Geoff
Considering this is a novel about murder, it may seem odd to call it the most charming and pleasant book I’ve read in the past few months. If you’re in the mood for a witty, lighthearted whodunnit that still has a robust mystery that will keep surprising you, you can’t do much better than this. Centering around four elderly amateur sleuths in a retirement village in the English countryside, it is a look at life and death in multiple senses.
I really love when graphic novels feel cinematic, and this first book in the new Lightfall series does just that. The pacing through the pages and framing within the cells are impeccable, really transporting you into the world (which makes sense since the creator is also an art director at an animation studio). The only problem with this book is that you’ll be left yearning for the next volume as soon as you finish!
The perfect way to take a well-deserved break from life: getting stuck in to a big book of Calvin and Hobbes. I'd be hard pressed to think of a better gift for these cooped-up days--for someone else or yourself! The Essential-, The Authoritative-, and The Indispensable- are great collections of the first several years of the strip. The Tenth Anniversary Book includes some of the later years, as well as some interesting musings about the strip, the industry, and culture by Watterson at the start of the book. But the crown jewel, of course, would be The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, a glorious four-book box set that contains every single strip.
The main tension in this thriller comes from normal people being forced to become kidnappers. Yes, there's the typical unseen evil mastermind puppeteering it all, but the fact that the kidnappers are logistically and emotionally unprepared is what keeps the reader constantly on edge, waiting for things to go wrong.
One of the best graphic novels I've read recently. The art is beautiful, the story is magical, and the characters are engaging; what more could you want? Fans of Miyazaki movies and those who like their coming-of-age friendship stories with a dose of the supernatural will especially like this. Plus, who doesn't like a bear in a natty suit?
A mix of Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Korean Mythology, this middle-grade novel follows a shape-shifter as she hunts for the truth behind her brother's disappearance. With ghosts, intergalactic pirates, battles, mythical creatures, and an unfolding mystery, this book should appeal to a range of sci-fi and fantasy readers.