Review: "SAVED BY THE BELL, volume 1" by Joelle Sellner, Chynna Clugston Flores, & Tim Fish

Release Date: July 1st, 2015

Type: Graphic Novel, Series, Book 1, nostalgia, young adult, teen, high school, robots named Kevin

About the Book: The classic TV series gets an update for today’s brand new high-schoolers as the coolest kids at Bayside High start their freshman year! 

All your favorite characters – Zack, Slater, Kelly, Lisa, Screech and Jessie (and Mr. Belding, of course!) – are starting freshman year at Bayside High, trading in brick phones and mullets for iPhones and Twitter accounts. Does Lisa’s fashion show get on the air, and will Screech ever leave her alone? Will Jessie get that A+? And, most importantly, who’s Kelly going to go out with – preppy Zack or new star athlete A.C. Slater? It’s alright, ‘cause we’re saved by the bell! [Description from Netgalley.com]

My Review: When this popped up on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance. As any proper 90's kid, I feel nostalgia at all times - and I figured this would hit the spot. I was right! This graphic novel was a fun read to get back into the spirit of my childhood - but with a modern flair.

The creators of this graphic novel modernized it for today's audiences, which seems a little silly considering the people most likely to read this are the ones interested in regaining their youth, not dealing with today's issues and technology. And if you want something that is exactly like the show, your best bet is to just watch re-runs - while the essence of the original Saved By The Bell is still there, this is definitely a new version.

But like I said, it was fun getting to see the old crowd again, and relive (sort of?) my childhood. Not bad, not great, very middle of the road.

Cover Lovin': Not the best cover, but at least it is an accurate representation of the art inside.

Recommendation: For those going through a nostalgia phase.

Final Rating: THREE out of FIVE stars (3/5). Entertaining, but overall, not great.

Get your own copy of Saved By The Bell today!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

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

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's.. a REVIEW of "My Superhero Sister" by Toni LoTempio!

Why this book?: I'm a fan of Toni LoTempio, and she asked if I would be interested in reviewing her YA novel - Heck yes! Also, it counts for my Teen Reading Challenge at work!

Disclaimer: This book was given to me in exchange for a review.

Type: Young Adult, Superheroes (and Heroines!), Highschool can suck, Freaks and Geeks, BUGS, The uncool little sister, I'll take both Ed and Tad, thanks.

About the book: Holly Hamilton is a normal highschooler. That wouldn't be so bad if her Dad hadn't been a superhero, and now her sister is one too - Suprema. Talk about pressure, not only is her sister Miss Perfect, but she saves the city on a daily basis, how is a mortal younger sister supposed to deal? But when an evil supervillian steals Suprema's powers, it's up to normal Holly to save the day. But being super isn't as easy as she always thought...
My Review: "My Superhero Sister" is an incredibly cute young adult novel with some adult appeal. I used to love reading comic books, and I'll admit, I still love watching superhero movies. There's something about having powers that is just so.. cool. And if you read comics, as gritty as they can be sometimes, they also have moments of extreme cheesiness, or hookyness. This book has all of that hookyness that I've been missing. I think a lot of middle grade and teen readers will enjoy picking up "My Superhero Sister" because it is quick, easy, and amusing.

Some of this book was a little too predictable, and just when I thought I could guess what was going to happen next, a little curve ball was thrown into the playing field and I was surprised by what happened. Characters that I thought would turn out evil ended up being the good guys, and how Holly rises to the occasion at the end - I could have never seen that coming! With cute boys, family pressure, and school troubles, "My Superhero Sister" is an excellent, clean story for young adults.

Cover Loving: I love it! I think it's incredibly cute.

Recommendation: This was a fun read. Fans of quick, amusing young adult novels will enjoy "My Superhero Sister."

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE (4/5). Fun, quick, good read. Enjoyable for sure.

Have you read "My Superhero Sister" or another book by Toni LoTempio? Share your thoughts in the comments! Would you like to pick up a copy of this book? Get it from Amazon.com! Or by clicking here.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~