerment message. I love a good record store, so this was right up my alley. I do think it was missing something, and too much of this volume was spent setting up the story vs legitimate action, which made me knock off a star.
4 out of 5 Stars

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Giant Days Vol. 1 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Whitney Cogar: This is about three college girls: Susan, Esther, and Daisy. I just adore Esther's gothic little heart! I read a tie-in novel to this franchise a while back and didn't really enjoy it, but I really loved this comic. I was so amused by the messes they got themselves into and am excited to dive into the rest of the volumes of this one (volume 11 is currently available for preorder!). I might even reread that novel now that I know more about the characters! 
5 out of 5 Stars

Last Ones Left Alive by Sarah Davis-Goff

Cover Art Courtesy of Amazon

I chose this book for my "Read an author's first book" selection for The Reading Rush and I was so excited to get to it. Touted as "The Road meets 28 Days Later," Last Ones Left Alive by Sarah Davis-Goff is a zombie survival story perfect for fans of The Walking Dead.

Orpen needs to get to Phoenix City. There, the famous women known as Banshees fight the skrake and keep people safe. But in order to get there, she must brave the dangerous landscape and the horrors that lurk around corners, in abandoned buildings, and behind bushes. This story is her journey, both the physical and mental challenges she must endure to get to a location where she believes she will finally be safe.

This alternated between present time chapters and flashback chapters, allowing the reader to understand what has happened to Orpen leading up to present day events. You don't really get any backstory on what caused the creation of the skrakes though, and I would have appreciated some sort of overarching "WHY" vs just jumping right into how things are. I think this would technically be a dystopian horror story, but I didn't find it that scary. That being said, I read and watch a lot of horror so it's pretty hard to scare me overall.

I am really hoping for a sequel to this read because I am very curious what happens to Orpen and the other characters! The ending was exciting, and I was on the edge of my seat as I read the last major scenes of this book.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Flatiron Books for an ARC of this read! Last Ones Left Alive by Sarah Davis-Goff releases Tuesday, August 27th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Author Spotlight: Vera Brosgol

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I love a good graphic novel. They are perfect for getting out of reading slumps, boosting your numbers for your Goodreads challenge, and providing a light respite after trudging through thick and dense reads. I've been obsessed with them recently, so I figured I would do a spotlight on one graphic novelist in particular: Vera Brosgol.

I'd ordered Anya's Ghost from Book Outlet a while ago after hearing great things, but for some reason hadn't ever gotten around to reading it. After getting through The Reading Rush, I just wanted a quick and easy read, so I finally reached for it. I flew through it just like I expected, and really enjoyed the time I spent with this story! After falling down a well, Anya discovers an unexpected and creepy new friend at a time where she desperately wants to fit in. But does her new BFF really have Anya's best interests in mind? This story was really cute, and touched on some important subject matter like embracing your culture and being loyal to the friends that have always been there for you. Brosgol's art style in this was amazing, and even though it was done in a very muted, monochromatic hue, I thought the images were engaging and beautiful. This would be the perfect graphic novel to pick up as Halloween approaches. I gave this one 4 stars.

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

After reading Anya's Ghost, I immediately ran out and purchased Brosgol's newest graphic novel, Be Prepared. This art style was slightly different than Anya's Ghost, and much more colorful (even though the colors were still muted, more colors were used overall). This story is a memoir-esque tale about Brosgol's own time at camp. In the author's note at the end, she notes that some of the story is fabricated, while other elements draw directly from her personal experiences. Excited to finally find a place to fit in, Vera begs her mother to send her to Russian summer camp. But when Vera arrives and still isn't fitting in like she'd hoped, she's unsure if she'll be able to survive the duration of the experience.  I liked this one fine, but not as much as Brosgol's other graphic novel, and it got 3 stars from me.

Vera Brosgol has some children's books out as well, but these are her only two full-length graphic novels. Even though I didn't love the newest one as much as her older work, I am definitely excited to see what she puts out in the future! I especially love the way she intertwines her Russian culture into her work, and think her art style is super cute!

Have you read any of Vera Brosgol's work before?

Scooby Apocalypse by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Howard Porter

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Jinkies, this comic is everything! What do you get when you mix gorgeous artwork with mystery, sci-fi, some meddling kids, and an adorable dog? Scooby Apocalypse!

Daphne and Fred are washed up TV has-beens. Velma is an advanced scientist at a top secret government research facility. Shaggy is a dog trainer at that same facility, responsible for the care and training of the genetically-enhanced dogs, including the failed experiment Scooby-Doo. After meeting by chance, they all have to team up to save the world from gene-changing nanites that threaten life as we know it before terrifying monsters destroy the human race.

I knew from the moment I first flipped through this bind up that I had to buy it, if just for the visuals alone. The artwork is absolutely stunning. The colors are more vivid than I've ever seen in a comic and the images just explode off the page. There is a ton of dialogue in this one compared to a lot of comics as well. 

I am absolutely a classic Scooby-Doo fan, but this comic takes some of the characters in a slightly different direction. Fred and Daphne have almost switched roles here. Daphne is strong, empowered, and fearless, with some very obvious anger issues. Fred is meeker and hangs on Daphne's every word, regularly professing his unreciprocated love for her. Velma is completely clueless about social norms and even more awkward than she is in the show, but she's still extremely intelligent. 

And Scooby and Shaggy, well they never change much do they? Except Scooby is now genetically modified and has killer fighting instincts that kick in when his friends are in danger. Their classic catch phrases still abound throughout the story even though some of their personality traits have changed. And of course Scrappy makes an appearance as well!

If you are a Scooby purist, I'm not sure that you would be happy with the character changes, but I still really loved the new spin they put on this.

Even though I've only read the first collected volume of this, I can tell that Scooby Apocalypse is something special. Can't wait to pick up more volumes and continue on this journey!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars