Monthly Archives: February 2017

Book Review of Kamikaze: Run Rabbit Run, by Alan & Carrie Tupper & Havana Nguyen

All Kamikaze book sales profits, now through #SuperbowlSunday (Feb. 5th) will be donated to the .@ACLU #resist #comics pic.twitter.com/4PqGLOdWX2

— Team Kamikaze (@KamikazeComic) January 29, 2017

Earlier this week, I came across a tweet stating that Team Kamikaze would be giving the profit from books sold until Feb 5th to the ACLU. Being as I’m a big supporter of the ACLU and need very little persuasion to buy a new read, I jumped on it and ordered a copy.

Description from Goodreads:
In a desolate future, feudal corporate houses hoard the last patches of fertile crop land. A young courier is unwittingly thrown into a life or death game of espionage and sabotage from which she might never escape.

Review:
Marvelously detailed, I thought that even as I read, so getting to the end and finding a whole notes section on the details of the comic was amazing. This thing is seriously well thought out, which maybe shouldn’t be surprising since the forward says the ultimate goal is to become an anime. I was impressed.

The art is really gorgeous. I tried to pick a picture that wouldn’t count as a spoiler, but take a look at this. Totally rockin’ my world.

The story is interesting, the themes pertinent and the cast diverse. I have no complaints beyond the normal ‘but it’s only a first volume.’ I’ll be looking for more, for sure. Lucky for me it’s a webcomic and I can in fact find more.

You still have a day or two (I don’t know if it’s until the start or end of Sunday) to order your own copy and support the ACLU. But even if you miss that offer, I have no hesitation about suggesting you get a copy of your own.

Review of January’s Bookish Box

Several months ago I signed up for the Bookish Box. It’s a subscription box from Appraising Pages in which every month they mail a box with a literary T-shirt and 3-5 bookish items, like bookmarks, candles, or jewelry. I’ve been pretty happy with it so far, but I’ve been inconsistent about reviewing them. (Rather, I’ve been bad about remembering, in my excitement, to take pictures as I open it.) I remembered this time though.

This month’s theme was musicals and we had representations form Hamilton, Les Miserables and Wicked.

I’ll start with the T-shirt, since that’s generally the big ticket item. This month it has a quote from Hamilton on it: “The plan is to fan this spark into a flame.” I’ve yet to see the play, but I like the quote quite a lot and the fact that the print is simple, so the shirt’s not too flashy. But I also just think it’s really timely, with the events of the world recently.

Also from representing Hamilton is a pair of clay earrings, by Tanglewood Lane. Cute and so very wearable.

I know I’m old school, but Les Miserables is still one of my favorite musicals of all time. I think it alone got me through high school. So, a Les Mis bookmark? Oh, yes please.

Representing Wicked is a “Wicked Diva” bath bomb, by Michael Kelly. And yeah, there’s totally a naked person in that second picture, but I cropped it so you only get to see the effect of the bomb on the water. It smelled lovely, if you’re into that sort of thing. I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of strong smelling…well, anything really. But really the dramatic effect was a lot of fun.

Lastly, there was a lovely “Bookish Notes” book to keep 2017’s favorite book quotes in and a set of planner stickers. I’ve been toying with the idea of starting a bullet journal and these would be perfect for that.

Yet again I have to say I’m all around pleased with my box. I went ahead and renewed my subscription, in fact, which really should tell you everything there is to know about my opinion on the matter.

Review of Twelve Days Of Faery (Shards of a Broken Sword), by W.R. Gingell

I picked up a free copy of W. R. Gingell‘s Twelve Days of Faery free on Amazon. (It was still free at the time of posting.)

Description from Goodreads:
King Markon of Montalier is at the end of his tether. His son, Prince Parrin, is afflicted with a rather nasty curse that slaughters, maims, or brutally attacks any woman with whom he so much as flirts. After the rumour that sweeps around the kingdom, promising that any woman breaking the ‘curse’ will be eligible to marry the prince, there is no shortage of willing volunteers. Unfortunately, there is also no shortage of bodies piling up.

Markon needs to do something, but what? Can a visiting enchantress from Avernse help, or is she simply another accident waiting to happen? And will Markon be able to give her up to his son if she does break the curse?

Review:
Honestly delightful in an irreverent, slightly absurd, but purposeful way. I love that the POV is slightly off from what you would expect for a fairytale, that what Markon thinks of himself and what we’re shown don’t align in a charming way, that Althea runs circles around everyone without even batting an eyelash, that the hero/heroine are mature (Markon in his mid forties at least) and that the whole thing is written in a witty, engaging voice.

My only complaints are that I’m never pleased with the whole scorned woman turns villainous trope and some of the challenges were overcome a bit too easily. Though, to be fair, they weren’t meant to be the focus of the book anyhow.

What can I say, I finished the book and immediately looked for more Gingell stories.