Review – Again!! Vol. 1 by Mitsuro Kubo

Again!! Vol. 1
By: Mitsuro Kubo
Translator: Adrienne Beck
Release Date: February 27, 2018
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Series: Again!!
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Does the name Mitsuro Kubo sound familiar? If you like anime it probably does. This week sees the English release of a high school sports manga from the creator of the anime Yuri on Ice.  Again!! Vol. 1 by Mitsuro Kubo is a high school slice of life sports manga that focuses on the characters and their interactions.

Review – Embers of War by Gareth L. Powell

Embers of War
By: Gareth L. Powell
Release Date: February 20, 2018
Publisher: Titan Books
Series: Embers of War #1
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Sometimes it’s the book’s synopsis that catches you. Sometimes it’s the author. Other times it’s the beautiful cover. This time it was a single concept that was introduced within the original synopsis that I read. The space ships are not run by an AI; they are fully sentient. Embers of War by Gareth L. Powell is a fantastic space opera with tight prose, fast pacing, and unforgettable characters.

Review – The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

The Best We Could Do
By: Thi Bui
Release Date: March 7, 2017
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Award: National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Autobiography (2017), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Graphic Novels & Comics (2017); Reading Women Award Nominee for Nonfiction (2017)
Rating:


Memoirs are not a genre I often read, even when they do happen to fall into the graphic novel genre as well. Honestly, this may have been the first memoir – not a story based off of someone’s life, or a biography – I’ve read that wasn’t assigned reading. But graphic novels! Those I most definitely read, and it was only a matter of time before I picked up this beautiful graphic novel that has been nominated for multiple awards. The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful. It is a story of family, war, refugee life, and starting over again, no matter how many times it takes.

Review – Giant Spider & Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale Vol. 1 by Kikori Morino

Giant Spider & Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale Vol. 1
By: Kikori Morino
Translator: Adrienne Beck
Release Date: February 20, 2018
Publisher: Seven Seas
Series: Giant Spider & Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


You know, I’m really beginning to love the ‘end of the world slice of life’ manga and anime that have been released recently. The latest in this wonderful vein is a manga called Giant Spider & Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale Vol. 1 by Kikori Morino, released in English for the first time on February 20, 2018.

Review – Universal Harvester by John Darnelle

Universal Harvester
By: John Darnelle
Release Date: February 7, 2017
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Rating:


I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book, despite hearing some mixed opinions. Universal Harvester by John Darnelle is a mysterious tale, one that evokes a sense of horror in early chapters, but ultimately winds up pittering out with too many characters and an ever shifting point of view.

Review – Scales & Scoundrels Vol. 1: Into the Dragon’s Maw

Scales & Scoundrels Vol. 1: Into the Dragon's Maw
By: Sebastian Girner
Illustrator: Galaad
Release Date: February 13, 2018
Publisher: Image Comics
Series: Scales & Scoundrels
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


I love fantasy stories. So it isn’t any surprise that I picked up the latest fantasy graphic novel, which hit shelves today, February 13, 2018. Scales & Scoundrels Vol. 1: Into the Dragon’s Maw by Sebastian Girner and Galaad is a delightful fantasy perfect for people of any age.

Manga Monday – I Am A Hero Omnibus Vol 1 by Kengo Hanagawa

I Am A Hero Omnibus Vol 1
By: Kengo Hanazawa
Translator: Chitoku Teshima
Release Date: April 26, 2016
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Series: I Am a Hero
Rating:


Zombie stories is a hit or miss genre for many people. Perhaps this is simply due to oversaturation; it isn’t as if zombie novel, anime, manga, or movies are in any short supply. Yet, one such zombie stories I have heard nothing but praise for is the manga series I Am A Hero. I Am A Hero Omnibus Vol 1 by Kengo Hanazawa is a slow, careful look at and the events that set off an outbreak of a zombie virus.

Review – The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers

The King in Yellow (Deluxe Edition)
By: Robert W. Chambers
Release Date: February 27, 2018; (Original Publication) 1895
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Rating:


Sometimes you just need to sit down on a cold winter’s day and read a book filled with short, scary stories. This time, it was a new printing of a classic novel that has inspired creators for generations. Set to be released on February 27th, 2018, The King in Yellow by Robert Chambers is a fantastic classic horror novel.

Review – Glass Town by Steven Savile

Glass Town
By: Steven Savile
Release Date: December 5, 2017
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Rating:


During my last trip to the library a recent release I’d not heard much about caught my eye. Glass Town by Steven Savile is a novel that combines traditional noir mystery, the glamour of 1920s filmmaking, and fantasy in wonderful harmony.