Farmhand, Vol. 1: Reap What Was Sown (graphic novel) - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Image Comics via Edelweiss*

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Title: Farmhand, Vol. 1
Author: Rob Guillory
Artist: Taylor Wells
Recent Release Date: January 22, 2019

Synopsis: Jedidiah Jenkins is a farmer--but his cash crop isn't corn or soy. Jed grows fast-healing, plug-and-play human organs. Lose a finger? Need a new liver? He's got you covered. Unfortunately, strange produce isn't the only thing Jed's got buried. Deep in the soil of the Jenkins Family Farm, something dark has taken root, and it's beginning to bloom. From ROB GUILLORY, Eisner-winning co-creator and artist of Image Comics' CHEW, comes a new dark comedy about science gone sinister and agriculture gone apocalyptic. Nature is a Mother...

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Review: "Farm"aceutical stem cell research! PLants growing with human body parts! Think of the "Living with the Land" EPCOT ride meets a Haunted House. 

A son returns to his hometown with his family. His father has gone from a farmer to a farmer of human body parts. His farm has become an attraction and science lab. 

This comic deals with a lot of different topics. There's father issues, alcoholism, religion vs science, and small town government to name just a few. 

I thought the story was interesting with some fun small town characters. The visuals are great. The many different plants that each grow different human body parts are were designed well. I give this graphic novel a 3.5/5. 


--PAUL

Proxima Centauri (graphic novel) by Farel Dalrymple - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Image Comics via Edelweiss*

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Title: Proxima Centauri
Creator: Farel Dalrymple
Recent Release Date: January 29, 2018

Synopsis: Teenage wizard adventurer Sherwood Breadcoat is trapped on Proxima Centauri, a manufactured dimensional sphere 4.243 light-years from Earth.

Looking for escape and a way back to his brother, Sherwood also has to deal with his confusing emotions, alien creatures, and all sorts of fantastic dangers.

PROXIMA CENTAURI is a psychedelic science fantasy action comic book drama starring Sherwood Breadcoat, "The Scientist" Duke Herzog, Dr. EXT the Time Traveler, the ghost M. Parasol, Shakey the Space Wizard, and Dhog Dahog.

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Review: I'm not familiar with Farel Dalrymple's work. After reading some other reviews, it appears that this story connects to past works. I found myself confused most of the time I was reading this graphic novel. The art is sketchy and mind-bending. It's very unique and changes throughout the book to reflect the tone of the story.

This story seems to deal with multiple dimensions and time/space travel. There's both magic and technology. 

Although I found the art style very interesting, I could not follow the story. It was very trippy. Maybe if I reread it slower and really took the time on each page to try and decipher what was happening I could have understood the story better. I give this graphic novel a 2/5. It wasn't for me, but maybe it's your style. 


--PAUL

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 4: The Catastrophe Con (comic) - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 4: The Catastrophe Con
Writer: Si Spurrier
Artists: Kev Walker, Marc Deering, & Java Tartaglia
Recent Release Date: January 8, 2019

Vol.1: Aphra
Screaming Citadel
Vol.2: The Enormous Profit
Vol.3: Remastered

Synopsis: Doctor Aphra is behind bars. Again. But this time she's in Imperial custody, strapped to an explosive transmitter synced to a single hubdroid. Take one step too far? Kablooey! Normally, sitting still wouldn't be an issue - but what happens when Aphra's captors send her hubdroid right into the middle of a war zone? And what's this rumor about the prison being haunted? Meanwhile, Aphra's got information - and it's information that the Rebellion wants. But how far are they willing to go - and who are they willing to recruit - in order to get it? Surely even our lovable rogue archaeologist can't fi nd a way to make things even worse, right? Wrong. Because her current fl ame, Inspector Tolvan, and her ex, Sana Starros, are just about to meet. Awkward. COLLECTING: STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA 20-25

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Review: This ongoing series is definitely the best of the current Marvel ongoing Star Wars comics. The ones featuring the main characters from the film series have stagnated, especially since they have a limited time frame to take place during and an already established character arc. In Doctor Aphra, the reader gets to see this complex character experience life changing events. Things can actually happen!

This book is so queer, I love it! I wish more Star Wars media had representation like this. Many of the books also feature queer characters, but the films have yet to catch up. Here's hoping for Episode IX and the upcoming live-action tv shows. Aphra's current flame comes back into play. And another great comics-created character is Aphra's ex!

There are some great cameos in this volume. I always love seeing Hera as a Rebel during the events of the original trilogy. The infamous Doctor Cornelius Evazen is also featured. 

The morality (or lack there of) of not only Aphra, but pretty much every character in this ongoing series is one of the best parts of these books. Darth Vader is still there as the big bad cliche villain, but the murder droids, Tolvan, and even Sana Starros show different perspectives from a galaxy far, far away. There's even a bit about jedi ideals in this volume. 

I give this volume a 5/5. I'm reconsidering continuing some of the other ongoing Marvel comics, but I will keep with Doctor Aphra!  


--PAUL

Bloodwitch (The Witchlands #3) SNEAK PEAK EXCERPT by Susan Dennard - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: Bloodwitch (The Witchlands #3)
Author: Susan Dennard
Upcoming Release Date: February 12, 2019

My REVIEW of Truthwitch
My REVIEW of Windwitch
My REVIEW of Sightwitch

Synopsis: Fans of Susan Dennard's New York Times bestselling Witchlands series have fallen in love with the Bloodwitch Aeduan. And now, finally, comes his story.

High in a snowy mountain range, a monastery that holds more than just faith clings to the side of a cliff. Below, thwarted by a lake, a bloodthirsty horde of raiders await the coming of winter and the frozen path to destroy the sanctuary and its secrets.

The Bloodwitch Aeduan has teamed up with the Threadwitch Iseult and the magical girl Owl to stop the destruction. But to do so, he must confront his own father, and his past.

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Review: Thanks to Bookish First, I was able to read the first few chapters of Susan Dennard's upcoming Bloodwitch. This series is fantastic. This is the fourth book in the series, but the third full length novel. The writing in all of these books is amazing. 

The first chapter opens with a prologue featuring Aeduan. It shows the young boy before he was fully aware of what it meant to be a bloodwitch, while he still was full of childish glee. This made me so excited for this book, to really delve into Aeduan's perspective. 

The next few chapters catch the reader up with the other main characters. Iseult is with Aeduan and Owl. Safi is with Vaness in a gorgeously described throne room. Merik, Cam, and Ryber are being chased by the Fury towards the Sightwitch Sisters Convent! This chapter got me so excited since Sightwitch is the most fresh in my mind. And lastly, Vivia and Stix are learning more about the underground city. Really excited to get more Stix in this book! 

These chapters got me super excited for this book, which I have already pre-ordered. You should do the same! There's even a PRE-ORDER CAMPAIGN!!! And if you haven't read any in the series, go get Truthwitch immediately! Keep a look out for my full review closer to the release date. I was lucky enough to get a hold of an ARC!


--PAUL

Paul's TOP COMIC BOOKS/GRAPHIC NOVELS Read in 2018

2018 was full of reading for me. I read SO MANY comics and graphic novels. I read 75 of my 47 books for my 2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge and most of them were full of colorful pictures in addition to words. Below you will find the TOP comic books and graphic novels that I read in 2018. Click on the titles or cover pictures for links to my reviews!  

 MY TOP COMIC BOOKS/GRAPHIC NOVELS OF 2018

13.Isola

12. Songs for the Dead

11. Lydie

10. Petit

  

9. The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars Part One, Part Two, & Part Three

8. Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles

7. Kim Reaper: Grim Beginnings

6. Aquicorn Cove

5. Moonstruck

 

4. Go Go Power Rangers Volume 1 & Volume 2 

3. Power Rangers: Soul of the Dragon

2. The Prince and the Dressmaker

1. Bingo Love


BONUS: Educational Nonfiction

A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns

Drawn to Sex: The Basics

What were your favorite books of 2017? What books are you looking forward to in 2018?

--PAUL

Paul's TOP FIVE Books Read in 2018

2018 was full of reading for me, but oddly enough I didn't read many non-graphic books. I read 75 of my 47 books for my 2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge, but only a handful of them qualified for this list. After 2 years of not succeeding I overshot my goal! Therefore, I'm setting my 2019 Challenge at 50 books. I'm hoping to get back to reading more novels so I'm not going to set my challenge too high. Since I read so many comics and graphic novels this year, I've made a separate post featuring my favorite reads: TOP COMICS OF 2018. There were a lot of great YA books released in 2018 and I'm hoping to get to some of them this year that I missed.  Below you will find the TOP FIVE books that I read in 2018. Click on the titles or cover pictures for links to my reviews!  

 MY TOP 5 BOOKS OF 2018

5.These Rebel Waves

4. The Belles

3.What If It's Us

2.Sightwitch

1.Black Wings Beating

What were your favorite books of 2018? What books are you looking forward to in 2019?

--PAUL