Books read in December
Short list because HOLIDAYS! Just too much going on, distracted me from making time to read.
At least there were some good ones!
Descender, Volume Two: Machine Moon by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars - This volume wasn't quite as engaging as the first, maybe because the story is starting to tread some familiar water to anyone who who is a fan of the sci-fi genre. Still, beautiful artwork and the characters are engaging enough that I want to know more about what happens next. This ends on a crazy cliffhanger !!!
As I Descended by Robin Talley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Robin Talley does a really great job of reworking 'MacBeth' in our modern world. She didn't just copy+paste the story, she reinterpreted it to work with modern young adults and the hierarchy that exists in high school. That doesn't mean she had to hold back on the horrific aspects of the Scottish play.
MacBeth is my favorite of Shakespeare's tragedies, maybe my favorite play of his overall. I would be curious how someone unfamiliar with the play, who wasn't reading it because it was a retelling, would feel about this book. I know I enjoyed it a lot because I was looking for the parallel stories and really enjoying the new twists that Talley added.
If you're a fan of MacBeth, definitely pick this one up!
Mooncop by Tom Gauld
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm not sure what to say about this short but not simple graphic novel. Gauld's sparse use of text means you can finish a first read through in a matter of minutes, but the story and the ideas behind it will stick with you.
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads says this is a series, but it does NOT end on a giant cliffhanger, thank goodness! I started to slow down in my reading when I saw the "Brooklyn Brujas #1" in the record. I'm so tired of series.
Alejandra comes from a family of brujas, powerful witches that live in our world. But she isn't sure she wants to embrace that side of her. But her Deathday celebration is approaching, a ritual that will bind her powers to her for ever. Alex must decide if she wants to stay a bruja, like her mother and aunt and sisters - or just be a normal girl.
This book is a great blend of magic and Mexican folklore. I think it would be a great read for teens who read Harry Potter when they were younger and want more magical people living in our world stories. Lots of adventure, a bit of romance, and real characters from Mexican folklore. The author even included notes in the back of the book to let the reader know which magical creatures are part of established myth.
If there are more adventures of the Brooklyn Brujas, I will definitely pick them up! But I am glad that Alex's story was wrapped up at the end of this book.
View all my reviews
At least there were some good ones!
Descender, Volume Two: Machine Moon by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars - This volume wasn't quite as engaging as the first, maybe because the story is starting to tread some familiar water to anyone who who is a fan of the sci-fi genre. Still, beautiful artwork and the characters are engaging enough that I want to know more about what happens next. This ends on a crazy cliffhanger !!!
As I Descended by Robin Talley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Robin Talley does a really great job of reworking 'MacBeth' in our modern world. She didn't just copy+paste the story, she reinterpreted it to work with modern young adults and the hierarchy that exists in high school. That doesn't mean she had to hold back on the horrific aspects of the Scottish play.
MacBeth is my favorite of Shakespeare's tragedies, maybe my favorite play of his overall. I would be curious how someone unfamiliar with the play, who wasn't reading it because it was a retelling, would feel about this book. I know I enjoyed it a lot because I was looking for the parallel stories and really enjoying the new twists that Talley added.
If you're a fan of MacBeth, definitely pick this one up!
Mooncop by Tom Gauld
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm not sure what to say about this short but not simple graphic novel. Gauld's sparse use of text means you can finish a first read through in a matter of minutes, but the story and the ideas behind it will stick with you.
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads says this is a series, but it does NOT end on a giant cliffhanger, thank goodness! I started to slow down in my reading when I saw the "Brooklyn Brujas #1" in the record. I'm so tired of series.
Alejandra comes from a family of brujas, powerful witches that live in our world. But she isn't sure she wants to embrace that side of her. But her Deathday celebration is approaching, a ritual that will bind her powers to her for ever. Alex must decide if she wants to stay a bruja, like her mother and aunt and sisters - or just be a normal girl.
This book is a great blend of magic and Mexican folklore. I think it would be a great read for teens who read Harry Potter when they were younger and want more magical people living in our world stories. Lots of adventure, a bit of romance, and real characters from Mexican folklore. The author even included notes in the back of the book to let the reader know which magical creatures are part of established myth.
If there are more adventures of the Brooklyn Brujas, I will definitely pick them up! But I am glad that Alex's story was wrapped up at the end of this book.
View all my reviews