Tag: graphic novel

Book Review

Moon Reads: Catboy

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Catboy by Benji Nate

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

Nothing is perfect, and as such, the reviews in this blog are chaotic. My main aim is to share my thoughts, joy and opinions on a book, not make a publication perfect review. This blog endorses authenticity, showing up and joy over perfection.

Disclaimer: Receiving a review copy from the publisher does not affect my opinion of the book. If you think I review it highly it is due to me knowing my taste well and therefore not requesting books I won’t enjoy. And I am not obligated to review the book if I do not like it, so you may not see bad reviews due to me preferring not to hype down a particular book. I only do reviews of books I disagreed with if I think it is worth bringing a topic or warning to light.

I bought this as it looked interesting and a catboy sounded like an interesting premise. Basically we follow Olive who is lonely and wishes her cat Henry would become her best friend. This turns Henry into a “human” catboy which is hilarious and oddly weird.

For the most part, Henry is very much a cat and this is hilarious, even if it is weird or frustrating for Olive, like he doesn’t care if he’s wearing girl clothes despite being a boy cat (gender norms? what are those?) but at times the interactions were a tiny bit creepy and I did not enjoy reading the, they felt like they had been written to be funny but read more cringey and a little bit too much, so I am taking some foxes away for that. I think the concept would have bene better without those as the overall story is about being more confident, what friendship and being yourself means and similar things, so slightly creepy things weren’t necessary and did not add to a light humour touch.

The art is ridiculously cute and works well with the story, so on that part it is a big win.

Overall a cute story that lost a little bit due to odd parts of it with very cute and fitting art.

Book Review

Moon Reads: Life of Melody

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Life Of Melody by Mari Costa

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

Nothing is perfect, and as such, the reviews in this blog are chaotic. My main aim is to share my thoughts, joy and opinions on a book, not make a publication perfect review. This blog endorses authenticity, showing up and joy over perfection.

Disclaimer: Receiving a review copy from the publisher does not affect my opinion of the book. If you think I review it highly it is due to me knowing my taste well and therefore not requesting books I won’t enjoy. And I am not obligated to review the book if I do not like it, so you may not see bad reviews due to me preferring not to hype down a particular book. I only do reviews of books I disagreed with if I think it is worth bringing a topic or warning to light.

When two very opposite magical beings, a fairy godfather and a beast both find a little girl in the woods and neither wants to back down, they decide to become the parents and share custody. Razzmatazz (the fairy godfather) is convinced that if he raises the baby human it will be easier to work with her when she turns into a fairy tale protagonist, and Bon (the beast) isn’t sure Razz can take care of her and thinks it is dangerous to leave her with him (and he has a point).

The main story is about them slowly learning to live together but not only that but adapting to a “human” life, where they have a job (which is a lot harder for Razz). Razz becomes a helper in a library and Bon starts helping with kids in a school. But it is not only about that but about them being parents and about slowly falling in love with each other gently and totally denying it initially until they slowly admit it and it is a very cute story.

The artwork fits the narrative and the little details of the story and the town they settle in, alongside some of the backstory of our characters. Melody (the little girl) is also a good part fo the story and helps move it along, but the main focus is this setup of almost “fake dating” but not fully that since they only do it for appearances and because they decided to co-parent her.

It made me laugh and feel all cute and lovely inside, and it is a good cosy book to read and enjoy.

Book Review

Moon Reads: Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness

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Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness by Ben Clanton

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

Read before: No

Ownership: Preordered because I love this series

Series: Narwhal and Jelly

If you haven’t read any of the books from the series I can highly recommend it, starting with Narwhal and Jelly. You can search for reviews on them all throughout the blog as I have loved each book and this is the sixth one.

The main thing is we have Narwhal who is enthusiastic, very friendly and extremely chaotic with a high love of waffles and a good heart. Then there is Jelly who is anxious and scared and has not a lot of friends. But they somehow become best friends and go on adventures, mostly started by Narwhal.

In Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness they decide to go to school after finding a school of fish, the puns are gorgeous and really cute. So we embark on a set of lessons by Narwhal and Jelly to the fishes on various topics they deem important, including waffles of course. It is a fun take at how cool school can be at times and learning being a good process which was very enjoyable and obviously there is the whole antics of Narwhal and Jelly and their friendship.

Overall, another winner of the series.

Book Review

Moon Reads: Shades of Fear

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Shades of Fear. Edited by Allison O’Toole

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px

Read before: No

Ownership: Backed on Kickstarter

As much as I am not into horror somehow I decided to back this project a while ago, and honestly I will say it was indeed terrifying, a little too much for me.

There are several mini stories in graphic novel form, each from a different artist and with a different focus one after the other.

One of the things I liked was the variety in this book and that each short story is intense and packs a lot into a few pages, but on the other hand, some would have benefitted from being a lot longer than they were as part fo the horror effect was lost on them or it came too fast as it was trying to do a lot. But over all, it was a good book, quite scary and horrific.

Some of the stories really stayed with me, one of them about an engineer in space, and some others more chaotic are still sometimes in the back of my mind, so if you like horror and scary books, this is definitely one to look out for, as it has a lot to offer and a variety of “genres” all of which are horror focused.

Book Review

Moon Reads: The Girl from the Sea

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The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px

Read before: No

I read the whole Witch Boy series and enjoyed it a lot. So it felt natural to buy this and read it.

Morgan has a little secret, she is ready to leave her idyllic life. The island may be perfect, but she wants to run away from the sadness of her family after the divorce, her little brother that seems extremely needy and dramatic, or her friends demanding her attention and not understanding her. But wanting to leave her life isn’t the biggest secret she has, her biggest secret is that she wants to kiss a girl.

So when she is saved from drowning after slipping on a rock, by a cute mysterious girl named Kelpie, at first she finds her annoying and frustrating, but then they become friends and suddenly she’s enjoying her life a lot more, or at least life around Kelpie.

The story follows basically both girls keeping secrets and at the same time trying to slowly build a relationship that has to be a secret.

I admit I liked this one less than the Witch Boy series, I think partly because the story is trying to do way too many things at the same time and deal with way too many secrets that it kinda slowly unravels a little bit and I think that was felt through the story.

The art is still adorable, there are a bunch of tiny details put into the scenes and mini kudos to things, but it doesn’t save the chaos of too much trying to be covered by the story, which is why it is not a 5 fox read.

Overall, if you like graphic novels, sea life and other little things, and liked Witch Boy then this is worth reading, and it is a cute story.

Book Review

Moon Reads: Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle Vol. 1

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Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle Vol. 1 by Kagiji Kumanomata

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

Read before: No

Ownership: Bought for me since it sounded fun

I can’t remember if this was a recommendation or if it was an accidental find while browsing for new manga to read, but what I do know is that I bought it, and forgot about it until I felt like reading manga again and decided that I really ought to read this first volume and check if I wanted to keep it or not.

Well, I have to say at first I went unsure how this could be a whole series given the premise of a princess that just wants to sleep and is being kept prisoner in a castle by a demon. I was so wrong and I am glad about it.

Our princess is an interesting character that doesn’t actually want to escape, all she wants is to be able to sleep well and you know, have a little bit of peace. So when she starts finding demons and items that might make her sleep better, well, she is a princess on a mission and nothing, not even death will stop her!

I laughed a lot as I read this one. It is a light read because the adventures of her finding a specific item/quest/idea are just small manga chapters and are all very enjoyable. They introduce new demons or characters that the princess focuses on and also new areas at times or new mechanics, and it is fun because you keep seeing what is happening outside the castle and then comparing it to what the princess is doing in the castle and you can’t help but enjoy the whole chaos of it.

I think if you like chaos, a humorous take on the princess kept captive by an evil enemy and what demons do, this is a delightful and funny read with easy breaks in the story and lots of potential and surprises that keep coming through it.

Book Review

Moon Reads: Paranorthern and the Chaos Bunny A-hop-calypse

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Paranorthern and the Chaos Bunny A-hop-calypse by Stephanie Cooke and art by Mari Costa

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

Read before: No

Ownership: Bought it for myself.

Chaos bunnies? Did someone say chaos and bunnies? That was basically what sold me this book. And that it is a graphic novel. If that hasn’t sold it to you yet, let me try a bit more.

We start with our main heroine, Abby, who is helping her mum at a cafe and serving the magical community but then her sister gets bullied and portal is opened to this chaos bunny land. Abyy is sweet but her magic is a bit odd and she wants desperately to help fix everything a nd help everyone. Obviously having chaos bunnies come through a portal creates chaos so that’s basically the story, how to stop the chaos bunnies from causing the end of the world and all that chaos.

But one of the things I really liked about it is how it integrates diversity into a magical world. The concept of ghosts here was beautiful and I like that it had a hijabi character. Then each of Abbys friends has a specific background, issues and approaches and despite some clashes, they are friends and help each other out and want the best for each other and again that was super cute to read and very encouraging and uplifting.

I recommend this book because it is a cute cosy chaotic read and I even sold it to the booksellers from the publisher, because it is so good and fun. If you want a more chaotic Mooncakes vibes with less romance and more middle grade or lower vibes this is it!

Book Review

Moon Reads: Fox & Rabbit Celebrate

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Fox & Rabbit Celebrate by Beth Ferry and Illustrated by Gergely Dudas

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

Ownership: Preordered after reading the first two.

Series: Fox & Rabbit

I love this little series of books which remind me a lot of Narwhal and Jelly, and of course you can read my review of the first two books here.

Fox is feeling a bit like fixing things because it is with an F, so obviously, Fox goes around finding things to fix but then it is Robin’s birthday and they want to plan a fun party so they go on an adventure to do so and honestly it was super sweet because they want to make a huge pizza and lots of fun things and honestly I loved reading through it plus the artwork is adorable and it obviously has a fox so win for me!

Book Review

Moon Reads: Fine Print

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Fine Print, Volume 1 by Stjepan Šejić

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px Grey

Read before: No

Ownership: Bought in Forbidden Planet on a trip to London because ti was a decent price.

I love Stjepan’s art style and so when I saw Fine Print in the shop I had to buy it. It is a bit more out there of my usual reads and styles for sure, but a graphic novel is a graphic novel and I actually had a good giggle reading this.

The story follows several characters through a very slow start, and to be honest, this book is very much a setup volume so read it with care, as in do not expect a perfectly polished story because we know it isn’t. But the next volumes develop more of it. We get a lot of insight even if it is all over the place about each of the characters, the two “gods” of desire that will try to win her contract and give her everything she desires, Lauren who is the main character and an absolute self-destructive being who knows what the right choice is and still does not make it because it is better to choose the worst possible one. And honestly, the story is almost written in that way, like a reflection of her own chaos and bad decisions but told into a story where you are trying to justify your actions and know as you go that there is no way to make them seem better except to try to tell the truth and add some humour because you pretty much messed up so bad there is no coming back from it.

One thing the art does suffer from is a bit of same face syndrome which as the characters have progressed and Stjepan has developed them, does change into more defined the point in part is that everyone is gorgeous and therefore apparently there is only one way. I particularly like the colour work but I am terrible at it so take it with a grain of salt.

Overall, it is a fun comic that if you have high expectations it will fail you, but if you’re here for a silly story about competitiveness, bad decisions and chaos, it will entertain.

Book Review

Moon Reads: Witch for Hire

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Witch for Hire by Ted Naifeh

Rating: MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px MoonKestrel Logo2 20px

Read before: No

Ownership: Saw it in Forbidden Planet and it looked good so I bought it.

Witch for Hire is part high-school drama, part mystery thriller, part horror, and part fantasy. As such, it is a very odd combination that somehow works once you realise you are getting a little of everything. We have Faye who sits with the outcasts that somehow make it once good luck touches them except for Faye who wears her witch hat and doesn’t seem to care.

So when Cody who is the little sister of the popular girl finds herself shunned by her sister for not being cool enough, and into the rejects table with Faye, she thinks she’s found a good new friend.

Faye isn’t convinced of taking Cody under her arm or meddling in strange happenings that keep causing incidents and this weird series of pranks that are getting more and more dangerous until they seem to be entirely out of control. And even if Cody admits that she joined this odd challenge to become popular which is behind the pranks, it doesn’t fully explain what is going on.

Faye finds herself at odds with her way of doing things and wanting to help, but she fears the consequences and meddling despite her don’t care attitude.

It is a very interesting book and I just wish it was a little longer because the story is interesting even if quite twisted, but because of how twisted it is, it would have benefited from more back story in some places and just more context in others and tying a few loose ends that don’t detract from the story but that would make it a lot better.

As for the artwork, it is quite dark with an old school vibe and yet a twist of modern. In general, it seems to carry the effect of being a part of here and there and combining them in a way that works not just for the plot but for the artistic style and the way the story is told in pictures.

Overall a recommended not as well known witchy story to read.