Short Reviews

I’m almost always reading multiple books or comics at one time, and many of the smaller books I read are too short to warrant a long review. Therefore, I’ve gathered those books to review in one post!

Note: All of these books were obtained through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Good Night, Kitty Kitty! by Brenda Ponnay

Release date: November 1, 2018

This very short children’s book is about a child and their cat, and that cat’s mischievous hijinks at bedtime. As a cat owner myself, I can attest to the truthfulness of everything this cat does right as you’re attempting to fall asleep! This book was adorable and would be perfect for the kitty-loving child in your life.

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Muddy: The Raccoon Who Stole Dishes by Griffin Ondaatje

Release date: April 2, 2019

Another children’s book, this is a story about Muddy Whiskers (how cute is that), a raccoon that wants to eat human’s leftovers. His parents along with the rest of the raccoons that inhabit their little cove by the water have all promised to stop stealing leftovers from humans because it was causing them to get into trouble. One day, though, a new restaurant opens up nearby, and Muddy decides to get what he wants, stealing plates full of leftovers, much to the chagrin of Mr. and Mrs. Whiskers.

This was such a cute book, and the illustrations were wonderful. This is definitely a book I would share with the children in my life.

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A Hell of an Innocent by Zidrou

Release date: April 18, 2018

This third book is definitely not a children’s book!

A Hell of an Innocent is a graphic novel noir set in Australia around the time of the Vietnam War. Greg Hopper is a man who was accused of his wife’s gruesome murder, afterward fleeing into a remote area where he raises livestock with his dog Commonwealth.

Everything stays the same for Greg for around 20 years, until one day he receives a newspaper whose front page is proclaiming that the killer has confessed, and it’s none other than Greg’s brother Ike.

Greg goes back into town where he’s surrounded by people who are constantly apologizing to him for blaming him for his wife’s murder. He seems to take everything in stride until he goes to see his sister-in-law.

Throughout the story his companion is the ghost of his wife, frequently sharing the stories of all the lovers she had when still alive.

It’s a graphic novel about jealousy, sibling relationships, and guilt.

Overall, the story itself is lacking, and the characters were a little bland. The twist was predictable, but in a story whose focus is the relationship between siblings, I don’t think that hurt the overall work very much. The art by Philippe Berthet was absolutely stunning. There are so many panels that blew me away, especially the ones that focused on landscape. The characters and animals were all well-drawn and the color scheme of the whole thing was perfect for the type of story that it was. It was a somewhat enjoyable read, but not one I would ever find myself coming back to a second time.

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Book Love by Debbie Tung

Expected release date: January 1, 2019

Out of all the books on this list, this one was my favorite.

Book Love is the perfect gift for the book-obsessed person in your life. I recognized my own experiences in almost every page of this graphic novel. The art is adorable, and it’s a quick read, as I finished it in roughly 20 minutes. Everyone who calls themselves a bookworm will fall in love with this book.

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Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts?