Book Blogger Hop #13: December 30th - January 5th

Hello everyone! I'm participating in another book meme called the Book Blogger Hop which is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer!  Basically, you just answer weekly questions and then post up your link on the question's page.

This week's question is : 

This week's question is submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer!

Your New Year's Resolution is to read a classic novel that you have never read before. What book will it be?

I've never read Dracula before (yes, I know, I should had), so I'll make it my New Year's goal to read "Dracula!"

[ARC REVIEW] Generation Zero: We Are the Future Volume 1 by Fred Van Lente

Title:  Generation Zero:  We Are the Future Volume 1


Author:  Fred Van Lente


Artist:  Francis Portela

Genre:  Science Fiction / Action / School / Drama

Year Published:  2016

Year Read: 12/29/2016

Series:   Generation Zero #1

Publisher:  Valiant Entertainment LLC.


Source: eARC (NetGalley)


Content Rating:  Ages 15+ (Some Suggestive Content)

I would like to thank NetGalley and Valiant Entertainment for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Introduction:

Now, as everyone knows, I am a huge “X-Men” fan and because of that, I always enjoyed reading stories that involve the main characters having a different array of powers and use those powers to save the world.  So, when I picked up “Generation Zero: We Are the Future Volume One” from NetGalley, I was really excited to check this comic out and I was ultimately impressed with this comic!

What is this story about?

The story starts off with a young teenage girl named Keisha Sherman, who lives in the mysteriously futuristic town of Rook, Michigan.  Her father is the sheriff of the town and she is considered an outsider at her school for being a gothic girl.  One day however, Keisha ends up getting in a relationship with a boy named Stephen and just as their relationship hits an all-time high, Stephen is suddenly killed in a car accident.  This event causes Keisha to try and find out what really happened to Stephen and she ends up trying to get help from a mysterious group of kids called “Generation Zero.”   The Generation Zero kids ends up becoming students at Keisha’s school and it was then that Keisha starts to notice that the Generation Zero kids are not your average students as they seem to possess supernatural powers and they are also engaged in a war to fight for the rights of the kids that are just like them!

Can the Generation Zero kids help Keisha find Stephen’s murderer and what is really going on with the town of Rook?

Read this comic to find out!

What I loved about this story:

Fred Van Lente’s writing: Wow!  I was seriously impressed with this comic book as even though I had read many comic books where the main characters have supernatural abilities that would help them defeat various villains, I had never read a comic book that features such characters, but also weaves in a story full of mystery and high school drama all into one graphic novel!  I loved the way that Fred Van Lente was able to balance mystery and science fiction elements into the story as I was intrigued by the futuristic world that Rook is set in, while also enjoying the mystery aspect of the story as we try to find out what kind of secrets the town of Rook is hiding from its citizens.  I also loved the way that Fred Van Lente wrote each character in this story, although to be honest, most of the characters are not fully developed yet, with the exception of Keisha due to her being the protagonist of the story.  The fact that Generation Zero consists of kids who have super powers was really interesting to me as I wanted to know how these kids have powers in the first place and what kind of war they are fighting against.

Francis Portela’s artwork:  Francis Portela’s artwork is simply gorgeous to look at as all the characters have a distinctive look that make them really stand out from each other, especially Keisha’s appearance as she is portrayed as having purple hair with one side of her head being shaved off and wears punk rock clothing that really brings out her gothic nature.  I also loved how stylized the characters as they reminded me of characters that popped out of comic books from the 1990s and I really enjoyed the scenes where there is energy beams involved as the pages literally glow through the imagery of the energy beams.

What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:

For readers who do not like suggestive content in graphic novels, there are some suggestive moments in this graphic novel such as teenagers drinking at a night party.  This could be an issue for anyone who does not like seeing scenes of teenagers drinking at a party, although this is a pretty common theme in many high school and college stories.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, “Generation Zero: We Are the Future Volume One” is a fantastic read, especially if you are a huge fan of “X-Men” and you love reading stories about characters that possess supernatural powers!  I am definitely looking forward to reading the next volume in the near future!

  

Top Ten of 2016 Day 4 (December 29, 2016) : Best Book Boyfriends

Hello everyone!  Today's "Top 10 of 2016" topic is "Top 3 Best Book Boyfriends!"  In this topic, I will list my favorite book boyfriends and since I had only read 3 books this year that really qualified for this topic, I will just list my top 3 Book Boyfriends of 2016.  So here are my top 3 Book Boyfriends (in no particular order)!


1. Darrow from "Red Rising" : I would love to have Darrow as a book boyfriend! A guy who can fight and solve problems using his wits is my kind of guy!

2. Carter Maguire from "Vision in White":  Wow!  A book boyfriend who is not only sexy, but smart and intelligent also!  I seriously love men who love their teaching professions!

3. Prince Lucian Kiggs from "Seraphina": I love a book boyfriend who is extremely perceptive in his surroundings and Kiggs is definitely that guy!

I Love Picture Books 2015 Challenge Wrap Up!

Hey everyone!  This came in a bit late, but I wanted to show my wrap up for the 2015 I Love Picture Books challenge that was formally hosted by  Hosted by Gina at Book Dragon's Lair


1. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt: Completed: 1/16/2015
2. Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex: Completed: 1/24/2015
3. Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges: Completed: 1/24/2015
4. The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman: Completed: 1/23/2015
5. Old Black Fly by Jim Aylesworth: Completed: 1/30/2015
6. Battle Bunny (Birthday Bunny) by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett: Completed: 2/7/2015
7. Seen Art? by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith: Completed: 2/14/2015
8. Rabbit Makes a Monkey of Lion by Verna Aardema: Completed: 3/26/2015
9. The Samurai's Daughter by Robert D. San Souci: Completed: 4/25/2015

10. You Are Special by Max Lucado: Completed: 4/14/2015
11. What's in Fox's Sack? by Paul Galdone: Completed: 6/29/2015
12. The Firebird by Robert D. San Souci: Completed: 7/17/2015
13. Mabela the Clever by Margaret Read MacDonald: Completed: 7/27/2015
14. The Water of Life by Barbara Rogasky: Completed: 8/8/2015
15. The Hungry Giant of the Tundra by Teri Sloat: Completed: 8/8/2015

16. Toads and Diamonds by Charlotte Huck: Completed: 9/11/2015
17. Two Greedy Bears by Mirra Ginsburg: Completed: 9/19/2015
18. Hey Willy, See the Pyramids by Maira Kalman: Completed: 9/30/2015
19. The Fisherman and the Turtle by Eric A. Kimmel: Completed: 10 / 5/2015
20. Little Rooster's Diamond Button by Margaret Read MacDonald: Completed: 10/22/2015

[BOOK REVIEW] D.W. the Picky Eater by Marc Brown

Title:  D.W. the Picky Eater

Author:  Marc Brown

Genre:  Animals / Manners / Family / Food / Humor

Year Published: 1995

Year Read:  2016

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Series: D.W. #5

Source:  Library

Content Rating:  Ages 4+ (Some Rude Behavior)

Buy on:  Amazon  //  Book Depository 



  

Now, I have been a huge fan of Marc Brown’s “Arthur” series ever since I was a little girl and I guess I will make it my goal to read up on all of Marc Brown’s “Arthur” series!  So, when I found out that Marc Brown had a made a spin off series to his “Arthur” books that stars Arthur’s little sister D.W., of course I was interested to see how D.W. will fare with her own series and for my first read from the “D.W.” series, “D.W. the Picky Eater” was a pretty entertaining read!

D.W. is the world’s pickiest eater as she refuses to eat anything that is new or looks disgusting; but the food that D.W. loathes more than anything in the world is…SPINACH!  Because of D.W.’s eating habits, her family has a difficult time trying to get her to eat anything without complaining.  But when D.W. throws a tantrum on a family outing, D.W.’s family decides that D.W. should stay home whenever they go out to eat and D.W. starts wondering about what she is really missing out on the family outings.  One day, D.W.’s family decided to go out and celebrate Grandma Thora’s birthday at a fancy restaurant and D.W. wanted to go with them.

Will D.W. get over her “picky eater” habits in time for Grandma Thora’s birthday party?

Read this book to find out!

As always whenever I am reading Marc Brown’s “Arthur” books, Marc Brown knows how to bring on the humor with these characters while at the same time, giving these characters experiences that are relatable to any reader.  I loved the fact that we get to explore what it is like being a picky eater through D.W.’s perspective as it was entertaining seeing what kind of food D.W. will turn down because it was new and it looked disgusting to her.  It was also interesting seeing the consequences that D.W. goes through in being a picky eater as she was not allowed to participate in the family’s restaurant outings due to her misbehavior.  To be honest, I can relate to D.W. being a picky eater since I am a picky eater myself as I will eat food that clashes with what my family wants.  For example, if my family wants to go to Wendy’s, then I usually want to go to Chick-fil-A or whenever my family wants to go to KFC, I usually want to go to Ruby Tuesday.  I also like the fact that Marc Brown was able to produce a book that focuses mostly on D.W. since I wanted to see more adventures from Arthur’s family and this book did an excellent job at giving D.W. the spotlight in the “Arthur” series!  Marc Brown’s artwork is as usual adorable and fun to look at as all the characters are drawn as half animal, half human hybrids and yet, it just makes the characters look even more creative than usual!  I also loved the images of D.W. always having a disgusted look on her face every time she tries a food product that is new to her as it was hilarious to look at!

Overall, “D.W. the Picky Eater” is a truly entertaining children’s book for fellow picky eaters and anyone who is a huge fan of Marc Brown’s “Arthur” series!  I would recommend this book to children’s ages four and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book, unless D.W.’s bratty behavior might cause concern for some parents.

Waiting on Wednesday #21: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Hello everyone! "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that is hosted by Breaking the Spine and the purpose of this event is that we spotlight upcoming releases of books that we are excited for! 

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

 

 

 

 

 

Title:  The Bear and the Nightingale

Author: Katherine Arden

Expected Publication Date:  January 10th, 2017

 

 

 

 

A magical debut novel for readers of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, and Neil Gaiman’s myth-rich fantasies, The Bear and the Nightingale spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice.

At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.

After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

I have always loved reading Russian folktales and the fact that this book is inspired by Russian folktales makes me want to read this book even more!  Also, evil spirits and demons?  Who doesn't want to read about that?

So, what upcoming books are you looking forward to?  Please respond below!

Top Ten of 2016 Day 3 (December 28, 2016) : Best Debut Authors!

Hello everyone!  Today's "Top 10 of 2016" topic is "Top 10 Best Debut Authors!"  In this topic, I will list my favorite new authors that I was introduced to in 2016!  So here are my top 10 Best Debut Authors (in no particular order)!


1. Skottie Young:  Even though I was introduced to Skottie Young's artwork in the past, I had never read a graphic novel that was written by him and "I Hate Fairyland" seems to be the first graphic novel written by him and I really loved it!

2. Pierce Brown:  I've always heard good things about Pierce Brown's work in the "Red Rising" trilogy and when I picked up "Red Rising," it was quite an enjoyable read!

3. Rachel Hartman : I've heard a lot of good things about Rachel Hartman's works and her book "Seraphina" was definitely worth the read!

4. Antonia Michaelis:  My book friends recommended me the title "The Storyteller" for many years and I just finally got around to reading this book this year!  I think that Antonia Michealis did a brilliant job with twisting our expectations for a romance novel in an extremely intense and brilliant way!

5.  G. Willow Wilson : I've heard a lot of good things about G. Willow Wilson's run on "Ms. Marvel" and this was the first year that I was introduced to her work with "Ms. Marvel" and it was excellent!

6. Nora Roberts: This is the first year that I was introduced to Nora Roberts' works, even though she has created like over 100 books during her career!  "Vision in White" was the first Nora Roberts book I had read and I loved it!

7.  Jon Klassen: I've heard a lot of good things about "I Want My Hat Back" and this was the first year I was introduced to Jon Klassen's work and his dark twists within children's books was definitely worth reading!

8.  Marjorie Liu : After hearing so many good things about her run on X-23, I wanted to check out her works and "Monstress" was the first series I was introduced to her work and it was quite an enjoyable series!

9.  N.D. Stevenson: My book friends once again recommended me another good read called "Nimona" and this was the first graphic novel that introduced me to N.D. Stevenson's works and it was worth picking up!

10. Mark Tatulli: I have read many newspaper comics by a variety of writers, but I had never read anything by Mark Tatulli before and his graphic novel "Lio" There's a Monster in My Socks" was definitely a treat to read!