Happy Halloween!

(c) Ylanite Koppens, Pexels

Happy Halloween! Are you in an area where you have snow today? So cold and such odd weather! I remember Halloween always being cold, but I don't ever remember snow! One good thing is the fact that it is weather you can settle down with, read a good book, and drink a good cup of coffee (or tea). :)




I have a few more random book updates for you, which may be of interested if you like to travel:

• There is a Free Little Library in Mize, Mississippi is designed to look like Doctor Who's TARDIS. (How cute!)
• The Book Fairies strike again, this time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, leaving free books for Banned Books Week - including copies of Harry Potter!
• The New York Public Library has again found an innovative way to have more people read. They have posted classic novels on Instagram for you to read for free. FULL novels. The project is called Insta Novels, makes it super easy to read on the run. You can read to your hearts content, but make sure you have a good internet source - no one likes unnecessary cliffhangers.
• Speaking of New York, although this is part of a fictional universe, if you are a fan of Marvel / Spiderman, take a moment to read The Daily Bugle, now online!
• Flotsam, California has a book vending machine for an elementary school. Students who show acts of kindness and are "caught in the act" are rewarded with special tokens to use for the book vending machine to buy a new book for themselves. We could use more of these around!
• Mark Twain's original signature was found in a cave in Hannibal, Missouri. You can visit the cave made popular by The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and see if you can spot where Sam Clemens signed his name, too.
• For those who love romance, but do not know what to read next, try this Book Finder book search by Smart Bitches. I have to say, it is pretty fun to see what comes up and what you have not read yet. ;) 
• For those who love those online book scavenger hunts, the New Adult Winter Scavenger Hunt will be here soon enough! The game will start again towards the end of December. What is "new adult"? It is the genre of books for the (rough) ages of 18-25, with topics that touch upon more mature topics than your typical young adult books and may contain sex scenes. Think books from authors such as Sarah J. Maas (i.e. A Court of Thorns and Roses).

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I also wanted to share some bonus photos from the graphic novel The Last Amazon, because so much work went into the project, I just want to share it with you, fellow readers! Just as a refresher from my last post, The Last Amazon is an indie graphic novel from Apotheosis Studios by author Jamison Stone, illustrator David Granjo, and supporting artist Carlos Cardona. You can buy a copy on their website here (it's currently on sale!).

The Last Amazon (c) Apotheosis Studios

The Last Amazon (c) Apotheosis Studios

The Last Amazon (c) Apotheosis Studios

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(c) Valeriia Miller, Pexels

I have a couple new books for children to review that look to be great presents for the holiday season. Keep a lookout for more to come!

Stay warm and stay safe today, whether it is trick or treating, going to a party, or just relaxing and watching a scary movie. Until next time!

Graphic Novel Review: The Last Amazon

The Last Amazon (c) Apotheosis Studios

The Last Amazon is an indie graphic novel from Apotheosis Studios by author Jamison Stone, illustrator David Granjo, and supporting artist Carlos Cardona. Thanks to Kickstarter, friends, and fans, over $21,000 was raised to bring this near future, post-apocalyptic adventure to life. Readers can dive right into the story with realistic, colorful, and detailed graphics. It is a stunning piece of art that tells its story in technology pieces, such as social media posts, chat boxes, and newspaper clippings. You do not have to already be a fan to become one!

The story begins in the not-so-distant future United States, with an online chat between characters Redd and Lex, mixed with imagery of a apocalyptic/dystopian world. Politics, war, mentions of androids, and social media posts tell the story of what has happened in this world to lead to World War III and the state the world is now in. Told through chat messages, social media pages, and newspaper clippings, we learn that the world is in a very sad state. After the war, people are grouping up together to survive, either staying with others to stay safe, or attempting the trip to the last city still around. The first half of the graphic novel you uncover the plot as the character Lex does, learning bits and pieces here and there. In the second half, it felt similar to a movie, where everything goes down and you find how things are tied together.

I thought it was interesting that the social media and politics that were listed in the graphic novel were similar to the times now. You can take it in humor or heed it as a warning to what we may do to our world, as well. I also liked the pop culture references, at least the ones I could say "I understood that reference" to. *cough* Captain America reference *cough* :)

The graphics are very detailed and colorful. Some of the pages have much text to read through, but all of it comes together to explain and setup the plot. There are a few lines that may go over your head if you do not know some basic coding/computer basics, such as the fact that "#ff0000" is the hex color for red - a play on one of the characters names, Redd. There are also references to other languages (besides computer ones), including one referring to a language from the video game Skyrim, but most of these have explanations right after them, so you will not be confused as to the story plot.

I recommend The Last Amazon to those who are into science fiction, politics, and dystopian novels. You will not be disappointed, as much talent went into creating this masterpiece, including help from fandom icons (famous cosplayers modeled the characters). It is interesting to see the transition from their real life photos in Instagram to the characters on the pages. Featured models include:

• Lauren Drain (@laurendrainfit)
• Darth Lexxi (@darthlexii)
• Cheeryl Lawrence (@whoanerdalert)
• Reinessa (@reinessagaming)
• Cynthia Chan (@cynsincosplay)
• Samantha Rubin (@sammyrubin)
• MY (@mj_and_spidey)

The Last Amazon is available in several formats, including digital, hardcover, and special edition hardcover. You can tell much love and work went into creating this graphic novel. I admire the detail and intricacy in the digital copy, and imagine the hard copy to be pretty spectacular. If you are lucky enough to snag a physical copy, the author and artist will both sign your edition! Not to mention that the book itself features an elegant metallic stamp on the front of the book, foil bookplates, and foil book block edging.

Although The Last Amazon was released last November, you can still find a copy on the official website. Keep a lookout for their next graphic novel and video game, Shadow of the Moon, sequel to The Last Amazon!