graphic novel

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong | Prudence Shen | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

Why’d I Read This Book:

I had previously read and loved Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks, I felt the art was great and the storyline was wonderful. When I saw Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong up on Netgalley with Faith Erin Hicks’ name attached to it, I just knew I had to read it. You see, I love graphic novels of all kinds, but the ones that are set in high school have a special place in my heart. I also think that these sorts of graphic novels can be gateway books for YA fans to check out and fall in love with comic books. And yes, I totally do use graphic novels and comic books interchangeably, I am not a snob.So, anyways, I thought this would be a great book to read and recommend to fellow young adult fans. Turns out, my instincts were dead-on balls accurate and Prudence Shen and Faith Erin Hicks did a fabulous job with Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong.

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen | Good Books And Good Wine

What’s The Story Here:

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong is basically about high school politics. It’s about cliques. It’s about working together. It’s about unlikely friendships. It’s about having an unhappy home life. It’s about robots. It’s about cheerleaders. It’s about student body president elections. So, I gather that I am making it sound like the book is about WAY TOO MUCH, but that is not the case. Really, all of the elements weave together quite nicely in the plot. So, Charlie is the captain of the basketball team. He’s kind of popular and a totally chill guy. His best friend is his next door neighbor Nate, who is in the robotics club and is totally intense. Anyways, Charlie’s ex-girlfriend, Natalie who is a cheerleader, decides to make Charlie run for student body president so that he can give the cheerleaders money for new uniforms. The only problem is that Nate is running for election too, so that he can give the robot team funding. I won’t tell you who wins, but will just say that there is an epic robot battle.

Whose Side Was I On For Student Body President:

Clearly, I was on Charlie’s side. I love laid back people and think that they typically tend to think things through. I say that as someone who is much more intense and passionate, I am not at all level headed, thus I would probably make a terrible student body president. I really just liked Charlie and thought he was a good guy and admirable. He wanted to run honorably without a smear campaign or anything, which well, again no spoilers here. I also liked that he was a jock, but not the stereotypical sort. Nate, on the other hand, came across as kind of annoying for a lot of Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong. This is probably because he is socially awkward, a bit mean, and really comes on strong. He was such a jerk toward Charlie. That stated, I loved how things played out in the book.

Let’s Discuss The Robots And The Cheerleaders:

Of course, Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong features a nerd clique versus a popular clique. I thought it really could have gone done a cliche route, but didn’t. I mean, yeah I have seen these tropes before, but I liked how it was written and how it went down. I am so glad that the robot group included a girl who was very, very good at working the robot controller. I loved that the girl had some technical and scientific skills, instead of a boy doing all the work, ya know? As for the cheerleaders, I thought it was funny that they were evil, but in the end we see just how efficient and organized they are. Girls really get things done. I just, I loved that there were pretty well-rounded portrayals of females by Prudence Shen and Faith Erin Hicks even though neither of the main characters were female. Plus, the book kind of pokes fun at the various cliques.

How’s The Art:

I think I am really coming to be a fan of Faith Erin Hicks’ illustrations and art. I like how rounded the characters are. I like how they sort of remind me of manga, but at the same time feel American, if that makes sense. Her comics are easy to follow and I was never like, let me examine this picture for 40 minutes trying to figure out WTF is going on here. If you like graphic novels that are ‘pretty’ or visually appealing and not quite traditional with boxes and such, you’ll probably really like Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Faith Erin Hicks and Prudence Shen.

Sum It Up With A GIF:

Aw, here it goes GIF | Good Books And Good Wine

Basically my feelings after the resolution.

Disclosure: Received for review via Netgalley.

Other reviews of Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen:

Guys Lit Wire – “a clever satire on school social politics”
The Hollow Cupboards – “laugh-out-loud moments, lovable characters and an awesome plot”
Nerdophiles – “Get your geek on, people!”

Books by Faith Erin Hicks
Friends With Boys

Relish: My Life In The Kitchen | Lucy Knisley | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

I love graphic novels. I love books about the act of cooking and eating. Thus, Relish: My Life In The Kitchen by Lucy Knisley immediately caught my eye, as it combines two of my favorite things ever. Lucky for me, Relish was just as delightful and tantalizing as expected. Also? Bonus! There are recipes throughout the book where the instructions are visually illustrated. The down side is that I now wish ALL cook books were like this – as that would make following a recipe so much easier. I digress, Relish is a fun read for foodies and non-foodies alike. It might even make you want to expand your palate.

Relish by Lucy Knisley | Good Books & Good Wine

Relish by Lucy Knisley is essentially an ode to food. It is a graphic novel memoir of Knisley’s history of eating. The book is divided into different chapters that detail a different part of Knisley’s life and the role that food played. Both of her parents are foodies, so she grew up with a wide palate and was not one of those children who is picky about what they eat. Yet, she’s also not one of those gourmet snobs. In fact, there’s a part where Lucy is in Rome on vacation with her father and she sneaks off to a McDonalds for their delicious french fries. Actually, Relish is made up of several different experiences that range from eating sushi in Japan to raising mean chickens to a meal gone awry and much more. There’s not exactly an overarching plot, but still, the book is cohesive and flows very well.

Knisley’s writing is infused with humor. She writes with a light touch. Relish never gets too heavy, but rather feels kind of like revelry. By this, I mean that the book is actually a fun read and a celebration. There are parts that are definitely laugh out loud funny, like when she goes to Mexico with her mom and family friends. Her one friend develops a bit of a porn addiction in Mexico. The results are hilarious. Knisley’s words are straight forward and matter of fact, to be honest the book feels a lot like someone casually telling you different stories about their lives. Yes, Knisley does travel a lot and eat lots of expensive food, but she never comes off as a braggart. I ended up finding her food history fascinating instead of resenting her for it, and I think a lot of that has to do with tone. I’d say Relish: My Life In The Kitchen comes across as totally accessible and friendly.

All of the art inside Relish: My Life In The Kitchen is illustrated by Lucy Knisley. The style reminds me a bit of Archie or those Sunday paper comic strips. The pictures are quite fluid, by this I mean that there aren’t really any hard angles or anything, it’s all very round. I actually really like Knisley’s illustration style and think that it works perfectly in telling her story. I especially liked how she drew the recipes between the chapter. She basically illustrates the whole process of making the food, which for someone who has no idea what they are doing in the kitchen is fantastic.

One cool thing about Relish is that it presents this idea that food is more than sustenance. It illustrates the idea that food is something that brings people together. It talks about all of the work that goes into preparing the food as though it’s a fun process that’s more than work. Knisley describes the purpose of eating food as being sort of a grand thing, and how trying new foods is kind of like an adventure. Honestly, it made me want to go out and sauté some mushrooms. I loved how the book was all about enjoying the act of eating and coming together over food, good or bad.

Disclosure: Received for review via Amazon Vine

Other reviews of Relish: My Life In The Kitchen by Lucy Knisley:

Stacked – “Relish is a sensory experience.”
Love Ya Lit – “made me feel nostalgic for all my own taste memories”
Lost In Books – “full of juicy and witty stories”

Jerusalem: A Family Portrait | Boaz Yakin | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

Graphic novels based on history are pretty much my favorite. I mean, straight up, I love most graphic novels and comics and if you put one in front of me, I won’t exactly say no. When I saw Jerusalem: A Family Portrait by filmmaker Boaz Yakin illustrated by Nick Bertozzi on Netgalley, I knew I had to immediately download it as the book covers a part of history that I honestly do not have much knowledge about. We didn’t spend much time on this era in high school history and none of the classes I took in college covered it as well. So, what better way to get a stronger understanding than by reading a book? While I am not exactly an expert on the Israeli-Palestine conflict after reading Jerusalem: A Family Portrait, I do feel more educated.

Jerusalem A Family Portrait by Boaz Yakin | Good Books And Good Wine

Jerusalem: A Family Portrait is about the Halaby family. Two brothers emigrated to Israel. One brother, Yakov ends up fairly prosperous and wealthy. The other brother, Izak ends up fairly impoverished and his family struggles to make ends meet, as the book pretty much opens with Izak’s apartment being raided by bill collectors so that they might pay rent to Yakov who owns the apartment. This really sets the tone for Yakin’s book. Jerusalem: A Family Portrait is definitely an epic, weighing in at 400 pages and it spans 8 years. There’s a lot going down in the book, which makes this read almost as complex as the issues within it’s pages.

My whole take on the whole Israeli-Palestinian thing has always been ‘why can’t they just chill out and get along?’ Obviously, this opinion fails to consider all of the deeper complications and issues involved with that. And so, in Jerusalem: A Family Portrait we see how the British are total douchebags to the Jews. We see how some Jews actually get along with the Muslims in the area. We also see how strife happens between the two groups. We see the rise of the Zionist movement in this book — which okay, I also still don’t entirely understand. And you know what, I am okay with that. I am okay with admiting that I do not entirely get the complexity of an issue. And you know? There’s nothing wrong with that. What I do know is that Yakin works in The Tempest and the Biblical story of Jacob and Essau into Jerusalem: A Family Portrait, thus putting the socio-political implications and the very micro family issues into terms that a book worm like I could understand.

While I was not IN LOVE with the art in Jerusalem: Family Portrait, I did think that Nick Bertozzi did a competent job as illustrator. My thing is, I kept getting confused as to which character was which. I suspect this is more the medium that I read it on — Adobe Digital Editions, so I couldn’t exactly quick flip to the family tree diagram of all the characters at the beginning when I was confused. I will say, there are certain parts that are ‘graphic’, yeah totally a pun, and hard to see. Yet, I think that it just adds right to the punch of the book.

I found Boaz Yakin’s graphic novel to be immensely readable. I was a tiny bit worried it might go over my head or be too scary/graphic – because you know, real life things scare me more than monsters/horror books. Yet, those fears thankfully did not come to fruition. What I ended up reading was a tale of two brothers reflecting two great works of literature - The Tempest and The Bible. While my religious leanings remain something I keep to myself, I do think that the ‘good book’ is beautifully written, and so I liked how it was incorporated into Jerusalem: A Family Portrait. It actually really made a lot of sense.

In all, I’d consider Jerusalem: A Family Portrait a must read for anyone interested in a more personal story about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As for age recommendations, I can’t really see this book in a high school classroom as there’s illustrations of sex and death and bodies. But, that’s not to say teenagers shouldn’t read it. By all means, this is an awesome read and definitely one that teens would like. This book though, is likely best suited to an adult audience, but again I’m not going to be like teens don’t read this, at all. If you’re looking for a new graphic novel to check out with serious and deep meaning, get your hands on Boaz Yakin’s Jerusalem: A Family Portrait.

Disclosure: Received for review via Netgalley

Other reviews of Jerusalem: A Family Portrait by Boaz Yakin:

Graphic Policy – “a piece of history presented in an easy to digest form.”

Drama Raina Telgemeier Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

There’s nothing quite like a nice middle grade book on a weekend afternoon. Friends, I tore through Raina Telgemeier’s Drama, a book with themes that were familiar to me and thus peaked my interest. ALSO! Drama is a graphic novel and I love those to pieces. I started the book today thinking, okay I will just read 50 pages. Oh, hey I will just read 100. Wait, wait, did I just read ALL THE PAGES? Seriously, I started reading at 8 a.m. and did not put this down until I finished it at 9 a.m. It took me an hour, but then, I am a 25 year old adult and not a 12 year old.

Callie, the main character, is a super huge fan of theater. However, she’s not one for the stage. Rather, Callie is on stage crew and specializes in set design. She’s in seventh grade, but that doesn’t stop her from being ambitious and hard working. This year, her school is producing Moon Over Mississippi. Callie wants the sets to be extra special, so she’s got some effects up her sleeve. The drama in Callie’s life isn’t just on-stage with the play though! She also has some boy drama going on as well.

Friends, Drama has a winner in Callie. She’s a GREAT protagonist. Loyal to her friends and hard working, Callie has two attributes that I really admire. Plus, omg, she is SO awkward when it comes to boys, I just love it. I also loved her passion for the stage and for set design. She has big dreams and it is awesome to see a girl so driven at such a young age. Plus, I could totally relate to her and her boy troubles at that age.

I think what I enjoyed the most about Raina Telgemeier’s Drama were the two elements of the theater and the inclusion of characters who are gay. You guys. I did theater stuff back in the day, including both of my middle school years (my middle school only had seventh and eighth grade). In seventh grade we did a play called Recess where I played Shirley the new kid. In eighth grade we did A Christmas Carol and I played urchin #1, I had one line solo – ‘ee’s a villain. I sang my freakin’ heart out of that one line. Anyways, the theater means a lot to me. I loved seeing the huge, entire background of the theater in Drama. Telgemeier totally nails it in her latest. I love all the little details and the pieces she includes, how the characters are a team — both the people on stage and the people backstage. Plus, stage crew is totally awesome and I have such a soft spot for them.

Like I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I just love that Telgemeier included gay characters, and like it wasn’t some big coming out story but characters who just happen to be gay. AND IN A MIDDLE GRADE BOOK NO LESS. Seriously Drama is the first middle grade book that I can actively remember reading that has gay characters. Unfortunately that means ignorant people will try to ban it because it portrays gay people in a positive light, but I just loved the characters who were. They were genuinely good, bubbly people.

I would be remiss if I did not discuss the graphics within a graphic novel. Telgemeier’s lines are clean and smooth. I think that if you liked the style of art within Anya’s Ghost, you will like Drama’s art. My copy starts out in color, but then switches to black and white. I have to say that the color makes a huge difference. Not that black and white was bad, but the color really makes it pop. Plus, I think reluctant readers will flock to this book.

Honestly, I think Drama by Raina Telgemeier is a coming of age story that should totally be in a classroom library. It definitely has kid appeal for both girls and boys. Plus, the graphic novel form is a great way for kids to practice literacy in a different form and it’s wonderful way to tell the story. Also in this day and age of bullying, kids should get the chance to see gay people in a positive light. I loved Drama and I will definitely be looking for a copy of Smile in the near future.

Disclosure: Received for review

Other reviews of Drama by Raina Telgemeier:

Rather Be Reading – “I can only describe Drama as a total delight”

Vikki Vansickle On Writing, Reading, & Other Pipedreams – “I have a mad girl crush on Raina Telgemeier”

A Book And A Latte – “a fun read full of heart, with great graphics”

Soonchild Russell Hoban Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

You ever stumble on a book that you’ve heard nothing about, but immediately find yourself immensely attracted to? Soonchild by the late Russell Hoban was that book for me — the Patrick Ness blurb on the cover acting as a sort of siren call. Friends, this genius, slim little book evoked the same sort of feelings in me that The Alchemist and Life Of Pi did.

Soonchild

I feel as though Soonchild is exactly the sort of book you need to read more than once. The first time is for the plot and the art within. The second time, for me would be to better understand the underlying symbolism and what the meaning of it all is. I am the sort of reader who is not always immediately able to parse out the symbolism in what I read, and thus for me it helps to re-read.

Soonchild takes place in the cold north -where the characters are Inuits — I believe that is what they are referred to as being. Sixteen-Face John is the main character who basically wears sixteen different faces as he moves through his fears. He is a shaman, but not a good one. When his wife, No Problem is due to have her baby, called Soonchild in the womb because the baby will soon be a child, they find that she won’t come out because she hasn’t heard the world songs. Thus, Sixteen-Face John must go on a sort of spirit journey and collect the songs. Basically, the heart of the book is in the spirit journey.

Y’all, this book, Soonchild by Russell Hoban is deep and metaphorical in a way that I don’t immediately understand but want to. The art in the Advanced Reader Copy is beautifully rendered by Alexis Deacon and absolutely enhances the story in a tactile way. Soonchild probably isn’t the book for everyone, but has an audience among those who like to ponder on the themes of life, death, nature, and it’s never-ending cycle. I fully enjoyed this book and will be re-reading it upon ordering the finished copy.

Disclosure: Received for review.

Other reviews of Soonchild by Russell Hoban:

Fallen Star Stories – “A completely remarkable experience”

Littleelfman’s Bibliotherapy – “Mystical, arresting, and inspiring”

The Invention Of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

I love when reading is a sensory experience. The Invention Of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is one of the most tactile, gorgeous books I have ever had the pleasure of cracking open. Every single thing about this book works for me – from the art to the plot to the pacing. You guys, between The Invention Of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck, I am enamored with Brian Selznick’s skills as both an artist and storyteller.

The Invention Of Hugo Cabret

Hugo, the title character, lives inside a Paris train station. He makes the clock work, but nobody knows this and instead thinks it is his Uncle. Only, his uncle is kind of dead, so Hugo is an orphan. He also makes various items and is trying to figure out how to make this automaton his father left behind work. Meanwhile, Hugo crosses paths with this mean old toy stand owner and his granddaughter. The toy stand owner is carrying a few secrets of his own. I won’t say anything more because The Invention Of Hugo Cabret is a book best enjoyed if you go into it blind.

Brian Selznick’s art is stunning. I look at the level of detail involved in each picture and am blown away by the amount of work it must have taken to create something that feels so, for lack of a better word, magical. The drawings are all pencil and you can definitely see the mastery involved in bringing Hugo’s story to life.

This book, The Invention Of Hugo Cabret is why I don’t worry about the future of books, at least I won’t worry until readers are able to mimic the tactile experience that is Hugo Cabret, right down to the feel of the pages on your fingertips. Straight up, this book is a magical, immersive experience that I think you should all dive into at least once, if not multiple times. Y’all, The Invention Of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is one for the keeper shelf.

Disclosure: Borrowed copy from boyfriend’s family member.

Other reviews of The Invention Of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick:

GReads! – “Reading this book took me by surprise, in the most welcoming way possible.”

Book Harbinger – “A quick yet meaningful winter read”

Chachic’s Book Nook – “The kind of book that you can read even when you’re in the middle of a reading slump because it’s so easy to fall into”

The Battle Of Blood And Ink Jared Axelrod Steve Walker Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

The Battle Of Blood And Ink by Jared Axelrod and Steve Walker is a steampunk graphic novel that takes place on a floating city called Amperstam and is an interesting read to pass the day away with. The Battle Of Blood And Ink explores the freedom of press and the risks of telling the truth in a gilded, brutal world.

Battle Of Blood And Ink Jared Axelrod Steve Walker Book Cover

The Battle Of Blood And Ink

The city of Amperstam is ruled by a despot who has taken on the title of Provost. No one gets on Amperstam, as we see in the opening scene, unless that can provide something of value to her, the Provost. This includes neutral ships just trying to land. However, Ashe tries to fight the tyranny of the Provost and her goons by putting out a broadsheet called The Lurker’s Guide. This broadsheet basically exposes the corruption at the top. Of course, this draws the Provost’s ire and a showdown between the two is inevitable.

The main character of Jared Axelrod and Steve Walker’s The Battle Of Blood And Ink, Ashe is pretty kick ass. She was raised on the streets and has basically worked her way to prominence as creator of The Lurker’s Guide. She takes zero crap and can defend herself, which leads to a cool part where someone tries to screw her over, but she sets him straight. Ashe is definitely a character that I would be willing to read more about.

The art in The Battle Of Blood And Ink is typical comic book style as far as I can tell, not being an art or graphic novel expert and all. Some bits of the action scenes came across as confusing to me and there were also a pretty decent amount of characters for 144 pages. I would say the book wasn’t as tightly focused as I would prefer, myself. Yet, The Battle Of Blood And Ink flows and is an action-packed comic. It’s not a bad choice of reading for a calm day at all. I certainly look forward to the next book if there are more to come.

Disclosure: Received for review.

Other reviews of The Battle Of Blood And Ink by Jared Axelrod and Steve Walker:

Fiction State Of Mind – “A really solid, entertaining read.”

Friends With Boys Faith Erin Hicks Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

You know how I am BIG on characterization? Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks has characterization in spades. I fell in love with almost every character, except the volleyball team douchebags. But, seriously, if you like your characters well drawn (see what I did there) pick up Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks.

Friends With Boys

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Blankets Craig Thompson Retro Friday Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

Retro Friday Reviews are hosted by Angieville. Basically you review an older book on Fridays.

When I began reading reviews of Blankets by Craig Thompson I assumed it was Christian fiction and religious. So, while I wanted to read Blankets, I put no priority on it and made no effort to seek the graphic novel out. After seeing a positive review of Habibi on My Books. My Life. — I had a change of heart and it was a turning point in seeking out and placing holds on Craig Thompson’s books.

Blankets

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The Silence Of Our Friends by Mark Long and Jim Demonakos Illustrated by Nate Powell Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

I majored in history education as an undergrad, so when I come across historical themed books, I can’t shake the part of me that says ‘This would be great in a classroom library, this could hook reluctant learners.’ See, that’s exactly what I thought when I finished The Silence Of Our Friends by Mark Long and Jim Demonakos with art by Nate Powell, a graphic novel detailing a neighborhood suburb of Houston, Texas rife with racial tension in 1968 after SNCC protests.

The Silence Of Our Friends

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