The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling

All right, everyone- I am one of the biggest Harry Potter fans out there, which is why I put Harry Potter completely out of mind as I read Ms. Rowling’s new literary work. 

It is a very good read.  She is, as ever, and excellent writer, and despite the harshness and dark elements of her story, she draws you into the lives of her characters as skillfully as any good storyteller. 

It seemed to start out as a social satire, but as I read further I could see that there was a definite line of thinking that the author is pushing us, as readers, to pursue. 

I highly recommend this book: I enjoyed reading it and appreciate what Ms. Rowling is capable of, no matter how far off it is from her debut series!  That being said, THIS IS NOT A CHILDREN’S BOOK.  It is really for readers 16 and up.  It is not a beach read either: the subject matter is very heavy, so be in the right mindset when you read The Casual Vacancy.

Gone to Amerikay, by Derek McCulloch, Colleen Doran, José Villarubia Remember several posts back when I wrote about Mangaman (Barry Lyga)? Well, if you enjoyed Colleen Doran’s artistry as much as I did, you will not be disappointed in Gone to Amerikay. There are three storylines that intertwine as you follow the main characters from the beginning of the tale to its end. It is just as well-written as it is well-drawn. Find it at your local comic book shop!

Remember several posts back when I wrote about Mangaman (Barry Lyga)?  Well, if you enjoyed Colleen Doran’s artistry as much as I did, you will not be disappointed in Gone to Amerikay.  There are three storylines that intertwine as you follow the main characters from the beginning of the tale to its end.  It is just as well-written as it is well-drawn.  Also, Jose Villarubia is the colorist as he was for Gone to Amerikay!  Find it at your local comic book shop!

Get Jiro! By Anthony Bourdain, Joel Rose, Langdon Foss, José Villarubia

Imagine if power was divided up among the best chefs in the area.  Get Jiro!, written by renowned chef Anthony Bourdain, envisions a future where if you are do not display the utmost loyalty to a given chef and constantly eat at his or her snazzy restaurant in what is supposed to be a future Los Angeles, your life is generally lacking.  But Jiro, a master sushi chef, is a quiet sort, who runs his restaurant out of a strip mall.  One day, the two rival chefs of the city learn of his existence and a race ensues in which they go to whatever extreme lengths necessary to get him on their respective sides…

This is a great read for readers 17 and up.  The artwork is amazing, and the concept is unlike anything I have ever heard of, which is why I picked it up in the first place.  Happy reading!

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte & Jane, by April Lindner

Okay, here is the deal: read the original Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte first before you read April Lindner’s re-imagining of the story.  I first read Jane Eyre when I was 12 years old, and I LOVED it.  It was one of those days when I was done with all my library books and needed something new to read, and had to raid my mom’s and dad’s bookcase.  I did not have any problems understanding the language or the plot, and when I read it again a few years later for English class, I understood what was going on even better the second time.  I loved it!  In my mind, it's one of the greatest love stories ever told.  Jane by April Linder takes place in the 20^th century and substitutes a rock star for Mr. Rochester (appropriate, I think, since the original Mr. Rochester is a VIP in his own right) and is pretty much the same story, but for a teenage audience (15 and up).  It’s still a fun book, though, and what I would call a “beach read”.  

Liberator, by Richard Harland

Liberator qualifies as steam-punk literature. It's pretty good, though I suggest reading Worldshaker first. Richard Harland is an Australian author, so the third installment may be a while in coming.  Worldshaker establishes the characters and the overarching storyline: an alternate history where the major countries of the world have taken over different parts of it.  Large populations of people from England, Russia, Japan, etc., live aboard huge juggernauts that are capable of traveling by land, sea, and air.  Col Porpentine is a member of a high-class family on Worldshaker (that is the name of the British juggernaut, complete with in-residence Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert).  In the first book, he meets a Filthy (one of the lowest social class-the people who keep the juggernaut running far belowdecks), a girl named Riff, who challenges everything Col has been brought up to believe.  What follows is an adventure in which Col must decide where his loyalties lie and consider true nature of the current political and social system in which he has lived his whole life.