Super Secret Crisis War! Volume 1 by Louise Simonson and Derek Charm

Revisit some of your favorite Cartoon Network heroes as they come together in this comic book series to save their worlds! Samurai Jack, Ben Tennyson, the Powerpuff Girls, Dexter and Ed, Edd and Eddy have to work together when their respective villains band together to annihilate their worlds using a doomsday machine. Well. Most of the villains are on board with this plan, but a couple of them are not as enthusiastic. The book also address the different levels of villainy that the “bad guys” possessed, which range from evil genius to total annihilator. There’s definitely a difference between Aku level evil and Mojo Jojo level evil. 

It’s so much fun to see the different animation styles on the same page, since each of the worlds is drawn in a unique way. The team-ups in this book are also enjoyable, and I really liked seeing Jack and Bubbles work together. This book is for anyone who loves Cartoon Network and its more “classic” shows. Thank you to Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to access this galley.

A Crankenstein Valentine by Samantha Berger Dan Santat (Illustrations)

Sometimes we just don’t want to participate in certain holidays! In this children’s book, a young boy doesn’t want to do all the normal Valentine’s Day activities, like acting in a Valentine’s Day pageant or making a Valentine’s Day paper chain. His bad mood is accented by the illustrator coloring him green and making him look like a little monster. His mood eventually improves when he finds a friend that also doesn’t like Valentine’s Day. 

This is a great book for any kid that takes a dislike to Valentine’s Day or think it’s an icky, mushy holiday. It'll probably get some smiles out of some boys and girls if read to a kindergarten or first grade class. Also, obviously, it's great for Valentine’s Day!

Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan (Author), John Rocco (Illustrator)

Percy Jackson gives his own very accessible spin on the Greek Gods, focusing mainly on the twelve Olympians, though other gods and the Greek creation myth are touched on as well. I loved the tone that Riordan used throughout the book, it made the myths a lot more modern, in a way, since the language choices were modern. The essence of the old stories are there, but they are told in an up-to-date way through Percy Jackson’s retelling. Fans of Riordan’s books series will probably be able to pick up on the nods to the series. Some of the stories were familiar to me while other ones were new; I especially liked reading about the Titans. Figuring out Greek myths and how they interconnect can be difficult, but this book makes it easier! I would think that middle school and high school students would enjoy this one a great deal.

Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction (Author), David Aja (Illustrator), Javier Pulido (Illustrator)

This look into the life of Hawkeye when he’s not busy Avenging is fantastic! What exactly does a non-superpowered superhero do in his downtime? Apparently he gets into a lot of trouble, takes care of his dog, and joins in on apartment rooftop barbecues, among some more dangerous activities. I just loved the fun but realistic feel of this volume, and it made me love Clint Barton even more, which I didn’t think was possible. His bad decisions and self-sabotage make him human, but he has a good heart underneath all of that. 

Kate’s exasperation with Clint is sooo realistic and well-done, as is her loyalty toward him. The interactions between Kate and Clint were probably my favorite parts of the book, though I have to same the track suit bros were awesome. I think I would probably be happy reading a spin off comic just about them and their adoption of the word bro, which can be used SO often. The artwork is minimalistic and wonderful, really, evoking a lot of emotion without overdoing anything.

V is for Villain by Peter Moore

Superhero high school isn’t really all that great if your super power is simply being really smart, or so it seems to Brad Baron, kid brother of one of the most powerful superheroes around. In a world where the government and corporations back superheroes and teams who fight mutant villains called Phaetons, Brad is living in his brother and deceased father’s shadows. While it seems like his life takes a turn for the worst after he’s stuck in the school’s equivalent of a “loser” program, it actually becomes possibly the best thing that ever happened to him. Because if you can’t be a hero, maybe you should think about being a villain?  V is for Villain is a fun twist on the whole hero/villain theme. There’s a lot of humor balancing out the more serious parts of the boot, the characters are pretty memorable, and the main character has an awesome voice/tone. There are a couple twists toward the end of the book, and while one is quite predictable, the other is very interesting and adds new depth to the main character. Overall, it’s a good read if you’re into the super-powered people scene. Thank you, NetGalley and Disney Book Group, for giving me access to this galley!

Talker 25 by Joshua McCune

Melissa Callahan lives in a world where people live in fear of dragons. While some of them, like Blues, are relatively peaceful-seeming, others, like Greens, don't mind burning up and eating a few humans on occasion. The government has used the dragon threat to put in place a system akin to martial law. It's rough world to grow up in, where black is the most prevalent color and dragon sympathizers are despised. Melissa Callahan, who lost a mother to dragons, isn't exactly happy with the world in general, but she survives. When a rogue trip to the local dragon reservation later ruins her life, Melissa is dismayed to be tossed into life as a rebel dragonrider and discovers she has a special ability that the government wants to possess. Things do not improve for Melissa, and she faces trial after trial, eventually ending up in a frozen government prison/torture facility, along with her favorite dragon and the boy that she has feelings for. 

With a choppy storyline, dull characters and too many tragic events, Talker 25 was a tough read. The plot is very rushed and many parts of the story are left unexplained. The romance between the protagonist and her love interest is forced and contrived, and there isn't much actual attraction between the two of them. Out of the whole cast of characters, I loved the dragons the most, especially the silver dragon baby. She's precious, and the other dragons are quite wonderful. Unfortunately, there is a great many scenes of graphic, lengthy dragon torturing and killing; it was gratuitous enough to make me wonder if maybe it should be labeled as an adult book instead of a YA novel. Overall, I would say that while this book has some merits, the violence and lack of answers are severe marks against it. Thank you, Edelweiss and Greenwillow / HarperCollins for letting me access this digital review copy.

Chris P. Bacon: My Life So Far... by Len Lucero and Kristina Tracy; illustrated by Penny Weber | Not YA

This book is precious, and so is Chris P. Bacon! Chris P. Bacon's back legs did not work, but when Dr. Len gave him a set of wheels of his very own, Chris became an Internet star thanks to his bravery and peppy attitude. Told in bright, happy illustrations as well as a few real life photos, Chris' story is heartwarming and cute. I especially like that they included quite a few actual pictures at the end of the book. It's a message about remaining positive even when you face difficult trials, and it is told from Chris' point of view, which most kids will probably immensely enjoy. It's an inspirational tale and after reading it with a child, you could go online and watch videos of Chris or look up more pictures of this awesome little pig.

Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin | Not YA

This is a really sweet little book! In the story, animals let children ride them off into wonderful dreams where they get to do all sorts of lovely, fun fantasy things. In real life, the animals are usually a nightlight or a stuffed animal or a figure on a mobile; they always appear with the picture of the sleeping child as a real-life object. The illustrations are gentle and soft and whimsical, perfect for easing a kid into sleep. The muted colors help accent the idea that it's bedtime and things are calming down. The illustrations also indicate that if a kid goes to bed, he or she gets to go on some really awesome adventures, some of which include having tea with mermaids and landing on the moon to paint the stars. It's a fantastic, gentle book that would be great in a bedtime/nap time collection.

Friends by Eric Carle | Not YA

Done in Eric Carle's hand-painted tissue-paper collage style, Friends is a cute story about a boy's quest to find his best friend. It seems to be have been inspired by a real-life event in Carle's life where he moved away from a friend when he was little and never saw her again. In the story, however, the little boy does find his friend after a long journey through rain, over a mountain and across a river, among other things. The collage illustrations are bright and heavily textured, evoking movement even in their static statement. This would be a good book to consider reading to a child who has a friend moving away or who is upset about a friend leaving. It will probably be most enjoyable for preschool and early elementary aged children.

700 Books Resolution

Okay, so it's a brand new year and therefore it's time for a brand new reading goal for the year. This year, I'm going to read 700 books. Which is sort of insanity, but I want to give it a try. I'm going to count basically any book-type thing I read, from picture books all the way up to big ol' nonfiction books, so I thiiiink I can manage. I'm at least going to give it a whirl. If I post any non-YA book reviews here, I'll label it as NOT YA.

Mr. Wuffles! by David Wiesner

Mr. Wuffles is a finicky cat who is dissatisfied with all of his toys except one, which actually happens to not be a toy at all. Instead, it's a teeny little spaceship manned by a group of itty bitty alien visitors. When their ship is damaged by Mr. Wuffles, the aliens set forth to fix it and come across a civilization of bugs that also know the villainy of Mr. Wuffles.

Leave it to David Wiesner to mix bugs, aliens and cats together to make up a good, quirky children's book. The illustrations are funny and vivid, and his choice to include different kinds of speech for the species in the book was neat: aliens speak in symbols, the bugs speak in scratches, etc. Kids who like to come up with their own stories or who like for adults to make up stories for them will enjoy this book. Very creative!

Thirteenth Child (Frontier Magic, #1) by Patricia C. Wrede

Everyone knows that the 7th son of a 7th son is an incredibly magical person, obviously destined for great things. But what if you're his twin, and you have the unhappy fortune of being the thirteenth child out of fourteen brothers and sisters? Eff is that thirteenth child, the one who is supposed to have such a heap of bad luck laid on her that there is no way that she could bring any good to anyone. When her family moves out West, to where beasts and monsters are kept back by strong magics, she is able to go unknown as the thirteenth child for some time but eventually it catches up to her. As Eff finds her place and grows into a young woman, she learns that maybe she isn't as unlucky as everyone supposed, that she might just have a spark of magic of her own, if she can only find it.

Readers who have experienced being labeled as an outsider or a ne'er-do-well can identify with Eff. It's painful to see her deal with hate and bigotry at a young age, just because of her birth order. The story does drag at times, so don't expect it to be a super quick read. The magic set-up is pretty unique, and I love how the types are all different from each other. Definitely a book to pick up if you're into alternate history fantasy fiction!

Savvy by Ingrid Law

The Beaumont family is just a tad different. How different? Well, let's see, their mom is literally 'perfect,' their grandpa may or may not have created states by increasing land area in his youth, and the eldest brother in the family can blow out light bulbs with electrical surges faster than you can say "How many..." These powers are called savvies, and each Beaumont gets his or her special savvy on their 13th birthday. Mibs Beaumont is anxiously awaiting that birthday when her family gets devastating news that her father has been in a horrible car accident and is in a coma. The day she turns 13, she sets off on a trip with a ragtag team of folks to go save her father, thinking that her new savvy will help her.

This is a great story, one with a lot of heart and excitement. The plot is fun and bouncy, in a good way, with a lot of lovely characters. Even side characters are strong in this book, such as Rocket and Miss Rosemary. Mibs is a nifty narrator, one who has a very interesting voice that captures the reader's attention. There is humor and light in this story as well as serious, deep moments and ones that tug at your emotions. Anyone who is a fan of road adventures, family stories, or tales of people with neat powers should give Savvy a try.

Altered by Jennifer Rush

In Anna's basement, there's a secret lab where four very handsome, very dangerous young men are kept as an experiment. When they eventually escape, Anna ends up having to go along with them. As she becomes closer to their leader, Sam, Anna realizes that she might not just be the normal young girl she thought she was. If you're looking for a super quick read with a good deal of action, superhuman type guys and a bit of mystery, this book might be right up your alley. If you're looking for something deep and intricate, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. The writing style is quick and decent, and the plot is interesting, if not particularly complicated or twisty. But hey, I didn't really pick this book up for its twisty-ness; I wanted something that was basically Bourne Identity series for the YA crowd, and I think Altered did a good job of fitting that desire.

PS- Nick. I flippin' love Nick. I loved him since we first met him in the lab, continued to love him even when he was rude to Anna (because, seriously, he had valid reasons) and I loved him all the way to the end of the book. If he wasn't so prickly, I'd hug him; the man is sexy and dangerous, muscular, genetically enhanced and a giant among giants. I was more intrigued by him than by Sam, Trev or Cas (though I love them all, too...yes, all of them). So, yes, Nick is my favorite.

The Testing (The Testing, #1) by Joelle Charbonneau

Malencia "Cia" Vale lives in a small community with her loving family, and she's rapidly approaching graduation from school and adulthood. She's a clever, smart girl with some skill for mechanics, and she would like to be chosen for the Testing, which, if she passed, would put her on the path to becoming a leader in her post-apocalyptic world. The United Commonwealth runs the show in Cia's world, and no one from her community had been chosen for the Testing in many years. Her father has actually gone through the process, but he doesn't talk about it, probably because he can't really remember what happened. After the Testing, everyone's memories of what happened during the process are wiped, though he does sometimes get haunting nightmares. With the knowledge that the Testing may be even harder and more sinister than she expected, Cia is selected and sent off to magnificent Tosu City. The Testing is brutal and cruel and death and sabotage are common. As she maneuvers through the Testing, she gains and loses allies and enemies and even sparks a romance with a fellow candidate. The Testing is a book that fans of dystopians will probably enjoy. Definitely a trilogy to look out for, and it could easily be turned into a film or TV adaptation. Thank you, Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for giving me the galley for this book!

A Match Made in Heaven (My Boyfriend Is a Monster, #8) by Trina Robbins

Comic book artist and harassed high schooler Morning Glory isn't expecting to get the guy, but somehow she winds up kissing the new kid at school, Gabriel. He's a dreamboat, very kind and caring, but there is something a little odd about him. Maybe it's because he's hiding enormous wings? This is the 8th book in the My Boyfriend is a Monster series, and just like the ones before it, it centers around the cute romance between a normal/average/everyday girl and a creature from myth or legend. In case, the boy is an angel, if you couldn't guess. It's a sweet, fluffy romance accompanied by nice illustrations that are rather anime in style. A quick, fun little read, it will keep you entertained and you can read it all in one sitting. Thank you, Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group for letting me read the galley!

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

In Newcago, Steelheart, a ultra-powered tyrant, rules over the city using fear, oppression and darkness to keep the citizens of his dictatorship in line. It doesn't help that he's a nearly invincible, almost immortal with enough superpowers to make Superman go "whoa." One rather awkward and stubborn young man, David, might have the key to his weakness. If only he could figure out what it was... When he joins up with a group of people who are taking out super villains, he convinces them to go after Steelheart. It's uncertain if they will succeed or not, but sometimes you've just got to take the big chances. Even when they might get you killed.

I love how this book is basically chock full of super villains without any real superhero stepping into the mix to fight them. At first, I wasn't really into that idea, being rather supportive of superheroes overall (LOVE YOU, MARVEL&DC), but while I was reading Steelheart, its plot grew on me. While it still leaves the reader with a lot of questions, overall, its a solid beginning to a trilogy or series that will most likely leave the reader wanting to go hunt down the next book.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Hardpan, California, is an extremely small town with a population of approximately 43. It's the home of Lucky, an aspiring young scientist, and a ragtag bunch of townsfolk who are memorable and unique. Lucky is an orphan; her mother was electrocuted in a freak accident, and her father is out of the picture. Instead, he sent his first wife, Brigitte from France, to go and be Lucky's official Guardian. When Lucky fears that Brigitte is planning to go home to France, she takes matters into her own hands. A Newbery Medal Winner, The Higher Power of Lucky is a story of love, family and finding your place in the world. Lucky is a curious young girl who will tug at your heartstrings and make you laugh with her strange logic and thought patterns. Patron captures the essence of children in the kids who appear in the book. The Higher Power of Lucky  will most likely resonate with any kid or person who questions whether or not people in their life love them and want them there. Definitely a good realistic fiction book.

Asunder by Jodi Meadows

Nifty covers for this trilogy!

Asunder continues the story of Ana, a Newsoul, the first one born in thousands of years among the people of Heart, but in this book, she is no longer alone. Other newsouls are being born to replace the souls that disappeared during the chaos of the last book, when there was Templedark. Many people hate Ana and the newsouls, but others stand by her and defend the new people. Still, it's hard being the odd man out when everyone has known each other for centuries; it makes life a little difficult when you're experiencing things that other people have experienced time and time again.

I think Meadows handles Ana's youth and inexperience very well, and she is a likable character who is easy to relate to. She's a lovely female protagonist who doesn't have to rely on being awesome at fighting in order to garner praise. Not that I'm against a tough action-girl, I just like it when a female character appears who doesn't have to prove her worth through battle. Sam is still fantastic in this book, and I love the relationship between him and Ana so much. Other new characters are also lots of fun, and the plot is riveting and well-paced. I recommend this book to teens and adults who are into dystopians, sci-fi and fantasy. This trilogy is one of those YA must-haves for any Young Adult section at a library!

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Echo Emerson and Noah Hutchins are not meant to be together. She used to be part of the in-crowd and still has a slim chance of returning to popular status, and he's just some messed up foster kid who has issues with going from girl to girl. Or so it seems. But when Echo ends up tutoring Noah, they learn that there is quite a bit about each other that they never would have guessed. As they unravel each others' stories, they can't help but start to feel an attraction toward each other, one that in undeniable.

This is a great romance story between two characters who are both going through some really tough times in their lives. It might make you squeal with joy. It's also deeper than a fluffy-fluff romance, too, since the characters have so much going on in their personal lives. Neither Echo nor Noah has it easy, but having each other to lean on and talk to does make it easier for them. If you like passionate romances, this is a pretty passion-filled kind of story.