The Dream Thieves: the graphic novel by Maggie Stiefvater (Book 2)

“Ronan Lynch is made of secrets. His longest kept one? He can pull impossible things out of dreams. It's a secret that's nearly killed him more than once.

Waking the ley line should have led Blue and the Raven Boys straight to Glendower, the Whelsh king rumored to be sleeping beneath the mountains of Henrietta.

But instead, the forest of Cabeswater has disappeared, energy hums and sputters beneath the town, and the Raven Boys' search is at a dead end. Ronan's dreams may be the key to finding Glendower, but none of the Raven Boys are prepared for what will be unleashed in Ronan's desperate attempt to finally control his power.” - taken from Goodreads.

Another great adaptation of the second book in the Raven Cycle.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before : the graphic novel adapted by Barbara Perez Marquez

“What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed and, suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Experience Lara Jean’s story all over again in an all-new graphic novel format!” - taken from Goodreads.

Super cute graphic retelling of the story. I hope this series continues in graphic format.

The Raven Boys; Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater, adapted by Stephanie Williams (book 1)

“Blue Sargent comes from a family of psychics. Only, she has never had the same clairvoyant abilities they had and has always felt too ordinary within the magic that surrounded her. Enter Gansey, a rich student from Aglionby, the town’s all-boys private school teeming with wealth, privilege, and trouble. Blue's always made it a point to stay away from its students, the Raven Boys.

But when Gansey asks her to join him and three other Raven Boys on his quest to find a long-forgotten Welsh king rumored to be sleeping beneath the mountains of their quiet Virginia town, Blue doesn’t hesitate. She jumps at the chance to finally be a part of something real and full of magic, a world she was born into yet one that always stood just out of reach. Soon enough, she’s swept into a strange and shifting world woven into theirs, one far more dangerous than anything they could have dreamt up.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a great adaptation of the novel. I thoroughly enjoyed going back to the world of Henrietta and the Raven Boys.

Visit Maggie Stiefvater’s website.

Holler by Denali Sai Nalamalapu

“Real people are standing up for both their communities and the planet. Drawing from original interviews with the author, Holler is an illustrated look at six inspiring changemakers whose stories should be better known. Denali Nalamalapu, a climate organizer in their own right, introduces readers to six ordinary people who became resistors of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a project that spans approximately 300 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia—a teacher, a single mother, a nurse, an organizer, a photographer, and a seed keeper.

In West Virginia, Becky Crabtree, grandmother of five, chains herself to her 1970s Ford Pinto to stop construction from destroying her farm. Farther south, in Virginia, young organizer Michael James-Deramo organizes mutual aid to support community members showing up to protest the pipeline expansion. These (and more) are the stories of everyday resistance that show what difference we can make when we stand up for what we love, and stand together in community. While each resistor has their own motivation and methods, they share a love for the land and a desire to preserve it. When the world tells them to sit down and back off, each one refuses to be quiet or give up. There is always hope.

More than anything, Holler is an invitation to readers everywhere searching for their own path to sending the message that no matter how small your action is, it’s impactful. The story of the Mountain Valley Pipeline is one of the people of Appalachia have resisted fossil fuel projects for a century. And it’s a story we can all relate to, in one way or another, as each and every one of our communities faces the increasing threats of the climate crisis, and the corporations that benefit from the destruction of our natural resources.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a very informative graphic novel about the resistance people in our actual area put up against the Mountain Valley Pipeline that came through the eastern part of our county,

Visit Denali Sai Nalamalapu’s website.

The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 8 by Cassandra Clare and Cassandra Jean

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first seven books in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Jace’s nightmares are getting worse, as is his fear of hurting the one he cares for most. But he can’t avoid Clary forever... Meanwhile, Simon receives a note threatening his girlfriend’s life. When the Shadowhunters track down its source, what they find might be the most sinister thing they have ever encountered...” - taken from Goodreads.com

This is the eighth volume in this graphic novel series retelling that concludes the storyline of City of Fallen Angels. The final page does offer a teaser for a ninth volume that will start the story with City of Lost Souls. Release date is not yet known.

Visit Cassandra Clare’s website.

Visit Cassandra Jean’s website.

Fangirl, Vol. 4: The Manga by Rainbow Rowell

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first three volumes in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, everybody is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath just can’t let go…

Cath and Levi are officially dating—finally!—but Cath still has a lot on her plate as the end of freshman year approaches. She only has a few more weeks to save her grade in Fiction Writing, her twin sister, Wren, is acting increasingly reckless, and an unexpected reunion with her mother has thrown everything off-balance. Plus, with the release date for the last Simon Snow novel looming, Cath is struggling to focus on anything except finishing her epic fanfiction—including her relationship with Levi.

In this final volume of Fangirl , Cath must decide whether finding her own path forward means walking away from Simon Snow for good.” - taken from Goodreads.

This volume finishes up the manga version of the book Fangirl. I will say that this is an incredible graphic rendition of the book. Well worth the read!

The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 7 by Cassandra Clare and Cassandra Jean

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first six books in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“The graphic novel adaptation of Cassandra Clare's bestselling The Mortal Instruments returns with the seventh installment! The Mortal War may be over, but peace doesn’t last long as tensions begin to rise between Downworlders and Shadowhunters…” - taken from Goodreads.com

This is the seventh volume in this graphic novel series retelling that begins the storyline of City of Fallen Angels. The final page does offer a teaser for an eighth volume that readers can hope will conclude the story. Release date is not yet known.

Visit Cassandra Clare’s website.

Visit Cassandra Jean’s website.

Fangirl, Vol. 3: The Manga by Rainbow Rowell

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two volumes in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, everybody is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath just can’t let go…

Everything in Cath’s offline life is going wrong. Just when she’s started to realize her feelings for Levi, she sees him kissing someone else. Plus, her writing partner, Nick, is acting strange, and her twin sister, Wren, is suddenly making time for their mother—the same woman who walked out of their lives ten years ago!

When their dad ends up in the hospital, Cath decides it’s time to rethink her plans for the future.

But how can she leave the past behind when it keeps showing up at her door?” - taken from Goodreads.

And of course, volume 3 ends on another major cliffhanger. Good news is that volume 4 will conclude the story.

The story will be finished with volume 4 due out in 2024.

The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 6 by Cassandra Clare and Cassandra Jean

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first five books in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“With the Mortal Instruments in his possession, Valentine means to unleash havoc on Shadowhunter and Downworlder alike. Despite this, for many in the Clave, fighting alongside werewolves, faeries, warlocks, and vampires would be as terrible as submitting to Valentine. Clary must convince them that working together–aided by her new rune-creation ability–is their only hope for a future!” - taken from Goodreads.com

This is the sixth volume in this graphic novel series retelling that concludes the storyline of City of Glass. The final page does offer a teaser for a seventh volume that readers can hope will start with City of Fallen Angels. Release date is not yet known.

Visit Cassandra Clare’s website.

Visit Cassandra Jean’s website.

The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 5 by Cassandra Clare and Cassandra Jean

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first four books in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“On a mission to save her mom, Clary prepares to leave for Idris, the homeland of the Shadowhunters. Sure, Jace is adamantly against the idea and Magnus refuses to help, but Clary now has powers of her own. What awaits her on the other side of the portal, though, might not be exactly what she’s expecting…” - taken from Goodreads.com

This is the fifth volume in this graphic novel series retelling that begins with the storyline of City of Glass. Great news, there is a sixth volume.

Visit Cassandra Clare’s website.

Visit Cassandra Jean’s website.

 

Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo, ill. by Dani Pendergast (A Shadow and Bone graphic novel, Grishaverse book 0)

 

“Eryk and his mother, Lena, have spent their lives on the run. But they will never find a safe haven. They are not only Grisha—they are the deadliest and rarest of their kind. Feared by those who wish to destroy them and hunted by those who would exploit their gifts, they must hide their true abilities wherever they go. But sometimes deadly secrets have a way of revealing themselves…” - taken from Goodreads.

This is a graphic novel adaption of the short story The Demon in the Wood, that tells a short story about The Darkling as a young man.

Visit Leigh Bardugo’s website.
Visit the Grishaverse.

Fangirl, Vol. 2:The Manga by Sam Maggs

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first volume in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Cath just wants to hang out with her twin sister and write fanfiction. But now that they’re at college, her sister doesn’t have time for her. And life keeps pulling Cath further and further out of her shell. For the first time ever, Cath has her own social circle. There’s Nick, her handsome classmate who wants her to write short stories with him… And then Levi, who keeps showing up when she isn’t looking for him … Actually … maybe Cath’s circle is more of a triangle?” - taken from Goodreads.

So I discovered at the cliffhanger ending of volume 2 that readers are being treated to four volumes in total. Now to wait.

To be continued with volume 3 due out on August 8, 2023.

Graceling (Graphic Novel) by Kristin Cashore, Illustrated by Gareth Hinds

 

"Katsa is a Graceling, one of the rare people born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she lived a life of privilege until the day her ability to kill a man with her bare hands revealed itself during a royal banquet. Now she acts as her uncle’s enforcer, traveling the kingdom and threatening those who dare oppose him.

 

But everything changes when she meets Po, a foreign prince Graced with combat skills who is searching for the truth about his grandfather’s disappearance. When Katsa agrees to help him, she never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that could destroy them all.” - taken fromGoodreads

An incredible graphic novel rendering of one of my all time favorite fantasy series. I cannot wait to see what illustrator Gareth Hinds did with the remaining books in the Graceling series.

The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 4 by Cassandra Clare and Cassandra Jean

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first three books in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Maia and Simon are kidnapped, and Jace knows exactly who took them. It's time to face the terror known as Valentine to stop him from slaughtering the Downworlders and activating the Soul-Sword. All the Shadowhunters gather to join the fight, but when they find themselves hopelessly outnumbered by thousands of demons, the fate of the world might just lie in Clary's hands...!- taken from Goodreads.com

This is the fourth volume in this graphic novel series retelling that concludes the storyline of City of Ashes. No details on volume 5 yet but the final pages do offer a tease. The storyline should pick up with City of Glass.

Visit Cassandra Clare’s website.

Visit Cassandra Jean’s website.

Fangirl, Vol. 1:The Manga by Sam Maggs

 

“The manga adaptation of the beloved novel by #1 Bestselling author Rainbow Rowell!

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, everybody is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life. Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath just can't let go. Now that they’re in college, Cath must decide if she’s ready to start living her own life. But does she even want to if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Cath doesn’t need friends IRL. She has her twin sister, Wren, and she’s a popular fanfic writer in the Simon Snow community with thousands of fans online.  But now that she’s in college, Cath is completely outside of her comfort zone. There are suddenly all these new people in her life. She's got a surly roommate with a charming boyfriend, a writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome new writing partner ... And she's barely heard from Wren all semester!” - taken from Goodreads.com

This graphic novel adaptation of Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl novel and spot-on. Only the first half of the book is portrayed, so fans will be left eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Batman: Nightwalker. The Graphic Novel adapted by Stuart Moore. Based on the novel by Marie Lu.

“Based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Marie Lu, this graphic novel adaptation brings to life the dark mysteries behind the gates of Arkham Asylum. Nightwalkers are terrorizing Gotham City, and 18 year-old Bruce Wayne is next on their list.

Bruce Wayne is turning 18 and inheriting his family's fortune. But on the way home from his birthday party, he makes an impulsive choice that leads him to Arkham Asylym, the infamous mental hospital. There, he meets Madeline Wallace, a brilliant killer . . . and Bruce's only hope. Madeline is the mystery Bruce must unravel, but is he convincing her to divulge her secrets, or is he feeding her the information she needs to bring Gotham City to its knees?

Bruce Wayne is proof that you don't need superpowers to be a superhero, but can he survive Madeleine's game of tense intrigue and deception?

This graphic novel adaptation from New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu and artist Christian Wildgoose is a dark, action-packed thrill ride!” - taken from Goodreads.com 

This was an excellent graphic depiction of Marie Lu’s novel by the same name. I enjoyed seeing the book “come to life.”

The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 3 by Cassandra Clare and Cassandra Jean

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Having her best friend, Simon, kidnapped and being attacked by the vampires already seemed too much for Clary to handle. But when she realizes her hidden power and that leads her to what she has been searching for, the truth exposed might be something that she absolutely cannot accept…” - taken from Goodreads.com

The third volume in this series with the storyline of City of Ashes. There is no exact information available but the last pages of the book tease to a fourth volume concluding this storyline arc.

Visit Cassandra Clare’s website.
Visit Cassandra Jean’s website.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

“Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends.

Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1.

But this Halloween is different—Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.

Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan: What if—instead of moping and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut—they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he’s been mooning over for three years . . .

What if their last shift was an adventure?” - taken from Goodreads.com

A super cute and funny read about to seasonal best friends who decide to go on an adventure of a lifetime on their last night of working together before heading off to college. The illustrations were great.

Visit Rainbow Rowell’s website.
Visit Faith Erin Hicks’ website.

Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige

"Tidebreaker is a Mera and Aquaman origin story that explores Mera's first steps on land as well as her first steps as a hero or a villain, forcing her to choose to follow her heart or her mission to kill.

Mera is teenage royalty, heir to the throne of Xebel, the other not-so-lost colony under the sea. But Mera is destined to wear a different crown, that of Atlantis. When the inhabitants of Xebel plot to overthrow their homeland of Atlantis, Mera is sent to kill the heir to the throne, Arthur Curry. As the unrest between their colonies grows, Mera and Arthur unexpectedly fall in love...will Arthur Curry be the king at Mera's side in Atlantis, or will he die under her blade? "- taken from Goodreads.com

So. I’ve not seen the movie Aquaman but I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel version about their origin story. I feel like my high school students who are into superheroes will love this book.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

“Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism!

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I’ve been wanting to read this graphic novel for quite some time so when the audio version went on sale, I decided to give it a try. Boy, am I glad that I did. I wasn’t sure how a graphic novel would translate into audio but with a full cast of characters, original music, and sound effects, the story of Nimona and Lord Blackheart comes to life. A highly enjoyable listen.

Visit Noelle Stevenson’s website.