11. Nightmares and Fairy Tales #2: Beautiful Beasts - Serena Valentino (Completed 6/18/10) - Again, another great graphic novel told from the eyes of a tragic character: a ragdoll named Annabelle who watches her little girls grow up - sometimes with horrible consequences.
12. Looking for Alaska - John Green (Completed 6/18/10) - AMAZING young adult novel. What begins as a YA utopia quickly falls into a heartbreaking story. Highly recommended for book clubs.
13. Nightmares and Fairy Tales #3: 1140 Rue Royale - Serena Valentino (Completed 6/21/10)
14. Nightmares and Fairy Tales #4: Dancing with the Ghosts of Whales - Serena Valentino (Completed 6/22/10) - Annabelle's story comes to an end with this volume. I miss her.
15. American Nerd - Benjamin Nugent (Completed 6/27/10) - This book was praised as an ethnographic work of art. Honey, I know ethnography and this was not it. But it does provide an interesting look into the words "nerd," "geek," and "dweeb." Once you read it, you know which one to claim for your own (I'm going with "geek.")
16. Chew, Volume 2: International Flavor - John Layman (Completed 6/29/10) - Do me a favor (actually, you're doing yourself a favor) and go buy this volume and volume one. Then read it and thank your lucky stars that such talented graphic novelists exist in this world (besides Adam Wilson, of course).
17. Ruby - Francesca Lia Block (Completed 7/11/10) - My intense, undying love for Francesca Lia Block began in high school. It continues into my adulthood as I read this novel on a train to London. This is a story of forgiveness, humiliation, resilience, and love. Oh yeah, and it's all written down by one of the greatest contemporary writers in America. Enough said.
18. The Magicians - Lev Grossman (Completed 7/12/10) - I hate to say this about any book, but I did not enjoy this novel. I read this one in Cornwall, thinking it would be a good idea because it takes place in Cornwall. Yeah, for two seconds. But that wasn't the problem. The problems were main characters that I despised, a disorganized story about magic, and the annoying references to Harry Potter and Narnia. I know that imitation is the greatest form of flattery...but don't hate on the ones that made history before you. Make it your own! One good thing to come out of this book - it inspired me to ask for a Nook for my birthday so I wouldn't waste $25 on a novel ever again. I'm sorry, Magicians. If it helps, I did read all of it before coming to this decision.
19. To Die For: the True Story of a Broken Childhood - Carol Lee (Completed 7/14/10) - I read this while I waited for a sleeping toddler (not mine, but a dear friend's)to wake up from his nap. It had been on the bookshelf in the Cornish cottage and Bed and Breakfast I had stayed in. A story about an aunt's desperate attempt to "cure" her niece of anorexia left me in tears. I've never heard of this woman, but that Cornish bookshelf and I were lucky to have her.
20. It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken: a picture-novella - Seth (Completed 7/29/10) - There is only one emo Seth in my life (and he lives in Orange County with his parents Sandy and Kirsten), and it was not this author. The artwork in this graphic novel is well-done. But the attempt at the Bildungsroman brings an insincere note to the work. If you want honesty, don't talk down to your readers. We don't like it. My boyfriend enjoyed this book, so I hated to tell him I didn't like it. But like T.J. Hooker, I must say what's on my mind (and if you don't get that reference, shame on all of you), and if he is reading this: I tried, but I still do not like this book.
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