Manga Classics: The Count of Monte Cristo Review

 

A Conspiracy and a miscarriage of justice turn the gentle Edmond Dantès into an implacable agent of fate: The Count of Monte Cristo . Obsessed by vengeance and empowered by providence, the Count avenges himself on whose who have wronged him - but is this justice, or is this hubris? In the end, does even the Count know?

Alexandre Dumas' skillful narrative combines intrigue, betrayal, and triumphant revenge into a powerful conflict between good and evil. Now this exciting saga, rich and diverse, takes on an entirely new life in this Manga Classics adaptation!

https://www.goodreads.com/series/233923-manga-classics

On the very day of his wedding to the beautiful Mercedes, a young merchant sailor named Edmond Dantès is falsely imprisoned for life, laying to waste his plans of marriage and hard-earned fortune. Following several long years in prison he has managed to escape and reinvent himself as the mysterious Count of Monte Christo. It is the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Count has been plotting his revenge on the three men who had him falsely imprisoned. With a new identity, an incredible education abroad and a vast fortune, has returned completely unrecognizable to those who had committed their crimes against him.

https://www.mangaclassics.com/the-count-of-monte-cristo

Advance Praise

The Count of Monte Cristo is yet another fantastic adaptation for Manga Classics.  The manga format brings excitement to this timeless classic and a new level of context for the next generation readers.   Manga Classics continue to garner praise from across the spectrum from teachers, librarians, and trade publications such as Publishers Weekly, VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates), and School Library Journal.

Manga Classics: The Count of Monte Cristo by Stacy King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am impressed with this. I love the original book, but it is very long. The story adaptors and artists did a great job of translating the original into a manga and still telling its story. They even included portions at the end explaining some changes and information about real locations within the story and the characters. I loved the artwork and the whole idea of making a classic into a manga. This was an enjoyable experience for me.

***copy given in exchange for an honest review***

FGMAMTC 

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

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Lady Mechanika La Dama de la Muerte by Joe Benitez Review

After suffering a tragic loss, Lady Mechanika takes a trip to a small Mexican village just in time for their DIa de los Muertoscelebration. But the festivities turn truly deadly after the arrival of the Jinetes del Infierno, the mythical Hell Riders. Collects the complete Lady Mechanika Day of the Dead special, La Dama de la Muerte.

http://www.joebenitez.com/?page_id=99

https://www.facebook.com/JoeBenitezArtist

https://twitter.com/ELJoeBenitez

Review

Lady Mechanika La Dama de la Muerte Tp by Joe Benítez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The artwork in this comic is amazing. The amount of detail on the cover is what drew my attention, and the inside is even better. Every scene could be featured as wall art. This is the first comic I've read featuring Lady Mechanika. I didn't feel lost, but there was a touch of mention from a previous installment. It made me want to read the others out of interest, not because I was confused with this storyline. The female lead is a sort of vigilante hero after a group of villains torturing citizens. It has a bit of a dark vibe and less of a superhero feel than some comics. I liked it and plan to check out more of the series.

***copy given in exchange for an honest review***

FGMAMTC 

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

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The Hockey Saint by Howard Shapiro Review

The highly anticipated sequel to "The Stereoypical Freaks" and the 2nd book in the "Forever Friends" Trilogy, this is "The Hockey Saint"

Twenty-one year old Jeremiah Jacobson is the world's best hockey player, but he wasn't prepared for the frenzy and scrutiny that came with that title. Tom Leonard is an average college sophomore... just a guy trying to find his place in the world as he sorts through issues that are both very real and seemingly insurmountable. 

Through a chance meeting, these two strike up an unlikely friendship. Their bond is tested when Tom discovers that his idol isn't as perfect up close as he seems from afar. With Jeremiah living a little too much in the moment and with his past catching up to him, will Tom be able to help him before it's too late?

http://www.animalmediagroup.com/shop/the-hockey-saint/

https://www.goodreads.com/series/137098-forever-friends-trilogy

Review

The Hockey Saint by Howard Shapiro


This is perfect for young adults. The Hockey Saint is relatable and covers real life issues. It also has a friendship between a hockey sports star and an average kid, the everyday and something that would be a fantasy for many. The artwork is great, and the message a good one.

***copy given in exchange for an honest review***

FGMAMTC 

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

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Grave Surprise Graphic Novel by Charlaine Harris, Royal McGraw & Ilias Kyriazis Review

The official graphic novel adaptation of Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris, the author of The Southern Vampire Mysteries! 

Harper Connelly, a psychic capable of finding dead people and reading their last thoughts, discovers a grave in Memphis with two bodies: a man centuries dead, and a girl recently deceased. How the two bodies ended up together would be perplexing enough... but the sudden appearance of a third body the next morning makes this a mystery that perhaps even Connelly can't solve!

The official graphic novel adaptation of Grave Surprise, the second book in the Harper Connelly series by Charlaine Harris (author of The Southern Vampire Mysteries)! Co-written by Harris herself, alongside Royal McGraw (Grumpy Cat), Grave Surprisefeatures art by Ilias Kyriazis (Dirk Gently, Galaxy Quest, Ghostbusters) in a beautiful hardcover format.

Harper Connelly, a psychic capable of finding dead people and reading their last thoughts, discovers a grave in Memphis with two bodies: a man centuries dead, and a girl recently deceased. How the two bodies ended up together would be perplexing enough... but the sudden appearance of a third body the next morning makes this a mystery that perhaps even Connelly can't solve!

"This beautifully rendered adaptation of my book Grave Surprise is simply great entertainment," says author Charlaine Harris. "I hope that graphic novel fans will enjoy my story reinterpreted in this visually striking book."

"Working with Charlaine Harris these past few years on adapting her Harper Connelly series has produced some of our best graphic novels to date," says Dynamite CEO and Publisher, Nick Barrucci. "We are thrilled to again pair such an incredible author with some of the comic industry's top talent to adapt the second book in the series this December!"

Charlaine Harris is a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing for over thirty years. In October 2005, the first of Harris's new mystery series about a young woman named Harper Connelly debuted with the release of Grave Sight. So far, the series has produced four novels. In addition to the Harper Connelly series, Harris may be best known for The Southern Vampire Mysteries, the novel series adapted into the HBO television series True Blood.

Royal McGraw wrote the 2016 Free Comic Book Day issue of Grumpy Cat for Dynamite Entertainment, and writes the original series Missing: A Kim Willows Mystery on Comixology. Artist Ilias Kyriazis has worked on multiple series for IDW, and previously worked with Dynamite Entertainment on a story in the 2012 Vampirella Annual.

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C1524102288

http://charlaineharris.com/?cat=10

REVIEW

Charlaine Harris' Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven't read the Harper Connelly series yet, but I'm very fond of the Midnight Texas and Sookie Stackhouse series. Also, I enjoy graphic novels so I was eager to check this out.

A few lines of backstory is given in the beginning explaining how Harper came to have her abilities and who her business partner is so I didn't feel lost having not read any of the books that came before this one. Flashbacks of her childhood also pop up occasionally.

The murder mystery of the series is really good. I solved it before the end, but I wasn't positive enough not to be a surprised by how things went. I really liked the lead characters, and the storyline kept my attention. The artist drew the cast realistically and each person was unique to themselves. It isn't a scary plot, but supernatural things and the suspense of what could happen do give it a eerie feel.

I will definitely be reading more of Harper and Tolliver.

***copy given in exchange for an honest review***

FGMAMTC 

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

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