Mini Reviews [28]

This Place Is Not My Home (Brothers, #2)

 by Cyn Bermudez

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Hi-Lo Fiction. Victor and Isaac aren't sure how long they'll make it in their foster homes. Isaac is comfortable around his foster parents, but afraid they'll give him up. Victor has just landed in a new, crowded home with lots of rules, and is accused of stealing. The brothers make a secret plan to run away from their foster parents and make a home of their own. Will their plan work, or will they lose everything trying?

𑁋

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

This Place Is Not My Home was told using emails between Victor and Isaac. There was zero character development, and something that only vaguely resembled a plot. I have no idea what either brother looked like, and there are no details about their personalities. I'm also not entirely sure how old they were, only how old they've been when referring to things that have happened in the past. Also, if they're able to communicate with each other, why is there no correspondence with their sisters? The brothers mentioned their siblings a few times, but never talked about what happened to them or where they were.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this one, but it left me feeling disappointed and a little frustrated. I wanted to know more about the brothers, but they share very few details about their lives. Basically, Isaac was in a play and nervous about a girl, and Victor was trying to prove his innocence. Everyone in his foster home (both the children and the adults) thought he was stealing things, but even that aspect of the story was anticlimactic. Victor runs away, gets picked up by the police, and all of that is handled in a single email with two or three sentences. 

It's really hard to review this one, because there's simply no substance to this book.

⳼

War of the Realms: Journey Into Mystery

(#1-2) by Clint McElroy, 

Andre Araujo (Illustrator)

 Synopsis (via Goodreads): The creators of the blockbuster podcast The Adventure Zone bring their talents to Marvel for a wild romp through THE WAR OF THE REALMS! Earth is at war, besieged by an army of Frost Giants, Trolls and Fire Goblins — and the mighty Thor is nowhere to be found! But could it be that the key to turning the tide is…Thor’s baby sister? Journey into Mystery with Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), Wonder Man, and Balder the Brave as they go on an epic quest to save Earth’s only hope! (And, yes, deal with diaper duty.)

This review is mainly for the second issue in the series.

I think this one tried too hard to be funny, and I don't think the jokes always landed. Apparently there was a reference to The Princess Bride that went right over my head, even though that's a movie I've seen a thousand times. Also, this comic is about a really odd mashup of characters, and I feel like more backstory would've been beneficial for readers. I only have a vague idea of who some of the characters are.

Additionally, this second issue doesn't pick up right where the first issue left off, so there's some confusion at the start. They were face-to-face with Ares at the end of the last one, yet we start somewhere else with only a vague reference to his character. If he's a god, I'm sure he could have pursued them with very little difficulty, but now it's like he doesn't even know where they are. Also, the dialogue felt choppy and forced, and it was hard to really connect with the characters. 

⳼

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #6

by Tom Taylor, 

Andrew C. Robinson (Illustrator),

Juann Cabal (Illustrator) 

Synopsis (via Goodreads): The neighborhood, and the planet, is doomed. Spider-Man is powerless to stop the end of the world. Only Earth’s Newest and Mightiest Hero, Spider-Bite, can save the day. Wait, WHAT?!

I was really, really confused when this issue started, but thankfully it all made sense at the end. This issue of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man doesn't pick up where the last one left off, or even feel like a one-shot, but instead throws you into the middle of an unfamiliar story (a really wacky, almost unbelievable story).

It's a good things comics are so short, because I might have skipped over this one thinking there was a mistake, but I'm so happy I saw it through to the last page. It's very Peter Parker, and it's nice to remember that our favorite superheroes are also human (mostly human, or at the very least have feelings and emotions). I absolutely love what Tom Taylor did with this issue!

Also, the Jurassic Park reference was gold.

⳼

Goosebumps: Horrors of the Witch House #1

by Denton J. Tipton, Matthew Dow Smith, 

Chris Fenoglio (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): When young tech entrepreneur Veruca Curry buys the old Whaley House, the kids in town are worried the ghosts who haunt it will get her. But when they discover Veruca’s horrible secret, it will turn their world upside-down!

This issue was the perfect setup for a new Goosebumps series! The team is vaguely introduced, and since they haven't actually spoken more than a few words to each other, I'm curious how well they're going to work together. 

The Whaley house is supposedly haunted, and even the adults stay away from it. Randomly, a woman decides to buy the house, and we quickly learn that she isn't what she seems.

My son and I had a lot of fun with this one, and the illustrations were amazing! I think they'll really appeal to a younger audience, and the details were fantastic. We're both looking forward to the next issue!