I love Star Trek comics

Those of you who've been reading this blog for a while will know that there are some subjects near and dear to my heart. One of those is Star Trek. I. LOVE. STAR. TREK. Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious I turn to those space travelers to take me boldly where no one has ever gone before. So of course now that school has started back in NYC and my workload has exponentially increased at the library (we're back to in-person programming) I've felt too scatterbrained to focus on anything except for Trek related entertainment. Hence my reading (like Gollum down in the caves) of several Trek comics all in a row. Here's a quick rundown:

1. Star Trek: Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor
2. Star Trek Classics Vol 1: The Gorn Crisis
3. Star Trek Classics Vol 2: Enemy Unseen
4. Star Trek Classics Vol 3: Encounters with the Unknown
5. Star Trek Classics Vol 4: Beginnings
6. Star Trek Classics Vol 5: Who Killed Captain Kirk?
7. Star Trek/The Green Lantern: The Spectrum War
8. Star Trek: The Next Generation - Intelligence Gathering
9. Star Trek: Burden of Knowledge
10. Star Trek: Voyager - Mirrors and Smoke
11. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Too Long a Sacrifice
12. Star Trek: Voyager - Seven's Reckoning

Some of these felt like I was totally immersed in new episodes of the TV series while others fell a bit short of the mark in terms of character believability. (Some of that I think is due to when they were written because I don't think the personality traits were fully fleshed out yet. I'm looking at you Data with feelings!) Some of my favorites (this will not come as a surprise) feature the original cast of the Enterprise on various missions (I really loved the McCoy series). Those had vintage artwork and were really peak 1960/1970s humor, fashion, and sensibilities. I think for anyone who's a fan of the TV series, films, or the universe of Trek in general it's a great way to spend a few hours (or in my case weeks) reading your way through the various adventures of these intrepid space travelers. Go boldly!

From ST Classics: Who Killed Captain Kirk? (Source: Star Trek Comics)

If you'd like me to do super long-winded Trek posts in the future please drop a comment because I would most definitely be down for that. I have thoughts. lol

What I'm currently reading: Star Trek: The Next Generation - Through the Mirror

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Take a trip with a great book

First things first, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce was a delightful surprise.

This is one of those instances where the cover perfectly captures the essence of the story. (Trust me when I say that I appreciate this cover design for its brilliance even more now that I've read the book.) The reader follows Harold Fry, recently retired from the local brewery, who receives news that a friend from his past (as in distant past) is dying from cancer. So naturally he decides to mail her a letter but then he passes by the mailbox...and the next one...and the next one...until suddenly he's on a journey across the length of England firm in his belief that she will stay alive until he gets there. On his journey (or pilgrimage as it comes to be known) he examines moments from his past that he had repressed (his tumultuous home life, distant relationship with his son, and his strained marriage to name a few) while also discovering his inner strength and fortitude. It's a beautiful (and at times tragic) story about love, loss, and faith. If you enjoy reflective tales with lots of descriptive prose then this book is a great way to spend a lazy afternoon or maybe take on a trip. ;-) 9/10

Source: Goodreads

What I'm currently reading: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Dashed expectations and a DNF

I started Single. On Purpose. thinking that it would be a celebration of being single and that it would talk about societal pressures to be in a relationship. I thought (and hoped) it would explore the joys of being on your own and how you can be a complete and happy person without being tied to someone else. I was wrong. While the author does say that being on your own is valuable and meaningful his overall message is that this is only a step toward the ultimate happiness of being in a relationship. And he harps a lot on exercise and weight loss. As someone who has little intention of dating and who is super happy on their own this book felt insulting. Where's the book about being a kick-ass single that doesn't fret about their weight or wearing makeup or having sex? I'm clearly the wrong audience for this book but I'm also super bummed that it wasn't what I thought it would be because that's the book I really wanted to read. 2/10 

[Possible Spoiler: I felt like every bit of advice offered was either something glaringly obvious like 'get more sleep' or 'be happy doing things on your own' or it was bizarrely dangerous like 'go out and have one night stands if you've never done that before' and 'if you encourage your partner to go to therapy there's a better than average chance they will get better and leave you'.]

Source: HarperCollins Publishers

And then there was a wildcard that I picked up at work. The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis (the dream team behind The Wildwood Chronicles which I enjoyed so much) purported to be a wild romp through Marseille following the adventures of a group of thieving youths. But this book falls short. I got nearly halfway through the book before calling it quits because there was entirely too much focus on the buzzwords of thievery to the detriment of a smoothly flowing story. For instance, when our main character meets the whiz mob he is inundated with a long list of jargon to denote where on a person there might be loot (not the word they use by the way) as well as all of the complicated terminology for their roles in the group. And they kept bandying these words around and I kept being pulled from the story because I was trying to puzzle out what the heck they were referencing. (By the way, this is a middle grade book which either makes me a very slow-witted adult or the kids these days really have surpassed me with their slang.) So that's one I didn't finish and don't intend to continue. 2/10 because at least there's a few illustrations.

Source: Amazon

What I'm currently reading: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) ** 

The quest continues

5 Worlds Book 3: The Red Maze by Mark Siegel, Xanthe Bouma, Matt Rockefeller, & Boya Sun is the continuation of the series that I started back in December 2018. [Reviews for Book 1 and Book 2] It's such a fun read but because it's a collaborative project there's a long break in between publishing dates. Therefore, if you're waiting for the next book in the series you're going to be waiting until later this year for it. 😭 More of the mystery of what exactly Jax is becomes clear but with that revelation comes a threat to his very individuality and existence. Our heroes head to Yalta to light the red beacon but the Mimic is ready for them and banishes them to the Red Desert where they meet other magical outcasts. While the team is stranded in the Red Desert, Oona's powers are expanded and An Tzu discovers he has heretofore untapped potential. (I imagine this will be explored further in the next book.) All in all, a great continuation of a story which I wouldn't mind owning in an omnibus edition once it's completed. 10/10

Source: Amazon

What's Up Next: Stanislaw Lem masterpost

What I'm Currently Reading: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Guide the future by the past

I FINALLY read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, y'all. I absolutely loved the film adaptation of it and while I also enjoyed the book (hold on to your seats, folks) I preferred the movie version. While the book was able to go into more details in terms of world building and the puzzle solving aspect of the plot I enjoyed the storyline of the movie more. [A/N: I don’t want to give the impression that I didn’t enjoy this reading experience because I definitely did but the film just has an extra oomph.] Additionally, the book's version of Halliday seemed cruel and cold whereas Morrow was a lot of fun (and mostly absent from the film's version). The hero of this dystopian novel, Wade Watts, is living in a world that has become entirely taken over by The Oasis which is a virtual reality environment where anyone can be anyone. The majority of the human race has been crammed into tiny communities that are stacked one on top of the other but their consolation is getting to live their dreams online. Even school is conducted in virtual schools! The creator of this world, James Halliday, passed from this mortal coil but left behind a grand prize (ownership of The Oasis) for anyone who manages to solve his puzzles and find the 3 hidden keys buried within The Oasis.

This is a boy's quest to pull himself from his dire circumstances while learning that he's got the 'right stuff'. (Did I mention this book is chock full of 80's references? I definitely downloaded some Rush albums after I finished reading it.) All in all, a really fun book. 9/10

Source: Fonts in Use

A/N: Title courtesy of Rush "Bastille Day".

What's Up Next: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

What I'm Currently Reading: Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

That subtitle seems familiar

Redwall by Brian Jacques has been touted as a classic but I'm not sure this is one I would recommend. I found it predictable, needlessly long, and frankly pretty boring. This is a difficult book to categorize as either a middle grade or young adult novel as it handles mature themes with a lot of gratuitous violence besides being a brick of a book (somehow this didn't bother me with the Harry Potter series but it did with this one). The story is a coming of age quest/adventure story set in the Middle Ages with rodents and various other wild animals as the main protagonists. Matthias, our hero, is a young mouse who is studying to be a monk at Redwall Abbey when a giant rat named Cluny the Scourge shows up on the scene. Matthias must then embark on a personal journey to seek the sword of a famous mouse warrior in the hopes it will turn the tide in the battle against the forces of evil. This is the first in a rather long series but I must be honest and say that I have no desire to continue with these characters. I really can't figure out what all the fuss is about so it's a 3/10 from me.

PS While I was double-checking my spelling of the character names I discovered that there is an actual cartoon of this book series. To say that I am shocked would be putting it mildly. That one is not going on my watch list.

Source: Amazon.com

What's Up Next: Born to be Posthumous The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey by Mark Dery

What I'm Currently Reading: When the Children Came Home: Stories From Wartime by Julie Summers

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Lumberjanes: A Masterpost

As I was trying to put together my review of the first volume in the Lumberjanes series (collaboratively written and drawn by Grace Ellise, Shannon Watters, Noelle Stevenson, & Brooke A. Allen) I realized that it was going to be nigh on impossible for me to formulate new thoughts/observations about further volumes without repeating myself ad nauseam...so a masterpost.

The volumes of this series that I've read thus far:

1. Beware the Kitten Holy
2. Friendship to the Max
3. A Terrible Plan
4. Out of Time
5. Band Together

On first beginning the series, I immediately felt like I was somehow starting in the middle as the reader is launched immediately into the inner circle of our main protagonists (Jo, April, Molly, Mal, & Ripley). What initially caught my interest were the excellent illustrations and the various looks of the main characters which are all widely different (much like the characters themselves). [A/N: I want to say here that the illustrative style changed for each of the volumes and I didn't really dig that.] I kept reading because the format of survival manual blended into a narrative arc was unique and I like the idea of a female led story being written and drawn by females. This is a great message for girls who may have felt that the comic book world wasn't for them. That being said, I'm not likely to continue the series beyond these 5 volumes and if I do I won't be reviewing it here unless it totally ends up blowing my mind. It felt gimmicky and at times I felt they were trying too hard and falling into contrived territory. I get that they're trying to be hip and inclusive (major props that there's not only a lesbian couple but a transgender character) but there was so 'trying to be hip' vibe that the story became second fiddle. Strong elements of fantasy, mystery, adventure, and friendship will appeal to all sexes but I don't think I'm the right age demographic (and this is coming from someone who routinely reads picture books). It's a 6/10 for me.

*photos taken from Goodreads and/or Amazon*


What's Up Next: Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg

What I'm Currently Reading: Our Uninvited Guests: The Secret Life of Britain's Country Houses 1939-45 by Julie Summers

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

What a journey!

Before you read today's review you probably want to catch up by reading my review of Volumes 1-3 of the Elfquest Archives

Elfquest Archives Volume 4 by Wendy & Richard Pini is the final book in the Grand Quest (original 24 issues of the series) which follows the Wolfriders as they make their way from their familiar home in the forest to find others of their kind. This book is the epic conclusion which sees our heroes meeting their last tribe of elves called the GoBacks who have been at war with the Trolls that live in the mountains. These Trolls are the final barrier between themselves and their ancestral home, The Palace. Those who have undertaken to read all these volumes finally see some big questions answered like why Two-Edge has both hindered and helped Cutter's tribe in their fight against their enemies and the biggest mystery of all is revealed: Why and how they reached this planet in the first place. Additionally, Leetah discovers that her powers while very powerful have severe consequences. (Up until this point her healing abilities have almost been like a Get out of Jail Free card so this is an interesting development.)

Also, a suspicion I've long held about a certain relationship was totally verified (at least I feel that it was and no arguing will sway me). I'm being purposefully vague because I don't want to spoil anything. 😈 Let's just say I giggled myself silly.

And I can't end this without showcasing some of Wendy's beautiful artwork. This is one of the reasons why this was such a fun series to read after all.

What's Up Next: Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon

What I'm Currently Reading: The Doll People by Ann M. Martin & Laura Godwin (pictures by Brian Selznick)

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

So hard not to give spoilers

HiLo: Then Everything Went Wrong is the 5th book in the continuing series by Judd Winick about the boy who fell to earth and turned out to be a superhero robot. [A/N: If you've been around for a while then you might recall that I reviewed the other books in 2 separate posts (1-3 and 4) so if you need to catch up then go read those posts first.] Winick is notorious for his cliffhangers in this series and the end of book 4 was no exception but fear not because MANY questions are answered in this book (although several more are posed). The true history of Razorwark and his creator are revealed. It's actually quite believable based on real life events (I'm talking Robopocalypse of course). Additionally, HiLo uncovers more about his past and how exactly Izzy and Dr. Horizon fit in (you're going to be shocked so prepare yourselves). This continues to fit the bill of 'excellent middle grade graphic novel for sci-fi nerds' so no complaints from me on that point but the gaps between books are lengthening. The next book doesn't hit the stands until January 2020!

P.S. The government finally figures out who the Comet is.

Source: Amazon

What's Up Next: Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

What I'm Currently Reading: The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Witch-hunt

I love the happy accident that was Strange Magic: An Essex Witch Museum Mystery by Syd Moore. A patron dropped this book (and the next one I'm reviewing) at the circulation desk and the covers (and her effusions of pleasure) led me to checking them out for myself. This is the first in a series about (you guessed it) mysteries at the Essex Witch Museum. Our protagonist, Rosie Strange, has just inherited the museum from her deceased grandfather and she has plans for its renovation and immediate selling. (Rosie is immediately characterized as a no nonsense take charge lady.) However, soon after meeting the somewhat pompous curator, Sam Stone, she finds herself embarking on a search for the lost remains of an accused witch from the 16th century. [A/N: The accused witch they seek named Ursula Cadence is based off of an actual woman from this time period and location in Essex named Ursula Kemp who was accused, tried, confessed, and hanged for the crime of witchcraft.] Why the urgency to find these bones? Well, a little boy possessed by the son of the dead woman is losing the fight against the spirit within and the bones hold the key to his exorcism. No biggie. It's obvious that Moore has done her research on the history of witches and witchcraft in Essex because a ton of facts are thrown at the reader in this little volume (and I'm sure that's why it's spawned a series). But this isn't high brow literature by any means so please don't be deterred from giving this a shot. If you liked the nonfiction book Witches then you'll probably dig this historical fiction/mystery as it's based on true events and discusses how occult practices still occur today. It had been a while since I delved into the supernatural and I enjoyed my time with these characters so I'm sure there'll be a future review of the sequel Strange Sight. 7/10 for Strange Magic.

Source: Amazon

What's Up Next: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

What I'm Currently Reading: I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Fantasy Epic: Elfquest Volumes 1-3

It's difficult for me to pin down exactly how I find out about some of the books that end up in my hands. Sometimes they're directly recommended to me by a friend, colleague, or patron. Other times they simply make their way across the desk at the library and catch my eye. Today's book was (I think) mentioned in an annotation or acknowledgement of another book as a "classic fantasy comic series" that I had never heard of before...so I figured I'd better check it out.

The series is Elfquest and after doing some preliminary research online I learned that for newbies it's best to read the 4 volume Elfquest Archives published by DC Comics back in 2003 for the 25th anniversary. Since my library doesn't hold this series I had to outsource using the interlibrary loan service (maybe the library's best kept secret and so useful). Right off the bat, I was blown away by Wendy Pini who is an absolutely phenomenal artist. The entire thing is rich with color and a distinctive flair that I came to appreciate as Wendy's signature style. Another reviewer said that this series is born more of the heart than of the mind and I totally agree with them. [A/N: If you're looking for a cerebral sci-fi then you have made a wrong turn and need to look at your directions a little more closely.] Pini has created a true fantasy epic that is about the people just as much (maybe more so) than the journey they undertake.

Volume 1 introduces us to the Wolfriders, a tribe of forest elves, who are led by their young chief, Cutter, who is brave, strong, and dedicated to his people. At the start of the first volume (after we're introduced to quite a few of the Wolfriders and their wolf allies (actual wolves that they ride)) we discover that there has been a longstanding rivalry (and much bloodshed) between the elves and the humans that live nearby. This is partially why they've developed such a close relationship with the wolves and why they've developed into such powerful warriors. A determined human decides that the only way to win against their fierce adversaries is to burn down their forest home...and as a result the Wolfriders begin their quest to find a new home in lands unknown. #backstory

Volume 2 introduces us to a new clan of elves by the name of the Sunfolk who live (predictably perhaps) in the oasis of a barren desert and who are very different from their Wolfrider kin. Not only are they brown skinned (The Wolfriders are quite pale as they dwelt among the canopies of trees and hunted by night.) but they are peaceful, spiritual, and live much longer lives. (Possibly due to the peacefulness of their people or something else? Yes, this is explored later.) They also possess different gifts from the Wolfriders and have among them a spiritual leader who resembles the mythologized High Ones. These two clans clash immediately and explosively as Cutter finds himself entranced by their leader's daughter who has a relationship with a male of her own clan. #drama

And then came along Volume 3 where Cutter and his best friend (and possibly lover if you read between the lines) Skywise (my favorite character) are on a quest to find the rest of their Elvin kinfolk and the home of the High Ones (if such a place exists). Their quest leads them to foreign lands where they are met by humans who view them as gods instead of enemies and who speak of others who look as they do with pointy ears (but much taller). When they finally locate those that call themselves the High Ones (and who ride on giant birds) they are not welcomed with open arms but with scorn, distrust, and outright hatred. The group's elder wishes for them to stay but his adviser (and the power behind the throne) has other plans in mind. Winnowill possess the opposite of Leetah's gifts (Leetah is Cutter's mate) which means she has the power to hurt and even to kill so her threats are anything but empty. #dangeraplenty

This series looks in depth at these characters and examines their relationships, philosophies, and general way of life. We learn that appearances are deceiving because these so-called warriors are at their core simply a resilient little family just trying to find their place in the world. Full of romance, bloodshed, redemption, and definitely suspense I was shocked at how quickly Elfquest worked its spell on me. 10/10 and can hardly wait for Volume 4.

On with the Quest!!

Volume 1 [Source: Amazon]

Volume 2 [Source: Amazon]

Cutter in all his glory.

Did I mention they can communicate telepathically?

On the left is Skywise, Cutter, and Leetah holding a skull (with Wolfriders in the background)

Volume 3 [Source: Amazon]

What's Up Next: Strange Magic: An Essex Witch Museum Mystery by Syd Moore

What I'm Currently Reading: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Sap candy sounds like something a bully would yell at me

And thus continues what is possibly the slowest reading year I've experienced in a verrrrry long time. Since I really enjoyed the first book in the Warren the 13th series (and reviewed it a few weeks ago) I thought I'd be safe reading its sequel Warren the 13th and the Whispering Woods by Tania del Rio & Will Staehle. I was totally right. (Thank goodness for middle grade fiction when you're in a bit of a reading slump, ya'll.) After the events of the previous book, the hotel has become wildly popular as the world's only traveling hotel. However, trouble is brewing right around the corner in the Malwoods where the Witch Queen Calvina has decreed that she must have the hotel and its occupant Beatrice (remember she vanquishes witches). While Warren and his friends are unaware of the trouble brewing in their mists, Warren has set out on his own quest to find something to repair the hotel's control panel and lands himself in one mischief after another. (Ever heard of a snake oil salesman? How about one that literally sells snake oils that he procures himself?) Unforeseen dangers, new allies, scarier enemies (in larger numbers), and the resilience of a hotel manager pack the pages of this fun little book. Once again, I need to note that this book has amazing illustrations that I'd be more than happy to frame and put on the walls of my apartment. This is a really great series to use as a bedtime readaloud with a slightly older child because reading aloud isn't something you should stop once your child can read to themselves. #librarianrant2k19 10/10 for this sequel and I'm excited to continue with the third book Warren the 13th and the 13-Year Curse which is due out on March 26th of this year.

Source: Quirk Books

In the Black Cauldron with Witch Queen Calvina. [Source: Entertainment Weekly]

What's Up Next: Elfquest Archives: Volumes1-3 by Wendy & Richard Pini

What I'm Currently Reading: Strange Magic: An Essex Witch Museum Mystery by Syd Moore

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

I slept for 12 hours and I'm still tired: A Librarian Story

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio & Will Staehle is the first in a series about a little boy named Warren (the 13th Warren in his family) who has inherited his family's hotel which has seen better days. Warren is not only the inheritor but the sole bellhop, maintenance man, and everything in between. Our little hero is described (and brilliantly illustrated) as an ugly little toad of a boy but what he lacks in good looks he makes up for with a great character and lots of heart. His uncle who has taken over management until Warren is of age has little interest in the running of a hotel and has allowed the grounds and building to fall into disrepair but worst of all he has married a woman who treats Warren horribly. (And then we discover she's a witch with designs on the fabled All-Seeing Eye which has been a myth passed down through the generations of Warrens.) This book is saturated with fantastic illustrations with a really cool color palette (mostly red, grey, and black) and it's those well-executed illustrations which elevated the narrative and turned this book into a winner for me. I just picked up the sequel Warren the 13th and the Whispering Woods so we'll see if that holds true for the rest but for this one it's going to be a 10/10 from me.

A/N: I have really been dragging with my reading lately. I've enjoyed the last 2 books (and The Library Book which I'm reading now) but I feel like I had a really slow start out of the gate. Also, I'm still waiting on Elfquest Archives Vol 3 to arrive at the library which is why I haven't posted anything about the other two volumes. I really wanted to group them together so I'm not being super repetitive. I say all of this because the pace of the reviews might slow down unless I speed up. 😬

Source: Amazon

                                           

Warren serving up dinner. [Source: Warrenthe13th]

What's Up Next: ???

What I'm Currently Reading: The Library Book by Susan Orlean

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

My cat kept interrupting this post

I really needed a win after starting (and giving up on) 3 separate books so when I picked up My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George I felt pretty confident considering it was a Newberry Honor winner. The introduction made me laugh because it was all about the author's experience running away from home and coming back very shortly afterward. (I was gone such a short amount of time when I was a kid that my mom didn't even know that I'd left.) This book gave me strong Hatchet vibes from the outset. Our main character, Sam Gribley, doesn't so much as run away as inform his family that he is going to leave and live off the ancestral family land in the Catskills. Like most parents, they think he's bluffing and that he'll be back shortly...but he doesn't come back. He actually makes it to the Catskills and proceeds to become self-sufficient. He learns how to strike flint for fire, smoke out a tree to make a warm home, train a falcon to hunt wild game, sew a deerskin outfit, and develop varied (and tasty) recipes. This is a story of survival, independence, and the beauty of nature. It turned out to be exactly what I needed to get past the duds I'd recently picked. If you (or a reader in your life) enjoy fast paced adventure stories that are heavily descriptive (with intermittent pencil illustrations) My Side of the Mountain is for you. 8/10

Source: Penguin Random House

What's Up Next: Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio & Will Staehle

What I'm Currently Reading: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (reread) and The Library Book by Susan Orlean

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

End of year burnout

I'm going to be honest, guys. I'm really starting to get blog fatigue. I've been trying to write this particular review for ages and getting absolutely nowhere. :'-( I've also done the arithmetic and I'm fairly certain I'm still going to be reviewing books I read in 2018 into the start of 2019 which is something I was actively trying to avoid. Ugh, I sure hope this ends up making sense.

Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks is a middle grade graphic novel about two little girls living on a space station on the fringes of populated space. These two best friends are polar opposites. Sanity is a gifted scientist who is more often than not working diligently at her homework or brainstorming her newest lab project. Tallulah, on the other hand, is a mediocre student (at best) and a champion mischief maker (the best). After Sanity's latest science project (a three-headed creature) gets loose, the two girls are desperate to clear the animal's name as technical failures and disasters of all kinds begin happening at an alarming rate. There's a race against the clock to find the creature and save all life as they know it on the space station. This story is all about the bonds of friendship...and what happens if you don't properly follow safety protocols when docking your ship at a space station. My opinion: I don't know if it's because I read this one right after Space Dumplins but I found it very similar in tone and content and therefore not altogether that interesting. Additionally, the illustrations were good but weren't nearly as stunning as the aforementioned Space Dumplins. I couldn't give it more than a 4/10.

Source: Amazon

Lots of strong female characters. *applause* [Source: Mom Read It]

What's Up Next: The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs

What I'm Currently Reading: Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Space Chicken sounds like the name of a new wave band

Space Dumplins by Craig Thompson utilized all of the keywords that normally make me sit up and take notice: space adventure, hi-jinks, talking chickens... I absolutely loved the super colorful illustrations but as far as the story...it didn't completely blow me out of the water. Our main character, Violet, is a little girl living in the Roids which is a space community comprised of members of the working classes (classism is an issue). Her father is employed in a dangerous (and morally suspect) line of work gathering space whale nuggets (poop) which are manufactured to be used as fuel. Things have become increasingly dangerous especially for those living on the fringes as the whales have started to invade populated areas of space and cause massive damage in their wake including Violet's school. So when Violet's mom is offered a swanky job in fashion at the space station (where the extra swanky live) she snaps it up without hesitation and takes Violet with her hoping to earn more money and get her daughter a high class education. But things go from bad to worse in the Roids while they're away and Violet's father is somehow all mixed up in it. With the aid of her friends Zacchaeus (looks like a talking bean) and Elliott (actually is a talking chicken) Violet sets off on a mission to save her father and bring an end to the destruction and terror wrought by the wild space whales. Why are they on a path of devastation and mayhem? And what exactly does her father have to do with all of this? If you're interested in finding out the answers then check out Space Dumplins. My take: 4/10 mostly for the awesome illustrations.

Slightly spoiler-y warning: There are vivid depictions of animal cruelty in this book so if you can't deal with that (and I don't blame you because I had a lot of difficulties) then give this book a pass.

Source: Amazon

An example from the inside of the book. [Source: Craig Thompson Books]

What's Up Next: Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks

What I'm Currently Reading: Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Triumphs are not always absolute...but sometimes they are

Star Trek Destiny #3: Lost Souls by David Mack concludes the trilogy that began with Gods of Night and continued with Mere Mortals. If you've been following along with my reviews over the last several days you'll recall that I wasn't completely blown away by the last two books and a lot was riding on the final installment. *drumroll* My faith was justified and I was not disappointed! While it did take me ages to read, I definitely enjoyed this one the most. My suspicions about the Borg were confirmed (don't worry no spoilers here!) and all of the loose ends were neatly tied up. (As in any good Star Trek episode!) It's pretty much impossible for me to go into any details about the plot of this book without completely giving away everything from the first two so if you haven't read them read no further. Essentially, Erika Hernandez has essentially joined the crew of the Aventine and the Federation is in a much better position to counteract the Borg attacks since the Caeliar's powers have adapted her to telepathically link to the hive mind and impersonate the Borg Queen. O_O Things get super serious super quick and the puzzle pieces really start to fall into place about the Borg origin. It has it all: tearful farewells, emotional death scenes, close calls, and happy reunions. I personally think this would have worked better with two books instead of the three but if wishes were horses I would definitely never have gone horseback riding. 9/10 for Lost Souls.

PS Picard finally starts to resemble himself and I like him again.

PPS I still haven't watched Nemesis but I know a key plot point and I am not happy.

That floating woman is Erika Hernandez. [Source: Memory Beta]

What's Up Next: Calypso by David Sedaris

What I'm Currently Reading: Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Is Book 3 out yet?!

At the beginning of the epic month of reviews (still going strong!) I talked about the first book in the 5 Worlds series and in a move no one could have predicted I now return with my review of 5 Worlds Book 2: The Cobalt Prince by Alexis & Mark Siegel with illustrations by Boya Sun, Xanthe Bouma, & Matt Rockefeller. A/N: If you haven't read that book then I suggest you skip today's review as it's bound to spoil a few plot points. The book picks right back up with the ongoing quest to defeat the Mimic who had overtaken the Cobalt Prince (ruler of the Toki people). We discover that the Toki are in fact the 'Chosen People' and that Oona and Jessa are in fact genetically altered Toki. *gasp* The last book focused primarily on the mythology surrounding the beacons while giving Oona room to discover her hidden strengths/magical abilities. Book 2 meanwhile covers a lot of ground with Oona and Jessa's past while delving further into the real deal between the segregation between the peoples in the different worlds. I really felt like the pace ramped up with this one and it was super interesting which makes it even more frustrating that the next installment doesn't come out until the spring of 2019. *grumbles* 10/10

I've had some conversations with parents who have kids reading this series and they've been telling me how much the kids are liking it and how much they as parents enjoy it also. If you're looking for a common denominator between you and the children in your life and books you can discuss together this is a great choice. :-D

Source: Amazon

Jessa in turmoil over her sister Oona[Source: Bam Smack Pow]

What's Up Next: Afterlife with Archie: Escape From Riverdale by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

What I'm Currently Reading: Elfquest Archives: Volume 2 by Wendy & Richard Pini

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Subspace tunnel sounds like a euphemism

Star Trek Destiny #2: Mere Mortals by David Mack continues the trilogy that I began discussing on Monday. We find our crews separated across not only vast distances but also by time itself. Hernandez and 3 members of her crew are stranded with the Caeliar in the 1500s trying to find a suitable planet to inhabit without any hope of returning to their lives back on Earth in their time. Riker and the crew of Titan have reached the homeworld of the Caeliar in the present day and things do not go according to plan...in fact events quickly snowball out of Riker's control. Meanwhile, Picard and Dax are going through subspace tunnels in the style of eeny, meeney, miney, moe trying to find the one which will lead them to the Borg's point of origin and hopefully onto a path of defeating them.

The best parts of this installment were those which followed Hernandez's struggles to adjust to her new existence and the glimpses of the Federation President scrabbling to put together a formidable force to defeat the approaching Borg Armada. There are two reasons I think that I preferred these two storylines: I still haven't watched Nemesis and still feel confused by this reality and Mack's depiction of familiar faces did not sit right with me particularly in regards to Picard. Sometimes I find that the best Star Trek novelizations are the ones where the author focuses more on the storyline element and less on the characters which the audience typically knows really well. In this case, Mack's description of the Caeliar race and their culture coupled with the (unknown to me at least) Captain Hernandez and her never-ending quest to escape/understand her captors was exactly what I wanted in a great sci-fi novel. Conversely, the dramatic characterization of Riker's faltering marriage and Picard's inner struggles against the Borg felt stilted and forced.

By this point, I was way too invested not to continue so if you're wondering how I felt about the conclusion you can check back next week for that (although hopefully you're checking every day (-:). 7/10 for book 2 in this trilogy.

Source: Amazon

What's Up Next: The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity by Byron Reese

What I'm Currently Reading: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond and The Science of Supervillains by Lois H. Gresh & Robert Weinberg

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

I bet the Borg Queen never got invited over for slumber parties

Star Trek Destiny #1: Gods of Night by David Mack is the first part in a trilogy which was a journey from beginning to end. Firstly, let me start by saying that when I initially ordered these I did so not realizing that they were written quite a few years ago which did cause me some confusion early on. (I bought them at a discount rate as an ebook set so I really should have put 2+2 together.) Secondly, let me give you the heads up that I didn't have (because I really went in blind, ya'll) that you need prior knowledge about The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, AND Nemesis (which is the one I had not seen (and still haven't seen)) if you want to have any hope of following along. If you haven't seen these you are going to be 1. lost and 2. very much spoiled for future events.

Now that that's all out of the way let's delve into the meat and potatoes of the plot of this book. Like most books that begin a series Gods of Night really lays down a lot of foundation for future action. And there is a lot of information to get through because there is a mess load of time travel back and forth with many, many different characters. (Hint: I didn't love this.) The reader follows 4 different Starfleet crews through multiple time periods which are denoted at the start of each new chapter. You have to be paying a lot of attention and since I read these as ebooks I found it a bit more challenging. Basically, the Caeliar are chanced upon by the Columbia and her crew and found to be so much more technically advanced that there is no chance of overpowering, negotiating, or escaping. The Borg are back and instead of assimilating they have changed their mission to one of annihilation. The Federation is trying to muster up the forces to stop the Borg without any success and the crew of the Columbia are just trying to get back home. SO many characters and so little time (ha time travel pun). I didn't love this book but I did continue the series because by the time I'd gotten to the end of this segment I was too invested to stop...and I'm glad I kept going because by the third book the action was intense, guys. (Wait til you get to the end!) For Gods of Night a 6/10 but check for the reviews of Mere Mortals and Lost Souls in the coming weeks to see what I thought of those and my overall series rating. ;-)

Quick rundown of details:
The Columbia captained by Erika Hernandez, the Aventine captained by Ezri Dax, the Titan captained by Will Riker, and of course the Enterprise captained by Jean-Luc Picard. The aliens encountered: the Borg and the Caeliar. The times explored: too many to recount.

Source: Amazon

What's Up Next: Robot Dreams by Sara Varon

What I'm Currently Reading: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **