Title: White Collar Author: Giacomo Patri Publisher:Dove Publications Publication Date: September 21st Genre: Graphic Novel, Non Fiction, Sequential Art Format: eARC My Rating: 4.5/5 stars Links: Amazon . Goodreads Blurb: The struggles and injustices faced by workers during the Great Depression spring to graphic life in this powerful wordless novel, which traces a middle-class family's downward spiral. Recounted in 128 striking black-and-white linocuts by artist Giacomo Patri, the story takes place between 1929 and 1933, from just before the stock market crash to the devastating years immediately afterward. The protagonist, an earnest young man with a promising career in advertising, descends into unemployment, debt, and homelessness. Desperate to provide for his family, he discovers common ground with blue-collar workers and the benefits of union organizing. Because of its controversial depictions of class struggle, unionization, and abortion, White Collar was shunned by publishers, and the author was forced to print his own editions. Early copies are extremely rare; this Dover edition marks the volume's first return to print in decades, and its very first appearance in hardcover. Suggested for mature readers. My Review: I received an eARC of White Collar from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review . As a person who got the opportunity to lead the discussion on Blue Collar Jobs in my 2nd year of college, I was very thrilled when I read the title of this graphic novel. This book begins and ends with written paragraphs that explain what the book of White Collar is about. In between, you get to enjoy the amazing graphics that are used to show the story. The illustrations truly emphasized the statement that says; " a picture is worth a thousand words" . Not only did I enjoy reading White Collars, but I also ended up learning a valuable historic lesson. I give it 4.5/5 stars.
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Broody’s Top Five Moves to Leave You Swooning. Hello all. Broody McHottiepants here. You probably know me from my countless books, movies and TV shows, or my Twitter account. Today, the incredible, clearly-a-main-character, Ayah asked me to share some of my secrets. As she asked so nicely, how could I refuse? So, keep reading to learn my top five swoon-creating moves. ********************************** 1. Ignore you. Seriously, this works every time. It doesn’t matter where I ignore you, in the classroom, in a castle, in a space ship. Wherever I am, I just have to totally pretend you don’t exist, and you’ll go wild for me. 2. Kidnap you This is the opposite of ignoring you. If I simply force you to spend lots of time with me, you’ll have to fall in love with me. Totally the start of a healthy relationship right there 3. Save your life C’mon. That one’s the oldest trick in the book. (or is the oldest trick in the book “endanger your life?” I get those two mixed up a lot.) 4. Inform you that your parents lied to you your whole life Ordinarily, you would think the reaction to this would be you yelling at me. But you’re wrong! There’s nothing a main character likes more than to be told everything they ever believed in was a lie. After I tell you that you are actually a princess/vampire/alien, you’ll fall madly in love with me. 5. Break up with you This is my ultimate swoony maneuver. It’s a very risky one, for sure, especially if some other love interest is waiting for me to leave you. But! Odds are you will be so devastated by the loss of me in your life (after knowing me for a SUPER long five minutes) that you will pine away for me, swooning in your dreams about me. ********************************** So there you have it, my top five moves. Did any surprise you? Which one is your favorite? Oh. I see, I’ve already left all of you swooning. Never mind. Creator Bio: Carrie Ann DiRisio resides in Pittsburgh, PA where she is currently pursuing her MBA in Digital Marketing. Amidst running multiple popular social media accounts including @BroodingYAHero, she is also the social media intern for Serial Box Publishing She proudly considers herself a Slytherin and aspiring Disney villainess, who also loves the color pink and making people laugh with funny gifs. Title: hello me, it's you Author: Anonymous , Hannah Todd ( editor) Publisher: hello me, it's you Publication Date: October 10th, 2016 Genre: Nonfiction, Mental Health,Mental Illness Format: Ebook My Rating: 5/5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: “Keep smiling and being you. Don’t let the world change you” Hello Me, it’s You is a collection of letters by young adults aged 17-24 about their experiences with mental health issues. The letters are written to their 16-year-old selves, giving beautifully honest advice, insight and encouragement for all that lays ahead of them. This book was produced by the Hello Me, it’s You charity, set up by the editor, Hannah. Hannah was diagnosed with depression and anxiety whilst at university and found comfort in talking to friends about their experiences, realising she was not alone in her situation. This inspired the idea for the charity and book. Through the creation of materials such as this, the charity aims to provide reassurance for young adults (and their families) who are experiencing mental health issues and give a voice to young adults on such an important topic. The result of that will hopefully be a reduction in the negative stigma surrounding mental health and an increase in awareness of young people’s experiences. All profits go the Hello Me, it’s You charity, for the production of future supportive books. Trigger warning: Due to it’s nature, the content of this book may be triggering. Contains personal experiences of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, trichotillomania and other mental health issues, as well as issues such as assault. My Review: .............." Life is nothing but a Reckless Adventure!"............... Hello me, it's you. You have finished reading one of the best books ever. It is not a novel, but trust me when I say this, it is a piece of writing that this world desperately needed. I know that you have read a lot of great books, some that didn't shy away from serious topics like Mental Illness . But this ? This is a book that your soul is going to devoir instantly .It is a safe haven to seek, a strong message of ( YOU ARE NOT ALONE ). This book will make you cry, nod in agreement , and connect with people who explain how you've felt when you were dancing on the line that separates light and dark. You are going to feel the urge to highlight every single page in that book; just do it. Don't feel ashamed of writing a book review that could show why you loved this book so much. Never be ashamed of whatever illness you have; never be ashamed of telling people about it. I am still figuring out who to always practice that last sentence, but I will figure it out. We will figure it out . Share this on your Facebook , send it to any organization that care about this subject. You never know, perhaps your darkest confession, is someone else's salvation. Please go back and reread what you have highlighted , and keep the anonymous authors and Hannah Todd in your prayers . They are amazing brave knights, trying to walk through the darkness that exist even in the light. Never Stop Loving yourself, your 22 years old self. Hello Me, it's You is a non-profit project aimed at raising awareness for mental health issues among Young Adults. It aims to break down negative stigma surrounding mental health issues, and to normalise it for young people and their families. As a result we've collected anonymous letters by young adults about their experiences with mental health issues, and given them a platform for their experiences. I am so excited to introduce this new bookish series. Top 5 is going to be a series where I host authors, fictional characters, or even just me to talk about their Top 5 ... . The three dots symbolize how different each blog post is going to be.
The 1st blog post in this series will be up on October 14th, 2016 . Yes !!!! The launch is tomorrow . Can you guess who's Top 5 we are going to discuss ??? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The handsome Broody YA Hero !!!!!! He is basically going to tell you his top 5 moves that will leave you swooning ( over him, of course ) ! Till tomorrow comes, go ahead and enjoy his tweets here .
Title: Remember Yesterday ( Forget Yesterday #1)
Author: Pintip Dunn Publisher: Entangled Teen Publication Date: October 4th, 2016 Genre: YA, Dystopia, Fantasy Format: Ebook My Rating: 5/5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: The sequel to the sci-fi hit Forget Tomorrow is a twisting, turning roller-coaster ride—the perfect sci-fi futuristic read. Seventeen-year-old Jessa Stone is the most valuable citizen in Eden City. Her psychic abilities could lead to significant scientific discoveries -- if only she'd let TechRA study her. But after they kidnapped and experimented on her as a child, cooperating with the scientists is the last thing Jessa would do. But when she discovers the past isn't what she assumed, Jessa must join forces with budding scientist Tanner Callahan to rectify a fatal mistake made ten years ago. She'll do anything to change her past -- even if it means aligning herself with the enemy she swore to defeat. My Review: I received an e-Arc of Remember Yesterday from the publisher via NETGalley, in exchange with an honest review. A spellbinding sequel that will leave you begging for more with every chapter you consume I liked reading Forget Tomorrow, but I LOVED Remember Yesterday !!!! Once I finished the 1st 20% of the book, each chapter ended with me yelling "What !" & "OMG! " Not only does the plot thickens, but also the way how everything lines up by the end of the book is incredible. Anything that seemed vague by the end of book one played an important role in the events that take place in book 2. The romance in this book was very refreshing. The author switched how the typical girl likes boy,boy likes girl is represented in YA Literature. Every single character in this book has a great role to play, a chance to become more mature, a hard decision to take, and a memory to fulfill or let go off. All of that was shown perfectly . I really enjoyed reading it from Jessa's perspective Here are some of my favorite Quotes: 1) These people have lost their minds to a riot. We have no idea what they'll do, or not do ! 2) These are the casualties of War . 3) Time Passes. You take one breath, and then the next. The moment disappears and the next one arrives,and you're still here. There's an Honor in that. Simply enduring. I honestly can't wait for book 3. I am hungover over this amazing book !!! Pintip Dunn is killing it with this kick ass sequel. I can't wait to see how many awards this book is going to collect. I give it 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. Title: The Learn Author: Tony Halker Publisher: Clink Street Publishing Publishing Date: September 29th 2016 Genre: Dystopian, Historical Fiction Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: Blending reality, history and legend, about a time when women were considered as important as men, taking power in an oral society that worships the Goddess. A whole Celtic Druid world is laid out before us, incorporating beliefs, technology and the natural environment. A Celtic boy, a beach scavenger, is pledged to the Learn, a life of endurance, a path to become sworn Druid: scholar and warrior. Young women and men progress, becoming Priests and Druidii. Friendship, affection, passion and care develop as novices mature, confidence emerging. Seasonal battles of winter and summer bring rich festivals when seeds of men are taken by women in pleasure to prove fertility. Small damaged, hurt peoples on the margins of Celtic society blend in and out of vision. At frontiers with Nature, dependent for everything on what the earth gives or takes, an emotional response to the natural environment defines who people are and the values they live by. A lyrical novel resonating with modern readers through portrayal of character, language and history; arising from a landscape of today, yet centred in the Celtic Bronze Age of North Wales. The Journey to Write This Book How many adults over middle age can remember with precision who taught them to read. I am not sure who taught me, yet I am so grateful now. I have come to writing because I have always loved to read and am in awe of those writers who create worlds that draw me in, let me escape into both characters and events. I was brought up in a crowded apartment, I probably never slept in a room alone until I was twenty years old. We had little space, constantly heard our own noise and that from the apartments downstairs and to left and right. I learnt to escape into books, the worlds there became my place, my room, somewhere to take a dream, somewhere to aspire to, yet I would never have considered that I could write or that it was a reasonable or sensible way for me to seek to go through life. My upbringing would have said there were many thousands of priorities much higher than the idea of writing: work at school, pass exams, get a job and help pay the rent were the priorities. That is the cultural reality and imperative for so many people; writing, or painting or music would have been considered frivolities that would not pay the rent or put food on the table; those messages reflect the hard lives of many of my parents generation, we were not an exception. The complexity of the books I read has grown, my taste has changed. I now allow myself not to finish a book, there was a time when the puritan in me, said that books are good, you have started and must finish. Books change lives and fiction probably contains more truths than much of the non-fiction we see published. It is interesting that it is called “non fiction” and not “faction”. I appreciate that the word is already used elsewhere, but perhaps there are few facts in some non fiction! I can still read a wonderful book, identify with the characters and almost feel a sense of bereavement when the books come to an end and I can no longer spend time with the people there, as their life develops and a new story unfolds. Those books I love the most I can read again and again years apart, finding something new each time I recently came across a pile of papers in an old computer case that were the first chapter of a novel I attempted ten years ago. I had forgotten my attempt to write that particular story but many times in life I have written things down, embryo novels, all have been discarded; most were started at a time of life change or stress as an outlet for a message or emotion. I am a lucky man who has now been able to make the time to write when I want to. I wish to be a story teller that draws the reader in, makes them want to be in the book; though the messages the book seeks to debate, consider and present are important to me. I hope The Learn does not dictate views but asks or poses questions. I know now I have always yearned to spend my time writing. I got to my first 48,000 words of The Learn and had many doubts about whether readers would like it. Kind people I could trust to be honest, accomplished readers, gave me confidence both to finish this debut novel and publish it. I will always be grateful to them and particularly to my wife and children, whose brutal honesty where they felt I needed to consider or look again made me think. It took me a year to write, six or more months to edit and six months to publish. I have learnt so much in the process that I hope has honed my craft and capability as a writer. About the Author: Born in London, Tony Halker studied geology at Leeds University after which he worked as a geologist, travelling extensively overseas. Following an MBA at Cranfield School of Management, he became a manager in hi-tec business and later a businessman and entrepreneur. His writing is inspired by powerful natural landscapes and his interest in the people and technologies emerging from those hard places. His two daughters were born in North Wales. He lives with his wife there and in Hertfordshire. Website . Blog Title: The Lying Planet Author: Pintip Dunn Publisher: Entangled Teen Publication Date: September 19th 2016 Genre: YA, Sci-Fi Format: Ebook My Rating: 2.5/5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: Promise City. That’s the colony I’ve been aiming for all my life on the planet Liberty. The only thing standing in my way? The Machine. On my eighteenth birthday, this mysterious, octopus-like device will scan my brain and Test my deeds. Good thing I’ve been focusing on being Jay Lawton, hard worker and rule follower, my whole life. Freedom is just beyond my fingertips. Or so I thought. Two weeks before my Testing with the Machine, I’ve stumbled upon a new reality. The truth. In a single sleepless night, everything I thought I knew about the adults in our colony changes. And the only one who’s totally on my side is the clever, beautiful rebel, Peyton. Together we have to convince the others to sabotage their Testings before it’s too late. Before the ceremonies are over and the hunting begins. My Review: I received an ARC of The Lying Planet from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review. A great plot that will make you see LIFE from a different perspective . Okay, I know that I only gave it 2.5 stars, but I still stand by my previous sentence. The correlation the author made between "how humans take care of animals, then kill them for food" and "what the aliens are actually doing" is truly phenomenal . Carol is not a vegan, but the way humans are disgusted by how these aliens treat them like animals, made think of Veganism . I really didn't like Jay, the main character. He acted like a 12 year old and was very self-centered , even when he was planning to save others. It is like he had to be reminded to grieve the dead. In a world like this, I was expecting a lot of world building and more descriptive events. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see this in the book. I think that Carol has a great imagination and stories to tell, but so far her writing style hasn't been my cop of tea. I give it 2.5/5 stars. About the Author: I'm a writer of Young Adult fiction. My YA sci-fi debut novel, THE BODY INSTITUTE, explores themes of body image and identity. My YA fantasy, BOTTLED, released July 7, 2016, from Clean Reads. My YA sci-fi, THE LYING PLANET (formerly called Safe Zone), will release September 19, 2016, via Entangled Teen. I live in the beautiful, green state of Oregon and have a Studio Arts degree. I'm an SCBWI member. You'll usually find me in my writing cave, surrounded by my dragon collection and the characters in my head. I enjoy reading--mostly young adult novels--as well as drawing, painting, and quilting. I also attend writing conferences, walk with my husband, and enjoy music and dance of all kinds. Find me on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/CarolRiggsAu... Tweet with me on Twitter. @Artzicarol: https://twitter.com/artzicarol Email me! carolriggsauthor [at] gmail [dot] com Title: Once Upon a Dream Author: Liz Braswell Publisher: Disney Press Publication Date : April 5th 2016 Genre: Retelling, Fantasy, YA Format: Paperback My Rating: 4.5/5 Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dreammarks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. It should be simple--a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess's, it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over. With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up? My Review: This lyrical Sleeping Beauty retelling will take you on a luscious, insane journey . I know what some of you are thinking. Another retelling/spin off of the Sleeping Beauty; how many versions of this story is this Industry going to remake ? Let us start by saying that Once Upon a Dream is not an over-said-and-done plot. It glows with novelty, and sparks with creativity . I believe that even parents could enjoy reading this book with their kids. When the story begins, I was presented with a lie about Maleficent that itself, could have been made into another great tale. I really hope that Liz would someday consider writing a novella based on that lie being actually true. Something that really mesmerized me is that our Aurora seems to have developed a mental illness, Wait, let me correct myself. She had it from the beginning of the book, but we learn more about it later on. I am not going to say what illness, but I will let you know that it fits perfectly with the the original tale's most renown events. I a absolutely enjoyed this adventurous lyrical read, and I plan on reading Liz's entire fairytale retelling series. I give it 4.5/5 stars. About the Author: After the sort of introverted childhood you would expect from a writer, Liz earned a degree in Egyptology at Brown University and then promptly spent the next ten years producing video games. Finally she caved into fate and wrote Snow and Rx under the name Tracy Lynn, followed by The Nine Lives of Chloe King series under her real name, because by then the assassins hunting her were all dead. She also has short stories in Geektastic and Who Done It and a new series of reimagined fairy tales coming out, starting with A Whole New World—a retelling of Aladdin. She lives in Brooklyn with a husband, two children, a cat, a part-time dog, three fish and five coffee trees she insists will start producing beans any day. You can email her at [email protected]. Title: Dreamology Author: Lucy Keating Publisher: Harper Teen Publication Date: April 12th 2016 Genre: Contemporary, YA, Fantasy Format: ebook My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist. But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. It turns out, though, that Real Max is nothing like Dream Max, and getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped. When their dreams start to bleed dangerously into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough? My Review: This book captured my attention because of its concept, which can obviously be seen from the title. Dreams !!! I believe that dreams are the gates to one's soul and subconscious . I get to discover more about myself through them, and take every theme represented into consideration when observing real life events. That is enough, we are not here to discuss me !!! In Dreamology, we see Alice and Alex having amazing adventures & falling in love, but that only happens in the dream world. When Alice begins attending a new school, she sees the boy of her (DREAMS!!) sitting right there. But life is complicated, and they thought each one was having a perfect imaginary friend/lover. How do they adjust to this, was Alice the only one having those dreams, why is she having them,etc? Find out by reading this book. I found myself laughing a lot + enjoying swoon-worthy moments + appreciating such an intriguing plot . Do I need to explain more why I loved this ??? This book will definitely make you SWIGGLE " Swoon+Giggle" The characters are well built . They doesn't get to be more realistic than than that. This was a 5 star read up until I reached the last few chapters. I wished that there was more of the story to be told, but that barely affected how much I loved the book . Lucy did a brilliant job with this debut novel, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Lucy lives in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, attended Williams College in the Berkshires, and still misses the East Coast very much. When she's not writing, Lucy can usually be found obsessing over the latest music, inventing new flavors of ice cream, or having what she feels are perfectly acceptable conversations with her dog, Ernie. You can follow Lucy on Instagram @lucy.keating, and Ernie The Dog @ernsboberns Title: Light Author: Rob Cham Publisher: Adarna House, Inc Publication Date: October 4th, 2016 Genre: Silent Comic My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: This wordless comic book follows the exploits of a backpack-toting adventurer in a quest to find a mysterious treasure. Framed in black, the illustrations offer delightful bursts of color and are sure to entertain readers of any age. My Review: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review. This is my very first silent comic, and I wasn't disappointed ! I fell in love with the illustration work. This comic shows how a picture is worth a thousand words.The color switching from one contrast to another , was highly appreciated. I highly recommend swapping instantaneously through such pages , to enjoy a short stop motion animation. I wish I understood why he killed a lot, or what lead to having such creatures guiding the elemental crystals. Definitely a little bit of too much violence for kids; there is a lot of killing that happens one after another. I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Rob Cham is a freelance illustrator, designer, and comic artist who's done illustration works for notable publications and magazines like Rouge, Smile, Esquire, the Philippine Star. He has also worked with brands like McDonald's and Adidas. Cham has also worked with various government agencies, namely the Department of Social Welfare and Development as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs. |
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