The Squidder (Ben Templesmith)

Synopsis:  
This all-new story finds an old soldier from a forgotten war in a post-apocalyptic world that has left him behind.
He was one of the last of the legendary Squidder Legions. Can a discarded relic with a death wish and a rebellious Squid priestess overthrow humanity’s tentacled alien overlords?
Ben Templesmith returns to his roots to finally do the tentacle/Cthulhu-orientated book he's always promised! The Squidder mixes action, horror, science fiction, and fantasy elements with a touch of Squidly destruction.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review. 
I had never, in my life, thought I would be reading something like this. Yet, here we are.
This was nothing like I could have ever imagined, but everything I was in the mood for at the time that I read it.
First of all, I can't even begin to fathom the amount of imagination that went into building something like this. I'm not going to lie, this honestly makes me question *someone's* mental health... but in a good way.
The plot was genius, horrific, extremely violent, disturbing and... unnatural, to say the least, although also a little confusing at times (hence the 4 stars instead of 5).The characters were so badass, strong and memorable, and their backstories showed that even a grotesque post-apocalyptic story about squids, such as this one, can make us feel real things, other than dread and repulsion. It ended up being an extremely emotionally driven plot and that really took 'The Squidder' to the next level. Guys, it's not just about the squids!
Finally, the art. I usually talk about this first, but in this case I felt it needed to be here. It needed it's own recommendation. I can't even begin to describe how I felt about the art. Throughout the whole book I was completely engulfed by the drawings and the colors, they genuinely took my breath away. It really caused an impact on me, it was incredibly powerful and complemented the story really well, better than I'd ever seen before. I was wholeheartedly in love with the contrast between the oranges and reds and the greens, blues and blacks.
All of these factors came together to create an incredibly awesome graphic novel and I long for the day when it will be possible for me to read more of Ben Templesmith's works.

Doctor Who: Lights Out - Twelfth Doctor (Holly Black)

Synopsis:  
As the newly-regenerated Twelfth Doctor arrives on our TV screens, Puffin are publishing the twelfth instalment in its sensational series of Doctor Who eShorts! With 11 previous stories by some of the most exciting names in children's fiction, this Twelfth Doctor ebook is written by bestselling US author Holly Black.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review. 
As someone who is only now barely scraping the surface of the Doctor Who fandom, I would say reading short stories and books of this sort are a great thing.
I must admit I am kind of afraid of the idea of Doctor Who, but it's that kind of fear that is born from admiration, respect and fascination. I have always been so intrigued by it since I was very young and I always felt kind of pressured to know everything I possibly could, mostly to understand references. The truth is that Doctor Who has become part of our history and culture and there is no way to deny it.
Also, Holly Black wrote this, so it could only be good. She is one of those authors I hear everything good there is to say about an author and I've been dying to read one of her books.
So, for these reasons, I decided to request this book. This was very short story revolving around the 12th Doctor. In my opinion, as the very unknowledgeable fan I am, I found it the perfect short story. You can read it in an hour, yet it fills you with everything awesome Doctor Who has to offer.
Everytime I see/read a Doctor Who episode/book I can't help but fall in love with the Doctor's quirky personality (to say the least) and this no exception. I always find it mindblowing how short stories like this one can make you feel so passionate about the story that is being told.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that 'Lights Out' is exactly how everything related to Doctor Who should be: weird, fantastical, original and kind of mind*ucking. It really shows you, if you didn't already believe, that you can do anything from the basic premiss 'Doctor Who', if you just use your imagination. Anything you can imagine, no matter how weird it seems, Doctor Who makes it awesome.
Finally, Holly Black's writing was everything I hoped and more. It was so whimsical and elegant but also fits so well with what she is telling us.
Overall, this was such an enjoyable, quick read and I am excited/nervous but mainly excited to dig deeper into the universe that is Doctor Who.

A Darker Shade of Magic preview excerpt (V.E. Schwab)

Release Date: February 24th 2015

Synopsis:  
From V.E. Schwab, the critically acclaimed author of Vicious, comes a new universe of daring adventure, thrilling power, and parallel Londons, beginning with A Darker Shade of Magic.
Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes—as such, he can choose where he lands. There’s Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there’s Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne—a place where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was Black London...but no one speaks of that now.Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see—a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations, first robs him, then saves him from a dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—and that is proving trickier than they hoped.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review. 
I have heard nothing but amazing reviews of Victoria Schwab's books and writing, so when I saw this on Netgalley I immediately requested it... without realising it was just a preview excerpt. So I guess you could say I felt mixed things when I found out I had been accepted to review it.
I think that was part of the reason this took me so long to get through. I knew that I wouldn't get to see how it ended for a long time, and that it wouldn't count toward my reading goal (what a great excuse).Still, I don't regret reading it at all. How could I?
Victoria's writing feels so complete and labyrinthine (as in complex and rich - probably not making myself very clear, but that's how it felt to me). The world was so well built, from what I could see, and I can only describe it exactly like the writing: complete and labyrinthine. They complement each other in a way that brings to life what I believe will be an amazing full book, once I get to read it.
I am wholeheartedly in love with every single character, especially Kell. You could fell his story unfold with every chapter and I would love to know more about him, and what he learned after the end of this preview. Lila was a badass and I think she will be an amazing female character. I would love to see how this two character's stories intertwine. For some reason, I really felt a connection with Holland. I love the mystery that surrounds him and I'm intrigued to see where he fits in the end.
In conclusion, I loved what I read and I hope I get to read the full book once it comes out, which should be, like, yesterday. This was so good I had to look up words in a dictionary, and I still couldn't find the right ones. Basically, magic, multiple Londons, blood and did I say magic?

Shutter, Vol. 1: Wanderlost (Joe Keatinge - writer, Leila del Duca - illustrations, Owen Gieni - colors and Ed Brisson)

Release Date: November 25th 2014

Synopsis:  
INDIANA JONES FOR THE 21st CENTURY!
Marvel Knights: Hulk and Glory writer Joe Keatinge teams up with artist extraordinaire Leila del Duca for her Image Comics debut in an all-new ongoing series combining the urban fantasy of Fables and the globe-spanning adventure of Y: The Last Man.
Kate Kristopher, once the most famous explorer of an Earth far more fantastic than the one we know, is forced to return to the adventurous life she left behind when a family secret threatens to destroy everything she spent her life protecting.
Collects Shutter #1-6.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review. 
I don't even really know how to describe this book.
Wanderlost was an immensely original and weird collection of comics.
It was basically a gigantic emotional rollercoaster. It was sad, exciting, fun, adventurous, mysterious and mind blowing, all at the same time.
First of all, the story was incredibly fast paced, powerful and energetic. It kept me on the edge of my seat for two hours and I couldn't put it down until I was sure I had finished it. Although I was a bit confused in the beginning, (almost) everything became clear as the story progressed.
The art was so colorful, dynamic and actually kind of poignant and nostalgic, exactly what the story was trying to portray. I can't see it being any different. It was perfect during the entire book.The main character, Kate, has been though a lot in her life, and as everything she believed to be true shatters into nothingness, she develops in ways we couldn't imagine when we saw her at the age of seven. She was badass and a very strong female character, that just had to accept that everything was changing.
At her side, we meet a diverse and interesting set of characters, all fascinating and important to every part of the story, particularly her sidekick, Alarm Cat, and Chris (spoiler?). They were absolutely adorable and a great source of comic relieve in the intense plot.
I really appreciated the flashbacks that we got through the story that gave the backstories of some of the main characters. They were precisely where they were needed and ended at exactly the right place to give us enough information but keep us hooked to see the aftermath of such memories.
In general, I can say without a doubt that that cliffhanger might have ruined my life, because Gods know when I will be able to read what happens next.
Recommend this to anyone who doesn't mind a few splattered guts every now and then.

The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act (Kieron Gillen and Jamie Mckelvie - Illustrations)

Synopsis:  
Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critical tongue-attractors like Young Avengers and PHONOGRAM reunite to create a world where gods are the ultimate pop stars and pop stars are the ultimate gods. But remember: just because you’re immortal, doesn’t mean you’re going to live forever. Collects THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #1-5.

Review:
I got this ebook from Netgalley in return of an honest review. 
This was one of the weirdest and most original graphic novels I have read recently.
First of all, the art was amazing, I could tape it to my walls and I wouldn't get tired of looking at it. The colors were spot-on and you can tell the passion that went into every page.
The characters were all fascinating and unbelievably funny, especially our main character, Laura. The Gods were so sarcastic and rude and I loved every bit.
The plot is completely explosive (literally). It draws you in from page one and you can't help but keep reading until the end. Although the beginning was a bit confusing, the ending still let a lot of questions to be answered and I will definitely read the next volume as soon as it is humanly possible.
One thing I need to point out is that this deals with very unexpected themes, like sexuality (as in subtle homosexuality), mixed-race or non-white characters and even a transgender character.
To add to all this, I always appreciate it when the authors show some cover-art or the process of creating the story itself in the end of the book, so I was extremely pleased with it.
In conclusion, I think this was a perfect example of why I fell in love with graphic novels in the first place and I would recommend this to anyone with a gory sense of humour.