GNW: The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen & Rebecca Guay

When Tansy finds dragon's bane while searching for herbs with her father, the town healer, she doesn't think much of it. She finds it's strange properties- how it burns the skin on contact and doesn't need much prodding to burst into flames- intriguing, but little more.

However, when her father goes missing and, only a few days later, her sister's suitor runs into town, claiming he has seen a dragon, the town turns to Tansy to tell them what they must do. She calls for a hero.

Lancot, a "hero" from across the sea returns with the boys who were sent out to find them, and Tansy immediately recognizes that the man is no hero. He's muscular and pretty, yes, but he knows nothing of danger, nor does he have the drive to protect Tansy's people.

However, they must keep up appearances and as Tansy does her best to nudge him in the right direction, she begins making plans of her own to save her people. There's something about her and her determination that draws Lancot to her. Maybe all he needed was someone to protect, after all.

The Last Dragon is a beautifully crafted tale of a man and woman who work together to defeat a foe that is larger than life, though both are scared and neither are particularly qualified. This was a beautiful graphic novel.

The story by Jane Yolen was wonderful and really wrapped the audience up in the story, but it was Rebecca Guay's artistry that really captivates the reader. The artwork is breath-taking. It varies from panel to panel, one being so life-like that it looks almost like a portrait, while others were more stylistically cartoonish. I could look at the color work and the attention to detail for days and still find new things I hadn't properly admired before.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Tattoo by Dale Rio & Eva Bianchini

The urge to assert oneself goes hand in hand with a desire to challenge social norms and values, and to advocate different ways of experiencing feeling, and displaying one's body.

I picked up Tattoo from one of my library shelves because I'm a huge fan of tattooing. Art has always been fascinating to me and I have wanted a tattoo since I was a kid.  The idea of expressing oneself through permanent body art has a distinct appeal to me.

Tattoo is a collaboration by Dale Rio and Eva Bianchini about, you guessed it, tattoos. It is essentially a history of the art form, revealing the origins of the tattoo and what it meant to each culture it came in contact with.

The book goes on to explain and give examples of each of the most popular tattoo styles (such as blackwork and new school tattooing), how it's done, and finishes off with some helpful reminders for those considering getting a tattoo.

All in all, it was a light and easy read filled with pictures of some pretty fantastic tattoo work. I would definitely suggest this to anyone who is intending to acquire a tattoo, or to anyone who is simply curious about the art and how it originated and became to successful industry it is today.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

It is significant to note that most early examples of tattooing are on women, which shows a distinct mind-shift through history, as until recently tattooing had become associated with men. In short, tattooing may once have been the sole preserve of females. The women of today who are being tattooed with as much confidence as men are simply reclaiming their heritage.