Title: Teen Titans: Raven
Author: Kami Garcia, Gabriel Picolo
Publisher: DC Ink
Published: July 2, 2019
Pages: 192
Genres: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, Comics, Superheroes
Source: Public Library
When a tragic accident takes the life of 17-year-old Raven Roth's foster mom—and Raven's memory—she moves to New Orleans to recover and finish her senior year of high school.
Starting over isn't easy. Raven remembers everyday stuff like how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can't remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. And when impossible things start happening, Raven begins to think it might even be better not to know who she was before.
But as she grows closer to her new friends, her foster sister, Max, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she's ready to face what's buried in the past... and the darkness building inside her.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and first-time graphic novel artist Gabriel Picolo comes this riveting tale of finding the strength to face who you are and learning to trust others—and yourself.
Starting over isn't easy. Raven remembers everyday stuff like how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can't remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. And when impossible things start happening, Raven begins to think it might even be better not to know who she was before.
But as she grows closer to her new friends, her foster sister, Max, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she's ready to face what's buried in the past... and the darkness building inside her.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and first-time graphic novel artist Gabriel Picolo comes this riveting tale of finding the strength to face who you are and learning to trust others—and yourself.
MY REVIEW
This didn't blow my mind by any means but I did enjoy it. There were some parts where the pacing felt a little too fast in the story. A lot of the story felt very juvenile to me but this is a young adult graphic novel so that is the target audience. I liked the voodoo aspects and I liked seeing Deathstroke. Some of the characters didn't feel as fleshed out as I would have liked. I really enjoyed the style of the illustrations in this. They really fit with the overall feel of the story. Overall, this is an enjoyable origin story for Raven that is perfect for young readers. I am definitely curious about the next story which features Beast Boy.
Title: Under The Moon: A Catwoman Tale
Publisher: DC Ink
Published: May 7, 2019
Pages: 219
Genres: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, Comics, Superheroes
Source: Public Library
Selina Kyle is fiercer than she knows. For 15 years, she's put up with her mother's string of bad boyfriends, but when Dernell, her mom's current beau, proves crueler than the others, Selina reevaluates her place in her home. There's no way Selina and Dernell can live under the same roof, and since Dernell won't leave, Selina must.
From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle (ttyl) and artist Isaac Goodhart comes a story about learning how to survive the world when you've been forced to abandon your home and finding allies in the most unexpected moments.
From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle (ttyl) and artist Isaac Goodhart comes a story about learning how to survive the world when you've been forced to abandon your home and finding allies in the most unexpected moments.
MY REVIEW
This was a little more gritty than I would have expected for a young adult graphic novel but I think that is what made it all the more realistic. This is an origin story that really makes you think. There are topics included that are sensitive to touch upon, such as domestic violence and self-harm. Selina Kyle's story in this adaptation isn't pretty but it is impactful. I loved the character development and the parallels that this young adult adaptation made to the comics. The artwork and color scheme chosen for it is very fitting for the story being told and I really enjoyed the illustrations. Overall, this graphic novel really surprised me in such a positive way. A lot of graphic novels can skimp on the character development a bit but I didn't feel that with this one. The story wasn't flawless but it was solid enough. I'd definitely recommend this one.
Title: Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter Vol. 1: Abomination
Author: Adam Glass, Olivia Cuartero-Briggs, Mike Marts, Hayden Sherman
Publisher: Aftershock Comics
Published: December 17, 2019
Pages: 120
Genres: Trade Paperback, Comics, Horror, Retellings, Science Fiction
Source: Public Library
For nearly two centuries, scholars have wondered how on earth Mary Shelley, a nineteen-year-old girl, was able to conjure one of the most frightening and enduring horror stories of all time: Frankenstein.
But with the recent discovery of Mary Shelley’s secret memoir, the truth is finally revealed: Mary Shelley didn’t just write Frankenstein, she lived it. Traveling back to that historic Geneva winter of 1816, Mary, her fiancé Percy, sisters Claire and Fanny, and the celebrated poet Lord Byron find themselves guests of the eerie Frankenstein Estate. The macabre and frightening events that follow lead Mary to both a gruesome and shocking discovery. Their mysterious host is not at all what they expected, and their intentions will change the course of Mary’s life forever.
But with the recent discovery of Mary Shelley’s secret memoir, the truth is finally revealed: Mary Shelley didn’t just write Frankenstein, she lived it. Traveling back to that historic Geneva winter of 1816, Mary, her fiancé Percy, sisters Claire and Fanny, and the celebrated poet Lord Byron find themselves guests of the eerie Frankenstein Estate. The macabre and frightening events that follow lead Mary to both a gruesome and shocking discovery. Their mysterious host is not at all what they expected, and their intentions will change the course of Mary’s life forever.
MY REVIEW
This was a very interesting story. I have always loved anything having to do with Frankenstein or Frankenstein's monster and I thought that this adaptation and reimagining was very creative. This had a very feminist feel to it, which I loved. I also loved the small references to other classic horror works such as Dracula. The storyline is very clever. While I enjoyed the story, I really did not care for the artwork. It was a little too rough for my liking. I usually prefer something more polished. Overall, even though I didn't care for the illustrations, the story makes this worth the read.
THESE BOOKS CONTRIBUTED TO THESE 2020 READING CHALLENGES
- Beat the Backlist Challenge
- Library Love Challenge
- Literary Escapes Challenge
- Library Love Challenge
- Literary Escapes Challenge
Check out my 2020 Challenge Page to see my progress!
These were some very interesting origin stories. What are some origin stories that you liked or disliked and why?
My name is Vanessa a.k.a. Queen Alchemy. I am a 30-something-year-old mother of four nerdy, fantastic children. We live in the Midwest. I have a reading addiction, and I hope that I never recover! I'm the hugest nerd you can find with interests not limited to the following: comics (Batman and Captain America for the win!), science, computers, zombies, unicorns, Harry Potter, cartoons from the 80's & 90's, Frankenstein, history, crafting, cooking & baking, Star Wars, digital scrapbooking, D&D, Minecraft, Hello Kitty, horror, metalcore, royalty, tattoos & piercings, bright colors, and so much more!
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