Book Review- Blue is the Warmest Colour by Julie Maroh

Title:  Blue is the Warmest Colour / Le bleu est une couleur chaud

Author:  Julie Maroh

Published:   April 2010 by Glenat

Length:  157 pages

Warnings:  graphic sex scenes

Source: library

Other info: This got adapted into a film, La Vie d’Adele, which won the Palme d’Or.

Summary :  Clementine is a junior in high school who seems average enough: she has friends, family, and the romantic attention of the boys in her school. When her openly gay best friend takes her out on the town, she wanders into a lesbian bar where she encounters Emma: a punkish, confident girl with blue hair. Their attraction is instant and electric, and Clementine find herself in a relationship that will test her friends, parents, and her own ideas about herself and her identity.

Review: Clementine, age fifteen, sees a blue-haired girl in the street one day. Further meetings with this girl, Emma,  leads to attraction, eventually love.

Book Review: The Young Avengers: The Children's Crusade by Allan Heinberg

Title: Young Avengers: The Children’s Crusade

 Author: Allan Heinberg

Series:   Young Avengers, Avengers,

Published:  March 28 2012 by Marvel

Length: 248 pages

Source: library

Summary : The Young Avengers return in an epic saga by series creators Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung. When Wiccan's reality-altering powers begin to rival those of the Scarlet Witch, the young hero sets out on a quest to find her that spans the Marvel Universe and pits Wiccan against both the Avengers and the Young Avengers. But will Wiccan's desire to solve the mystery of his parentage be his salvation or his undoing? With three words, the Scarlet Witch changed the world forever...and now with her return, nothing will ever be the same for the Marvel Universe. This self-contained Marvel event reintroduces and redefines the Young Avengers and the Scarlet Witch for the Heroic Age, and is essential reading for any Avengers fan. COLLECTING:UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) 526 (B STORY); AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE 1-9; AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE - YOUNG AVENGERS 1

Review: The Scarlet Witch, who once cast a spell that took powers from millions of mutants, is wanted by the Avengers and the X Men. To find her, they decide to use Wiccan and Speed, who they believe are her sons. This results in a clash with a lot of groups from the Marvel universe.

I wanted to read this because I really enjoyed most of Marvel's cinematic universe, wanted to read the comics, and the general consensus of the internet on where to start in the wide world of Marvel is pick up any book and roll with it. But, among other things recommended by Georgia(The Bibliomaniac) and Cicely (Loves Books), I was recommended Young Avengers and this was all my library had in that respect so I started with this.

It had short character introductions for each of the Young Avengers, which was useful. It also told us simply or let us easily infer the past events of the Marvel timeline.

I liked all the characters. Wiccan, aka Billy, is the main one for this storyline, and you got to know him quite well. Also features heavily was Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch. I liked her story. I think some of the characters came in a bit too late in the story to knoew them in this one, but I suppose it matters les when they have extensive stories of their own. The team of the Young Avengers I liked, and I'd like to see more of them, especially Kate Bishop/Hawkeye.

The plot brings in a lot of characters from the Marvel universe. There's also a bit randomly in a future timestream, which I had to go over a few times to understand. Otherwise, it was easy to follow, and quite quick.

The art was consistently good. I liked the fact it was all in full colour (I'm used to black and white manga where colour story pages are rare) and the action pages looked really good.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to a fast story that made a great introduction to the Marvel comics universe.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | 

Book Review- Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Title: Persepolis

 Author: Marjane Satrapi

Series: Persepolis 1-4

Published:  2008 by Pantheon, first published in French in 2000

Length: 341 pages

Source: library

Summary :  Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming--both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.
Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom--Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today.

Review: Marjane Satrapi grew up in Terahn, Iran, during the Islamic Revolution. Later, she is sent to Austria, on her own, for her own safety, and the second half of the graphic novel tells us the story of her return to Iran after four years of a totally different life.

I don’t normally read autobiographies, but I’ve heard excellent things about this. I wasn’t disappointed.

A bit at the start is the Iranian war in graphic novel form, which is useful and really interesting because history lessons don't really teach anything outside of the Western  world so having it all put like this is really good for setting up the world Marji lives in, as well as generally expanding world history knowledge.

The thing about Persepolis is the way it presents it. I like history, but i'm bad at remembering it if it's just a list of dates and events and figures. The difference with Persepolis here is that it shows a different view on it. Marji is ten when her school gets gender segregation and the girls are forced to wear veils, and Marji's young age changes the way you see everything. It adds questions, thoughts, and makes you wonder and understand even more.

You get to know  Marji really well. You share all her ups and downs, all the hopes and aspirations and sadness and loss.  You see her childhood and her liberal family and  everything they go through. The second part, set during her time in Austria and her return to Tehran, shows her doing some things that may not be the best decision, but she learns from them. I also liked some of the other characters-Marji's grandmother especially.

Overall:  Strength 4.5, more a 5 tea to an informative and powerful graphic novel.

Links: Amazon| Goodreads 

Book Review-iZombie Dead to the World by Chris Roberson & Mike Allred

Title: iZombie- Dead to the World

 Author: Chris Roberson, Mike Allred

Series:  IZombie #1

Published:  22 March 2011 by Vertigo

Length: 144 pages

Warnings: sex references, violence 13+

Source: Bought

Other info: There's two more in the series, uVampire and Six Feet Under & Rising.

Summary : Told from a female zombie’s perspective, this smart, witty detective series mixes urban fantasy and romantic dramedy.Gwendolyn “Gwen” Dylan is a 20-something gravedigger in an eco-friendly cemetery. Once a month she must eat a human brain to keep from losing her memories, but in the process she becomes consumed with the thoughts and personality of the dead person – until she eats her next brain. She sets out to fulfi ll the dead person’s last request, solve a crime or right a wrong.Our zombie girl detective is joined by a radical supporting cast: her best friend Eleanor, who happens to be a swinging ’60s ghost, a posse of paintball blasting vampires, a smitten were-dog and a hot but demented mummy.

Review: When I added this to my goodreads shelf, I didn’t realise that it was a comic. Oh well. First impressions? The blurb is really good-I love it when something like that can be taken both metaphorically and literally. And when I read it, it instantly appealed to me. A zombie, Gwen, digging up graves for a living and digging them back up to eat the brains, plus the memories, for staying in her current form of undeath? Definitely my thing. Then the latest brain she eats once belonged to a man who ended life as a murder victim, and it’s up to Gwen and her best friends (a ghost and a were-terrier) to solve it.

I love the mix of paranormals represented in iZombie. Theres one of one all the major species (zombies, lycanthropes, ghosts, vampires) and  a fair few humans in it too.  The take on the zombie is very interesting-with Gwen staying fairly intact as long as she eats a brain every so often so she can stay in her non-shambling state.

Gwen is a strong and realistic heroine, who takes her situation quite well, and does what she has to do, albeit with not much enthusiasm,  to keep herself out of a non-shambling state. I really liked her for some reason.

It gets off to a very good start, with the trick or treating. The introduction of the subplots such as the part witt the vampires and Scott the were-terrier and the monstrer hunting was done well, and all of these played out very well. Apart from the main murder mystery. Very interesting, but at the very end, confusing and anticlimactic.

The art is consistent, and I love the fact that the entire book is in full colour. It really does add something to enjoying the book. I don’t really understand why we oiccationally see just half of Gwen’s face rotting. I get that it is meant to show her as she could be, but when we do see her like that, it seems to be totally random.

Overall: Strength 3 tea to a new take on an old concept, with a whole cast of paranormally inclined characters that you will definitely like.  

Links: | Goodreads | Authorwebsite | 

Book Review- Soulless Vol.1 by Gail Carriger and Rem

Title: Soulless vol 1

 Author: Gail Carriger and Rem

Series:  Soulless Graphic Novel #1

Published:  March 1 2012 by Orbit/Yen Press

Length:  244 pages

Warnings: Nudity (a fair bit of it), highly suggestive situations, violence 15+

Source: Bought

Other info: This is an adaptation of the first book in the Parasol Protectorate

Summary : The life of a spinster in Victorian London isn’t an easy one on the best of days, but such a life becomes infinitely more complicated when said spinster is Soulless-a preternatural bridging the gap between the natural and supernatural worlds. Miss Alexia Tarabotti has this unique distinction, and when she is assailed at a formal gathering by a rove vampire, an encounter that results in the death of the half-starved creature, her circumstances become exponentially more complicated indeed. Now caught up in an intrigue with life or death stakes, Alexia must rely on all her talents to outmatch the forces conspiring against her. But it may be the man who has caught her eye, Lord Conall Maccon, and their budding flirtation that truly drives her to her wit’s end.

Review: If you’ve read the novels (which are amazing-go read!), you’ll know the plot to this already-it’s the events of book one, Soulless, with the more...adult...scenes cut out. For those of you who haven’t read it, Alexia Tarabotti is a (relatively-late twenties/early thirties, can’t remember, both of which by Victorian standards, consigns you to a single life)  older unmarried woman whose father is Italian and dead, and she doesn’t have a soul. The last thing doesn’t really hinder her in Victorian society-for the most part, anyway. It does lead to problems in other areas. After accidentally killing a vampire (and some treacle tart), the people who come to clear it up are Conall Maccon and Proffessor Randolph Lyall-the Alpha and Beta of the local werewolf pack. From there, with werewolves appearing and disappearing, Conall flirting (quite badly by human standards) with her, and a lot of other things happening, Alexia’s problems are quite bad compared to the loss of treacle tart. That is saying something.

Ever since I heard there’d be a graphic novel adaptation, I knew I’d want to read it (I even had a go at designing my own cover. It went in the bin). And knowing I liked Rem’s art style (from reading Vampire Kisses) and the first three in the Parasol Protectorate series, I was sure it’d be good.

Compared to the novel, it is lacking a little bit. Although being quite true, there were some things I’d have liked to see more of. Floote, the butler, Ivy’s hats and quite a few more things didn’t get the emphasis that they deserved. It also felt as if it was trying to cram everything in to the five or six chapters that graphic novels tend to have.

On its own though...great. It covered all the major plot points, and made a good read with a mix of romance and action in alternating parts.

The characters didn’t have too much of a backstory that’s explored in this, but we do get a little bit of an idea of the history between Conall and  Alexia through subtly exchanged words.

The defining feature to this, for me, was the art (I already knew the characters and plot quite well). It’s a rounded flowing style, and consistent throughout. Alexia and Conall were drawn the way I’d imagined them, and Akeldama was a little more...eccentric in the way he was than I thought he’d be. Shame you never saw him in colour. If the next volumes follow the format of opening pages in colour, and the series stays till volume four, I can’t wait.  I will be forever thankful to this for changing my image of Lyall, my favourite character, from that of my biology teacher with different hair to one of the cutest, most huggable guys ever.

I think my favourite thing about the art was Rem’s attempt to cover up Conall’s private parts at the end of the book. Something that my mind didn’t try to do when reading the novel.

Overall:  Strength 5 tea – slightly lacking compared to the novel, but amazing in its own right.

Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Gail’s website | 

Book Review- Anya's Ghost by Vera Brogsol

Title: Anya’s Ghost

 Author: Vera Brogsol

Series:  N/A

Published:  27 June 2011 by First Second

Length: 221 pages

Warnings: N/A 12+

Source: Library

Other info: This is Vera’s debut, but she’s worked on other things.

Summary : Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part... Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.
Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs.Or so she thinks.
Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere, Anya’s Ghost is a wonderfully entertaining debut from author/artist Vera Brosgol.

Review: After a really normal school day, Anya's heading home. But, due to being lost in her own world, she falls into a well. And makes a friend. You can call her a friend, can't you, if she's been dead for ninety years? Due to a little technicality, ghost Emily can follow Anya around as long as Anya is carrying Emily's fingerbone. It seems like a great friendship-keeping Anya from being lonely after failing to fit in for being one of two Russians in the school, and the other one being a complete geek; and a nice change of scenery for Emily. But the when the whole best friends forever thing starts to be taken literally, Anya starts realising maybe it's not the best idea after all...

And another one of those books I don't realise is a graphic novel, not a wordy novel. Will I pay attention to the captions on goodreads? No. I'll carry on with the suprises. Oh well.

I love the idea. It's not often I read books centred totally around friendship, even if it is a paranormal friendship. That's actually a genre I'd be interested in reading a lot of. Romance has been done to death, so maybe...Vera's on to something!

The drawings were extremely cute. The style is consistant, making use of block shades of purply-grey colour, depending on your lighting.

Anya is the typical outsider girl; jealous of the popular one, a semi-friend (best way of describing Siobhan) and gets lost in her own world. She's so happy that she's found a friend in Emily that she does everything that Emily tells her, even if it's not quite what Anya had in mind.

Emily undergoes a lot of development, something I don't normally see in ghosts. Or maybe it's just showing what she's really like. Either way, she undergoes a drastic transformation from dandelion to...something else.

There was a nice range of supporting characters that turned out to be deeper than we think when we meet them properly, for example Dima and Elizabeth. Dima grew on me after a bit, and I think Elizabeth could have done if we knew more about her.

The unfolding of events was clear and logical, but throughout I just wanted to keep reading on. Many questions are answered in the final quarter, such as how Emily ended up dying in that hole, and we also get some unexpected history.

I honestly think that some day, paranormal friendship WILL be a big genre in YA lit. We've seen vampires, werewolves, ghosts and the like and we know that people love falling in love with them. But, as friends, paranormal creatures aren't really cared for, unless main character is romantically involved with another of that type. Hopefully one day, there'll be more books giving us the supernatural element, but with little romance, and with said romance being human on human. More on that another day.

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to a spooky fun little read that makes a refreshing change. I'd love to read more by Vera.

Links: | Goodreads | Author website | 

Book Review-Death, At Death's Door by Jill Thomspon

Title: Death-At Death’s Door

 Author: Jill Thompson. Characters created by Neil Gaiman

Series:  Sandman-Death

Published:   July 1st 2003 by Vertigo

Length: 192 pages

Warnings: Fantasy violence, nudity,

Source: Bought second hand

Summary : A member of the Endless, a family of beings who have existed longer than the gods, Death enjoys manifesting herself in the persona of a young Gothic girl. Along with her siblings, she interacts and influences the lives of humans on a daily basis. In this manga-style adventure, Death's little sisters, Delirium and Despair, have thrown a party at her apartment for hell's escapees. But as the festivities get out of control, it falls on Death's black-clad shoulders to regain order and save the afterlife. Printed in black, white, and gray tones, this trade paperback weaves an eccentric tale of danger, romance, humor, and fun

Review:  This is a book vaguely tied into Neil Gaiman's Sandman series, with a different spin on it. It focuses on Death rather than Dream, and has a completely separate storyline. Lucifer abdicates and gives the key to Hell to Dream who doesn't particularly want it. And while Dream hears from rulers of other Underworlds as to why they should claim Hell and its inhabitants, said inhabitants leave. And end up in Death's apartment and at some point start having a party. The story is generally Death, with sisters Despair and Delirium, trying to work out how to send the  partyers back to Hell where they should be, and how she can save her carpet.

I read the Sandman series some time ago and didn't really get what the plot was(don't shoot me. I only read Preludes and Nocturnes and I don't get what happened. I'll review it another day...). However I read this and really enjoyed it.

It's a much lighter and easier to read take on the Endless. As well as Death, we also see a lot of Despair, Delirium and a bit of Desire(who looks too much like a feminine Elvis for me). It's a nice way of getting to know them.

The concept and plot was good. Any party that is literally from Hell is, by me, worth checking out. And it was done very well.

The sub plot of Dream and his old lover was interesting, another facet to the Sandman we didn't see in the first book. 

I like the way the mythologies were woven together-Lucifer having his domain, and then rulers of other underworlds having theirs, and when Lucifer leaves said other rulers can come and ask for the key. Sorry if this is hard to understand, but it was hard to explain. You'll have to read the book to understand what I mean.

The art was good. As I said, Desire looks too much like a feminine Elvis for me to like him, but the other character designs were good. I like the way Thompson put her own spin on the appearances of the characters while still keeping their distinguishing features, such as Death's ankh and eyeliner.

Overall:  Strength 4 tea to something for fans of the Sandman comics and  anyone looking for a quick fun read.

Links: Amazon | Goodreads | Jill Thompson website | Neil Gaiman website

Book Review: Vampire Kisses, Blood Relatives vol 1 by Ellen Schreiber and Rem

Title: Vampire Kisses- Blood Relatives 1

Author: Ellen Schrieber. Art by Rem

Series:  Vampire Kisses Blood Relatives #1

Published:  1^st October 2007 by Tokyopop

Length: 128 pages

Warnings: vampires, slight kissing

Other info: This is based on the Vampire Kisses series written by Ellen Schreiber, who has also written the Full Moon series. Rem has illustrated things, most recently the manga version of Gail Carriger's Soulless. 

Summary :The absolute last thing goth-girl Raven and her vampire boyfriend, Alexander, need is another hitch in their nighttime-only romance—but dark trouble hovers on the horizon when Raven and Alexander discover four freshly dug graves filled with empty coffins. When a crew of sketchy vampires takes up residence in Dullsville's lonely graveyard, Alexander finds this motley bunch led by his very own blood-sucking cousin, Claude Sterling. Shocking! Claude and his creepy crew can only spell out more problems for the pair, especially when Raven finds them in daylight in the very last place she could ever imagine. What could Claude and his invaders be doing—or searching for—in Dullsville?

Review:This is a spinoff to the fairly popular series Vampire Kisses, which features goth girl Raven and her vampire boyfriend Alexander. However it’s not a adaption of the novels, as Blood Relatives has a new storyline-Alexander’s cousin Claude has turned up in Dullsville (where they live) and has started looking for something. Exactly why is not known. However, judging by Alexander’s determination to stop him, the reason can’t be good.

The storyline’s ok. It’s not outstandingly good, or outstandingly bad. Same goes for the action that happens, because not that much happens. This is probably because it’s the first volume and therefore only really character introductions and scene setting and all that ever happens in manga volume 1. It may also be because of the length. You can’t fully have a story set up in 128 pages. Especially in manga, where it’s mainly pictures with a little text to explain it all. It doesn’t give quite enough room to pad everything out. And even if it does, it’s read and over far too quickly. There’s physically not enough in this book.

The characters are good. Raven can get on your nerves slightly, as can Alexander. But most people can after constant exposure. I.e. The first chapter features no-one but Raven and Alexander, except for a few panels at the end.

I like Rem’s art. Its in her own style, and the clothes are well designed. The character designs are also amazing- they’re exactly how I envisioned Raven and Alexander when I read the novels. Six of them I read, and there’s a few more I need to read. The clothes are also extremely detailed and pretty-I loved Raven’s wardrobe

I like the fact that the novels aren’t essential reading to enjoy this. There’s a double page spread introducing the characters we’d know from the novels, and the manga-only characters get introduced when they appear. Of course, reading the novels are a good way of adding a bit more character, but you could, I think, very easily read the manga without the novels. I say I think because I read the novels before I knew the manga existed. Oh well.

Overall:  Strength 3 tea to a quick light read that needs more to it than the 128 pages there is.

Links:  | Goodreads | Author website | 

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where we spotlight books that we want, but aren't out yet.

Title: Vampire Academy Graphic Novel
Author: Richelle Mead & Emma Vieceli
Release Date: 23 August 2011
Goodreads: After two years on the run, best friends Rose and Lissa are caught and returned to St. Vladimir's Academy, a private high school for vampires and half-bloods. It's filled with intrigue, danger - and even romance. Enter their dark, fascinating world through a new series of 144-page full-color graphic novels. The entire first Vampire Academy novel has been adapted for book one by Leigh Dragoon and overseen by Richelle Mead, while the beautiful art of acclaimed British illustrator Emma Vieceli brings the story to life.
Why I want it: Admits: I never liked the Vampire Academy series. I gave up after book 1. but I read Vieceli's manga Hamlet, and really liked her art style. I look her up on DeviantArt, find cover art for this, feel I may as well give it a try.
Website: Richelle Mead | Emma Vieceli

What are other people waiting on this week?