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Graphic Novel Review: Chimera

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Chimera by Tyler Ellis
Chimera: Book One – The Righteous and the Lost 
by Tyler Ellis

1 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


I was unable to read past the first few pages because of all the profanity in this graphic novel. I’m very disappointed. So I guess I can’t really write a review, because I only read 5 pages.
The colorful artwork looks beautiful, which is mainly why I wanted to read this. Too bad it looks beautiful, but the dialogue is ugly.

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

Graphic Novel Review: Gone Rogue

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Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer
Gone Rogue (Wires and Nerve, #2) 
by Marissa Meyer  (Author), Stephen Gilpin & Douglas Holgate  (Illustrators)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Iko and Kinney are teaming up again to stop the bloodthirsty Lunar wolf-soldiers who are terrorizing Earth, but this time Alpha Steele is planning even worse atrocities, murdering and kidnapping Cinder’s friends to get his revenge on the Lunar throne.
Cinder and all the gang are back, navigating the tenuous politics between Earth and Luna, and finding a little time to just hang out as friends.

I really enjoyed seeing more of Iko’s story unfold, and how her unique programming was developed. And of course, I loved seeing all my favorite characters again, being all cute and delightful and fierce.
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Graphic Novel Review: Sheets

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Sheets by Brenna Thummler
Sheets 
by Brenna Thummler

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Marjorie is a shy girl, who runs her deceased mother’s laundry business. Wendell is a ghost who feels out of place in the afterlife, and runs away to visit the human world. When Marjorie’s business is threatened by an enterprising businessman, only other-worldly help will save the laundromat and heal Marjorie’s grieving heart.

The friendship between Marjorie and Wendell is so hilarious and weird! I love that they are both damaged and lost, but they find their way together.
The story shows a vivid picture of the grieving process, with all the ugliness and messiness that entails, but also gives hope to the characters and shows them healing and coming together.

I really enjoyed the scenes from the Land of Ghosts, where Wendell attends a support group for Dead Youth Empathetics. It was hilarious and interesting! The ghosts have their little homes, and their activities, and they hang out at the bath house to wash their sheets. I love the imaginative world-building! Continue reading →

Manga Review: La Magnifique Grande Scene

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La Magnifique Grande Scène, Vol. 1 by Cuvie
La Magnifique Grande Scène, Vol. 1 
by Cuvie

5 out 5 stars on GoodReads


Kanade is a young girl when she sees her neighbor, Risa, dancing in the ballet, and begs her parents for ballet lessons. She quickly learns that studying ballet means hard work, determination, and sometimes disappointment. With Risa’s help, Kanade is encouraged to stay dedicated to ballet, and she uses her intense observation skills to learn from the dancers around her.
Later with two years of dancing experience, she longs to be allowed to wear pointe shoes, but is told she is still too young. Despite the drama surrounding the other students, Kanade finds her own inspiration and her own center as she prepares for her big recital.

I LOVED the beautiful artwork in this manga! The graceful dance poses, and lovely costumes make this a pleasure to read, and I found myself pausing on several pages just to enjoy the gorgeous illustrations.
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Manga Review: Romeo and Juliet

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Manga Classics by Crystal S. Chan
Manga Classics: Romeo and Juliet 
by Crystal S. Chan (Adapter), William Shakespeare, Julien Choy (Artist)

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

With all the original dialogue of the play, this manga adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet bursts with old enchantment and romantic drama. The illustrations flow from one panel to the next in a surge of emotional tension, and the action keeps the wordy dialogue from weighing down the storyline.

This would be a great way to introduce Shakespeare to younger audiences, since the dialogue is easier to understand along with the action of the panels. Continue reading →

Graphic Novel Review: The Lost Path

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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 →

Graphic Novel Review: The Hound of the Baskervilles

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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 →

Manga Review: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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Manga Classics by Crystal Chan
Manga Classics: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 
by Crystal Chan (Goodreads Author) (Adapted by), Kuma Chan (Art by), Jeannie Lee (Lettering), Mark Twain (Original novel)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

A wonderful adaptation of Mark Twain’s Adventure of Huckleberry Finn into manga form! I think the authors and illustrators did an excellent job of condensing the story into a small volume without losing the integrity or flavor of the story. I love how the various accents of the characters are preserved, but the dialogue is still clear and easily understood.

The artwork brings a lot of emotion into the story, and firmly connects the reader to the characters. Seeing the expressions on character’s faces as they experience joy, grief, fear, sadness, or relief, made me feel those things too as I was reading!
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Graphic Novel Review: The Altered History of Willow Sparks

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The Altered History of Willow Sparks by Tara O'Connor
The Altered History of Willow Sparks 
by Tara O’Connor (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

I really enjoyed this graphic novel about a girl who discovers a magic book that will change her life! Willow is a nerd being bullied by the popular girls at school, but she has friends and a great job working in a library. The book gives her the power to rewrite her life, but of course, magic comes with a price. Willow uses the book to become one of the popular girls, and her life at school seems to be better, but at a cost. If only, Willow can realize the truth before it’s too late, she might be able to salvage her friendships with the people who truly care about her.
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