July 2009 books

[dirtylibrarian]

Gig: Americans Talk about Their Jobs
John Bowe
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend? Definitely!
Interviews. Careers. Jobs. Work. Professions. Personal experience.
Really wonderful collection. Highly recommend keeping this next to your toilet for a few years.

Honey & Clover (Volume 1)
Chica Umino
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend? Yes.
Manga. Art school. Dorm life. Starving students. Meat. Crushes. Creation. Art. Gossip. Love.
Very sweet, though a little heavy on the drinking to go in the teen area.

The 25 Coolest Dead Superheroes of All Time (Powers - Volume 12)
Brian Michael Bendis
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend? Definitely!
Cops. Viruses. Serial killers. Vigilante justice. Grieving fathers. Guilt. Violence. Absolution.
Another great Powers story! This is still one of my favorite series. Such terrific dialog!

Metro Survive (Volume 1)
Yuki Fujisawa
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend? Yes.
Manga. Japan. Survival. Earthquakes. Greed. Heroics. Betrayal. Terror.
A bit sensationalist, but intriguing premise.

Moon Lake (Echo – Volume 1)
Terry Moore
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend? Yes.
Government experiments. Divorce. Dogs. Cover ups. Superpowers. Loss. Hiding.
Solid start to a new series. I plan to keep reading.

What I Talk about When I Talk about Running
Haruki Murakami
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend? Definitely!
Running. Writing. Marathons. Japan. NYC. Boston. Triathlons. Aging. Contemplation. Hard work. Joy.
Lovely little book, I found inspiring on many levels.

Venus in Love (Volume 1)
Yuki Nakaji
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend? Shrug.
College. Freshmen. First apartments Crushes. Tennis. Homosexuality. Friendship. Competition.
A little nauseating, but cute. I much preferred Honey and Clover.

The War at Ellsmere
Faith Erin Hicks
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend? Yes.
Boarding schools. Snobs. Scholarships. Friendship. Enemies. Lost fathers. Legends. Bullies. Magical creatures.
Enjoyable read for teen girls...just sort of thing Minx should have still been doing.

Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do It
Geoff Dyer
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend? Yes.
Travel. Essays. Contemplation. Middle age. Maturity. Parties. Burning Man. Thailand.
Enjoyable, but not life changing.

Pretty Dead
Francesca Lia Block
Teen Fiction
Recommend? Yes.
Vampires. Los Angeles. Fashion. Friendship. Romance. Jealousy. Temptation. Redemption.
Fresh twist on vampire books, with FLB's beloved flavor.

Refresh, Refresh
James Ponsoldt
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend? Yes.
Oregon. War. Absent fathers. Struggle. Friendship. Recruiters. Internet. Family. Death.
Dark and heavy, but also beautiful. Captures tough situation and emotions with grace.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Alan Bradley
Adult Fiction
Recommend? Yes.
Mysteries. 1950s. England. Estates. Fathers and daughters. Stamp collecting.
Fun read for Anglophiles and mystery lovers. Terrifically nerdy protagonist.

The Regulars
Sarah Stolfa
Adult Photography
Recommend? Definitely!
Portraits. Bars. Philadelphia.
Delightful beautiful collection in both its simplicity and storytelling.

Leviathan
Scott Westerfeld
Teen Fiction
Recommend? Definitely!
Fantasy. Steampunk. World War One. Europe. Biological weapons. Disguises. Secrets. Battles.
Incredibly fun and inventive. Fans will be pleased.

Liar
Justine Larbalestier
Teen Fiction
Recommend? Definitely!
New York City. High school. Relationships. Family. Secrets. Hereditary medical conditions.
This book blew me away...more to tell, but I don't want to give away the big surprise!