Graphic Novel Spotlight: Star Wars Infinities

Star Wars Infinities by Adam Gallardo

This is a great series for anyone who has ever wondered "what if that scene had turned out differently". Each Infinities book approaches one of the original trilogy and changes a single event, one encounter that ends differently and changes the entire trajectory of the story leading to some surprising results. While the art is mediocre, the plots are fascinating. I've actually only read 3 of the 4 parts of the Return of the Jedi story but if all the rest are anything like what I've read these are well worth a look.

WWW Wednesdays

What are you currently reading?
Delicate Monsters by Stephanie Kuehn
Three teens are thrown together to stop a violent future, facing some dark secrets in the process. After been thrown out of three boarding schools, Sadie is home and facing her last chance - the local public school. There she meets back up with Emerson. Emerson isn't happy to see Sadie. While they were once friends, Emerson fears Sadie will ruin his chances with his dream girl, especially since Sadie knows things about him he'd rather forget. In the midst of it all is Emerson's brother Miles, a fragile boy with chronic health problems and a knack for seeing the future. Miles is seeing terrifying visions of violence, violence that might just involve the three of them.

Kuehn has painted a complex picture of three very damaged teens. So far, it is fascinating to see how their stories intertwine and unravel.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Never Be Younger edited by Rachel Bateman
Nine authors re-imagine works of Shakespeare, setting them in space, even a night club. The characters are historical, modern, even mutants. Some hold pretty closely to the original plays, others imagine how the story may have turned out differently. These stories may just change how you see Shakespeare.

What do you think you'll read next?
Valiant by Sarah McGuire
Pretty much, if it's a fairy tale retelling I'll read it. I'm not particularly familiar with The Brave Little Tailor, but the description of this new version sounds promising.

Book review - Because You'll Never Meet Me

Title: Because You'll Never Meet Me
Author: Leah Thomas
Genre: mild sci-fi/realistic fiction
Similar books: Noggin by John Corey Whaley
                     Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King
Rating:

pretty compelling reading

Summary: Ollie and Moritz can never meet. Ollie is something of a hermit, restricted to a rustic cabin in the woods due to a severe electricity allergy. Moritz is kept alive by a pacemaker. A meeting would prove deadly for both of them. Through a series of poignant letters, Ollie and Moritz work through intense loneliness, bullying, and a dark past that connects them. 

My opinion: What stands out most for me about this book is the narrative structure. At first, it just seems like two boys writing letters. Ollie's are exuberant, filled with sidebars, enthusiastic description, and unfettered positivity. Moritz's are sparse, precise, almost dour. As we read, we realize not only do their letter styles reflect their personalities, they change. Ollie's letters lose their enthusiasm and length so gradually that we don't notice it until they nearly match the tone of Moritz's first letter. Meanwhile, Moritz's letters slowly gain enthusiasm, positivity, and detail. This juxtaposition is masterful and a delight to read. Even the names they call each other and their salutations reflect their changing mindsets. The odd nature of the plot will not appeal to all readers but if you're willing to go in with an open mind you'll find this novel well worth the effort.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

It's time for Doctor Who!

This clock remake was inspired by a photo I'd seen online. If you Google "Doctor Who clock" you'll see a dozen different varieties. With 12 doctors now these characters are perfectly suited to replacing the numbers on a clock. I'd considered printing out some pictures and gluing them to the clock face. In the end, though, I settled on painting some cartoon versions of the different doctors.

Book review - The Devil You Know

Title: The Devil You Know
Author: Trish Doller
Genre: suspense
Similar books: The Third Twin by CJ Omololu
                     Escape Theory by Margaux Froley
Rating: 

I had some problems with it

Summary: Since her mother's death, Cadie has taken on a lot of responsibility. She goes to school, works in the family store, and helps raise her little brother. All of this means that she had to give up a lot: thoughts of college, her place on the soccer team, even her boyfriend. Now that she has graduated, with a lifetime of the same in her future, Cadie has had enough. She wants one night, maybe a weekend, of unbridled fun. When she meets a pair of cousins at a campground party, Matt and Noah seem to be exactly the kind of fun she's looking for. Their road trip quickly goes from fun to terrifying when Cadie realizes that one of the cousins isn't what he seems.

My opinion: The thing about thrillers and mysteries is that, by their very nature, they must be subtle. If foreshadowing or the building of a red herring is too heavy the reader will smell it coming. It takes the thrill out of reading and creates a barrier between the reader and the story. This is one large problem with this book. Another is the way Cadie is characterized. Having spent four years working and raising her little brother, Cadie is presented as a very practical, responsible young lady. Yet she not only hangs out with but leaves on a road trip with two men she's just met, at least one of whom she knows to have violent tendencies. She ignores niggling doubts, instincts that tell her something isn't right. Even a desire to cut loose for once, to be "fun", doesn't sufficiently explain such a gross lack in judgement. While the book does have some redeeming points these two problems along with overly simplified plot points made this novel more disappointing than thrilling for me.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: teams

This list is a little hard to define. I started tracking it when I was compiling a list of Percy Jackson read-alikes. There is something about books featuring groups of kids (formally organized or otherwise) working together towards a common goal where each one has skills necessary for that goal to be achieved. It can make for great reading. So here are six books published in the last six months featuring teams.

6 new team-based novels
1. The Zodiac Legacy by Stan Lee, Stuart Moore, and Andie Tong

2. Has anyone seen Jessica Jenkins by Liz Kessler

3. Sisters of Blood and Spirit by Kady Cross

4. A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin

5. Young Houdini: The Demon Curse by Simon Nicholson

6. Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs 

Clarification note: I am in no way saying that all six of these books would be suitable read alikes for Percy Jackson. They simply share a thematic element.

WWW Wednesdays

What are you currently reading?
Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu
For as long as she can remember, Rachel's been preparing to become the perfect wife and mother. She dresses modestly, cares for her younger siblings, and attends church regularly. When a former member of their congregation returns to town, it starts Rachel questioning what she's always believed, especially when things at home take a darker turn.

This is one of those books that I feel like I can't really express an opinion until I've read it in it's entirety. More than a quarter of the way through, but it could still go several different ways.

What did you recently finish reading?
Sweet by Emmy Laybourne
Laurel's on her first ever cruise, courtesy of her best friend Vivica. Of course, this isn't just any cruise - it's the Cruise to Lose, the official launch of the revolutionary new sweetener/diet supplement Solu. At first, Laurel is only concerned with a series of embarrassing encounters with former child star Tom Forelli and her serious seasickness. As the days pass, though, she begins to suspect that something is wrong with Solu.

Reminiscent of an action/mild horror movie, Sweet is pretty action-packed. The plot is solidly structured. While a little predictable, it's still pretty exciting and has some decent messages behind it.

What do you think you'll read next?
Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas
A story of two unusual boys, good friends who can never meet in person.