June 2007 books

[dirtylibrarian]

Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers
Amy Stewart
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Flowers. Capitalism. Industry. Science. Globalism. Marketing. International trade. Farming. Labor. Romance?
A great glimpse at how one industry is evolving in the global market. Interesting, but not as fun as I like my non-fiction.

Superman: Sacrifice
Greg Rucka
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
Superman. Mind control. Wonder Woman. Murder. Threat. Weapons of Mass Destruction. Batman. Spy networks.
A bit better than Infinite Crisis, but still a headache. Who knew Superman can see souls?

The Best Defense (Walking Dead - Volume 5)
Robert Kirkman
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Zombies. Prison. Family. Risk. Hope. Small towns. Gladiators. Insanity.
A new peek of tension for this great series…ending with a cliffhanger!

You Don't Love Me Yet
Jonathan Lethem
Adult Audiobook
Recommend?: Yes.
Bands. Los Angeles. Romance. Zoos. Inspiration. Art.
Fun and funky, but not entirely satisfying.

Nana (Volume 5)
Ai Yazawa
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Manga. Japan. Tokyo. Bands. Romance. Friendship. Crushes. Jobs.
Increasingly mature, this is one of my favorite manga series right now.

Live Fast (Runaways - Volume 7)
Brian K. Vaughan
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Teen superheroes. Rebellion. Death. Magic. Romance. Love. Aliens. Friendship.
I still find myself eager to know what happens next to the poor kids.

New York: 365 Days
New York Times Photo Archives
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Photography. NYC.
Fun and lengthy collection.

Tiny Tyrant
Lewis Trondheim
Tween Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Royalty. Microscopic countries. Humor. Short stories. Dinosaurs. Time travel. Comic books. Travel. Brats.
Silly fun…modern day Richie Rich.

Loads More Lies To Tell Small Kids
Andy Riley
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend?: Shrug.
Humor. Cartoons. Twisted.
Enjoyable, but not laugh out loud funny.

Flush
Carl Hiaasen
Tween Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Florida. Mysteries. Environment. Casinos. Family.
Solid read for middle school kids.

Dramacon (Volume 2)
Svetlana Chmakova
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Fans. Conventions. Manga. Artists. Crushes. Friendship. Cosplay. Family. Expectations.
Great series, with adorable art.

The Magnificent Kevin (The Authority)
Garth Ennis
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Secret agents. Violence. Crude humor. Dark experiments. Pies in the face.
Twisted and wrong, but yet I enjoy it.

Toilets of the World
Morna E. Gregory
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Architecture. World travel. Culture. Humor. Variety.
Makes for fascinating bathroom read.

Well-Schooled in Murder
Elizabeth George
Adult Audiobook
Recommend?: Yes.
Mysteries. England. Boarding schools. Adoption. Murder. Honor. Detective Lynley.
Good stuff for making commuting bearable.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Brian Selznick
Tween Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Paris. Train stations. Clocks. Orphans. Thieves. Secrets. Robots. Friendship. Cinema.
Unusual, and deceptively quick read that is an enchanting and magical story.

Tantalize
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Shrug.
Cooking. Murder. Restaurants. Orphans. Werewolves. Vampires. Romance. Mysteries.
Engaging enough read, that teen girls will love, but left me unsatisfied.

Pizzeria Kamikaze
Etgar Keret
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Suicides. Afterlife. Lost love. Car trips. Miracles. Romance. Hope. Redemption.
Quirky and intriguing story about where suicides all go to live after they die.

A Man Without a Country
Kurt Vonnegut
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Essays. Wisdom. Sadness. Humanity. Wit. Tragedy. Writing. Humor. Kindness.
Depressing, yet slightly hopeful. Makes librarians out to be the greatest heroes in America, which feels awfully nice.

The Boys (Volume 1)
Garth Ennis
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Tragic losses. Superheroes. CIA. Secret teams. Justice. Revenge. Blackmail. Battles. Power.
Violent, crude and nasty…this books is a great exploration power corrupting superheroes, and attempts to keep them in check.

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152
David Petersen
Tween Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Mice. Warriors. Treason. Weapons. Battles. Rebellion.
Beautiful illustrations and solid storytelling.

God Save the Queen
Mike Carey
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
London. Rebellious youth. Heroin. Fairies. Outcasts. Heritage. Addiction. Battles.
Fairly cool, very adult, with interesting art.

Cup Noodle: The Miracle of 8.2 Billion Served, The Magic Noodle, Nissin Cup Noodle (Project X Challengers)
Tadashi Katoh
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Non-fiction. Food production. Japan. Business. Innovation. Creativity. Drive.
Very interesting history of the Cup O’Noodles (as it is known in the states).

Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs and Some Other Things That Aren't As Scary, Maybe, Depending On How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures From the Sky, Parents Who Disappear in Peru, A Man Named Lars Farf, And One Other Story We Couldn't
McSweeney's
Tween Short Stories
Recommend?: Yes.
Soccer. Folktales. Summer camp. Wishes. Cats. Cooking. Missing parents. Comics. Fantasy. Cell Phones. NYC.
Overall good collection of shorts stories, with a few real gems.

The Nature of Jade
Deb Caletti
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
High School. Seattle. Senior year. Anxiety. Zoos. Elephants. Teen fathers. Romance.
Great read that really captures both anxiety disorder and the universal quest to find one’s own way.

The Shamer's Daughter (Shamer Chronicles - Book 1)
Lene Kaaberbol
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Fantasy. Truth. Dragons. Family. Outlaws. Rebellion. Tyrants. Special powers. Friendship.
Great middle school fantasy read, feels like a good start to the series.

Hwy. 115
Matthias Lehmann
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
France. Serial killers. Road trips. Detectives. Mysteries. Insanity.
I very much enjoyed the art in this book, but the plot was a little weak.

Ethan, Suspended
Pamela Ehrenberg
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Middle School. Suspension. Grandparents. Washington D.C. Rough neighborhoods. Jazz band. Friendship. Romance. Family.
Wonderful middle school read that touches on heavy issues is an intimate personal way. Delightful.

Motherland (Y the Last Man - Volume 9)
Brian K. Vaughan
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
China. Monkeys. Clones. Assassins. Family. Friendship. Comic books.
Great series, for adults.

Magic Lessons (Magic or Madness Trilogy - Volume 2)
Justine Larbalestier
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Fantasy. Australia. NYC. Magic. Insanity. Family. Friendship. Secrets. Lies. Trust.
Breathtakingly paced flurry of action.

Re-Gifters
Mike Carey
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
High school. Crushes. Martial arts. Korean-Americans. Friendship. Re-gifting. Picnics. Family. Trouble.
A solid teen graphic novel about a strong girl who figures out how to do the right thing.

Magic's Child (Magic or Madness Trilogy - Volume 3)
Justine Larbalestier
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Fantasy. Australia. NYC. Magic. Insanity. Family. Friendship. Secrets. Lies. Trust. Sex. Pregnancy. Death.
Exciting end to a terrific trilogy.

The Magic Bottle
Camille Rose Garcia
Teen Picture Book
Recommend?: Shrug.
Environmental disasters. Quests. Pirates. Octopus. Turtles.
Will appeal to teen Goth environmentalists.

Re-Gifters
Mike Carey
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Korean-Americans. Los Angeles. Crushes. Focus. Hapkido. Gifts. Betrayal. Friendship.
Terrific fresh story, that really feels like a teen book in comic form. Finally!

Afterlife (Volume 1)
Stormcrow Hayes
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
Afterlives. Strange worlds. Lost souls. Purposelessness. Lost love. Strange creatures. Fighting.
Kinda interesting, but not enough to make me want to read more of the series.

An Abundance of Katherines
John Green
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Post-graduation. Child prodigies. Road trips. Broken hearts. Friendship. Mathematics. Purpose. Small towns. Hunting. Romance.
A very fun and engaging read, that happily fulfills its promise of meaningfulness by the end.

Town Boy
Lat
Teen Graphic Novel
Yes.
Malaysia. Biography. City life. Friendship. Crushes. School. Friendship.
Enjoyable, but not quite as resounding as Kampung Boy.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume One: The Pox Party 
M. T. Anderson
Teen Fiction.
Definitely!
Slavery. Royalty. Education. Revolutionary War. Freedom. Loyalty. Self determination. Historical fiction.
Amazing work, though not without challenges to the reader. Well worth while.

They Came from Below
Blake Nelson
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Cape Cod. Vacations. Summer. Mysteries. Parties. Flirting. Environmental issues. Alien beings.
I fell in love with the cover of this book, and was not disappointed by the story.

Wicked Inclinations (Goon - Volume 5)
Eric Powell
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Undead. Zombies. Monsters. Mobsters. Unions. Gypsies. Violence. Mystery. Humor.
I really enjoy this series. It has such beautiful art, especially for such a rough and gruesome storyline. Plus, having met the author, it is delightful thinking that such a sweet guy writes such crazy stuff.