Comic and Graphic Novel Authors at the 2017 Miami Book Fair

10:30 AM Ally M.G. 1 Comments



Penelope Bagieu, California Dreamin': Cass Elliot Before The Mamas & the Papas

In Mike Cavallro's science fiction/fantasy, Decelerate Blue, a young woman is recruited into a resistance movement to resist a world in which speed and efficiency are everything, but can they succeed before the powers that be shut down their utopian experiment?

In Nidhi Chanani's first graphic novel, Pashmina, a girl growing up in the US wonders about her Indian heritage, until a mysterious pashmina transports her to a place more vivid and colorful than any guidebook or Bollywood film.  (children/elem)

In Kim Dwinell's graphic novel, Surfside Girls: The Secret of Danger Point, Samantha and her friend start investigating the weird stuff happening in Surfside--like ghosts, and pirates, and something even scarier!  (children/elem)

Take That, Adolf! is a compilation of more than 500 stunningly restored comics covers published during World War II featuring America’s greatest super-villain curated by film scholar Mark Fertig, who also contributes an introductory essay examining comics’ coming-of-age amidst the greatest cataclysm in modern history.

At its core, Michel Fiffe's comic, Zegas is a collection of interactions that map out orphaned siblings' most primal concerns: survival, sex, and mortality. 

In Nicole J. Georges' gorgeous graphic novel Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home she chronicles her symbiotic, codependent relationship with Beija, and probes what it means to care for and be responsible to another living thing—a living thing that occasionally lunges at toddlers.

Eric Grissom's science fiction graphic novel Gregory Suicide takes readers into a frightening future.  

Erin Hicks's Eisner Award-winning The Adventures of Superhero Girl presents the re-released, expanded version, featuring two new stories, and new art. (Expanded Edition) (children/elem)

Matt Holm, Swing It, Sunny (children/elem)

Janet Lee's Eisner-winning graphic novel, Return of the Dapper Men, blends clockwork whimsy with majestic art-nouveau visuals, into a hand-crafted fairy tale that feels both familiar and entirely new. (children/elem)

George O’Connor’s Artemis: Wild Goddess of the Hunt is a graphic novel that portrays the myth behind the Greek goddess Artemis.

In Molly Knox Ostertag’s graphic novel The Witch Boy, a boy identifies as a witch in a family where all boys become shapeshifters.

In Mimi Pond’s graphic novel The Customer is Always Wrong, a young woman’s art career begins to lift off as those around her succumb to addiction and alcoholism.

Nate Powell's Omnibox: Featuring Swallow Me Whole, Any Empire, & You Don't Say

Trina Robbins, Last Girl Standing

Jason Shiga’s graphic novel Demon 2 is the second installment in a four volume mystery adventure about the shocking chaos one highly rational and utterly sociopathic man can create in the world, given a single simple supernatural power.

In his new comic book, Terms and Conditions master satirist Robert Sikoryak tackles the iTunes contract everyone agrees to but no one reads.

Mariko Tamaki’s graphic novel for children, Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power! (Lumberjanes #1) follows a group of unusual girls who have supernatural adventures at a special summer camp. 

Tillie Walden’s graphic memoir Spinning, captures what it’s like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything you used to know.

Scott Westerfeld’s The Spill is a graphic novel that follows the aftermath of an industrial spill in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Secret Coders: Secrets & Sequences is the third book in the graphic children’s novel Secret Coders series from Gene Luen Yang; in this installment, Principal Dean demands the secret coders turn over their most powerful robot.

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Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer | Book Review

10:00 AM Ally M.G. 0 Comments
I have given this book for free for a honest review.


A kingdom burns. A princess sleeps. This is no fairy tale.
It all started with the burning of the spindles.
No.
It all started with a curse…

Half sisters Isabelle and Aurora are polar opposites: Isabelle is the king’s headstrong illegitimate daughter, whose sight was tithed by faeries; Aurora, beautiful and sheltered, was tithed her sense of touch and her voice on the same day. Despite their differences, the sisters have always been extremely close.

And then everything changes, with a single drop of Aurora’s blood—and a sleep so deep it cannot be broken.

As the faerie queen and her army of Vultures prepare to march, Isabelle must race to find a prince who can awaken her sister with the kiss of true love and seal their two kingdoms in an alliance against the queen.

Isabelle crosses land and sea; unearthly, thorny vines rise up the palace walls; and whispers of revolt travel in the ashes on the wind. The kingdom falls to ruin under layers of snow. Meanwhile, Aurora wakes up in a strange and enchanted world, where a mysterious hunter may be the secret to her escape…or the reason for her to stay.
---
This is a retelling of the classic tale of The Sleeping Beauty and like every retelling it has a twist to it. In this case there Aurora has a sister and there is more information as to why she got cursed during.

This book was interesting, I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it I was kinda in the middle. 

One of my favorite things is the Hillyer gives background story to the all fairy and the magic in the world and you understand why Malfleur is ‘evil’. There is so much world building around the fae, the folklore, and history. It was what made the book unique.

Unfortunately, this story felt like a middle grade rather than YA ( I actually had to email the book provided to double check Spindle Fire was a YA). Sometimes I felt that everything was too simply, with not enough UNF, especially the first half of the story. I felt like too many things were happening too quickly ay the beginning that I couldn’t keep up with all the events. Once the plot slowed down the story as a whole started to make more sense to me.

The main characters of the story are Aurora (duh), Isabelle (Aurora’s blind older sister), Gil (Isabelle’s childhood friend/love interest), Heath ( Aurora’s love interest ), Will (the prince of the other kingdom who is also Isabelle’s love interest). Most of these characters didn’t feel very dimensional, only Isabelle (Isbe) felt whole as a character and Will was almost there. Aurora, Heath and Gil felt hallow and kinda just there. I hope that in book two they are fleshed out more.

Throughout the story you read the point of view of multiple characters, with Aurora and Isbe being the main narrators. Isbe’s point of view was the most interesting to read because she is blind and the narrative has to be told through her thoughts and what she hears, smells and feels which is quite interesting…but sometimes I felt that Isbe could see based on the writing which felt a little weird since…she’s blind. But it also meant that Hillyer can paint a picture without usual actual visual words which is pretty big accomplishment.

Throughout the story I have a general idea what was gonna happen next and it was kinda disappointing, because nothing really caught me by surprise. Only two things caught me by surprise in the last 100 pages (which were the best section of the story).

I still have so many questions! And in desperate need for book two. I wanna know more about the two fae sister queens (who are very important to the story and folklore).

The biggest complaint about Spindle Fire is that the relationship between Aurora and Heath feel kinda forced, nothing felt natural. AND PLEASE NO LOVE TRIANGLE OMG, I can see it as a possibility but I don’t want it to happen. 

Overall Spindle Fire is quite an enjoyable book, especially if you like fairy tale re-tellings. I am quite intrigue to see where book two will take us.


My Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads: 4.3/5
Amazon: 3.36/5

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Princesses, Turtles and Birds | Watcha Reading Wednesday

10:30 AM Ally M.G. 0 Comments


Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer

I have given this book for free for a honest review. I am currently making my way through the novel, but even though it is marketed as a YA it feels a lot as a Middle Grade. I don't love but I don't hate it so far. Stay tune for my review!

 A kingdom burns. A princess sleeps. This is no fairy tale.
It all started with the burning of the spindles.
No.
It all started with a curse…

Half sisters Isabelle and Aurora are polar opposites: Isabelle is the king’s headstrong illegitimate daughter, whose sight was tithed by faeries; Aurora, beautiful and sheltered, was tithed her sense of touch and her voice on the same day. Despite their differences, the sisters have always been extremely close.

And then everything changes, with a single drop of Aurora’s blood—and a sleep so deep it cannot be broken.

As the faerie queen and her army of Vultures prepare to march, Isabelle must race to find a prince who can awaken her sister with the kiss of true love and seal their two kingdoms in an alliance against the queen.

Isabelle crosses land and sea; unearthly, thorny vines rise up the palace walls; and whispers of revolt travel in the ashes on the wind. The kingdom falls to ruin under layers of snow. Meanwhile, Aurora wakes up in a strange and enchanted world, where a mysterious hunter may be the secret to her escape…or the reason for her to stay.

Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

I finished this book and you can read my full review and thoughts about the novel right HERE.

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
   
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 


A Budgie's Life by Muffin Girl
When it comes to birds we think they are just fluttering little creatures who have no contact with humans whatsoever. But bird owners know that's not true! Like pet dogs and cats, birds have a personality of their own..
Who doesn't love a story about cute little birds?

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Turtles All The Way Down by John Green | Book Review

10:30 AM Ally M.G. 0 Comments
Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 

“Actually, the problem is that I can't lose my mind," I said. "It's inescapable.” 

I have been a nerdfighter for quite some years now, and I enjoy Hank and John’s videos and podcasts. I was a bit weary about purchasing and reading the book because unfortunately John’s books tend to have the same outline of a story.

The first John Green book I ever read was Looking For Alaska and I thought it was such an amazing book. Then I read The Fault in Our Stars…and it felt the same as Looking For Alaska. The I read Paper Towns and it still had the sameness as the other two and I couldn’t even make it past the first chapter of An Abundance of Katherines.

Turtles is different. It breaks away from John’s usual two teens falling in love but nothing is really better routine. It is more than that and it is exceptional.

This book breathed John Green, the goofy guy on the internet that is semi-open about his mental illness and makes videos with his brother. 

Turtles All The Way Down is not a love story. It’s not a mystery novel. It’s not a self discovery book. It’s a story of accepting ourselves because we are not alone even when we are trapped in our heads.

It is an ode to those with mental illnesses who are screaming inside themselves trying to be heard. Telling them that it is okay to feel that way and that you are not crazy.

Personally, I am privilege to be healthy with no physical or mental illness. I do suffer with anxiety sometimes, especially in situations that include too many people or too many things happening at once. Even with that I do not think I suffer from anxiety but from I am not a people person. So, I do not and will never truly understand what people with mental illness feel. 

What I do know is that it is different for everyone, because brains are funny that way. I think we all need to understand every individual handles illnesses differently.

In Turtles All The Way Down we follow the story of Aza, a sixteen-year-old girl who suffers with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and it pretty much controls and defines who she is and how she lives her life. Her OCD is a lot like John’s ( I know this cause he has been open about it on Dear Hank and John Podcast ), where once there is a thought in her head it consumes her like a tightening downward spiral.

Throughout the story we watch as Aza deals with regular teenage things such as school, teenage love, family and friendship but with her trying to “get better” from her OCD.  ( Get better is in quotations because it is not really true, but I explain it further I might ruin a key element of the book).

“The thing about a spiral is, if you follow it inward, it never actually ends. It just keeps tightening, infinitely.” 

John is a fantastic writer, he knows how to write and how to give emotion to a story. It is has been his forte ever since Looking For Alaska. There is no denying that he has become a stronger writer and his books will stay relevant in the literature world for many years to come.

He knows how to tell a story even if the idea can be repetitive and the same.

“One of the challenges with pain--physical or psychic--is that we can really only approach it through metaphor. It can't be represented the way table or a body can. In some ways, pain is the opposite of language.”

What made this story realistic is that Aza was not magically fixed by a boy, or a friend or by herself. She continued on living with her OCD, aware of what it can do, but also aware that she will have her good days and her bad days. All she could do is keep going because it was not something that ever goes away and she understood that at the end. 

I do feel that the ending of the story felt quite abrupt, and frankly I was caught off guard at the sudden ending even though it felt right. It was honesty quite odd.

“The problem with happy endings is that they're either not really happy, or not really endings, you know? In real life, some things get better and some things get worse. And then eventually you die.” 

Rating: 4.5/5
Goodreads: 4.38/5

Amazon: 4.6/5

“You're both the fire and the water that extinguishes it. You're the narrator, the protagonist, and the sidekick. You're the storyteller and the story told. You are somebody's something, but you are also your you.” 

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New York City Adventure! | Part One

10:30 AM Ally M.G. 0 Comments


I went to New York City for the first time, and I finally got around to editing some of the footage. Watch out for Part Two...coming soon...(eventually)


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Demons and Thoughts | Watcha Reading Wednesday

9:09 AM Ally M.G. 0 Comments



Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

 I am currently reading John Green's new book, but with caution because his previous books feel like a copy and paste of the previous. This one sounds promising, so we will see.

 Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
   
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 
The Dreadful Tales of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken

This book is a book everyone should read, even though it is considered a middle grade. We follow the story of Prosper who lives with a family full of lucky folk, except he isn't lucky...at all. He actually has a demon residing in him who is slowly taking control of his body.

 Prosper, along side with his cousin have to figure out how to expel the demon before it's too late...but there is more to this demon that meets the eye. 

 I need book two like yesterday. 
Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history-that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper's great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made-and then broke-a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, eight-hundred-year-old Alastor isn't exactly the forgiving type.

The fiend has reawakened with one purpose--to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him. With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts to trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his afterlife without a side of eternal servitude, thanks. But with the help of his long-lost uncle, Barnabas, and his daughter, Nell, a witch-in-training, it seems like Prosper has at least a fighting chance of ridding himself of Alastor before the demon escapes and wreaks havoc on his family.

Little does Prosper know, the malefactor's control over his body grows stronger with each passing night and there's a lot Alastor isn't telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host


Siren's Lament by instantmiso
Content with her ordinary life, Lyra is somewhat of a wallflower. However, her comfortable lifestyle suddenly goes astray when she accidentally plunges into the world of sirens. Entangled in a curse, Lyra will learn that her world may be a lot bigger than she had ever imagined.
Love. Mermaids. Magical mystery.

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