Things I've Read Recently (85): I'm running out of comic titles

If you're new around here, Things I've Read Recently is a series of posts I do that are basically mini-reviews of books that I either forgot to review, didn't have enough to say for a full review, or just didn't want to do a full post about for whatever reason. Sometimes I also realize I posted TIRR with volumes 2 and 4 of certain series, but skipped 3 by accident.

Oops.

Buy links include affiliate links, and I can earn a small commission if you purchase through them. And remember, after February 28th this blog will no longer be updating. Follow me on Wordpress to continue reading (please!).

Commercial Suicide (The Wicked + The Divine, Volume 3) by Kieran Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matthew Wilson, and Clayton Cowles, plus a whole bunch of guest artists

Published: February 3rd, 2016 by Image Comics
Genre: Adult Fantasy Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 200. There was a bunch of bonus material in this one.
Part of a series? This collects the Wicked + the Divine issues #12-17
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): After the detonation of FANDEMONIUM the gods-as-pop-stars of THE WICKED + THE DIVINE try living in the long dark shadow.

Team WicDiv are joined by a stellar cast of guest artists to put the spotlight on each of the gods. The multiple Eisner Award nominated series continues in the only way it knows how: darker, weirder, faster. Don't worry. It's going to be okay.

Thoughts: So for reasons I won't tell you because spoilers, after two volumes mostly following the same narrator with only occasional pops over to other POVs, this has a sudden and drastic POV change. It's expected due to events at the end of volume two, but also manages to be surprising with how they handle that, and I really liked it.

Basically each issue (or so, I didn't exactly count it or match names or whatever) has a different guest artist, and obviously that changes the art style. I find that art shift incredibly effective in creating very distinct, different POVs. It makes you feel disoriented, and with the stories being told, that's great. They feel like they're all working in the same direction, but at the same time, they're separate as you learn more about the other characters. One of the best ways to use an art shift I've seen, honestly.

The team really knows how to work with how the issues will be divided when collected, which I really appreciate as someone who doesn't read solo issue and relies on the library for her comic book reading. It's kind of a pet peeve of mine when the division is really bad and leaves you halfway into a plot arc, and then you have to wait like six months until the next one comes out. This works with the breaks and leaves you just enough on a cliffhanger. It teases about what comes next, while not having things be left super unfinished.

I will make two other notes. One, this one has a bit more nudity/sexual content than the previous volumes have had. Two, there's a page where one of the goddesses' Twitter mentions are shown. They're... not surprsing if you know anything about Twitter harassment, but they're hard to read. It's a full two-page spread, with a ton of content, and I couldn't read them all. If you've any experience with Twitter harassment, it could hit you hard. It's easy to skip most of it and get the gist, but it's better to know going in.

All in all, though, I'm growing to like this series a lot more than I expected. I'll be ordering more.

Paper Girls, Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matt Wilson, Jared K. Fletcher

Published: August 8th, 2017 by Image Comics
Genre: YA Science Fiction Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 128
Part of a series? This volume collects issues 11 through 15 of Paper Girls.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): The multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning series from BRIAN K. VAUGHAN and CLIFF CHIANG continues, as newspaper deliverers Erin, Mac and Tiffany finally reunite with their long-lost friend KJ in an unexpected new era, where the girls must uncover the secret origins of time travel... or risk never returning home to 1988.

Thoughts: Yeah, this is definitely the best one yet. I'm really liking the way this is going, and the way they play with timelines and things being all weird and time-travel-twisty. I do kind of hope that something big happens soon, so we get more of a sense of the plot and where it's heading, but overall I'm enjoying this and I think it's picking up.

Trigger warnings for antisemitisism, implied rape, and the r-slur, plus a little homomisia which this volume continues to lead me to believe will be addressed eventually. On a non-trigger warning note, props for including a period in this. Like it makes sense that one of the girls around their age would get it at some point, and not just implying it but actually showing it? Nice. Although the drawing of it... makes me believe that the person who drew it has never actually had one. I don't particularly believe that's how it would work in that situation.

Squirrel, You Really Got Me Now (Squirrel Girl, Volume 3) by Ryan North and Erica Henderson

Published: March 24th, 2016 by Marvel Comics
Genre: YA Science Fiction Comics
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 168, and it was definitely a decent chunk longer than usual.
Part of a series? This is the part where comics are annoying. I guess there was a reboot thing? I don't know, read the wikipedia. It says 8 issues of the series, and then reboot so. This is why I just go by collected volumes. There's also an issue of Howard the Duck as they crossover.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): New series, New Avenger! With her unique combination of wit, empathy and squirrel powers, computer science student Doreen Green - aka the unbeatable Squirrel Girl - is all that stands between the Earth and total destruction. Well, Doreen plus her friends Tippy-Toe (a squirrel) and Nancy (a regular human with no powers).

So, mainly Squirrel Girl. Then what hope does the Earth have if she gets hurled back in time to the 1960s and erased from history? At least Nancy will never forget her friend, but what invincible armored Avenger can she call on to help, through the magic of social media? Decades apart, can they avert doom, or will everything go wrong forever? Howard the Duck hopes not...he has an appointment for a crossover!

Thoughts: Okay, frankly, I'm not a big Howard the Duck fan. I find him mostly annoying and a little creepy. Sorry, Howard the Duck fans. Don't worry, my mom likes him. Like she even liked that movie in the 80s or whatever. Luckily for me, there's only two issues with him in this and they were better than I expected. Still not my favourite, but a decent cross up, with a solid premise, and a gag at the end that made me crack up.

I also really liked the whole of issues one to five in this, so it definitely made up for the parts that weren't my best, and I continue to really enjoy this series. I like the forth-wall breaking, I like how it's taking its time to build character relationships without rushing them, I loved Doreen's mother and the stories about her childhood.

I've already ordered more and I hope my holds hurry their butts up and get here!

The Smartest There Is (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur vol. 3) by Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare

Published: July 11th, 2017 by Marvel Comics
Genre: MG Science Fiction Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 136 pages.
Part of a series? This collects issues 13 to 18.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): That's right, the rumors are true: Lunella Lafayette is the smartest there is!

Tony Stark, Victor von Doom, T'Challa, Amadeus Cho...the greatest minds in the Marvel Universe all have one thing in common: they're not smarter than a 4th grader! Now it's time to put her unrivaled intellect to the test against some of Marvel's finest--with Devil Dinosaur adding the brawn to her brains! The Thing drops by to defend his missing best pal Reed Richards' pole position! Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, proves there's room for two young gifted gals in the MU! Doctor Strange wants to see what's so magical about Lunella! Storm and the X-Men come to Yancy Street! And all of them and more will join Lunella as she proves herself once and for all against an enemy that can't possibly be Doctor Doom!

Thoughts: I thought I was only going to take a couple notes since I was almost at the end of the page (comic books, I can generally fit a few on one page of notes, to save paper) and then I took a bunch and it's all squished lol. Anyways, I have a question. So, you have Ironheart, possibly the other Iron Man as well, Thor, Captain America, Spider-Man (possibly, again, more than one), the Hulk, Ms. Marvel, several X-Men, a few Fantastic Four, probably a bunch more, and they all live in New York.

How does New York have any crime? Who looks at a city with at least a good twenty superheroes and decides they're going to be like, "I wanna cause trouble here!" Why isn't there like a big crime ring in Minnesota or something where there aren't any superheroes?

Anyways, I liked this one. It's a bit of a filler arc, but it's lovely and I really like watching Lunella's inner growth. There was also a lovely little scene of Lunella's mom doing her hair, and it was a small moment, but it showed a little bit of how much her mom loves her and wants the best for her.

I want more of these and now I have to wait and I'm sad XD

What comics do you y'all recommend I get into?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Things I've Read Recently (84): Seriously What Do I Call This Post

If you're new around here, Things I've Read Recently is a series of posts I do that are basically mini-reviews of books that I either forgot to review, didn't have enough to say for a full review, or just didn't want to do a full post about for whatever reason. Buy links include affiliate links, where I can earn a small commission if you purchase through them.

Stone Cold (Lumberjanes, Volume 8) by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Carey Pietsch, and Maarta Laiho

Published: February 20th, 2018 by BOOM! Box
Genre: YA Fantasy Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 112
Part of a series? This collects Lumberjanes issues #29-35.
Got via: The library, as usual.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Five best friends at summer camp take friendship to the max when they team up to defeat the strange forces lurking within the surrounding forest.

Excited to have Barney starting their first week at the camp, the Roanokes run over to the Zodiac cabin, only to find everyone turned to stone! Between strange shadows and Diane being back, it looks like April, Jo, Mal, Molly, and Ripley are going to have their hands full trying to find a cure for their friends... as long as they don’t look the wrong thing in the eye first.

Thoughts: I've had some issues with the art change of the last few volumes, and I'm not sure if there was another shift, or if I've just gotten more used to it, but it definitely didn't stand out at all in this one. I was also really excited about this one because of the stuff going on. Barney's everything is just like so lovely, and while they didn't feature as prominently in this due to being turned into stone, it's still just nice to see them being a Lumberjane.

I also adored that they treat hair as very important, even when big important things are going down. It's really supportive of people looking how they want to look, and that's nice. It was also fun that this one called back on an older arc of the series, and plays with Greek mythology again. I continue to love this series, and can't wait for the next one to come out.

Paper Girls, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang

Published: April 10th, 2018 by Image comics which basically means I've caught up and I'm going to have to start waiting for them to come out. Siiiigh.
Genre: YA Science Fiction Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 128.
Part of a series? This collects issues 16 to 20 of Paper Girls.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): The mind-bending, time-warping adventure from BRIAN K. VAUGHAN and CLIFF CHIANG continues, as intrepid newspaper deliverer Tiffany is launched from the prehistoric past into the year 2000! In this harrowing version of our past, Y2K was even more of a cataclysm than experts feared, and the only person who can save the future is a 12-year-old girl from 1988.

Thoughts: It's funny - my review notebook is filled up on one side of the pages and I don't want to waste paper, so I'm using the pages upside down and backwards. Amusingly, the opposite side of my notebook right now has my notes from the first time I read a Paper Girls.

Anyways, this was a really interesting one. I kind of hope they keep exploring the girls' Future!Selves, as that's a really interesting angle. Tiffany was seriously neat to see in the future. Or, past, as it is, since this is centered around Y2K. They also finally started to do the thing with queerness that I have suspected was comng since the beginning of the series, and I still have hopes about what's to come.

I'm so bummed that I have to wait for like four months now til the next one of these is released!

Teenage Wasteland (Ms. Marvel, vol. 9) by G. Willow Wilson and Nico Leon

Published: July 31st, 2018 by Marvel Comics
Genre: YA Science Fiction Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 136 pages
Part of a series? This collects Ms. Marvel issues 25 to 30.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Kamala Khan has vanished! But where has she gone, and why? Jersey City still has a need for heroes, and in the wake of Ms. Marvel's disappearance, dozens have begun stepping up to the plate. The city's newest super hero Red Dagger and even ordinary citizens attempt to carry on the brave fight in Kamala's honor. Somehow, Ms. Marvel is nowhere...but also everywhere at once! Absent but not forgotten, Ms. Marvel has forged a heroic legacy to be proud of. But when an old enemy re-emerges, will anyone be powerful enough to truly carry the Ms. Marvel legacy - except Kamala herself?

Thoughts: I was anxious that this would make me cry, and it kind of did, but not for the angst-y reasons I was expecting. This was just... beautiful. Look, I adore Lumberjanes, I really do, but I think Ms. Marvel might be my favourite comic series. The messages and storytelling that they put into this series are just so good.

I went into this expecting to read something that would involve a lot of anger or pain or just, you know, angst, and instead it tells a story that's full of understanding and support and healing. Kamala needs a break, and her friends understand and give her space. Ms. Marvel needs a break, and her friends understand and give her break and also take over for her so she doesn't have pressure to save the city on her shoulders when she needs time to heal. (They also don't connect those dots, somehow. Ah, comic books.) It's just... so nice that they give her time to feel like herself again.

Also, props to this comic book artist. They seem to draw really good fat bodies. Mike's body/size can vary depending on artist, and this one seems to draw her a little larger and more visibly fat than others, and that is great. This one doesn't make her like a perfect hourglass plus-sized model body. You see more of the shape of her stomach and a bit of double chin, and she looks very real. Kamala's sister-in-law's mom is also shown in this one, and she's also fat and she has a very visible, large belly, but is absolutely gorgeous, and seriously, props to that. Good job, artist.

All in all, I just really loved this. It made me feel really good reading it, and made me feel like Kamala had actually had time to heal a little, along with beginning to work on relationships with others. Very, very good, and I can't wait for more. (I've totally already pre-ordered the next through the library.)

Girl-Moon (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, vol. 4) by Brandon Montclare and Natasha Bustos

Published: January 9th, 2018 by Marvel Comics
Genre: MG comic book
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 136
Part of a series? This collects Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur numbes 19 to 24.
Got via: The library of course.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Journey to the Living Planet! It's Lunella Lafayette's biggest adventure yet, as a voice from the outer reaches of space beckons her and Devil Dinosaur on a truly fantastic voyage - an Ego trip, if you will! Are you ready for Moon Girl to meet...Girl-Moon? Lunella isn't just smart, she's the smartest person on Earth - but what good is that when the problems she faces are intergalactic?

And when our incredible duo makes it back to Earth, they might find things a little different than how they remember. What happened to Yancy Street? And who exactly are Devil Girl and Moon Dinosaur?! The story of a young genius and her T. rex pal gets wilder than ever!

Thoughts: I kind of have already given this one back to the library because it was really overdue and it had a hold on it so I couldn't renew it anymore and it was wracking up the overdue fees something fierce. So it's a bit hard to review it when I don't have it with me.

However, I really like this volume. There's a little bit of fatmisia at one point, but I really just love Lunella and I really like the journey she's on of learning to perhaps be just a little more empathic and thinking about others' feelings a little more. She is only a kid, after all, but she's a great one.

There's also a thing that happens in this one that seriously made me look up future volumes of this because I was worried, so let me assure you that there are several more. And I want them!!

What a good group of comics!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Things I've Read Recently (81): Comic Sequels

If you're new around here, Things I've Read Recently is a series of posts I do that are basically mini-reviews of books that I either forgot to review, didn't have enough to say for a full review, or just didn't want to do a full post about for whatever reason.

Fandemonium (The Wicked + The Divine, Vol 2) by Karen Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matt Wilson, and Clayton Cowles

Published: July 1st, 2015 by Image Comics
Genre: Adult Fantasy comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 168 pages
Part of a series? This collects the Wicked and the Divine numbers 6-11.
Got via: The library
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): The second volume of the award-winning urban fantasy series where gods are the ultimate pop stars and pop stars are the ultimate gods. Following the tragic and unjust death of Lucifer, it takes a revelation from Inanna to draw Laura back into the worlds of Gods and Superstardom to try and discover the truth behind a conspiracy to subvert divinity. Includes issues 6-11 of the series, plus supplementary material.

Thoughts: This series is growing on me. I still really like the premise, and this volume isn't nearly as gory, which I did struggle with in the first one. Gore really isn't my thing. There's also a bit of an art shift in this, or - or, more, that one of the issues really experiments with a lot of colour and a different way of storytelling, and I really enjoyed that.

I'm curious about how we feel about a trans woman becoming a goddess? On one hand, yay no misgendering, and I kind of absolutely adore her character in both versions, but there is kind of the inherent, you know, death sentence that the diety characters have in this series, as they all die after two years. There aren't any other trans characters yet, so perhaps that's, as it often is, the solution.

All in all, though, I enjoyed this volume and I'm excited about the next one.

Paper Girls, Vol 2 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matt Wilson, and Jared K. Fletcher

Published: November 30th, 2016 by Image Comics
Genre: YA Fantasy Comics
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 128
Part of a series? This collects Paper Girls issues 6-11.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): After surviving the strangest night of their lives in the Cleveland suburb of Stony Stream, intrepid young newspaper deliverers Erin, Mac, and Tiffany find themselves launched from 1988 to a distant and terrifying future... the year 2016.

What would you do if you were suddenly confronted by your 12-year-old self? 40-year-old newspaper reporter Erin Tieng is about to find out in this action-packed story about identity, mortality, and growing older in the 21st century.

Thoughts: I'm quite enjoying this series. Honestly I read these super fast, because they are so quick paced and easy to read. It's like watching the whole season of a show on Netflix in one night even though you should really, really go to bed and you'll regret it tomorrow.

There's some fatmisia in this that made me roll my eyes, and there's something a little off about a comic series about young girl heroes being created entirely by dudes. Also I'm not sure how I feel about the idea that Trump may literally have caused an apocalyptic future. I believe it, but I just don't know how to feel.

This does also still feel a bit like it's still getting its feet under it, but I'm enjoying it overall. Excited for the next volume!

Squirrel You Know It's True (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol 2) by Ryan North and Erica Henderson

Published: December 8th, 2016 by Marvel Comics
Genre: YA Science Fiction Comics
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 120 and comics never have page numbers so we'll just assume goodreads is correct.
Part of a series? This collects Squirrel Girl issues 5 through 8 plus some bonus material.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): The breakout character of 2015 continues her one-woman crusade against injustice and jerks! These TAILS of the Squirrel Girl will show you the Marvel Universe's most powerful super hero from a bunch of brand-new perspectives, several of them Quite Astonishing.

Thoughts: I continue to enjoy this series! This series set in a continuity of Marvel that I don't know super well. Not really sure what went down that made original Captain America all old and the um. The bird guy? The new Captain America, or how dude-Thor lost the hammer and now we have awesome Lady Thor, but I'm honestly down for both of these things and I think it makes this universe more interesting.

Not entirely sure how this works for my dream team-up of Squirrel Girl, Moon Girl, and Ms. Marvel, but I'm still into it.

This is really funny throughout, but also managed a little bit of some really creepy imagery that still fit really well within the style of the series. Really enjoyed this and looking forward to reading more of this series!

Also can I just say I adore the pun titles of this series???

Cosmic Cooties (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Volume 2) by Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare

Published: December 28th, 2016
Genre: MG Science Fiction Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 136 pages
Part of a series? This collects issues 7 to 12 of the series.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): THE TERRIGEN CLOUD FINALLY FINDS LUNELLA LAFAYETTE!

But her transformation isn't what you might expect! Plus, poor Lunella's been so busy worrying about the Terrigen Cloud turning her Inhuman, she's totally unprepared for...Cosmic Cooties?! Because when a new boy moves to town from far, far away, he's oddly interested in her.

Meanwhile, the most wanted T-Rex in NYC is running out of places to lie low--a problem that won't get any easier when our darling duo undergo a body swap! It's a big change-up that will see Luna spending a freaky Friday (or whatever day it happens to be) as Devil Dinosaur, and vice versa! Will Luna evade capture? Will DD scrape a passing grade? And who exactly is Moon Girl's new 9-year-old archnemesis, Kid Kree? Lunella's got a huge future in the Marvel Universe, if only she can survive the present!

Thoughts: To my surprise, my library branch actually had the first three volumes of this series, so I barely had to wait after reading the first one! I actually filled my own hold grabbing the third one off the shelf, lol.

The thing I wanted to happen happened!! Well, not my ultimate dream team up of Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl and Moon Girl, but Lunella got to meet Ms. Marvel in this! It was so cool to see Kamala being a hero for Lunella like Captain Marvel and Wolverine and Iron Man were people that Kamala looked up to. It made my little heart go pitter patter!

Also, a little thing I noticed - I'm not sure if it's done every chapter yet or what, but Lunella's hair changes pretty frequently. In this one she's rocking some cornrows along with her little pigtail puffs, and in the first one volume I believe she often just had one ponytail, and it's really cool to see her hair changing since she wears it natural and that's really important representation.

I want to read more and it's literally right here so that's the end of the review, lol.

And that's four! Expect a lot of these in the next couple months. I've been reading a ton of comic books lately.

Thanks for reading!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Things I've Read Recently (80): New (to me) Comics!

If you're new around here, Things I've Read Recently is a series of posts I do that are basically mini-reviews of books that I either forgot to review, didn't have enough to say for a full review, or just didn't want to do a full post about for whatever reason.

Squirrel Power (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol 1) by Ryan North and Erica Henderson

Published: September 1st, 2015 by Marvel
Genre: YA Fantasy Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 128
Part of a series? This collects issues 1-4 of the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.
Got via: The library, of course.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Wolverine, Deadpool, Doctor Doom, Thanos: There's one hero that's beaten them all-and now she's got her own ongoing series! (Not that she's bragging.) That's right, you asked for it, you got it, it's SQUIRREL GIRL! (She's also starting college this semester.) It's the start of a brand-new set of adventures starring the nuttiest and most upbeat super hero in the world!

Thoughts: Wow, I did not think I was going to like this as much as I did. This is freaking hilarious. Honestly, there's a moment where I just stopped and cracked up, because, like. Like honestly, the image of an Iron Man helmet attached to just the glove with a squirrel inside is so funny that I had to take a minute to stop and laugh before reading more.

I'm definitely going to be picking more of this, because it's great.

Giant Days, Volume One by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Whitney Cogar

Published: November 24th, 2015 by BOOM! Box
Genre: YA Contemporary Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 128
Part of a series? This collects issues 1-4 of Giant Days
Got via: The library
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of handwringing boys, “personal experimentation,” influenza, mystery-mold, nu-chauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of “academia,” they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive. Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but for Esther, Susan, and Daisy, things are about to get a little weird.

Thoughts: I didn't really like this. It's fine, and some of the humour is good at times, but it just doesn't do a whole lot for me. I liked the author's work, Bad Machinery, but over-all I was just really unimpressed by this.

Also, frankly, I'm not down for lectures about how women are doing feminism wrong from male authors. Especially not when the women in question are created by that male author, and therefore have no agency in how they act or choices they make. So, like, could you just not?

I know a lot of people like this series, but I don't think I'll be one of those people and I don't think I'll be seeking out any more of these.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Volume 1: BFF by Amy Reeder, Brandon Montclare, and Natacha Bustos

Published: November 26th, 2015 by Marvel Comics
Genre: Science-Fiction Comic and I would borderline call it MG, personally.
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 160
Part of a series? This collects Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur issues 1 to 6.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): LUNELLA LAFAYETTE IS AN INHUMAN PRETEEN GENIUS WHO WANTS TO CHANGE THE WORLD!

That job would be a lot easier if she wasn't living in mortal fear of her latent Inhuman gene. There's no telling what she'll turn into - but Luna's got a plan. All she needs is an Omni-Wave Projector. Easy, right? That is, until a red-scaled beast is teleported from the prehistoric past to a far-flung future we call...today! Together they're the most Marvelous Team-Up of all - the Inhuman Moon Girl and time-tossed Devil Dinosaur! But will they be BFFs forever, or just until DD's dinner time?

Lunella soon learns that there are other problems with a having a titanic T. Rex as a pet in the modern-day Marvel Universe. School, for one. Monster hunters are another - especially when they're the Totally Awesome Hulk! Then there's the fact that everyone's favorite dino didn't journey through time alone. Beware the prehistoric savages known as the Killer-Folk - New York City's deadliest tourists! Can Lunella handle all this turmoil... and keep herself from transforming into an Inhuman monster?

Thoughts: This was delightful! First of all, the art in this is wonderful. There's something about it that seems so quick and full of movement and life. Lunella is so adorable and smart and feisty and I think she's gonna have a ton of appeal for both kids and older readers.

This reminded me a lot of Ms. Marvel not because there are a lot of similarities between them (though they do exist in the same world, and I would really enjoy if these two characters met) but because of how much I enjoyed them.

I'm really excited about this one, and I can't wait to read more. Definitely going to order more of this if my library has more!

Slam! (Slam, Volume One) by Pamela Ribon and Veronica Fish

Published: August 15th, 2017 by BOOM! Box
Genre: Adult contemporary comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 112
Part of a series? This collects Slam! issues 1 to 4.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): In the fast-paced, hard-hitting, super cheeky, all-female world of banked track roller derby, two young women will have to decide if their budding friendship is stronger than the pull of a team when a win is on the line.

When life starts coming at you like a freight train, you have two options: run away screaming or lean into the hit.

From the first day of Fresh Meat Orientation for the Eastside Roller Girls, Jennifer and Maisie knew they’d be fast friends. But when they’re drafted to different teams, the pull of competition — and their increasingly messy personal lives — threaten to drive them apart. In roller derby you take your hits, get back up, and learn how to be a better jammer, a better blocker, a better lover, and a better friend. Derby can heal your heart... but it might break a bone or two in the process.

Thoughts: I'm kind of fifty-fifty on this. The art is really gorgeous, and I truly loved how so many of the characters had different body types and skin tones and hair choices and it was all around just beautifully illustrated. Not to mention all the hair colours and piercing choices, which are just fun to see from people who are, you know, normal? Like they're not villains or bad influences or anything.

However, it felt pretty rushed and somewhat underdeveloped. I liked the characters, and I was interested in their relationships, but I didn't feel the connections very deeply. It was more told to me that these characters were very close than shown to me that they were actually close. I also thought the end felt very unfinished. It probably wouldn't have felt so unfinished if I had the second volume of the series, but I didn't, so this is all I can judge it on. And from what I gather from a little research, this was originally cancelled after the issues in this volume, but later brought back as a mini-series to wrap the whole thing up, so. That's interesting.

Anyways, I am going to order the sequel to this if my library has it available and we'll see how it goes. If you're into roller derby, I'd check this one out. It seems like it had potential, and I'm interested to see how it wraps up.

So, is anyone else singing the Space Jam song now? *hums* Come on and SLAM, and welcome to the JAM... no, just me? Oh, well, that's fine.

Also, awwww yeah, it's October. My favourite month!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Things I've Read Recently (70): New Comics!

If you're new around here, Things I've Read Recently is a series of posts I do that are basically mini-reviews of books that I either forgot to review, didn't have enough to say for a full review, or just didn't want to do a full post about for whatever reason. This is very convenient for comics, honestly, as there's not always a ton to say about them.

I do have some stuff to talk about, though, and let's start with this one.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson

Published: These are webcomics that eventually started to be published in newspapers, collected into a bind-up September 2nd, 2014 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
Genre: Middle grade/juvenile comic
Binding: Paperback, but if you have a choice for your library for this series, get a hardcover. (I'll explain why in the review.)
Page Count: 215 plus a bunch of cute extras like little recipes and crafts and how to draw stuff. Very nice bonus stuff.
Part of a series?  There are currently 7 volumes out, one just published March 20th, and I believe the comic strip is on-going as well.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Do you believe in unicorns? Phoebe does. She has no choice.. one day she skipped a rock across a pond, and hit a unicorn in the face. Improbably, this resulted in a lasting friendship between Phoebe and the unicorn, one Marigold Heavenly Nostrils.

Come along for the unicorn ride with Phoebe, as she deals with the usual burdens of childhood (cruel classmates, gym class, piano lessons) and also some unusual ones (magic hair, candy-breathing dragons, and the legendary Shield of Boringness).

Can a precocious little girl and a self-absorbed mythical forest creature find common ground?

Thoughts: Dang this is adorable. I grew up on Calvin and Hobbes, and this is definitely reminiscent of that, but centering a great girl character. Also, I've never seen the Last Unicorn, but I know enough about it know the way Marigold is drawn is pretty similar to that, so if you grew up watching that movie, you might get a kick out of this.

It is very, very cute and really funny. I would have adored it as a kid, and I can tell that kids today are loving it, because the paperback copy I have is super beat up. Like I read it and then I went and washed my hands before doing anything else, lol. I know not all of these can be bought in hardcover, but if you're a librarian and you can get the ones in hardcover, do, because I think the durability will be worth if.

If you want to buy a gift for a kid, one of these would be great as they seem to average at or under ten dollars, and I can see the appeal being super high. There's a bit of ableist language, and it lacks a little bit of diversity (could use more POC especially), but I'm hoping that comes as it goes on. All in all, lots of fun.

The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Mat Wilson, and Clayton Cowles

Published: November 1st, 2014 by Image Comics
Genre: Adult urban fantasy comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 144
Part of a series? This collects issues 1-5 of The Wicked + the Divine
Got via: The library
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critical tongue-attractors like Young Avengers and PHONOGRAM reunite to create a world where gods are the ultimate pop stars and pop stars are the ultimate gods. But remember: just because you’re immortal, doesn’t mean you’re going to live forever.

Thoughts: I was looking for comic book recommendations on Twitter, and someone recommended this, plus I'd heard there was eventually an ace character, so I decided to check it out. I actually really like the art style of this, and I also thought that it was super neat that they use a wide variety of gods, and not just like, the Greek ones. For some reason I definitely thought it was only going to be Greek gods, and seeing Irish mythology especially excited me because that's my thing.

I will say, this is a bit gorier than I would have expected without being told beforehand. Luci warned me about the fact that several heads explode on page in this, which I really apprecated because yeah, that's kind of disturbing. There's also a lot of sex talk done in a way which can get a little meh. Like, I get it, everyone wants to bone the gods. I just thought it got a bit old.

All in all, this probably isn't my favourite series, but I'm interested enough to read more. It's an interesting concept, and the art style works well for me, so I think I'll order another volume or two.

Paper Girls, Volume 1, by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiange, and Matthew Wilson

Published: April 5th, 2016 by Image Comics
Genre: YA comics
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 144, and as always, I assume goodreads is correct, as these things aren't numbered.
Part of a series? This collects Paper Girls 1-5.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.

Thoughts: Oh yeah, I want more of this. Partly because the volume ended on a freaking cliffhanger like nobody's business, but also I really liked this. It's set in 1989, and has kind of a Lumberjanes meets Stranger Things vibe going on. Which are both things I enjoy.

The only thing I'm really not fond of is the homomisic language that one of the protagonists uses (she's called out for it by the other characters), but I'm willing to see how that character changes and grows. I have a feeling about where they're going with that and I want to see if I'm right before making a decision on that. If you're not okay with that and that's a dealbreaker, I totally get it and no pressure, but that's my view for now.

This does feel really unfinished, which it obviously is being the first in a series, but I'm very interested in reading more.

Spell on Wheels by Kate Leth, Megan Levens, and Marissa Louise

Published: June 20th, 2017 by Dark Horse Comics
Genre: Fantasy Comics, and it's an adult comic, but would be fine for teens as well and probably has a lot of YA appeal.
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: This one actually numbers them, and it has 134 pages.
Part of a series? This collects Spell on Wheels #1-5 which I believe is the whole series.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): A road trip story. A magical revenge fantasy. A sisters-over-misters tale of three witches out to get back what was taken fom them.

Andy, Jolene, and Claire aren't your average twenty-somethings. They're legacy witches making their way through a modern world. When a jealous nonmagical ex breaks into their home and steals a spell that could awaken potentials with magical powers, the witches plan their revenge. Traveling down the East Coast, they must retrieve their powerful stolen artifacts and strengthen their friendship... the big bad is even worse than they imagined.

Thoughts: This was super fun. I ordered this solely because I saw a preview of it on Twitter, actually a couple years ago, and the character on the far right there, Claire, looked maybe-fat, and I wanted to see how that was. She's comic book fat, so she's not exactly representative of me, and is more chubby/curvy than really fat, but she's also the largest character in the book. Her design can change issue from issue, and in some parts she looks almost the same as the other girls. She is clearly meant to be larger and taller, though.

So, not really rep for me or anything, but she's cute. Better than the nothing most comics give us, honestly. It's about what I was expecting.

Overall this was quite fun. I do quite like the art style, and found it fun and engaging. It is super colourful and I really like that so much more than grim and dark. It's just pretty to look at. Also, queer! Multiple characters in this are, including one of the main characters. It lacks in some areas of diversity, but not bad overall for that. And I liked how tropey it could be at times, in really fun ways. There's a magical makeover scene and that is just wonderful.

I believe this was a limited run, so this is all there is, but if there was ever more, I'd read the heck out of them. Lots of fun, and easy to read since there's just the one volume. I was quite impressed with how well the characters and their relationships were developed in such a short time period, especially. This was probably my favourite of this post, honestly. Recommended.

Alright, that's everything for this post!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Things I've Read Recently (68): Comics

If you're new around here, Things I've Read Recently is a series of posts I do that are basically mini-reviews of books that I either forgot to review, didn't have enough to say for a full review, or just didn't want to do a full post about for whatever reason.

Class Warfare by Gail Simone and Freddie Williams II (The Movement Volume 1)

Published: May 27th, 2014 by DC Comics
Genre: Comics
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 144
Part of a series? This bind up contains issues 1-6 of the Movement series. Apparently the New 52 series "The Green Movement" is also connected to this world.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Coral City is infected by corruption and crime and its up to the citizens to fight back!

The Movement sees a young group of super-heroes rise up and take back the streets of their corrupt city. But when one of their own is captured by the police, its Coral City's finest against the citizens they have negelected to protect.

Thoughts: This is a new series for me. I've been curious about Gail Simone's writing, and wanted to check something of her's out, and I heard this had an asexual character in it, so I decided to grab it. This is also a short run so it's entirely available in only two bind-ups. Easy to get my hands on both! I have no real preference Marvel or DC, but I do really like the idea of comic series that I can read all at once, especially since it takes so long for the library to get new bind-ups. Following Lumberjanes and Ms. Marvel is a lot already.

It's also pretty new for me to read a comic series that's aimed more at adults. I know comics don't have as strict of a YA/teen/adult line, but most of the ones I read (again, Lumberjanes and Ms. Marvel) are pretty clearly aimed at a teen audience. This has a teenaged cast, but the tone definitely feels more adult. YA appeal, I think, for sure, but it almost seemed like it's aimed at like a 20-25 year old audience? It's kind of interesting.

The basis of this story is police corruption and police brutality, and that's very relevant to today. Which considering this is four years old is saying something, and that something is not good. The art style is not my favourite at times, especially the action scenes. It is pretty action heavy, too, so sometimes I'm a little thrown off. Otherwise, it can be really nice, but sometimes things just look a little off to me. Probably just a personal thing there, though.

The only thing that really bothered me was the depiction of Amanda Waller.

(Left photo from Who's Who in the DC Universe #1 (August 1990, art by Luke McDonnell and Geof Isherwood, right photo from Suicide Squad #8 (February 2017) by Jim Lee, both copyright Marvel. Photos from Wikipedia. Photos used under fair use for educational purpose only. No I'm not paranoid about using these pictures at all.)

(Photo taken by me of The Movement Volume One, Class Warfare, from issue #4, by Gail Simone and Freddie E. Williams II, copyright DC comics. Photo used under fair use for educational purposes only.)

Do you see a bit of a difference in how Amanda Waller is drawn in this versus other places? This is a real nasty habit Marvel has with Amanda Waller's look, both making her thinner and, honestly, lightening her skin tone. The series overall lacks fat characters. The boobs and female bodies in general are also a little bit... standard comic book. Two characters are hinted at being queer in this, but none are explicit yet. There is some disability rep that seems interesting, and it is really racially diverse. (That always sounds so weird to say. It's really not just white. Although, there is the aforementioned lightening of Amanda Waller so, like, make your own decisons on this one.)

Overall, I'm finding this interesting, and it really ended on a cliffhanger, lol. I also want to find out who the ace character is. So, I'm gonna keep reading. Will update!

Probably the next book, actually, because I have the other one already.

Fighting for the Future by Gail Simone and Freddie Williams II (The Movement Volume 2)

Published: December 9th, 2014 by DC Comics
Genre: Comics
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 144
Part of a series? This contains The Movement issues 7-12.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Its the corrupt cops and politicians of Coral City vs a rag-tag group of young super powered vigilantes known as the Movement. But after The Movement has been taken down, only the powerless Vengeance Moth is left to protect the streets from the Graveyard Faction!

Thoughts: Well, I have many. The most prominent one is that I didn't like the ace rep at all. Because the ace rep consists entirely of this:

(Two pictures taken by me from The Movement, Volume Two, Fighting for the Future, from issues #10 and #12, by Gail Simone and Freddie Williams II, copyright DC Comics. Photos used for educational use only.)

So, click to enlarge the pictures, but if you can't see them, the ace rep in this series consists on Mouse hitting on Tremor for a while, and Tremor eventually turning him down by saying, "I'm asexual." Mouse replies with, "A sexual what?" And the scene ends. Later, another characters says, "You can't keep hitting on Tremor, that boat has a hole in it."

"I'm asexual" does not automatically equal "I don't date anyone". Asexual doesn't equal aromantic, and even being aromantic doesn't automantically mean that someone doesn't want to have a relationship. And after that scene, we never hear from Tremor again. Maybe instead of the weird "Katharis/Kulap hooking up with a dude who killed a bunch of people" plot, we could have spent a page or two having Tremor actually talk once again in in the entire series seriously she never gets another line about herself.

It's not really good ace rep. It is explicit, at least, but it's not exactly thoughtful or not stereotypical. Also, another character calling her "Miss Priss" doesn't sit so well with me, and the reaction later, saying she's a boat with a hole in it, acts like there's something wrong with her for being asexual.

The storyline is okay. It kind of meanders, and with such a short run, that definitely feels unsatisfying. There's a lot left unfinished, and it feels cancelled for sure (which it, apparently, was), not like a planned short run. Between that and the completely unsatisfying ace rep, I wouldn't be quick to recommend this one.

Mecca by G. Willow Wilson, Marco Failla, Diego Olortegui, and Ian Herring (Ms. Marvel Volume 8)

Published: December 26th, 2017 by Marvel
Genre: YA Comics
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 136
Part of a series? This collects issues 19-24 of Ms. Marvel
Got via: The library
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): An enemy from Ms. Marvel's past resurfaces and begins targeting those closest to Kamala. As the world around her is spinning out of control, it becomes clear that this time there's something more sinister at work...Kamala's no stranger to fighting for what's right, but in facing down this challenge, everything she is will be called into question. Not just as a super hero, but as a human being.

Thoughts: I'm trying really hard not to compare things too much, but this really worked so much better for me than the Movement and it's hard not to compare them when I'm reading them back to back. And honestly, Ms. Marvel comes out ahead. Kamala reminds me sometimes of Kara (Supergirl), not in personality, but in how she believes in people, and how people believe in her. Which, fun fact, one of the writers who used to write for this series now works on Supergirl. In this, Kamala needs to be reminded of that fact, and that leads to one of my favourite scenes that the series has probably ever had.

At least for now, since I tend to like a lot of scenes in this series.

I also liked that one of the issues in this took a bit of time to focus on her brother. Aamir is a very interesting character, and I love the nuance that the series gives him. He's a very thoughtful character, and when the series chooses to focus on him, it often leads to some really great stuff.

And this wrapped up things from the last little bit of the plot arc really well. There's still obviously a lot of places to go, but it's a very satisfying place to take a break until the next one comes out. It's like a cliffhanger that makes you happy, if that makes sense. I also noticed again how much I like the art style for this series. Kamala's boobs are not, like, vacuum sealed into her costume, and I really appreciate how they can show that she's gotten her butt kicked and is exhausted and hurt without going really heavy on the gore. Very happy with this one, and I can't wait for more.

A Bird's-Eye View by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Carey Pietsch, Ayme Sotuyo, and Maarta Laiho

Published: December 12th, 2017 by BOOM! Box
Genre: YA Comics
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 112
Part of a series? This contains Lumberjanes issues 25 to 28.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): All Lumberjanes are on deck when the High Council comes to camp for inspection!

The High Council is coming to camp and counselor Jen is determined to make everything perfect, even though a storm is brewing and kittens from the boys’ camp are manifesting magical powers. It’s every Lumberjane on deck as the girls do their best to prep the grounds for inspection . . . but there are some storms no one can prepare for.

Thoughts: The art shift continues to not be my favourite, since it's gotten a bit more cartoon-y, but how much I love the story in this one makes up for it. Honestly I took like no notes reading this because I was enjoying this so much. I like that this one is mostly self-contained within these four issues, with just a little hinting at the end of what's to come. Because I am reading these through the library, and the wait between them can be quite long, it can sometimes get confusing if I forget what happens between volumes. It's nice to get one like this now and then.

The plot of this one is really fun, and it's so cool that there's a nonbinary character, which I hear the next issues go into more, so I won't talk too much about here, but I'm very excited about them, and those parts are really wonderful. Really enjoyed this one, and I'm already super excited about the next one.

And that's four! Let's get this thing scheduled.

Do you guys have any comic recommendations? I always enjoy them so much.

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Things I've Read Recently (49): An Accidental Theme

I couldn't not do it guys! If you're new around here, Things I've Read Recently is a series of posts I do that are basically mini-reviews of books that I either forgot to review, didn't have enough to say for a full review, or just didn't want to do a full post about for whatever reason. Sometimes things have a theme because I'm a dork!

Lumberjanes Volume 5: Band Together by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Brook Allen, Carolyn Nowak, and Marta Laiho

Published: December 13th, 2016 by Boom Box (ON MY BIRTHDAY)
Genre: YA Comic
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: Goodreads says 112.
Part of a series? This contains Lumberjanes 17-20
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): The Lumberjanes meet rock n' roll mermaids!

Excited for the annual Bandicoot Bacchanal, Ripley recruits her friends to help her get ready for the dance. But before the Lumberjanes know it, something mysterious begins to bubble to the surface of the lake near camp! Will the Lumberjanes be able to bring peace to the lake in time for the Bacchanal?

Thoughts: This was so good. I've got kind of a giant mermaid thing, and this was really fun for indulging that since I tend to avoid reading things that are about what I'm writing because... well, like the same reason I don't read reviews before writing them. My creative processes are really weird.

(Also, randomly, I have two other books about bands and I think another one coming eventually/soon. Weird trend. I almost put them all in one post.)

Besides the mermaids oh my god I am April mermaids are awesome, I just enjoyed this so, so much. This particular set of issues is a bit of a break from the other plot things that have been going on that are more intense, and it's nice to have something a little lighter. While being a little lighter in tone, it doesn't hesitate or flinch away from some serious topics. There's an on-going plot about your friends having flaws and how to accept those flaws without allowing them to hurt you. It's also about learning how to work with your personality and how to transform what could be flaws into strengths.

The message about forgiveness is beautiful, too. And I absolutely adored the issue about the girls first coming to camp and you get to see their families and learn a little bit more about them. It's so adorable and awesome.

The only other thing I'll say is after the first issue, the artist changes and I'm not in love with this style. It's a little more humourous and goes off-model more than usual. It works in this arc because this arc isn't as serious, but it's not my preference or my favourite.

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

Published: November 11th, 2010 by Dial Books
Genre: Contemporary YA
Binding: Hardcover
Page Count: 338 plus an author's note and acknowledgements.
Part of a series? Nope.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig.

The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits.

The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf?

Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb.

Thoughts: I'm not actually that big of a rock person despite what this weird trend of books I'm reading says, but this was interesting. I think overall I have slightly mixed feelings on this one, but pretty positive feelings generally. Let's address this first - this is not an ownvoices book, and if that's a dealbreaker for you, I understand. I'll try and find reviews when I feel better, but for now, here's my opinion and take it for what it is. Honestly, I don't think it rings as authentic as it could have, although the author does probably the best job he could in the situation. I don't think it gets into "Deaf/HoH 101" but there are times where it doesn't ring as true as it could have.

And I think this is true of other things in the book as well, which is one reason why I bring it up. The book is pretty good with its main female characters, but others are constantly reduced to "wannabe supermodels" and treated pretty superficially. When compared to the parts of the book solely about music, these parts are still good, but I at least could tell that it was not the author's experience. I applaud the author for writing outside his comfort zone, though.

Now, things I wasn't real fond of at all. There are no queer people in this book. Like. You have six teenaged main characters and not one of them is even a little bit queer? I don't think I believe you. I also think the book is kind of fatphobic. Apparently calling your mother fat is a giant insult. *eye roll* There are like no really positive fat characters that aren't described in rude, othering ways.

It has also become pretty dated fast. Imagine doing online promotion and using MySpace and not Twitter, let alone any other social network. Everything is pretty much done on MySpace. It's more amusing than anything, but it shows how fast using real social media can date your book.

So, over all, not bad, but I didn't love it. I appreciate the inclusion of several characters of colour and a Deaf MC, but there were a good handful of things that didn't sit right with me. I also wonder how the theme of Piper stating she's not actually disabled would feel to people who don't agree with that distinction. I'm going to leave the job of recommending based on others up to others, but I knock a star or two off for the complete lack of queer people and the fatphobia.

Review from someone else here!

Oh, side note of a thing that amused me. A character dyes their hair Atomic Pink at one point. This is a real hair dye colour. It's actually the base of the purple hair dye I use. I dyed my hair over three months ago and people are asking me when I dyed it pink because it's faded from an incredibly dark purple to an incredibly vibrant pink. YOU WILL NEVER RID YOUR HAIR OF ATOMIC PINK. That just amused me

My Year of Epic Rock by Andrea Pyros

Published: September 2nd, 2014 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Genre: Contemporary MG
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: 195 plus a smoothie recipe, an author's note and acknowledgements.
Part of a series? I wish! I'd like to read more.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): If Life Was Like a Song

Nina Simmons’ song would be “You Can’t Always Eat What You Want.” (Peanut allergies, ugh). But that’s okay, because as her best friend Brianna always said, “We’re All in This Together.”

Until the first day of the seventh grade, when Brianna dumps her to be BFFs with the popular new girl. Left all alone, Nina is forced to socialize with “her own kind”–banished to the peanut-free table with the other allergy outcasts. As a joke, she tells her new pals they should form a rock band called EpiPens. (Get it?) Apparently, allergy sufferers don’t understand sarcasm, because the next thing Nina knows she’s the lead drummer.

Now Nina has to decide: adopt a picture-perfect pop personality to fit in with Bri and her new BFF or embrace her inner rocker and the spotlight. Well..

Call Me a Rock Star, Maybe.

Thoughts: Well now this was really cute. It's a short, quick read and not too deep, but it's a lot of fun and a nice light read that's a bit fluffy but doesn't erase the realities of a pretty serious situation. I honestly think this is great for the age range. It was still a lot of fun for me as an adult, but it reminds me so much of books I read as a kid. It's just sweet and fun and not too heavy.

The author has a child with allergies and I think reading it as an adult it does come across more as written from that experience than from someone's personal experience (but I could be wrong here). In a YA that would probably bother a little more, but in MG I think it's fine. In this especially, it allows for a little more opportunity to show a parent's perspective that a child in this age range might not know, like how scary it is for a parent. The book keeps a really good balance, though, in not allowing the story to ever become all about how Nina's parents feel or their experience, and also letting her share funny and "normal" moments with them that aren't just about allergies.

I also really liked the whole friendship plot. It's a good message. All in all, I like the story in this one, and I think everything is handled well. It's mostly white with only a couple characters of colour, and suepr duper straight, and no disabilities besides allergies are mentioned which I think is a bit of a missed opportunity. I also wish there had been some fat characters, but I can say there wasn't any body shaming or fat jokes. I finished with positive feelings and I think this is a sweet, fun middle grade book. Cute cover, too. I like that the girl on the cover actually looks twelve.

This Song is (Not) for You by Laura Nowlin

Published: January 1st, 2016 by Sourcebooks
Genre: Contemporary YA
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: 230 plus acknowledgments
Part of a series? Nope.
Got via: The library.
Amazon / Book Depository / Indiebound

Summary (from goodreads): Bandmate, best friend or boyfriend? For Ramona, one choice could mean losing them all.

Ramona and Sam are best friends. She fell for him the moment they met, but their friendship is just too important for her to mess up. Sam loves Ramona, but he would never expect her to feel the same way--she's too quirky and cool for someone like him. Together, they have a band, and put all of their feelings for each other into music.

Then Ramona and Sam meet Tom. He's their band's missing piece, and before Ramona knows it, she's falling for him. But she hasn't fallen out of love with Sam either.

How can she be true to her feelings without breaking up the band?

Thoughts: I've got mixed feelings on this one. Let's address the elephant in the room first, I guess - I ordered this for my free space for book bingo because I heard it had an asexual character. And that rep is... not so amazing. The asexual character is Tom. He is never labelled asexual. The closest the book gets is mentions "sites about other people like me". His asexuality is linked solely to him not wanting to have sex, and lacking, in his words, "sexual desire". While I liked that he stated that he wasn't straight, at one point he says, "I don't have a sexuality." This... kind of sucks. I have a sexuality. Asexual is a sexuality.

If you're going to make a character asexual, label them. So few people know what asexuality is. There is absolutely no reason you shouldn't label your ace characters, especially when you're writing for teens. Also if you're going to write an asexual character, maybe include a little nuance about the difference between sexual attraction and sexual desire. This is not very nuanced. There's also absolutely no mention of aromanticism at all, and "just friends" is used, which is arophobic. It isn't deconstructed or addressed, either.

Honestly, I'm kind of at "an attempt was made". I like the character, but the representation leaves me wanting more. I hate that there's no asexual label, I'm not fond of the way it's represented without nuance, and I would be wary to recommend this to my aro friends because this could hurt them. Trigger warnings for the arophobic language, and also for acephobia from Tom's ex-girlfriend, by the way.

Now, the rest of the stuff in the book - I think it's great there was polyam rep. That's not my thing (romance in general is not my thing, lol) so I can't speak to how it's done, but I think in general they are adorable and I liked that there was no real jealousy or slutshaming towards Ramona or other grossness. I think we should do more of this in YA. I would wonder, though, that it might have similar problems to the ace rep - it's not labelled ever. If you're polyam and you've read this, tell me what you thought.

There are also like no other queer characters besides Tom (who's, again, not labelled as such) and this is a super-de-duper white book. Ramona has dyslexia, but there's no other disability rep, and to be honest it doesn't really come up often. And there are like no fat characters at all. So intersectionality is not good. There's a bit of ableism, as well, some girl hate, and a crack about strippers that I thought was highly unnecessary.

Half my notes are me calling this book some variety of hipster, and the characters really are. I wouldn't exactly call Ramona a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, but she has some of those traits, and everyone is just super... hipster. It's not bad, but I spent most of the book feeling incredibly old. Mostly the book is cute. I was sitting there calling them adorable and just wanting them to be a happy little triad forever. But I hate that the ace rep wasn't labelled, and that kind of ruins the book for me. I'm honestly wondering if people who don't know what asexuality is would even understand that the character is, and if I have to ask that, I think it fails as ace rep.

I loved seeing a polyamorous relationship in YA, and the book being a little weird and hipster didn't throw me off, but the ace rep just disappointed me. I don't think I could recommend this one, at least not as an ace book.

Well, disappointing end to this post!

What have you guys been reading lately?

Peace and cookies,
Laina