Book Nook – Kat Wahl, Writer

Loki: The God Who Fell To Earth #1-5, Daniel Kibblesmith (2021)

                      I stumbled upon this title by accident, and it was a godsend (if you’ll pardon the pun). Loki is a fun character to play with already, but for me, Kibblesmith truly does that playfulness justice. When is Loki one step ahead, and when is he just faking it? I don’t care, the costume changes are always on point and the wit is always sharp. One thing I struggle with regarding super hero-focused comic books, is the convoluted nature of a set of stories about an individual that has gone through so many different iterations over time. While this book referenced others, others which I now intend to read because this story sent me down a Loki-themed book vortex, the reader is kept well in the loop with asides and does not need to worry about where the story fits in relation to much of anything else. I don’t often keep up with a series of comics, but I might just keep an eye out for this one. 

I would recommend this for even the most casual Marvel fan, middle school age and older. I think the tone of this book best matches the first Avengers film, and Thor: Ragnarok. 

Bloodchild and Other Stories, Octavia Butler (1995, 2005)

                      What I love about short stories is that they feel no need at all to explain themselves. They present the odd, the haunting, the thought-provoking– and then the story is over, dissipating into a fog. Octavia Butler’s book is packed with such stories. They cover all sorts of interesting topics, both dystopia and utopia, disease, aliens, and others. Some stories you will connect to, some may wash over you as entertaining oddities, but the whole of the book will make you pause and think. 

Recommended for readers of high school age and older who enjoy short stories and are looking for a break in reading longer works.