Graphic Novel Review: The Lost Path

The Lost Path by Amélie Fléchais
The Lost Path 
by Amélie Fléchais

2 out of 5 stars

Three little boys follow a treasure hunt, misread their map, and get lost in the darkest part of the forest. They meet odd creatures, see strange sights, and try to avoid the dark powers of the forest. It’s pretty grim and violent at times. The plot lacks cohesion, and I had to read the ending twice to try to understand just what had happened.
The illustrations are sometimes lovely, sometimes bland. Some of the pages are in color, others are in black and white.
I was not impressed with the story. It jumped all over the place with no real explanations of what was actually happening or why.
I liked the whimsical characters at first, but quickly got bored with them as they repeated the same things again and again. Continue reading

Book Review: Lorna Doone

Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore
Lorna Doone 
by R.D. Blackmore

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Young John Ridd is called home from school when his father is murdered by notorious highwaymen, the Doones. Although others cry out for revenge, young John focuses on working his mother’s farm, and growing up tall and strong, without bitterness in his heart.

While he is fishing one day, he comes across the lovely Lorna Doone, the innocent granddaughter of the leader of the Doone clan. The two children become secret friends, and as they grow up, their love blossoms. Lorna is promised in marriage to her violent cousin, Carver Doone, but John vows to rescue her from the clutches of the Doone family.  Continue reading

Book Review: Strawberry Girl

Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
Strawberry Girl 
by Lois Lenski

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

I liked this book about a family who moves to a new farm in Florida, during the pioneer days, determined to make the farm a success with a beautiful orchard and strawberry grove.
Birdie is excited to become a Strawberry Girl, but is worried that the disgruntled neighbors will make trouble for her family. When the neighbor’s pigs and cows trample over the new strawberry plants, Birdie’s father is outraged and vows to fence in his property to keep them out. This begins a feud between the two farmers, but the farmer’s children are eager to make friends. Only Birdie and her forgiving mother can make peace between the warring neighbors, and make both farms a success! Continue reading

Graphic Novel Review: The Hound of the Baskervilles

Dark Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle
Dark Tales: The Hound of the Baskervilles: A Graphic Novel 
by Arthur Conan Doyle

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

A good retelling of the Hound of the Baskervilles in comic book form! The artwork is dark and creepy, giving deep shadows to everything, and perfectly reflecting the mysterious nature of the story.
I thought that Holmes’ character is represented beautifully both through the artwork and the dialogue. His austere personality and furtive energy comes across strongly on every page! Continue reading

Book Review: Emily and the Spellstone

Emily and the Spellstone by Michael Rubens
Emily and the Spellstone 
by Michael Rubens (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Emily hates adventures, but when she discovers a magical stone that acts as a cellphone, she is thrown into a magical adventure that proves she is strong and resourceful against the greatest of enemies. A fiery monster named Gorgo is trapped in the Spellstone, and vows to eat Emily if he ever gets free. But Emily needs his help to defeat the nasty people who are seeking the stone’s power for their own evil purposes.

I loved the wit and humor of this book! The dialogue is snappy and every new magical situation is hilariously weird. The plot is full of action and danger. The characters are beautifully written with plenty of contrast and development. Continue reading

Book Review: Marvelous Land of Oz

The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Marvelous Land of Oz (Oz, #2) 
by L. Frank Baum

2 out of 5 stars on GoodREads
 Tip is a young boy living in Oz, servant to a nasty witch. He fashions a pumpkin head that comes to life, and they travel to the Emerald City to meet the Scarecrow and Tin Man, falling into the middle of a revolution along the way.
I didn’t really enjoy this book, maybe because I listened to it as an audiobook, and I didn’t like the narrator. Usually I love the Oz books, but this one fell flat. The characters are so dry, the jokes aren’t funny, and even the imaginative setting of Oz felt like a rehash of the same old things from every Oz book. Maybe it was the narrator. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for this book. Maybe because I’ve been reading the Oz books out of order, so I already knew some of the plot points. It’s a good story, but I somehow couldn’t enjoy reading it.

Comic Review: Herding Cats

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

Dream of The Butterfly Vol 1 by Richard Marazano
Dream of The Butterfly Vol 1: Rabbits on the Moon 
by Richard MarazanoLuo 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

Continue reading