The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Tim Conrad

While I don’t think this was the best adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, it might encourage a younger reader to explore the classics.  The art is colorful and engaging but I found some of the drawings were not clear enough for my taste.

I just couldn’t connect to this story.  The characters never became real for me, I didn’t care if they lived or died.  I felt like I was reading a textbook.  Where was the development?  Where was the emotional connection?  Boy, I can so understand the need to attach to the characters. 

If you follow my blog, you know I read a lot of graphic novels.  So many of them have characters I connect with.  I can’t put my finger on why this particular tome just didn’t do it for me.  The Hunchback is a very sympathetic character but I couldn’t dig in.  I didn’t hate the villain and I didn’t like Esmeralda. 

A reluctant child might like this book but I won’t guarantee it.

House of Night by PC Cast and Kristin Cast with Kent Dalian

I almost prefer to be introduced to a series through graphic novel.  It gives me a quick insight as to whether or not I will like the books.  House of Night is one of those series that I was curious about but unable to fit into my reading schedule.  This graphic novel was a great introduction.

Designed to accompany the books, this story gives a quick introduction to the characters for those who are unfamiliar with them and a deeper exploration into the mythology that runs through the series for those already reading the books.

The story line wasn’t great but it was interesting enough.  Zoey Redbird has been made the leader of the Dark Daughters but she doesn’t feel fit to rule.  Through five lessons and historical stories, she learns how to be a leader. 

I, actually, liked Zoey.  I found her to be quite real and interesting.  She had so many layers to her personality and wasn’t perfect like so many characters in vampire books come out.  I loved the mythology and the changing of the stories to fit into vampire lore.

The art was quite cartoony which worked well for this story.  The colors were vibrant and engaging.  It would appeal to younger audiences as well as more mature ones.

Battlepug Volume 1 by Mike Norton

I had the privilege of being introduced to Mike Norton’s work when I read The Curse (due out in October).  The work was so funny, over the top and featured a pug which made the story complete.  When I had the opportunity to read his Battlepug, I knew I had to.

I was not disappointed.  Mike Norton has a dark sense of humor.  Battlepug is sexy, funny and full of action.  No zombies in this one but it’s filled with man-eating oversized animals and a very evil Santa Claus.

I lied – I was disappointed.  The book ended far too soon.  I hate volumes.  I want to devour a story and not have to stop and wait just as it’s getting good.  Mike Norton is a name that will haunt me as I scour comic book stores.  I don’t want your basic superhero – I want Battlepug.

Claws and Saucers by David E Goldweber

If you are a Science Fiction, Horror and/or Fantasy movie buff, like me, then this is a must have for you.  I can’t tell you if it has everything but I will say that I was impressed by how many movies are in this book.  I love horror – the worst ones are my favorite.  I want cheesy and I want lots and lots of blood.  I don’t care if the plot makes sense – makes the movie more entertaining in a MST3K sort of way.

I love talking to the characters and questioning their motives. 

This book spells it all out – which are the good ones and which ones you’re gonna love because they are so bad.

This is not a sit and read sort of book.  You peruse like you’re picking up a date in a bar.  You chat up the pages and ask them out.  You explore the movies and, perhaps, come back and make notes.  This is the sort of book that needs to be shared and passed along. 

The only problem I have is that the new stuff won’t appear magically.  I’d love it if the book stayed current but, alas, they don’t.

However, that’s not going to stop me from working my way through this book and some of the worst movie fests my family has ever seen.

The World’s Creepiest Places by Bob Curran

Bob Curran has put together a book of actual locations around the world that have frightening histories.  Many of the locations are lesser known hauntings (at least to me).  The segments are fairly short and in depth.  There’s a lot of history in these pages.

However, I wished there had been pictures.  I am a very visual person and I like to look at the places that are being written about.  I would have loved to even just have a website I could go to that would link to pictures of these places.  In this day and age, there’s no real reason not to have access to that visual accompaniment. 

If you are big on hauntings or ghosts or even just eerie feeling sorts of places – this is a great book for you.  Many of Bob Curran’s selections are out of the norm giving the enthusiast a new set of places to explore.

The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer

Artemis is at it again. This time he has taken the stolen fairy technology and turned it into a device that will revolutionize human technology. To make money quick, he shows the device to American business man Jon Spiro. Things go wrong quickly when Jon double crosses Artemis, steals the device and Butler is left dying on the floor.
Artemis must ask the fairies to help him clean up the mess but in return they ask that he allows them to remove his memories of their existence. It’s a turning point in the series, a place where the reader can see real changes in Artemis. It’s as if he’s teetering on the edge of good and evil. He’s struggling with his identity. Knowing the fairies has sure made him a better person – will removing his memory of them revert him back to being cold and calculating.
More importantly, will they get the device back from Jon Spiro who seems to stay one step ahead of them the whole way. Another great edition to the Artemis Fowl series. I skipped the e-book from NetGalley this time and listened to this in audio format. Nathaniel Parker lent an amazing depth to the story. His accents reminded me of the origin of the characters who all sound American in my head. If you haven’t picked up Artemis Fowl yet, what’s stopping you?

The Artic Incident by Eoin Colfer

A wonderful sequel to Artemis Fowl, the second in the series. At the beginning of this book, we find that Artemis has been returned to school. He’s been ordered to meet with the school counselor. The thing about Artemis is he knows that no one is smarter than he is and the counselor is just another adult who doesn’t understand him. A call from Butler and an escape from the school, lead Artemis to discover his father’s whereabouts. For the first time in two years, Artemis has a real chance at bringing his father home. The rescue won’t be an easy one but he’s prepared. That is until the fairy people return. Artemis is the only human they know with the resources to open up a human/goblin smuggling ring. They bring him in for questioning. Artemis is innocent and they agree to help him retrieve his father. However, there is a villain amongst the LEP and a plot that will destroy everything. It’s up to Artemis, Butler, Holly Short and Captain Root to save the day. There’s a return of Munch Diggins who has been causing his own ruckus. I don’t want to share too much for those who have not read the first one. I think I like this book better than the first. Artemis is such a complex character and I love that the book is told from all sides at once. It’s not confusing at all and opens up the reader to all the character’s thoughts.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

*Had a little computer problem yesterday so yesterday's post is up today along with today's post. I'll be scheduling posts for the remainder of the week since I'll be out of town so I hope they post without problem. I loved Artemis Fowl the first time I read it years ago. I still love it today. I’m glad I took the opportunity to re-read the first book. I’m thinking about reading them all again ending with the newest book this summer. Artemis Fowl, to me, is the anti-Harry Potter. In this first book, he is twelve years old. His father is missing and his mother is withdrawn. The family name and fortune are on the line and Artemis Fowl takes matters into his own hands. He’s going to steal fairy gold. What happens from there is a story about a boy who is stuck in two roles. He is only twelve but incredibly intelligent. He could use his gifts for good but that’s not who his family is – the Fowl’s come from a long line of men who make their money off the backs of others. He has been taught to be evil. However, you can’t help but empathize with this boy. You delight in his schemes but your heart breaks for him as well. In some ways, he’s doing this for his family. The story is funny and charming. It’s not the same comradery as Harry Potter but Artemis is not alone in these stories. This first one sets up a series of friendships that will be tested time and time again in future books.

The Unbidden Magic Series

With the final book coming out this summer, Netgalley had an offer for their reviewers – all four of the current books of the Unbidden Magic Series as one long e-book. The number of pages was daunting but that didn’t stop me from burning through the books in a matter of days. Allie is just a normal girl trying to survive what life has offered her. She lives with her mother in a travel trailer on a piece of her mother’s step-brother’s land. Her mother was suffering from a mysterious illness that prevented her from working. Poor didn’t even begin to express how they lived. That was until Allie fell off the porch and something strange happened. Her life would never be the same. Allie was meant for greater things that involved magic, demons, fairies and an upcoming war between the light and the dark. The stories are witty and entertaining. Maybe a little over the top but I think that’s what I loved about them. It’s tough to talk about a series without giving away too much information but I will say the thing that tickled me the most was Allie’s boy trouble. She’s awkward and brash but that doesn’t stop the boys from lining up and threatening her reputation. They compare this series to Sookie Stackhouse, not sure I agree but I will say these are a fun read and I’m not all that excited that I now have to wait for the 5th book. Especially since the fourth ended with such a cliffhanger.

Pinocchio Vampire Slayer and the Great Puppet Theater by Dusty Higgins and Van Jensen

These are great books. As graphic novels often are, they are far too short but I still love them. There’s a ton of action and the length is quite nice. They are a little violent but it’s quick and hidden in the black and white frames.
I love the creative allowance the authors have taken. The concept of Pinocchio as a vampire slayer is perfect, his growing nose makes for a ready stake. However, things change when Pinocchio is made into a real boy. Now he’s having to learn how to fight all over again and can’t rely on having his nose at the ready. This, also, opens up the opportunity for romance.
Teens and adults will love this retelling of the fairy tale. I understand that vampire slaying tales are popping up all over the place as well as re-imagined tales that bring so many more stories into the horror genre. I think this is the best I have read. I would love to see these as movies but they’d have to be done as cartoons which would alter the feeling.
Oh well, guess I will have to settle for waiting for book number three.

The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen

This graphic novel made me want to sigh, heavily. I can't explain the beauty of this work. Jane Yolen is a master at weaving a story.
Generations after the great Dragon Wars, a new dragon is born. The villagers are no longer able to defeat a dragon. A hero must come save them. What they get is a man pretending to be a hero. Tansy, the healer, has a plan to save the village and make Lancot a hero.
The story is simple but Jane Yolen manages to give it so much depth and life. Rebecca Guay's art compliments it perfectly, giving the reader a full on fairy tale reminiscant of days gone by.
I want to fill this post up with all sorts of descriptions and words but I find they can't express the wonder of this book - you need to go out and get it yourself.
The story will appeal to adult, child, boy or girl. The language is delicate and uncomplicated.

Secrets, Monsters and Magic Mirrors, edt. Donald Lemke

My final graphic novel for Capstone (at this time) and it was a doozy. Secrets, Monsters and Magic Mirrors was the retelling of five popular fairy tales by five different teams of authors and illustrators.
The stories told were Rapunzel, Thumbelina, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast and Princess and the Pea. I loved that they were each adapted by different people. It gave the stories an element of surprise because the illustrations were so varied. All, but Snow White, followed the popular telling of each story.
I recommend this book for any reader. I can see it appealing to girls more than boys but the style of the various stories might catch a male eye. They definitely would be a great replacement for your average fairy tale picture book.
One feature I loved the most was at the end of each story was its history. A single page detailing who published the first copy of the story and some of its evolution. To me, that made the book jump over my favorite list.
There's something fascinating with the history of a story and learning exactly how it's changed over the years.
I should make a note of the illustration styles for those who need to do the hard pitch.
Rapunzal was a rather basic design, lots of grays with accents of color. The style almost reminds me of Charles Addams or Roald Dahl's books. The witch is a series of circles against sharp scenery. The characters had a German flair. When Rapunzel is free of the witch, the grays turn yellow.
The illustrations for Thumbelina are bright and more cheerful. They remind me of Nickelodeon, specifically The Wild Thornberries. I'm sure other readers can connect it to other cartoons.
Snow White has a "true" comic book feel to it. I could easily see it sitting amongst stacks of Superman, Elf Quest and others. It's darker than the rest in this book.
Beauty and the Beast is lighter and more colorful. The work is digital resulting in sharp contrasts and less round edges. It feels more like a picture book than a graphic novel.
Princess and the Pea completely reminded me of Japanese graphics or manga. The characters have sharp features and huge eyes. Everything is much lighter and muted.
I can not wait to get my hands on more of this series. Start the hunt for Capstone books and enjoy.

Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten by Trisha Speed Shaskan

I don't normally review young children's books but I read a fair amount. I don't review them because I don't include them in my book count unless they are spectacular in some way. When I joined NetGalley, I agreed to do children's books. I have come across some really cute books and can't wait to share them.

Honestly, Little Red Riding Hood Was Rotten is such a cute book. It's funny, entertaining and gives a different perspective to the Red Riding Hood story. This story is told by the wolf who explains why he ate Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. It's not scary in any way and should not frighten small children. The pictures are vivid and wonderful.
One thing that really sets this book apart from others I have viewed is that at the end it encourages the child to compare the story to the original and asks some questions. It encourages creative thought.
It, also, comes with a couple of websites associated with the publishing company. I explored these sites and just was amazed at the content. It is geared towards younger children (up to 4th grade) but it attempts to offer more advanced sites for those in 5th grade and up. I think they are worth exploring. www.facthound.com and www.capstonekids.com

Beastly by Alex Flinn

This modern rendition of Beauty and the Beast was amazing but I am already disappointed in the movie (they changed the characters far too much).
The story follows Kyle Kingsbury, son of local legend newsanchor Rob Kingsbury. Kyle has been raised to know that beauty is what makes a person successful. He's arrogant and shallow. So much so that when an unattractive student at his school becomes his date for homecoming, he works to humilate that student. Turns out, she was a witch in disguise. For his act, Kyle is turned into a hairy beast.
Sadly, Kyle is rejected by his father and locked away in a house away from their manhattan home. Kyle decides to embrace the beast and changes his name. His only companions are a blind tutor and a foriegn maid. They become his family but he's still lonely.
Kyle pours himself into creating a rose garden but one night a man breaks into the greenhouse looking for money for drugs. That man offers his only daughter in exchange for his freedom. Things start to change for Kyle when that daughter turns out to be the girl who saved him from an even worse fate.
I don't want to give too much away but the story stays fairly true to the tale. In truth the plot isn't as important as the growth the reader sees in Kyle. He becomes someone so wonderful that everyone will fall in love with him.
I'm sad to see that the movie has so many changes but I will see it when it comes to video.

Fairies and The Quest for Neverland by Gail Carson Levine

I adore Gail Carson Levine and have since I first saw Ella Enchanted. That movie was so great that I had to read the book. I loved the book (one of those situations where I loved both equally). I went on to read more books by her and discovered her fairy tales. She has re-written some fairy tales and they are great. I originally thought the Fairy books were similar to those but soon discovered they were not. I was a little disappointed because I had an expectation and I am not sure I would have picked up this book if I had known. All in all, I enjoyed it.
Now I have been purposely vague because I want to explain what the Fairy books are. This particular series is based on the Disney Fairies from the Tinkerbell movies. I can understand the popularity of the Peter Pan offshoot but I am more of a purist. I don't necessarily like it. I can't explain why and I can't explain exactly what it is I don't like. I just tend to avoid such things.
Fairies and the Quest for Neverland was a great book. Gwendolyn is the great great (maybe more) granddaughter of Wendy. Every generation a girl is selected to take Wendy's place in Neverland for a short period of time and Gwendolyn can not wait for it to be her turn. She waits for years, dreaming about the fairies that live there. When her time comes, she spends her time with the fairies instead of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. While there, Kyto, the dragon, escapes from his cage and Gwendolyn helps the fairies capture him before he destroys Neverland.
There were some things I really liked about this story but it had a few things I didn't like. I understand it's a fairy tale and it's a juvenile book but I thought the capturing of Kyto was too thrown together. There was a lot of waiting for Peter Pan in the beginning that could have been skipped to give more time to the ending. I, also, found Gwendolyn's obsession with the fairies a little unnerving - she didn't seem to be interested in anything else but the fairies. She, also, had a lot of personality issues. Maybe I am being picky. It wasn't my favorite Gail Carson Levine book and won't be a series I pick up again but I think for young girls who love the Disney Fairies this will be a great series. Disney certainly has some great books coming out and I think that anything that gets a kid reading is worth getting into their hands.

Calamity Jack by Shannon and Dean Hale

Even though this book is the sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge, it holds up on it's own. There are a lot of reasons why I like these books. The fairy tales are retold in the Old West giving it a completely new lease but more importantly they are full of the action we expect from Westerns.
Calamity Jack begins shortly where Rapunzel's Revenge ends. Jack and Rapunzel are travelling to the city where Jack lived. His golden goose has now laid eggs and he has enough money to repair the damage done to his family's home and business after the beanstalk (and giant falling) destroyed them.
The city he returns to is not the same that he left. There is a war between the Ant People and the Giants and it's destroying the entire city. Jack's mother is now the giant's baker and locked in the giant's tower.
Joining Jack and Rapunzel are Prudence, a pixie, and Freddie Sparksmith, a reporter. Their journey to saving the city is action packed and fully entertaining.
This book is a fairly easy read and not too scary for those younger readers.

Leaping Beauty by Gregory Maguire

This is a cute collection of fairy tales that Gregory Maguire re-wrote for the animal kingdom. Many of the endings are familiar but not all end the way the traditional story ended.
The stories are short for short attention spans and filled with the humor that Gregory Maguire is famous for. The stories are rather silly and the characters are a mishmash of animals. For example - the story of Hansel and Gretal is now Hamster and Gerbil with their beaver father and skunk step-mother (who really is a nasty character).
The stories lose a lot of their morals typical in fairy tales but they are a good time for all.

The Fairy's Mistake by Gail Carson Levine

This book is part of a series titled The Princess Tales. Each book is a retelling of a fairy tale. This is a short, sweet book with an interesting twist. Rosella and her twin sister Myrtle are bespelled by a fairy. Each time they talk something comes out of their mouths - for Rosella it's jewels and for Myrtle it's creepy crawlies. What happens is an interesting journey for all three parties (the fairy included). All of the books in the series are just as interesting. I expect them to replace the fairytales of our youth.
With that said, I highly recommend Gail Carson Levine - her books are well written and entertaining. She has even written a book for teens on becoming writers themselves and that was an amazing book.