From the back cover: This year is 1793, the eve of the Napoleonic Wars, and Horatio Hornblower, a seventeen-year-old boy unschooled in seafaring and the ways of seamen, is ordered to board a French merchant ship and take command of crew and cargo for the glory of England. Though not an unqualified success, this first naval adventure teaches the young midshipman enough to … [Read more...] about Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C. S. Forester: B+
Runaways 1-3 by Brian K. Vaughan: B+
From the inside flap: They were six normal California teenagers linked only by their wealthy parents' annual business meeting... until a chance discovery revealed the shocking truth: Their parents are a secret criminal society known as The Pride. For years, The Pride has controlled all criminal activity in Los Angeles, holding the entire city in its iron grip. With their true … [Read more...] about Runaways 1-3 by Brian K. Vaughan: B+
xxxHOLiC 8 by CLAMP: A-
From the back cover: Kimihiro Watanuki's after-school job working for the mysterious witch Yuuko Ishikawa has taken a dangerous turn. A recent assignment cost Kimihiro his right eye to a spider with a grudge. Now the missing eye has become the latest must-have item in the spirit world. Even the Zashiki-Warashi, the pretty spirit who has a crush on Kimihiro, has become … [Read more...] about xxxHOLiC 8 by CLAMP: A-
Beauty is the Beast 5 by Tomo Matsumoto: A
From the back cover: Eimi's going home for the holidays—but she's only been to her parents' new house once! Shimonuki is all set to accompany her, but a family emergency keeps him in town. Eimi doesn't want to take the train alone, so she drags Wanibuchi with her. They spend the holidays traveling across the country and through Wanibuchi's past. Will his revelations bring … [Read more...] about Beauty is the Beast 5 by Tomo Matsumoto: A
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography by Lemony Snicket: B
Book description: Virtually every detail of the volume has Snicket's indelible mark, from the book jacket (reversible to help readers disguise this "extremely dangerous" and "objectionable" autobiography) to the copyright page text to the intentionally blurry and bewildering black-and-white photographs appearing throughout. An apparently false obituary for Lemony Snicket sets … [Read more...] about Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography by Lemony Snicket: B