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Graphic Novel: The Stone Heart

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The Stone Heart by Faith Erin Hicks

The Stone Heart (The Nameless City, #2)
by  Faith Erin Hicks (Goodreads Author), Jordie Bellaire (Colorist)

5 out of 5 stars

In this second book of the graphic novel trilogy, Kaidu and Rat are doing everything they can to protect the monks of the Stone Heart. The monks are the keepers of knowledge in the Nameless City, but the Dao military leaders think they must be hiding the secret weapon that the ancient peoples used to blast through the rock of the mountains. Kaidu and his father are loyal to the Dao general, but they are forced to choose between their loyalties or the truth.

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Graphic Novel Review: The Nameless City

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The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks

The Nameless City (The Nameless City, #1)
by Faith Erin Hicks (Goodreads Author), Jordie Bellaire (Contributor)

5 out of 5 stars

Kaidu moves to the city to visit his dad and attend soldier training along with other young students. His people, the Dao, conquered the Nameless City thirty years before, but tensions still run high between the Dao and the native people. He begins to explore the city and befriends a native girl who calls herself Rat. They uncover some secrets about the city and their loyalties are tested. Kaidu’s father is a counselor to the ruling General of the city, and Kaidu and Rat get involved in the shifting politics of the Dao.

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Graphic Novel Review: Outpost Zero

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Outpost Zero by Sean McKeever

Outpost Zero: The Complete Collection
by  Sean McKeever, Alexandre Tefenkgi (Illustrator), Jean-François Beaulieu (Illustrator)

3 out of 5 stars

Alea has grown up in the Outpost, a massive spaceship that crash-landed on a frozen planet generations ago. So much time has passed that Alea’s generation has forgotten how to use most of the technology their ancestors had, and much of the spaceship is inaccessible because it’s buried underground. Alea believes that her society needs to push themselves to do more than just survive in the frozen wastelands of the planet. She wants to explore and find new innovations so that society can thrive. But people are afraid. Alea’s friends are struggling too. Some have given up, seeing no hope in the future. When one of Alea’s friends commits suicide, she knows she has to find out the truth about the Outpost.

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Graphic Novel Review: The Ballad of Ronan

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The Ballad of Ronan by John Walsh

The Ballad of Ronan: Part One
by John Walsh, Jim Walsh, Remy Jackson (Artist), Vito Delsante (Goodreads Author) (Editor)

3 out of 5 stars

Aisling is an orphan with no idea who her parents are. She runs away from the orphanage and meets Ronan, who can’t even remember who is he or where he is from. They both seem to have some strange connection to magical energy that they can’t explain. The priest from the orphanage is involved with a secret society, and he seems to know something about the strange creatures Aisling has seen.

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Book Review: Hickory Dickory Dock

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Hickory Dickory Dock by Agatha Christie

Hickory Dickory Dock (Hercule Poirot, #34)
by Agatha Christie

4.5 out of 5 stars

Hercule Poirot’s efficient secretary Miss Lemon is upset and distracted, because there have been some strange thefts at the student hostel that her sister runs. Poirot agrees to investigate the petty thefts to help out Miss Lemon’s sister, Mrs. Hubbard. At first it seems like random little things that have gone missing, but there are a few items that stand out from the list: a valuable doctor’s stethoscope, a diamond ring, a rucksack that was slashed to pieces, and all the lightbulbs in the common rooms. Only Poirot can sift through the clues and find a connection between the missing items. He begins to find out more about the students who board at the hostel, wondering which of them could be thief, or perhaps… a murderer.

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Book Review: As You Like It

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As You Like It by William Shakespeare

As You Like It
by William Shakespeare

5 out of 5 stars

Rosalind sees a young man, Orlando, fighting in a wrestling match and falls in love. Orlando is equally smitten by her loveliness. Rosalind is banished from the court by her uncle who has usurped the dukedom. Rosalind’s cousin, Celia, cannot bear to be parted from her, so the two ladies escape together searching for Rosalind’s banished father in the Forest of Arden. Orlando is fleeing for his life, after his own brother has tried to have him killed, and he also escapes into the Forest of Arden. Hilarity ensues.

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Book Review: Appointment with Death

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Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie

Appointment with Death (Hercule Poirot, #19)
by Agatha Christie

5 out of 5 stars

A family group are visiting Jerusalem, and they make the trip to see the ruins of Petra. Their fellow travelers notice that the family seem on edge, nervous, and even afraid. Their mother, Mrs. Boynton, controls every aspect of their lives, and she takes delight in cruelty, torturing them emotionally and mentally for years until they are almost crazed.
When Mrs. Boynton is poisoned at Petra, suspicion falls on each of her children. They are relieved that she is dead. They must have killed her to escape from her brutality. Only Poirot can discover the true killer and sift through the timeline of events that led to Mrs. Boynton’s death.

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Book Review: Ellie in First Position

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Ellie in First Position by Brian Freschi

Ellie in First Position: A Graphic Novel
by Brian Freschi

4 out of 5 stars

This graphic novel follows Ellie, who is very awkward and clumsy when it comes to sports. Her mother encourages her to try a lot of different sports so that she can make friends with her teammates. However, Ellie only wants to draw and dance. She takes after her artistic father who is a musician. Ellie makes friends with some kids who take ballet classes, and secretly learns a few dance moves, but her mother refuses to pay for ballet lessons, saying all that frou-frou stuff is a waste of time. But Ellie knows that she could be good at dance if only she was given a chance!

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Book Review: The Emperor’s Ostrich

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The Emperor's Ostrich by Julie Berry

The Emperor’s Ostrich
by Julie Berry (Goodreads Author)

3.5 out of 5 stars

Begonia is searching for her lost cow, when she meets a strange man riding an ostrich. There are rumors that the emperor has gone missing with an ostrich from the royal zoo. The strange man refuses to tell anyone his name, so Begonia assumes that he is a traveler like herself. She meets a boy named Key, and they travel together, trying to return the cow home. However, the cow and ostrich have their own ideas, and lead them all into many adventures.

The writing is well done, the plot is wild and hilarious, and the world building is a strange mixture of cultures. The story is very silly and funny, but not quite my style of humor. But I did find it, enjoyable and fun to read!

Begonia is a very responsible character, so it was interesting to see her forced out of her comfort zone, thrown into wild situations where she has to expand her own limited perspective.
I also liked the character of Key, who is whimsical and happy go lucky in any circumstances.

Book Review: Wizard’s Holiday

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Wizard's Holiday by Diane Duane

Wizard’s Holiday (Young Wizards, #7)
by Diane Duane (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

In this book, Kit and Nita are participating in a young wizard student exchange program, taking a vacation to a far-off planet to learn how other wizards and species live on other worlds. And there are three wizards from off-world visiting Earth at Nita’s house with Dairine. Although everything seems peaceful, Nita begins to realize that something is wrong with the planet they are visiting. Dairine has trouble with one of the exchange student wizards who is very arrogant, but he is a specialist in a type of magic they will need.

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