Saturday, May 5, 2012

Graphic Novel Review: Avatar - The Last Airbender Volume 1

Synopsis:
The wait is over! Ever since the conclusion of Avatar: The Last Airbender, its millions of fans have been hungry for more--and it's finally here!

This series of digests rejoins Aang and friends for exciting new adventures, beginning with a faceoff against the Fire Nation that threatens to throw the world into another war, testing all of Aang's powers and ingenuity!

* The continuation of Airbender and the link to its upcoming sequel, Legend of Korra!


Publication Date: January 25, 2012
Genre: Graphic Novel, Comics
Source: Thanks so much to Dark Horse for making this awesome title available on Netgalley!


Review:
So I know for a fact that I'm not the only adult with an Avatar obsession. It all began with my husband watching the show with our 5 year old. Eventually our whole family ended up loving it and we were so sad when it ended. The next step in the tv series is Legend of Korra and it takes place many years later and the new Avatar is a girl. Still an awesome show! Anyway! All that to say that this comic is after the events of the first show and will show us what happened to Aang, Sokka, Kitara, Zuko and the rest.

If you are a fan of the show you HAVE to read this :) The quirky, weird humor in the show is exactly the same in the comic. Aang's enormous smile, Sokka's many range of facial expressions and Kitara being all Kitara-y. The art is almost exactly the same as Avatar which is good. If they'd made it look way more mature it wouldn't have felt right. It does tackle some more mature issues, but still in a light-hearted way.

I'm so happy that there is another way to get my Avatar fix :) And yes, I'm an adult that still watches cartoons. I like to just blame it on the fact that 'my kids watch it' and move on. If you love the show, you will love this comic! And I think someone that hasn't watched or kept up with the tv show would still enjoy them. It has a quick refresher at the very beginning for those that need it. Definitely one to check out!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

'Late to the Party' Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Synopsis:
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?


Publication Date: June 14, 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Source: My own Tower of Books.


Review:
Ohmygosh!! I've had this sitting in a pile by my bed forevs. I wanted to read Timepiece (Book 2) so I finally got my butt in gear and ended up reading Hourglass in one day. I was skeptical at first since I kept hearing how amazing it was. But all the hype was true. This book is basically perfect.

I'm going to have a hard time mentioning anything other than all the crazy freaking chemistry going on amongst Emerson, Michael and Kaleb . . . so I'll just mention really quickly that the storyline and writing are great too :)

Emerson gets involved with Michael when he comes to 'help' with her problem of seeing what she thinks are ghosts. He's all dreamy, perfect, and yum. THEN, in comes Kaleb and, be still my fictional character loving heart, he is even better! Talk about some sexual tension brewing! This book has an overflowing abundance of that. If you've read the Sookie Stackhouse books you'll get my next comparison. The whole Micheal/Kaleb thing was very similar to how I felt about Bill/Eric. Bill is totally acceptable until Eric enters the picture. Then you have a hard time getting him out of your head :) There were some parts I 'Eeeee'd over for sure!

Ah! Hourglass was so amazing! If you haven't read it, read it! And if you HAVE, what did you think about Michael vs. Kaleb? Now on to Timepiece :D