Paper Girls Volume 1 by Brian K Vaughan

Frankly, I did not know what to expect when I started reading this graphic novel. I have read other works from this author that I thoroughly enjoyed, and read it pretty much based on the fact he wrote it.

I also read it because I have a daughter who really likes graphic novels. The problem with that is finding female protagonists that are not just there for drooly teenage boys (in either age, maturity level, or both). That being the case, I try to look for graphic novels with strong female leads.

One of the things I liked about Paper Girls is that with a full set of female characters, Vaughan gave each of them strengths and weaknesses. In other words, he made them realistic. They were also strong and independent, as exemplified by their job--one traditionally thought of as one for boys.

I enjoyed how the story progressed. It started with normal concerns and problems then gradually morphed into the strange. Seeing how these girls handled the growing weirdness they were getting into was interesting and fun.

There is a fair bit of profanity in the graphic novel. This is not gratuitous; it helps in getting a better idea about some of the characters. But, as a seventh grade teacher, it's enough for me to not put it in my classroom library. In that regard, I think it is more appropriate for older readers.

Overall, I would say to give this one a try. It was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to Volume 2 so I can see what happens next.

Staked by Kevin Hearne

I really love this series. For the past several books the original main character, Atticus O'Sullivan, has been fighting a war with the world's vampires. A war that the vampires thought they won almost 2,000 years before. A war he aims to finish. But, as with the last book, O'Sullivan is no longer the only narrator. There are now two other druids besides him. Granuaile, his former apprentice, and Owen Kennedy, trapped on an island of slow time for the past two thousand years (and the druid who trained Atticus), are also rotating narrators in this volume. And each of his fellow druids also has agendas of their own.

It is a fast-moving, funny, and often violent book. The rotating narrations worked well for me. The weaving together of these stories made for an interesting ride. Hearne has an impressive knowledge of world mythologies and makes them understandable even to those who are not well-versed. I know a lot about a couple of ancient pantheons and little about a few others, but Hearne blows me away. The writing is confident and a lot of fun.

I listened to the audiobook; Luke Daniels does an excellent job of bringing each character, even the two hounds, to life. He vocally becomes each character and that enhances my enjoyment of this series.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has read the previous volumes. This is part of a continuing story and could be a bit confusing to those who start the series here. If you haven't read this series, you should. It has entertained me for many, many hours.

Trigger Warning: Short Stories and Disturbances by Neil Gaiman

I am a huge Neil Gaiman fan and was happily surprised when I saw he had a new book out. I was going to put it on my wish list in Audible, when my fiancée told me not to. Then she gave me my Valentine’s Day present a little early. Not hard to guess it was the hardback of Trigger Warning.

This is a book of short stories, with a few poems added in. As he is noted for, Gaiman’s stories are all more than a bit unearthly. He has a way of subtly raising the hair on the back of my neck, all unnoticed. Unnoticed, that is, until the story’s climax.

Included in the collection are a Doctor Who story, a story about Shadow (main character of Ameican Gods—a must read), a rather different take on Sherlock Holmes, and the award winning “Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains…”

The title comes from the Internet. Often a post is prefaced by the words “trigger warning” as a way to let readers know it contains disturbing material that could trigger “flashbacks of anxiety or terror.” The power of words to sculpt and shape our emotions and our emotional responses is always amazing to me. In the hands of a master like Gaiman, that power is multiplied.

If you are a Gaiman fan, I don’t need to tell you to get the book. If you haven’t read his work yet, this is a good an introduction as any. I don’t think I’ll put it in the classroom library, I think some of what is in here is a bit too much for most seventh graders. I will definitely keep it as a proud part of my collection of Gaiman’s works.

Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: War Cry Collection by Jim Butcher and Mike Powers

I am a long time fan of the Dresden Files. Jim Butcher writes a great book. And in War Cry he, along with Mike Powers, has written a great graphic novel. Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard is one of my favorite characters. He is smart, stubborn, and a congenital smartmouth. He just doesn’t know when to quit. And for what he’s up against in this graphic novel, that’s gonna come in handy.


It’s sort of an “untold story” of the war between the White Council and the Red Court of vampires. Harry, a new Warden, is taking several inexperienced new Wardens in a mission to Iowa, in the winter. The Venatori Umbrorum, a group of scholars, is under attack by the Red Council. Harry and the Wardens are not sure why, that wasn’t covered in their orders.

The vampires drastically outnumber Harry and the group he is protecting. There are several battles and the artwork on these is wonderful. It is one thing to read a description of the way spells work in the novels, seeing it in this graphic novel takes it up a notch.

What I find impressive about the story is that Butcher and Powers stack the deck against Harry and company over and over. And how every time Harry finds a way to beat the odds that I did not see coming. I value being surprised when I am reading a good story. And this one had plenty of them. Plus I loved seeing Thomas in action and I just can't get enough of Warden Ramirez. Perhaps one day there could be a spin-off story starring him? I'd read it.

If you haven’t read any of the Dresden Files, you won’t be lost. This is a good stand alone story. If, like me, you are a fan, it is a fine addition to the Dresden Files canon. I recommend giving this one a read.

Mercy Thompson: Homecoming by Patricia Briggs and David Lawrence

I have been a long time fan of Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson series. I have read the first several novels and found them to be quite enjoyable. She has her own unique take on werewolves, vampires, the Fae, and other supernatural creatures.

The main character is Mercy Thompson, a "walker." She can instaneously shift between human and coyote form. She was raised by the Marrok, the head werewolf. She is independent, contrary, and wonderfully stubborn.

This graphic novel is an origin story, of sorts--a prequel to the novels. It is the story of how Mercy came to live in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. Interestingly enough for me, she came to the area to interview for a teaching position. It seems to me that Ms. Briggs was either a teacher at some point in her life or knows one well--she nailed the absurd expectations some school boards have of teachers.

The story also tells how Adam Hauptman brought his pack into the area. He was sent by the Marrok to take the territory from a pack of rogue werewolves that have been crossing the line and attacking humans. Mercy, of course, gets caught in the middle of this.

The artwork by Francis Tsai and Amelia Woo (and cover art by Daniel Dos Santos) is good. It was interesting to see the artists’ interpretations of the characters who have only been pictures in my head until now. The story was fast-paced and cleared up some questions about Mercy and how she came to be there. It can be read by either newcomers to the series or those who, like me, have been reading the books for years.

It was a good, quick read. Not too heavy. I enjoyed it.