Ed Gemmell journeying to Australia in the name of love is exactly the story-line I want to be reading at 5am on a Saturday morning! I enjoyed all of tEd Gemmell journeying to Australia in the name of love is exactly the story-line I want to be reading at 5am on a Saturday morning! I enjoyed all of the sweetness and hilarity that featured throughout, but I especially enjoyed the conclusion. Ed had little in common with his new girlfriend's family and wasn't anything like the super sports star she was, either. He had his own chance to shine pages before the end, though....more
This single issue follows the Giant Days girls on a late December trip to London. I enjoyed the witty banter, like I do in every volume and issue of tThis single issue follows the Giant Days girls on a late December trip to London. I enjoyed the witty banter, like I do in every volume and issue of this series, and appreciated seeing the trio outside of their usual setting, in Sheffield University. Much of the focus remained on Esther's friend, who does not appear in the series before this, and I thought the ending a little bizarre, however....more
More Ed Gemmell, please and thank you! This series continues to impress me. It would be very easy to find the events highly repetitive, as each volumeMore Ed Gemmell, please and thank you! This series continues to impress me. It would be very easy to find the events highly repetitive, as each volume focuses on a handful of months whilst the characters are at Sheffield University. This continues to feel fresh, fun, and fabulous throughout every volume, however....more
I come to this graphic novel series for the fun vibes and witty banter between the trio it focuses on. It was a pleasant surprise to find a focus on tI come to this graphic novel series for the fun vibes and witty banter between the trio it focuses on. It was a pleasant surprise to find a focus on the nature of acceptance featured here, which added some well-needed depth to all that occurred....more
Year two of the trio's second year at university has come to an end and they are already growing into the incredible and independent women they will sYear two of the trio's second year at university has come to an end and they are already growing into the incredible and independent women they will soon become. I really loved seeing the evolution of their characters, over the issues collected here, as well as more of a focus on my favourite side character, Ed Gemmell....more
This entire series manages to blend real-world issues with hilarity and heart. This volume was no different but concluded in a less dramatic and more This entire series manages to blend real-world issues with hilarity and heart. This volume was no different but concluded in a less dramatic and more poignant way, that the previous seven. The trio are growing and maybe, too, they are also growing apart?...more
This volume centred around the trio's Christmas break and snowy January school return. I loved that it provided a further exploration of their familieThis volume centred around the trio's Christmas break and snowy January school return. I loved that it provided a further exploration of their families and lives outside of university, which meant that the cast of characters was widened leaving more scope for the further directions this series could take....more
Six volumes in and I still thoroughly enjoying hanging our with Esther, Susan, and Daisy. This is one of the funnier instalments, which features, justSix volumes in and I still thoroughly enjoying hanging our with Esther, Susan, and Daisy. This is one of the funnier instalments, which features, just like the previous five, the trio throwing themselves into into any mystery that looks their way, going on as many madcap adventures as they can fit in around their studies, and getting up to as much mischief as humanly possible. Through it all, however, we see them learning, growing, and increasingly coming into their own....more
Ryland Grace does not know he is Ryland Grace. He awakens in a room with only a robotic voice and a number of corpses for company. He does not know whRyland Grace does not know he is Ryland Grace. He awakens in a room with only a robotic voice and a number of corpses for company. He does not know where he is, who he is, or how his current situation came about. As he regains his strength and attempts to piece together the puzzles of his predicament he realises he does know something - he knows a lot about the tech that litters his new setting and that leads him to believe he is a scientist of sorts. The next big revelation is that he is not one still situated on Earth and is, in fact, hurtling through space and light years away from any other form of life. Or is he?
Let me just say it now: Ryland Grace is the new Mark Watney and I am here for it! These two share the same unbeatable spirit, snarky sarcasm, and big science brains, and yet they still felt like two distinct characters. As Ryland explored his surroundings and began to fill in the details of his life, his personality and background were simultaneously revealed to the reader, in the form of extended flashback scenes centred on Earth. This meant that both Ryland and the reader were delivered a picture of who he was and what was occurring at the exact same time. It really helped me to bond with what was already an immediately likable character.
I won't say anything about the other individual who featured in this novel, for fear of spoilers. But my whole heart was left there and their interactions became my favourite aspect to read about. I had tear of sorrow as often as I had tears of joy, due to how much I felt for them both and their situations, and this book has cemented Weir as a favourite author of mine....more
Our three fledgling university students are growing up, attending music festivals together, renting their first home, and completing their first yearsOur three fledgling university students are growing up, attending music festivals together, renting their first home, and completing their first years of higher education. I have enjoyed every volume but found the previous one my least favourite, as the issues combined seemed to cover disparate topics. I was pleased to find this a far more cohesive read, and just as drama-filled....more
I'm such a fan of this university-themed graphic novel series. The three amigos it centres around are such unique characters and their endless drama-fI'm such a fan of this university-themed graphic novel series. The three amigos it centres around are such unique characters and their endless drama-filled antics make for hilarious and endlessly engaging reading. This wasn't my favourite of the series, as I found the issues this contained jumped topics, but made for a fun hour of reading, nonetheless....more
Here for all of the gallows humour! Whilst I still appreciated the tone of this little graphic novel, I found the wit a little punchier in the first vHere for all of the gallows humour! Whilst I still appreciated the tone of this little graphic novel, I found the wit a little punchier in the first volume. Still a delightfully dark read, however....more
"They took a baseball bat and whacked open his head. Mummy Boy fell to the ground; he finally was dead. Inside of his head were no candy or prizes, just a f"They took a baseball bat and whacked open his head. Mummy Boy fell to the ground; he finally was dead. Inside of his head were no candy or prizes, just a few stray beetles of various sizes."
The poems collected here were all a combination of bizarre and distressing, bewitching and hilarious, in the way that only Tim Burton can do. Each was formed of a few, simple lines and accompanied with small illustrations that matched the overall horrifying yet adorable tone of the collection.
This, by no means, contained any poetic masterpieces. In fact, some did not work at all, with the odd clunky rhyme or lengthy line that ruined the poem's flow. This stopped me from giving this collection the full five stars that most of the poems deserved. They do not deserve them for their genius but for their morbidity and weirdness. The black humour made me giggle and the Gothic contents appealed to me greatly. In short, this collection delivered everything I wanted it to....more
I'm unsure where my lack of love for this title stemmed from. Please tell me I'm not the only one who used to spend their bath-time making 'potions' bI'm unsure where my lack of love for this title stemmed from. Please tell me I'm not the only one who used to spend their bath-time making 'potions' by mixing all the shampoos and bubble bath within reach into a jug?? That is basically what George does, in this story, only with more severe consequences.
George was a book I was familiar with, but never a childhood favourite of mine. I can recall repeated readings of this book, but I believe this was more due to my adoration for the author rather than the story, itself. Rereading it as an adult, and without the whole-hearted nostalgia that other of his titles had produced, made me a little more critical of the story. I am not in the age range to fully appreciate the story but can still do so for the appeal it would have held to others. I can also still look back on it fondly, if not with the blind love that other titles have produced....more
Updated Thoughts: Returning to one of my childhood favourites for the second year running, as an adult. Little did I know that I was craving a comfort Updated Thoughts: Returning to one of my childhood favourites for the second year running, as an adult. Little did I know that I was craving a comfort read in 2019 but would need a horde of them, by 2020!
I spent a pleasant evening immersed in adorable graphic novels and found myself unwilling to return to any of my other current reads, but still in the mood to devour something else heart-warming in nature. Enter: Children's fiction. My eternal saviour for every sort of bad mood and slight reading slump.
Dahl can never do wrong, in my opinion, but this story, with all the trickery and tactics from Mr. Fox, made this a much reread volume, for my younger self, and it seems like nothing has changed over a decade later.
Initial Thought: Still reminiscing my childhood in 2019 and not regretting a thing....more
This was a sweet little tale involving Giles the farmer, Chrysophylax the dragon, and Garm the dog (who was the star of the show for me).
When a giant This was a sweet little tale involving Giles the farmer, Chrysophylax the dragon, and Garm the dog (who was the star of the show for me).
When a giant entered the village of Ham, Farmer Giles somewhat accidentally was responsible for his leaving. He returned from the lands he came from and spoke fondly of the abundant foods and lack of knights he had witnessed there, prompting the dragons to become interested in this human realm. As Giles was heralded as Ham's saviour once before he is tasked with doing so again, but this new foe is far deadlier and far more intelligent.
This was full of the wry humour I have grown to love from Tolkien. This often had me smirking and giggling and I enjoyed my time with this story immensely. It was also one full of bravery and heart, again like the best of Tolkien's stories also are, and proved a joy to read on many levels.
The only unlikable aspect for me was how Giles and the other village inhabitants treated poor Garm the dog. He was often beaten or abused for speaking his truths, warning the village of impending danger, and for grieving over the loss of those he loved. He only ever showed loyalty in return for his harsh treatment and I thought a small moment of appreciation for his character would have appeared at the story's close. It did not. I feel this would have benefitted greatly from including an apology to Garm and realisation of past wrongs from at least Giles. This inclusion would be especially beneficial to the young readers this is targeted towards....more
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