Graphic Novel – Page 18 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Bury the Lede

Title: Bury the Lede
Author: Gaby Dunn, Claire Roe
Genre: Graphic Novel, Mystery, LGBT
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October, 8, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Twenty-one-year-old Madison T. Jackson is already the star of the Emerson College student newspaper when she nabs a coveted night internship at Boston’s premiere newspaper, The Boston Lede. The job’s simple: do whatever the senior reporters tell you to do, from fetching coffee to getting a quote from a grieving parent. It’s grueling work, so when the murder of a prominent Boston businessman comes up on the police scanner, Madison races to the scene of the grisly crime. There, Madison meets the woman who will change her life forever: prominent socialite Dahlia Kennedy, who is covered in gore and being arrested for the murder of her family. The newspapers put everyone they can in front of her with no results until, with nothing to lose, Madison gets a chance – and unexpectedly barrels headfirst into danger she never anticipated.

Review:

This graphic novel follows a reporter investigating a high profile murder in Boston. Dahlia Kennedy is suspected of killing her husband and kidnapping her son. For some reason, Dahlia would only speak to Madison, the intern for a newspaper. Madison springs to fame with her reporting on the murder, but it comes at a cost to her personal life.

This was an exciting story. There was a lot of depth to the story. There were many different aspects of Madison’s life that were shown, including her work and her family life. It often conflicted because her brother was a politician. The murder story was complicated, which kept me guessing until the end.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel.

Thank you BOOM! Studios for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth

Title: Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth
Author: Scott Snyder, Dan Abnett
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Comics
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 16, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

An alien army has returned… and they’re not coming alone. With an aquatic army ready to destroy the Earth, the only thing standing between the planet and total annhilation is the King of Seven Seas, Aquaman, and the Justice League.
Unfortunately, the World’s Greatest Superheroes don’t stand a chance.
In the aftermath of the Justice League’s battle with the Legion of Doom, an armada from the stars has come to plunder the Earth and its seas. With powers beyond comprehension, even Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the rest of the League’s combined might can’t stop these invaders. With nowhere left to turn, these heroes will have to turn to an ancient power to help them, one that even Arthur Curry fears unleashing.
Comics titan Scott Snyder masterminds his first major event of his Justice League run, in this epic graphic novel that will change the status quo for the League and Aquaman forever! Collects Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth #1, Justice League #10-12, Aquaman #40-41, Titans #28 and Aquaman/Justice League: Drowned Earth #1.

Review:

This was the first Justice League and Aquaman book I’ve read. I really enjoyed it.

I liked the way the flooding of the earth involved all of the superheroes. From Atlantis to Metropolis, everyone was fighting against the diseased the water that turned anyone who touched it into a fish monster. It even claimed a few superheroes along the way, which limited their numbers.

It was fun to see all of the characters working together. The story mostly focused on Aquaman, since it was an enemy in the water. Even a bunch of the villains were working together to beat the superheroes, including the Joker and Cheetah. I loved seeing so many familiar characters.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel!

Thank you DC Comics for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Boy-Crazy Stacey (Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels #7)

Title: Boy-Crazy Stacey (Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels #7)
Author: Gale Galligan, Ann M. Martin
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Graphix
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Stacey and Mary Anne are baby-sitting for the Pike family for two weeks at the New Jersey shore. Things are great in Sea City: There’s a gorgeous house right on the beach, a boardwalk, plenty of sun and sand… and the cutest boy Stacey has ever seen!
Mary Anne thinks that Stacey should leave Scott alone and focus on the Pike kids, but Stacey’s in love. Looking for reasons to hang around his lifeguard stand takes up all of her time, which means Mary Anne has to do the job of two baby-sitters. Mary Anne doesn’t like it one bit! How can she tell Stacey that Scott just isn’t interested without ruining their friendship and breaking Stacey’s heart?

Review:

The babysitters are much more grown up in this story. Stacey and Mary Anne go on a family vacation with the Pike family and their eight children. While they’re away, Stacey meets two boys she really likes. She falls for them, and even has her heart broken. It was an exciting two weeks for them.

I wish the other characters were more prominent in this story. They appeared briefly at the beginning, but then the story followed Stacey and Mary Anne on their trip. They sent postcards to the other babysitters, but their replies were never shown. I would have liked to see what they were all doing during their vacation.

This was another great graphic novel adaptation of the Babysitters Club!

Review: Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

Title: Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
Author: Mariko Tamaki, Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel
Publisher: First Second Books
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley’s dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There’s just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend.
Reeling from her latest break up, Freddy’s best friend, Doodle, introduces her to the Seek-Her, a mysterious medium, who leaves Freddy some cryptic parting words: break up with her. But Laura Dean keeps coming back, and as their relationship spirals further out of her control, Freddy has to wonder if it’s really Laura Dean that’s the problem. Maybe it’s Freddy, who is rapidly losing her friends, including Doodle, who needs her now more than ever. Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnists like Anna Vice to help her through being a teenager in love.
Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell bring to life a sweet and spirited tale of young love that asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the healthy ones we need.

Review:

This book was a break up story, rather than a love story. Laura Dean kept breaking up with Frederica, but Fred still loved her. Every time Laura decided she wanted to be with Fred, Fred would accept her. However, when Fred spent all her time thinking about Laura, she was neglecting her friends when they needed her most.

There were some tough issues that were in this book. Fred was in an unhealthy relationship, but it was difficult for her to get out of it. It was obvious from the beginning that Laura wasn’t a great person, but Fred loved her. I kept rooting for Fred to figure it out and move on. There was also another character who had an abortion. This could be a trigger warning for some readers.

I loved the art in this book. The images were in black, white, and some light pink. It was a simple design to go with this heavy story.

This was a great story!

Review: Harley and Ivy Meet Betty and Veronica

Title: Harley and Ivy Meet Betty and Veronica
Author: Paul Dini, Marc Andreyko, Laura Braga
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Comics
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Hiram Lodge (Veronica’s father) wants to invest in the future by building a university with free tuition for Riverdale’s residents. His site is a protected swamp on the outskirts of town, and once news of the plan reaches Gotham City, a certain eco-warrior (a.k.a. Poison Ivy) is determined to prevent the dream from becoming reality.
However, once Poison Ivy and her bestie Harley Quinn arrive, they get mixed up in the sort of hijinks that can only happen in Riverdale. At a superhero-themed costume party, the night’s entertainment–Zatanna– manages to place the personas of the Gotham City Sirens into the bodies of the town’s notorious frenemies: Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge. While Ivy (in Ronnie’s body) seeks to derail Lodge’s agenda from within, more than a few nefarious forces–from Jason and Cheryl Blossom to the Clown Prince of Crime himself–have their own foul plans.
This groundbreaking miniseries teams up two of fandom’s best-known duos, bringing the ladies of Gotham and Riverdale together for the first time! This madcap mayhem comes courtesy of Paul Dini (Harley Quinn) and Marc Andreyko (Wonder Woman ’77), with art by Laura Braga (DC Comics: Bombshells)! Collects Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica #1-6.

Review:

I love Harley Quinn and Archie comics so this book was made for me! It definitely lived up to my expectations.

This story was hilarious. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy go to Riverdale to persuade Mr. Lodge not to develop Sweetwater Swamp into a school and shopping center. While they’re there, the magician Zatanna arrives at a Halloween party (where Betty and Veronica happen to be dressed as Harley and Poison Ivy) and accidentally puts a spell on Harley, Ivy, Betty and Veronica, making the two sets of friends switch bodies. They four girls have to make their way back to their hometowns and their own bodies.

I had never noticed how many similarities there were between the Archie Comics characters and the DC Comics characters. Sabrina and Zatanna are both magical characters. Catwoman came to Riverdale to see Josie and the Pussycats perform because she is a huge fan of them. Reggie, Riverdale’s resident jokester, dressed up as the Joker for the costume party. I loved discovering the similar characters from my favourite comics.

This was an amazing graphic novel! It’s a must read for fans of Harley, Ivy, Betty and Veronica!

Review: Hotel Dare

Title: Hotel Dare
Author: Terry Blas, Claudia Aguirre
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Graphic Novel
Publisher: KaBOOM!
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: June 11, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

It’s not your typical family vacation when Olive, and her adopted siblings Darwin and Charlotte find themselves falling into other worlds as they explore Grandma Lupé’s strange hotel.

OPEN THE DOOR. ADVENTURE AWAITS.

Olive and her adopted siblings Charlotte and Darwin are spending the summer with their estranged grandma at her creepy hotel and it’s all work and no play. They’re stuck inside doing boring chores but they soon stumble upon an incredible secret… Behind each room door of the hotel lies a portal to a different strange and mysterious place. The simple turn of a knob transports them to a distant magical world filled with space pirates. Behind the next door are bearded wizards. Down the hall is a doorway to a cotton-candied kingdom. But once the doors are opened, worlds start colliding, and only one family can save them before they tear themselves apart.

Written by Terry Blas (The Amazing World of Gumball) and illustrated by the talented Claudia Aguirre (Kim & Kim), this world-hopping fantasy tale breaks down the door to imagination and dares you to embrace the idea that family is everything.

Review:

This was a great graphic novel!

Within a few minutes of starting this book, I was hooked! The mysterious elements were introduced slowly, as the kids discovered secret portals to other worlds in the hotel. The story developed at a fast pace, which made me want to keep reading.

The one thing that I would have liked is more background on the characters. I think there is an interesting story that has brought Charlotte, their adoptive sister, into their family that I’m curious to learn. The ending of the story hinted at a sequel that’s about the rest of the family, so I hope it is written!

I loved this story!

Thank you BOOM! Studios for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Bloodlust and Bonnets

Title: Bloodlust and Bonnets
Author: Emily McGovern
Genre: Graphic Novel, Historical, Fantasy, LGBTQ
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 17, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the creator of the hit webcomic My Life As a Background Slytherin comes a hilarious graphic novel pastiche of classic Romantic literature led by a trio of queer misfits—and several angry vampires.

Set in early nineteenth-century Britain, Bloodlust & Bonnets follows Lucy, an unworldly debutante who desires a life of passion and intrigue—qualities which earn her the attention of Lady Violet Travesty, the leader of a local vampire cult.

But before Lucy can embark on her new life of vampiric debauchery, she finds herself unexpectedly thrown together with the flamboyant poet Lord Byron (“from books!”) and a mysterious bounty-hunter named Sham. The unlikely trio lie, flirt, fight, and manipulate each other as they make their way across Britain, disrupting society balls, slaying vampires, and making every effort not to betray their feelings to each other as their personal and romantic lives become increasingly entangled.

Both witty and slapstick, elegant and gory, Emily McGovern’s debut graphic novel pays tribute to and pokes fun at beloved romance tropes, delivering a joyous, action-packed world of friendship and adventure.

Review:

I loved this new graphic novel!

This story was set in the nineteenth century, with Lord Byron as one of the main characters. Along with two friends, Lucy and Sham, Lord Byron searches for a vampire Lady Violet Travesty. Each character has their own secret reason for joining in the vampire hunt. There were loads of other fantastical elements as well, including a succubus and a talking castle.

I laughed the entire time I was reading this story. Each of the characters were exaggerated in a hilarious way. Lord Byron was in love with himself and didn’t pay attention to the people around him. Sham was serious and spoke the truth with no filter to protect the feelings of others (when Lucy thinks that Sham likes her the same way that she likes Sham, Sham replies with yes I do like girls, just not you). Lucy was kind of clueless to people around her, and she was blinded by her desire to join the vampire cult. These characters were hilarious together!

This was such a funny graphic novel! I highly recommend it!

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour Review: The Okay Witch

Title: The Okay Witch
Author: Emma Steinkeller
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Roller Girl in this hilarious, one-of-a-kind graphic novel about a half-witch who has just discovered the truth about herself, her family, and her town and is doing her best to survive middle school now that she knows everything!
Magic is harder than it looks.
Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all! When Moth’s new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.
In this spellbinding graphic novel debut, Emma Steinkellner spins a story packed with humor and heart about the weird and wonderful adventures of a witch-in-progress.

Review:

This new graphic novel had all of the best parts of a magic story: a talking cat, a family feud that spanned centuries, time travel and a magic broomstick. Even though it had all these classic elements of a magical story, it was original.

There were some historical elements to this story. Moth’s family originally had to flee their town to escape the witch hunts of the 17th century. By using magic, her family was able to survive until today.

I liked the way magic represented anyone who was not “normal.” Just because the witches had magic that no one else could understand, they were chased from their home. However, the answer is not to just run away. Moth teaches her family that there are other ways to fight back.

I loved this book!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:

Emma Steinkellner is an illustrator, writer, and cartoonist living in Los Angeles, California.

She is a graduate of Stanford University and the illustrator of the Eisner-nominated comic Quince.

The Okay Witch is her debut graphic novel as an author.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for letting me participate in this blog tour.

Review: The Avant-Guards, Vol. 1

Title: The Avant-Guards, Vol. 1
Author: Carly Usdin, Noah Hayes
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, LGBT
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O’Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs…in the school’s (terrible) basketball team.

As a transfer student to the Georgia O’Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, former sports star Charlie is struggling to find her classes, her dorm, and her place amongst a student body full of artists who seem to know exactly where they’re going. When the school’s barely-a-basketball-team unexpectedly attempts to recruit her, Charlie’s adamant that she’s left that life behind…until she’s won over by the charming team captain, Liv, and the ragtag crew she’s managed to assemble. And while Charlie may have left cut-throat competition in in the dust, sinking these hoops may be exactly what she needs to see the person she truly wants to be.

From Carly Usdin (Heavy Vinyl) and artist Noah Hayes (Wet Hot American Summer, Goldie Vance) comes an ensemble comedy series that understands that it’s the person you are off the court that matters most.

Review:

This is the perfect graphic novel for September. Charlie transfers to a new school, so we get to learn about the school through her new perspective. She was recruited to join the basketball team, where she found the perfect team.

I loved the variety of characters. Each one comes from a different background, yet they were all brought together by basketball. It was great to see how they found common ground in this sport.

I really enjoyed this book. I’m excited to see what happens next.

Thank you BOOM! Box for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Superman of Smallville

Title: Superman of Smallville
Author: Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani
Genre: Children’s, Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Zoom
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Can Superman keep Smallville from going to the dogs?

Acts of awesomeness are happening around town. People are being rescued, runaway tractors stopped, and fires extinguished. This is all in a day’s work for the hero known only as “Superman.” But who is he, really?

Thirteen-year-old Clark Kent knows. He has a super-secret–one his parents are constantly worried will get out. Clark promises to be extra careful, but when random objects begin to take flight and disappear, his parents threaten to ground him. Except he’s innocent! If Superman isn’t responsible…who is? Join Clark in this hilarious adventure as he sniffs out the real culprit.

From New York Times–bestselling and Eisner Award-winning creators Art Baltazar and Franco, comes a fun, whimsical story featuring young Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, and of course Clark Kent.

Review:

This is a great new Superman graphic novel for kids!

There were some really funny parts that I think kids would enjoy. Superman flew around saving people and animals in Smallville. He saved sheep by blowing air so they would land slowly after he tossed them in the air. He lifted the roof of the barn to quickly toss the cows inside when they wouldn’t walk there. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at these funny parts.

Clark’s experience was relatable at times. He was bullied at school, even though the bully is actually a huge fan of Superman. Of course, no one knows that Clark is really Superman. He also had to try hard to impress the popular boy at school, Lex Luthor. I enjoyed seeing Clark in these realistic situations.

I really liked this book!

Thank you DC Zoom for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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