Fangs by Sarah Andersen

 

 

Reviewed by Ambrea

 Elsie is three hundred years old, but, throughout her centuries of undeath, she’s never met her match.  And then one night she meets Jimmy:  Jimmy is handsome and charming, and he has a wry sense of humor and he just seems to get her.  He’s also a werewolf.  Together, Elsie and Jimmy will explore their relationship, learning to understand and love each other’s curious quirks, unusual habits, and monstrous appetites. 

Written by Sarah Andersen, creator of Sarah’s Scribbles and author of Adulthood is a Myth, Fangs is a short collection of black-and-white comics that features a vampire and a werewolf—and all the mischief that’s to be expected when they fall in love.  It’s a fun and delightful (if slightly macabre) romp, and it’s certainly worth reading if you enjoy a bit of dark humor with your gothic romance.

 I actually purchased a copy of this book late last year – shortly before Halloween – and I immediately fell in love with the comic.  I already enjoyed Sarah’s Scribbles online and I have absolutely adored Andersen’s published comic collections (Adulthood is a Myth, Big Mushy Happy Lump, and Herding Cats), so, I suppose, it was inevitable that I would enjoy her other works, too.  I loved the humor and the sarcasm and the puns – oh, yes, the puns! – and I loved the evolving dynamic between Jimmy and Elsie as they work through their relationship.

 Overall, I think Fangs was one of my favorite comic collections of last year.  (I’ve read it half a dozen times already, and I’ve found it doesn’t get old.)  Although it’s rather small, weighing in at just a little over a hundred pages, it’s an enjoyable read that’s perfect for the upcoming spooky season or just a free afternoon.

Sarah's Scribbles

Reviewed by Ambrea

I originally saw Sarah Andersen’s work online, and I quickly fell in love with her comics.  Andersen is funny and witty and relatable, chronicling her life as a young adult thrust into the modern world without job experience, training, or a set career path—and student loans thrown into the mix.  Her series is about growing up, being an introvert with (ugh) responsibilities, loving pets, gaining life experiences, and, some days, snuggling under the covers because adulting is hard.

Needless to say, I was thrilled when I stumbled across her books at the library.  She currently has three books in her “Sarah’s Scribbles” collection:  Adulthood is a Myth, Big Mushy Happy Lump, and Herding Cats.  Each one is a collection of thoughts, sometimes visual essays about dealing with life and chasing after one’s dreams.

Personally, I love the fact that Andersen’s comics are so relatable.  She deals with situations I’ve encountered in my own life, like using books as a means of escape when life is, well, less than ideal.

Or being trolled by your brain for no apparent reason.

 

Or figuring out how to be the coziest human being ever on a rainy day.

Or learning that routines are great—but warm laundry is better.

I absolutely loved reading “Sarah’s Scribbles.”  Once I read the first panel, I was hooked and I couldn’t stop reading; in fact, I finished both Adulthood is a Myth and Big Mushy Happy Lump over my lunch break, so I could read Herding Cats as soon as it arrived at my library.  The drawings are simple but quirky; the stories are funny, if sometimes exaggerated, but they connected with me on a visceral level.

Overall, the books are wonderful.  If you’re looking for an easy, lighthearted read—or just a good laugh while snuggled in bed on a dreary, rainy fall day—I highly recommend any one of the “Sarah’s Scribbles” books.