50:100 Saga Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

Landfall and it's moon, Wreath, have been at war for longer than anyone can remember. Their war has spread across the galaxy and is being fought on many planets at the point when Hazel is born to Marko, a criminal from Wreath, and Alana, a guard from Landfall.  Word has reached many of Hazel's birth and those that want the war to continue want her parents dead and Hazel brought to them.  They have called in mercenaries and all the troops but Alana and Marko will do everything in their power to protect their child.  This is how things started...

My son read this in his college class "Comics as Literature" and went nuts for the series and insisted I read it.  It's taken me some time as I tend to be really picky about my comics because I want it to be pretty (or at least not super ugly) but this one while it has some scenes that make me cringe is nicely put together with an engaging cast of characters (seriously love the babysitter!) and an interesting plot.  I'll definitely keep reading.

Page count: 160p/8,679p ytd/300,696p lifetime

49:100 The Undomesticated Strain by Stefon Mears

Jerry's father made sure he knew about the outdoors and while his preferred thing is fishing, he can always stand to make a little money on the side by taking people on hikes in the woods.  This time, it's three scientists and the money will help him make his 12yr old's birthday special.  What he doesn't realize until they are underway is that these scientists don't just want to hike, they want to try and find Bigfoot.  Jerry thinks it's a waste of time but they are paying so whatever.  At night they talk about their goofy theories and during the day they hike and hike, finding nothing and Jerry will be happy when they are finally on the way home.

An interesting theory on the evolution of the Bigfoot mythos. 



Page count: 24p/8,519p ytd/300,536p lifetime

48:100 Forty Years Among the Elves by Stefon Mears

Lex Frisk isn't paying attention to much of anything around him when he wanders towards the sounds of music and laughter at the truck stop.  He's been on the road for 30 hours after a nasty breakup and is road weary and heart sore. The group that waits for him is lively and interesting and merry and all the things that could soothe him right now...if they were human. He has heard enough tales to know that they are faerie and he must be careful if he wants to remain free.

A fairly typical but fun faerie tale.


Page count: 24p/8,495p ytd/300,512p lfietime

47:100 Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher

Slate is a forger and has been given the choice between death and going on a suicide mission. Since a suicide mission has at least a slim chance at survival, she choose that.  Her assassin friend was given the same choice and also went for the suicide mission.  Now she is looking for one more person to round out their party and she has her pick of the prisoners. As luck would have it, she has just a wee bit of magic, a strong rosemary perfume that tells her when fate is trying to knock on her door and this time, it runs her straight into a formerly possessed former paladin who murdered several priests and nuns of his god.

Fate has a sick sense of humor.

Once they are joined by their scholar who is looking for a book that may contain information about the Clockwork Boys that the neighboring state is using to war upon them, they can start their journey.  Their quest, to discover how the Clockwork Boys are made and if possible, disrupt the process or bring back information on how to destroy them while there is still a kingdom to save.  Several other parties have been sent out but none have been heard from, let alone returned.  Slate and her small band may be the last hope there is.

Definitely darker and less whimsical than the last book of her's that I read and also a bit slow paced but still enjoyable.  The characters were fairly strong and complex although a little less of the fatalistic monologue would have been nice.  I think this is just a duology in which case I have the next book waiting for me to find some time.


Page count: 230p/8,471p ytd/300,488p lifetime

46:100 Venom in the Veins by Jennifer Estep

Someone seems to be targeting Stuart Mosely, president of the First Trust Bank, for a world of hurt and since no one messes with Gin's friends, she is trying to figure out what it's about.  While Stuart has been around for a long time, he generally doesn't have much in the way of enemies so of course Gin suspects that it has something to do with the Circle and her own past. 

Of course she's right and it's the daughter of someone she killed previously who doesn't feel like Stuart treated her well enough after her mother's death.  Basic petty reason, no real plot movement in the whole Circle thing other than a name.  While I like the world, I'm starting to get really bored with just how predictable and boring the plots have become. 



Page count: 342p/8,241p ytd/300,258p lifetime

45:100 The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

In a world where time travel is commonplace and cloning brings you the family dodo rather than the family dog, Thursday Next is a Special Operative in the Literary Detection. She helps make sure that literature that is sold is the real deal and not a forgery and helps to protect the original manuscripts of famous pieces since a change to the original will change all other copies all over the world. Now her uncle has discovered a way for people to travel inside of manuscripts and a particularly nasty sort of villain is threatening to steal Jane Eyre right out of the Bronte manuscript and destroy that story forever.  Detective Thursday must find a way to stop him and put things to rights before all famous literature is at risk.

Seriously, a world where reading is such a big deal sounds like my kind of place!  Seriously, it was interesting premise for world building with only a bit of time traveling paradox thrown in.  Characters were good but a little simplistic and character interactions were fairly predictable.  On the whole though, a wonderful light and fun bit of summer reading.



Page count: 385p/7,895p ytd/299,916p lifetime

44:100 Harvest by Seanan McGuire

It was the night of the Harvest Ball, when the newly chosen Seelie Harvest King will choose the Harvest Queen.  London is the favorite to win the kiss and become the Queen for the next hundred years.  Sales is her half-sister and Unseelie to London's Seelie heritage and is under no illusions as to what will happen at this Ball if things go along the path they seem to be heading. London has everything it takes to be be chosen and if she is, Salem is almost certainly to be tithed and never seen again.

She might as well try to enjoy her last night if that's the case. Her best friend, Blip, has decked her all out and Salem is lovely although she still can't compare to London but at least one of the Seelie men does notice her and on this night of all nights, she will get to dance.

A lovely little fairy tale.



Page count: 30p/7,510p ytd/299,531p lifetime

43:100 The Maiden Poodle by S.G. Browne

Felina had been at peace for many years with dogs and cats living and working together side by side but when the Queen died, her son stole the throne, proclaimed himself King Griffen, and started forcing the peasant dogs to work in even crappier conditions for dirty water and stale bread. Of course, a revolution was going to start but King Griffen has imprisoned any that dares to speak against him including Camille, a black poodle from a far away land who has powers of the mind not seen in Felina.

Now only a small band of rebels remain to try and stop the tyranny but they will need help from others, along with some magic and a dose of luck, if they are to succeed before Camille and the King's sister who was caught trying to help Camille escape before they are put to death.

A sweet children's tale of dogs and cats living together, without it being mass hysteria.  It's definitely a bit of a departure from Mr. Browne's usual work but it was nice to be able to share this author with my younger kids who also really enjoyed it.

Page count: 104p/7,480p ytd/299,501p ytd

42:100 Dr. Eleventh originated by Roger Hargreaves written and illustrated by Adam Hargreaves

I can't remember if I had the Mr. Men/Little Miss books when I was little but I definitely remember reading them to my younger brothers when they were little and really enjoying them.  I was very happy when I was able to find them to read to my children.  Imagine my absolute delight when I found this mash-up of them with Doctor Who!  (Seriously, anyone who knows me knows my love of Doctor Who)  I admit to not being as familiar with the older generation of Doctors as I am with the new series (starting with 9) but I have seen a bit of them as I was growing up and as my kids have been enjoying them as well as the newer stuff.

For Dr. Eleventh, it fell flat for me.  I was really looking forward to it as it was him with River Song, one of my favorite companions of all time, and it just didn't work the way it should have.  Her character's voice was just wrong and it threw the whole story off for me.


Page count: 32p/7,376p ytd/299,397p lifetime

41:100 Dr. Fourth originated by Roger Hargreaves, written and illustrated by Adam Hargreaves

I can't remember if I had the Mr. Men/Little Miss books when I was little but I definitely remember reading them to my younger brothers when they were little and really enjoying them.  I was very happy when I was able to find them to read to my children.  Imagine my absolute delight when I found this mash-up of them with Doctor Who!  (Seriously, anyone who knows me knows my love of Doctor Who)  I admit to not being as familiar with the older generation of Doctors as I am with the new series (starting with 9) but I have seen a bit of them as I was growing up and as my kids have been enjoying them as well as the newer stuff.

For Dr. Fourth, it was a fun romp with him and Sarah Jane and I could absolutely hear their voices in my head as I read.


Page count: 32p/7,344p ytd/299,365p lifetime

40:100 Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates is a writer for the "The Atlantic". He is also a black man who was born, grown up, and now fathered a black son here in America.  He has studied, he has read, he has lived this reality and he is able to put into powerful words what it means to be black in America, now and throughout history.  Looking at how little the black life has been valued throughout our Nation's history, how little it is still valued. How the black body does not truly belong to the person who inhabits it as that person must always be mindful of how others would take it from them.  That is a point that he comes back to throughout this work since from the time the African people were brought here to be slaves for the whites to today when the police can murder a black man with no cause and no consequences, this has been too true.  Mr. Coates examines the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and others and shows how this is the result of centuries of oppression and devaluing of black lives.  He is thoughtful, insightful, and passionate in his writing.  As a white woman, there are many of his experiences that I have not lived through and admit that I cannot fully comprehend but I am trying to learn, to understand at least a little in how things work in our current environment and how to try and not be part of the problem so that with more understanding I can try and be part of the solution of true equality for all.  We are so far from that and for so long I was too blind to see that.  Thank you Mr. Coates for your writing and your teaching, for helping to open my eyes.



Page count: 152p/7,312p ytd/299,333p lifetime

39:100 The Fennigsan's Challenge by Stefon Mears

When you are a noble's fourth son, your life seems to be pretty superfluous. You aren't in line to inherit, you aren't promised to the gods, you aren't even the back-up any more.  Lloxup is tired of feeling this way and this latest failure has just reminded him, yet again, of how much he doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

That's when he sees what he is sure is the first sign of the path leading to the Fennigsan, the Dark Witch of the Woods, who will grant your wish if you can beat the challenge she sets you.  Not that he knows of anyone who has done so, and those that fail don't come back to tell tales, but he also figures at this point he has nothing to lose.

Let the Challenge begin!

A fun take on a standard trope.



Page count: 25p/7,160p ytd/299,181p lifetime

38:100 Dr. First (originated by Roger Hargreaves) by Adam Hargreaves

I can't remember if I had the Mr. Men/Little Miss books when I was little but I definitely remember reading them to my younger brothers when they were little and really enjoying them.  I was very happy when I was able to find them to read to my children.  Imagine my absolute delight when I found this mash-up of them with Doctor Who!  (Seriously, anyone who knows me knows my love of Doctor Who)  I admit to not being as familiar with the older generation of Doctors as I am with the new series (starting with 9) but I have seen a bit of them as I was growing up and as my kids have been enjoying them as well as the newer stuff.

For Dr. First, I remember this Doctor as being a gruff curmudgeon and this book delightfully captured that in true Mr. Men style. 


Page count: 32p/7,135p ytd/299,156p lifetime

37:100 Velveteen vs. the Junior Super-Patriots by Seanan McGuire

Velma spent a good part of her "childhood" as Velveteen, a member of the Junior Super Patriots West-Coast division, a super hero who could bring stuffed animals and toys to life to do her will.  Her every move, piece of clothing, and word coming from her mouth were scripted by the Marketing Division. 

Until she turned 18 and she quit.

Now she is trying to find a way to make ends meet without using her super powers while evading the attempts of the Super Patriots to bring her back into the fold.  Marketing simply does not give up one of their stars.  Her best bet is to get out of California and into Oregon who is not bound by the rules of the Super Patriots, West Coast division.  She knows that getting there won't be easy but she didn't realize just how dirty Marketing was willing to play.

This story is what you get when the superhero just wants to be left alone, to have a "normal" life, and not be part of any team.  This is the less glamorous side of the superhero story.  This is brilliant.


Page count: 200p/7,103p ytd/299,124p lifetime