Comic Book Extravaganza - Take Two

Back on April 7th, I posted another Comic Book Extravaganza.

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch

Completion Date: March 9, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn’t interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There’s only one thing she does want: to fight dragons!

Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives, but that doesn’t stop the plucky girl from honing her skills. She fearlessly stands up to local bullies. She battles a very large, very menacing pig. And she boldly accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, a challenge that could bring Mirka her heart’s desire: a dragon-slaying sword! All she has to do is find—and outwit—the giant troll who’s got it!

A delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, Hereville will captivate middle-school readers with its exciting visuals and entertaining new heroine.

I originally saw Vasilly post a review of this book and she loved it. This made me curious and my library actually had a copy, so I had to see what I thought of it. I have to say, I was rather impressed. One of my issues with reading lately is everything seems so much the same. I am getting tired of the same themes, the same plot lines, essentially the same characters, over and over again. This story, though, was fresh. How often do you see a story about an Orthodox Jewish community with a young woman who goes out and has great adventures. Plus, Mirka is a fun character that will make you want to follow along with her adventures. I was very impressed with both the artwork and the story, so I am very glad that I took a chance and read this.

Once Piece Volume 4 - The Black Cat Pirates by Eiichiro Oda

Completion Date: March 15, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

The superpowered pirate showdown continues, with Monkey D. Luffy's rubbery limbs tested to their limit against the fiendish Captain Buggy's Chop-Chop powers! Worse, Captain Buggy reveals an unexpected connection between himself and Luffyis long-lost hero, Captain "Red-Haired" Shanks! Only when the dust has cleared does Luffy's quest to become King of the Pirates truly begin. To learn the route to the Grand Line, where the legendary treasure called the One Piece is hidden, Luffy and his tiny crew must endure the Trial of the Forest on a remote jungle island. And waiting over the seas is the unpredictable Captain Usopp, who claims to be a deadly pirate captain... but Usopp says a lot of things. A semi-professional liar, Usopp spells endless headaches for Luffy's crew - but he may be their only ally against the very real dangers threatening his little town.

This is one of those series that I stalled on. I think I will probably stall on it again. I think it is a fun series, but it is HUGE and I just don't have the time for so many books. If the mood strikes me, I will read another, but I am not too concerned with getting to the end at the moment. The story at least is easy to pick-up on even if it has been a while. I just have to make some priorities and I know trying to get through this series will hurt my head. Eventually, the library will be missing volumes and that is frustrating. So, even though this series is a lot of fun, it is going back on hiatus for the moment.

The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 1 by Terry Moore

Completion Date: March 15, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

This quality hardbound volume is the first in a series collecting the SIP story in its complete story arcs. Book One contains the entire original mini-series that introduced Francine, Katchoo, David, Freddie and more. Plus, a 5 page short story, sketchbook pages, character designs, creator notes featuring never before seen pages of script and unused scenes, and for the first time ever, actual pages from the original version of issue one that Moore never published, choosing instead to redraw the entire issue before its release date, altering scenes and characters alike. This is a must have book for the new reader and serious collector alike!

I have been curious about this series for a while, but I was having a hard time deducing what parts of the series my library had. I did a bit of research and was surprised to find they actually had the first volume of the series. And, I liked this comic. It was entertaining, even with its serious moments, and different from what I would normally read. I am not sure if I am a big enough fan to read on, though. I guess what I am trying to say is that it had its good points, I am glad that I finally got a chance to read it, but it was nothing amazing for me.

True Blood Volumes 1-6 by Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, & David Messina

Completion Date: March 20, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

Blood and sex mix on a hot rainy night at Merlotte's, when Sookie and her friends are trapped by a vengeful spirit who feeds on shame. People die and dirty secrets are revealed as Sookie, Bill, Eric, Sam, Tara, Jason, and Lafayette and are all coerced to dig deep and tell painful memories from their past-those things we all have locked within us that we never tell another living soul! Bon Temps, Louisiana has never been stranger, or more twisted, in a story co-plotted by TRUE BLOOD series creator Alan Ball, with a script by David Tischman (Bite Club) and Mariah Huehner, and lush art by David Messina (Star Trek: Countdown).

Okay, so first I tried to read Charlaine Harris' series. The book I read was okay, but I didn't love it. Then, we decided to watch the television show. We have watched the first season so far and the cc really likes it... I am was still a bit 'meh' about it. Not willing to admit defeat, I decided to try one more time with the comics and see what I thought of them. I have to admit, they have been my favourite so far. I am still not a huge fan of the series, but the artwork and this particular story were interesting. I just don't like Sookie. She annoyed me in the books, she annoyed me in the show, and she still annoys me in the comics. While I do admit this was pretty good, I am still not a huge fan overall. But, at least I can say I tried.

Six Sentence Saturday

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?)

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

Completion Date: January 15, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early.

The shrill siren song of a calliope beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. In this season of dying, Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destroy every life touched by its strange and sinister mystery. And two boys will discover the secret of its smoke, mazes, and mirrors; two friends who will soon know all too well the heavy cost of wishes. . .and the stuff of nightmare.

Few American novels written this century have endured in the heart and memory as has Ray Bradbury's unparalleled literary classic SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES. For those who still dream and remember, for those yet to experience the hypnotic power of its dark poetry, step inside. The show is about to begin.The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early. The shrill siren song of a calliope beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. In this season of dying, Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destroy every life touched by its strange and sinister mystery. And two boys will discover the secret of its smoke, mazes, and mirrors; two friends who will soon know all too well the heavy cost of wishes. . .and the stuff of nightmare.

I really liked The Halloween Tree by Bradbury, but for some reason this book just didn't work for me at all. I think it can be put down to a mood at the time and having read two books before it that I just could not seem to enjoy, so I will probably try and read it again someday. The book did have a fun plot and idea behind it, but I found myself not really caring what happened to the characters after a while. If this was a book I easily could have got again I would have put it aside and tried again later, but unfortunately it was an ILL and could not be renewed, so it was read it now or maybe never. Bradbury is an author that has had lasting fame, so obviously it was just me and I still think many other people will enjoy this book if they haven't read it all ready. I think before I try this one again I will attempt read something else by him later this year.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Volume 2 by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Completion Date: February 19, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the series.

Does Scott and Ramona's burgeoning relationship have a future? Isn't Scott still supposedly dating Knives Chau? Who is Ramona's second evil ex-boyfriend, and why is he in Toronto? Who are The Clash At Demonhead, and what kind of bizarre art-punky music do they play? Who's their hot girl keyboardist, and what is Scott's relation to her? Why are they Knives Chau's new favourite band? Fights! Drama! Secrets revealed! The answers to all these questions and more!

I like this series, but unfortunately do not love it, so now that I have read the two books that the library has in the series I am not sure what I am going to do about the rest of the series. I recently watched the movie and actually think that considering the size of these stories, it pretty much covered the comics; so at least if I don't get a chance to read the rest of the series I know what happens! Scott is a fun character and it is entertaining that he has to fight Ramona's ex-boyfriends like in a video game. The comic really does answer the questions presented in the blurb above and I think it was better than the first book in the series. I also really enjoy that this book is set in Toronto and I have actually been to Toronto, so I knew the places that were being talked about. Overall, a fun read, and someday I may finish the series.

Series:

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness

Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together

Scott Pilgrim vs. Universe

Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour

(This book counts for the Manga Challenge.)

Bone: Quest for the Spark by Jeff Smith and Tom Sniegoski (Book 1)

Completion Date: February 23, 2011

Reason for Reading: Spin-off Series from BONE.

A return to the enthralling world of BONE with book one in this gripping spin-off novel trilogy, illustrated in four-color!

Twelve-year-old Tom Elm is just an ordinary turnip farmer from the Valley, but he's always felt destined for something bigger. So when he discovers everyone in his village is asleep and plagued by nightmares, he assembles a band of unlikely heroes. They must fight to preserve the Spark--a divine light born at the core of a vast, dark nothingness called the Nacht. The Nacht is trying to permeate the Waking World with nightmares of the Dreaming, and it's Tom's mission to defeat the Nacht and its most loyal follower, the Constable. If he fails, his family--and everyone--might never wake up again.

I really enjoyed the Bone graphic novel series, so when I heard that there was going to be a spin-off series I was very excited to read it, but on the other hand disappointed that many of the characters would not be included. These really are new adventures with mentions of the events from the other series and a few choice appearances from old characters. I wanted to love this book, but instead I only liked it. It's just not the same when it is told mostly in words and there are very few pictures, so it makes for a totally different reading experience. The adventures were still fun and I will still read on in the series, but I think I am ultimately disappointed in the direction the series has taken. If it was new stories in graphic novel format, it might have worked better for me, but I found myself wanting pictures and they were not there.

Chobits Volume 6 by Clamp

Completion Date: February 23, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with Series.

Can a human be happy living with a machine? Hiroyasu Ueda truly believed he could when he married his persocom but one fateful day tragedy struck and Ueda was separated from his true love. It's often said that persocoms are more perfect than humans, better looking, better lovers, better thinking. Is it possible for someone who once loved the perfect, if artificial, woman go back to loving a mere human?

Since the series is drawing to a close, this book actually answered some of the questions that have been hovering in the background, so I think I appreciated this volume more than some of the previous ones. It is a interesting idea for a series and is something that in many ways is being worked on now. It addresses the idea that if there were personal computers that looked very much like humans, would people love them and marry them? The manga series is much more complex than it first appears, so I enjoy that aspect of it greatly. It also has entertaining characters and situations that will easily make you laugh. I am glad I am reading this series and look forward to more very soon!

Series:

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

Volume 4

Volume 5

Volume 6

Volume 7

Volume 8

Six Sentence Saturday

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?)

Chobits Volume 5 by Clamp

Completion Date: January 29, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with Series

Chi is kidnapped on her way to work and Hideki embarks on a frantic search for his missing persocom. Tracking Chi down is only a matter of time but Chi is not willing to wait, and reveals a defense mechanism that is linked to her mysterious past.

This is a cute series that I have been stalled on since 2009, so I want to try and finish it up. Chi really makes the story and I don't think I would read it if she wasn't in it. She is entertaining and you cannot help laughing at her, but at the same time her clueless behaviour is a bit much. Hideki and the other characters are entertaining, too. I think the series is marketed mainly for men, judging by the story, but I still find it enjoyable. It is also a series that you cannot read for a while and still remember what is going on.

Series:

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

Volume 4

Volume 5

Volume 6

Volume 7

Volume 8

This book counts for the Manga Challenge.

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

Six Sentence Saturday - Take Four

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?)

The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech
I first heard about this back during the last readathon - and I think I read it soon after! I found this book to be a very cutesy fairy tale-retelling and I had a lot of fun reading it! Anyone that reads my blog knows that I am quite fond of fairy tales, so this was right up my alley. It is not your conventional fairy tale, though. I am not sure I was exactly blown away by the ending, but I liked watching all the pieces of the novel come together. The characters were enjoyable, as was the story, and so I do recommend this book!Manga Shakespeare: A Midsummer's Night Dream
Manga Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet
Manga Shakespeare: Hamlet
Manga Shakespeare: The Tempest
I have came along way in terms of graphic novels and reading them, but I have to say very frankly that this series didn't really impress me at all! All four of them came in for me at the library at the same time and I was curious, but I wasn't very impressed. I can understand how they can encourage those less likely to read Shakespeare to read him, but you are really missing out. All this made me do is want to read the original plays, but I haven't found the time to do so yet! They did have their good points, don't get me wrong, but I don't think classics retold as graphic novels work for me, especially since they had to cut so much out of the story. So, I am not a big fan of this series, but I do know other people have really enjoyed them.



Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
Sara Zarr is an author that I have seen around the blogosphere and always wanted to try. I actually was surprised that I liked this book because it is not something that I would normally read, but I guess that is why you should break out of your comfort zone once in a while. Jennifer (Jenna) thinks she has everything that she has always wanted in high school, but she holds on to the memory of her oldest friend and what life was like when she knew him. When he reappears she discovers that things do not always turn out exactly as you plan them to! This was a very good example of what high school can be like and I think Zarr captured it all very well. While I didn't love the book, I am still glad that I read it and will likely read something else by her in the future.




The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I was going to do a proper review for this book, but really, what can I say that hasn't been said before? I enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it as much as other people. I found the storyline was compelling enough to keep me wondering what was going to happen next and to keep me turning pages, but there were aspects of it that I really couldn't bother being interested in. For many the ending was annoying and had a huge cliffhanger, but it didn't really bother me all that much that I was going to have to wait for another book. I liked the characters, but didn't love them, and I thought that the story was pretty original. I will read the entire trilogy for sure, but I am not waving Team Peeta or Team Gale banners with excitement!

Love is Hell by Melissa Marr, Scott Westerfeld, Justine Larbalestier, Gabrielle Zevin, and Laurie Faria Stolarz
I read this for the Melissa Marr and Scott Westerfeld stories, of course! They are both authors that I just discovered this year and really enjoy, so I want to read everything I can from them. I read the entire book, though, and while I found it enjoyable I wouldn't say I loved it. I am not a huge fan of short story collections, but I do try to read them for some diversity. The Marr and Westerfeld stories were both really good, so I am glad I read the collection. I also liked the other stories enough to try out the other authors one of these days!



Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
I read Speak by her a couple years ago and was not really impressed by it like other people were. I decided to give her another chance, though, and I must say that I did like this book better, but I am still not a huge fan of Anderson. I remember the complexities of high school, but I find I have a hard time relating to them in young adult novels. This book was about a young woman battling an eating disorder and I thought that while the subject matter was disturbing, Anderson captured the character really well. I felt for the character, but I couldn't entirely relate and I think that is why I didn't love this book. I do recommend it, though, that's for sure, but advise that it is not for the faint of heart.

Six Sentence Saturday - Take Three

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?)

I know I already posted once today, but this is my 'catch-up on reviews' method, so I figured I would post twice to get some done!Miki Falls - Book 1: Spring by Mark Crilley
Miki Falls - Book 2: Summer by Mark Crilley
I loved these two books and cannot wait to read the rest of the series, but the library doesn't have them! Miki is a very stubborn high schooler who is intrigued by the new guy, Hiro Sakurai, but he is not interested in making friends. She refuses to give up without a fight, though, and that opens a whole new world for her. I think even if manga is not your normal thing you can appreciate this series because it is about love and relationships, and that is something that everyone can appreciate. It just goes into details that we might not be used to! Give it a try!

The Good Neighbors: Kin: Book One by Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
I picked this up with high hopes, but I didn't like it at all! I think I have read too many really good graphic novels this series that far surpassed this one. That being said, I plan to read the next one because I think if the story was developed more it has a lot of potential, so I actually wish this had been longer. I was just getting a bit interested and then it was over and I felt like nothing really happened. So, it was a disappointment, but I have seen positive reviews of it. It's really too bad because the story behind it sounds really good, but I just don't think that Black pulls it off. The artwork is amazing, though!




... I never saw another butterfly... Children's Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944
I am so glad that I saw this around the blogosphere because I never would have heard of it otherwise. What a heart-breaking book this was when you really thought about it. These are the pictures and poems and other creative pursuits of children held in a concentration camp during the Second World War. There are notes saying who lived and who died; and it was not an over-whelming list of survivors. Even though this happened long before I was born, it really bothers me and I feel like this book made it even more real because these were just children and they were doing things that children do, but at the same time they were being tortured in horrifying ways because of their race and religion. This is something that if you have the chance to flip through, you should!


The Magic Half by Annie Barrows
I read this book because Annie Barrows is one of the authors of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I read that book last year and loved it, so I was curious about other books by her. It was cute, I admit that, but nothing amazing for an adult. I am sure she is very popular with the younger age group that she writes for, though, and I do recommend the book for younger readers. For me, though, I will just stick with her adult novel and recommend it to anyone that will listen because it was a fantastic book! It was an original story, though, and the characters were well-written!

Six Sentence Saturday - Take Two

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?)

Staci does this cool feature that I am borrowing. I have the worst time keeping up on my reviews, so I figure if I do this mostly every Saturday than I will review books I probably won't review otherwise. It will likely just be books that I consider okay, so expect detailed reviews (hopefully) about books that I love.

Emma - Volume 8 by Kaoru Mori
I reviewed the first seven volumes of this in one post, but find it hard to talk about one random volume all alone without spoiling the series. Mangas are not the easiest to review to begin with. This is probably my favourite manga read of the year, so I strongly recommend it to anyone that is looking for a good series to start with. It is historical fiction and this volume is a collection of short stories that are related to stories began in the other seven volumes. The artwork in this series is fantastic! I hope that others take a chance on this series because you won't be disappointed!


Stop Pretending: What happened when my sister went crazy by Sonya Sones
I have to admit that I read this so long ago I hardly remember it, so this is probably the perfect review to limit to six sentences. Written in verse, this is a very quick read and would be perfect for the 24-Hour Read-a-thon that will happening before we know it. The book addresses what a sister goes through as her sister suffers from a mental illness. It is based on the authors own experiences, so it is handled very well and very believable. When you are young and something like this is going on around you, you find that you have a lot of worries about what it means for yourself. I recommend this book and will eventually read something else by the author!


Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past by Erich Von Daniken
I actually read this book because the charming comedian couldn't believe I hadn't before. I will admit that it was a bit dated, but I actually found it pretty fascinating. Sometimes I think the world is just a bit too black and white and that it takes a few books like this to shake things up a bit. It makes you think about the whole idea of existence and how the things that we are unable to explain were accomplished. There were a few sections of the book that were just way too dated and I ended up skipping through, but for the most part this book stands up to today rather well. I am glad that the charming comedian got me to read this and I can understand why the book was so popular for its time.




The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
This book was just a little bit too cutesy, perfect for me, but I think it would work really well for the age range it is marketed for. I just have liked other DiCamillo books better for my age. Edward Tulane is a bunny that has a very amazing journey and tells his story. It does go to show how the impossible can all work out in the end and Tulane is a good narrator of the story. The pictures are really good, too. This is a perfect gift for those young folk in your life during this up-coming holiday season.

Six Sentence Saturday - Take One

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?)

Staci does this cool feature that I am borrowing. I have the worst time keeping up on my reviews, so I figure if I do this mostly every Saturday than I will review books I probably won't review otherwise. It will likely just be books that I consider okay, so expect detailed reviews (hopefully) about books that I love.

A Distant Soil - Volume 2 - The Ascendant by Colleen Doran

I didn't like the first volume of this because I found it too cliched and predictable, but I decided to read the second volume anyways. The series does not improve. I found this volume as predicatable as the first volume and probably skimmed at times. Doran essentially takes popular aspects of fantasy, science-fiction, and mythology and puts them together. It sounds like a good idea, but it just didn't work for me. It makes me sad, really, because it did sound interesting.

Bogus to Bubbly: An Insider's Guide to the World of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
I read this because I had read the books related to it this year and wanted to feel like I completed the series. This book was actually pretty interesting because you do often wonder how authors get their ideas; but Westerfeld addresses that and wrote a book that answers the questions the readers have always been wondering about. I learned a lot. Even though it is a book about a fictional world, it is written very believably. I was glad I read it and was welcomed even further into Westerfeld's world. There are some aspects of it that I wouldn't want to experience, but some of the technology is pretty cool.



X/1999: Prelude by Clamp (Volume 1)
X/1999: Overture by Clamp (Volume 2)
Chris recommended this series to me, and it does have an interesting premise behind it, but it was not one of my favourite manga series. I find, for me, that manga takes a while to get going for me, but I guess we will have to see what happens. The library doesn't have the next volume, so not sure when that will happen, but as it stands right now the series is not working for me. It's been a while since I read it and it isn't even sticking with me. Clamp is an interesting company, though, so I have hopes because I enjoyed Chobits. I will do a more detailed review when I carry on with this series.



One Piece: Romance Dawn by Eiichiro Oda (Volume 1)
One Piece: Buggy the Clown by Eiichiro Oda (Volume 2)
One Piece: Don't Get Fooled Again by Eiichiro Oda (Volume 3)
I find manga series hard to talk about, but I have to talk about this series because it is so much fun! I love the characters and the writing. I am very happy that Renay suggested this series for the Herding Cats challenge. I need to read more books in this series right away, but somehow never seem to check anymore out. I was a bit worried that it would be just a little so strange that it wouldn't work for me, but it was enjoyable. To appreciate it, though, you really need to read it and that is about all I can say on the matter.