Review: Ms. Marvel, Vol. 8: Mecca

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 8: Mecca by G. Willow Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Issues 19-23 were amazing and very timely during this political climate. They boldly touched upon issues regarding immigration, race, and not making assumptions about people. There are excerpts that I want to bring into classroom settings. I thought the momentum slowed down a little bit toward the end of the Volume, but overall, I really enjoyed this collection. I have mixed feelings about the arrival of Red Dagger, but hopefully, the writers will use his character as a way to bring in some gender social commentary. I hope to see more glimpses of Bruno's life in Wakanda, as he's always been one of my favorite characters. If you know of a spin-off series that he becomes a part of, I'd love to hear about it. :)

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Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Rules

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Rules by Christos Gage
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This has definitely been my favorite of the Buffy comics. The narrative arc of Xander and Dawn's relationship is moving to me, and I love seeing Giles in a new light. Although I have enjoyed reading the comics, up to this point, I have felt that they lacked some of the wit and punch of the television series. But this one had the same spark and humor, and I feel that the series has gotten momentum back. I can't wait to see what happens next. I also ordered the Willow and Spike comics that are a follow-up to Season 9 and tell more of the back story of what happens between Seasons 9 and 10, as Angel and Faith Season 9 did as well.

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Review: Angel

Angel by Stacey Abbott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've loved the horror genre since I was a late elementary school student who read RL Stine, Christopher Pike, and Fear Street stories. I came to the Buffyverse fandom later than some people, when I was a graduate student in my early thirties. It fit my emerging research interest of empowered female protagonists in speculative fiction. I loved Buffy because of the characters, and because it reminded me of my own teen years, since I was in high school/college at the same time as the central characters. I loved Angel because I could relate to what they were going through in early adulthood, and still can in some regards. Angel, I believe, is underrepresented in scholarship, so I was glad to see this book explore the show in more depth, especially since I'm so interested in Angel and Faith's relationship, as further explored in the comics. I have a better appreciation of the horror genre and film noir as a result of reading this book and look forward to exploring more of Abbott's work.

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Review: Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning

Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom, Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my heart! It's so very fitting that this book survived me walking through a torrential rain downpour from Agnes Scott College all the way back to the Decatur public lot across from Java Monkey, and without an umbrella! The front cover is only very slightly crinkled, but it's in almost mint perfect condition. It's lucky that I wore a polyester shirt that day. :) But nonetheless, this book is about being a creative soul and a survivor of the harsh rejection that inevitably hits upon anyone who wants to do creative pursuits, whether that be singing, acting, visual arts, or writing. I loved Leslie's honesty about hitting thirty and what that meant for him, and as a thirtysomething myself who also fell in love with RENT as a teenager, I really connected to a lot of his messages.

This is a little book, but it really packs a punch and made a big impact on my soul and my heart. Leslie reminded me to minimize distractions, such as social media, and not to give up. He had a way of writing these messages with an inspiring quote and personal anecdotes with each chapter and in ways that were not hackneyed and cliché. This book made me cry twice, especially the last chapter. Leslie reminded me to be brave, to keep pushing for diverse representation, to keep writing, to let my voice be heard, and in short, to be who I am in a world that I sometimes feel tries to push me to conform and to walk the line more than I really want to. I haven't hit Leslie's RENT moment yet, and I don't think I have met my "person" yet, but he makes me believe that both of these things are still to come for me, and that in the meantime, I should push myself to grow creatively, intellectually, and in terms of character. Thank you, Leslie! I have a feeling that if we got to know each other, we'd be friends. <3 Thanks to you, I'm planning to take a Facebook Hiatus this June and part of July, while I work on my own writing. I need to turn off the noice and the distractions, in order to let my creative voice soar.

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