books read in May
I feel like I'm back in a reading groove again. Found some good titles and I'm in the mood to explore different books. I hate when I hit a slump and just nothing grabs me. Now I have a bunch of books to keep me up at night (or, you know, make me attempt to ignore people on my lunch break because I want to read):
Bob's Burgers, Volume 1 by Chad Brewster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Collecting the first 5 issues of the comics, this is less like an episode of the tv show and more odd side adventures of the characters. I loved Gene's musicals and Bob's list of themed burgers in each issue. Great for fans of the tv show.
View all my reviews
Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's always hard to judge the first in a series because it is mostly set-up for what is to come and set-up is fun, but it is the payoff that matters.
That being said, I could NOT put down 'Paper Girls' ! I had no idea what the story was about and I'm so happy I remained spoiler free until I began to read. There is a lot of potential here and I really hope that BKV has a plan for where this is all going because it could be epic and a lot of fun.
View all my reviews
Booked by Kwame Alexander
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I haven't read a lot of novels in verse so I wasn't sure if it was the story or the format that didn't connect with me. I enjoyed it when I started, but there isn't really that much drama so I was surprised when it all kind of ended so neatly. I guess that is why we catalog this as juvenile fiction rather than teen!
View all my reviews
Almost Interesting by David Spade
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I wouldn't call myself a hardcore David Space fan - I still quote 'Tommy Boy', I have a soft spot for 'Emperor's New Groove' and I remember watching 'Just Shoot Me' on a regular basis but I couldn't tell you much more about his career. Still, my friend recommended listening to his memoirs because Spade reads them and YES it was a fun experience.
I've read/listened to Amy Poehler's and Tina Fey's books that also include their SNL experiences, but Spade was from the era before these two and his stories are very different from these to ladies. It was interesting to hear how the show has changed from the early 90s and how it really works behind the scenes for the comedians and writers.
I would recommend the audiobook versus rather reading it, if only to hear Spade randomly giggling at his own writing and experiences throughout the story. It feels like you bumped into him at a bar and you're just hanging out while he rambles away.
View all my reviews
Superman Vol. 1: Before Truth by Gene Luen Yang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed Gene Luen Yang's take on Superman but I have to say this comic suffered from an issue I tend to find with a lot of the major superheroes - their arcs are SO BIG that if you try to pick up in the middle it can be a little "oh man I've missed so much". Even though this is labeled as "Volume 1" it references previous stories.
I enjoyed it but I wasn't in love with it. I might pick up volume 2 because I did find the way it ended to be an interesting twist on the story and the character relationships.
View all my reviews
I am currently reading:
Of Better Blood at bedtime
Black Panther: The Complete Collection, Volume 1 on my lunch break
Watership Down is my audiobook in my car
Bob's Burgers, Volume 1 by Chad Brewster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Collecting the first 5 issues of the comics, this is less like an episode of the tv show and more odd side adventures of the characters. I loved Gene's musicals and Bob's list of themed burgers in each issue. Great for fans of the tv show.
View all my reviews
Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's always hard to judge the first in a series because it is mostly set-up for what is to come and set-up is fun, but it is the payoff that matters.
That being said, I could NOT put down 'Paper Girls' ! I had no idea what the story was about and I'm so happy I remained spoiler free until I began to read. There is a lot of potential here and I really hope that BKV has a plan for where this is all going because it could be epic and a lot of fun.
View all my reviews
Booked by Kwame Alexander
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I haven't read a lot of novels in verse so I wasn't sure if it was the story or the format that didn't connect with me. I enjoyed it when I started, but there isn't really that much drama so I was surprised when it all kind of ended so neatly. I guess that is why we catalog this as juvenile fiction rather than teen!
View all my reviews
Almost Interesting by David Spade
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I wouldn't call myself a hardcore David Space fan - I still quote 'Tommy Boy', I have a soft spot for 'Emperor's New Groove' and I remember watching 'Just Shoot Me' on a regular basis but I couldn't tell you much more about his career. Still, my friend recommended listening to his memoirs because Spade reads them and YES it was a fun experience.
I've read/listened to Amy Poehler's and Tina Fey's books that also include their SNL experiences, but Spade was from the era before these two and his stories are very different from these to ladies. It was interesting to hear how the show has changed from the early 90s and how it really works behind the scenes for the comedians and writers.
I would recommend the audiobook versus rather reading it, if only to hear Spade randomly giggling at his own writing and experiences throughout the story. It feels like you bumped into him at a bar and you're just hanging out while he rambles away.
View all my reviews
Superman Vol. 1: Before Truth by Gene Luen Yang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed Gene Luen Yang's take on Superman but I have to say this comic suffered from an issue I tend to find with a lot of the major superheroes - their arcs are SO BIG that if you try to pick up in the middle it can be a little "oh man I've missed so much". Even though this is labeled as "Volume 1" it references previous stories.
I enjoyed it but I wasn't in love with it. I might pick up volume 2 because I did find the way it ended to be an interesting twist on the story and the character relationships.
View all my reviews
I am currently reading:
Of Better Blood at bedtime
Black Panther: The Complete Collection, Volume 1 on my lunch break
Watership Down is my audiobook in my car