Graphically speaking… This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki, a Review

"Awago beach is this place… my family goes every summer… Ever since… like… forever."

And if you decide to breath in the summer air there too, with Rose and Windy, you'll experience a summer you won't soon forget…

This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki, is wonderful. It's cool breezes off the water, cottages by the beach and summer friends. It's the summer where Windy and Rose start to notice boys, their boobs, and how growing up isn't always easy…

Rose and Windy are summer friends. Every summer their families vacation at Awago beach, and they've been BFF's each summer since Rose was 5 years old. Windy is a year and a half younger, but close enough for Rose to enjoy what summer is all about with Windy.  This One Summer is a kind of coming-of-age story, where you can tell by the dialogue that the girls are starting to grow up, especially Rose. The girls notice things… they notice the Dude at the convenience store, they notice the way the older girls act (especially towards the boys), and they start to deal with some serious issues, one of which is Rose's parents constant fighting. But it's not all horror movies at night (Rose & Windy become obsessed with them), and swimming at the beach, Rose starts to react to the tensions around her, which also causes some momentary tension between her and Windy, but it all works out in the end. It's a perfect summer read, and the artwork is beautiful! Yes, this is a graphic novel! The drawings have a beautiful soft almost charcoal quality and the muted colors of black, white, grays, and almost purples make the scenes dreamy.

This story reminded me of those summers I spent with my girlfriends as a young girl. My summer BFF's. Where you had not a care in the world, you could share your most silliest secrets and every day was a new adventure. Want to recapture a bit of that? Read this book! Never read a graphic novel before? This would be a great first read! I loved this book! Rose and Windy are wonderful characters that you'll be happy you spent a bit of summer with! Memorable! And one of my favorite reads this year!

What do you get when you put together "Graphic Novel" and "Food" ?… Relish by Lucy Knisley and A Review

Relish by Lucy Knisley is a memoir, a life in food, a graphic novel oozing with the delights of fresh garlic being sautéed on a stove, the wafting smell of buttery croissants, and the wonders of Huevos Rancheros for breakfast. Relish is a culinary experience, but it's also an artistic one, as Lucy puts her memories down in words and drawings. But that's what a graphic novel is and it works well for Relish.

"I was a child raised by foodies" is our first introduction to Lucy and to this graphic novel which traces Lucy's life from her early childhood to her graduating from art school all through her memories of food. The book is entertaining, funny, enjoyable, and a feast for the eyes. Lucy's drawings are good, the lettering of the text is nice (remember I really hate the computer generated text that most comic books use) and the stories told flow nicely from one part of her life to the next. We learn about her, her Chef Mother, Mexico, her parents divorce, raising chickens, Japan and hop on a culinary journey with a eurail pass. But wait, there's more… the recipes! Through out the book, are some of Lucy's tried and true recipes that are drawn AND written out…

It is so much fun to read about these recipes and then have Lucy include the recipe by drawing them out! I just loved it! And this idea of illustrating a "food" novel is certainly popular now, as Michael Pollan had his book, Food Rules, recently redone in an illustrated version. 

Why I read Relish? Because I like reading "food" books. I like reading about the inside scoop on the food industry, reading about chefs,  foods, and recipe books. And I like graphic novels, not your super hero kind generally speaking, but I do enjoy some of those, but graphic novels that are unique and this is definitely unique. "Classified" as a teen book, but I really feel this is more for adults, because it brings a kind of nostalgia about your own "culinary" coming of age. 

If you like "foodie" books, this one will make you smile. And I'm getting out some pancetta to make a Carbonara from one of these recipes that looks absolutely dee-lish! 

BTW, Lucy Knisley is an illustrator, comic artist and author. Relish is her second book, which was published last year. 

Graphic Novel Saga Vol.1… A Review

Romeo and Juliet in a space odyssey vaguely familiar to any Star Wars fan, but with such wonderful characters and storyline that all similarities are long forgotten after a few pages. Written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by artist Fiona Staples, Saga is a Comic book/Graphic novel. Saga Vol. 1 (which is what I read and am reviewing) collects the first 6 issues of the comic book.

Saga opens with the galactic war raging between the plant Landfall, the technically advanced people that have wings enabling them to fly, and the orbiting moon Wreath, where the people can wield a pretty good sword and have magical powers to enhance their abilities. Alana, a soldier from Landfall, and Marko, a soldier from Wreath, fall in love ( a big problem for the powers that be) run away to the distant planet Cleave and have a baby (an even bigger problem). Not only are they trying to survive the devastation of the war that is raging on between their people and planets, but they are trying to survive the posse of soldiers from both planets who want them dead because of their forbidden love (and their desertion). This is what great stories are made of! Love, tenderness, revenge, adventure, fantastic worlds and believable characters; And that's what makes this a winning series. It has won an Eisner award for the series when it came out in 2012, and a Hugo award for Best Graphic Story when the first trade paperback came out.

I don't read a lot of Graphic novel series, I basically enjoy the stand alone Graphic novels like Blankets, and Mail Order Bride, but I had heard so many amazing things about this series, plus it was on so many "best of" lists, I had to check it out for myself. I was not disappointed! The artwork is great, but typical of your "superhero" kind of comic book. The text is not hand written like I like, except for when Hazel their baby narrates part of the story, which is great. But the story, that is what makes this worth reading.

Saga has 18 single comic book issues out now, and 2 Trade Paperbacks, which collects the first 12 comic books. Trade Paperback vol. 3, which will include issues #13 -18, is due out in March. So, there is plenty of time to catch up and enjoy the story from the beginning! This just may be the beginning of something wonderful...

Graphic Novel Reading Challenge 2014

The Graphic Novel Reading Challenge 2014

The 7th Year of this Challenge starts in 2014!

It's time to start signing up for the 2014 Graphic Novel Reading Challenge! This reading challenge is  hosted by Nicola of It's All Comic to Me.

Here's How it works…

Trying to keep things simple this year.  There will be 3 levels of play this year.  Please write a sign-up post on your blog and then sign-up below with a link to your specific sign-up post (NOT to your home page).

What counts:  graphic novels, collected trade editions, manga, comic strip collections, comic books. In print or digital. Anything else you feel is suitable.  My criteria is if it has either frames OR speech bubbles it counts.  I'm not going to be the comic police but if you are unsure, ask me in the comments any given month.

Here is how the Challenge will play out this year:

runs from Jan.1 - Dec. 31, 2014

Levels

Modern Age: read and review 12 books during the year (that's only 1 book a month)

Bronze Age: read and review 24 books during the year (Can you handle 2 books a month.)

Silver Age: read and review 52 books during the year (Are you up to a book a week!)

You must sign up for a level, but once you complete that level you may move up and try for the next one.

You can find more info and sign up for the challenge at the Graphic Novels Challenge Blog.

I have slowly become a graphic novel junkie. I am a bit picky though, I really look for graphic novels that have great art and that are hand lettered. It's easier to find the graphic novels with wonderful drawings than it is to find the ones that don't use computer generated texts, but that's just preference not the absolute rule. For this years challenge I will be going for the Modern Age Level, which means I will be challenging myself to read 12 graphic novels this year. I already have a few waiting in the wings that I'll be sharing with you all! I will be posting what books I have read here, so bookmark this post if you'd like to see what books I have read to meet the challenge. Also, share any great graphic novels you've read or read during the year here too! I'll share them with everyone here.

Graphic Novels Read for The Challenge…

1. Saga Vol. 1 

2. Relish by Lucy Knisley

3. This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki

4. Ooku: The Inner Chambers by Fumi Yoshinaga (Books 1 - 7)

5. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami and Masayuki Taguchi (Books 1 - 15… WHOLE series)

6. Doubt by Tonogai, Yoshiki