MINI REVIEWS: Check, Please! Vol. 1; The Halloween Tree; Evenfall; Super Chill

The last mini review post went over well, so I decided to start making this an occasional thing! This week’s mini review round-up includes two graphic novels, one MG horror novella, and one YA fantasy novel.

Some the reviews below are the shortened version of my review, but the “goodreads” link buttons will take you to the full review. Enjoy!

TITLE: Check, Please! Vol. 1
AUTHOR: Ngozi Ukazu
RELEASED: September 18th, 2018; First Second
GENRE: Contemporary
AGE RANGE: New Adult

SYNOPSIS:
A collection of the first half of the megapopular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.

TITLE: The Halloween Tree
AUTHOR: Ray Bradbury
RELEASED: January 1st, 1972; Yearling
GENRE: Horror
AGE RANGE: MG

SYNOPSIS:
Eight costumed boys running to meet their friend Pipkin at the haunted house outside town encounter instead the huge and cadaverous Mr. Moundshroud. As Pipkin scrambles to join them, he is swept away by a dark Something, and Moundshroud leads the boys on the tail of a kite through time and space to search the past for their friend and the meaning of Halloween.

I’d never read anything by Rad Bradbury before—I just never felt any pressing, urgent need to—but when some of my friends decided to host a readalong on Halloween, and I saw that the book was only a few dollars online, I figured now was a great opportunity to try Bradbury’s work out! Sadly, I was super unimpressed and ended up skimming the second half of it because I was so bored. The writing feels very dated, which obviously isn’t a bad thing for its time, but it wasn’t tremendously enjoyable to read in modern times. More than that, though, the writing style itself felt like it was trying too hard to be “weird” and the whole thing was super disinteresting.

TITLE: Evenfall
AUTHOR: Gaja J. Kos & Boris Kos
RELEASED: October 30th, 2018
GENRE: Fantasy
AGE RANGE: YA

SYNOPSIS:
As if waking up in an unfamiliar world isn’t enough of a surprise, Ember gains a new title to her name. Savior.
Hunted by the Crescent Prince and his lethal shadows, she accepts a young Mage’s help to navigate the land of blood magic and its many illusions. But where Ada sees the good in her power, Ember discovers something else.
An icy darkness, designed to take lives, not save them.

Thank you so much to the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

TITLE: Super Chill
AUTHOR: Adam Ellis
RELEASED: October 23rd, 2018; Andrews McMeel
GENRE: Nonfiction/Humor
AGE RANGE: Adult

SYNOPSIS:
Adam’s comics deal with weightier topics like seasonal affective disorder and struggles with self-esteem, while also touching on the silly and absurd—like his brief, but intense obsession with crystals. With a bright, positive outlook and a sense of humor, Super Chill tells a story that is both highly relatable and intensely personal.

Adam Ellis is one of my favorite webcomic artists of all time, and Super Chill is a delightful collection of his comics that I think most anxiety-ridden millennials can relate to from start to finish. Or… maybe it’s just me who also finds themselves succumbing to crystal collecting obsessions and feeling the pressing need to call my mom and ask her to schedule my appointments despite my being a grown woman?

Anyways… This is adorable, and hilarious, and I love Adam Ellis. That is all.

Thank you so much to Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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