"The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" by Charlie Mackesy - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Author: Charlie Mackesy
Release Date: October 10, 2019


Synopsis: The Sunday Times Bestseller and New York Times Bestseller.

'You will not be able to buy a more beautiful book for Christmas for somebody you love' Chris Evans

A book of hope for uncertain times.

Enter the world of Charlie's four unlikely friends, discover their story and their most important life lessons.

The conversations of the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse have been shared thousands of times online, recreated in school art classes, hung on hospital walls and turned into tattoos. In Charlie's first book, you will find his most-loved illustrations and some new ones too.

'A wonderful work of art and a wonderful window into the human heart' Richard Curtis

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Review: I received this book as a birthday gift from my parents for my 32nd birthday. I hadn't heard of it before then so I watched a few youtube videos about the author. What an inspiring story. This book is over a year old, but I'm glad I found it when I did.

I read this book in one sitting. And it didn't take very long. This book is made up of simple (yet exquisite) artwork and small phrases. Each page could stand alone, but together they all tell a story. A story of encouragement, hope, questioning, and finding meaning.

This is the kind of book you just want to leave out and hope others are curious enough to flip it open and get sucked inside. I can see myself keeping it close by my desk so that when I need some quick motivation or inspiration I can just flip through it.

I give this book a 5/5. This book makes a great gift for anyone, but especially creative people or those who need to find self worth.

--PAUL

Go Go Power Rangers, Vol. 8 (comic) - Paul's REVIEW

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Go Go Power Rangers Vol.1
Go Go Power Rangers Vol.2
Go Go Power Rangers Vol.3
Go Go Power Rangers Vol.4
Go Go Power Rangers Vol.5
Go Go Power Rangers: Back to School 

Go Go Power Rangers Vol.6

Go Go Power Rangers Vol.7


Title: Go Go Power Rangers, Vol. 8
Author: Ryan Parrott & Sina Grace
Illustrators: Eduardo Francisco, Francesco Mortarino, & Raul Angulo
Release Date: December 29, 2020


Synopsis: The Necessary Evil event continues as Tommy must prove he’s worthy of becoming the White Ranger, while Jason, Trini and Zack must decide if they will become the new OMEGA RANGERS - even if it means deceiving everyone they hold dear.

THE TRUE ORIGIN OF THE WHITE RANGER!

The critically-acclaimed Necessary Evil event continues, as the Power Rangers are left reeling from the events of their war with Lord Drakkon in Shattered Grid. But perhaps none is more affected than Tommy Oliver, formerly the Green Ranger, and now without purpose...until Zordon brings him a new opportunity. But what will take for Tommy to prove he’s worth of being the all-new WHITE RANGER?

Meanwhile, Jason, Trini and Zack must decide if they will become the new OMEGA RANGERS - even if it means deceiving everyone they hold dear.

The writing duo of New York Times bestseller Ryan Parrott (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and the GLAAD Award-nominated Sina Grace (Iceman) join artists Francesco Mortarino (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and  Eduardo Francisco (Adventures of Superman) to answer some of the biggest questions in Power Rangers history!

Collects Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers #25-28.

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Review: This ongoing series is coming to a close. There's only one more volume after this before the new series begins. This volume focuses on the origin of the White Ranger. These were some of my favorite episodes as a child. I absolutely loved when Tommy returned in a spiffy new outfit. One of my most cherished memories of childhood Christmas gifts involves me waking up way too early to find a stuffed White Ranger doll under the tree.

This book takes all of the implied emotions and underlying feelings that would make sense during this change in the team (but were not shown at all in the show) and make them at the forefront. Jason is dealing with knowing the events of Shattered Grid and potentially starting a new team of his own (which we know will become the Omega Rangers). Tommy is struggling with having lost his Green powers and figuring out how to move on. Zedd is the new big bad in town. There's even a reference to the actual episode in a footnote if you want to go watch these episodes that connect on Netflix. 

We get to see Tommy proving himself worthy of the new power. Saba! 

In addition to the White Ranger story, the final issue collected in this volume focuses on Rita and her minions during their time in the space dumpster. It is a standalone story. It is everything I love about these Power Rangers comics. It fills a big gap from the show with something that fleshes out characters and strengthens the worldbuilding. And, of course, I love that it's a story focusing on EMPATHY!

I give this book a 5/5. I absolutely love these books. They're my favorite thing to read. I've struggled with whether I should read the issues as they're released or continue waiting for the trade paperbacks, but I like reading (mostly) a whole story arc in one sitting. 

--PAUL

Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band (graphic novel) - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from IDW Publishing via NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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Title: Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band
Author: Christian Staebler & Sonia Paoloni 
Illustrator: Thibault Balahy
Release Date: October 27, 2020


Synopsis: Experience the riveting, powerful story of the Native American civil rights movement and the resulting struggle for identity told through the high-flying career of west coast rock n' roll pioneers Redbone.

You've heard the hit song "Come and Get Your Love" in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy, but the story of the band behind it is one of cultural, political, and social importance.

Brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas were talented Native American rock musicians that took the 1960s Sunset Strip by storm. They influenced The Doors and jammed with Jimmy Hendrix before he was "Jimi," and the idea of a band made up of all Native Americans soon followed. Determined to control their creative vision and maintain their cultural identity, they eventually signed a deal with Epic Records in 1969. But as the American Indian Movement gained momentum the band took a stand, choosing pride in their ancestry over continued commercial reward.

Created with the cooperation of the Vegas family, authors Christian Staebler and Sonia Paolini with artist Thibault Balahy take painstaking steps to ensure the historical accuracy of this important and often overlooked story of America's past. Part biography and part research journalism, Redbone provides a voice to a people long neglected in American history.

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Review: I was familiar with some Redbone songs, but I did not know the story of the band's origin. This is a biographical graphic novel that follows the members of the band starting in the late 1950s. There's also a paired story in the modern time within the book. These kind of stories deserve to be told. I just really wish this particular book was more captivating. 

I found the formatting of the book difficult to follow. I read a lot of graphic novel and I found myself unsure where on the page to read next. I ended up reading many sentences out of order, I think. There isn't a clear through-line to guide you through the historic events. It's awesome to see the cameos of other famous musicians during that time period, but they didn't blend well with the story. It seemed like the book followed the chain of events that happened in reality, but there wasn't a story to follow that really kept me gripped. I found myself casually flipping ahead while perusing the pages.

I give this book a 3/5. The content and historical facts were super interesting, but the artwork and the storytelling methods used did not compliment them well. I'm glad I read this book because it led to me researching more about the band and listening to their music on Spotify. 


--PAUL

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Swoon Reads/ Macmillan via NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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Title: Cemetery Boys
Author: Aiden Thomas
Release Date: September 1, 2020


Synopsis: A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas's paranormal YA debut Cemetery Boys, described by Entertainment Weekly as "groundbreaking."

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He's determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

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Review: 2020 has been a difficult year for many reasons, but one of the outcomes of that was that my reading was erratic and slow. It took me a few months to read this book, but that was nothing to do with the actual content of the book. Every time I felt like I was able to read and had some time for it, Cemetery Boys gave me so much joy. 

Yadriel is a trans teen in a traditional Latinx family who are also members of the brujx community. His family hasn't allowed him to become a brujo because they don't fully understand him, but Yadriel defies them and proves himself. And along the way, he might fall for an unexpected ghostly "bad boy". 

I absolutely loved this book. Seeing trans and queer representation in YA contemporary fantasy is awesome! There's also Latinx rep that shows the diversity within that community. The worldbuilding is excellent. The characters are interesting. You'll laugh, cry, and gasp at this book.

I give this book a 5/5. You may be seeing it on a lot of Best Of 2020 lists and it is well deserving. I'm so excited to read more books from Aiden Thomas. 


--PAUL

The Magic Fish (graphic novel) - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: The Magic Fish
Author: Trung Le Nguyen 
Release Date: October 13, 2020


Synopsis: Tiến loves his family and his friends…but Tiến has a secret he's been keeping from them, and it might change everything. An amazing YA graphic novel that deals with the complexity of family and how stories can bring us together.

Real life isn't a fairytale.

But Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiến, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through?

Is there a way to tell them he's gay?

A beautifully illustrated story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected. The Magic Fish tackles tough subjects in a way that accessible with readers of all ages, and teaches us that no matter what—we can all have our own happy endings.

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Review: This is a beautiful graphic novel that tells an Immigrant Family story through fairy tales. Within these pages, there's Tiến's story of dealing with his own coming-of-age experience of not feeling understood alongside his mother's experience of living in a country removed from her family as well as fairy tales they are reading and telling each other. The storytelling is used as a way to communicate. It's a way to bridge the divide between the generations. Storytelling changes depending on the circumstances of those telling the story and that is shown in such a great way in this book. 

Having grown up in the 90s myself and gone through the experience of coming into my own understanding of myself as a gay man, I saw a lot of myself in these stories. I don't have the personal experience of being an immigrant, but many close to me have had those experiences. Queer people from Immigrant families will find themselves in this book. 

I absolutely loved this book. I will be passing it around to my friends and recommending it often. The artwork is stunning and reflects the character telling the story's perspective so well. Color is utilized excellently. I obviously give this book a 5/5.


--PAUL

Rick and Morty Character Guide - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Dark Horse Books via Edelweiss. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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Title: Rick and Morty Character Guide
Author: Albro Lundy
Upcoming Release Date: December 8, 2020


Synopsis: An oversized full-color hardcover encyclopedia collecting hilarious trivia on the characters from the ultra-hit animated series!

In an interdimensional reality as crazy and wild as Rick and Morty, it can be hard to keep all of the characters straight, and now you don't have to use any more of your precious brain space to do it! It's all in this here book, baby!

In this new collection, learn all about your favorite (and not so favorite) characters from around the multiverse. Take a look at all of the titular characters, the humans and the aliens, with the Rick and Morty Character Guide. Want to know more about the Council of Ricks? Or Ricks feelings on Zeep Xanflorp? Or why Bird Person talks like that? This book has got you covered!

Collecting information on the whole cast of characters, this book is a must-have for any fan of the award-winning Adult Swim show!

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Review: This book is really fun. Any fan of Rick and Morty will enjoy reading through this book. It's made up of in-world documents, which adds to the humor and keeps with the tone of the show. I really enjoyed seeing all of the different variations of the characters. There's a Most Wanted section with clippings of magazines and new articles feel to it. The alien races are shown. And so much more!

I would definitely recommend this as a gift to any Rick and Morty fan. I give this book a 4/5. 


--PAUL

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Vol. 13 (comic) - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Vol. 13
Author: Ryan Parrott
Artists: Daniele Di Nicuolo & Walter Baiamonte
Release Date: November 24, 2020


Synopsis: NO RANGER IS SAFE. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and the all-new Omega Rangers have joined forces, but even the shocking return of The Ranger Slayer may not be enough to defeat Dayne, Kiya and the full power of the Anointed! It’s final fight for the fate of the Power Rangers as friends new and old join forces against their greatest enemy yet! New York Times bestselling author Ryan Parrott and artist Daniele Di Nicuolo conclude the epic Power Rangers: Necessary Evil event with a final page shocker no Power Rangers fan can afford to miss. Collects Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #48-50.

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Review: I really love these comics. These characters have really come into their own. They now have unique identities to their tv show counterparts. There are some great cameos in this book, as you can see on the cover of the book.

There is some beautiful imagery in this volume. Jason as the Omega Red ranger and Tommy as the white ranger fighting in the snow! Their relationship is really interesting in this volume and leads to a pretty awesome manifestation. The changing of the guards in term of the leader of the team is such a great idea for finally explore in depth. By the end of this volume, we get to see the Stone Canyon trio really come into their own and they look to Tommy as their leader.

All of the interactions between the rangers are excellent. Zack and Adam have a great conversation, which never could've happened on the show. 

Tommy makes a funny reference to maybe becoming a ninja someday. It's a perfect example of the kind of humor that works so well in this comic. Referencing the shows in fun ways, while making this story so well crafted. There's a tease related to the Solar rangers that really excites me. I hope we get to see that team again. 

This is such a great setup for this series and continuing story. The clencher at the end was expected, but a little disappointing. I'm hoping both of the ongoing series move forward and don't rely too much on the past and Drakkon-focused stories. I give this book a 5/5.

--PAUL

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Vol. 12 (comic) - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Vol. 12
Author: Ryan Parrott
Artists: Daniele Di Nicuolo & Walter Baiamonte
Release Date: September 8, 2020


Synopsis: A shocking traitor is revealed as the all-new Omega Rangers - Jason, Zack and Trini - must turn to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to face the threat they never expected! But even as old friends and new allies join forces, can they put aside their mistrust to defeat an enemy with a mission to destroy EVERY Power Ranger in existence?

New York Times bestselling author Ryan Parrott and artist Daniele Di Nicuolo deliver the next jaw-dropping chapter of the Power Rangers: Necessary Evil epic event that changes everything you thought you knew about the Power Rangers!

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Review: The Omega zords come in to help! And the Omega rangers leave without speaking. I love the tension between the two ranger teams. 

These comics continue to show such interesting perspectives that didn't exist within the original show. Bulk interviews the public about this new Power Ranger team. Tommy and Jason having conversations about leadership that weren't able to happen in the show is so cool to see, especially when we know Jason is now an Omega ranger but Tommy doesn't. Jason fighting Zedd is also pretty epic. There's also an awesome fighting sequence with a pissed off Kim doing her thing.

The Emissary even has Hyperforce Blue as part of their rotation! Kiya has a big change, but it feels justified and it's exciting for the story moving forward.

The combination of rangers at the end of this book is so exciting to see because it never happened on the show and I always wanted to see these characters interact. 

This volume really showcases the comics finally separating themselves from the story of the original show. I'm so happy to have this ongoing series and the new ongoing series continuing this story. I give this volume a 5/5.

--PAUL

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (comic) - Paul's REVIEW

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Title: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Author: Ryan Parrott
Artists: Simone di Meo & Walter Baiamonte
Release Date: September 29, 2020

Justice League/Power Rangers - Paul's REVIEW

Synopsis: The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles meet for the first time ever in the comic book fight - and team up - of the year!

THE TEENAGERS WITH ATTITUDE MEET THE HEROES IN A HALF SHELL FOR THE FIRST TIME!

The Power Rangers arrive in New York City to find their missing teammate Tommy Oliver – AKA The Mighty Morphin Green Ranger – but soon discover he’s joined forces with the villainous Shredder and the Foot Clan! But the Rangers must also deal with another unexpected (fr)enemy – the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Can these heroes find a way to work together to defeat the bad guys and save the world from total destruction?!

Written by Ryan Parrott (Power Rangers: Necessary Evil) and illustrated by Simone di Meo (Power Rangers: Beyond The Grid), the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers fight – and maybe team up with – the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the first time ever.

Collects Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1-5.

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Review: BOOM! has done so many great things for the Power Rangers franchise. In addition to their amazing ongoing and standalone comics, they've had these crossover stories that just have fun. First there was the Justice League crossover and now Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! It's like playing with your 90s action figures, but with professional storytellers and artists telling the story.

I enjoyed this book even more than the Justice League crossover because this story really leaned in. The new innovative designs are so cool! The Turtles as Rangers, new megazords, and more!

The book opens with a classic feel from both properties and establishes where in the Power Rangers timeline this takes place. Tommy is the Green ranger, but he's not currently fighting with the rest of the team. Tommy is missing and where he's gone directly connects to the Turtles. 

This book takes place in a world where the Power Rangers and the Ninja Turtles both exist. I like the kind-of throwback to the television crossover. Donatello is even a fan of the Power Rangers. I expected there to be some dimension crossing, but I liked that they exist within the same world.

When Tommy morphs, the Turtles recognize a ranger, but the Rangers thinks they're some of Finster's creations. This sets up great conflict that moves the story along. The pairings while fighting are so great. I love the interactions. The personalities of all the characters really shine through. Ryan knows them well.

Tommy's character is expanded upon even more. His motivation is explained and some of his life history is delved into.

Shredder meets Rita! Casey Jones appears. April gets an awesome costume! (with just a small modification) There is so much great design and artwork in this book.

This book is so much fun. It feels very true to both of the franchises. There's even a potential for a sequel left open. I hope that happens. Or, at least, another crossover story. I give this book a 5/5. 

--PAUL