Book Review: Con Quest!

Book: Con Quest! by Sam Maggs

Cover Illustration by Chris Danger
Cover Design by Natalie C. Sousa

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Cat and Alex are excited to be at the world’s most popular comics convention―and they’re even more excited to compete in the Quest, a huge scavenger hunt run by their favorite nerdy celebrity. The big prize: a chance to meet him!

The twins ditch their older sister Fi and set off to find geeky clues, tackle nerdy challenges, and cross as many items as possible off their Quest list, which includes volunteering at an Artist Alley booth, gathering cosplayers in enough colors to make a double rainbow, and actually finding something healthy to eat in the convention center!

Can the twins work together even when they disagree on how to compete? Will Fi find Cat and Alex before their parents realize they’re missing? Most importantly, can these ultimate fans complete the ultimate Quest?

Currently Reading: Con Quest!

After reading the supernatural mystery The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu, I wanted to read something a little different. So after a quick search through one of my bookcases, I found Con Quest! by Sam Maggs. It's a middle grade story that follows twins Cat and Alex who enter a scavenger hunt at a comic convention. From the description, it feels like this story is going to have a lot of the chaotic energy you find at comic conventions. This seems like it's going to be a fun read.

Book: Con Quest! by Sam Maggs

Description:

Cat and Alex are excited to be at the world’s most popular comics convention―and they’re even more excited to compete in the Quest, a huge scavenger hunt run by their favorite nerdy celebrity. The big prize: a chance to meet him!

The twins ditch their older sister Fi and set off to find geeky clues, tackle nerdy challenges, and cross as many items as possible off their Quest list, which includes volunteering at an Artist Alley booth, gathering cosplayers in enough colors to make a double rainbow, and actually finding something healthy to eat in the convention center!

Can the twins work together even when they disagree on how to compete? Will Fi find Cat and Alex before their parents realize they’re missing? Most importantly, can these ultimate fans complete the ultimate Quest?

Book Review for Tackle Your TBR Read-a-Thon book #6: Batman Returns

Book: Batman Returns by Craig Shaw Gardner

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Batman versus the criminal element. In Gotham City, evil never sleep not even for Christmas.

Today, a new danger is born—in the guise of a villainous figure with an umbrella full of savage tricks. He's the Penguin and he's out to take over the city. And he has an ally, she's sinuous and mysterious. And she's got nine ways of evading death. She's Catwoman. This time, Batman faces the showdown of his life.

Currently Reading for Tackle Your TBR Read-a-Thon book #6: Batman Returns

I know it's been a while but yes, I'm finally back to reading. I'm going to put Star Wars: Fatal Alliance by Sean Williams to the side. Because despite how good it is, for some reason I have yet to finish it. What I'm going to do is read it from the beginning again since it's been quite some time since I've read it. Anyway, until then I'm going to start reading the novelization of one of my favorite Christmas movies Batman Returns by Craig Shaw Gardner.

I love reading novelizations because the story usually gets a chance to be expanded on and you get a little more insight into the characters. I bought the Batman Returns novelization several years ago after I read the novelization for the Batman movie which was also written by Craig Shaw Gardner. Anyway, I can't wait to get started reading this.

Book: Batman Returns by Craig Shaw Gardner

Description:

Batman versus the criminal element. In Gotham City, evil never sleep not even for Christmas.

Today, a new danger is born—in the guise of a villainous figure with an umbrella full of savage tricks. He's the Penguin and he's out to take over the city. And he has an ally, she's sinuous and mysterious. And she's got nine ways of evading death. She's Catwoman. This time, Batman faces the showdown of his life.

Book Review: Rebellion of Thieves

Book: Rebellion of Thieves (A Robyn Hoodlum Adventure book #2) by Kekla Magoon

Cover Illustrations by Brandon Dorman
Cover Design by John Candell

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Robyn Loxley can't rest now that she's the #1 Most Wanted Fugitive, Robyn Hoodlum. The harsh Nott City governor, Ignomus Crown, may have increased the reward for her capture, but this won't stop Robyn from masterminding her biggest mission yet: infiltrating the governor's mansion to rescue her parents.

The perfect opportunity arises when the Iron Teen contest comes to Sherwood. If Robyn scores high enough, she'll be invited to a dinner at the mansion. But performing well also puts her directly in Crown's sights. Can she and her crew of misfit friends pull off such a grand scheme?

What are five books do you have on your shelf but haven't read yet?

What are five books that have been sitting on your bookcase or shelves that you haven't read yet? But you really want to, however for whatever reason you just haven't gotten around to reading. I'm sure a lot of my fellow bookworms probably have this issue of getting books and then placing them on a shelf and forgetting about them. Or haven't found time to read them.

Here are five books that I haven't read yet but I want to:


1. Robyn Hood volume #1: Riot Girls by Pat Shand with illustrations by Larry Watts

Description:

A brand new Grimm Fairy Tales series that reinvents the classic tale of action, fantasy and adventure is here! From drug lords to corrupt bankers to the things that go bump in the night, no evils that plague the streets will be safe when Robyn Locksley sets up shop as a private detective in New York City. While Robyn settles into her new life, the Cabal, a collective of mysterious and powerful individuals, sets their sights on bringing down the hooded heroine, who will face the biggest threat of her life. The creators of Grimm Fairy Tales, Wonderland, and Neverland bring you the next great hero in the Grimm Universe!

Book Review for Comic Book Club for March: Green Arrow: Year One

Book: Green Arrow: Year One (issues #1-6) by Andy Diggle with illustrations by Jock, color by David Baron and letters by Jared K. Fletcher

Edition: Trade Paperback

Description:

Oliver Queen is a frivolous playboy with little care for anyone or anything — apparently even himself. But when he's double-crossed and marooned on a jungle island, he finds that he does care about something: justice!

Book Review for the Comic Book Club for January: Batman: Year One

Book: Batman: Year One (issues #404-407) by Frank Miller with illustrations by David Mazzucchelli, color by Richmond Lewis and lettering by Todd Klein

Edition: Trade Paperback

Description:

In his first year on the job, Batman feels his way around a Gotham City far darker than the one he left. His solemn vow to extinguish the town’s criminal element is only half the battle; along with Lieutenant James Gordon, the Dark Knight must also fight a police force more corrupt than the scum in the streets.

Batman: Year One stands next to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns on the mantle of greatest Batman graphic novels of all time. Timeless in its appeal, Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s masterpiece would stand apart from the crowded comics field even today.

Book of Interest: The Adventures of Indiana Jones

For some reason Indiana Jones has been on my mind lately, I love watching all four movies and Indy is definitely one of my favorite characters. He's a professor and an archaeologist who goes on magnificent adventures trying to recover important artifacts, what's not to love about that. I have been thinking of getting this Indiana Jones novelization trilogy, I love reading novelizations because the authors tend to add a little something extra to the story along with giving the reader more insight to the characters.

I have the novelization for the fourth movie, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull by James Rollins but I don't have the first three. Which is why I want to get this so I can enjoy all of Indy's adventures from the beginning but in book form.

Book: The Adventures of Indiana Jones by Campbell Black, James Kahn and Rob Macgregor

Description:

With bullwhip in hand, Indiana Jones has unearthed a wealth of ancient treasures. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, the fearless archaeologist journeys from Nepal to Cairo to the Mediterranean, dodging poisons, traps, and snakes, battling rivals old and new–all in pursuit of an ancient artifact that holds the key to dazzling, invincible power. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom finds our intrepid hero in a remote village in India, where a mysterious old shaman tells him that his arrival has been foreseen–and that he must retrieve a stolen mystical stone. And finally, in The Last Crusade, Indy must face the most challenging and personal endeavor of his life: rescue his estranged father, the eminent professor Dr. Henry Jones, from a Nazi’s lair, and recover the legendary Holy Grail. Yet Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade doesn’t mean the adventure is over. . . .

Book Review: Aliens/Vampirella

Book: Aliens/Vampirella (issues #1-6) by Corinna Bechko with illustrations and inks by Javier Garcia-Miranda, color by Inlight Studios and letters by Simon Bowland

Cover art by Gabriel Hardman and color by Jordan Boyd

Edition: Digital

Description:

Two iconic horror franchises collide, as Vampirella - the fan-favorite supernatural heroine - faces the most nightmarish creatures ever to appear in cinema: the Xenomorphs from Alien! As the first human colony on Mars digs deeper into the crimson soil, they discover the catacombs of a hibernating civilization, tens of thousands of years old. The evidence suggests that they are Nosferatu, an ancient and sinister species that Vampirella is all too familiar with. Called to the Red Planet to investigate, the monster hunter and her human allies find a chamber with hundreds of ellipsoidal, leathery eggs... and after they hatch, the true horror begins. In space, no one can hear Vampirella scream!

Book Club Picks for October: Wicked and Batman: The Long Halloween

It's October 1st and that means two things: 1) my reading break is over and I have a lot of books to get caught up on. 2) it's time for new book club picks. Since it's the spookiest month of year, I wanted to pick a couple of books that set the tone for the month.

For The Book Girl's Book Club, I thought we could read Wicked, it's a mystery that centers around writers at a workshop. As for the Comic Book Club, I picked Batman: The Long Halloween, it's a classic I haven't read, so I figure we could read it together.

Here's to enjoying the month with good reads.


The Book Girl's Book Club Pick:

Book: Wicked by Joanne Fluke

Description:

A Killer Rivalry. . .

When Eve Carrington is chosen to participate in an exclusive writers workshop, she knows it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For one month, she will live, write, and share her work with nine other aspiring authors. The top three will get a chance to be published. But when the building they're staying in isn't ready and Eve sees the old mansion they'll be moved into, she starts having second thoughts. Not only is the mansion isolated but the deadlines are tight, the pressure intense, and the competition incredibly fierce. Her biggest rival, Angela, is writing a murder mystery based on the workshop and its participants. It's a brilliant idea. Until life begins to imitate art -- and death begins to knock out the competition . . .

Book Club Picks for September: The Phantom Tollbooth and Faith: Hollywood and Vine

Happy first day of September! It's not even officially fall yet it's already cold and rainy outside. All the dreary weather aside, it time to post this month's book club picks.

Since, last month's pick for The Book Girl's Book Club was literature (I'm nearly finished reading it and will have the review up soon), I wanted to pick something different. I thought we could read The Phantom Tollbooth, a children's classic that have never read before.

Now for the Comic Book Club, I thought we could read Faith: Hollywood and Vine, it's a superhero miniseries that centers around the new hero, Zephyr.

I think both books will make for interesting read.


The Book Girl's Book Club Pick:

Book: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster with illustration by Jules Feiffer

Description:

For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason! Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams. . . .

Book Review: The Maze Runner

Book: The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner book #1) by James Dashner

Cover Art by Philip Straub
Typography by Joel Tippie

Edition: Paperback

Description:

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround them is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Book Club Picks for August: When in Doubt, Add Butter and Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: Robyn Hood: Origin

I'm a little behind in posting my book club picks for August but I figured better late than never. For The Book Girl's Book Club, I picked When in Doubt, Add Butter because it's been a while since we read any literature. I thought this book seemed interesting with it centering around food and perhaps some quirky characters.

As for the Comic Book Club, I picked Robyn Hood: Origin because I loved the comics I read several years ago. The funny thing is, I didn't read this first book in the Robyn Hood trilogy but read the second (Wanted) and third (Legend) books which were really good.

Let me know if you have any suggestions for book club picks.


The Book Girl's Book Club Pick:

Book: When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison

Description:

As far as Gemma is concerned, her days of dating are over. In fact, it's her job to cater other peoples' dates, and that's just fine by her. At thirty-seven, she has her own business, working as a private chef, and has five steady clients who keep her hands full.

There's Lex, the fussy but fabulous department store owner who loves oysters Rockefeller and retro party food; Willa, who is morbidly obese and needs to lose weight under doctor's orders but still believes butter makes everything better; a colorful family who may or may not be part of the Russian mob; an uberwealthy Georgetown family in which the monstrously spoiled wife is "allergic to everything"; and finally, a man she calls "Mr. Tuesday," whom she has never met but to whom she feels a magnetic attraction, in part due to his taste for full-on comfort food.

For Gemma, cooking is predictable. Recipes are certain. Use good ingredients, follow the directions, and you are assured success. Life, on the other hand is full of variables. So when Gemma's takes an unexpected turn on a road she always thought was straight and narrow, she must face her past and move on in ways she never would have imagined. Because sometimes in life, all you need is a little hope, a lot of courage, and—oh yes—butter.

Book Review: Man of Steel Novelization

Book: Man of Steel Novelization by Greg Cox

Edition: Paperback

Description:

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers, and that he is not of this Earth. As he approaches adulthood, he journeys to discover where he came from, and what he was sent here to accomplish.

But then the world faces an unimaginable threat—an invading force the likes of which has never been encountered before. When this occurs, the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation, and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

Book Review for the Comic Book Club for June: Thor: Season One

Book: Thor: Season One by Matthew Sturges with illustrations by Pepe Larraz, color by Wil Ǫuintana and letters by VC's Cory Petit

Cover Art by Julian Totino Tedesco

Edition: Hardcover

Description:

Among the lofty spires of Asgard, Young Thor is the strongest, brashest and most arrogant god of all. But his giant-slashing, troll-smashing days come to an abrupt end when he's tricked by his jealous brother Loki into a foolish attack. Cast down to Earth into the crippled mortal form of Dr. Donald Blake, follow the Thunder God's journey of self-discovery and a mortal man's awakening to the power within. Revisit the fantastical origin of the Son of Odin in this new graphic novel, which thrusts the tale of Thor into the modern age with thunderous results! In this epic saga of towering frost giants, belching maidens and massive battles, one hero must decide which identity is truly his - before both of the worlds he loves are destroyed!

Book Club Picks for June: My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan and Thor: Season One

It is officially the start of a new month and that means new book club picks.

I really can't believe the last time we read a young adult book for the book club was The Carrie Diaries back in June 2017. Yeah, it's been a whole year which is why I thought we could read My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan by Seth Rudetsky for The Book Girl's Book Club. The funny thing is I read the second book The Rise and Fall of a Theater Geek first and I absolutely loved it. So I figured this would make good read as well.

As for the Comic Book Club, I thought we could read Thor: Season One by Matthew Sturges and Pepe Larraz. Marvel Comics released these Season One books as way to re-introduce many of the popular characters origin stories to new (and old) readers.



The Book Girl's Book Club Pick:

Book: My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan (Justin Goldblatt book #1) by Seth Rudetsky

Description:

Justin has two goals for sophomore year: to date Chuck, the hottest boy in school, and to become the king of Cool U, the table in the cafeteria where the "in" crowd sits.

Unfortunately, he has the wrong look (short, plump, Brillo-pad curls), he has the wrong interests (Broadway, chorus, violin), and he has the wrong friends (Spencer, into Eastern religions, and Mary Ann, who doesn't shave her armpits). And Chuck? Well, he's not gay; he's dating Becky, a girl in chorus with whom Justin is friendly.

But Justin is determined.

In detention one day (because he saw Chuck get it first), Justin comes up with a perfect plan: to allow Becky to continue dating Chuck, whom Becky's dad hates. They will pretend that Becky is dating Justin, whom Becky's dad loves. And when Becky and Justin go out on a fake date, Chuck will meet up with them for a real date with Becky. Chuck's bound to find Justin irresistible, right? What could go wrong?

From Page to Screen: A Dog's Journey, The Sun is Also a Star and John Wick vol #1

I love watching movies and TV shows but I feel like with so many based on books, the original source material is often forgotten or hardly promoted. Which is why I'm starting this new post Books to Film and TV as a way to focus on or promote the books that have inspired or are tied-in to the movies and TV shows.

This weekend there are three new movies that are either based on a book or is a media tie-in: A Dog's Journey, The Sun is Also a Star and John Wick.


Movies Based on a Book

Book: A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron

Description:

The follow-up to A Dog's Purpose, which followed the soulful story of one devoted dog who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love.

After searching for his purpose through several eventful lives, Buddy is sure that he has found and fulfilled it. Yet as he watches curious baby Clarity get into dangerous mischief, he is certain that this little girl is very much in need of a dog of her own.

When Buddy is reborn, he realizes that he has a new destiny. He's overjoyed when he is adopted by Clarity, now a vibrant but troubled teenager. When they are suddenly separated, Buddy despairs—who will take care of his girl?

Book Review: Deadpool v Gambit

Book: Deadpool v Gambit: The "V" is for Vs." (issues #1-5) by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker with illustration by Danilo Beyruth, color by Cris Peter and letters by VC's Joe Sabino

Edition: Single Print Issues

Description:

Gambit-one of the smoothest, best-looking operators in the world of the X-Men. Deadpool-one of the most annoying, ugliest dirtbags in the world of everything. Naturally, these guys got beef. But do you know what they have in common? A secret history of working together to pull con-jobs. That's right-the grift is on as the Regeneratin' Degenerate and the Ragin' Cajun begrudgingly take on one last job together. Writers Ben Acker and Ben Blacker and artist Danilo Beyruth lead us into the dirty underbelly of Deadpool and the squeaky-clean abs of Gambit!

Book Review: It's Superman!

Book: It's Superman! by Tom De Haven

Cover Design by Phil Balsman
Cover Art by H. J. Ward

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Coming of age in rural 1930s America with X-ray vision, the power to stop bullets, and the ability to fly isn't exactly every boy's story. So just how did Clark Kent, a shy farmer's son, grow up to be the Man of Steel?

Follow young Clark's whirlwind journey from Kansas to New York City's Daily Planet. This ace reporter is not the only person leading a double life in a teeming metropolis, just the only one able to leap tall buildings in a single bound — a skill that comes in handy when battling powerful criminal masterminds like scheming Lex Luthor and fascist robots. But can Clark's midwestern charm save the day and win the heart of stunning, seen-it-all newspaperwoman Lois Lane? Or is that a job for Superman?