Category: Graphic Novels

Posted in Book Reviews, Graphic Novels, Rapid Reviews

RAPID REVIEW: Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Vol. 1: Weapons of Past Destruction by Cavan Scott

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*No Spoilers*

Leaving World War II behind, The Ninth Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack discover that Time Lord technology, lost in the wake of the Time War, is being sold on the intergalactic black market! Now the threat of a new temporal war brews on the horizon, with the Doctor and his friends caught between the twin threats of the Unon and the Lect – two species with intertwined histories who are jostling to replace the Time Lords on the universal stage. Can the Doctor stop history repeating itself?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

I have a special place in my heart for the 9th Doctor. Besides him being my first Doctor, I love his characterization. Fresh from the aftermath of the Time War and him meeting Rose who reminded him of what it’s like to be alive. So let’s travel through time in this review of Weapons of Past Destruction.

I have dipped my toe in to the Doctor Who comics before and it’s something I’ve enjoyed but not something I’ve spent a lot of my time pursuing or collecting. I depend on the library for a lot of the bookish content I consume, and it’s no different here. This comic takes place shortly after season 1, episode 10 The Doctor Dances.

I like how Rose tends to get separated from the Doctor and thus sees and assess the situation through her perspective, then when she meets back up to the Doctor he is still in war mode to an extent. She reminds him that there are two sides to every story. She has been my favorite companion of the reboot era.

Overall, I enjoyed this comic. The artwork is nice, and I felt like this was a good Doctor Who story. Since this is so shortly after the Time War, we see even more of the aftermath that the war had on the outer universe. So, I would recommend you have a basic understanding of Doctor Who before you dive into this story.

Posted in Book Reviews, Graphic Novels, Rapid Reviews

RAPID REVIEW: Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*No Spoilers*

Trigger Warnings: brief sexual assault, swearing, and brief mentions about weight and peer pressure, moderate blood and gore

When Becca transfers to a high school in an elite San Francisco suburb, she’s worried she’s not going to fit in. To her surprise, she’s immediately adopted by the most popular girls in school. At first glance, Marley, Arianna, and Mandy are perfect. But at a party under a full moon, Becca learns that they also have a big secret.

Becca’s new friends are werewolves. Their prey? Slimy boys who take advantage of unsuspecting girls. Eager to be accepted, Becca allows her friends to turn her into a werewolf, and finally, for the first time in her life, she feels like she truly belongs.

But things get complicated when Arianna’s predatory boyfriend is killed, and the cops begin searching for a serial killer. As their pack begins to buckle under the pressure—and their moral high ground gets muddier and muddier—Becca realizes that she might have feelings for one of her new best friends.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

This graphic novel has been floating around TikTok and overall the reviews have been mixed. So I went into this story not expecting much, most high school tropes get on my nerves. So let’s sniff out this review for Squad.

This is another one of those novels that is obviously not for my demographic. I was never the new kid at school, and I never really joined a Mean Girls type friend group. Since those are huge aspects of this story that I don’t match then yeah, but I read it because I was curious. You don’t see female werewolves outside of the romance section.

One thing I didn’t like was that there’s pressure amongst the main group for Becca to fit a size 2 or 3 so they can easily share clothes. I want this toxic idea out of YA fiction. You should love your body no matter whether your a 0 or a 42+. If anyone disagrees then you don’t need that kind of toxicity in your life.

Overall, this was a mediocre story to the point where I really don’t have many thoughts or opinions about it. I liked the diversity amongst the main group of girls, but other than that this is just a petty story filled with melodrama and flimsy motives. I’d say pass on this unless your curious like I was.

Posted in Book Reviews, Graphic Novels, Novels

REVIEW: Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*No Major Spoilers*

Garlic feels as though she’s always doing something wrong. At least with her friend Carrot by her side and the kindly Witch Agnes encouraging her, Garlic is happy to just tend her garden, where it’s nice and safe.

But when her village of vegetable folk learns that a bloodthirsty vampire has moved into the nearby castle, they all agree that, in spite of her fear and self-doubt, Garlic is the obvious choice to confront him. And with everyone counting on her, Garlic reluctantly agrees to face the mysterious vampire, hoping she has what it takes.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

The recent uproar about how all the bookish social medias are hyping the same five or ten books has others trying to diversify other’s TBRs. However, the books that are often described as ‘books I’ve never seen on TikTok’ are still highly popular books. However, I saw this graphic novel on Instagram and I fell in love with the art style and the anxiety representation. So let’s weed out my thoughts for Garlic and the Vampire.

Garlic and her friends are adorable. I wish I could’ve jumped into this world and stayed. They spend every day gardening and providing the townsfolk with fresh produce. When they notice that someone has taken residence in the abandoned castle, they all fear for their safety and the safety of the townsfolk.

I liked having the anxiety disorder representation in this story. I suffer from an anxiety disorder as well and to see Garlic overcome it with help and encouragement from her friends was comforting to me. I hope it helps and encourages others with anxiety feel the same way while reading this graphic novel.

Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

Overall, I loved this story. The characters, the artwork, and the earnest emotions are what made Garlic & the Vampire my book of the year so far for 2022. I would highly recommend this graphic novels to everyone who loves cute characters, Studio Ghibli films, and are looking for a palate cleanser.

Posted in Book Reviews, Graphic Novels, Manga, Rapid Reviews

RAPID REVIEW: The Tale of the Outcasts (The Tale of the Outcasts #1) by Makoto Hoshino

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*No Major Spoilers*

This is the story of Wisteria, an orphaned girl lost in darkness, and Marbas, an immortal being who shares her loneliness. The unlikely companions met on a quiet, uneventful night, and they set off together in search of the light. What begins as a chance meeting on the edge of the late nineteenth-century British Empire soon became a full-fledged journey to find their place in the world.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I found this novel at my local library. The beautiful artwork and Beauty and the Beast-like story caught my interest. Happy to say that this is a lovely story full of heart, and the complications between found family and blood family.

I love how Marbas’ character develops over the course of this story. He is closed off emotionally a distant towards Wisteria, he doesn’t fully understand how attached to him she’s become over their time together. He is just resigned to spending all of eternity alone.

Do not worry though, the relationship between Wisteria and Marbas is strictly platonic. I don’t know how it grows and develops in the future, but I am invested in this storyline and I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

Overall, I loved The Tale of the Outcasts. The artwork is beautiful, and I am a bit of a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings apparently. I would recommend this manga for fans of romance, the supernatural, and found family vs blood family tropes.

Posted in Book Reviews, Graphic Novels, Marvel Comics, Rapid Reviews

RAPID REVIEW: Marvel-Verse: Shang-Chi by Various Authors

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*No Spoilers Here*

Shang-Chi is the Marvel-Verse’s Master of Kung Fu – and his deadly hands are full in these action-packed adventures! Wolverine seeks out Shang-Chi to train him in the skills necessary to defeat the savage Sabretooth! A class at Midtown High leads Shang-Chi into a team-up with Spidey against Midnight and his ninja army – and the wallcrawler asks for Shang-Chi’s guidance on learning a little Spider-Fu! But will Shang-Chi find himself over his head in his newest adventure?

Rating: 4 out of 5.

When it was announced that Shang-Chi was going to be introduced into the MCU, I was initially excited. I love meeting new characters and when I saw this at my local library, I knew I had to check it out. So let’s dive into Marvel-Verse: Shang-Chi!

I think that this was a good introduction to the character for those Marvel fans who may not be familiar with or unaware of Shang-Chi. His friendly interactions with Spider-Man and his other allies makes him a very likable character. When he is shown in the first story trying to teach Wolverine about some fighting techniques he’s serious and not much banter. I think that’s to show more of Wolverine processing and learning from what Shang-Chi was trying to teach him.

Overall, I think if you’re hesitant to learn about Shang-Chi, this graphic novel would be a good place to start. You don’t get much backstory for Shang-Chi, but you can see how he is as a hero and how he interacts with other superheroes.