Monday, October 31, 2011

Creepy Reads

I finished two books last week for two work  book clubs. They were both appropriately creepy for the season.

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

Laini Taylor was inspired to write these three short stories by "The Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti.  The first story is about a girl who longs to be wanted and that longing attracts a goblin's attention.  The second is about a girl cursed into silence which is only challenged by first love.  The third is a complex story told in a non-linear way about a woman running from her past and her daughter trying to find out who she is.  These stories are spooky and creepy and I love them.  I can see why this was a National Book Award finalist.  Jim Di Bartolo, Laini's husband, illustrated this book beautifully.  I posted a picture of the hardcover with his art gracing the cover.  The newer paperback edition has a different cover which I do not like.  I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys dark  faerie stories.







Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

A menacing carnival comes to an Illinois town and 14 year olds Will & Jim try to fight the main baddie, owner Mr. Dark.  While Will & Jim may be the main characters, Will's dad, the janitor at the public library, is really the heart of the story.  I love Fahrenheit 451 so I expected to love this.  I did not.  I liked it, but no love.  It can get pretty wordy at times.  There was something about the writing in this book that made me think Stephen King read it as a young boy and it influenced him.  I read that Dandelion Wine takes place in the same town as this book and it makes me want to read it to see the differences.

Sunday, October 02, 2011

Angel: Immortality for Dummies

I'm not as much a fan of the Angel graphic novels as I am the Buffys.  I also find the series numbering confusing.  The first four are all volumes of Angel: After the Fall, which was one large story arc.  Volume five was a new story arc called Angel: Aftermath.  Then came Angel: Last Angel in Hell, which was labeled volume 6.  Now suddenly this is volume 1.  I feel like IDW should have either made this volume 7 or made volume 5 a volume 1 since it was a new story arc.  Whatever, I only have two more Angel graphic novles in this particular IDW series left so it will no longer drive me bonkers!

This volume begins with Angel missing and Team Angel does not know whether he is in hiding from his new found fame or if something is wrong.  I feel very meh about this book.  I like the bits with Angel and I like the promise of the new character that is presented.  There is a lot of Connor in this book and he is not my favorite character.  I also don't think Spike sounded very Spike like.  I like him much better in his mini-series which was published after this.  The first four volumes, which were scripted by Saint Joss, are my favorites.  I purchased volume five only because it was 50% off.  I'm glad I've been getting these through the library, especially since they are only available in hardcover.  I think it would take a big sale for me to succumb to my fandom OCD and buy this book.

I am counting this toward the RIP Reading Challenge.