September 2010 books

[dirtylibrarian]

Gaff
Shan Correa
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Hawaii. Rosters. Family. Tough times. Animal rights. Friendship. Crushes. Local flavor.
A touch preachy, but a good read none the less.

International Flavor (Chew - Volume 2)
John Layman
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Detectives. Islands. Murders. FDA. Chicken substitutes. Writing. Supernatural. Vampires. Mysteries.
Still disgusting but enjoyable series. Why the foodie twist on horror would be appealing to me, I can not say.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
Jacqueline Kelly
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Historical fiction. Texas. Grandfathers. Family. Education. Science. Nature. Beauty.
Truly delightful book. Highly recommended.

Koko Be Good
Jen Wang
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
Hustlers. Friendship. Dating. Long distance. Relationships.
Great art and lots of heart, but lacks solid structure and lasting power.

Brain Camp
Susan Kim
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
High school students. Camps. Indoctrination. Missing persons. Aliens.
Well crafted and should attract some teen readership, but I just didn't enjoy it.

Chi's Sweet Home (Volume 1)
Kanata Konami
Kids Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Japan. Kittens. Separation. Apartments. Names. Secrets. Play. Home.
Very cute kitty book.

Chi's Sweet Home (Volume 2)
Kanata Konami
Kids Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Japan. Kittens. Baths. Neighbors. Cats. Food. Family.
Just adorable series. Nice for cheering up.

Horrible Little People
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Human relations. Roommates. Animal costumes. Surrealism. Parties. Sex.
Very odd and nasty, but some brilliant bits, too.

Talking to Girls about Duran Duran: One Young Man's Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut
Rob Sheffield
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Pop music. Nostalgia. Dating. Adolescence. Bands. Songs. Cassingles. Boston.
Enjoyable enough, but lacked the impact of his first book.

The Windup Girl
Paolo Bacigalupi
Adult Audiobook
Recommend?: Definitely!
Science fiction. Thailand. Genetic engineering. Cats. Sex slaves. Horticulture. Politics.
Great book! Not great science, but tons of cool images.

Welcome to Lovecraft (Locke & Key - Volume 1)
Joe Hill
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Horror. Fantasy. Family. Magic houses. Locks. Keys. Evil things.
Very dark and messy, but quite good. Looking forward to reading more in series.

Things Undone
Shane White
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Shrug.
Moving. Graphic designers. Dating. Seattle. Feeling like a zombie. Frustration. Therapy.
Was so not the zombie book it advertised itself as. Ok, but not great.

Head Games (Locke & Key - Volume 2)
Joe Hill
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Horror. High school. Revenge. Memory. Fantasy. Family. Magic houses. Locks. Keys. Evil things.
Can't wait to read more!

Binky the Space Cat (Binky - Volume 1)
Ashley Spires
Kids Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Cats. Aliens. Humans. Bugs. Stuffed mice. Conspiracies. Delusions. Kittens.
Unclear if this is supposed to be science fiction or just in the cats head, but delightful either way.

For the Win
Cory Doctorow
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Yes.
Science fiction. Near future. Video games. Gold miners. Workers. Youth. Exploitation. China. India. California. Unions.
Well researched and compelling, but a bit heavy on reader education.

Fat Vampire: A Never Coming of Age Story
Adam Rex
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Vampires. Humor. Nerds. Crushes. Exchange students. India. Ignorant Americans. Reality TV.
Extremely funny and smart too! Turns teen vampire fiction upside down.

Strange Tales
various
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Marvel. Hulk. Fantastic Four. Etc.
Fun to see alt graphic artists take on well known characters.

Binky to the Rescue (Binky - Volume 2)
Ashley Spires
Kids Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Yes.
Cats. Imagination. Friendship. Missions. Bugs.
Fun!

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors
Francisco X. Stork
Teen Audiobook
Recommend?: Yes.
Orphans. Cancer. New Mexico. Loss. Revenge. Friendship. Love. Don Quixote.
Very likable, though I'm a bit irritated by so many wise characters in one book.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
Aimee Bender
Adult Audiobook
Recommend?: Yes.
Family. Food. Magical realism. Disappearances. Crushes. Eating. Emotions.
Might have been better if not read by the author?

Movie Charts: Comedy Graphs of the Films You Love
Paul Copperwaite
Adult Non-Fiction
Recommend?: Shrug.
Movies. Humor. Charts.
Some were funny and clever, but many dumb.

Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour (Scott Pilgrim - Volume 6)
Bryan Lee O'Malley
Teen Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Youth. Music. Dating. Gaming. Maturity. Fights.
I really love this series, but am also glad to see it end on a strong note.

Octopus Pie: There Are No Stars in Brooklyn
Meredith Gran
Adult Graphic Novel
Recommend?: Definitely!
Brooklyn. Roommates. Nerds. Stoners. Baked goods. Renaissance fairs.
Quite enjoyable. Silly fun with real human emotion and growth.

Matched
Allyson Condie
Teen Fiction
Recommend?: Definitely!
Science-fiction. Dystopian societies. Family. Choice. Love. Rebellion.
Not extraordinary writing, but enjoyable and emotional. Good follow up to Hunger Games.