Nerdy Werewolf

Tetris: The Games People Play by Box Brown My rating: 4 of 5 stars "The first game pieces were made from sheep and goat bones. Knuckles and ankles carved into something new for the purpose of fun." This was SO much fun to read! I could not put it down and I am firmly a head-in-the-clouds fantasy reader. I don't even think you have to be into the game Tetris to enjoy this book. The story is told in a very conversational manner with introductions to new "characters" in between each chapter. The exploration of each new subject is extremely easy to follow without making you feel like a total idiot for being interested. If I only had a couple of words to describe this completely-out-of-my-wheelhouse tale, I would say it's optimistic and charming above all else. I can hardly imagine how someone could appreciate it if they loved either video games or biographies. View all my reviews

Kill or be Killed, Vol. 1 by Ed Brubaker My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Now I just had to find someone who deserved to die and kill them...How hard could that be?" My thought process went something like this throughout the book: ::Wow, this guy is an asshole. Oh no, he's an asshole because he's sad. Wait, is this like Memento? Oh, okay...Oh my gosh, I love this! Wait, what?!:: I'm trying to think of things or characters to compare this to. It's like a really young Dexter Morgan (minus the actual need to kill) with a Death Note-type twist. Did you get both of those references? If not, your tastes aren't as dark as mine, OR you have some pop culture to catch up on. :D While I didn't always agree with the main character, I was completely sucked into his story. The way it was told was very laid-back and engaging. As if he were sitting across from you, only he had these really detailed panel-style visual aids. A+++ I love stuff like this! View all my review...

Chew, Vol. 1: Taster's Choice by John Layman My rating: 4 of 5 stars "You'd rather die than go to jail? Fine. But I'm still getting those names." You know how you hear about a "good" story and then dismiss it, only to discover that you should have listened and read it the first time someone mentioned it to you? That's Chew for me. The humor is bone-dry and the protagonist isn't prestented as physically strong or classicly handsome. He appears average in almost every way, which is, immediately, charming. He is described as "by-the-book", but his actions can be extremely rebellious at times. I like that he's not just any one thing. The art was amazingly and cartoonishly exaggerated and it was dead-on. The plot threw me. I expected a current-day story and got a current-day alternate history revolving around poultry. Not to mention the very specific, very awkward powers of the protagonists. I'm extremely interested in where thi...

Sex Criminals: Volume One: One Weird Trick by Matt Fraction My rating: 3 of 5 stars "I know how this looks. Don't judge us." This was probably the most original concept in a book I've seen in a while. Either that means we're all digging from the same brainspace or I need to expand my horizons. You decide. I really liked both main characters. Suzie seemed a little more comfortable with her erotic side, but Jon was more comfortable with the idea of crime. It could have been the other way around and I still would've loved the complicated way they complimented each other. How completely human and believable. You know what else surprised me? The authority represented. I just expected something the way Suzie kind-of imagined and it was really shocking when we discovered who they were. The art was so/so for me. It wasn't by any stretch "bad," just not my cup of tea. While I did think the idea was crazy-refreshing, I don't know if I'll contin...

Heathen, Vol. 1 by Natasha Alterici My rating: 5 of 5 stars "On some mountain top, a Valkyrie waits alone. And I intend to free her." Oh man, oh MAN! Where to start? This is one of my new favorite books. Firstly, the artwork and the colors used were absolutely breathtaking. It fit with the story being told so well! When the art can compliment a tone and a setting in this way, it should absolutely be praised! The story...I am a sucker for mythologies. I just love when some creative person brings them to life or puts a new spin on them. The plot flowed quite well for me and I wasn't confused or pulled out of it at any point. I really can't wait to find out what happens next. This is a great find. I adored the aside with the wolves who chased the Sun. What a lovely little wink in our direction! View all my reviews

Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie My rating: 3 of 5 stars "His small twinkly eyes seemed to say, “You expect me to be the buffoon? To play the comedy for you? Bien—it shall be as you wish!” I love the way Agatha Christie writes. I think it's going to be my new goal to read one of her books every couple of months until I've read them all. It's just very fun for me, I think. Poirot was absent from the majority of this book, but the characters were entertaining enough that when he interacted with them, it was very rewarding. Unfortunately, I guessed the culprit of this one early on, however , I would still probably read this again in the future because of the characters and atmosphere. I don't know of any other author I could do that with. I love her tiny worlds so much! View all my reviews

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Catalina,” Grandma Frida called out behind me. “When you’re done cutting up the body, call me. I’ll help you hide it.” I turned and looked at her. Grandma flexed her arm. “Ride or die.” I already really liked Catalina going into this. I liked her before I read Diamond Fire . I was actually pretty eager to delve more into her and Arabella's story and man, was I not disappointed! This is probably my favorite family/extended family in the UF genre. The only others that come close are the Price clan (from Seanan McGuire's Discount Armageddon series) and I really don't even want to compare them. The Baylors are so much fun . They are all strange and lovable in very different ways and honestly, I'd read a book starring any of them. I love how everyone in this universe has unique-to-them powers and the politics between Houses. It's like the romanticized Mafia with supernatural abilities and no law enforcement. ...

Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews My rating: 4 of 5 stars "Arabella moaned and dramatically slammed her head on the table. Mom and Grandma Frida put down their utensils and clapped." I adore the Baylor clan. This novella is about Nevada's wedding, but we're also getting our first look at Catalina's perspective. I love the Andrews' because every time I read something they've written, I kick myself for not reading it sooner. I always have a good experience. I'm glad I started with the Kate Daniels series, because you could kind of watch them perfect their art (storytelling) and by the end, it was all worth it. Now, it's like they've got it nailed down and you know what? They don't seem to have character molds. It's like they're all really separate people and that's just worth appreciating. We got to meet Mad Rogan's mom and extended family in this one, as well as get to know Catalina. We also get lots of wedding tantrums from...

Robin: Year One by Chuck Dixon My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Somebody's gotta help him. Might as well be me ." I thought this would be pretty good based on other reviews I've read, as well as the fact that Dick Grayson is still my favorite Robin; it surpassed my expectations. I feel like it really holds up. There weren't any outdated references that pulled me out of the story, which is always a plus. This is the tale of how Robin became Robin. Not the one where his parents were killed and Bruce Wayne took him in, the one where he proves himself and gets accepted. The most interesting part is how everyone notices he's just a little boy. That's addressed. Repeatedly. Villains such as Two-Face, the Mad Hatter, Blockbuster, Mr. Freeze and Killer Moth were featured. The stand-out role was definitely Alfred, though. I had a smile on my face when I finished this and I can see myself reading it again in the future. Good standalone Dick Grayson story. :) View all my...

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale My rating: 4 of 5 stars "I think you’re one loop short of a knot, Enna. A little tug, and you’re undone.” So, tone-wise, this was almost completely different from the first book in the series and it makes sense that it would be. The first book was a spin on the Grimm fairy tale "The Goose Girl" , and it read like a fairy tale. This installment read more like high fantasy. It's the same kingdom, now at war, featuring a heroine that was introduced in the previous book. In fact, the majority of background characters shift to the forefront, so enjoying the first installment almost guaranteed you'd already be invested no matter how the tale went. The author took the world she'd embellished upon and just ran with it and the result was something just as captivating, but in a different way altogether. I really enjoyed watching everyone from the first book develop and evolve. Especially our MC, Enna. She was all over the place and she w...

  Gotham Academy, Volume 1: Welcome to Gotham Academy  by  Becky Cloonan My rating:  5 of 5 stars "All of my dungeon-crawling fantasies are about to come true. I'm gonna loot the crap out of this place." I really should have expected more, but as it was, this was a very pleasant surprise. I'm already a fan of  Brenden Fletcher , but I've been turned on to a new co-writer and artist and I'll be eagerly following them, too, now. The art was astounding! The tone was perfect, especially if you're already a Gotham City fan. You believe this school of wayward Gotham kids really lives there. There were some great tie-ins to the established citizens of this creepy city that I didn't see coming, either. I really enjoyed finding out the clues along with the two main heroines-Olive and Maps. Their journey felt organic and the outcome of several different mysteries were surprising and rewarding. I'm looking forward to getting to know these characters (includin...