books.

Book Review: Travels with Gannon and Wyatt: Egypt

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Travels with Gannon and Wyatt by Patti Wheeler
Travels with Gannon and Wyatt: Egypt 
by Patti Wheeler, Keith Hemstreet (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Once again, Gannon and Wyatt are exploring the world, this time in Egypt, as they search for the lost tomb of Cleopatra. They are up against superstition, tomb robbers, booby traps, false trails, and their own fears and doubts as they embark on this dramatic adventure.

I love the brotherly camaraderie between the twins, Gannon and Wyatt, and how they tease each other, annoy each other, but ultimately rely on each other through thick and thin. They have a grudging respect for one another, even though they have such different personalities. Continue reading →

Manga Review: Valentine

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Valentine Tome 1 by Vanyda
Valentine Tome 1 (Valentine, #1) 
by Vanyda, David Bolvin (Colorist)

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Valentine is the quiet one in a group of rowdy friends. Between school and parties, her friends try out smoking and drinking and meeting up with boys, but Valentine is only interested in getting her crush to notice her. She’s too shy to speak to him though, and she gets dragged along for the ride with her friends.

Despite the fact that Valentine doesn’t do or say very much in the story, her facial expressions and quiet moments of repose display an emotional depth to her character in stark contrast to her boisterous friends. I really enjoyed the subtlety of Val’s experiences and seeing her gentle reactions to the world around her. Continue reading →

Comic Review: Sci-Fu

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Sci-Fu by Yehudi Mercado
Sci-Fu 
by Yehudi Mercado

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Wax is determined to be the best DJ in the world, but when his mixes accidentally answer an interstellar challenge, he’ll have to be the best DJ in the universe to protect his family and friends from the robots of Discotopia, where he fights against the evil King using the ancient art of Sci-Fu, a martial art that uses sound waves as weapons.

I’m not much of a fan of rap music, but I am a musician, so I was more than intrigued about a comic that uses music to fight off alien robots! I loved all the rhyming and rhythm. I could almost hear the music in my head as I was reading the book!
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Graphic Novel Review: Photographic

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Photographic by Isabel Quintero
Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide 
by Isabel Quintero (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Zeke Peña (Illustrations)

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


A poetic and dream-like journey through the personal history and photographs of Graciela Iturbide, a famous photographer in Mexico.

There’s an emphasis on Graciela’s fascination with birds, and how her thoughts on flight and wings inspired and influenced much of her work. There’s an ethereal feeling to each page, with drawings showing both the photographer and reproductions of her photographs. Continue reading →

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!