January books

[dirtylibrarian]

The Usual Rules
Joyce Maynard
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Loss. Grieving. 9-11. Mothers. Absent parents. Step-parents. Siblings. Travel. NYC. California. Reading. Friendship.
A terrific book, though very very sad at times.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp
Richard Yancey
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Orphans. Uncles. Thieves. Swords. Knights. Sports cars. Adventure. Excalibur.
Great guy adventure with lots of humor…I'll definitely be booktalking this in the spring.

Ex Machina: Book One: The First Hundred Days
Brian K. Vaughan
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Engineers. Random superpowers. Machinery. Good intentions. NYC. 9-11. Mayors. Government.
A bit like The West Wing with a superhero mayor of NYC. I'd read anything Vaughan writes at this point.

Anansi Boys
Neil Gaiman
Adult Audiobook
Recommend?: Definitely!
Brothers. Embarrassing parents. Fathers. Gods. Singers. Engagements. Florida. England. The Caribbean. Magic. Stories. Birds. Tigers. Bad bosses. Devious men. Witches.
Good fun, with a terrific reader. Very enjoyable.

JLA #17: Syndicate Rules
Kurt Busiek
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
Superheroes. Super bad guys. Parallel universes. Giant weapons of massive destruction. Friendly computers.
I found this convoluted and confusing. I failed to be entertained.

Scurvy Dogs: Rags to Riches
Andrew Boyd
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Pirates. Anachronisms. Vile behavior. Loathsome characters. Humor. Monkeys. Tang. Hobos.
Fun, silly, and vulgar.

Sandpiper
Ellen Wittlinger
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Loneliness. Friendship. Teen sexuality. Guilt. Weddings. Sisters. Violence. Oral sex. Trust. Communication.
Another groundbreaking book by a great teen author. Solid, with believable characters. Bravo for tackling such a difficult subject.

Ex Machina: Tag (#02)
Brian K. Vaughan
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Politics. Gay marriage. NYC. Symbols. Animal mutilation. Murder. CIA.
I like this series more and more. Can Vaughn do no wrong?

Nothing Can Keep Us Together (Gossip Girl Novels #8)
Cecily Von Ziegesar
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
NYC. Wealth. Dating. Sex. Drugs. Graduation. Shopping. Friendship. Love.
I know this is trash, but I can't stop reading them!

Death, Jr.
Gary Whitta
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Death personified. Pandora. Freaks. Creepiness. Humor.
Not bad, for a video game spin-off.

Terrific
Jon Agee
Kids Picture Book
Recommend?: Definitely!
Vacations. Cruises. Shipwrecks. Deserted islands. Parrots.
I try not to list too many picture books in here, though I read many of them, because it always feels like I am padding the list. But I found this book just delightful and wanted to share it with others.

Queen Bee
Chynna Clugston
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Junior high. Popularity. Telekinetic powers. Cliques. Rivals. Friendship. Freaks.
Solid girly graphic novel for middle school set. I wish it was in color so the fashion aspect of it would be more enjoyable.

Embroideries
Marjane Satrapi
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Iran. Women. Families. Secrets. Gossip. Sex. Changing times. Virginity. Tea.
Not as great as Persepolis, but a nice read none the less. Very personal, yet universal at once.

I Won't Die (One Piece #08)
Eiichiro Oda
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
Pirates. Ships. Fights. Restaurants. Fish people. Betrayal. Odd characters.
Fun, but there are better pirate stories out there.

Playboy Helmut Newton
Helmut Newton
Adult Photography
Recommend?: Shrug.
Naked ladies. California. France. Photography.
Considering his reputation, I expected more. Then again, I don't find naked ladies all that interesting to begin with, so maybe I'm not the proper audience for this.

In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences
Truman Capote
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
True crime stories. Multiple murders. Personality disorders. Thieves. Road trips. Prison. Death penalty. Small towns.
Fairly engrossing…now I can't wait to see Capote!

Steady Beat, Volume 1
Rivkah
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
Manga style. Soccer. Teen life. Homosexuality. Secrets. Sisters. Head injuries.
Cute, decent art, but annoying stereotypes.

Dramacon - Volume 01
Svetlana Chmakova
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Manga style. Fan conventions. Romance. Self-realization. Writers. Friendship. Manga obsession. Costumes. Cute hats. Overnight trips. Personal boundaries. Self-esteem.
Rather delightful, capturing great teen emotions, but also the whole con first-time experience. Fun art, cute without being nauseating.

Brokeback Mountain
Annie Proulx
Adult Short Story
Recommend?: Definitely!
Cowboys. Love. Longing. Sadness. Indescribable urges. Friendship. Loss. Dreams.
Beautiful and masterfully crafted.

Loyalty & Loss :Crimson 1
Brian Augustyn
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Vampires. NYC. Teens. Loyalty. Gore. Brutal murders. Bad politicians.
Fun, but not the most amazing vampire gn I've read.

Dry
Augusten Burroughs
Adult Audiobook
Recommend?: Definitely!
Advertising. Alcoholics. Re-hab. Crack addicts. Bad relationships. Friendship. Love. AIDS. NYC. Dog walking.
Parts of this touched raw nerves, but overall it was a great read. I just wish he had talked more about withdrawal during rehab.