Maybe I've been unfairly biased by all the negative reviews I've read for this, but 7% in and I can't take anymore of these annoying cliqued characters. I want to bash their heads together! Anyway, I'm going to swap this for Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.

It's not a thriller.

Imagine that line as spoken by Arnold Schwarzenegger to his class in Kindergarten Cop. I start here because I saw a review saying what a disappointing thriller it was, and it would be disappointing if that was what Moriarty were shooting for. It's also not a romance, or a mystery, or a literary novel, although it does share some elements with those.

What it is is a book about regular middle class suburban couples who experience a trauma together, and how it affects their lives thereafter. It's not a big trauma, it's not newsworthy, but it affects them all, and their little kids, too. And because the author takes her work seriously, there is much more to it than just that, humor, and backstory, and a way through, and a future.

I love books like this about living in after some bad thing. Fairy tales are important because they teach us that the witch or the monster can be killed, these books (and I hope someone has a short, catchy name for the genre that isn't sexist, because I sure don't) these books demonstrate how to live through the bad things and still have a good life. I don't believe stories about people living through horrible events and being stoic and saintly and a good example. Pain doesn't make people stronger or better, it makes us angry, and short-tempered, and hell to get along with. And of course, we all have pain and most of it is garden-variety common and of no interest to others. And the older we get the more time we spend attending funerals, the more people we have to lose. These books remind us that we can still laugh at the wake, that there are many ways to comfort one another in our loss.

I'm on my way to a funeral soon 

4.5 Stars, Buy it

This was a kickstarter purchase. Paperback.  The book is nicely made and I like the feel of the paper (Yes, book nerd here)

The main story: Victoria is the human daughter of Frankenstein and his bride.  Victoria decides to skip school to look for the spark of the sun. Victoria feels her family deserves to feel the warmth that she feels. They don’t because they are monsters and are undead. She finds the spark which is this little adorable flame and they go back to Victoria’s home. But I’ll leave it at that. It was juicy and sweet and loveable. The same feeling I got from reading the Owly series. I highly recommend this if you ever see it anywhwere. I’m glad I supported this second book and I really hope there are more.  The first added story Victoria goes under the sea with the spark. It’s cute and sweet and rhymes but not as good as the main story. But the art is nice. There are a few other short stories but nothing spectacular

I love how sweet Victoria is and her love for her family. I love her kind of steampunky glasses. I love the artwork. Anyway I think I’ll give this 4.5 stars because it wasn’t quite 5 but it was still really good and juicy and lots of fun. Crossing my fingers there will be another one.

I purchased this via Kickstarter. Hardback. The book is physically gorgeous. Great cover and the pages are silky. The story takes place in Fablewood which is home to all stories that ever been told. I love the references to other nursery rimes. I love the art. 5 stars for art. The puns are fun. That being said the story was only so so and got confusing at the end. It also dragged on and on. 3 stars for story. I guess that would give this a 4 star rating but that seems to high. 3.5 stars it is. I really wish I had liked this more especially since I waited so long to get this book.

Chapter 1 humpty dumpy is pushed off a wall in the city of Rimes. Frankie is investigating. Frankie is a detective from a pulp story who crossed over to the nursery rhyme (or Rime) division. At the end of chapter 1, someone drops a house on a wicked witch and its up to Frankie to investigate. Chapter 2- Humpty Dumpty is being set up for killing the witch. Chapter 3- the plot thickens. All hell breaks loose when simple Simon misunderstands something Frankie says. Chapter 4 Frankie gets set up. I hate stuff like that. It makes me anxious. In chapter 5 we learn who has been manipulating everyone. But it's a very confusing chapter. Chapter 6 ties everything up but I didn't finish it because I felt like it was going on and on and wouldn't end.

4.5 Stars, Buy it

Self Purchase, Kickstarter, Paperback

This is the story of Faye in the world of Amya. She is mute and accidently has a run in with a man who turns into a travelling companion of hers (I’m still a little confused as to how this really happened though I know I read it!). After some small adventures they end up in a town and end up killing a creature while at a hotel and there they meet another person, named Kaden, who becomes part of their group. Lots of stuff happens. More people are met, Faye gets left alone. More trouble happens. Faye gets briefly reunited with her family members. It appears, Faye’s cat, Rainn decides to come along on the journey. They all travel to Accel’s home and Faye is kidnapped. Accel is kidnapped. Everyone gets free.  And thus ends the major story line of the book. There is a section of short stories but I’m not going to include a review on those.

I love Faye's character. She loves books (yeay!). It's very interesting that she's mute.

I’m not sure how I feel about Kaden’s character yet. HOLY CRAP. SPOILER ALERT. Kaden is apparently a woman in disguise.  The red head companion named Leanna (I assume, this book is black and white) is part elf.  Accel is a bit annoying to me for some reason.

The construction of this book is just gorgeous. The cover is beautiful, the paper is soft and lovely. That is until it got partially messed up on a two day trip. Sigh. So sad. Maybe they can come to small press expo in the fall and I can get another copy! Also with this book came a bunch of character cards. This is also the book that I took on a two day trip and it ended up getting wet. Very wet. I was so upset. It’s not completely ruined, I can and did finish reading this. But the autographs are ripped. So mad at myself.

Anyway, overall this was a very good book and I enjoyed it a lot. I hope there will be another book in the future that I can support. I highly recommend this if you like manga style art and fantasy type graphic novels.