Review: The Stereotypical Freaks by Howard Shapiro

Title: The Stereotypical Freaks

Author: Howard Shapiro

Publication: November 4th 2012 by Animal Media Group 
Genre: Graphic Novel
Format: e-book, 154 pages
Cover Rating: 5/5
Content Rating: 5/5
Purchase: Amazon 

~synopsis~

Four disparate high school seniors come together to compete in their school's battle of the bands. Sharing a love for playing rock and roll, the members name the band "The Stereotypical Freaks" because they feel stereotyped by their classmates - smart kid, geek, star athlete and quiet weirdo… when in fact they know they are much more than those labels that have been placed on them.

When one member reveals life altering news, winning the competition takes on more of a meaning to each member. Scared and angry, upset and yet still with a lot of resolve they set out to win one for the good guys… will they?

My thoughts: 
I decided to read this when the author, Howard Shapiro send me a review request. (Thank you so much for that!) I almost immediately agreed because I just love graphic novels and since this one is about music I wanted to read it even more! So when he send me the e-book arc I started right away and a few hours (with some breaks in between) I already finished. And it was amazing!

I loved everything about this novel. The story, the characters, the art, the music. It all fit perfectly together. 

One of my favorite aspects was how with every chapter there were songs written down you could listen to with that chapter. And to top that off, it was definitely my kind of music! I really loved that.
Another thing I loved where the main  characters. Just like the blurb says: they are stereotypes, the smart kid, geek, star athlete and quiet weirdo. You wouldn't expect them to be friends but somehow through music they come together to form their band and become amazing friends. And their band is totally amazing! They rock!
I must admit I cried at the sad parts. Especially at the end. And I never cry when reading books! So it definitely says something about how amazing it was. So I hadn't expected this. This novel seriously made an impact on me. I have also lost some people to cancer so it made me think about it all over again. This is not a bad thing. It once again made me realize that it's okay to be scared but you have to face your fears and once you've done that, you realize that it wasn't that bad to begin with. *wipes tear away* Now this book wasn't all sad topics and deep, sometimes it also was really funny and made me laugh out loud.
Now about the art... Unlike some other graphic novels where the art is just crap this one was actually well done. I loved it!

The Stereotypical Freaks by Howard Shapiro is one of my favorite graphic novels I've ever read. The music did me in but the story and characters is what kept me going. I would recommend this to everyone I know. Even if you're not into this genre, you should read it. It's an amazing but sad coming-of-age story that will leave a deep impact on you and the way you think about some things. Or so I hope. This novel is simply a must-read, not only for young-adults but for anyone.

About the author:

HOWARD SHAPIRO lives in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife and two sons. The Controller for the Pittsburgh-based Visual Effects firm, Animal Inc., he has also written four children s books and The Stereotypical Freaks will be his debut Graphic Novel. His 2008 book, Hockey Player for Life, has been the number one downloaded children s hockey e-book on Amazon s Kindle chart since its arrival as an e-book in November of 2011. His, Hockey Days book was the only book featured in the December 2007 Sporting News Annual Gift Guide as a Best Buy Gift for Children. Through a corporate sponsorship program he set up (and maintains), since the 2010-11 season, both of his children s hockey books have been given to NHL teams (over 2,500 copies to date) for use in their community and educational initiatives. Since 2006 his annual charity raffle, which he matches dollar for dollar donated, has raised funds for several hockey-related charities including the Mario Lemieux Foundation, Hockey Fights Cancer and the Keith and Lisa Primeau Scholarship Fund. For more information, please log on to howardshapiro(dot)net

Visit Howard at: http://www.howardshapiro.net 
Find him also at: Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Review: Fever Moon by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Fever Moon: The Fear Dorcha
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Artist: Al Rio 
Scripter: David Lawrence 
Illustrations: Cliff Richards
Series: Fever
Publication: July 10th 2012 by Del Rey
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Graphic Novel ~ Hardcover, 148 pages
Source: The Book Depository
Cover Rating: 5/5
Content Rating: 4/5

~synopsis~

An all-new Mac & Barrons story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning, marvelously adapted into a full-color graphic novel by writer David Lawrence and illustrator Al Rio

In Fever Moon, we meet the most ancient and deadly Unseelie ever created, the Fear Dorcha. For eons, he’s traveled worlds with the Unseelie king, leaving behind him a path of mutilation and destruction. Now he’s hunting Dublin, and no one Mac loves is safe.

Dublin is a war zone. The walls between humans and Fae are down. A third of the world’s population is dead and chaos reigns. Imprisoned over half a million years ago, the Unseelie are free and each one Mac meets is worse than the last. Human weapons don’t stand a chance against them.

With a blood moon hanging low over the city, something dark and sinister begins to hunt the streets of Temple Bar, choosing its victims by targeting those closest to Mac. Armed only with the Spear of Destiny and Jericho Barrons, she must face her most terrifying enemy yet.

My thoughts: 
Oh, where to begin, where to begin... 
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Karen Marie Moning and the Fever series. I fell in love with the books last fall when I was reading them, book after book. When they announced that there was going to be a graphic novel I was like... 

More Barrons?!

Hell yeah!!!

If you haven't read the Fever series I wouldn't recommend reading this graphic novel before you have read the books because it wouldn't make any sense to you. Fever Moon is a whole new story starring Mac and Barrons and not just the first book done over. The story I liked but it wasn't mind blowing or anything like I felt during reading the series. But the amazing art makes up for it. 

Fever Moon takes place somewhere in Shadowfever. An unseelie fae is making lots of victims, leaving them in coma sand stealing their faces. When Dani is one of the victims Mac knows she has to find it. Like... "It's personal now, bitch." Not that she said that but that was the feeling I had. lol. 

Like I said before with the story I didn't have a wow kinda feeling but you have to remember that it's a graphic novel and not a full book. The art was definitely on a higher level.

Pretty much all the characters from the Fever series were in it at some point. Dani, Rowena, Inspector Jayne, the other sidhe-seers, the fae. Even the Dreamy Eyed Guy. 

And of course Mac and Barrons.

I mostly loved the way the characters were done. Dani with her red hair and freckles was pretty much how I pictured her. Rowena I sort of pictured differently for some reason. I'm not sure if I'm the only one thinking that. The fae, seelie and unseelie were very nicely done. The seelie princes were all godlike and half naked, just like I imagine them. Unfortunately there wasn't much V'lane in it, who's a favorite character of mine. Instead there was a lot of that Velvet guy. Only 1 or 2 pictures I think. The unseelie ones were spot on, monstrously. Now about Barrons. At first I had to get really used about how he looked because really I wouldn't be able to imagine him. In my mind he changes everytime but now I like how he looks like. A lot. And about Mac. I like her look. It's sort of how I pictured her. Only her boobs look bigger than her head but I figure it's a thing with graphic novels so I'm letting that one slide.

The overal art just blew my mind. It's amazing! I wish I could draw like that. *sigh*

So even though I didn't like the story all that much the art and especially readng abou Mac and Barrons again definitely made up for it.

About the author:

Karen Marie Moning (rhymes with 'awning') is the # 1 New York Times 
bestselling author of 12 novels, including the Rita-award winning Highlander novels and the internationally bestselling urban fantasy Fever series. Her books have been published in 21 languages, and her events draw fans from all over the world. She divides her time between the mountains of Georgia and the beaches of Florida.

Visit her on her Official website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter