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Wednesday, May 31, 2017

May 2017 Recap


  1. Spawn Origins Collection, Vol 1 by Todd McFarlane
  2. Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Divya Srinivasan
  3. everyone's a aliebn when ur a alienb too by jomny sun
  4. Stormwatch, Vol 1 by Warren Ellis, illustrated by Tom Raney & Jim Lee
  5. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
  6. Star Wars: The Rise of a Hero by Louise Simonson, illustrated by Walt Simonson
  7. Snotgirl, Vol 1: Green Hair, Don't Care by Bryan Lee O'Malley, illustrated by Leslie Hung

Top Book of the Month
everyone's a aliebn when ur a alienb too by jomny sun


May 2017
Number of books read: 7
Number of pages: 1,128

Number of books acquired: 38
Number of those books read: 5


First month out of the hospital, and feeling better. Concentration isn't exactly up to par yet, so there will still be an abundance of graphic novels for the time being.


YEAR TOTALS
Number of books read: 37
Number of pages: 5,816

Number of books acquired: 144
Number of those books read: 25

Snotgirl, Vol 1: Green Hair Don't Care by Bryan Lee O'Malley, illustrated by Leslie Hung

Snotgirl, Vol 1: Green Hair Don't Care
by Bryan Lee O'Malley, illustrated by Leslie Hung
Published by Image Comics • February 28, 2017
136 Pages • ISBN 978-1534300361 • Paperback



Schuler BooksAmazon
To purchase any of the books in this post and help me buy more books, click the links above!

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Book description:
WHO IS LOTTIE PERSON? Is she a gorgeous, fun-loving social media star with a perfect life or a gross, allergy-ridden mess? Enter a world of snot, blood, and tears in this first collection from New York Times Best Seller BRYAN LEE O’MALLEY (Scott Pilgrim, Seconds) and dazzling newcomer LESLIE HUNG!

Collects
SNOTGIRL #1-5.

I picked this up on a whim (I find that I really enjoy most Image titles), and what started out as a seemingly fluff story about fashion bloggers and their rather shallow lives takes a surprising turn into something more... sinister? A mysterious "resurrection", possible supernatural elements, a stalker, a police investigation into the possible death of the possibly resurrected friend, and another possible murder. Or is it all just an allergy drug-induced hallucination? We'll have to wait until the next collected edition to find out more, but needless to say I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly intrigued to find out what happens next.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Star Wars: The Rise of a Hero by Louise Simonson, illustrated by Walter Simonson

Star Wars: The Rise of a Hero
by Louise Simonson, illustrated by Walter Simonson
Disney Lucasfilm Press • May 30, 2017
48 Pages • ISBN 978-1484799338 • Hardcover



Schuler BooksAmazon
To purchase any of the books in this post and help me buy more books, click the links above!

LibraryThingGoodreads
To add your book to LibraryThing or Goodreads, click the links above!


Book description:
Blast into hyperspace and relive Luke Skywalker's exciting adventure as he goes from being a farm boy on the dusty desert planet of Tatooine to the rebel pilot and hero who destroys the Empire's most powerful weapon--the Death Star!

Star Wars: The Rise of a Hero reunites legendary Star Wars comic book creators Louise Simonson, Walter Simonson, and Tom Palmer, along with Laura Martin, they deliver an all-new, action-packed retelling of A New Hope just in time to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of that landmark science fantasy epic.

May the Force be with you!


A very simplistic retelling of Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope told entirely around Luke Skywalker's actions in the movie, Star Wars: The Rise of a Hero is an extremely quick read and one that I think most adult readers will probably skip, only because it is so simplistic. However, for early readers who are fans of Star Wars, I think this would be perfect. Since the story is not bogged down by all the myriad details of the movie and is written in such a way as to make everything easy to understand, and is only told from one character's perspective, beginning/early readers should find this volume extremely accessible. And while from an adult reader's POV, I found the story a little too streamlined and the art a little too basic (I know Walt Simonson's art is generally very straightforward and linear, this is even more pronounced here and not up to his usual levels of detail, IMO), I know I'm not the target audience and know for the right reader, this will be a perfect reading experience.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

The Call of the Wild
by Jack London
Published by Collins Classics • January 1, 2011
144 Pages • ISBN 978-0007420230 • Paperback



Schuler BooksAmazon
To purchase any of the books in this post and help me buy more books, click the links above!

LibraryThingGoodreads
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Book description:
HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.

‘Deep in the forest a call was sounding, and he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire, and to plunge into the forest.’

Half St. Bernard, half sheepdog, Buck is stolen away from his comfortable life as a pet in California and sold to dog traders. He soon finds himself aboard a ship, on its way to Northern Canada. Surrounded by cruelty, Buck’s natural instincts and behavior begin to emerge as he works as a mail carrying sled dog, scavenging for food, protecting himself against other dogs and sleeping out in the cold snow.

Sold to a group of American gold hunters who are inexperienced living in the wilderness, the dogs are treated badly and as misfortune besets them, Buck is saved by John Thornton. Indebted to his new master, Buck remains by Thornton’s side, saving him from drowning and protecting him with fierce loyalty throughout their time together. However, Buck can not deny the strong lure of the wilderness around him.

Exciting and action-packed,
The Call of the Wild explores the timeless relationship between man and dog, and the inevitable draw of primitive instincts that pull Buck away from civilization and humanity towards the lawless and harsh wilderness.


Another one of those books that seems to have gotten past me in my school days, I just recently read The Call of the Wild for the first time. Like many of these books that I'm discovering pretty much everyone else has read except me, I think I'm glad that I came at them as an adult, as I don't think I would have revisited them had I read them earlier, and I don't think I would have taken away as much when I was younger. Jack London's story about Buck, a St. Bernard-Scotch Shepherd who is kidnapped from his idyllic southern California home to be a sled dog in the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush is a powerful tale. We follow Buck's journey as he discovers that not all men are kind like his previous owners, learns to navigate the ins and outs of the sled dog's pack pecking order, and finally as he discovers the primal nature of his being as he eventually starts to venture out into the wilderness on his own. The imagery that London uses in describing Buck's discovery of that primal nature is remarkable; I think of anything else in the book, I enjoyed these sequences best.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Jacqueline Carey & Josh Malerman at Schuler Books

Jacqueline Carey
Last night, Schuler Books hosted Jacqueline Carey for the release of her newest book, Miranda and Caliban, a retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Jacqueline is always a delight, and I'm always thrilled to be able to go to one of her events.


Josh Malerman
Tonight, Schuler Books hosted Josh Malerman for the release of his newest book, Black Mad Wheel. If you ever have an opportunity to attend one of Josh's events, I'd highly recommend it; I can guarantee you've never been to a signing like his - it's more performance art than a simple reading, and always an experience.



https://www.schulerbooks.com/aff/tapestry100/book/v/9780765386793https://www.schulerbooks.com/aff/tapestry100/book/v/9780062259684
To purchase these books from Schuler Books, just click on the covers above! You'll be getting an awesome book, supporting a great local independent bookstore, and helping me get more books!

Sky break!

Anybody for play time?

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Sky break!

You're eating cheese? I like cheese too, you know.

Monday, May 22, 2017

Sky break!

You're eating pizza. I get the crusts, right?

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Sky break!

Sky is clearly impressed with her new bed...

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

It's Author Season!

I've been lucky enough this week to attend not one, but two!, author events, each hosted by my favorite local Indies.

Steve Hamilton
First up, last night Schuler Books hosted Steve Hamilton for the kick off of his signing tour for the release of his newest Nick Mason book, Exit Strategy. Steve is a very funny man and very humble and I've enjoyed both times that I've gotten to meet him.


Paula Hawkins
Tonight, Nicola's Books hosted Paula Hawkins for the release of her new book, Into the Water. I was lucky enough to meet Paula many moons ago at one of the ALA Mid Winter Conferences in Chicago right after the release of The Girl on the Train and she is just as charming now as she was then.

Next week, there will be back to back signings again at Schuler, for Josh Malerman and his newest, Black Mad Wheel, and then the next night with Jacqueline Carey for Miranda and Caliban.



https://www.schulerbooks.com/aff/tapestry100/book/v/9780399574320https://www.schulerbooks.com/aff/tapestry100/book/v/9780399574382https://www.schulerbooks.com/aff/tapestry100/book/v/9780735211209
To purchase these books from Schuler Books, just click on the covers above! You'll be getting an awesome book, supporting a great local independent bookstore, and helping me get more books!

Sky break!

Sky loves her chewies so much, she does in fact take an occasional nap with them

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Sky break!

When your puppy doesn't understand that even tho you're home, you still need to work

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by jomny sun

 photo 080417348601_SX175_SY250_SCLZZZZZZZ__zpsda9e2b77.jpgeveryone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too
by jomny sun
Published by Harper Perennial • June 27, 2017
304 Pages • ISBN 978-0062569028 • Hardcover



Schuler BooksAmazon
To purchase any of the books in this post and help me buy more books, click the links above!

LibraryThingGoodreads
To add your book to LibraryThing or Goodreads, click the links above!




Book description:
everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too is the illustrated story of a lonely alien sent to observe Earth, only to meet all sorts of creatures with all sorts of perspectives on life, love, and happiness, all while learning to feel a little better about being an alien – based on the enormously popular Twitter account, @jonnysun.

Here is the unforgettable story of Jomny, a lonely alien who, for the first time ever, finds a home on our planet after learning that earthlings can feel lonely too. Jomny finds friendship in a bear tired of other creatures running away in fear, an egg struggling to decide what to hatch into, an owl working its way to being wise, a tree feeling stuck in one place, a tadpole coming to terms with turning into a frog, a dying ghost, a puppy unable to express itself, and many more.

Through this story of a lost, lonely and confused alien finding friendship, acceptance, and love among the creatures of Earth, we will all learn how to be a little more human. And for all of us earth-bound creatures here on this planet, we can all be reminded that sometimes, it takes an outsider to help us see ourselves for who we truly are.


I have never heard of Jomny Sun, nor his twitter feed, @jonnysun, and after having read everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too, I feel like I've been missing out on something fairly amazing. everyone's a aliebn opens with the alien Jomny being dropped off on Earth, to study the planet and what it means to be an earthling. Never feeling like a part of his people, Jomny at first feels lost on Earth, but as he learns what it means to be an earthling thru his encounters with a varied cast of characters, he actually discovers what it means to be human instead, and begins to finally feel like he has found his place in the universe.

This is one of those rare treats of a book for me that reminds me how you can be fooled by a book, and in a beautiful way. Remarkably told thru the sparsest of illustrations and text, everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too has an emotional impact I was not expecting. The illustrations and text are so basic, I initially thought I was just reading a cute little story about an alien on Earth and his misadventures, but what Jonathan Sun provides is actually a guide to the ups and downs of all human emotion, and it is surprisingly powerful. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately flipped back to the beginning as soon as I finished and read the whole thing again. I think this would be a perfect book for anyone who is having a hard time finding their place in the world; if Jomny can do it, any of us can.


I received a print ARC of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.