Title: Heart and Brain ( Gut instincts ) Author: The Awkward Yeti, Nick Seluk Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing Publication Date: October 18th, 2016 Genre: Comic , Humor My Rating : 5/5 stars Links : Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts is the follow-up to the tremendously popular New York Times bestseller, Heart and Brain: An Awkward Yeti Collection. The Awkward Yeti's Heart and Brain comics perfectly illustrate the ongoing, internal struggle betwixt head and heart. Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts features the same lovable characters as the first book and introduces a host of other vital organs like insatiable Tongue, irritable Bowels, and abused Stomach. My Review: I received an e-ARC of this comic from the publisher via NetGalley , in exchange with an honest review. Nick Seluk will capture your attention, mock your guilty pleasures, and make you L.O.L ! If you have ever heard Selena Gomez's " The Heart Wants What it Wants", then you know who usually wins the battle of "Taking the best, practical decision VS taking the most fun one." This comic will perfectly show you that this isn't an equation that can be balanced. The right action to take can not be presented as a monopoly ; it basically differs from one scenario, to another. Think of it like a seesaw . We get to see this in how Brain and Heart discuss matters. Mostly, they disagree and see things differently ; but sometime, they get to learn from each other. In this second issue, we get to see how the Gut reacts to every day activities that we usually engage in. In my opinion, it is a smart, entertaining representation of what happens inside the body. I believe this could be a very beneficial way to educate people, both young and old. Visual stimulation is, in my opinion, the best way to learn . I absolutely loved this comic. It made laugh at this generation's social norms, experience life from the point of view of different organs, and fall in love with biology again. I can't wait to read the next issue. Listen to your Gut Instincts & pre-order your copy. I give 5/5 stars. About The Awkward Yeti: The Awkward Yeti encompasses multiple series by cartoonist Nick Seluk. The ongoing self-titled strip, The Awkward Yeti, follows Lars the yeti as he experiences everyday social awkwardness at work, in his social life, even while dating. The popular spinoff, Heart and Brain, follow the inner dialogue between the cynical, society-influenced Brain and the impulsive, optimistic Heart. Together, the three characters were metaphorically inspired by the concept of the Id (Heart), the Ego (Lars) and the Superego (Brain) but have developed their own personalities over time. In addition to the two regular series, miscellaneous comics explore life, science and many other topics through ridiculous personification of organs, animals, and even rocks.
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Title: Sun Dragon's Song #1 Author: Joyce Chng Publisher: Rosarium Publishing Publication Date: September 21st 2016 Genre: Fantasy, Dragons My Rating: 3/5 Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: More than anything, young Ho Yi wishes to become a Sun Dragon Rider, the courageous human guardians of the magnificent beasts that roam the sky and keep watch over the land. But confined to crutches, bullies giving him a hard time, and his parents being away at war, Yo Hi is up against almost impossible odds! Can he still keep hope alive, while suffering in his tiny village, to become the valiant hero only he feels he's destined to become My review: I received an e-ARC of this book from Rosarium Publishing via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review. A great plot with an Asian protagonist who faces bullying, and feeds the dragons. That sounds very intriguing , but I believe that we should have seen more of the story, understood more about the world where Ho Yi lives in ,before wrapping part 1 up. I will definitely keep an eye for the next book. I truly believe that this story could go places. I give it 3/5 stars. About the Author: I am Singaporean. I write SFF and YA. ;) I also write urban fantasy under J. Damask. Title: The Replacement Crush Author: Lisa Brown Roberts Publisher: Entangled Teen ( Crush ) Publication Date: September 6th, 2016 Genre : YA, Contemporary, Humor Format: e ARC My Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: True love can’t be strategized. After book blogger Vivian Galdi’s longtime crush pretends their secret summer kissing sessions never happened, Vivian creates a list of safe crushes, determined to protect her heart. But nerd-hot Dallas, the sweet new guy in town, sends the mission and Vivian’s zing meter into chaos. While designing software for the bookstore where Vivian works, Dallas wages a counter-mission. Operation Replacement Crush is in full effect. And Dallas is determined to take her heart off the shelf. My review: I received an e-ARC of The Replacement Crush from the publisher via NettGalley, in exchange with an honest review. The Replacement Crush will leave you with an aching jaw, painful cheeks, and lots of looking like a fool as you swoon , scream, and laugh ! I really loved the fact that the main character was a book blogger. This made the book even more interesting for me. I love how creative was Lisa when she created the rating scale for Viv's book blog. It was not only creative , but also hilarious. A good way to display how the little things always matter is to look even beyond this book's plot, and focus on how people interacted in this story. A simple question like " Are you vegetarian/ vegan?" can give others a sense modesty, and respect. At first, I wasn't sure why the book was that long. I had a feeling that the story could have been over by 80%. Then, things happened that made reconsider that thought, and even admire this book much more. Lisa is the Queen of Contemporary Romance and Humor; she always find a new way to tell her stories and make her readers giggle and swoon. I think I just came up with a new word ! Wait for it !!! Lisa never fails to make me Swiggle ( Swoon & Giggle ) I really enjoyed The Replacement Crush, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. About the Author: Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn't recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life's painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way. Title : Hungry ( Remade S01E02 ) Author: Andrea Phillips Publisher: Serial Box Publishing Publication Date: September 14th 2016 Genre: YA, Sci-Fi My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: GoodReads . SerialBox Blurb: Every minute, 108 people die. On October 14th, 2016, from 9:31-9:32 p.m. EDT, 23 of those deaths will be teenagers. Now they are humanity’s last hope for survival. Awakened in a post-apocalyptic world and hunted by mechanical horrors, these teens search for answers amidst the ruins of civilization. Fate, love, and loyalty face off in this adrenaline -pumping YA adventure. ReMade will unfold in 15 episodes. My Review: I received an e-ARC copy of Hungry from the publisher via NetGALLEY , in exchange with an honest review. In this episode, we get to know more about the place where Holden & those who were with him had arrived, which was revealed by the end of episode one. Not only that, but also we get to see some flashbacks for one of the characters' past lives , May's. You might be thinking, oh look at these poor teenagers . They are almost always starving, and living in a dangerous place. But can you imagine a person who is allergic to various types of food in that situation? It is like, should I die starving, or should I perish because of my allergies? It is important to see these situations, so that people in real life aren't so (close-minded ??) & selfish towards anyone who isn't similar to them.. The fact that she has food allergies adds such a crucial element to the book. I really appreciate it when authors make their main characters suffer from some illness or disability. It is an important method to get people to understand the struggle, and erase some their Ignorance . So thank you, Andrea Philips ! We also begin to see some typical human traits kick in. I can't wait to see the full of effect of that. It took me awhile to get into the story, but I ended up really enjoying it. I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Andrea Phillips is an award-winning transmedia writer, game designer and author. She has worked on projects such as iOS fitness games Zombies, Run! and The Walk, The Maester's Path for HBO's Game of Thrones, human rights game America 2049, and the independent commercial ARG Perplex City. Her projects have variously won the Prix Jeunesse Interactivity Prize, a Broadband Digital award, a Canadian Screen Award, a BIMA, the Origins Vanguard Innovation Award, and others. Her book A Creator's Guide to Transmedia Storytelling is used to teach digital storytelling at universities around the world. Her independent work includes the Kickstarted serial The Daring Adventures of Captain Lucy Smokeheart and The McKinnon Account, a short story that unfolds in your email inbox. Her debut novel Revision is out on May 5 from Fireside Fiction Co. and her short fiction has been published in Escape Pod and the Jews vs. Aliens anthology. You can find Andrea on Twitter at @andrhia. I mean, if you like that sort of thing. Title: Forget Yesterday #1 Author: Pintip Dunn Publisher: Entangled Teen Publication Date: November 3rd 2015 Genre: YA, Dystopia, Fantasy Format: Ebook My Rating: 3.5/5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided…by your future self. It’s Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she’s eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they’re meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist. Or in Callie’s case, a criminal. In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo―a prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes the hellish prison. But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all. My Review: I have to say that the concept that lead to this book is amazing !! Maybe I am being biased , since my WIP is based on a similar world. This is a book that will grab your attention right from the start, and leave you wondering what is going to happen next all of the time. My favorite thing about this book is the world that it is set in. In a world where (who you become in the future, affects what happens to you in the present), a lot of things could go wrong. Which is exactly what happened to our protagonist. I got some Delirium vibes, which is more than okay because that book is amazing ! I found the romance to be very rushed, especially when it comes to Callie. She didn't show any signs of affection towards Logan until he started talking to her again after 5 years of no communication what so ever. I don't want to mention any spoilers, but some of the revelations towards the end of book didn't click for me. I am counting on the sequel to clear these up because the main story has great potential . There is too much that need to me explained !! The Cliffhanger at the end was simply, perfect ! Overall , this was a good read. I give it 3.5/5 stars About the Author: When her first-grade teacher asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, Pintip replied, “An author.” Although she has pursued other interests over the years, this dream has never wavered. Pintip graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. She is a 2012 RWA Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. Title: DayBlack ( Vol: 1) Author: Keef Cross Publisher: Rosarium Publishing Publication Date: August 21st 2015 Genre: Sequential Art, Comic, Paranormal Format: e-ARC My Rating: 5/5 Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: Beneath the polluted clouds of DayBlack, Georgia, exists a murderer. After hundreds of years of killing to survive, he no longer wants to simply exist . . . he wants to live. DayBlack is the story of Merce, a former slave who was bitten by a vampire in the cotton fields. Four hundred years later, he works as a tattoo artist in the small town of DayBlack. The town has a sky so dense with pollution that the sun is nowhere to be seen, allowing Merce to move about freely, night or day. Even darker than the clouds are the dreams he’s been having that are causing him to fall asleep at the most awkward times (even while he’s tattooing someone). As he struggles to decipher his dreams, someone from his past returns with plans for him—plans that will threaten his new way of life and turn him back into the cold-hearted killer he once was My Review: DayBlack is officially the best comic that I have read in 2016!! (so far!) From the illustrations, to the plot, to the diversity, this Comic bares it all. The author, Keef Cross is a tattoo artist, and he doesn't shy away from displaying his creative tats with the readers. They are stunning ! I really loved the fact that the main character is a POC. In short, an exquisite , weird, diverse, and intriguing read. I highly recommend reading this book . It contains some mature content, so it is not for everyone. About the Author: I make art, it's truly an escape. An escape from stereotypes and expectations put on "black art" and it's creators. It seems like most people are comfortable seeing black people portrayed walking to church, playing a jazz horn, braiding hair on the porch and things of that nature. There isn't anything wrong with that, but that's not all we are, and that's not all we do. Similar toblack cinema and radio, audiences have gotten used to and even anticipate these redundant one sided offerings of black life. Growing up being influenced by Ralph Bakshi, Vaugn Bode', Wendy Pini, and Robert Crumb to name a few, really shaped my visual aesthetic, and tone of my paintings, but even more so, my approach to creating my comic book, "DayBlack". I found that those underground comics of the 70's always had one foot in sexual raunchiness and drugs, and another foot in social commentary, a combination that fascinated me as a kid. Who knew that in those adult comics I hid from my mother, I would find my individual voice and style. I'm all about pushing progressiveimages and ideas about my people to the forefront whenever I get the chance. TV, radio, and film won't do it, but I feel like art is the last medium that has been corrupted the least, and with the help of other like minded artists who aren't afraid to challenge these notions of what black art is and can be , we can help change the way the world sees us, and the way we see ourselves, one gallery at a time. Title: Broken Dolls Author: Tyrolin Puxty Publisher: Curiosity Quills Publication Date: December 14th 2015 Genre: YA, Thriller, Fantasy , Sci-Fi Format: ebook My Rating: 5/5 Links : Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: Ella doesn't remember what it's like to be human; after all, she's lived as a doll for thirty years. She forgets what it's like to taste, to breathe...to love. She watches the professor create other dolls, but they don't seem to hang around for long. His most recent creation is Lisa, a sly goth. Ella doesn't like Lisa. How could she, when Lisa keeps trying to destroy her? Ella likes the professor's granddaughter though, even if she is dying. It's too bad the professor wants to turn Gabby into a doll, depriving her of an education...depriving her of life. With time running out and mad dolls on the rampage, Ella questions her very existence as she unearths the secrets buried in her past; secrets that will decide whether Gabby will befall the same fate.. My Review: I received a review copy from Curiosity Quills , in exchange with an honest review. Broken Dolls is not only a book with an intruging plot that urges many readers to pick up the book, but also a story that will keep you questioning the main characters' motives with every page flipped. If you enjoyed Coraline, then you are probably going to end up Head over Heels for this book! If I can review this book with only one sentence, then this would be it . "This book is weird in the best way ever !!" After finishing this book, all that I wanted to do is send an email to Tim Burton to tell him about this incredible story !! I can see this adapted into a successful,dark stop motion animation . This book helped me survive my migraine that lasted for more than 12 hours ! When my eyes were closed to escape the dreadful fatigue , I had such a luscious, vivid tale to entertain me. Some people weren't pleased with how the book ended, but I simply believe that it was perfect. I absolutely loved Broken Dolls, and I can't wait to read more books by this awesome author. I give it 5/5 stars. About the Author: I'm a Jack, or more accurately, a Tyrolin of all trades. Broken Dolls, the first in the trilogy, is an international #1 bestseller and appeared on Buzzfeed's Top 24 Best SciFi/Fantasy Books of 2015. I have been in the Top 25 of the Australian Songwriters Association and Top 25 of the Australian Independent Music Awards, was awarded an Australia Day Award for Music in 2014 and for Arts in 2015. I own a performing arts school, teach creative writing and host a podcast called HooPod, which is part of Felicia Day's Hooman community. Chocolate, cats and writing take up the majority of my time. Can you blame me? Title : Shadows & Dreams ( Remade S01E01 ) Author: Mathew Cody Publisher: Serial Box Publishing Publication Date: September 14th 2016 Genre: YA, Sci-Fi My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: GoodReads . SerialBox Blurb: You live. You love. You die. Now RUN. ReMade. Every minute, 108 people die. On October 14th, 2016, from 9:31-9:32 p.m. EDT, 23 of those deaths will be teenagers. Now they are humanity’s last hope for survival. Awakened in a post-apocalyptic world and hunted by mechanical horrors, these teens search for answers amidst the ruins of civilization. Fate, love, and loyalty face off in this adrenaline -pumping YA adventure. ReMade will unfold in 15 episodes. My Review: I received an e-ARC copy of Shadows and Dreams from the publisher via NetGALLEY , in exchange with an honest review. Shadows and Dreams is an intriguing pilot with lots of vivid, futuristic descriptions that will leave you craving to read the next episode . Sometimes, you need to read more than 30 pages to get into the book. However, this pilot managed to capture my interest half way through ( the 30-something pages) & the ending was just perfect. I felt like there was so much pressure on Mathew to make the readers fall in love with this serial , and I believe that he did an amazing job with this pilot ! About the Author: Originally from the Midwest, Matthew Cody now lives in New York City with his wife and son. When not writing books or goofing off with his family, he teaches creative writing to kids of all ages. Title: Gabriel and the Swallows Author: Esther Dalseno Publisher: Of Tomes Publication Publication Date: March 2016 Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance Format: ebook My Rating: 4.75/ 5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: Orvieto, 1957 Gabriel, a peasant boy with a disabled mother, constructs elaborate fantasy worlds to comfort when life becomes unbearable. The monotonous days of poverty and merciless bullying are interrupted when Gabriel unintentionally attracts the attention of a mysterious creature, a girl with swallow’s wings. Navigating life with fellow outsider, the foreigner Orlando Khan, Gabriel abandons his small town for the grandeurs of Rome. But Gabriel is now a man and must choose where he belongs: the imperfect reality, or the dream world that grows stronger and more seductive with each day… My Review: Gabriel and the Swallows is a coming of age book that is not only beautifully written, but also creatively scripted . It is not another coming of age story; It is a magical story that includes diversity that is well researched, magical realism that is mind-blowing, and a writing style that will haunt you ! I found myself highlighting a lot of quotes !!!! And by a lot , I mean way too much !! He called everyone “God-damn bastardo salami-eaters, except for you Gabriel . “I am a human with bird tendencies when I am with you.And I am a bird with human tendencies when I am with them.” - Volatile “Your subconscious is a place too, as real as any other.” -Volatile If that doesn't make you want to get and read this book ASAP, I don't know what will. Gabriel's best friend Orlando, was a Muslim. Once I discovered that, I was dancing around like a fool. Esther started by showing some of the Islamic practices , before using the word Muslim or Islam. Just like any other human, Orlando made mistakes & sinned. She showed how Muslims are flawed, but not the religion itself. She also used some Arabic words with english pronunciation that I liked very much. Those who disliked this book complained about how foolish Gabriel was, and how it took him way to long to appreciate what he had. How the main characters were hard to LIKE !!! But I have to say that the fact that characters were flowed, made me love the story & the characters even more. This is a story with real characters, in a fictional world ! I only wished that the revelation part was described a bit more, especially that Esther is a wizard with words , when it comes to description. I absolutely adored GATS; it is a book the left with tears, not only because of the events that shaped the ending, but also because my journey with this book was over. I give it 4.75/ 5 stars . About the Author: Esther Dalseno was born in Australia. After living in both Portland, Oregon and Sydney, New South Wales, she headed off to see the world. Writing and teaching, she has lived in Laos, Vietnam and South Korea and has traveled the world extensively. She now lives in with her family in Berlin. Title: Animal Farm Author: George Orwell Publisher: Secker and Warburg Publication Date: August 17, 1945 Genre: Dystopia, Classics , Literature Format: Paperback My Rating : 4/5 Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others." Revolution is in the air at Manor Farm after old Major, a prize boar, tells the other animals about his dream of freedom and teaches them to sing "Beasts of England." Mr Jones, the drunken farmer, is deposed and a committee of pigs takes over the running of the farm. The animals are taught to read and write, but the dream turns sour, the purges begin and those in charge come more and more to resemble their oppressors. Orwell's allegory of the Soviet revolution remains as lucid and compelling as ever. In beautifully clear prose, he gives us a vivid gallery of characters and a fable that conveys the truth about how we are manipulated through language and the impossibility of finding heaven on earth. My Review: Animal Farm was one of my favorite reads in 2015. Not only was it enjoyable , but also very satirical . It is funny how history keeps on repeating itself, and we keep on finding ourselves pawns to vial actions covered in an eluding disguise of saints. One thing that really caught my attention was how those who were bad at memorizing were considered stupid. Since this was written in third person, I wasn't sure if Orwell was capturing the common stigma during that time, or simply stating his own opinion. My favorite quotes include: 1) "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." 2) “The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” This was an enjoyable, thought provoking read ! I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Eric Arthur Blair, better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist. His work is marked by keen intelligence and wit, a profound awareness of social injustice, an intense opposition to totalitarianism, a passion for clarity in language, and a belief in democratic socialism. |
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