Baby's in Black: Astrid Kirchherr, Stuart Sutcliffe, and The Beetles by Arne Bellstorf

Synopsis:

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A fascinating, exhilarating portrait of the Beatles in their early years.

Meet the Beatles . . . right at the beginning of their careers. This gorgeous, high-energy graphic novel is an intimate peek into the early years of the world's greatest rock band.

The heart of Baby's In Black is a love story. The "fifth Beatle," Stuart Sutcliffe, falls in love with the beautiful Astrid Kirchherr when she recruits the Beatles for a sensational (and famous) photography session during their time in Hamburg. When the band returns to the UK, Sutcliffe quits, becomes engaged to Kirchherr, and stays in Hamburg. A year later, his meteoric career as a modern artist is cut short when he dies unexpectedly.

The book ends as it begins, with Astrid, alone and adrift; but with a note of hope: her life is incomparably richer and more directed thanks to her friendship with the Beatles and her love affair with Sutcliffe. This tender story is rendered in lush, romantic black-and-white artwork.

Baby's In Black is based on a true story

Review:★★.

Review:

I thought I was going to be more interested in this than I was but I wasn't. The graphics weren't mind blowing and the plot was boring. Maybe I'm just not that into the Beetles but it probably would still be enjoyable to you Beetle fanatics.

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever After by Skottie Young

Synopsis:

From superstar writer and artist SKOTTIE YOUNG (Rocket Raccoon, Wizard of Oz, Fortunately, The Milk), comes the first volume of an allnew series of adventure and mayhem. An Adventure Time/Alice in Wonderland-style epic that smashes its cute little face against grown-up Tank Girl/ Deadpool-esque violent madness. Follow Gert, a forty-year-old woman in a sixyear- old's body, who has been stuck in the magical world of Fairyland for nearly thirty years. Join her and her giant battleaxe on a delightfully bloodsoaked journey to see who will survive the girl who HATES FAIRYLAND. Collects I HATE FAIRYLAND #1-5.

Rating:★★★

Review:

I thought I was going to like this way more than I did but I still got a good kick out of it. The graphics were really cutesy, even though the content was adult-ish, and it was very detailed. The plot is super light hearted mixed with some light giggles and some full out laugh out loud moments. There were moments where I felt uninterested in the story but not to far away there was a pick me up waiting reel me back in. This was overall really enjoyable and I would recommend it.

I will be reading volume 2.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

Rating:★★★.75

Review:

This book needs a new synopsis because the story I thought I was getting and the actual story I got were two different things. I felt cheated out of some magic because I expected more magic throughout the entirety of the book when sadly we didn't start to see any magic until a little past fifty percent of the way through. I hate that it took so long for the magic to take off but at the same time I still liked how the story started, just not for this book. The first half of the book did a good job giving us background on Alice and her mothers but it stretched on longer than needed. 

Alice is okay as a character, unlikable but relatable. She can be annoying and selfish, constantly voicing her anger issues as if that's supposed to scare people away or as if it can be used as an excuse for her outburst. I wish Finch's character had more to go on and more to do in the book. I also feel like he was forgotten about and his development lacked. 

I loved the thriller like elements that were thrown into this story; characters going missing, the paranoia, and the look-over-your-shoulder feeling you get in the pit of your stomach. The world building was wonderful as well, I just wish a little more was done when we reached the Hinterland. There I wish Melissa Albert went the extra mile because I know the Hinterland could have been so beautiful & creepy if it was described in better detail. At the end the tales started mushing together and I was unimpressed with the "shocking secret" because it was obvious from it first being mentioned in the story. 

I enjoyed this but I don't know how I feel about a book two. I kind of like where book one ended, I feel like it pretty much wrapped itself up, and I'm okay with stopping my Hazel Wood journey here.

Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

Synopsis:

Collects SAGA #1-6 

From New York Times bestselling writer BRIAN K.VAUGHAN (Y: THE LAST MAN, EX MACHINA) and critically acclaimed artist FIONA STAPLES (MYSTERY SOCIETY, NORTH 40), SAGA is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in a sexy, subversive drama for adults. This specially priced volume collects the first arc of the smash hit series The Onion A.V. Club calls "the emotional epic Hollywood wishes it could make."

Rating:★★★★★

Review:

I had high expectations for this, given all of the hype surrounding this series, and it did not disappoint. My first impressions of this was, "Damn I love these characters and I don't even know them yet!". For some odd reason I was instantly drawn to Alana and Marko from the first scene, which honestly never happens to me. I usually have to get to know my characters before I can be attached and surprisingly that was not the case with this. I loved seeing into Hazel's, the baby, thoughts as well, which is a very different point of view to take, and in my opinion a risk, but in this case it was a risk well taken.

I loved the graphics and you can really tell that the world was well thought out and not just thrown together with a bow wrapped around it. Even though this world was nothing nice, I loved how alive it was. Everything was something to either be afraid of or to be intrigued by. 

I laughed, I related, I freaking loved this!

Snotgirl Vol. 1: Green Hair Don't Care by Bryan Lee O'Malley, Leslie Hung, Mickey Quinn

Synopsis:

From bestselling BRYAN LEE O’MALLEY (Scott Pilgrim) and superstar newcomer LESLIE HUNG! Lottie Person is a glamorous fashion blogger living her best life—at least that’s what she wants you to think. The truth is, her friends are terrible people, her boyfriend traded her up for someone younger, her allergies are out of control, and she may or may not have killed somebody! SNOTGIRL VOL. 1 is the perfect introduction to one of 2016’s most buzzed-about titles! Collects SNOTGIRL #1-5.

Rating:★★½

Review:

I'm not sure where I want to settle on the rating radar so I'm just going to let it sit at the 2.5 mark. I don't have much to speak on except that I didn't hate it but I'm definitely underwhelmed by this. Basically Lottie is this conceited, whiny, privileged, blogger without a single worry in the world except her killer allergies. Clutch the pearls and hide the kids, her life is over because for heaven's sake it's so unnatural for someone to have allergies. I know it's meant not to be taken seriously but it makes for one annoying shitty character that I can't be sympathetic towards and a shaky plot foundation.

I have no clue where this is going or even what the overall point of it all is. I would say the graphics are average because they don't suck but they aren't mind blowing. This has left me with a "meh" type feeling so I'm a little confused as to why some people love this so much. I may pick up the second volume just to see where the plot is headed and then call it quits.

Coyotes Vol. 1 by Sean Lewis, Caitlin Yarsky

Synopsis:

Women are going missing in the City of Lost Girls, a border town in the desert. Officer Frank Coffey is trying to get to the bottom of this when he meets Red, a thirteen girl with a katana blade and a mission: murder the Werewolves stalking the border picking women off one by one. When it's discovered that the Wolves are the men of these villages, both Red and Officer Coffey are thrown together in a thriller of mythic proportions with he lives of their friends and loved ones in the balance.

KILL BILL meets THE HOWLING in this epic by creators SEAN LEWIS and CAITLIN YARSKY.

Collects issues 1 through 4.

Rating:★★★

Review

Since I loved the cover so much, and this was 100% a cover read, I was worried that the story was going to S-U-C-K but thankful it was pretty good. It wasn't the best graphic novel I've read but it was so entertaining. 

I really appreciated all of the action that lasted throughout all 4 comics and the graphics were good but on the verge of great. I also like the mugshots at the end and they did make me laugh so nice move with that. There were times where I drifted between interested and uninterested territory but I absolutely loved the underlying messages thrown throughout the story; police corruption, the amount of violence against women that are constantly ignored everyday, and the get out of jail free cards that are handed out if you're privileged enough.

I'm not sure if this is marketed as a Red Riding Hood retelling but if it is, it's definitely a bad ass one. I wasn't blown away but I will be waiting for Volume 2!