I Spy the Illuminati Eye: What's the Big Secret? gets 4 Stars {

The Illuminati aka a secret society about enlightenment that began long ago in a forest in Europe has possible connections to the Freemasons and other secret societies.  To be honest, I've never been one to think and ponder conspiracy theories.  To be honest, I didn't know much about the history of the Illuminati before this book.  However now... who knows, maybe I'll drive my husband bonkers with my Illuminati spottings.  😉

I Spy the Illuminate Eye: What's the Big Secret? by Sheila Keenan is a fun read.  It's an easy read, and it would make a great book (or gift, b/c books make great gifts *hint*hint*) for a middle school or high school student that doesn't  like to read.  The pop culture references and the secret societies are sure to engage every reader.  

After beginning this book with very little secret society knowledge (besides the movie Skulls that I watched way back when Blockbuster was a thing) I found myself engaged and wanting to keep turning the pages.  It's a fun book. Definitely check it out. 

If you are, or become an Illuminati believer, you may start seeing signs of the Illuminati all over.  Have you ever seen: 

• The eye on top of the pyramid found on US money?
• Someone make a symbol of a triangle? 
• A triangle drawn inside a triangle? 
• Seen an eye tattoo? 

The book even shows that the White House Lawns (shaped like an owl), and the top of the Washington Monument (looking down it's a circle with a dot in the middle) are both Illuminati symbols.  

Honestly, this book is quite a fun read, but I'm not sure I can say I'm an Illuminati Believer.  However, since reading I Spy the Illuminati Eye I've caught myself noticing little things here and there and it makes me chuckle and wonder for a second.  

What about you?  Do you find yourself saying "Illuminati Confirmed?" 

I Spy the Illuminati Eye: What's the Big Secret? by Sheila Keenan
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 10+, 4th grade and up
# of Pages:  111
Clean Read: Yes.
Worth a Check Out: Yes.  If conspiracy theories are fun for you, and you want a quick non-fiction read, then definitely give this book a check-out.
Buy It or Not: Maybe.  This book is a quick easy read and a good choice for middle school and high school reluctant readers.
Read Aloud:  No.  Non-fiction usually do not make the best read alouds, but they are fun to browse and read here and there.
Lesson Ideas: Illuminati, Secret Societies, Conspiracy Theories. 

Not that you could tell me if you are in the Illuminati or another secret society, but are you a conspiracy theory/secret society fan???


A few aspects I love about I Spy the Illuminati Eye that may make you grab a copy sooner rather than later:

There are instructions for making invisible ink. (pg 47) So cool! 


The Bohemian Grove, aka quite the gathering of people in a secret society, is a fun party like meeting every July in a redwood forest near San Francisco.  (pg 70)

The Illuminati Charts with famous musicians like Beyonce, Rihanna, and Eminem and their "supposed" Illuminati connections or signs. (pg 100-101)


Thank you Penguin Young Readers for the book to review.  All thoughts and comments are my own. 

Love and Gelato gets 4 Stars {ya lit, contemporary fiction, romance}

Tuscany. Romance. Sweet story. Delicious bakeries. Gelato.  

Seriously, there's not much you can't like about this sweet young adult book.  

Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch is a fun book that any teenage girl would enjoy.  There's romance, mystery, great character development, and some deep subjects, like cancer, as well.  A fun book with some depth in topics is hard to find.  There's a lot to love with Love and Gelato, and therefore it's well deserving of it's 4 out of 5 stars rating.  

This novel is a quick read, and even though the story line was almost completely predictable, I'm pretty sure only adults reading this ya book would care about that.  I did feel the growth Lina experienced in the story was great.  I loved seeing, in a glossed over way I believe, how Lina dealt with her mother's death from cancer.  I loved seeing Lina find a father-like figure.  I believe there's a good chance this book could benefit others who have to deal and work through a death in the family especially a parent. 

Overall, this book was the light fun read I was looking for after a heavy book like Ghost Boy. 

If you pick this YA book up, enjoy! 

Happy Fun Light Romance in Tuscany YA Reading!  

Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 13-18 year old girls, 7th grade and up 
Clean Read: Yes, a little language.   
Worth a Check Out: Yes, when you are looking for a fun light read.
Buy It or Not: Yes if you like chick-lit, Meg Cabot, or Ally Carter type of books.  
Book Club Discussion: Did Lina feel obligated to go to Tuscany b/c it was her mother's wish, or her mother's death-bed wish?  Why do you think Lina felt like it was difficult to be social after her mother's death? Cancer is always tough, but do you think it was tougher on Lina b/c she was a teenager?  Would you consider this story a "coming of age" story, if so why?

Did you read Love and Gelato?  What did you think? 

A quote I loved from Love and Gelato: 

"You know, people come to Italy for all sorts of reasons, but when they stay, it's for the same two things." 
"What?"
"Love and gelato."

Long Way Down gets 5 Stars {poetry, newbery, printz, award book, contemporary lit}

Reluctant readers is a term to describe those that don't enjoy reading. Reluctant readers often have reasons for not enjoying reading.  Maybe they have only read for assignments and never found anything that interest them.  Maybe they struggle to read for one reason or another, or they struggle with comprehending what they are reading.  Once upon a time I was a reluctant reader.  I struggled understanding what I read b/c of a learning disability.

Obviously, I'm not a reluctant reader any longer, and I most definitely feel it is never too late to become a reader.  A way to help those reluctant readers become readers is to find books that are fast reads, that grab the readers attention, and keep them turning the page.  Graphic novels and books written in free verse are usually great choices for reluctant readers.  

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds is a young adult novel written in free verse poetry.  Now, don't let the word poetry scare you.  Free verse poetry is basically short thoughts that take out a bunch of the filler words not needed to understand the characters or story.  It's tough to write a great book in free verse, but Reynolds did it well.  Hence, the reason Long Way Down won Newbery and Printz Honor awards.  The two most prestigious awards for an author, Jason Reynolds came in as a runner-up.  Amazing!  That's something that rarely happens.  

Another thing that doesn't happen everyday, but far more often than earning a Newbery and a Printz, is getting 5 out of 5 stars from me in a book review.  Though, I guess it's not super surprising since it's quite the award winning book.  #sogood

Long Way Down is a fantastic book.  The story is interesting b/c the entire story takes place in an elevator.  The story is enlightening into the life of an inner city teen.  The story has depth with great character development and discussions of expectations and revenge.  The story is a fast read many readers and reluctant readers alike will enjoy.  This story would be a great book for high school teachers to use, read, and discuss in the classroom.    

Happy Young Adult Powerful Fast Free Verse Reading!

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Rating: 5/5 stars
Best For: 13-18 years old, 8th to 12th grade. 
Clean Read: Violence.  
Worth a Check Out: Yes. Readers who like The Crossover will like this one.
Buy It or Not: Yes. Definitely a purchase for a library collection, English Teacher, and those looking for a great book.
Read Aloud: Yes. This fast read would make a great classroom read aloud for a high school or 8th grade classroom.    
Lesson Ideas: Inner city, poetry, family relationships, revenge, expectations, obligations. 

Did you read this well deserved Newbery and Printz Honor book?   What did you think? 


A few quotes I loved from Long Way Down b/c they made me laugh, I could relate to them, or there was depth to it. 

"People always love more when they are dead." 

"Laughed so hard I farted." 🤣

"Head lock that felt like a hug." Oh siblings and their special way of showing love. 

"You coming?"  Read the book to get the depth of this last question. 


Did you have a favorite quote?

  

Not If I Save You First gets 3.5 Stars {ya lit, action, romance, contemporary lit}

Ally Carter has written A LOT of books, and I always enjoy the action, girl power, and slight romance found in them.  Not If I Save You First  is no different.  

This book is short, aka fast read, sweet, aka fun story with a touch of romance, and perfect for the teenage girl, even the reluctant reader, to pick up and read.  

Not If I Save Your First gets 3.5 out of 5 stars in my review.  I enjoyed the flash back letters, and Maddie's humor through out the story.  I love that Maddie, a teenage girl, saved the day over and over again with her wit, brains, and wilderness survival skills.  I enjoyed this lighthearted book with great pacing.  Though, the story and the characters lacked depth, and there were more than a couple unrealistic moments which caused me to knock off a star and a half from my rating.

Overall, Not If I Save You First is another fun read by Ally Carter. Which Ally Carter book is your favorite? 

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Best For: 12-18 year old girls.
Clean Read: Yes.  There's action and kissing.
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Buy It or Not: No.
Read Aloud: Possibly, depending on the class.
Lesson Ideas: Alaska, Wilderness Survival, Foreign Relations, Letters.

This short and sweet YA book had my favorite line in the author's acknowledgements when she discussed the research that went into this book. "To the end, I went where people should always go for reliable answers: to librarians!"

Happy YA Easy, Fun, Clean Love Story Reading!  As always, I love hearing your thoughts on the book. 

Genuine Fraud gets 4.5 Stars {mystery, thriller, ya lit}

I like E. Lockhart's books.  I'm a sucker for contemporary fiction, and if you add a mystery aspect to it I am sold.  I loved The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and thoroughly enjoyed We Were Liars.  

Lockhart's latest book, Genuine Fraud, was published last fall, and I'm a fan.  I give Genuine Fraud 4.5 out of 5 stars in my book review. 

I thought the layout of the story, told backwards, hence the story starting at chapter 19, was interesting, fun, and is what made it a mystery.  Sure, this was probably the most confusing story layout I've read.  The book started on chapter 19, next came 17, and then it was down from there.  Chapter 18 finally appeared at the end of the book which told you what happened.  This layout definitely made the book unpredictable, and kept you, as the reader, involved in the story.  Overall, the layout was confusing, but it worked really well with this story.  

I thought the main characters Imogen and Jule especially showed a lot of depth.  However, the reason the story didn't get the coveted 5 star rating is b/c I didn't care for any of the characters.  I know, I don't have to like the characters and Lockhart wrote Jule that way for a reason.  However, for ME to LOVE the book and give it 5 stars liking the characters is definitely a big deal. What about you?  Does it matter if you care for the characters at all?   

Genuine Fraud reminded me more of We Were Liars than The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.  Both stories are mysteries and have a definite shock/surprise factor at the end.   Personally though, if you liked Lockhart books then you should definitely give Genuine Fraud a checkout... then tell me what you thought. 

Happy Young Adult/Teen Mystery/Thriller reading!


Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Best For: 14 - 18 year olds, 9th grade and up.
Clean Read: No, there is murder, alcohol, sexual assault, and language
Worth a Check Out: Yes
Buy It or Not: Not for a personal library
Read Aloud: No. 
Lesson Ideas: Mental illness. Sexual Assault. Story layout- in reverse order. 

Lighter than My Shadow gets 3.5 Stars {ya lit, graphic novel}

Lighter than My Shadow by Katie Green is a young adult/teen memoir in graphic novel format.  This fast/quick read is perfect for reluctant readers, and anyone that has struggled with an eating disorder and/or sexual abuse.  

This book is heavy and talks about many tough subjects including the pain, frustration, and recovery from those subjects.  However, this tough heavy book is quite well done.  Overall, Lighter than My Shadow felt real and raw; it was hard to read at times, but it was also enlightening and encouraging. 

Lighter than My Shadow gets 3.5 out of 5 stars in my book review.  I think the artistic vision is great, and telling this story in graphic novel format was a great choice.  However, I sometimes found myself confused with the pictures and what exactly was going on.  This book is definitely not clean as there are drawings of Katie naked and drawings of the sexual abuse.   

I will say that this book is not one I am going to own, and I don't think it is one most people are going to buy.  However, there is a definite place for it in a school or public library collection.  Lighter than My Shadow has value, and it should be accessible for all those that need it.  Anyone looking for a help and hope with anorexia, eating disorder, recovery, and sexual abuse should definitely pick this book up.  It's a beautiful and valuable book; though, it is definitely not a book for everyone. 
  

Happy reading even if it is an incredibly difficult subject. 


Lighter than My Shadow by Katie Green
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Best For: 14 years old and up, 9th grade and up. 
Clean Read: No. Not clean at all, though in context with this tough subject.
Worth a Check Out: No, unless you want a great perspective on mental illness, eating disorder, and sexual assault.
Buy It or Not: No.
Read Aloud: No.
Lesson Ideas: Anorexia, eating disorder, mental illness, depression, sexual assault, sexual abuse, recovery, perspective. 


I received this book from Myrick Marketing in exchange for my review and honest opinion.  All of my thoughts, opinions, and words are my own.

Spanish and English Words gets 3.5 Stars {concept, picture}

I always wanted my children to be bilingual.  I was extremely interested in them attending a dual language classroom; but it didn't work out.  However, I do love having this book in our personal collection.  My Big Barefoot Book of Spanish and English Words by Sophie Fatus is a fun language concept book.  

In this Spanish and English Words book, I think the illustrations are cute, but not necessarily amazing.  I love the various settings on each page b/c it allows the reader to get a wide variety of Spanish vocabulary words.  I feel the story that is trying to be told is okay.  At times the story is a little confusing.  This is a good book, and that's why it earned 3.5 out of 5 stars in my book review. 

I had to of course include the library page :) and the animals are fun too.  

If you are looking for a Spanish/English dual language book to learn vocabulary words then definitely check this one out.  
  

Happy Spanish/English Words Book Reading!

My Big Barefoot Book of Spanish and English Words by Sophie Fatus
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Best For: 6 years old and up, 1st grade and up. 
Clean Read: Yes
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Buy It or Not: No.
Read Aloud: No.
Lesson Ideas: Spanish/English Dual Language classroom.

I received this book from Myrick Marketing in exchange for my review and honest opinion.  All of my thoughts, opinions, and words are my own.

Stalking Jack the Ripper gets 4.5 Stars {mystery, historical fiction, ya lit, teen}

Murder. Surprise. Suspense. Unpredictable. Historical fiction. Mystery. Romance. Girl Power. Family drama. Fast read.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco is the first book in a new series that seems perfect for this time of year.  Though, honestly it'd be a fun read anytime of year.  Definitely check this one out.   You may be grabbing for the second (Hunting Prince Dracula) book sooner than you realized.

This new teen/young adult read was so very close to a perfect rating.  Though, 4.5 out of 5 stars is pretty darn impressive, and is definitely worth a read or listen (audiobook) to. Maniscalco truly wrote a unique and fun story that keeps you guessing until the very end.  I loved the story line, and I loved that a historical fiction type story to be inspiring.  I love seeing strong female characters, and Stalking Jack the Ripper is about a girl that is smart, pushes herself to learn and grow, and not afraid to go after what she wants.

This book is fantastic.  It has some language and deals with murder, but overall it's a really fun read.  The only reason Stalking Jack the Ripper didn't get the perfect 5 stars is because of the romance.  At times the love story was cheesy and a bit over the top in my opinion, but otherwise this book is fantastic.

Definitely check this book and enjoy your reading time.


Happy Bone Chilling Fun and Fascinating Mystery/Historical Fiction Reading!

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Best For: 14 years old and up, 9th grade and up. 
Clean Read: Language
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Buy It or Not: Buy it if you have a young adult or find this time period fascinating.
Read Aloud: No.
Book Club Discussion Topics: The beginnings of forensic science. If you were in Anna's situation with her family, what would you have done? Jack the Ripper, what do you know about him?

One for Sorrow gets 3 Stars {middle grade fiction, ghost/horror}

It's October.  That means ghosts stories are in order.  A lot of the time people will think a good ghost story when they hear the author, Mary Downing Hahn.  Hahn is well known for her ghost stories, and this new one is no exception. 

One for Sorrow by Mary Downing Hahn is her latest ghost story published just this year.  It's set in a small town in America during WWI when the Spanish Influenza was spreading.  This book has some interesting parts and a lot of frustrating parts as well.  

One for Sorrow gets 3 out of 5 stars in my book review.  This book was probably one of my least favorite Hahn ghost stories.  I think a ghost story is a fun read, but this one was less ghost and more evil and mean.  I liked the information on the influenza, and the feelings people had about WWI.  I found it fascinating to know that Hahn was inspired by her mother's experience of visiting homes with her friends of those that died, and then they actually came to a home of a classmate that had, unknown to them, died. 

The major issue I had with this book is the fact that I didn't like any of the characters.  Not one.  There were a lot of mean girls, girls with low self-esteem, and bullying.  The bullying wasn't resolved in a good manner, and the girls only changed after a mean ghost bothered them extensively.  The ghost was as likable as a ghost as she was in real life; which that is not saying much.  Honestly, One for Sorrow felt more like an evil mean girl book than a ghost story.  I was bothered that Annie couldn't talk to her parents, but she couldn't stand up for herself either.  I had wished for more character development in that area.  

Overall, it's not a bad ghost story, but Wait Til Helen Comes is probably my favorite Mary Downing Hahn book.  Here are some other fun ghost story chapter books if you only plan to read 1 Halloween-ish like book, and want some more options.  I'm also sharing Halloween books on my Instagram account as well. 

What is your favorite middle grade ghost story? 

If you do pick up this book, or any Hahn ghost stories...Happy Middle Grade Fiction Ghost Story reading!


One for Sorrow by Mary Downing Hahn
Rating: 3/5 stars
Best For: 10 - 13 year olds, 5th through 8th grade
Clean Read: Yes
Worth a Check Out: Yes, if you like ghost stories
Buy It or Not: No
Read Aloud: No
Lesson Ideas: Spanish influenza. Bullying. Life in America during WWI.

The Jungle Book gets 4 Stars {manga, graphic novel, classic}

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling is a classic.  Everyone should read the classics.  However, there are many classics that are wordy, and a good group of people just don't enjoy reading them.

Enter graphic novels and mangas, aka books in comic format.  Mangas and graphic novel adaptations of the classic books is a great way for anyone, reluctant readers, busy moms, or high school students, to read this classic story.  This manga version of The Jungle Book is a great way to get the story, and it helps those with reading challenges to understand and comprehend the story better. 

The Jungle Book gets 4 out of 5 stars.  This classic is fun to read, but the story, with the short stories included, are good stories.  However, this manga version of a classic is a bit choppier than I would like.  I personally wouldn't pick this book for the first classic manga story for a reluctant reader. I would start with either Great Expectations or The Scarlet Letter first b/c it's an easier and more fluid story.   However, if a student needs to read a classic book, and there is a graphic novel or manga version of that book, then a child that doesn't like reading, struggles to read, or has a learning disability would greatly benefit from reading the manga/graphic novel version of that book.   

Happy Classic Literature Manga Reading! Fun fast read of this classic story. 

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling Adaptation by Crystal S. Chan
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 14+ year olds, 9th grade and up.
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Buy It or Not: No. Unless you love the classic.
Read Aloud: No.
Lesson Ideas: Classic Literature. Animals. British ruled India. Short stories. 


I received this book from Myrick Marketing in exchange for my review and honest opinion.  All of my thoughts, opinions, and words are my own.

Perfect gets 4.5 Stars {ya lit, series: flawed #2, dystopia}

Perfect, definitely fitting book to share today. The day that this rare Total Eclipse is streaking across America.  This day when the moon and the sun perfectly line up.  Okay, maybe I like to stretch connections, but you have to agree it is sort of appropriate.    

"There's the person you think you should be, and there's the person you really are." 

I like to think I should be perfect.  I should have that tight and toned stomach.  I should never be sick (which I have been the past few days- ugh).  I should be eternally patient with my kids, and I should be able to successfully teach them to be grateful, independent, and persistent.  There's a lot that I feel I should have in order to be "perfect."  However, my stomach is still not toned and my baby is 2.5 years old.  I got a doozer of a cold this weekend.  I get frustrated and lose patience with my kids, and I'm still working on teaching them all those necessary lessons so they can be successful and good members of society.  I am definitely not perfect, but I do love my kids and husband.   My husband even joked with me saying I was reading my autobiography when he saw the title of this book.  We all joke about my perfection, but we can only joke about it b/c it is so far from being true.

The person I think I should be is far from who I really am, but I'm still chasing that perfect MeganRuth and that helps me strive for better daily.  

Perfect by Cecelia Ahern is the second book in the Flawed series.  Personally, I loved that Ahern reviewed some of the first books significant events in the beginning of Perfect.  She wrote it in a way where I wasn't lost for not having recently read the first book, but yet the second book was able to start as well.  

Perfect gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.  Overall, I thought the story and pace was well done.  I felt the story wasn't predictable and kept you wanting to read more.  I felt the character development was good.  Celestine was cautious at the beginning, but she truly started to become the strong person everyone already felt she was.  I thought her two sides of the coin speech to the Flawed was well done and portrayed her strength that had been developing throughout the book.  I truly enjoyed the story and read it quite quickly.  

I had  a few minor glitches which caused the rating to drop.  Most of these glitches should've been caught by a good editor.  At the beginning, when Celestine talks about her brandings she often brings up the 6th branding that no one knows about.  However, Celestine brings up this 6th branding a lot and it is always in an extremely dramatic fashion.  It's okay the first couple times, but after that it was a tad annoying.  The other two reasons for the dropped rating is the typo errors I found on pg 49 and pg 79.  The first error, the author writes the wrong name for Carrick's mom.  The second error was a simple typo.  However, both typos should've been caught by one of the editors.  

Overall, Perfect is a great read and a fast read.  It isn't perfect, but it's pretty darn good.   


Happy Fun Dystopia Series reading! 

Perfect by Cecelia Ahern
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Best For: 14 and up, 9th grade and up.
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Buy It or Not: If you own Flawed, then pick this one up too.
Read Aloud: I'd say no, especially b/c it is book two in a series.  However, it could work well to read with a high school child that hates reading.
Lesson Ideas: Morals, Courage, Power of Smells, Memory, Trust 

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute gets 4 Stars {graphic novel, 2nd-5th grade}

Lunch Tray Laptop. Spatu-Copter. Cyborg Teachers. A cafeteria worker that fights crime. 

That is just a small glimpse into the fun and creativity that can be found in Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. 

This Lunch Lady is the first book in a fun graphic novel series perfect for 2nd through 5th grade.  Fans of Babymouse will enjoy this series, and reluctant readers, aka kids who don't like to read, will love how easy and quick this book is to read.  To be honest, everyone will find enjoyment reading this book.    

Lunch Lady gets 4 out of 5 stars in my book review.  I love graphic novels.  I love that the pictures and the words tell the story.  I love that graphic novels, like this one, are books even the kids who hate reading will pick up.  I was one of those kids, and I wish there were more books like this when I was a kid. 

This book did a great job artistically and creatively.  I love the black, white, gray, and yellow color scheme found in this book.  The pictures/illustrations in Lunch Lady are simple enough, but yet they have plenty of detail.  I felt the ingenuity with the spy gadgets that can be found in the a school cafeteria to be really fun.  Things like a Spatula and a droid helicopter becoming a Spatu-Copter or a lunch tray that is a laptop made me smile, laugh, and thoroughly enjoy reading this book even as an an adult.  If I found it to be a fun read, I am pretty sure kids in early to middle elementary will enjoy this book as well. 

Do you know any kid who doesn't think about what their teachers and school personnel do outside of school? When I was in elementary school, I was sure the Music Teacher and the PE Teacher were married.  They weren't, but we were all 100% sure they were.  Lunch Lady brings to life, and then adds a lot of creativity and fun, to what kids already think.  I really love that this spy Lunch Lady is fighting crime.  It's fun and out there, and yet it is completely relatable to kids as well.  

The writing in Lunch Lady is good.  The story is funny.   This great book doesn't get the full 5 stars just b/c it wasn't amazing, but I think it is definitely needed in any library collection, and a good book to check-out if you have a kid (especially a girl) in 2nd through 5th grade. 

Happy Fun and Adventurous Spy Graphic Novel reading! 

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett Krosoczka
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 7 - 10 year olds, 2nd - 5th grade. 
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Buy It or Not: No, unless it's what your reluctant reader will read over and over again. 
Read Aloud: Graphic novels rarely make good read alouds, but for a literature group or small reading group/circle this could work perfectly. 
Lesson Ideas: Spies. School Life. Color Scheme. Creativity. Inventions.