Thursday, October 22, 2015

I Hate Fairyland #1 by Skottie Young

I Hate Fairyland #1 I Hate Fairyland #1 by Skottie Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

Superstar SKOTTIE YOUNG (Rocket Raccoon, Wizard of Oz) makes his Image debut with an ALL-NEW SERIES! The Adventure Time/Alice in Wonderland-style epic that smashes its cute little face against Tank Girl/Deadpool-esque violent madness has arrived. In an adventure that ain't for the little kiddies, (unless you have super cool parents, then whatever), you'll meet Gert—a six year old girl who has been stuck in the magical world of Fairyland for thirty years and will hack and slash her way through anything to find her way back home. Join Gert and her giant battle-axe on a delightfully blood soaked journey to see who will survive the girl who HATES FAIRYLAND.

My Review:

I really enjoyed this story. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, I just picked this up because I was drawn to the cover. I admit, I'm a sucker for good art when it comes to my graphic stories, but what clinches it is a good story. It is not the same vice versa, no matter how good the story is, I just can't get into it if the artwork isn't to my liking. What is my liking? I'll let you know when I can find the right words, but for right now, I enjoyed this.

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I liked the setup of the story, I liked the world building, I loved the art, and I love Gertrude's persona. An "adult" on the inside (as adult as one can be stuck in a place called Fairyland, but a child on the outside. She was quite cheeky and badass. I thought Gertrude's "foul" mouth was an awesome addition.

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I'm looking forward to more mayhem, chaos, and destruction in the next installment.

Read on October 21, 2015

Top Genres*: Sequential Arts/Comics, Fantasy
*According to Goodreads
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My ratings system
5 stars - I absolutely loved it
4 stars - Good book and would recommend
3 stars - Decent book, but wasn't spectacular
2 stars - Not good, but was able to finish it
1 stars - Did not finish (DNF) and I don't usually rate a book I haven't finished (just to be fair to the author)

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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4) by Rick Riordan

The Battle of the Labyrinth The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

Percy Jackson isn’t expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this latest installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos’s army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth–a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn. Full of humor and heart-pounding action, this latest audiobook promises to be their most thrilling adventure yet.

My Review:

Our little Percy Jackson is growing up, and with that, comes the awkward situations of relationships/friendships, jealousy, and just plain ignorance.

Obviously, we the readers, can tell there are some serious sparks going on between Percy and Annabeth, but the introduction of Rachel definitely brings with it, it's own Pandora's Box (haha, did you see what I did there). Anyways, this new situation gave the story some new dynamics, which keeps the story growing and evolving.

I am still learning more and more about mythology, and had no idea there were so many "characters" (for a lack of a better word). I enjoy how some of their back-story is provided while we learn just how they are fitting into this new technologically advanced world. Keep up the intrigue Rick, I'm looking forward to reading more from you.

Read on September 21, 2015

Top 5 Genres*: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fantasy/Mythology, Fiction, Adventure
*According to Goodreads
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My ratings system
5 stars - I absolutely loved it
4 stars - Good book and would recommend
3 stars - Decent book, but wasn't spectacular
2 stars - Not good, but was able to finish it
1 stars - Did not finish (DNF) and I don't usually rate a book I haven't finished (just to be fair to the author)

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Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen

Bad Monkey Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

Andrew Yancy—late of the Miami Police and soon-to-be-late of the Monroe County sheriff’s office—has a human arm in his freezer. There’s a logical (Hiaasenian) explanation for that, but not for how and why it parted from its shadowy owner. Yancy thinks the boating-accident/shark-luncheon explanation is full of holes, and if he can prove murder, the sheriff might rescue him from his grisly Health Inspector gig (it’s not called the roach patrol for nothing). But first—this being Hiaasen country—Yancy must negotiate an obstacle course of wildly unpredictable events with a crew of even more wildly unpredictable characters, including his just-ex lover, a hot-blooded fugitive from Kansas; the twitchy widow of the frozen arm; two avariciously optimistic real-estate speculators; the Bahamian voodoo witch known as the Dragon Queen, whose suitors are blinded unto death by her peculiar charms; Yancy’s new true love, a kinky coroner; and the eponymous bad monkey, who with hilarious aplomb earns his place among Carl Hiaasen’s greatest characters.

Here is Hiaasen doing what he does better than anyone else: spinning a tale at once fiercely pointed and wickedly funny in which the greedy, the corrupt, and the degraders of what’s left of pristine Florida—now, of the Bahamas as well—get their comeuppance in mordantly ingenious, diabolically entertaining fashion.

My Review:

This was an interesting read. I struggled through the beginning of the story because I didn't really feel any connection to the characters. Thankfully, as the story progressed, I did become a little more intrigued as to how the story would play out.

This was one of those mysteries where everything that can go wrong during the investigation will go wrong. Although this book has been noted as humorous, I didn't find it much so. There moments that were silly, but I never found myself laughing out loud (that is how I define a humorous book). I never saw the plot twists coming and was surprised by the ending, so Carl Hiaasen has that going for him.

My only concern is that the story stretched out longer than necessary and had a weak ending. A great story doesn't necessarily have to reach a certain number of words, pages, or chapters. If written well, it can be as short as it needs to be.

Read from September 21 to 25, 2015

Top 5 Genres*: Fiction, Mystery, Humor, Mystery/Crime, Humor/Funny
*According to Goodreads
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My ratings system
5 stars - I absolutely loved it
4 stars - Good book and would recommend
3 stars - Decent book, but wasn't spectacular
2 stars - Not good, but was able to finish it
1 stars - Did not finish (DNF) and I don't usually rate a book I haven't finished (just to be fair to the author)

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Princeless Book 1: Save Yourself by Jeremy Whitley

Princeless Book 1: Save Yourself Princeless Book 1: Save Yourself by Jeremy Whitley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

Chosen to be honored as an Amelia Bloomer Project title, through the ALA. Adrienne Ashe never wanted to be a princess. She hates fancy dinners, is uncomfortable in lavish dresses, and has never wanted to wait on someone else to save her. However, on the night of her 16th-birthday, her parents, the King and Queen, locked her away in a tower guarded by a dragon to await the rescue of some handsome prince. Now Adrienne has decided to take matters into her own hands! Come join the Eisner-nominated team of Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin for a tale of swashbuckling in the face of sexism. Princeless is the action/adventure for the girl who's tired of waiting to be rescued and ready to save herself!

My Review:

If you are looking for a feisty young lady, who will not be labeled or told what to do, who will stand up for what she believes in despite the cost (and calamity that ensues), then this is the read for you.

Adrienne was a spunky child who grew up to be a spunkier young woman.

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Right away I found myself loving her questioning attitude. Her twin brother was an interesting character, and I hope we get to know a little more about him in the next volume. Last, but not least, Bedelia was a nice additional to Princess Adrienne's posse. Their antics were crazy and fun, which made this a quick and satisfying read.

The artwork was amazing as well. For me, an entertaining storyline and great artwork can go a long way. Check this out!

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Read on September 10, 2015

Top 5 Genres*: Sequential Art/Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Sequential Art/Comics, Children/Middle Grade, Young Adult
*According to Goodreads
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My ratings system
5 stars - I absolutely loved it
4 stars - Good book and would recommend
3 stars - Decent book, but wasn't spectacular
2 stars - Not good, but was able to finish it
1 stars - Did not finish (DNF) and I don't usually rate a book I haven't finished (just to be fair to the author)

View all my reviews