Topside (graphic novel) by J. N. Monk - Paul's REVIEW

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

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Title: Topside
Author: J. N. Monk
Illustrator: Harry Bogosian
Recent Release Date: October 1, 2019


Synopsis: A wild outer-space fantasy about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way.

When Jo, a headstrong maintenance technician, makes an error that destabilizes her planet's core, she only knows one way to fix things: leaving her underground home for a trip to the planet's dangerous, unruly surface. Soon she's wandering through deserts, riding on the back of giant beasts, and cutting deals with con artists and bounty hunters. Meanwhile, agents of the core are in hot pursuit. J. N. Monk and Harry Bogosian (co-creators of the web-comic StarHammer) present a wild outer-space fantasy about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way. 

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Review: This graphic novel shows a group of misfits working together in a strange, and elaborate world. The whole book is colorful with great designs of characters. There are aliens, weird creatures, and detailed backgrounds. I love world building that is just there in the background without explicit explanations. It is an intricate and bizarre world. I enjoyed the comical take on bureaucracy. 

This book was a fun, easy read about finding your own path and diverting from the assigned path. I give this book a 4/5.


--PAUL

Stage Dreams by Melanie Gillman (graphic novel) - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Graphic Universe 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: Stage Dreams
Creator: Melanie Gillman
Upcoming Release Date: September 3, 2019


Synopsis: In this rollicking queer western adventure, acclaimed cartoonist Melanie Gillman (Stonewall Award Honor Book As the Crow Flies) puts readers in the saddle alongside Flor and Grace, a Latinx outlaw and a trans runaway, as they team up to thwart a Confederate plot in the New Mexico Territory. When Flor--also known as the notorious Ghost Hawk--robs the stagecoach that Grace has used to escape her Georgia home, the first thing on her mind is ransom. But when the two get to talking about Flor's plan to crash a Confederate gala and steal some crucial documents, Grace convinces Flor to let her join the heist. 

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Review: This Old West story is wonderfully queer and diverse. Trans and indigenous characters. Outlaws on an adventure. There's even a fancy ball scene. This graphic novel is very cute and I absolutely love all the intentions behind this story, but it did not keep my attention. I found myself bored while reading this book. It is simple and cute. I think i Just wanted more. I give this book a 3/5. There need to be more books like this, but this particular book just did not keep my attention.


--PAUL

Sincerely, Harriet (graphic novel) by Sarah Winifred Searle - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Lerner Publishing Group/Graphic Universe 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: Sincerely, Harriet
Author/Illustrator: Sarah Winifred Searle
Upcoming Release Date: May 7, 2019

Synopsis:  Harriet Flores struggles with boredom and an unrequited crush while learning to manage her chronic illness through a long, hot, 1990s summer in Chicago. She uses her imagination to cope, which sometimes gets her into trouble, as she makes up fantastical fibs and wonders if there are ghosts upstairs. One neighbor, Pearl, encourages Harriet to read and write, leading Harriet to have a breakthrough and discover the power of storytelling. 

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Review: This graphic novel starts with a young girl who is not very happy about her move to Chicago. She isn't able to go to summer camp, but she tries to keep in touch with her friends from last year via postcards. In the new building, Harriet meets an elderly neighbor. Harriet fears the house may be haunted and learns about both the building and her neighbor's history. She makes up stories to imagine a life she wishes she had. 

This story is calm, but full of heart. It's a story featuring a young girl living with a chronic illness. I give this book a 4.5/5. The art matches the story so well.


--PAUL