6.) Fables Volume 3 - Story Book Love by Bill Willingham,

Fables Vol. 3- Story Book Love by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham (illustrator), and Steve Leialoha (illustrator) (Vertigo, 2004)

Genre: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Modern Fantasy, Series

Honors: Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story (2003) [Honors Information found at Goodreads.com]

Review: In the third volume of the critically acclaimed Fables series—in which all of the world's childhood stories have been kicked out of their land and forced to live in New York, either in the city or on an upstate farm—opens with a rather interesting story set in the Civil War where Jack of Fables outsmarts the devil disguised as an old black man in the swamp. He gains a magic bag of holding. He then finds a luxurious plantation abandon of all the people but a beautiful paralyzed young woman who is waiting for death to take her. Jack makes her a deal that if he can save her life she must sleep with him. When Death comes for the woman Jack traps Death in his bag stopping all death from occurring as the woman finds out when she tries to slaughter animals for them to eat. Jack realizes this and he and Death make a bargain. Nothing is said of this story again, so I imagine the bargain will come up in a later late. 

Following this tale, the book goes back to Fable Town and Bigby Wolf who is approached by a reporter who claims he knows all about the community of people in New York who don't age. The reporter claims that he knows they are Vampires and that if anything happens to him the story will still go out. Bigby puts together a plan to stop the reporter, but in the process makes a fool out of Blue Beard. Blue Beard then joins Goldilocks in a plan to kill Bigby and Snow White by putting them under a spell where they go on vacation together. When the spell wears off they are in the middle of the Oregon wilderness with no recollection of the previous three of four days. They must make it back to civilization avoiding Goldilocks who is hunting them. Back in Fabletown Prince Charming kills Blue Beard and confesses the crime, but exposes Blue Beard's alliance with Goldilocks and that Snow White and Bigby are in danger. Bigby and Snow White return after Goldilocks is defeated, only to find out something happened to them during the three days they had no memory of.
There is also a bonus story about magic barleycorn, and the Small Town. 

Opinion: This particular volume was a little more graphic then the previous two that I had read, and would probably only recommend for older teens due some graphic sexual content. The art work left more to be desired, I was not a fan of it. The story was so so, but it was very much an "in-between" volume carrying the story from point A to where ever it is trying to go. I will continue to read the series though.

Ideas: The entire series would make a great edition to any graphic novel collection. Could be on display for Graphic Novels, Fantasy, or Modern Fairy Tales. 

One of the Original Covers of the Comic Book Fables

One of the Original Covers of the Comic Book Fables

5.) The Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

 “The Prisoner stood with his hands tied in front of him, tired, beaten, and filthy, but with a proud back befitting his royal Indian heritage.”

 The Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck (Splinter, 2011)
(Tiger Saga, Book 1)

Genre: Fantasy, Modern Fantasy, Romance, Series

Honors: Next Generation Indie Book Award Nominee for Young Adult (2010) [Honors Information found at Goodreads.com]

Review: A few years after Kelsey's parents died, Kelsey finds herself puttering through life.  Just graduated from high school and working at a temp agency to pay for community college, little did Kelsey know that when she lands a temporary job at a circus that her whole life is about to change. When she meets the circus's tiger, she feel immediately drawn to the creature, and when a wealthy Indian business man buys the tiger, he offers her a job with all expenses paid to India to help care for the tiger. In India though she ends up being abandoned with the tiger on the streets of India and he runs into the jungle. Kelsey follows to discover that the tiger is no ordinary tiger, but a 300 year old Indian prince who has been course to live as a tiger for 300 years, and he can change into human form for 24 minutes every day. Kelsey was some how chosen to help him break the curse and return him to human form forever. They begin an perilous journey that can lead them to their death or lead them to each others arms. 

Opinion: This is your typical teen romance. The only major difference is that it is heavily influenced by Indian culture and myth. There are not a lot of teen books that have so much rich information about India in them. I would have to say that the author must have been to India herself to get a real feel for her descriptions. I am a little irritated by the kappa creature, because the author wrote that it came from China and the kappa is from Japanese mythology so I am very interested in asking her where she got the information that the kappa is Chinese. Other then that, the way the main character Kelsey was acting at the end of the book was irritating and it was obvious that the author is trying to set up a love triangle which, if you will excuse me, ...yawn....... Not a bad book, but nothing great either. Probably won't pick up the other four in the series.

Ideas: This is a very innocent paranormal romance (no sex, barely any kissing even!) Also a good book about other cultures, in this case India. Anyone interested in other cultures would probably like this book. It's a longer series with book five coming out this year. 

Other books in the series (Tiger's Dream is a fan art cover, not the official cover)

4.) Sabriel by Garth Nix

“Fear and realization of ignorance, strong medicines against stupid pride.”

Sabriel by Garth Nix (HarperTeen; Reprint edition, 1997) (First Published in 1995)
(Abhorsen series, book 1)

Genre: Fantasy, Series

Honors: Ditmar Award Nominee for Short Fiction (1996), An ALA Notable Children's Book for Older Readers (1997), Aurealis Award for Fantasy Novel and Young Adult Novel (1995), Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2005) [Honors Information found at Goodreads.com]

Review: Set in a earth-like dimension in the past, Sabriel is a young girl just about ready to finish school and possibly go to college despite being brought up to fight the dead using a special kind of magic. After the her boarding school is attacked one night by a creature Sabriel tries to contact her father who lives as a great Necromancer fighting evil creatures and the dead on the other side of the "Wall" in the Old Kingdom. She soon learns that her father has been captured and in great peril. To save his life she must travel to the Old Kingdom, some place she has not been too since she was a child. Along the way to save her father she gets the aide of Mogget, a free-magic creature who is imprisoned in the body of a white cat, and Touchstone, a free charter mage who has been imprisoned as a wooden statue for hundreds of years.

Opinion: To me this book was very slow, and hard to get into. I listened to this on audio and I don't think the narrator, Tim Curry, was very helpful. I dislike it when books with a female main character are narrated by male narrators. I know many people like this book and this series, and that Garth Nix is a very popular author but this book was a serious struggle for me.

Ideas: This is a good book to give to a teen girl who likes high fantasy type stories. This book would be good for a strong female character display.

A picture of Sabriel that I liked much better than the book cover.

3.) Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

 "Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well."

 Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor (Little, Brown and Company; 1st edition,2011)
(Daughter of Smoke & Bone Series, Book 1)

Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Modern Fantasy, My Favorites, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Series

Honors: Audie Award for Fantasy (2012), Children's Choice Book Award Nominee for Teen Choice Book of the Year (2012), The Inky Awards Nominee for Silver Inky (2012), Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2014), Andre Norton Award Nominee for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy (2011) Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Books of the Year (2011), YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (Top Ten) (2012) [Honors Information found at Goodreads.com]

Review: Karou lives a life of relative freedom as an art student in Prague. She has her own flat, doesn't live with parents, and has money she uses as she wishes. But she is harboring secrets. Secret like the human/animal hybrid creatures that she draws in her sketch book are real, and they are her family. Also she must collect teeth for Brimstone, the closest thing she can call father, in exchange for wishes. Although she doesn't know why he collects teeth of all kinds, from any animal...or human. To help her collect these teeth she can be transported around the world through special doors from Brimstone's lair. When scorched hand marks begin to appear on these doors Karou begins suspect something sinister is afoot, and she is bound and determined to find out what it is to protect her chimera family. When she meets an angel named Akiva secrets from her past begin to emerge and enlighten her life.

Opinion: FANTASTIC! Not your average, everyday paranormal romance. This book is incredibly hard to describe and my review can't even do it justice. As a matter of fact I haven't been able to find a summary that has! There is a lot to this book, it takes place in two time-lines, in two worlds, and has a lot to offer! I can't wait to read the sequel, but it has a lot to live up to. I also want to mention that Karou is the pinnacle of the strong female character that many would like young women to read about nowadays. I listened to the audio version and it was also quite good, so I would definitely also recommend the audio to anyone who wants a good audiobook.

Ideas: This book would be perfect for teenage girls who like the kick-ass female protagonist, but it would also be good for girls who like paranormal romance. This would be good in a modern/urban fantasy display, or a strong female character display.

2.) Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

 

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol (First Second, 2011)

Genre: Horror, Humor, Graphic Novel

Honors: Eisner Award (2012), Cybils Award for Graphic Novels (Young Adult) (2011), Horn Book Fanfare (2011), YALSA Great Graphic Novels (2012), Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Books of the Year (2011) School Library Journal Best Fiction Books (2011) [Honors Information found at Goodreads.com]

Review: A graphic novel about a young teen girl who is trying to fit in at her private school. It doesn't help that she is came from Russia as a young girl and has been doing everything she can to "be normal" with no accent, and avoiding any humiliating Russian customs. One day while ditching school Anya falls into a well where she meets the ghost of Emily, another young girl who died when she fell into the well nearly a hundred years earlier. Anya brings the ghost home with her and finds her incredibly helpful with cheating on tests and even finding out the school schedule of the boy she likes. But soon Emily begins to turn pushy and obsessed with Anya's love life. She begins to scare Anya. With the help of another Russian boy who is an outcast she finds out the truth of Emily and must find a way to rid herself of this harmful intruder before Emily hurts Anya or Anya's family.

Opinion: This book is funny, witty, and in all aspects except the ghost part, very truthful of a teen's life. Anya is an incredibly relatable character. She struggles to fit it, she wishes she could be different, and in the end she realizes that being herself is the best course of action. This book has universal messages for any teen who reads it. The book reads very quickly but the characters growth is notable. I definitely did not like Anya when the book started. I thought she was selfish and trying to be stuck-up, but as the book continues you can tell that she truly cares about her family and is more then just a selfish kid.

Ideas: This book is great to give to girls who are interested in graphic novels. Also good for teens who like ghost stories. This book would work very will in a graphic novel display, especially for people who only think of superheroes when they see graphic novels.

1.) Maximum Ride Manga Series

Maximum Ride Manga Volumes 1-6
Written by James Patterson, Drawn by NaRae Lee (Yen Press; 1st edition 2009)

Genre: Science Fiction, Manga/Graphic Novel

Honors: ALA Teens' Top Ten (2005) (for the series not the manga)

Review: Based on the best selling book series by the same name, Korean artist NaRae Lee brings these characters to life Managa-style. The series is about a group of young children ranging from six years old to Max, the oldest, who is 14. Orphaned and relying on each other, they are avian-human hybrids. They have hallow bones, air sacs, and of course wings, though they appear for all intents and purposes completely human (they can conceal their wings under clothes). The stories starts out many years after they have already escaped the experimentation facility where they were created. After years of peace and quiet the facility, what they have deemed "The School" has began hunting them. They must flee their home and from other creations called Erasers (Lupine-human hybrids), and try to find out why they are being hunted. On top of that a mysterious voice is talking in her head Max, the defacto leader of the group, and telling her that she is on a mission to save the world, but she doesn't know from what or who.

Opinion: It's an American manga, it is completely in manga style but read left to right. I think that would be a plus for anyone starting out reading manga. These are fun on their own, but would also make great companions to any reader who loved the original novels. I actually started reading these because I was having a hard time picturing some of the things from the original, and thought that a graphic novel who be greatly beneficial. There is only 6 volumes out right now, but the seventh will be out at the end of October 2013.

Ideas: This is a great book for any teens who wants to read a manga set in America, or if they want a scifi manga. It's also good for people like me who read the actual novels and wanted to see the story visually represented. Great as in a Manga/Graphic Novel display.