Six Sentence Saturday - August 27, 2011

I tell you ladies and gents - I hate technology... Or, it hates me... I spent over an hour on the phone with tech support for my new computer today. I couldn't use it at all this morning! I turned it on, was chatting with the cc and thought it just went to sleep... Next thing I know: BLUE SCREEN! So, I restarted it to see if I could at least get the phone number for the computer company... BLUE SCREEN! I didn't try again. I called my mother and asked her to look the phone number up for me on their website. Here is the real kicker... my computer is so new that it wasn't even registered in their system yet! Part of my phone call was spent with them hastily putting that in order so that the technician could help me. Technology hates me!

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.

Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.

At the end of each review I will post a

rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.

Rating scale will be as follows:

5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!

4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.

3 of Hearts- Glad I read but no big deal

2 of Hearts- Why did I finish this?

Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)

Six Sentence Saturday is an idea that I occasionally borrow from Staci at Life in the Thumb.

I call today 'Graphic Novel Day'. In order to accomplish something... There are a lot of reviews.

Sweet Tooth - Volume 2: In Captivity by Jeff Lemire

Completion Date: August 6, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

Following on the heels of THE NOBODY, his Vertigo graphic novel debut, writer/artist Jeff Lemire pens his very first ongoing series SWEET TOOTH. A cross between Bambi and Cormac McCarthy's The Road, SWEET TOOTH tells the story of Gus, a rare new breed of human/animal hybrid children, has been raised in isolation following an inexplicable pandemic that struck a decade earlier. Now, with the death of his father he's left to fend for himself . . . until he meets a hulking drifter named Jepperd who promises to help him. Jepperd and Gus set out on a post-apocalyptic journey into the devastated American landscape to find 'The Preserve' a refuge for hybrids. In this second volume, Lemire explores the heartbreaking story of Jeppard and how he went from a devoted husband to the ruthless mercenary he is now. Meanwhile, Gus is captured in a camp with other hybrid creatures where he meets Dr. Singh, a scientist studying the plague that's wiped out so much of the world. By traveling more into Gus' past, Singh will learn more about the plague, as well as clues at how some of it might relate to Gus and his father.

I talked my library into buying this book, so I am very happy they listened to be about it and the next book in the series. This is a very different dystopian novel than the ones currently out there, so I actually enjoy it ten times more for that simple fact. The first book brought Gus to a camp where he is being studied because he is different, so this book carries on from that and shows what it is like for him to be locked up. We also learn the inspiration behind Jeppard, who captured Gus in the first place. Once again the story is heart-breaking for all concerned, and you can't help finding out what is going to happen next. I strongly recommend this series!

Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 3 by Svetlana Chmakova

Completion Date: August 19, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

Betrayed by one of their own, the Hunters have become the hunted as their hideaway is invaded by a pack of ravenous werewolves! But it'll take more than a few mongrels to get the better of these kids. Meanwhile, Alex begins advanced training with Mr. Roi. Will he be able to help her find a clue to her sister's disappearance? Or is the home-schooled Alex in way over her head?

I loved Dramacon by this author, but I am not enthused by this series so far and the library doesn't have the 4th book. I am not sure if it is that I am not in a vampire mood or if it is because I am putting too much space between the books, but I am almost lost about all that is going on. The other possibility is that she is trying to accomplish too much in each book and is over-whelming her readers. I think what I plan to do is request the library buys the 4th book and then read all 4 books in a short period of time so that I can give a fair assessment of the overall story. It is not that this book was terrible, but Dramacon was way better!

Avalon High: Coronation - Volume 3: Hunter's Moon by Meg Cabot

Completion Date: August 19, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

The exciting conclusion to Meg Cabot's magical Arthurian manga!

Ellie has only one day left to get her boyfriend Will to truly believe he's the reincarnation of King Arthur, or the world will plunge into eternal darkness. But Will refuses to believe her! Meanwhile, the upcoming Homecoming game and dance have everyone distracted, especially Ellie. Some people aren't too happy about her Homecoming Queen nomination and are determined to cause trouble. Ellie's got to save her reputation and the world before the new moon on the night of Homecoming brings them all to a dangerous crossroad. If Ellie can't convince Will of his destiny, the world may never recover. . . .

This manga series of Arthurian legend and high school romance comes to a thrilling climax in this final volume. And just remember—anything can happen if you believe!

When I heard that this series had an Arthurian connection, I KNEW I was going to have to read it! The sad thing is that I read the first two books a long time ago and am only getting around to this now because it was ages before the library bought it and I sort of forgot to keep checking. I really enjoyed this retelling of the popular Arthurian myth in a modern time period. I believed it was well-done and not far-fetched at all. I liked the character of Ellie and her influence over the modern day Arthur. It was a little too perfect, but she didn't have a lot of room to draw things out.

Sweet Tooth - Volume 3: Animal Armies by Jeff Lemire

Completion Date: August 26, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

A cross between Bambi and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, SWEET TOOTH tells the story of Gus, a rare new breed of human/animal hybrid children, has been raised in isolation following an inexplicable pandemic that struck a decade earlier. Now, with the death of his father he’s left to fend for himself . . . until he meets a hulking drifter named Jepperd who promises to help him. Jepperd and Gus set out on a post-apocalyptic journey into the devastated American landscape to find ‘The Preserve’, a refuge for hybrids.

In this third volume, Jeppard begins to form an army to topple the militia camp so he can rescue Gus and the other hybrid kids. But will he arrive too late to save anyone?

We now know the inspiration behind Jeppard, so it is not surprising that he regrets locking Gus up and begins a journey to release him. As in most books, things do not go exactly to plan and that opens a lot of action. Jeppard finds out some secrets and Gus learns to distrust most people, which is a huge turnaround from the first book. There are also more things to reveal about the characters we have met along the way. There was also something set-up in this book that I look forward to seeing played out in future books. I really enjoy this graphic novel series and recommend it!

The Unwritten - Volume 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Company

Completion Date: August 26, 2011

Reason for Reading: A reread so that I knew what was going on when I read book 2 and 3.

Collecting issues 1-5. Tom Taylor's life was screwed from go. His father created the Tommy Taylor fantasy series, boy-wizard novels with popularity on par with Harry Potter. The problem is Dad modeled the fictional epic so closely to Tom's real life that fans are constantly comparing him to his counterpart, turning him into the lamest variety of Z-level celebrity. In the final novel, it's even implied that the fictional Tommy will crossover into the real world, giving delusional fans more excuses to harass Tom.

When an enormous scandal reveals that Tom might really be a boy-wizard made flesh, Tom comes into contact with a very mysterious, very deadly group that's secretly kept tabs on him all his life. Now, to protect his own life and discover the truth behind his origins, Tom will travel the world, eventually finding himself at locations all featured on a very special map -- one kept by the deadly group that charts places throughout world history where fictions have impacted and tangibly shaped reality, those stories ranging from famous literary works to folktales to pop culture. And in the process of figuring out what it all means, Tom will find himself having to figure out a huge conspiracy mystery that spans the entirety of the history of fiction.

I read this book ages ago, never reviewed it, and then didn't read the sequels in a timely manner, so I figured I should refresh my memory. This is a highly entertaining book that combines many aspects of literature that I love: Fantasy, magic, books, literary characters, mystery, murder, vampires, and much much more. It almost gives Fables a run for its money, but that will probably never happen. This book also sort of connects to the very famous series about a magician named Harry Potter. I wasn't sure if I would like that, but it is actually rather entertaining and I just loved this book. If you haven't gave this series a try, you really should!

The Unwritten - Volume 2: Inside Man by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Company

Completion Date: August 26, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

Tom Taylor's life was screwed from go. His father created the Tommy Taylor fantasy series, boy-wizard novels with popularity on par with Harry Potter. The problem is Dad modeled the fictional epic so closely to Tom's real life that fans are constantly comparing him to his counterpart, turning him into the lamest variety of Z-level celebrity. In the final novel, it's even implied that the fictional Tommy will crossover into the real world, giving delusional fans more excuses to harass Tom.

When an enormous scandal reveals that Tom might really be a boy-wizard made flesh, Tom comes into contact with a very mysterious, very deadly group that's secretly kept tabs on him all his life. Now, to protect his own life and discover the truth behind his origins, Tom will travel the world, eventually finding himself at locations all featured on a very special map — one kept by the deadly group that charts places throughout world history where fictions have impacted and tangibly shaped reality, those stories ranging from famous literary works to folktales to pop culture. And in the process of figuring out what it all means, Tom will find himself having to figure out a huge conspiracy mystery that spans the entirety of the history of fiction.

In this volume, Tom arrives at Donostia prison in Southern France and falls into the orbit of another story: The Song of Roland. Unfortunately for Tom, it's a story that ends with a massacre. .Tom discovers the true meaning of "out of the frying pan" after his escape from Donostia jail takes him to Stuttgart in 1940, a ghost city inhabited by the master liar of the Third Reich, Josef Goebbels, and a tortured soul who's crying out for rescue - or death...

Now that we know Tom Taylor a bit, I have to say that the only that that bothers me about this series is Tom. He is really rather whiny and sometimes I would love to give him a good shake, but that is sort of the point of his character and everything that has happened during the series so far. It is in this book that Tom really gets to know the rest of the members of his team because in the book he has a guy and a girl sidekick, so he of course has to have them included in his real life adventures. There is also a flying cat. Tom obviously believes that the books are only books, so he doesn't think that he has any connection to them. He is learning about who he is along with the reader, so it makes the series interesting.

The Unwritten - Volume 3: Dead Man's Knock by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Company

Completion Date: August 26, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

The third volume of the critically acclaimed New York Times best selling new series from the Eisner-nominated creative team of Mike Carey and Peter Gross.

This volume includes “Dead Man’s Knock,” featuring the launch of the long-awaited new Tommy Taylor novel. A scheme by the Unwritten cabal to bring its author out of hiding works with dramatic results, including the momentous confrontation between Tom and Wilson.

Plus, learn the truth behind Lizzie Hexam, Tommy’s mysterious benefactor, in an interactive tale that lets the reader choose the story’s path

Here is a trip down memory lane.... CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE! I am serious - part of this book you do just that and I was unnecessarily excited about this. This is also the book that explains the character of Lizzie Hexam, who you might recognize if you have read A Mutual Friend. In this book she gets her own section to explore who she is and how she came to be involved in Tom's story. It also is where Tom begins to address aspects of his past and the reader learns a few secrets that Tom doesn't know about yet. It was a great read!

The Ratings:

I assume that with my luck this evening, adding the cards will destroy my formatting. I have decided to cheat.

With the exception of the Nightschool book and Avalon High, I give all of these books this card:

For the exceptions, I give them this card:

I have been feeling a bit discouraged with graphic novels lately, so I am so happy I was able to find so many great ones in the same month!

Series Mentioned in this Post:

Sweet Tooth:

Out of the Deep Woods

In Captivity

Animal Armies

The Unwritten:

Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity

Inside Man

Dead Man's Knock

Nightschool: The Weirn Books:

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

Avalon High:

The Merlin Prophecy

Homecoming

Hunter's Moon

Six Sentence Saturday - August 6, 2011

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.

Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.

At the end of each review I will post a

rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.

Rating scale will be as follows:

5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!

4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.

3 of Hearts- Glad I read but no big deal

2 of Hearts- Why did I finish this?

Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)

Six Sentence Saturday is an idea that I occasionally borrow from Staci at Life in the Thumb.

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Completion Date: March 14, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

I had seen a lot of good reviews of this book, so I knew I was going to have to read it and eventually the library bought a copy. There were lots of things I liked about this book: The characters connection to bookstores, the idea of a notebook being the only communication with a person until you finally meet, and the characters themselves had great personalities. I didn't love the book as much as other people, though, but I think it was more me than the book. The first half was really good, but then when the characters actually met each other I felt like the quality decreased. I think that is mainly because there was a lot of drama in the second half of the book that was missing from the first because they hadn't actually met yet. It was still a very fun book with a creative idea behind it and I am glad that I read it.

Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones

Completion Date: April 25, 2011

Reason for Reading: Read more from this author.

When the magician Jocelyn Brandon Hope died he bequeathed Melstone House to his grandson Andrew. He also left his ‘field of care’: an area of strangeness surrounding the land around the house, whose boundary Andrew must walk in order to preserve its power.

Andrew had always loved the house, but he finds owning it a lot more complicated, aside from all the magic. There is Mrs Stock, the tyrannical housekeeper who won’t let him move the furniture and punishes him with her terrible cooking. Just as bad is the obsessive gardener who will only grow giant inedible vegetables. To add to his troubles, twelve year old orphan Aidan Cain suddenly arrives on the doorstep begging protection from magical stalkers, and Andrew’s sinister rich neighbour, Mr Brown, begins to encroach on the ‘field of care’. The one compensation is the gardener’s beautiful niece, Stashe. Things become stranger and stranger until all is made clear with the help of the enchanted glass itself.

When the announcement was made that Diana Wynne Jones had passed away, I made it my mission to read even more of the books by her that I had missed out on. Enchanted Glass is my favourite of the lot I have read more recently, but probably not my favourite book by her overall. It contains a wonderful cast of characters and a lot of creative ideas that will hook you from the very first page. I also enjoyed the creative way that she worked the coloured glass on a door into the story and made it seem so believable. This was a wonderful book by a beloved author and by rights deserved a longer review, but it has been so long since I have read it I am not sure if I could really do it justice.

This book counted for the Once Upon a Time Challenge.

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Volume 2 by Svetlana Chmakova

Completion Date: May 2, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with Series.

When Alex's sister, Sarah, vanishes and all memory and evidence of her existence is erased, Alex is determined to get to the bottom of her sister's disappearance. What better place to start her investigations than the Nightschool itself? But when she discovers that sneaking into the Nightschool isn't as simple as it might seem, Alex enrolls as a student. But is she prepared for what she might find?

I loved Chmakova's series Dramacon, but this series isn't getting me nearly as excited. I think it is probably because she is joining in on the paranormal craze and I am getting a bit tired of this craze, so the idea isn't working for me as well as I had hoped. The artwork is still fantastic and the idea is still very creative, but I am not getting caught up in the story and rushing out to get each volume after finishing the previous ones. I loved Dramacon so much that when the library didn't have the third volume, I went out and bought the series. I think this is a series that I will appreciate all the more when I look back on it overall, but if you want to give Chmakova a try I strongly recommend her other series. Still, I look forward to reading the last two volumes in this series.

This book counted for the Once Upon a Time Challenge and the Manga Challenge.

**Note: I had a really hard time getting pictures to load for this post, so I will have to add book covers later. Hopefully Monday when I have my new computer. Yay!

Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 1 by Svetlana Chmakova

Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 1 by Svetlana Chmakova

Completion Date: January 21, 2011

Reason for Reading: I really liked Dramacon, her previous manga series.

Schools may lock up for the night, but class is in session for an entirely different set of students. In the Nightschool, vampires, werewolves, and weirns (a particular breed of witches) learn the fundamentals of everything from calculus to spell casting. Alex is a young weirn whose education has always been handled through homeschooling, but circumstances seem to be drawing her closer to the Nightschool. Will Alex manage to weather the dark forces gathering?

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre?

Fiction. Paranormal Manga.

What led you to pick up this book?

Nicola read the first two over at Back to Books. I also really liked her other manga series, Dramacon, so would have planned to read this anyway.

Summarize the plot, but don’t give away the ending!

This book talks place after hours at a school. The 'regular' kids have no idea what happens when they leave for the day. After 6, though, werewolves, vampires, and weirns begin a very different education. There is action and adventure, but mainly this is to introduce you to the characters.

What did you like most about the book?

The art. For some reason I really love Svetlana's art. It's fun, but it can also capture the mood very well. Then, there was a section that was in colour and it was amazingly well-done! I also enjoyed how she managed to take something that is maybe, possibly starting to get a bit overdone and make it her own. She has an original story here that I am looking forward to reading more of.

What did you like least?

With any manga I hate that it is essentially one book broken up into many books. You just get captivated with the story and is over. Plus, I am reading this through the library and have to wait each time for the book to come in. I wound up buying the collected edition of Dramacon because the library did not have book three and in this case, they don't have book four!

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books?

Yes, I read Dramacon back in 2009. It was a fun trilogy and I never reviewed it... I should reread it this year so I can remedy that. Anyway, this series is very different than her previous one. The other one was set in modern day at a comic convention. This is a paranormal world. She pulls off the differences really well.

What did you think of the main character?

You only just barely get to meet the main character. Her name is Alex and there is obviously a lot more to her than meets the eye. She is weirn, but not even she knows entirely what she is capable of. The first scene is very comical. Svetlana does humour rather well, even if this book is supposed to be a bit on the dark side. She may not have a lot of pages for you to get to know her characters, but they still made an impression on me and I am looking forward to getting to know them better in the future.

What about the ending?

As far as I am concerned, the ending for mangas is generally the last book. That being said, there is a nice cliffhanger to this book that makes me really want to know what happens next.

What do you think of the cover?

I love it! So pretty and mood-setting and pretty and, uh, I think I am becoming a bit of a fangirl for this author. I will probably wind up buying the series...

This book counts for the 2011 Manga Challenge.

I did posts like this in 2009. Since I don't really have a lot to say about mangas and graphic novels because they are often one large book and I hate spoilers, I decided to bring it back once in a while for some variety.

Series:

Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 1

Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 2

Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 3

Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Voume 4