Abbreviations #16 | Fables Vol. 2, A Thousand Nights + Secret Invasion

Another month has come and gone, and you know what that means - it's time for another mini-review round-up of all the September reads I haven't talked about yet! It's actually interesting to note that I've only got three things I haven't reviewed in full yet, and that two of these reads are graphic novels. Clearly, I wrote a lot of reviews and read a fair share of series in September ;)

Fables: The Deluxe Edition, Vol. 2 by Bill Willingham + more

Series: Fables #2

Publisher: DC Comics

Publication Date: November 23, 2010

Source/Format: Borrowed from the library || Hardcover

As with the previous collection, what I really appreciate about Fables is that it really puts a unique (adult) spin on some familiar favorite fairy tale characters. This deluxe edition featured two different things - short stories about certain characters and the continuation of the main Fables story arc. Let's start with the main arc. I really enjoyed this one! Maybe it's because I'm more familiar with the characters and their modern personalities and dynamics, or maybe it's something else, but the high level of intensity and subterfuge and twists was really fun to read. I flew through the pages, and have officially decided I need the next one (and more Snow and Bigby, thank you very much). As for the short stories, I enjoyed additional looks into the world and these characters. My favorite, by far, was the tale of Boy Blue. It was seriously heartbreaking! All in all, a very good addition to this series, and I can't wait for more.

A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Source/Format: BEA 2015 || ARC
[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects my review.]

I liked A Thousand Nights. The approach to this tale, which is inspired by One Thousand and One Nights, is fairly unexpected. I appreciated the emphasis on characters, their relationships and how the story unfolds. But apart from its cleverness, it lacked that special quality that I look for in my reads - connection to the characters. I certainly wasn't particularly invested in anyone's fate, and spent at least a third of the novel skimming. While I can vouch for the fact that the twist on the original tale is unique in this one, I can't say I'd consider it particularly memorable to me. Still, fans of fairy-tale inspired tales might want to give this one a shot!

Secret Invasion by Brian Michael Bendis
Publisher: Marvel
Publication Date: January 1, 2009
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library || Paperback

I'm seriously so impressed by the minds that come up with all these different arcs for the Marvel Universe. I love this one a lot, mostly because the plot is pretty rich considering the length of the story! It's just so completely clever, this twist in the lives of all these superheroes post-Civil War. I was so invested in the outcome of the conflict, to the point where I was yelling at my husband that I was worried/traumatized/scared over what could possibly happen next. I can easily say this is one of my favorite Marvel story arcs I've read, and I think a lot of other Marvel fans would feel the same way.