#Sheets #NetGalley Brenna Thummler

Title: Sheets
Author: Brenna Thummler
Publisher: Lion Forge
Publish Day: August 28, 2018
Rating: 4/5


Summary:
Marjorie Glatt feels like a ghost. A practical thirteen year old in charge of the family laundry business, her daily routine features unforgiving customers, unbearable P.E. classes, and the fastidious Mr. Saubertuck who is committed to destroying everything she’s worked for.

Wendell is a ghost. A boy who lost his life much too young, his daily routine features ineffective death therapy, a sheet-dependent identity, and a dangerous need to seek purpose in the forbidden human world.

When their worlds collide, Marjorie is confronted by unexplainable disasters as Wendell transforms Glatt’s Laundry into his midnight playground, appearing as a mere sheet during the day. While Wendell attempts to create a new afterlife for himself, he unknowingly sabotages the life that Marjorie is struggling to maintain.

Sheets illustrates the determination of a young girl to fight, even when all parts of her world seem to be conspiring against her. It proves that second chances are possible whether life feels over or life is over. But above all, it is a story of the forgiveness and unlikely friendship that can only transpire inside a haunted laundromat.


Review:

This starts off slow and isn't cheery. The artwork for this matches perfectly with the story. Villain has the personality that everyone should be trying to punch in face but aren't. Love that the teacher who has her back is her swim coach. Very realistic customer interaction but feels harsh for her age inside a family business. But people in general are assholes.

This story deals with depression and death. It shows different reactions to death and the experiences that it causes. From the villain to Wendell the ghost. Overall it's a good read and would recommend reading. I downloaded this through Netgalley, I'm fairly certain auto-approved or it is one of those that permits people to download without having to wait for acceptance.

Comes out at the end of August. Definitely a teen read whether younger or older teenager.

#MangaClassics: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (Author),  Manga Classic Edition by: Stacy King (Editor), Crystal Chan (Editor), Nokman Poon (Artist) 

Downloaded from: Netgalley  Published: It's been out since 2015

Rating: 5/5


Description: 
Experience CLASSIC tales in MANGA format!

Considered to be Charles Dickens finest novel, Great Expectations has it all: romance, mystery, comedy and unforgettable characters woven through a gripping rags-to-riches tale.

In the telling of Pip's story, Dickens traces a naïve boy's path from a hardscrabble rural life to the teeming streets of 19th-century London, unfolding a gripping tale of crime and guilt, revenge and reward, and love and loss. Its compelling characters include Magwitch, the fearful and fearsome convict; beautifully cold Estella, whose allure is excelled only by her haughtiness; and the embittered Miss Havisham, an eccentric jilted bride and the rest of Dickens’s fantastic cast are perfectly envisioned in this brilliant adaptation featuring the beautiful artwork by Nokman Poon.

Review: I've already read Great Expectations. The 5/5 is due to my enjoyment of this story. This is nicely stitched together and fits perfectly with the original story. The emotions in this is well written, illustrated that you can feel them.

Recommend? Yes, definitely. Great fit for kids who may struggle with the classics. They can be intimidating for readers. But this expresses and shows the story in a way that is easier for them. Love everything that makes classics attainable. 

The Stereotypical Freaks by Howard Shapiro

Title: The Stereotypical Freaks
Author: Howard Shapiro
From: Netgalley / Animal Media Group
Published: Nov. 4, 2012
Rating: 3.5/5

Description:

Four disparate high school seniors come together to compete in their school's battle of the bands. Sharing a love for playing rock and roll, the members name the band "The Stereotypical Freaks" because they feel stereotyped by their classmates - smart kid, geek, star athlete and quiet weirdo… when in fact they know they are much more than those labels that have been placed on them. When one member reveals life altering news, winning the competition takes on more of a meaning to each member. Scared and angry, upset and yet still with a lot of resolve they set out to win one for the good guys… will they?

Thoughts:

Great for kids who love to read comic books but maybe gobbled up too much superhero stuff. Or, a way to get kids to read when they would rather not. They create a band to participate in battle of bands. The main character has a crush on a girl he views is unattainable. 

He rejoins with his old best friend from elementary school and the school's exchange student. Together they bond over creating music. It's light, relatable and kids will or probably have enjoyed it.

It's available for purchase :)

Recommend? Yep

#PlutoIsPeeved! #NetGalley

Title: Pluto is Peeved!
Author: Jacqueline Jules
Illustrator: Dave Roman
Publish date:  June 5, 2018! -- soon!
Rating: 5/5

Description:


Pluto is peeved. And who can blame him? He was once considered one of the Solar System’s nine planets but was unceremoniously demoted. “Why do scientists think it is all right to change things?” Is just one question Pluto asks as he roams the science museum in search of answers.
Pluto Is Peeved!, a comic-book-style picture book, takes you on a scientific journey side-by-side with Pluto, who speaks with other museum inhabitants -- such as a dinosaur, a germ, and the Earth -- and learns what exactly scientists are interested in. The answer is: everything, including him!

Review: It's cute and informative. I see it as something that can clarify things for students. Many kids that I've encountered think Pluto doesn't exist anymore. Silly, but feel this would help fix that. Though it makes me wonder if there are any adults who think Pluto no longer exists?

Recommend: Yes, great read funny in parts. Illustrations are adorable.

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#Netgalley: All The Answers by Michael Kupperman

Title: All The Answers
Author:  Michael Kupperman
Publisher: Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books
Release day: May 15, 2018 - tomorrow!
Rating: 4/5

Summary: In this moving graphic memoir, Eisner Award-winning writer and artist Michael Kupperman traces the life of his reclusive father—the once-world-famous Joel Kupperman, Quiz Kid. That his father is slipping into dementia—seems to embrace it, really—means that the past he would never talk about might be erased forever.
Joel Kupperman became one of the most famous children in America during World War II as one of the young geniuses on the series Quiz Kids. With the uncanny ability to perform complex math problems in his head, Joel endeared himself to audiences across the country and became a national obsession. Following a childhood spent in the public eye, only to then fall victim to the same public’s derision, Joel deliberately spent the remainder of his life removed from the world at large.
With wit and heart, Michael Kupperman presents a fascinating account of mid-century radio and early television history, the pro-Jewish propaganda entertainment used to counteract anti-Semitism, and the early age of modern celebrity culture.
All the Answers is both a powerful father-son story and an engaging portrayal of what identity came to mean at this turning point in American history, and shows how the biggest stages in the world can overcome even the greatest of players.

Review:

It feels weird reviewing someone's experience with their father.

Art/Comic : 

I've never experience Michael Kupperman's art style so it was weird. But it was easy to adjust to after a few pages. It was no longer something foreign but it grows on you.

Quiz Kid:

I never heard of this show before this book. It talks about his fathers experiences in this and things surrounding the show. How it was used as propaganda for the war efforts at the time. About how his dad continued on the show and overstayed his welcome.

His dad felt he needed to be there because that's what the people running the show & his mom acted like. The over staying his welcome caused trauma-- people hated him and attacked him when he went to university.

"Maybe people needed to see and hear Jews, to know that they were actual human beings."

Family Disconnect:

This is about a son who is trying to understand and connect with his father. His father was disconnected from him and life too busy blocking out his past.

While this is discussing his father and his past with a game show. The conversation of having a disconnect and lack of connection inside his family.... hit way too close to home for me.

The need to understand the past to understand the future is the big takeaway from this memoir -- or at least for me it is.

From Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


Recommend?: Yes.

Big Mushy Happy Lump Sarah Andersen

Title:  Big Mushy Happy Lump Author: Sarah Andersen Published: March 7, 2017

This is book #2

Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Sarah Andersen's second comics collection picks up right where the first left off - huddled under a pile of blankets avoiding the responsibilities of the real world. These new comics (and illustrated personal essays!) follow the ups and downs of the unrelenting self-esteem roller coaster that is young adult life: budgeting woes, cramps, the nuances of sweater theft, and the joy of staying home all day with a box of pizza. All aboard.

Review:

Relatable comics, funny  and easy to enjoy. Ends with conversation alongside her comics about personality traits - overthinking, worry, dread , especially, of social gatherings. Toward the end have a conversation about overthinking, cats, and stealing sweaters which I found adorable.

Some of my faves:

Recommend?

 Yes. Completely. Always.

A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni & Tristan Jimerson

Downloaded through Netgalley to read for an honest review.

Book: A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns

Authors: Archie Bongiovanni & Tristan Jimerson

Publishers: Oni Press

Release Date: June 12, 2018!

Summary: A graphic novel guide to They/Them pronouns. We're introduced to pronouns with the help of Archie and Tristan who are 'talking' throughout the comic.

About the Authors: Archie, a snarky genderqueer artist, is tired of people not understanding gender neutral pronouns. Tristan, a cisgender dude, is looking for an easy way to introduce gender neutral pronouns to his increasingly diverse workplace. The longtime best friends team up in this short and fun comic guide that explains what pronouns are, why they matter, and how to use them. They also include what to do if you make a mistake, and some tips-and-tricks for those who identify outside of the binary to keep themselves safe in this binary-centric world. A quick and easy resource for people who use they/them pronouns, and people who want to learn more! (from the netgalley page about this book!)

My Review:

I was excited to see a quick guide to pronouns on Netgalley. I'm weird. This is a very soft and easy to swallow guide for those who are adjusting to the "new world of pronouns" or aren't fully on board with using different pronouns than what they're used to.

This is set up to be informative, with a few what I'd consider "dad jokes" peppered in to keep it from getting too serious. It's set up to be very casual conservation on a serious matter and I like how it is presented.

My favorite is page sixteen YOLO "Your Original Language Operates within an ever-changing Nexus of communication"  or, Language is always changing.  That's why we don't say forsooth anymore and why we call dogs doggos. This is something outside of the community that I tend to calmly rage about (That's not a real word!!!! English isn't dead dumbass!!!..anyway).

Great reminder of why it's important to not misgender on purpose. It goes into casual settings and what to do in the workplace. I really kinda wished they would have slightly noted that not every workplace protects this. You can still get fired for being part of the LGBT+ community where I live. Unless they're wanting the fear of being fired or this is addressing specifically where the authors possibly live. I'm not sure. But not everyone has a safety net in the LGBT+ community.



Recommendation: Yes. Even for those who are a bit more familiar with pronoun uses and their importance.

The note isn't necessary anymore. I've updated my blog tabs.

 

Adulthood is a myth - #SarahAndersen

Title: Adulthood is a Myth   Author:  Sarah Andersen  Published: March 8. 2016

Summary:

This book is for the rest of us. These comics document the wasting of entire beautiful weekends on the internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, dreaming all day of getting home and back into pajamas, and wondering when, exactly, this adulthood thing begins. In other words, the horrors and awkwardnesses of young modern life.

Review:

One of my favorite "relatable" comics which I probably already said in the previous review of her books. But it's true, so, whatever. This one had a few I hadn't seen before so that was nice. But still enjoyed re-reading the ones I was familiar with. I read them repeatedly on Facebook,anyway. 

For me, these books are good distraction, simple, happy pills in book form.

Some of my favorites:

Recommend?

Yes. A Lot. 100%. Fully. Completely. Yes.

#HerdingCats by Sarah Andersen

If you're not aware of her - here's her Facebook page

If you don't do Facebook anymore there here, too.

Her website

This is part of a series and you can probably read them out of order. I say 'probably' because that's what I'm doing.

I discovered that Hoopla had them. I've been accessing some comics through Hoopla but there's a four book only a month thing with it. So, that's annoying.

Title: Herding Cats
Author: Sarah Andersen
Published: March 27, 2018
Rating: 5/5

Summary: Collection of her comics. Goodreads summary goes: Sarah's Scribbles is the comic strip that follows her life, finding humor in living as an adulting introvert that is at times weird, awkward, and embarrassing.

Review: 

If you read everything she submits to the internet this is familiar material. But in a collection that I will definitely be buying. She talks about the fear of posting your original material on the internet because of hate/trolls toward the end.

Loved everything about what she wrote and the comics (duh).


Recommend: Yes, everything for the most part is relatable and enjoyable.


Have you read her stuff before?

Wrapped Up Vol. 1 by Dave Scheidt

Score: 4/5

First sentence: Hey!

There is a free comic listed on Amazon  just to give it a taste test.

It's a collection of comics about this zombie kid named Milo and the weird things that happen to him.

Good:

Artwork and easy to read fonts. It consists of spontaneity that upper elementary/middle school kids will like. A neighbor who does not have boundaries and breaks your house and makes life miserable but also goes with you to fix things. Small amount of bathroom humor.

Diversity in the side characters in some of the comics. It's fun, interesting and definitely would be liked by kids who like random, odd, and some small gross moments in this.

Bad:

Whacky neighbor who bothers the family. Destroys their house with a Gorilla busts through window for pizza. Kid steals Dad's card and goes to town eating pizza without permission. Bathroom humor.

Recommend?

Yes.

#RomeoAndJulietMangaclassics Review

Title: Romeo & Juliet
Author: William Shakespeare, Crystal S. Chan, Julien Choy
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Release Day: May 15, 2018!
Downloaded from: Netgalley

Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: Romeo and Juliet is the classic tragedy of western literature. Created by William Shakespeare, it is tale of two very young lovers from Verona, Italy who defy the wishes of their feuding families, get married then, and tragically, end their own lives in the name of love. It is their deaths that ultimately help the rival families of the Capulet's and Montague's find reconciliation. Manga Classics brings an incredible new reading experience with this adaptation of Shakespeare's most popular and frequently performed plays: Romeo and Juliet.



My Review:

What I like about this manga adaptation is the way the characters are drawn. The characters in this compared to the other manga's I've read from them feel more from Manga's. The gestures and the characters act and behave feel in the same as other Manga's I've read in the past. I am probably not explaining it correctly but the style of the characters feel familiar. In a good way.

Especially, when they're bickering at the beginning about biting thumbs at one another. There is a lot of drawn expression and action through this ---  I mean it does end up stirring into a fight so I mean.


Recommend?

If you enjoy classics, graphic novels then yes. I absolutely love these.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do... But You Could've Done Better by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell

Title: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.. But You Could've Done Better
Author: Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell
Publisher: Animal Media Group
Release Day: January 10, 2017 -- can buy now :)
Page Count: 150
Downloaded from: Netgalley free in exchange of review
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: It's a small book of anonymous break up stories that range from elementary to college relationships. Stories have a small goofy comic that corresponds with the story.

My review: I needed something light and kind of silly this fit the bill. Some of the stories weren't hilarious but definitely, "You could've done better" situations as the title states.

You can buy this as a paperback from Amazon for I think it was nine something dollars.

Recommend?: Yeah, if you find humor in bad situations or want to give someone a post-break up gift.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, SunNeko Lee, Crystal S Chan, Stacy King Review

Book Info

Title: Les Miserables
Author: Victor Hugo, SunNeko Lee, Crystal S Chan, Stacy King
Publisher: UDON Entertainment
Release day: September 17, 2014!
Downloaded through: Netgalley free in exchange for honest reviews
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: 

From Netgalley page:Victor Hugo’s classic novel of love & tragedy during the French Revolution is reborn in this fantastic new manga adaptation by Crystal S. Chan! In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives forever. “Les Miz” has been adapted for stage and screen, and loved around the world by millions of readers. The gorgeous art of SunNeko Lee brings to life the tragic stories of Jean Valjean, Inspector Javert, and the beautiful Fantine, in this epic Manga Classics production of Les Miserables!

My Review

I enjoyed this. Very intense. A bit frustrating due to Javert & the Inn couple because they had no issue with being a Lego in the walk way. I've never read the original and haven't watched the films. So, I can't compare this adaptation to the original or the movie other than this condenses the original story. 

Recommend?

 If you like classics, have or haven't read the original work or just interested in manga's...then yes.. I recommend.

The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe Manga Classics

Downloaded through Netgalley to read for an honest review.

Manga Classics - The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe - Udon Entertainment




 Score:  3/5  ( of general Edgar Allan Poe)

Comic Itself: 4/5

Written as a comic:4/5

The comics themselves are written and drawn nicely. I had hoped comic form would help enjoy Edgar Allan Poe's stories but even them couldn't help.

The Scarlet Letter Manga Classics by Nathaniel Hawthorne, SunNeko Lee, Crystal S Chan, Stacy King

Downloaded through Netgalley for honest review

 This book was published in 1850 so ...spoilers? This has been out for a few years ready for purchase. 

Score: 4/5

First Sentence: Ah... Good morning

Yeah not the best first sentence but you know.


I found this more enjoyable than the actual book. I still did not like the minister but pretty illustrations wouldn't have changed that fact.

The way her husband is drawn throughout this manga is super fun:

Good:

They take a stuffy story and made in interesting to get through. In this way it allows students to become more acquainted with older "classics" that they may not have had any interest in before.

These may convince the rigid teacher who doesn't believe comics are reading material...to have them in their classroom. It's still reading and you're giving access to something that the kids may not have had access to. Either because of reading level or scared because the book is "old". 

It doesn't take the messages away about guilt, sin, etc so the students wouldn't be missing that aspect of it.

Recommend: 

Yes, I definitely recommend this along with the other classic manga's.But I've only read two of them and it was novels I already read. Next ones Edgar Allen Poe and Les Misérables. I am hoping the Edgar Allan Poe the illustrations help me get through it. As much as I enjoy reading older books I don't much like his stuff.

Jane Eyre Manga Classics by Emily Bronte Classic Manga

Downloaded through Netgalley for honest review

 Spoilers..but this book has been out for almost two hundred years so I mean...

Score: 5/5


This has been out since 2016. You can buy it as an ebook or a hard copy. Currently it's $3.40 to buy through Kindle. Which is worthwhile to check out to see if you want to try any of the other manga's as they're a bit pricey. Cheap price to dip your toes in to test the water.

I forgot how bizarre this book is.It was published in 1847 and since it's creation has had a lot of adaptations.

From silent films to manga's. Even made into a Dr Who episode with Clara and the twelfth doctor.

This follows the story from her childhood with her terrible relatives.

Her time at the school and becoming a governess to falling in love with Mr. Rochester.

His "shameful" marriage and her running away and discovering she does indeed have family. To her cousin wanting to marry her.  I still find her cousin creepy and unnecessary even Jane knows he's being too much.

Cover on Amazon of Ebook

This is a lovely addition to the Jane Eyre collection.  At the end you're treated with Sunneko Lee drawing form with cats asking about your thoughts on the manga. Further on details about their process in creating Jane Eyre as a Manga and background information about Charlotte Bronte.

There will be more Classic Manga's written about here. I absolutely enjoyed my time with this and can't wait to dive into another!

By Original uploader was Chick Bowen at en.wikipedia; Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855) - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.; University of Leeds Library, Public Domain, Link
By F. H. Townsend, 1868-1920 - http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1260/1260-h/images/, Public Domain, Link
By Select Pictures Corporation - Photoplay, April 1918 (page 73), Public Domain, Link

Black Comix Returns by John Jennings, Damian Duffy

Downloaded through Netgalley to read for an honest review.

This is a continuation of this:

 

The first one isn't in print anymore and it's fairly expensive to buy on Amazon. But the new one is 22.55 on Amazon.



Summary:
  
This is a continuation of their Black Comix: African American Independent Comics. They had no plans of coming back and doing this but did so anyway. A large chunk of years but it is back. This is a new collection of art and essays that celebrate African American Indie Comics.


Highlights Black artists in the comic book world.

"Before I had even learned to read, it was the art in comic books that captured my attention when I was a child. I couldn't read the words in comics, but I read the pictures..." David Walker, Introduction.

This is fantastic, enjoyable and great for anyone who wants to learn more or find new comic authors/artists to get into. This is great celebration and promotion for African American Independent Comic creators. It showcases work and gives information on the creators. A large variety of styles are inside this lovely book. 

Comes out February 20, 2018 and currently showing on Amazon at $22.55 for a hardcover copy.

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

Downloaded through Netgalley to read for an honest review.

Score: 5/5

First Sentence: WAAH... WAAHHH!

This is not the best to get a first sentence from but that's how the story begins.

Summary: Tutu is late to go somewhere. She hurries out and a storm blows her into a town. But it's not any kind of town. It's a town full of various animals. She becomes involved in various elements of politics while trying to get home.

Absolutely enjoyed reading this. 

Good:

 Comic is enjoyable to look at. The story starts in the beginning of a dream or at least looks like one of her dreams.

Story line is interesting enough to keep you going. She's a human little girl in a town full of talking animals all of which for some reason don't like humans. Instead of trying to get her home and out of their hair they send her to a temporary living arrangement and has to work in a factory.

She gains the interest of the Emperor, the Flying Bandit, a group of human children, and a Panda Bear that she works with. They all need her or believe that she will help them with something. She doesn't understand why they're bothering her and how no one's helping her get home.

Tutu sounds and acts like a child her age and in a situation that she is in. She gets snippy, lashes out, is tired and doesn't want to do anything they keep asking her to do.

The spies are adorable.

Bad:

In some places it feels as if you've skipped a page and have to flip back to double-check. It feels like you're missing something to the story but it keeps moving on.  

The townsfolk keep warning her about saying the things she keeps saying but she keeps saying things. The reason? There doesn't seem to be any actual consequence for talking against or negatively about the emperor -- or at least FOR HER -- than maybe the other residents of the town. Or is it just fear that there isn't anything else preventing them from saying things other than fear?

Does she ever eat??? I know this isn't high on a list but the bird sends her to work with a container of worms. She gives them to the Panda.

Recommend?

Yes.  It's enjoyable and a fun read. It's a children's novel and possibly more for older elementary level. For kids who may struggle with reading or following along with the plot line definitely enjoy the pictures and the story through the artwork.