You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day - Paul's (Audiobook) Review

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Title: You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)
Author: Felicia Day
Year Published: 2015

Narrator: Felicia Day
Foreword: Joss Whedon
Audiobook Length: 6 hours 17 minutes


Synopsis: From online entertainment mogul, actress, and “queen of the geeks” Felicia Day, a funny, quirky, and inspiring memoir about her unusual upbringing, her rise to Internet-stardom, and embracing her individuality to find success in Hollywood.

The Internet isn’t all cat videos. There’s also Felicia Day—violinist, filmmaker, Internet entrepreneur, compulsive gamer, hoagie specialist, and former lonely homeschooled girl who overcame her isolated childhood to become the ruler of a new world…or at least semi-influential in the world of Internet Geeks and Goodreads book clubs.

After growing up in the south where she was "homeschooled for hippie reasons", Felicia moved to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming an actress and was immediately typecast as a crazy cat-lady secretary. But Felicia’s misadventures in Hollywood led her to produce her own web series, own her own production company, and become an Internet star.

Felicia’s short-ish life and her rags-to-riches rise to Internet fame launched her career as one of the most influential creators in new media. Now, Felicia’s strange world is filled with thoughts on creativity, video games, and a dash of mild feminist activism—just like her memoir.

Hilarious and inspirational, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) is proof that everyone should embrace what makes them different and be brave enough to share it with the world, because anything is possible now—even for a digital misfit.

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Review: I am a big fan of Felicia Day and everything she does. I watched each season of The Guild as it released and really enjoy what she has created with Geek and Sundry. When it was revealed that she was writing a book I got super excited. I love listening to memoir-ish books on audiobook when they're read by the author. 

This book has stories from Felicia's childhood all the way up to the present. There are light humorous tales and reveals of some pretty heavy things. Although Felicia does strip down with many issues in this book, she finds a way to still keep private about many things. Unfortunately because of things she's gone through, her current life can't be that open. 

Felicia Day had a unique childhood. How she ended up being homeschooled is an interesting story. And everything that followed has led her to the place in nerd culture she holds today. She acted as a child, played violin, entered college without a high school diploma, and so many other things that made her different. 

I found myself with watery eyes a few times while listening to this book. I was expecting it. Some things I just really connected with. The full gambit of emotions are in this book. 

I give this book a 4/5. It doesn't have as much focus as other memoir/comedy books I've read/listened to, but it is packed full of entertaining and enlightening tales. If you are in need of inspiration, this is a wonderful read. 


--PAUL

FREE BOOK!: Backward Compatible by Sarah Daltry and Pete Clark

Happy Thursday! Today is an extra-special Thursday too, because Pete Clark and Sarah Daltry have lowered the price of their gamer geek romance down to FREE on Amazon! Ashley absolutely loved this book, and recommends it to all of her gamer/nerd/geek friends. We've also featured it, and Pete & Sarah, a couple of times, so be sure to check out this interview with Sarah & Pete and Pete's Top (more than) Ten Video Games!

In case you haven't heard about Backward Compatible, Sarah, or Pete, here's a little information about the book and the authors. 

About the Book

Amazon | Goodreads


Title: Backward Compatible

Authors: Sarah Daltry and Pete Clark

Synopsis: Not too long ago, in a town that, depending on your current location, is either not super far or actually quite close… 

It is a time of chaotic hormones.

Two nerdy gents home for winter break have discovered a female gamer at a midnight release.

During the break, the gamer trio manages to reveal the game’s secret boss, a hidden enemy with enough power to destroy anything in its path. 

Pursued by other gamers who want to be the first to beat this boss, George and Katie race to level up, and, in so doing, restore decency and sexual activity to their personal galaxy…

About the Authors

Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She's written works in various genres - romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn't as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she's been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships - romantic, familial, friendly - because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn't matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future - human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah's stories.

Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun.

When Sarah isn't writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window. 

She has written several books, most notably Bitter Fruits, an urban fantasy in the Eden’s Fall series, and the Flowering series, including Forget Me Not, Lily of the Valley, and Star of Bethlehem.

Pete Clark likes writing, animals, potato chips, and cheese. Midnight Riders is his first published novel, although he can also proudly say he finally finished Helix Crashing, the fantasy novel he has been working on for over a decade. In addition, he has written Across the Barren Landscape, a collection of linked Western short stories. He also writes plays, both dramatic and comedic. 

When he is not writing, Pete tends to ignore everyone around him and obsess over sports.

Author Social Media Links:

Sarah: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | YouTube | Authorgraph 

Pete: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Thanks for stopping by and supporting Sarah & Pete! 


--Ashley & Paul

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Last Gleaming (Season 8, #8) by Joss Whedon - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Last Gleaming (Season 8, #8)
Authors: Joss Whedon, Georges Jeanty, & Scott Allie
Publication Date: June 1, 2011

Synopsis: The season finale is here! At long last, the Big Bad stands revealed--Angel is back, and it’s tearing the Scoobies apart, testing the limits of their friendship. But Twilight’s unmasking is only the beginning, and Buffy must still face the ultimate betrayal.

Series creator Joss Whedon writes the final story arc of Buffy Season 8, taking  his greatest characters to places only he can! Teamed with series artist Georges Jeanty, Joss reunites the dysfunctional gang of Buffy, Angel, and Spike, in the thick of it together for the first time since Season 3, and gives the Scoobies their gravest challenge ever, defending reality itself from the onslaught of demons. It’s the biggest Buffy finale ever!

* Collecting issues #36-40 of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series.

* This volume also includes the spy-thriller Riley one-shot by Buffy series writer Jane Espenson and artist Karl Moline

My The Long Way Home (#1) Review                  My Predators and Prey (#5) Review
My No Future For You (#2) Review                    My Retreat (#6) Review
My Wolves at the Gate (#3) Review                   My Twilight (#7) ReviewMy Time of Your Life (#4) Review

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Review: While I've actually enjoyed this season despite its twists and turns and the unexpected Big Bad reveal, I feel like this last volume - the season finale - should have been significantly more coherent and just... better. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, but it was just all over the place and kind of a mess.

Since the plot has been kind of wacky this whole season, this volume had a pretty large task in store for it in terms of wrapping up all the loose ends. Buffy and Angel have superpowers and are fighting for magic to stay in this world, but there are demons and other beasties trying to make them leave (I think?). The world that was created by Buffy and Angel wants its parents back and is trying to make Angel force Buffy back into the parallel dimension. The Slayers are fighting a losing battle. Faith is under-utilized. The rest of the Scoobies don't trust Angel (with good reason).

Oh, and the Master is back? And so is Spike, which was awesome. Because Spike is Spike and true to the character created in the show. But I don't understand why the Master came back... because this story would have been completely fine without him. Especially because he doesn't stick around very long. I wish there was more of Spike instead of going off on this random thing with the Master (the incident wasn't terribly random, just the Master being a part of it).

I think it's interesting that this volume ended the way that it did - with a major character death, Buffy making a choice and dealing with the consequences, and all that jazz - and I'm glad that Joss was able to tie everything up. I didn't really think it would be possible after all of the little rabbit trails going on this season, but it worked. I enjoyed seeing all the characters back together, and the heart-to-heart between Buffy and Faith. 

I'm excited to see where Season 9 goes, and it seems like it will be more reminiscent of the Sunnydale days. I'm not sure whether this will be a good thing or not, but it sounds like Joss has a clearer picture of where he wants to take Season 9 than he did with Season 9 Especially now that he's gotten used to telling the story in comic book form. I would still recommend this season to fans of the television show, and can't wait to get my hands on Season 9! 3/5.

--Ashley

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Twilight (Season 8, #7) by Joss Whedon - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Twilight (Season 8, #7)

Authors: Brad Meltzer (Scriptwriter), Joss Whedon (Scriptwriter), Georges Jeanty (Penciller), Karl Moline (Penciller), Andy Owens (Inker), Michelle Madsen (Colorist), Richard Starkings (Letterer), Jimmy Betancourt (Letterer)

Publication Date: October 6, 2010

Synopsis: Buffy Summers and her Slayer army have suffered heavy losses throughout Season Eight and faced scores of threats new and old, but the one mystery connecting it all has been the identity of the Big Bad-Twilight!

In this penultimate volume of Season Eight, New York Times best-selling novelist and comics writer Brad Meltzer (The Book of Lies, Identity Crisis) joins series artist Georges Jeanty in beginning the buildup to the season finale in the story line that finally reveals the identity of Twilight! In the aftermath of the battle with Twilight's army, Buffy has developed a host of new powers, but when will the other shoe drop, and will it be a cute shoe, or an ugly one? Still reeling from the losses of war, Willow goes looking for missing allies, and discovers a horrifying truth about several of the Slayer army's recent ordeals. Adding to the mayhem is the unexpected return of Angel, in his Season Eight debut!

This volume also features two stories from series creator and executive producer Joss Whedon!

* Collects Buffy Season Eight #31 — #35, and the Willow one-shot.

My The Long Way Home (#1) Review                 My Time of Your Life (#4) Review
My No Future For You (#2) Review                    My Predators and Prey (#5) Review
My Wolves at the Gate (#3) Review                   My Retreat (#6) Review

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Review: In the aftermath of the battle in Tibet, Buffy suddenly has all of these unexplained powers, Willow is trying to find their missing friends, and Twilight is causing more trouble. Oh, and we finally find out who Twilight actually is!

This was an interesting enough volume, but it did leave me confused and wanting more in the way of plot. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was interesting to see Angel and Buffy reunited and to finally learn what all of this Twilight stuff is about. I did not really care for all of the Buffy/Angel space sex, but I guess maybe it was important to the Twilight mythology? I think it could have been covered in way fewer pages regardless. It was weird and definitely too long. (It's a little difficult for me to write this review because all I can really remember about this volume are the Twilight reveal and the Buffy/Angel space sex.)

I think I was more excited for Spike to come back than I was for Angel to be back. Spike has an awesome steampunk spaceship now! And weird bug minions. And I really enjoyed all the digs back and forth between Spike and Angel - I definitely missed that. I wish there had been more Spike though. 

The dialogue and the artwork in this volume was better, I think, than it has been in the past. There were more pop culture references, more jokes, and better explanations of things. I liked that Giles knew pretty much all along about Twilight. And I enjoyed the fight scene between Faith and Twilight - his taunts make SO much more sense once he's finally revealed. 

Overall, this wasn't one of my favorite volumes of this season. I think there was a lot lacking and a lot that could have been different. I was a little disappointed that Joss didn't take the lead on this script - you'd think he'd want to be in charge of the Big Reveal instead of leaving it to someone else. This volume was ambitious, and I'm not convinced it accomplished everything it set out to do. I'd only give it a 3/5, although there were parts that I did really like.


--Ashley

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Retreat (Season 8, #6) by Jane Espenson - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Retreat (Season 8, #6)
Authors: Jane Espenson (Scriptwriter), Georges Jeanty (Penciller), Andy Owens (Inker), Michelle Madsen (Colorist), Richard Starkings (Letterer), Jimmy Betancourt (Letterer)
Publication Date: March 3, 2010

Synopsis: Buffy Season Eight Volume 6 showcases the first retreat of the Slayer legion. Vampires have solid footing at the top of the totem and Slayers have been crushed to the bottom -- in short, no one likes Buffy anymore . . . least of all this season's mysterious Big Bad, Twilight, who is hot on her magical trail!

Now that it's the world against Slayers, Buffy must find a way to return the status quo to . . . status quo -- and keep her girls alive long enough to do it! Enter Oz, the only person/werewolf Buffy knows who is down with the suppression of magic, and can take the Slayer army off of Twilight's magic-specific radar.

With Oz's assistance, the Slayers and Wiccans try to become "normal" through meditation and hard labor -- although, not everyone sees the advantage of being magicless, namely, Willow, Giles, and Andrew. And they could be right. After all, is a peaceful life for a Slayer even possible?

* Oz appears in Buffy Season Eight!

* Collects issues #26-#30 of the ongoing series.


My The Long Way Home (#1) Review                    My Time of Your Life (#4) Review
My No Future For You (#2) Review                      My Predators and Prey (#5) Review
My Wolves at the Gate (#3) Review

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Review: I totally did not read the synopsis for this volume before I read it (who needs to do that, it's just more Buffy and the continuation of season 8!), so I had absolutely no idea that Oz was supposed to make an appearance. I was pleasantly surprised and I think it made me enjoy this volume even more! I also really enjoyed that the title, Retreat, is totally a pun. 

Retreat deals with the affects of Twilight making Slayers shunned in society. Vampires are (obviously) the better of the two, and Slayers everywhere are regarded as terrible, vicious, super-strong people who are killing off the innocent vampires. Everything is upside down, and Buffy does what she has to to keep her girls safe. She's also still trying to deal with what she learned about Willow in Time of Your Life, so this retreat is as much to save Willow as it is to save the Slayers.

I really enjoyed that Oz is the one to help the girls learn how to let go of their magic and channel it into the earth and manual labor. It's interesting to see what happens when the girls become human again. Especially Willow. She's been powerful for so long that it's hard for her to adjust to being normal again. I really liked the scenes with Willow and Oz too. Even though Willow isn't interested in Oz romantically anymore, she's still hurt by how he ran off and disappeared and started a new life without her. 

The Slayers end up taking on Twilight's army head on in this volume and calling on some ancient magicks to help them defeat said army. Things never go according to plan though, and the battle becomes a lot deadlier than intended. I think this is probably the most intense volume of this season, since most of it is the battle with Twilight and the ramifications of wakening three wrathful goddesses. We also get to see another character who hasn't been around for a while, so that was nice! 

I really enjoyed this volume, and I can definitely tell that the Twilight story-line is wrapping up. It's almost like this volume serves as a reason for Buffy to finally pursue Twilight, since he kind of steals some things that are pretty important to her. I would still recommend these comics to fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer! They're not exactly the same as the show, but the heart of the series is there and that's what counts. At least for me. 4/5!


--Ashley

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Predator and Prey (Season 8, #5) by Joss Whedon - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Predator and Prey (Season 8, #5)
Authors:  Jane Espenson (Scriptwriter), Steven S. DeKnight (Scriptwriter), Drew Z. Greenberg (Scriptwriter), Jim Krueger (Scriptwriter), Doug Petrie (Scriptwriter), Georges Jeanty (Penciller), Cliff Richards (Penciller), Andy Owens (Inker) , Michelle Madsen (Colorist), Richard Starkings (Letterer), Jimmy Betancourt (Letterer)
Publication Date: September 30, 2009

Synopsis: Buffy's world goes awry when former-classmate-turned-vampire Harmony Kendall lands her own reality TV show, Harmony Bites, bolstering bloodsucking fiends in the mainstream. Humans line up to have their blood consumed, and Slayers, through a series of missteps, misfortunes, and anti-Slayer propaganda driven by the mysterious Twilight, are forced into hiding.

In Germany, Faith and Giles discover a town where Slayers retreat from a world that has turned against them, only to find themselves in the arms of something far worse. A rogue-Slayer faction displaces an entire Italian village, living up to their tarnished reputation as power-hungry thieves. And finally, with the help of a would-be demon lover, Dawn addresses her unfaltering insecurities.

* Collects issues #21-#25 and the short stories "Harmony Bites" and "Vampy Cat Play Friend" from MySpace Dark Horse Presents!


My The Long Way Home (#1) Review                My Wolves at the Gate (#3) Review
My No Future For You (#2) Review                   My Time of Your Life (#4) Review

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Review: This volume really felt like it belonged mid-season. There's so many story lines going all over the place and only one or two episodes are actually related to finding out more about the Big Bad. I think this is actually a collection of one-shots, because the stories really don't seem to be connected at all. It was still fun though, and I think maybe my favorite volume so far!

Harmony is back, and she's just as weird as ever. This time, she's got her own reality TV show. Which, as you can imagine, causes all sorts of problems for Buffy and the gang. Vampires are suddenly seen by the world as the misunderstood heroes, and Slayers are now the villains. Why would you hurt a creature that's just trying to find its way in the world? Vampires don't have to kill - they totally know when to stop! And who doesn't want to live forever? All of this mixed in with Harmony's usual antics is actually pretty humorous and I really enjoyed the sections with her show more than I thought I would. I probably would not watch it in real life, but it was entertaining for the sake of these comics

Twilight is behind the whole anti-Slayer thing, and the plot involving it was better than it has been in past volumes. We actually learn a little bit more (although not who or what Twilight actually is), and I didn't find myself rolling my eyes every time he talked. Oh, and there are also these evil Vampy Kitty toys which are absolutely hilarious. I think they crawl inside of people while they're sleeping and possess them? I'm not entirely sure, but it was kind of funny watching the Slayers battle an army of evil stuffed kittens.

Then we have the Slayers who have taken over an island. They're actually pretty annoying, and the only good thing was Andrew. His nerdy speeches have always been my favorite, especially when I know what he's talking about. And I had totally forgotten that he has the ability to control/speak with demons, and I'm glad it made an appearance here again. As always, he manages to bungle the job, but it wouldn't be an Andrew story if something didn't go wrong. 

Dawn is back to being pretty annoying in this volume and I wish someone would slap her and tell her that the world doesn't revolve around her. She was hilarious as a giant and a centaur but the doll thing just amplifies how annoying she is. And she's not even a doll long enough to really get into trouble before she's saved and makes up with the thricewise and is a normal human again. I hope she stays out of the way now. Which she probably won't. Because she's annoying.

Overall, I really enjoyed this volume. It was fun to see some more familiar faces, have my memory refreshed about characters who have been around since the beginning of Season 8, and see what people are up to when they aren't directly fighting Twilight. If you've read the rest of this series, I'd definitely recommend this volume. 5/5!


--Ashley

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Time of Your Life (Season 8, #4) by Joss Whedon - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Time of Your Life (Season 8, #4)
Authors: Joss Whedon (Scriptwriter), Jeph Loeb (Scriptwriter), Karl Moline (Penciller), Georges Jeanty (Penciller), Andy Owens (Inker), Eric Wight (Goodreads Author) (Animator), Ethen Beavers (Animator), Adam Van Wyk (Animator) , Michelle Madsen (Colorist), Lee Loughridge (Colorist), and Richard Starkings (Letterer)
Publication Date: May 6, 2009

My The Long Way Home (#1) Review
My No Future For You (#2) Review
My Wolves at the Gate (#3) Review

Synopsis: Willow and Buffy head to New York City to unlock the secrets of Buffy's mysterious scythe, when something goes terribly awry. Buffy is propelled into a dystopian future where there's only one Slayer -- Fray, the title character of Joss Whedon's 2001 series, the first comic he ever wrote. Their uneasy alliance falls apart, leading to the death of a major character from the TV series, while back in the twenty-first century, the Scotland base falls prey to a mystical bomb courtesy of the Biggest Bad-Twilight.

* The first two volumes of Buffy Season Eight have combined to sell over 160,000 copies!

* Includes the highly anticipated Buffy/Fray crossover, "Time of Your Life," and "After These Messages . . . We'll Be Right Back," written by Jeph Loeb (Batman: The Long Halloween).

* Collecting issue #16-20 of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series.

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Review: I kind of feel like this volume would have made a lot more sense/been more exciting if I had read Fray first. I mean, it's exciting enough and there's just enough information to figure out what's going on, but it doesn't seem like it's the full story. It also doesn't really seem to fit in with this season. It's more like one of those episodes from the show that has nothing really to do with the Big Bad and just goes off on its own little tangent.

The story itself is interesting enough. Something Buffy does in the present changes the entire future, and the world is back to having one Slayer - Fray. Her Watcher is a water-dwelling demon, and she shares her powers with her twin brother. She has the strength and the skills, but he has the Slayer memories. I really wanted to know more about Fray and her life and why her world is the way it is, but I guess that's a story for another day. Anyone who has already read Fray will probably really enjoy this cross-over.

Buffy is long gone in the future, but Willow is still around. And of course, whatever Buffy does in the present has also changed her life. She's definitely not the same Willow that Buffy knows. She totally plays both sides of the conflict to benefit herself, and it was a really Willow thing to do... especially considering the circumstances. I also thought the artists did a great job translating her into comic book form. 

I did really enjoy getting to see Kennedy again though! Also, she was wearing a Marzipan shirt (see HomestarRunner.com), so 1000 extra cool points there. I love the ridiculous pet names she and Willow give each other and I'm glad that we actually get to see a little bit of what she's up to now. Especially since Willow keeps her far away in NYC so she doesn't get hurt. It's kind of ridiculous because Kennedy is a Slayer after all... but whatever. 

If you've read the first three volumes in this series, this one is a nice break from all of the Twilight stuff. It's also not necessarily one that you have to have read the first three to appreciate, although I wouldn't recommend reading them out of order of course. I would also say that any fans of BtVS should still read these comics, because they're pretty decent. Great artwork, interesting story, humor and wit, and (mostly) the Buffy we all know and love. 4/5.


--Ashley

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Wolves at the Gate (Season 8, #3) by Joss Whedon - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Wolves at the Gate (Season 8, #3)
Authors: Drew Goddard (Scriptwriter), Joss Whedon (Scriptwriter), Georges Jeanty (Penciller), Andy Owens (Inker), Michelle Madsen (Colorist), and Richard Starkings (Letterer)
Publication Date: November 19, 2008

My The Long Way Home (#1) Review
My No Future For You (#2) Review

Synopsis: Vampires that, at will, can transform into wolves, panthers, insects, or fog invade the Slayer base of operations in northern Scotland, and not only walk away unscathed, but in possession of Buffy's scythe, the symbol of Slayer power worldwide. Buffy and the Slayer legion travel to Tokyo in order to learn more about their dangerous new foes, as Xander journeys to Transylvania to solicit the only person they've ever known to possess such power: Dracula.

* The celebrated Buffy Season Eight continues with Drew Goddard (Cloverfield, Lost) writing Wolves at the Gate, with Joss Whedon continuing his role as executive producer, and Georges Jeanty as series artist.

* Includes the stand-alone issue written by Buffy creator Joss Whedon, "A Beautiful Sunset."

* Collecting issue #11-15 of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series

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Review: This is the first volume where the title is just so obvious that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. There are literally wolves at the gate. And then I laughed a little bit because the villain is called Twilight and the vampires transform in wolves. 

I'm just going to throw it out there that vampires who can transform into wolves, bees, panthers, fog, etc. are way more terrifying than your normal, every day vampires. Dracula was bad enough by himself, but a whole legion of vamps with his powers? NO THANK YOU. I'm glad these vamps didn't show up until the comics, because I'm pretty sure they would have given me nightmares had they been in the show. 

My favorite part about this volume was that Dracula was back and that we got to learn a little bit more about what Xander did between the end of Season 7 and the beginning of Season 8. I mean, everyone just assumes he jumped right into running the Slayer operations, right? I did. But I like that he went to Transylvania even more! And I loved that the relationship between Xander and Drac is still very much the same. Maybe a little more respect from Drac, but still basically the same. 

This was actually a pretty Xander heavy volume. Between the explanation of his travels, his relationship with Dracula, and his budding relationship with Renee, it was nice to see more about him. I missed his wit and his humor in the first two volumes (it's there, but not as much as I would have liked), and I just missed him in general. 

Oh, there's also a giant mechatronic Dawn. Which is kind of awesome. I was definitely on the same page as Andrew for that one, although I did not ever think that this was a viable scenario. It was fun and exciting and broke up the whole Slayers-staking-Vampires thing happening for the majority of the fight scenes. 

I really enjoyed this volume, and would recommend Wolves at the Gate to anyone who has read the first two volumes. Might as well keep reading, right? I'm glad the show got continued in comic book form, and I can't wait to read the next volume! 4/5.


--Ashley

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: No Future For You (Season 8, #2) by Joss Whedon - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: No Future For You (Season 8, #2)
Authors: Brian K. Vaughan (Scriptwriter), Joss Whedon (Scriptwriter), Georges Jeanty (Penciller), Cliff Richards (Penciller), Andy Owens (Inker), Dave Stewart (Colorist), and Richard Starkings (Letterer)
Publication Date: May 14, 2008

My The Long Way Home (#1) Review

Synopsis: When a rogue debutant Slayer begins to use her power for evil, Giles is forced to recruit the rebellious Faith, who isn’t exactly known for her good deeds. Giles offers Faith a clean slate if she can stop this snooty Slayer from wreaking total havoc--that is, if Buffy doesn’t beat her to it.

Georges Jeanty (The American Way) remains at the top of his game as series artist, and Whedon continues as Executive Producer in this direct follow-up to Season Seven of the smash-hit TV series.

* Eisner award-winning writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y:The Last Man, Ex Machina) tackles Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight.

* Collecting issue #6-10 of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight 

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Review: I was really excited when I found out that Faith would be featured in No Future For You. She's always been one of my favorites, so I'm glad that she factors in to this season of Buffy! I thought it was really interesting that Giles chose Faith to save Buffy from the crazy English debutante Slayer, considering Faith & Buffy's history. It makes sense, I guess, since Buffy won't hurt another human, but still. 

This volume seemed to be way more cohesive than the first volume, The Long Way Home. There's still a little bit about Twilight, but most of this volume is focused on Faith. I enjoyed the flashbacks from her perspective, even though I'd already known about them from the show. It was still interesting to see that, through everything, the only time she had felt loved was with the Mayor. She's felt alone at every other point in her life, and that's just so sad. I also enjoyed how Robin made a brief appearance, since he was such a big part of Season 7.

It did kind of annoy me how rude Buffy is to Faith. I mean, I know they don't like each other, but Buffy doesn't even give Faith any chance to explain anything. She just jumps right in to assuming Faith is the bad guy...even when her mission is to save Buffy. I was also annoyed when Buffy got mad at Giles for calling Faith instead of her. Come on, get over yourself. Things like this annoyed me about Buffy in the show too though, so at least she's consistently annoying.

The art in No Future For You was just as excellent as in the previous volume, and I was really excited that I could tell who Faith was supposed to be before they even mention her name. I love that the characters aren't exact portraits of the actors/actresses who played them (although the resemblance is much closer on the covers and included artwork), and that the artists portray them in their own style. 

No Future for You is a closer return to the television show than The Long Way Home, I thought, and I'm hoping that the rest of the series continues in this direction. We don't learn too much more about Twilight here, but it's ok because we get to see a little bit of what Faith has been up to. I would definitely recommend this volume to anyone who has already read The Long Way Home, and I would recommend these comics to fans of the show in general. It's definitely not the same as watching season 1-7, but I think it's getting there! 4/5. 


--Ashley

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Coyote Moon by John Vornholt - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Coyote Moon
Author: John Vornholt
Publication Date: January 1, 1997

Synopsis: The seedy carnival looks like just the thing to give Buffy and her best buds, Xander and Willow, a break from staking bloodsuckers. Some greasy food, a few cheap thrills - what more could a Slayer ask for?

But then Buffy senses something evil behind this carnival. Xander and Willow aren't so sure. They don't buy Buffy's notion that the carneys are somehow connected to the corpses turning up around Sunnydale. It doesn't help that her two best friends are each interested in someone at the carnival. Which puts the burden of proof on Buffy.

Can she find out what's going on in time to save her friends?

Or has the Slayer become the prey?

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Review: I think I should have read this book after I finished watching Season 1 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was really weird to jump back in time, and I think that took away from some of my enjoyment of this book. Which is really unfortunate, because I actually thought it was a great escape from all of the vampires in most other Buffy things. 

This book deals with a shady carnival, werecoyotes, and a weird ritual to bring back some old guy from the dead. It's definitely a story that I could see being an actual BtVS episode. Willow is still in love with Xander and isn't all powerful, Xander still has a thing for Buffy, Giles is still the school librarian, and Buffy is still getting used to being a Slayer. I thought it was interesting to go back in time and see the gang how they used to be (although I can't say that I miss them like that!).

I think the plot itself was a little weak and parts of this book dragged. There was quite a bit of exposition - like did Xander and Willow really have to explain what coyotes were and how they acted to Buffy? I'm pretty sure she knows what they are.. - but I still think this book captured the essence of the characters and their world. I wish there had been more action and less of Buffy running around trying to convince everyone that something weird was going on. 

Coyote Moon was a pretty quick read, and I think it'd be something fun for any fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It doesn't have anything that's really essential to knowing about the Buffyverse, but it was fun to revisit season 1 Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles. I think this book would also work pretty well without any background knowledge on the characters if you're looking for a place to start with Buffy & friends. I'll be reading more of the books in the Buffyverse, so I can't wait to see what the gang is up to next! 3/5.


--Ashley

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home (Season 8, #1) by Joss Whedon - Ashley's Review

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Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home (Season 8, #1)
Author: Joss Whedon, Georges Jeanty, Andy Owens, & Jo Chen
Publication Date: October 31, 2007

Synopsis: Collects: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight, #1–5

Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers-newly legion-have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything's fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains. Meanwhile, one of the "Buffy" decoy slayers is going through major pain of her own.

Buffy creator Joss Whedon brings Buffy back to Dark Horse in this direct follow-up to season seven of the smash-hit TV series. The bestselling and critically acclaimed issues 1-5 are collected here for the first time, as are their covers by Jo Chen and Georges Jeanty.

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Review: I started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer pretty late. Somehow I missed it when it first aired on TV, and was introduced to it when all of the seasons were added to Netflix. I'm so glad my friends made me watch it though, because it's probably one of my favorite shows of all time. You can imagine that I was pretty excited to find that, after it was cancelled, Joss Whedon decided to continue the series in the form of comics!

This comic was a little confusing at times, and I think it was because there was too much information crammed into only a few chapters. The "Big Bad" for the season is briefly introduced, and there's also a "monster of the week." It almost felt like Joss didn't really know where to take this season now that its a comic and it took me a little bit to get into it and actually figure out what in the world was happening. 

I really enjoyed seeing old characters and meeting the new ones, especially since there are so many active Slayers now. One of the villains was someone I never expected to see again, and I really enjoyed how there's a flashback to explain how he's still around. I also thought it was kind of hilarious that Dawn has grown up... quite a bit... I actually like her a lot more in these comics than I ever did in the show. 

The comics still follow the continuity of the show, which was really nice. Things are referenced that wouldn't make sense unless you've watched all of the show and things are added that reinforce events that happened in the show. I hope that the next volume feels more like the Buffy I know and love, but this one still felt like it was getting there and I still very much enjoyed reading it. The artwork is fantastic, and it's easy to figure out who is who before they're even called by name. 

I would definitely recommend this to fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you haven't watched the show, this comic probably won't make much sense at all... so I don't think it's something you can just pick up if you aren't familiar with BtVS. I'm excited to read the next installment! 4/5. 


--Ashley

Starters (Starters #1) by Lissa Price - Ashley's Review

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Title: Starters (Starters #1)
Author: Lissa Price
Year Published: 2012

My Starters Pre-Reading

Paul's Enders Review

Paul's Enders Pre-Reading

Paul's Starters Review

Paul's Starters Pre-Reading

Synopsis: In the future, teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. One girl discovers her renter plans to do more than party--her body will commit murder, if her mind can't stop it. Sixteen-year-old Callie lost her parents when the genocide spore wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first--the very young and very old.

With no grandparents to claim Callie and her little brother, they go on the run, living as squatters, and fighting off unclaimed renegades who would kill for a cookie. Hope comes via Prime Destinations, run by a mysterious figure known only as The Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to seniors, known as Enders, who get to be young again. Callie's neurochip malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her rich renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, even dating Blake, the grandson of a senator. It's a fairy-tale new life ... until she uncovers the Body Bank's horrible plan....

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Review: Going into this book, I was really looking forward to something like Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. I really liked the show, and Starters sounded like a very close counterpart to it. And you know what? It was pretty close. People selling their bodies so that they can be used as vessels for other personae/people. A malfunctioning "doll." A heroine who tries to save the day while trying to avoid an evil organization. But luckily, this book was different enough from the show that it seemed like a whole new story! 

In Callie's world,  there are only young children & teenagers, and the elderly. Everyone else was killed during the Spore wars. I can't imagine living in a place where kids are forced to fend for themselves but aren't allowed to work. Or to do much more than rot away in prisons simply because they are "unclaimed." It sounds like such an awful world, and I was really impressed with how well it was constructed. We aren't flooded with details, and we're shown more than we're told.  I felt like the book started a little slow pacing-wise, but the world building is done very well, and I was simultaneously pleasantly surprised and terrified that this future doesn't sound like something that's too far off.

It seems like strong female characters are a common trope in YA dystopian novels, but Callie has so many other attributes that make her stand out from your typical YA heroine. She tries to be strong, but she's scared - for herself, for her brother, for her friends, for her fellow teens. She wants to save the world, but she doesn't know how. She doesn't know who to trust, but she sometimes puts her trust in the wrong person/people. Callie is such a complex character, and I totally felt for her every time something went wrong and celebrated with her when her plans went as expected. 

I also thought that the minor characters were very well developed. All of them had their own personalities and had more than one side to them. They were dynamic and ever changing. I thought the relationship with Blake started a little quickly, but then progressed at a more reasonable rate. I enjoyed reading about the time they spent together, although I almost wish Callie was a little more conflicted over which boy to pick. I want to know more about Michael and about their history together. I'm hoping for more of that in Enders! 

If you enjoyed books like Divergent or The Hunger Games, I think this would be a good read for you. I also think fans of Dollhouse would enjoy this book, although it is different and stands on its own. I can't wait to read Enders next and see how Callie's story plays out! 4/5.

--Ashley

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer - Ashley's Review

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My Pre-Reading
Paul's Review
Paul's Pre-Reading


And, in case you missed them last year:

My CINDER Review
Paul's CINDER Review


Cinder was my absolute favorite book of 2012, and I think Scarlet is in the running to be my favorite of 2013. I absolutely love how Meyer takes the different classic fairy tales an intertwines them in such a way that you would never really know they didn't belong together. I think the way in which the two girls are connected was brilliant, although I was really glad they didn't meet until the very end. It made it way more interesting, especially when one character learns something that you really want the other one to know. 

Instead of having just one perspective, like Cinder, this one has about two and a half. You get to see what's happening with Cinder, Scarlet, and every so often you get to hear from Prince Kai. The Prince Kai sections are completely heart-breaking, since he's still struggling with being in love with Cinder since she lied to him about being a cyborg and about being a Lunar. And even though you know that she didn't know about being Lunar, he doesn't know that she just found out. 

I also really loved how Meyer took the world she created in Cinder and expanded it so much further. Now, instead of just the Eastern Commonwealth, we get to learn how Europe is handling the future. And it makes me want to learn more about the rest of the world. I really want Cinder and Scarlet to head to Africa and meet up with Dr. Erland. I think he's got a lot of information that Cinder and Scarlet need to hear, and I'm anxious to learn more about what he knows as well. 

One of my favorite parts of this book was how, even though I knew from the first book that Cinder is the missing Lunar princess, I sometimes doubted if it was true. If I hadn't known, I would definitely be having a mental battle over whether Cinder or Scarlet was the princess. I think there's a strong case for both, except that Cinder has the whole being rescued from a near death experience thing going for her. 

I could go on and on about this book, but I think you should all just read it for yourselves. I would also LOVE to see this series become a movie series, especially if it was directed by someone who knows how to handle an ensemble cast (like Joss Whedon!). I would definitely recommend Scarlet to anyone who has read Cinder, and also to anyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings. Especially ones with sci-fi and fantasy overtones. Actually, I think everyone should read this series because I think there's something in it for everyone. A 5/5 for sure! I wish I could rate it higher.


--Ashley