amarisafloria

Cody and Meg were inseparable. Two peas in a pod. Until ... they weren’t anymore.
When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

After reading Gayle Forman's short story in My True Love Gave to Me, I've been itching to read anything and everything else she's written. I have no doubt that I Was Here will bring about one big emotional heartache, but I'd read anything Gayle writes.

I've never been interested in reading graphic novels. With so many books out there to read, I've rarely strayed from the regular ol' text-only book. However, I've recently picked up a few due to the fact that reading something with more than 300 pages is harmful for my college career. Once I get into a good book, NOTHING can hold me back from finishing. And if I have to stay up and study through the night for midterms/finals, I will end up ripping all my hair out and bad things will happen.

So thank you to the authors, illustrators, and publishers who put together graphic novels. My hair and the people who have to deal with me on a daily basis thank you for being short and sweet.

Here are three graphic novels I've been able to finish these past two months:

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Release Date: June 7, 2011
Publisher: First Second
Format: Paperback // 240 pages
Rating: 3 stars

Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.

Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya's normal life might actually be worse. She's embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she's pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend - even a ghost - is just what she needs.

But Anya's new B.F.F. isn't kidding about the "forever" part ...

I LIKED THIS ONE. It's one of those stories where you can pretty much figure out the ending but it's still something you want to continue reading because it's how you get there that makes things interesting. This would be great for someone who likes YA and wants to start reading graphic novels. I don't think it's too intense, but there is still a good amount of conflict.

Would I read anything else by Vera Bristol? YES! I found a short online graphic piece titled "What Were You Raised by Wolves?" so I may take a look soon.

Cat Burglar Black by Richard Sala

Release Date: September 1, 2009
Publisher: First Second
Format: Paperback // 128 pages
Rating: 2 stars

When K. Westree arrives at Bellsong Academy, she thinks she's left her cat-burgling past behind her. But K soon discovers the school has a mystery of its own, a hidden treasure left behind by its founder, and she's the only one who has a hope of finding it. As she resumes her cat-burgling in an attempt to discover the school's secrets, K begins to question if a normal life is really what she wants.

This caught my eye while I was at the library waiting for my next class to start, so I just picked it up and read it right then. I like the illustrations, but I wish there were more details to shape the story. It felt rushed and packed together as if Sala wasn't given enough pages to write on. K, the main character, has SO much "baggage" that could have been developed, but a ton of things were left unsaid.

Would I recommend this? Unfortunately not. However, Delphine (another graphic novel by Sala) looks and sounds interesting, so I may give him another chance.

Locke & Key, Vol. 1 by Joe Hill

Release Date: October 7, 2008
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Format: Paperback // 152 pages
Rating: 5 stars

Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them, and home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will not rest until it forces open the most terrible door of them all!

WOW, I have never read ANYTHING like this before. I love the way this story flows—it's very action-packed, which kept me on my toes and glued to every single page. It's downright creepy but the relationships between the siblings and the need to find out what will happen next kept me hooked.

Will I be continuing this series? YES! Although there was so much gore and TONS of violence, the storyline is too enticing to give up. I will gladly read the next volume, even if it means the possibility of peeing in my pants and giving myself nightmares.