book review

Comic Review: Herding Cats

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Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen
Herding Cats (Sarah’s Scribbles, #3) 
by Sarah Andersen (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Another hilarious collection of comics about dealing with anxiety, being introverted, loving life, and staying creative! I just adore Sarah Andersen’s work. She has such a unique way of cutting to the heart of what brings delight or disaster into our everyday lives. She actually makes me laugh out loud, crazy giggle, and chuckle to myself when I read her work.

The only reason I took off one star is because I’m not a pet person, and several of the comic panels are about loving dogs and cats. I’m just ‘meh’ about pets, so those didn’t interest me. However, pet owners would probably love those.

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Manga Review: Dream of the Butterfly

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Dream of The Butterfly Vol 1 by Richard Marazano
Dream of The Butterfly Vol 1: Rabbits on the Moon 
by Richard Marazano, Luo Yin (Illustrator)

3 out of 5 stars

Little Tutu is lost in a snowstorm and travels to a magical land where animals talk and humans aren’t welcome. She is forced to work in a factory, and befriends several groups that need her help to rebel against the emperor. But Tutu is just trying to find her way back home, and the emperor asks her bring him a rare spring butterfly with mysterious powers.

I liked the imaginative characters and setting, but the plot is jumping all over the place and there’s not really enough time spent on any

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Graphic Novel Review: Anne of Green Gables

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Anne of Green Gables by Mariah Marsden
Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel 
by Mariah Marsden (Illustrations), Brenna Thummler (Illustrations), Kendra Phipps (Editor), Erika Kuster (Editor)

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This graphic novel adaptation is really too short to give a full picture of Anne’s story, but I loved the artwork and the beautiful colors of the book. I think that it’s the perfect way to revisit the story if you’ve already read the original book, but I definitely would NOT recommend it to those who are unfamiliar with Anne. There’s too much of the plot left out or implied, although it’s easily understood if you already know the background of the story.

The illustrations are whimsical and colorful, and the pacing of the panels gives a satisfying dreamy feeling to the book. There is a lot of focus on the countryside and the beauties of Avonlea, the trees and lakes and flowers, and then we see Anne’s reaction of wonder and delight to the loveliness of nature. Continue reading →

Book Review: Jamaica Inn

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Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
Jamaica Inn 
by Daphne du Maurier

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads 

After her mother’s death, Mary arrives at Jamaica Inn on the coast of Cornwall to live with her Aunt Patience and the uncle she has never met. He is a man feared through all the country as rumors of smuggling and murder surround Jamaica Inn. Mary is horrified as she discovers the truth about the inn, but it’s too dangerous to go against her vicious uncle, until Mary receives help from an unexpected ally.

The writing is expressive and really paints a picture of the setting amidst the dark moors. The story is certainly striking, even though I found the plot fairly predictable.
Mary’s character has a good balance, since she’s plucky but also vulnerable. The other characters are vivid and interesting too, even the awful villains. Each person has such colorful dialogue, descriptions, and body language that they jump off the page into life! I was truly afraid of the villains, truly sorry for the pathetic Aunt Patience, and absolutely disgusted with the nasty smugglers. I could almost smell them, they were so close to life.

Excellent writing and a good tale of mystery and suspense!

Book Review: Frightful’s Mountain

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Frightful's Mountain by Jean Craighead George
Frightful’s Mountain (Mountain, #3) 
by Jean Craighead George

3 out of 5 stars


This is my least favorite book in the trilogy, because it mainly focuses on the peregrine falcon, Frightful, and Sam is barely in the story at all. If you are interested in falconry at all, you would LOVE this book! Very informative and dramatic, as Frightful learns to survive in the wild, struggles to find a mate and raise her own chicks, and finds her way back to Sam as a wild bird.
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Book Review: Under the Red Spotlight

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Under the Red Spotlight by Shawn King
Under the Red Spotlight 
by Shawn King

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Tamryn is a slave in a circus, along with her aerialist partners, Torin and Patrick. They are beaten and starved, forced to perform for the cheering crowds, until one day Tamryn’s situation becomes desperate and Torin risks everything to help her escape. Separated from the only family she knows, Tamryn struggles to find a balance between survival and following her true heart. Torin vows to find a way to escape and be reunited with Tamryn, but the circus owner is ruthless and cruel. Escape seems impossible. In the middle of it all, Patrick seeks for comfort in the arms of Jessica, Tamryn’s replacement in their aerial act. Four young people searching for freedom, and they will only find it through knowing Christ.

I loved this book!!! I don’t know if it was the writing, the characters, or the dramatic plot… but this story pulled me in. There is so much action and running around and drama! Usually I don’t even like circus stories, but this one definitely captured my attention.
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Book Review: Candide

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Candide by Voltaire
Candide 
by Voltaire, John Everett Butt (Translator and Introduction)

2 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Candide and his friends are thrown into horrible situations, tortured, robbed, conscripted into armies, sold as slaves, shipwrecked, beaten, thrown into prison, etc… for the entire book, all the while discussing the philosophy of optimism, the idea that all is well and good in the world, despite the evidence to the contrary.

The writing is extremely concise and lacking in any detail, so that all the characters are one-dimensional, and the plot is very sparse. Everything moves quickly from one plot point to the next, so that within a few sentences the entire situation has changed. Not much is explained either, leaving a lot of plot holes and gaps in the story.  Continue reading →