Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Library Loot XXXIII

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries! This week's Library Loot is at Marg's.

I didn't expect to have any library loot this week. Elfland is a long book with tiny print and I haven't even started it yet. But then I got a call from the library that my request to acquire a specific book that I submitted ages ago (maybe five months ago) was honored and it arrived! I was so surprised. Not that I forgot about wanting to read the book, but I had almost given up that my library would ever get it. So I went and picked up the book. You know library books are like eating potato chips. It's so hard to stop at just one, right?


My Soul To Keep by Rachel Vincent
Soul Screamers series, Book 3

Finally, I can read the next book! Which is good because Book 4 is already available! I know I could have bought this one, but when I already downloaded the prequel for free, then borrowed the first two books from the library, I like to stick to the pattern.

Anyway, I can't wait to read this installment in this young adult urban fantasy series featuring banshees and reapers and other kinds of beings who play a role in the state of a soul during that space between life and death. The main character, Kaylee Cavanaugh is an average, normal teen in so many ways that make these stories feel so realistic. When you believe in the truth of the character it's easy to believe in the magic of the myth.

I ventured to a new section in my library on this visit: the graphic novels. Possibly just the young adult graphic novels section... I'm not really sure. I grabbed what interested me in a quick perusal. I read all of them already. What fun. Can't wait to read more, starting with the other graphic novels in the Amulet and Good Neighbors series.

Amulet
Book One: The Stonekeeper
by Kazu Kibuishi

This one grabbed my attention because the artwork reminded me of the anime films by Hayao Miyazaki of whom we are huge fans in my house. I admit I am more emotional than the average reader and easy to cry, but I cannot believe I cried after reading the four page prologue. Of a graphic novel! The story itself isn't sad, but I have to say there's a lot of emotion in this short novel. Looking forward to the reading more in this series.



Kin
Book One: The Good Neighbors
Written by Holly Black
Illustrated by Ted Naifeh

This one grabbed my attention because the story is written by Holly Black who has a great talent for writing dark, teenage urban fantasy novels with a particular affinity for the dark world of faeries. This story didn't disappoint. Again, I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next in this story line.

Jane Eyre The Graphic Novel by Charlotte Bronte
Classic Text version
Adapted by Amy Corzine
Illustrated by John M. Burns and Terry Wiley

I had never before read Jane Eyre nor was I familiar with the story. There, I admitted it. Now that I got that out of the way, reading this classic in graphic novel form was such a great idea. Although the graphic novel is obviously a much abbreviated version of the original novel, all of the text is Bronte's original text {there is also a second graphic novel version that is written in Quicktext that is basically paraphrased from the original text}.  At least now I have a decent understanding of the story and the characters, which makes me happy since I don't know when I'd otherwise read the full length novel.

Now that I've sampled some graphic novels, I can't wait to try more. I'm wondering if my library has adult graphic novels and if they have their own section or are the books simply mixed with all the other fiction. If that's the case, how am I supposed to browse the graphic novels without knowing exactly what I'm looking for? I'll explore that on my next library visit.

How does your library shelve graphic novels? 

What graphic novel stand alone or series do you recommend? 



11 comments:

  1. I recently finished the third GN in The Good Neighbors series. I ended up loving the series, but then again it is Holly Black.

    Like you I have never read Jane Eyre. I tried reading the graphic novel but I thought it was really depressing so I didn't finish it. There is a new Jane Eyre movie coming out, I'm gonna try and catch that.

    If you are an Buffy or Angel fan there are a bunch of GN's out there.

    Also there is...

    Mercy Thompson: Homecoming- Patricia Briggs
    Pulse of Power- Anne Elizabeth

    My library shelves graphic novels and manga in the YA section, but they have their own shelf.

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  2. I enjoyed the Good neighbor series. I hope you do too.
    My library puts the graphic novels in the YA section.
    Enjoy your loot!

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  3. Those seem really good! I hope you like Jane Eyre, I love it, and like the idea of it as a graphic novel. :D

    :D I hope you enjoy your loot

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  4. I really like Rachel Vincent's adult series so I'm planning on reading her YA series at some point soon. Enjoy all of your loot!

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  5. I have had Last Sacrifice on hold at my library for over a month now. Someday soon I hope to get that announcement e-mail informing me a copy is waiting for pick up!

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  6. Graphic novels are primarily in the YA section with a few in the juvenile section.

    I haven't read any but I did see Diana Gabaldon's The Exile in the new books section. It looked like it might be interesting but too many pictures. LOL

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  7. I love the cover art on "My Soul To Keep".

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  8. Thank you all for taking the time to check out my loot and offer graphic-novel suggestions!

    Anna, I am going back to the library hopefully today and will be looking for the 2nd and 3rd books in The Good Neighbors series. And hopefully the next two books in the Amulet series as well.

    Jane Eyre is rather depressing, isn't it? I found the language pretty challenging, too. I was glad the version I read had pictures to help me figure out what was going on. LOL!

    I have never watched Buffy or Angel, either! Of course I would LOVE to check out the Mercy Thompson GN. I don't think my library as it, but it would be worth searching out at a neighboring library.

    Linda, it seems like shelving graphic novels in the YA section on it's own shelf is standard for most libraries.

    Alex, I read the Jane Eyre graphic novel. I enjoyed it, but am mostly glad that I at least have a good understanding of the plot. Obviously with less depth, but still.. I'm no longer ignorant. ;)

    samantha, I think you'd really enjoy Vincent's Soul Screamers series. It's very good!

    Julie, that's the latest Vampire Academy book by Richelle Mead, right? That series is still going strong. I can't believe I haven't read it! I hope you get that call from your library asap!!

    Leslie, too many pictures? LOL! That's part of the fun! ;)

    aserialreader, it is a beautiful cover, isn't it? All of the covers for this series are similar all very pretty.

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  9. I haven't read any of these, but the last graphic novel I read was a Mercy Thompason graphic novel! It was good!

    OOPS! No it wasn't. I read *drumroll* Black Wade!

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  10. Jane Erye is also on my TBR pile but I downloaded it off Amazon for free. Of course the library is free as well and it's fun to read books instead of the electronic versions sometimes! :-)

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  11. The Amulet series is pretty popular at the library I work at. I should check it out and see what the fuss is about!!

    :)
    Happy weekend to you, my dear!

    Michelle

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