This is so weird and captivating and beautiful. I just loved it, and my heart aches for all these characters.

This is kind of a weird collection, but I liked it. I guess it was all tied in to the movie THE WOLVERINE, so it picks a few issues that relate to it and then gives kind of a "if you liked these, read this TPB next!" and often gives a little text summary to lead you into the next few issues. It's both a good marketing technique for Marvel comics and also really helpful.

Anyway, some of this is the Japan/Mariko stuff that, as previously mentioned, I don't especialllly care for, but then there's some other Wolverine in a Sadness Cave stuff that I like more. And also, Spider-Man teaming up with an amnesiac Black Widow against Viper intercut with a Jimmy Carter speech, because literally why not.

Listen, this book starts off with a note explaining that if you don't understand this book, it's because you didn't take the time to look up every single word in the dictionary, so really, I guess the fact that I didn't like this is all on me. Well played, LRH.

http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-30-dianetics/

ahhh this book was so tense it made my stomach hurt the entire time I was reading it. I'm not really sure how to rate it? There's definitely skill involved in writing that kind of intensity, but I didn't really enjoy reading it, and I'm not really sure who the intended audience is? I loved [b:Hole in My Life|842087|Hole in My Life|Jack Gantos|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316130742s/842087.jpg|80002], but I felt like that had a more structured narrative? This one is just like, Jack's neighbor Gary keeps encouraging Jack to do an escalating string of shitty things, and Jack does them.. but since it's all set before Hole in My Life, if you've already read that one, then you know that the worst is yet to come. But also, Hole in My Life ends with like... a clear resolution, where Jack ends up in jail. This just ends with vague uneasiness. Which I guess is fine? I mean, lots of times life leaves you with vague uneasiness.

I guess kids who like Ellen Hopkins-style books about kids doing fucked-up stuff would probably like this? But unlike Ellen Hopkins et al, you don't have the sense that Jack has been mistreated (which I think is the appeal of a lot of Ellen Hopkins etc, feeling righteous indignation on behalf of the teens whose abusive homelife pushes them toward drugs/crime/whatever?), just that, for whatever reason, he feels unfulfilled and wants to set shit on fire. Which again--I know there are kids like that? So maybe they will like this book?

???

Spoiler

PS A PUPPY FACES SERIOUS PERIL IN THIS BOOK BUT DOESN'T DIE, at least not in the narrative

I really enjoyed this! It's a complex look at a complex lady, and it highlights how brave she was without glossing over some of her more problematic actions. (Though it does flesh them out in some cases--like, yes, she did talk to the KKK women's auxiliary group, but she felt uncomfortable about it but ultimately decided that all women should have access to information about their bodies. Also, her involvement with eugenics is addressed but put into context somewhat.)

The artwork here is a little goofy but I think I liked it.

I will say--I ordered this for teen GNs because it was on a YALSA list but I think I'm going to send it to adult GNs... it's not that I don't think teens would enjoy it, or that they shouldn't learn about Margaret Sanger/abortion/etc... but there's like, a lot more talk about golden showers and other fairly kinky sex acts than I would have expected??? Sooooooo... there's that. (That said, I totally loved all the sexy historical gossip! Just feelin' sketch about shelving it in teen.)

UGHHHHHHHHHHHH this is so dumb!!!

First of all, based on like, the cover and the title, I assumed this was some kind of retelling of, you know, Alice in Wonderland? Which was basically why I picked this up--I don't care for zombies usually, but I do like Alice in Wonderland and I had to read a horror book for library book club this month, so I thought this might be a relatively painless choice.

Anyway, I was wrong on both counts. Here's what this book has in common with Alice in Wonderland:
- the protagonist's name is Alice Bell
- sometimes she sees a cloud that looks like a white rabbit
- end of list

gah! so dumb! anyway, I'm not like a ~stickler for rules of mythical creatures~ or whatever. (Like, I'm all for sparkling vampires, tbh.) But this is so... like, the "zombies" seem to be more like what I would call "ghosts"? And only some people can see/fight them, and you have to leave your body and use your spirit? (sidebar: this is also a weirdly religious book with more talk of the Christian god and church-going than I would have expected?)

also, Alice and this ~super sexy bad boy~ have a thing that happens where, the first time they see each other each day, they have an intense vision of themselves making out??? because... zombie... hunters... something something?

I think the main appeal of this is the ~super sexy bad boy~ romance, and if I understand correctly that's mainly what Gena Showalter is known for? These books are definitely popular among teens and adults alike at my library and so... I assume that's why? because the zombie hunting stuff makes no sense. Also there is an evil corporation that is trying to like... weaponize the zombie... spirits... or something...???

oh and her sister is an angel.

oh and the dialogue is MEGA-cringeworthy. also there's a whole running thing where her grandparents don't understand modern slang but they get it wrong in ways that are just not... plausible. like they tell her not to get "chewed" when they mean "trashed." or like, I just turned to a random page, and Alice's friend encourages her about the ~super sexy bad boy~ by saying "Girl, he wants to dip you in Frosted Flakes and have you for breakfast. That's his favorite cereal, by the way." Or later, Alice tells the ~super sexy bad boy~, "Kiss now. Talk later." it all feels a lot like terrible Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanfiction.

Ugh I kind of want to do a Worst Bestsellers about this.

ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

It took me a while to get into this book, but then I stayed up way too late to finish it? It's sort of like the pacing of the book itself... Vivian's stuck for a long time and then suddenly so many things happen. So many things!

But I love cult stories and this has some fresh, funny takes on that while also being pretty intense. I think it would def appeal to teens who haven't read as many cultural commentaries or whatever, like the Church of America Corporation and all that is going to be really hilarious for some teens I think. The patriarchy talk is a little Handmaids Tale-lite, but still relevant.

Extra points for lady friendship & some diversity!

Even though I didn't 100% love this one, I'll definitely pick up the next one.

ahh I'm not totally here for all the Civil War stuff but the Runaways/Young Avengers Civil War was relatively enjoyable, as far as all that goes. Not totally here for all the Secret Invasion stuff either, tbh, but still, happy to have more of the Runaways doing whatever. I loved the time travel story!

anyway, a lot going on here, but overall I'm just happy for more of the characters I love <3

This was originally published in 1989 and it definitely makes more sense in a pre-internet world. Like it's a good basic introduction? It feels like a series of Wikipedia articles in print. I think it was a little more basic than what I was looking for? But "Basic" is literally in the title, and this would probably be great for someone looking for, uh, a very basic introduction.

Ahh this was another one that I read so fast IDEK it barely processed as a book. Really funny and intense. I LOVED Harp's blogs. Hilarious. I love all the lady power in these books. (Friendship power! Sister power! Maternal power! Eat a dick, patriarchy.)