My (Previous) Year in Reading: 81 to 90

…in chronological order.

2015 has been a great year when it comes to reading books for me. During it, according to Goodreads, I have gulped down 212 volumes that were not only novels for adults but also volumes that belonged in many other genres: YA, graphic novels, poetry, children's stories, short stories and books in translation. This has also been a year that I stopped writing reviews since I had much else occupying my mind and time, so below I'll give you no more than a few words about the books I have read. I hope some of my choices echo yours and I look forward to an exciting new year of reading.

So here it goes:

81) Twisted Dark Volume 1 by Neil Gibson and others. I don't know if you need to have a-sort-of twisted mind to enjoy the stories contained in this volume, but if you do, I plead guilty. I loved the stories and I loved the art - though some of them were better drawn than others. If you are a comic books fan I'm certain that you'll enjoy this tome.

82) Die Again by Tess Gerritsen. Gerritsen is a great crime fiction writer and I really love her Rizzoli & Isles series. Though the characters on TV are funnier than the ones on the page, I like the latter more because in every new book that comes out I, as a reader, come to discover new depths in their psyches. As for the plot, well, there's a murder, and there are some more, and these dynamic women have to capture the killer. Simple as that. And not simple at all. Read it.

83) Karate Chop by Dorthe Nors. The stories included in this collection I could never describe as usual. They remind me of exercises in storytelling; very good exercises. They are short. They are to the point. And they have a lot to offer to the open-minded reader. This author is a new discovery for me and I'll keep an eye out for any future work of hers that's translated into English or Greek.

84) The Malediction by Jean Giono. To be honest I didn't have an easy time reading this book. I don't know if that had something to do with the translation. Whatever the reason, the fact is that in the end it left a bittersweet taste in my mouth. Bitter for the words that didn't seem to flow as they should; sweet for the story itself. And I still can't decide as to whether I should recommend it to someone or not.

85) Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro. As I've mentioned in an earlier review it's almost impossible for me to give five stars to a short story collection, and I only did it twice all year long. This was the second time. Wow! I said after I finished reading it. Wow! Read it. Full stop.

86) Solitude Creek by Jeffery Deaver. I don't like the Kathryn Dance series of novels as much as the Lincoln Rhymes one, but this here was a really great read. In it Deaver did what he does best, wrong-foot the reader again and again, make him believe one thing while leading him to another. I think this is the best book in the series so far, but Rhymes is Rhymes people.

87) The Other Language by Francesca Marciano. Italians, just like Irish, are natural-born storytellers, and Marciano is a very good one. I really enjoyed following the figments of her imagination from one place to the next, see the world through their eyes, share their feelings. Stories that speak to the soul.

88) You Don't Say by Nate Powell. This is a hybrid collection of comic stories and more. And it is exactly this miscellany of pieces that make it worth reading. Perhaps one would say that some things don't belong in this volume, but in turn I'd say that they are wrong. There is a great concept here that works very well on the page. One could only wish that one day he'd be able to create something like this. Not perfect, but close enough.

89) Flash Gordon Omnibus Volume 1 by Various. I wish I could say that I've enjoyed reading this a lot but I'm afraid that's not the case. I did like it, but at the same time I felt that the art was a bit lacking, that the plots could use a bit of… shining, and so on and so forth. However I'm sure that the fans will enjoy reading it since it offers a lot of material and enough action scenes to satisfy their thirst.

90) Robert Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert Lazaro, EricGignac and Steve Erwin. Most of the times when a work of fiction is "translated" into a comic book things don't quite work out. However they did work out here, as the original myth took new life on the page, with the help of a good script and wonderful artwork. A job well done.

To be continued.

Read also: 1 to 10, 11 to 20, 21 to 30, 31 to 40, 41 to 50, 51 to 60, 61 to 70, 71 to 80

 

My (Previous) Year in Reading: 71 to 80

…in chronological order.

2015 has been a great year when it comes to reading books for me. During it, according to Goodreads, I have gulped down 212 volumes that were not only novels for adults but also volumes that belonged in many other genres: YA, graphic novels, poetry, children's stories, short stories and books in translation. This has also been a year that I stopped writing reviews since I had much else occupying my mind and time, so below I'll give you no more than a few words about the books I have read. I hope some of my choices echo yours and I look forward to an exciting new year of reading.

So here it goes:

 

71) At the Reunion Buffet by Alexander McCall Smith. Reunions tend the be bittersweet events. Whether one likes it or not, not all of them are consumed with sweet nostalgia and new discovery, but also bring to the surface long forgotten feelings, sometimes sad, sometimes angry. The hostess of the reunion party described here is working hard to make things work out for the better, but her task is not an easy one. A lovely novella from a very good writer.

72) Sweet Blood Volume 1 by Kim Seyoung. Real life and fantasy meet in this graphic novel from South Korea. This is the story of a student whose home life is far from perfect. His parents seem to ignore him, so when the opportunity arises he strikes a deal with (kind of) the devil to escape his everyday demons, but… A good story. I am not too excited about the art but the plot is very rewarding.

73) Shadow Show: All-New Stories in Celebration of Ray Bradbury. Well, it's not easy to read this collection without trying to compare the skills of the authors involved. Some of them do great work, others not so, but all in all I'd say that this is one of the books I've really enjoyed diving into during the course of 2015. Some of the biggest names of the fantasy genre can be found in these pages, and their stories are definitely worth reading.

74) Spread Volume 1: No Hope by Justin Jordan and Kyle Strahm. I loved this story. The premise is not something new: a big evil has cast its shadow over the world and only one person is capable of stopping it, and that turns out to be a small boy. The good script and matching art and lots of adventure make this one of the stand out comics of the year.

75) Low Volume 1: The Delirium of Hope by Rick Remender and GregTocchini. Here's yet another post-apocalyptic tale. After a great catastrophe the remaining people have to live in deep ocean waters as the rays of the sun can spell their death. But can someone really call theirs a life? Not really. And that's exactly why they turn to the stars in order to find a new home. A very good graphic novel that leaves many promises for the future.

76) Monster Motors by Brian Lynch and Nick Roche. I didn't expect to like this graphic novel but I really did. For starters it's very funny, and then the action almost never stops. But it also draws inspiration from classic literature which is a big bonus in my eyes. I've always believed that terror plots are mostly funny, and this volume proved me right.

77) Wayward Volume 1: String Theory by Jim Zub, Steven Cummings and JohnRausch. A young woman moves to Japan to live with her mother and all hell breaks loose as she comes to realize that she's anything but normal; she has some powers that she finds hard to comprehend but which she must unleash in order to save herself and the others. A great plot drives the story from start to finish, while beautiful animations bring the heroes to life.

78) Sinergy Volume 1 by Michael Avon Oeming and Taki Soma. This is yet another of those graphic novels that show a lot of potential when it comes to the main idea behind them; a potential that doesn't translate so well on the page. A story about a young girl discovering a new world of monsters and terror in a somewhat funny manner but… I've already said it all.

79) The Adventures of Artemus by Jim Patrick. This is supposed to be a children's book and it is but, well, I believe most adults will enjoy reading it too. Here we have the story of a mouse who works as an art restorer and who offers the reader the opportunity to learn, in a fun and lighthearted way, a thing or two about great art. Highly recommended.

80) A Day of What IFs by Lauren Micchelli. There are way too many what ifs in life. What if I do this or I do that? What if that happened or something different? What if… This children's book explores in a very pleasing manner some of those what ifs while allowing the reader to have some fun on the way. A very creative piece of work.

To be continued.

Read also: 1 to 10, 11 to 20, 21 to 30, 31 to 40, 41 to 50, 51 to 60, 61 to 70

 

My (Previous) Year in Reading: 51 to 60

…in chronological order.

2015 has been a great year when it comes to reading books for me. During it, according to Goodreads, I have gulped down 212 volumes that were not only novels for adults but also volumes that belonged in many other genres: YA, graphic novels, poetry, children's stories, short stories and books in translation. This has also been a year that I stopped writing reviews since I had much else occupying my mind and time, so below I'll give you no more than a few words about the books I have read. I hope some of my choices echo yours and I look forward to an exciting new year of reading. 

So here it goes:

51) Stay! By Alex Latimer. I guess this book proves that the child in me is almost dead. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy reading it, but obviously I didn't like it as much as other people did. Anyway, this is the story of a-kind-of an eccentric dog that belongs  to young Ben, who parts company with him for awhile as the latter goes on a holiday with his parents. Will Ben's grandpa manage to look after Bustard as good as he should?

52) Bonsai by Alejandro Zambra. Zambra is one of the hottest names of Latin American literature at the moment and I can see why. This book that's as small or rather short as a bonsai tells a captivating story that explores some of the most important things, like love and loss, and art and the art of living. I'd recommend to all lovers of literary fiction.

53) Selected Poems by Emily Dickinson. This is a short poetry collection which I've bought and read in London in 1993. It was the first I have read by the poet and since then I have returned to her work time and again. Some of her most beautiful poems can be found in these pages.

54) The Great Zoo and Other Poems by Nicolás Guillén. It's not easy to find this book by the Cuban poet. It is available on AbeBooks but the cheapest copy costs 95$. This volume collects poems spanning more than 30 years of work, that talk about society, work, identity etc. I find myself returning to it every few years. Buy it if you can.

55) The Peculiar State by Patricio Pron. This is the story of a game unlike any other. A story about love and voluntary loss, and about the limits that are there to be broken in order for two people to find their metaphorical home. And it's a story about traveling and loneliness. A great idea and a lovely delivery on the virtual page.

56) Ink by Hari Kunzru. Some dreams come true while others turn into nightmares on the way. But then there are dreams that come out of the blue simply to remind us who we once were and how we are becoming somebody else, a person that perhaps we wouldn't like to see in the mirror anymore. A very compelling short story.

57) The Bigger Bang by Vassilis Gogtzilas. The thing with graphic novels is that sometimes in them I like the prose more than the art or vice versa, so every now and then I'm not quite sure about how to judge them. Well, in this case I didn't face this problem since both the prose and the art could be better, but the concept was quite good, and that's exactly why I awarded it three stars on Goodreads. Perhaps somebody else could turn this into a masterpiece. Perhaps…

58) Woodstock: Master of Disguise by Charles M. Schulz. I guess I could make a lot of people roll their eyes with my selections of reading material, but the truth is I enjoy most of what I read. I've first read this in a galley, as most of the new comic books that I write about, and I found it endearing and funny. The creator is a legend and his work is a living testament to his creative mind. Thumbs up!

59) The Fade Out Volume 1: Act 1 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips andElizabeth Breitweiser. Ed Brubaker in the man. I mean The Man. I love his writing and whenever I see his name on a volume I can't help myself from reading it straight away. I don't think anyone does graphic novel noir as he does, so the only thing that I have to say regarding this tome is, simply: Read it.

60) Let Me Tell You a Story by Jorge Bucay. This reminds me more of a new age therapy session than a novel, but yet I enjoyed reading it a lot. It's the story of a young man who's trying hard to find a way of coping with everyday life, getting to know himself better and earning the valued prize of happiness on the way. Bucay is a literary superstar, and by reading this book someone comes to understand exactly why. Fans of Paulo Coelho should like this one too, since the one author seems to echo the other, as they both borrow freely from other sources.

 

To be continued.

Read also: 1 to 10, 11 to 20, 21 to 30, 31 to 40, 41 to 50