Review: "Neil Gaiman's The Last Temptation 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" by Neil Gaiman, Alice Cooper, Michael Zulli, Dave McKean

Disclaimer: I received a free, advance e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Type: Graphic Novel, Anniversary Edition, Re-release, Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Music, Comic Book, The Theatre from Heck

About the Book: Neil Gaiman (Sandman, Coraline, American Gods) brings shock rocker Alice Cooper's concept album to life in a surreal sideshow of the soul! Join a young boy named Steven on a surreal journey of the soul, as an enigmatic and potentially dangerous Showman seduces him into joining his carnival. Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of this seminal Gaiman work, returned to print for the first time in over a decade. Fully remastered in color, this Deluxe Edition incorporates complete scripts to all three chapters, black-and-white thumbnail art of pre-colored pages, an original outline of the project by Neil Gaiman, and a collection of letters between shock rocker Alice Cooper and the author! "I'm really happy that The Last Temptation is coming out for a new generation of readers, who have not seen Michael Zulli's glorious drawings, or know of the Showman and his wicked ways," says Neil Gaiman. "I wrote this a long time ago, driven by love of Ray Bradbury's dark carnivals and of Alice Cooper's own pandemonium shadow show. It's time for it to shuffle out onto a leaf-covered street and meet the people who don't know about Stephen and Mercy and show what's coming to town."

My Review: As a fan of Both Neil Gaiman and Alice Cooper, I went into this graphic novel with high expectations... And I was definitely not disappointed! Working together, these two geniuses created a dark, haunting story that left me more than a little creeped out. The art was truly stunning, perfectly matching the storyline.

In full cover on my device, the pages were gorgeous, I can only imagine what this book looks like in all its physical glory. This is a must have for any true fan of these amazing artists. And even better, this story lends itself to re-reading, to catch all the subtle hints and tricks that have been weaved into the tale. I'm grateful I got the chance to go to read this graphic novel before it's re-release. Be sure to check it out when it comes out October 21, 2014!

Cover Lovin': Great cover - appropriately haunting, considering the masterminds behind the title.

Recommendation: For fans of Neil Gaiman and Alice Cooper. For graphic novel readers that want something weird and creepy to go along with your Halloween read-a-thong. Or maybe for people who just like weird stuff.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). Creepy, awesome, and made me have a nightmare or two - a perfect read for Halloween, or really, any time.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda at Novel Addiction ~!~

REVIEW: "Hades Speaks!" by Vicky Alvear Shecter

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release Date: September 1, 2014

Type: Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Teen, Mythology, Greek, Humor, Illustrated, Fun, Highway to Hades

About the Book: Hades, god of the dead, welcomes readers on a dangerous tour of his underworld kingdom, filled with monsters, furies, giants, and vampire demons. Along the way, he reveals ancient death rites and sinister curses, tells hair-raising stories, and cracks jokes to die for. With his witty voice and ghoulish sense of humor, Hades is the perfect guide through this fresh and imaginative work of nonfiction that reads like a novel. Includes a glossary, bibliography, and index.

My Review: This was a great nonfiction title that I would gladly give to both a juvenile and young adult audience. Written from Hades' perspective, the reader gets a tour through the Underworld, with tales of Greek myths and History thrown in. One of my favorite parts of the book was the punctuation guides, located throughout the text whenever an unfamiliar word was introduced, as well as in the glossary in the back.

The whole book contains a wonderful sense of humor, enough to keep anyone entertained while reading. There are mentions of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, and I can see this as being a great gift for any Percy Jackson fan. The few illustrations in hand book were well done, and very artistic. There are a few I would gladly frame and add to my Halloween decor. 

Giving this book a four out of five stars for its originality, clarity, and amusing style.

Cover Lovin': This cover is pretty perfect for this book. The illustrations are appropriately haunting, considering the subject matter, but there is a hint at the humor you will find inside, in the smile that Hades is trying to hide.

Recommendation: For young fans of Greek mythology that want to read the stories from a different angle. Adults can enjoy this book as well, but this is definitely kid-centered.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). Good book, fun to read, and I know it would be popular with both juveniles and teens at my library.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda at Novel Addiction ~!~

INSPIRE by Cora Carmack Cover Reveal!!

About INSPIRE:

Kalliope lives with one purpose.

To inspire.

As an immortal muse, she doesn’t have any other choice. It’s part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors—they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life— a normal one. She’s spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she’s ready for something real.

Sweet, sexy, and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly… he’s not an artist. He doesn’t want her for her ability. But she can’t turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It’s happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal.

Her presence may inspire genius.

But it breeds madness, too.

About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

And now for the big reveal......

REVIEW: "Federal Bureau of Physics Vol. 2: Wish You Were Here"

Disclaimer: I received a free advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release date: September 30, 2014

Type: Graphic Novel, Series, Volume 2, Physics, Vertigo, Science Fiction, Alternate Reality

About the book: The mind-bending science fiction series FBP returns to the strange phenomena all over the world-and beyond.

Federal Bureau of Physics agents Rosa and Adam are invited to take part in an experiment that will test their limits and blur their concept of reality. And after a beautiful moment is shattered, Rosa and Adam get to see firsthand why Nakeet is known as the strangest town north of the 48.

This volume collects issues #8-13.

My Review: Well, this volume was certainly confusing. Definitely more so that the first book. It is incredibly hard to tell what is reality and what isn't, and the art doesn't give it away either. In volume one, I got a sense of the overall story, and I was therefore able to follow along with ease. But that linear storyline is missing here. 

This is not a series you can set down And pick up months later. From my experience, this is one of those books or graphic novel series that you have to continually read and re-read, especially right before the next issue releases. 

Now for the positive. Despite my dislike of the lack of difference between realities, I do love the art style used in this graphic novel. The different characters are distinct and the style is original. And it might be a silly, small thing, but I love the art between the chapters/issues.

Cover Lovin': Bright and eye catching, which is good. But it definitely makes more sense once you read the book.

Recommendation: For fans of the series, and people who just finished the first one.

Final rating: TWO POINT FIVE out of FIVE (2.5/5). Hard to follow, but the series concept is interesting, if you can keep up.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda at Novel Addiction ~!~

REVIEW: "Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Dover Graphic Novel Classics)

Disclaimer: I received a free, advance e-galley from Netgalley.com  in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release Date: November 19, 2014

Type: Dover Graphic Novel Classics, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Classics, Fast Reads, Black and White, Mystery, Adventure

About the Book: The intrepid detective and his faithful assistant take on a supernatural challenge in one of Arthur Conan Doyle's most popular mysteries. This graphic novel's original illustrations accompany an easy-to-read account of Holmes and Watson's investigation of a family curse. Readers will be irresistibly drawn into the search for a giant spectral hound that haunts the fog-shrouded moors.
This Dover Graphic Novel Classic offers readers ages 8 and up an exciting introduction to a time-honored tale. Expertly abridged and packed with dramatic illustrations, this version offers a streamlined narrative that retains all of the storytelling essentials.
My Review: As this was a quick book to read (50 pages, if you include the cover), this will be a quick review.

The art was well done. The clothing was authentic, and facial features were done well enough to tell the difference between the several characters in the story. What pleased me the most about this graphic novel interpretation was how true it stayed to the classic story. Short and sweet, this is a great graphic novel to give to a reluctant reader that might enjoy mysteries or adventure. While some may disagree, I think these graphic novel versions of classics are a great way to introduce new or struggling readers to some of the best books in reading history.

Cover Lovin': This cover is short and sweet. I do like the splash of red near the bottom, really makes the title and publisher information pop out.

Recommendation: For fans of Sherlock Holmes. I also love this trend of releasing classics as graphic novels - bringing the greats to a whole new group of readers.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). Great representation of a classic. Fast paced, with simple but elegant art.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Manda at Novel Addiction ~!~

REVIEW: "In Real Life" by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang

Disclaimer: I received a free, advance e-galley from Netgalley.com  in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Book Release Date: October 14, 2014

Type: Graphic Novel, Young Adult Fiction, Teen Fiction, MMORPGs, Video Games, Social Issues,

About the Book: Anda loves Coarsegold Online, the massively-multiplayer role playing game that she spends most of her free time on. It's a place where she can be a leader, a fighter, a hero. It's a place where she can meet people from all over the world, and make friends. Gaming is, for Anda, entirely a good thing. 

But things become a lot more complicated when Anda befriends a gold farmer - a poor Chinese kid whose avatar in the game illegally collects valuable objects and then sells them to players from developed countries with money to burn. This behavior is strictly against the rules in Coarsegold, but Anda soon comes to realize that questions of right and wrong are a lot less straightforward when a real person's real livelihood is at stake. 

From acclaimed teen author and digerati bigwig Cory Doctorow and rising star cartoonist Jen Wang, In Real Life is a sensitive, thoughtful look at adolescence, gaming, poverty, and culture-clash.
My Review: I will start by saying what I loved about this book - the art. I greatly enjoyed the subtle, but well-done differences between the real world and the in-game world. I also loved the act of signing into the game, where Anda becomes her character. Expertly done. Over all, the art is very appealing in this graphic novel.

And now to the story, which was what didn't impress me as much. It's a good story, and the author showcases plenty of growth when it comes to Anda. And I would have liked to see more of Anda offline, out of the game. We do get this, of course. But I want to see how her self-confidence in the game world affects her self-confidence in the real world. If she feels braver at school since she is so well-respected online.

Despite the great intentions, for me.. the story just fell flat. I don't really care too much about Anda, and her interests, which is unfortunate considering she is the main character. I know Anda's actions come from a good heart and the want to do good, but I got the feeling the story is more along the lines of "the good American coming in to fix other cultures." I'm sure this isn't what the author is going for - Cory Doctorow is very well respected in the writing world - but this situation and story just left a bad taste in my mouth.

Cover Lovin': Great cover. Really showcases the art, which as I stated, was my favorite part about this book. And audiences can see the differences between real life, and Anda's online character.

Recommendation: For fans of Cory Doctorow, obviously. If you like your manga with some social issues and social change added in, definitely check this book out.

Final Rating: THREE out of FIVE stars (3/5). My 3.0 rating is for the good intentions the author had while writing this story. But mostly for the art, which I loved.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Manda at Novel Addiction ~!~

REVIEW: DC Entertainment Graphic Novel Essentials And Chronology 2014

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Type: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction, DC Entertainment, Vertigo, MAD, Informative, Where do I even start?, Series, etc.

About the Book: DC Entertainment has been the birthplace of comics' landmark graphic novels, from books that defined the genre like WATCHMEN, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, and THE SANDMAN to contemporary classics such as JUSTICE LEAGUE VOL. 1: ORIGIN and BATMAN VOL. 1: THE COURT OF OWLS.

The DC Entertainment Essential Graphic Novels and Chronology has revised its expansive look into our rich backlist collection featuring the talents of the best writers and illustrators in the industry. Included are key reading lists, in-depth looks at graphic novels starring heroes such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the Justice League, and the best collections from our Vertigo, MAD, and digital-first lines.

This catalog can be used as an important resource for new fans seeking a starting point, as well as a look at our impressive backlist for the most fervent DCE fan.

My Review: I wasn't so sure about reading and reviewing this. I'm a huge fan of DC and Vertigo, and religiously follow several of their comic book lines - but a nonfiction book about their comics? What could they tell me that I didn't already know? Well, a lot, apparently. This book doesn't just let readers know what is out there - it also includes some history of DCE and, my favorite part, includes a listing of the 25 essential graphic novels. I love lists, and I was pleased to see how many on it I had already read, and added the rest to my to-read pile.

What pleased me most about this book was its ability to show good starting points for anyone interested in comic books. I was lucky that I had several friends obsessed with comics when I decided I wanted to start reading them, otherwise it's quite daunting to pick something up - what if you start reading in the middle of a story arc? the DCE Essentials and Chronology shows all the volume ones, and explains the recently rebooted New 52 line, which is definitely a great place to start for anyone interested. Even better, it doesn't just cover DC lines, but Vertigo (my favorite!) and MAD as well.

I would have rated the book higher, but it's very short - the size of an average graphic novel. There is so much history to cover, I believe the book would have done well to be longer. And included some more history when it comes to the big names - Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Each character (and more!) were covered, but these are the heavy hitters, they needed some more special treatment. Especially considering this is where new readers are likely to start.

Cover Lovin': I really love this. I love the characters reading comics - and not just in print form, even! Catwoman is reading comics on a digital device, highlighting DCE's digital-first lines.

Recommendation: For fans of the DC universe, as well as for anyone interested in beginning their journey into some of the most popular graphic novels. Great for someone that wants to start reading comics, and has no clue where to begin.

Final Rating: THREE POINT FIVE out of FIVE stars (3.5/5).

Happy Reading!
~!~ Manda from Novel Addiction ~!~