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2.83k reviews by:
betweentheshelves
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Most of my original review still stands. I love how they did color in this book, it's probably one of my favorite things about it. It can get a little wordy, but if you're familiar with the story, that likely won't bother you too much.
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Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!
The young adult classic, The Giver, has been adapted into a graphic novel format. When Jonas is selected to be the next Receiver, he doesn’t think much of it at first. After all, it’s just his placement. Who is he to argue with the committee? But they've been hiding a lot from the community, and it's up to Jonas to change that.
I received an advanced copy of this book for review from Edelweiss and HMH Young Readers for review. As an avid reader of dystopian lit, I was super excited to get approved for this book. Especially since The Giver is one of those books that has stuck with me ever since we read it in fifth grade. Plus, I used it as a basis for my Master’s thesis.
The story itself lends itself well to a graphic novel format. While the version I read didn’t have the finished images, I can tell that they’ll have a positive impact on the story. Particularly, the use of color emphasizes Jonas’s journey toward knowledge. The more he learns, the more color we get in the book.
The only aspect of the story that rubbed me the wrong way was the use of question marks and exclamation marks to show confusion characters. While I understand the point, and might be necessary for the target audience, I think there’s ways to show this in the illustrations instead. But this might be a fill in for the final draft as well; I’ll have to pick up a final copy when it comes out February 5th!
This is a strong adaptation that will make a classic story more accessible for the generations to come.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this adaptation; a fuller review to come on Thursday!
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Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!
The young adult classic, The Giver, has been adapted into a graphic novel format. When Jonas is selected to be the next Receiver, he doesn’t think much of it at first. After all, it’s just his placement. Who is he to argue with the committee? But they've been hiding a lot from the community, and it's up to Jonas to change that.
I received an advanced copy of this book for review from Edelweiss and HMH Young Readers for review. As an avid reader of dystopian lit, I was super excited to get approved for this book. Especially since The Giver is one of those books that has stuck with me ever since we read it in fifth grade. Plus, I used it as a basis for my Master’s thesis.
The story itself lends itself well to a graphic novel format. While the version I read didn’t have the finished images, I can tell that they’ll have a positive impact on the story. Particularly, the use of color emphasizes Jonas’s journey toward knowledge. The more he learns, the more color we get in the book.
The only aspect of the story that rubbed me the wrong way was the use of question marks and exclamation marks to show confusion characters. While I understand the point, and might be necessary for the target audience, I think there’s ways to show this in the illustrations instead. But this might be a fill in for the final draft as well; I’ll have to pick up a final copy when it comes out February 5th!
This is a strong adaptation that will make a classic story more accessible for the generations to come.
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******
I thoroughly enjoyed this adaptation; a fuller review to come on Thursday!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gun violence
Spider-Man: The Other
Pat Lee, Reginald Hudlin, Mike Wieringo, Peter David, J. Michael Straczynski, Mike Deodato Jr.
I stayed up late last night finishing this because I couldn't sleep, and I would say that the second half of this book is much more engaging than the first half. My favorite aspect of this story arc was the emotions; Peter/Spider-Man is slowly deteriorating, though no one can figure out why. There are a lot of excellent moments between him, MJ, and Aunt May that really make this worth it.
However, because this is a compilation of different Spider-Man issues, the art in some issues isn't up to par (specifically the Marvel Knights issues). The story was there, for the most part, but the art just threw me off. I do enjoy the mythological aspects that have been thrown in, with Peter being the Spider totem and all. Though I wouldn't recommend jumping into this without reading some of JMS's run on Spider-Man because there's a lot of background information you'll need to understand what's going on here.
Maybe this isn't my favorite Spider-Man, but it's a great addition to Spider-Man's history.
3.5/5 stars
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However, because this is a compilation of different Spider-Man issues, the art in some issues isn't up to par (specifically the Marvel Knights issues). The story was there, for the most part, but the art just threw me off. I do enjoy the mythological aspects that have been thrown in, with Peter being the Spider totem and all. Though I wouldn't recommend jumping into this without reading some of JMS's run on Spider-Man because there's a lot of background information you'll need to understand what's going on here.
Maybe this isn't my favorite Spider-Man, but it's a great addition to Spider-Man's history.
3.5/5 stars
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Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 4: Graveyard Shift
Ron Salas, Dan Slott, Christos Gage, Jai Nitz, Brandon Peterson, Sean Ryan, Humberto Ramos
We see Peter Parker struggling with the after effects of Spider-Verse in this issue, and once again trying to figure out how to balance his superhero life and his personal life. The story wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite. Some of the art in the annual issue is fantastic though; and the last story was funny.
There's also a lot of emphasis here of Peter getting distracted by little things, which isn't entirely new. He's never really able to fully devote himself to work outside of Spider-Man, and this particular issue illustrates that more than most.
There's also a lot of emphasis here of Peter getting distracted by little things, which isn't entirely new. He's never really able to fully devote himself to work outside of Spider-Man, and this particular issue illustrates that more than most.
I enjoyed the action with the Wraith in this one. She's battling with herself, trying to figure out how to move forward with, and Peter is desperately trying to help. I enjoyed the art in this one too; lots of sprawling cross-page spreads that show the battles that are going on. Again, not my favorite, but still entertaining nonetheless.
Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!
Since Dino’s parents own a funeral home, he doesn’t really mind spending time around dead bodies. It’s just a normal fact of life. But when his ex-best friend, July, comes back to life as he’s prepping her body for her funeral, things start to get a little weird. She’s not really dead, but she’s not really alive, and it’s having an effect on death everywhere else. Now July and Dino have to figure out why.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and Simon Pulse in exchange for my honest review. I was so, so happy to get an advanced copy of this book! Shaun David Hutchinson has probably become one of my favorite authors, and so far, my favorite book of his is The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza. The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried hasn’t surpassed it to become my favorite, but it was still a masterpiece of its own accord.
One of the things that I love most Hutchinson’s works is the way that they often examine friendships. This book in particular did this best, as July and Dino try to figure out why they stopped being friends. The reality is that it took July’s death in order for them to make amends, which is something that happens all too often in real life. We get the good, the bad, and the ugly of teenage friendships, and everything about July and Dino’s relationship feels real. Well, except for the fact that July is not-dead.
The emotions are also a strong aspect of this book. We feel everything that the characters feel, which is what makes this book so effective.
Hutchinson’s book will take you on a weird, wild ride that you won’t want to put down until it’s done. And even then, you’ll probably want to go back and read it again.
4.5/5 stars
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Since Dino’s parents own a funeral home, he doesn’t really mind spending time around dead bodies. It’s just a normal fact of life. But when his ex-best friend, July, comes back to life as he’s prepping her body for her funeral, things start to get a little weird. She’s not really dead, but she’s not really alive, and it’s having an effect on death everywhere else. Now July and Dino have to figure out why.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and Simon Pulse in exchange for my honest review. I was so, so happy to get an advanced copy of this book! Shaun David Hutchinson has probably become one of my favorite authors, and so far, my favorite book of his is The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza. The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried hasn’t surpassed it to become my favorite, but it was still a masterpiece of its own accord.
One of the things that I love most Hutchinson’s works is the way that they often examine friendships. This book in particular did this best, as July and Dino try to figure out why they stopped being friends. The reality is that it took July’s death in order for them to make amends, which is something that happens all too often in real life. We get the good, the bad, and the ugly of teenage friendships, and everything about July and Dino’s relationship feels real. Well, except for the fact that July is not-dead.
The emotions are also a strong aspect of this book. We feel everything that the characters feel, which is what makes this book so effective.
Hutchinson’s book will take you on a weird, wild ride that you won’t want to put down until it’s done. And even then, you’ll probably want to go back and read it again.
4.5/5 stars
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Actually more like 4.5 stars, only because there's so much information included here. At times, it's a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters!
Listening to this series on audiobook has been so much more effective for me, I think because of the way that Roy Dotrice narrates the story. With the different voices and accents, you're really transported to this world, and getting some background information for the series has been super helpful. Now, just to finish the next book before the series comes out in April!
Listening to this series on audiobook has been so much more effective for me, I think because of the way that Roy Dotrice narrates the story. With the different voices and accents, you're really transported to this world, and getting some background information for the series has been super helpful. Now, just to finish the next book before the series comes out in April!
Read this and more bookish posts at between-the-shelves.com!
I received a copy of this book to review from Net Galley and Black Spot Books.
For a long time, we’ve known the end of the world is coming. The rate at which humanity has used Earth’s resources means relocation. Specifically, to space. Enter the Apocalypse Five (or A5). They are an elite group of soldiers trained to deal with any and all apocalypse scenarios. Every day, they’re put into a different mission that will help them to better save humanity when that day eventually comes.
However, things aren’t quite what they seem. When Detroit, the team leader, is sent on a mission that exposes the reality of the people of Earth, she wants to do something about it. Instead, they’re framed for a crime and sentenced to death. Now, they find themselves on the run from the government. To escape, they have to expose the truth. But will they be able to do it in time?
Obviously, my interest was peaked because it’s a dystopia. It feels like it’s a been a while since I read one of those. The premise peaked my interest too; I am happy to say that I definitely wasn’t disappointed in this book.
At first, it takes a bit to acclimate to the world that Rourke built for the A5. We get a little bit of info in the prologue, but then we jump to the future. While I was a bit confused in the beginning, more information was given the further you got into the book, so at about halfway, I felt that I had a good grip on this new, futuristic world.
The best thing about this book was probably the concept. I liked the idea that we’re training this group of people to help fight off the impending apocalypse. It takes the age old concept of “the chosen one” to a whole new level. Where people like Katniss are kind of chosen by circumstance, the A5 are literally hand-picked to be the ones that fight whatever disaster comes next. And I want to see more from them!
One of the themes in the book is about exposing truth and that things are often not what they seem. I don’t want to give too much away, but the theme encourages readers to think critically about what those in power are telling you. And what an important time in history to promote those ideals.
Like the blurb for this book says, if you’re a fan of The Hunger Games, you’ll definitely enjoy this book.
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Once I got into this, I couldn't put it down! Full review to come later.
I received a copy of this book to review from Net Galley and Black Spot Books.
For a long time, we’ve known the end of the world is coming. The rate at which humanity has used Earth’s resources means relocation. Specifically, to space. Enter the Apocalypse Five (or A5). They are an elite group of soldiers trained to deal with any and all apocalypse scenarios. Every day, they’re put into a different mission that will help them to better save humanity when that day eventually comes.
However, things aren’t quite what they seem. When Detroit, the team leader, is sent on a mission that exposes the reality of the people of Earth, she wants to do something about it. Instead, they’re framed for a crime and sentenced to death. Now, they find themselves on the run from the government. To escape, they have to expose the truth. But will they be able to do it in time?
Obviously, my interest was peaked because it’s a dystopia. It feels like it’s a been a while since I read one of those. The premise peaked my interest too; I am happy to say that I definitely wasn’t disappointed in this book.
At first, it takes a bit to acclimate to the world that Rourke built for the A5. We get a little bit of info in the prologue, but then we jump to the future. While I was a bit confused in the beginning, more information was given the further you got into the book, so at about halfway, I felt that I had a good grip on this new, futuristic world.
The best thing about this book was probably the concept. I liked the idea that we’re training this group of people to help fight off the impending apocalypse. It takes the age old concept of “the chosen one” to a whole new level. Where people like Katniss are kind of chosen by circumstance, the A5 are literally hand-picked to be the ones that fight whatever disaster comes next. And I want to see more from them!
One of the themes in the book is about exposing truth and that things are often not what they seem. I don’t want to give too much away, but the theme encourages readers to think critically about what those in power are telling you. And what an important time in history to promote those ideals.
Like the blurb for this book says, if you’re a fan of The Hunger Games, you’ll definitely enjoy this book.
Follow me!
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Once I got into this, I couldn't put it down! Full review to come later.
I don't read much historical fiction, really, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. Hedy Lamarr's story is inspirational and is told in a format that's keeps your attention.
Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!
Iris Massey recently passed away at the young age of 33, due to cancer. After her death, her co-worker Smith Simonyi finds her blog where she wrote about her experiences with cancer and her musing on death. As Smith is struggling with her death, his business is slowly declining, especially when he starts reading Iris’s blog. Now he wants to publish it, but first he needs her sister's, Jade's, permission.
Jade’s struggling with Iris’s death in her own way, constantly visiting her mother in Virginia and taking a leave of absence from her job. When Smith contacts her about Iris’s blog, she’s against publishing it. But she finds a friendship in Smith, and their email correspondence gradually turns into something more.
We received an ARC of this at work, and I picked it up because the blurb says “for fans of Maria Semple and Rainbow Rowell.” Well, you had me at Rainbow Rowell (see here and here for more about my love for her)! She’s one of my absolute favorite authors, and the format of this book just intrigued me.
When You Read This is told in a series of emails, blog posts, text messages, and other communication snippets. It’s almost like a tribute to the way that we communicate today, and a way that a relationship might blossom in our mostly virtual world. The format was my favorite aspect of the book. I felt like I got to know the characters in such an intimate way because I was allowed a glimpse into their virtual lives. I thought maybe the format would make the book difficult to get into, but this definitely wasn’t the case.
There were lots of layers to the story that I also enjoyed as well. Though the ending was a tad on the predictable side, I felt that the character development was much stronger than the plot. I would enjoy reading more books presented in this format. If you know of any, definitely send them my way!
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll find everything you could possibly want in this book. If you’re looking for something new to read, definitely check this one out!
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More like 3.5. I loved the premise, and there were lots of layers that I enjoyed. More to come in a review later!
Iris Massey recently passed away at the young age of 33, due to cancer. After her death, her co-worker Smith Simonyi finds her blog where she wrote about her experiences with cancer and her musing on death. As Smith is struggling with her death, his business is slowly declining, especially when he starts reading Iris’s blog. Now he wants to publish it, but first he needs her sister's, Jade's, permission.
Jade’s struggling with Iris’s death in her own way, constantly visiting her mother in Virginia and taking a leave of absence from her job. When Smith contacts her about Iris’s blog, she’s against publishing it. But she finds a friendship in Smith, and their email correspondence gradually turns into something more.
We received an ARC of this at work, and I picked it up because the blurb says “for fans of Maria Semple and Rainbow Rowell.” Well, you had me at Rainbow Rowell (see here and here for more about my love for her)! She’s one of my absolute favorite authors, and the format of this book just intrigued me.
When You Read This is told in a series of emails, blog posts, text messages, and other communication snippets. It’s almost like a tribute to the way that we communicate today, and a way that a relationship might blossom in our mostly virtual world. The format was my favorite aspect of the book. I felt like I got to know the characters in such an intimate way because I was allowed a glimpse into their virtual lives. I thought maybe the format would make the book difficult to get into, but this definitely wasn’t the case.
There were lots of layers to the story that I also enjoyed as well. Though the ending was a tad on the predictable side, I felt that the character development was much stronger than the plot. I would enjoy reading more books presented in this format. If you know of any, definitely send them my way!
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll find everything you could possibly want in this book. If you’re looking for something new to read, definitely check this one out!
Follow me!
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More like 3.5. I loved the premise, and there were lots of layers that I enjoyed. More to come in a review later!