I've been a fool! A fool! How many years did I put off reading this because of some (admittedly) weird loyalty to Peter Parker? Hmmm. Two. According to I've been a fool! A fool! How many years did I put off reading this because of some (admittedly) weird loyalty to Peter Parker? Hmmm. Two. According to the publication date... I was like that idiot Highlander screaming from the mountaintop, "THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!", while Sean Connery (whose role will be played by random Goodreads friends, for the purpose of this review) gently told me that Miles was a good Spider-Man. Did I listen? Nooooo! Why? Because it would have been too easy to give up my Hardcore Douche Stance against the man I believed killed off my beloved Peter. It would have been too easy to take the advice of trusted GR friends, and just give the damn title a shot. And the worst part of this whole debacle is that I didn't even mean to grab this title! I thought I was getting the original Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Power and Responsibility for a friend of mine's kid.
*hangs head in shame*
Now imagine my horror when I flipped open the pages and looked into Miles' big brown puppy dog eyes. I. Couldn't. Look. Away. His sweetsweet face and accusingly sad peepers followed me from page to page. Why didn't you read me?! Why didn't you just give me a chance?! Or at least, that's what I imagined him saying.
In short, I'm an idiot and this was awesome. It's a great origin story that was touching, funny, and well written. And the art? Oh my God, the kid is freakin' adorable!
Merged review:
I've been a fool! A fool! How many years did I put off reading this because of some (admittedly) weird loyalty to Peter Parker? Hmmm. Two. According to the publication date... I was like that idiot Highlander screaming from the mountaintop, "THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!", while Sean Connery (whose role will be played by random Goodreads friends, for the purpose of this review) gently told me that Miles was a good Spider-Man. Did I listen? Nooooo! Why? Because it would have been too easy to give up my Hardcore Douche Stance against the man I believed killed off my beloved Peter. It would have been too easy to take the advice of trusted GR friends, and just give the damn title a shot. And the worst part of this whole debacle is that I didn't even mean to grab this title! I thought I was getting the original Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Power and Responsibility for a friend of mine's kid.
*hangs head in shame*
Now imagine my horror when I flipped open the pages and looked into Miles' big brown puppy dog eyes. I. Couldn't. Look. Away. His sweetsweet face and accusingly sad peepers followed me from page to page. Why didn't you read me?! Why didn't you just give me a chance?! Or at least, that's what I imagined him saying.
In short, I'm an idiot and this was awesome. It's a great origin story that was touching, funny, and well written. And the art? Oh my God, the kid is freakin' adorable!...more
Story-wise this one is a solid 3 stars. I didn't dislike it, but the plot really didn't do much for me one way or the other. Readable without being meStory-wise this one is a solid 3 stars. I didn't dislike it, but the plot really didn't do much for me one way or the other. Readable without being memorable. In other words, it was average.
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Well...yes. Because sometimes average is good enough for a romance novel. At least, it is to me. I'm not normally one to recommend a book that didn't wow me with the plot, though. However, this little gem has something better than a plot! It has a grown-ass woman in her mid-thirties who is incredibly confident about sex, her body, and her life in general.
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And isn't that just a miracle?! Well, yes and no. I mean, to be very honest, I feel sexier now (at 41) than I ever did at 25. You young ladies listen up, there's nothing to fear about getting older. In fact, it's pretty fantastic! I mean, sure, there's a few extra lines and a bit of jiggle in odd places, but every year I've been alive a little bit more of that GiveaFuck mentality that used to tie my stomach in knots just...falls away. I've got another grey hair? Damn! Turns out I look foxy with some silver shooting through my locks!
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And the sex scenes in this thing? Sizzzzzle! No, there wasn't anything crazy-kinky happening, but they were HOT! A lot of it had to do with the sheer amount of confidence that oozed off of Isabella. She was that kind of sexy that older women specialize in, and she knew it. No apologies. Growr!
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Another thing this book does well is the interaction between the women. There's too many books that showcase the catty bullshit, so it was nice to see one that focuses on what solid friendships look like.
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Like I said, I'm not one to push average stories on anyone, but if you're a mature woman in the market for a romance that doesn't focus on a heroine who still has taut skin? Girl, you gotta check this one out!...more
So when Sara recommended this one to me, I wasn't sure what her motivations were. I mean, maybe she was trying to get back at me for some of m3.5 stars
So when Sara recommended this one to me, I wasn't sure what her motivations were. I mean, maybe she was trying to get back at me for some of my recommendations to her. Evidently, I almost ruined Wonder Woman for her... Pshhht. As if! Anyway, I went into Wolf with Benefits with my fingers crossed, hoping that it wasn't some sort of a clever prank.
It wasn't! I thought this was a pretty cute story about a family of crazy prodigy jackal-shifters, and the normal sister who keep them all from imploding. And the hillbilly(ish) wolf-shifter that she falls in love with. Plus the psychotic sister that's slurking around in the shadows. Oh, and also, a whole lotta other characters that I would probably recognize, if I hadn't started on book #8. *shrugs*
I should also mention that while I've read quite a few of this author's Dragon Kin books (penned under the name G A Aiken), I've never actually finished anything she's written as Laurenston. I've gotta say, the way she writes as Aiken is still what I prefer, but this wasn't half bad. Anyway, if you're in the mood for a lighthearted PNR, then this is something you might find interesting.
The only reason to read any of these Secret Origin stories, is if you are somehow unfamiliar with the characters. Not only are the origins not Secret, The only reason to read any of these Secret Origin stories, is if you are somehow unfamiliar with the characters. Not only are the origins not Secret, they aren't very interesting. Somehow, I thought that because they were coming out with this Origin volume, I was going to learn something new, or maybe there might be a fresh twist on things. Nope. I'll save you some time. If you already read comic books, you've heard these stories before. And, honestly, there are better versions of them out there. Starfire and Harley Quinn were the only ones that haven't been done to death. Does that make them great? No. But at least I wasn't rolling my eyes through either of them. Superman, Green Lantern, and Aquaman were the only characters with stories that felt like the authors even tried to bring some kind of emotion to the table. I'm not saying they were AWESOME. I'm just saying it felt like they tried. Green Arrow/Oliver Queen is just more we-like-the-tv-show crap, but if you're into that, it won't piss you off. Batman, Batwoman, and Damien's origins were all unbelievably regurgitated. Nothing was new. NOTHING. Red Robin (Drake), Robin (Grayson), and Supergirl, however, rounded out the bottom of the barrel. I hated all of these guys by the time their issues were done. Remember when Batman tracked Dick Grayson down and begged him to be his partner? Yeah, me neither. And evidently Tim Drake was super excited to partner up with Batman after he caused his poor parents to end up in witness protection. Mom? Dad? I know I ruined your lives, but Brucey is gonna adopt me now, so...Laters! Enjoy looking over your shoulders for the rest of your (probably very short) lives! Really? Drake comes off like a total douche. Normally, I like his character quite a bit, so...Thanks! Supergirl. *sigh* One minute she's fighting a Kryptonian dinosaur, and the next she's (maybe) starting a war with North Korea over some of their astronauts that she saved. Yeah. I know that nothing in that sentence made sense.
This isn't awful, it's just unnecessary. It might make a nice gift for people who are just getting into DC characters, but I wouldn't personally be thrilled to find this under my Christmas tree.
If you don't have kids will you think this is funny? Hard to say. It's basically the companion to Go the Fuck to Sleep, which is a tongue-in-cheek bedtiIf you don't have kids will you think this is funny? Hard to say. It's basically the companion to Go the Fuck to Sleep, which is a tongue-in-cheek bedtime story for parents who are dealing with young children. Thankfully, all of mine are now old enough that I can actually just tell them to get the hell in bed and stay there...Or else. I no longer have to screw around and be nice about it. *insert evil laugh here* As far as getting them to eat? Been there. Done that. And this book brought back all the memories and frustrations beautifully! I (like the parent in the book) was convinced that if the child in question didn't eat, they'd...well, shrivel up and die, I guess. Until you're so sleep deprived (see: Go the Fuck to Sleep) that you can't see straight, you can't possibly understand the mindset that would allow you to imagine starvation as the outcome of a kid who is just a picky eater. A picky eater who doesn't actually need that many calories to survive. Seriously. It doesn't matter that your pediatrician has already told your stupid ass that if the kid gets hungry...they'll eat. I've done the Food Dance, and it ain't pretty. Most days, none of this MOM crap is very pretty. In fact, this is much closer to the reality of parenting than any of the What to Expect When You're...Whatever books. But. Children are worth it. *cough* Really. I mean it... [image] ...more
Hmmm. I love Captain America, and I love Ed Brubaker. But. This was not an awesome read. It wasn't gaThis review is dedicated to Jeff, because...
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Hmmm. I love Captain America, and I love Ed Brubaker. But. This was not an awesome read. It wasn't garbage, but I've never read anything by Brubaker that I'd call garbage. I'm not even sure he's capable of writing something truly bad. However, this just wasn't fantastic.
Bad guys are trying to take over the world via hypnosis, and they're using the television to do it. At the end of the day, Steve (and friends) beat their asses. The End. Then Steve visits the crazy Captain America clone-guy. You know who I'm talking about? The one that's a real nutfuck, and had all of those surgeries done because he's sort of an obsessive lunatic/stalker fan of Rogers? Yeah. Him. Anyway, Steve helps him out.
One of my main problems with this volume wasn't the writer's fault anyway. I had a hard time getting into the story, because I hadn't read the previous volume. Why not, you ask? Well, it's the same damn thing I've been complaining about for a long time now. Marvel SUCKS at labeling titles and volumes! When I picked this up, I thought that it was a continuation of part of Brubaker's Captain America that I had already been reading. It wasn't. This is a new...I don't even know WhatTheFuck it is! This should be like volume 8 or something of Captain America, not volume 4! Why is it volume 4?! What the Hell, Marvel? Do you douchecanoes not realize that it makes virtually impossible to read things in order, if you don't RE-NAME them when you decide to do shit like this?
No. Really! I have absolutelyno idea what I just read. This has volume one & two, so I'm pretty sure I goUmmmmmm. What the fuck did I just read?
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No. Really! I have absolutelyno idea what I just read. This has volume one & two, so I'm pretty sure I got the complete story. In fact, there was even a little nifty The End tacked on to the last page. So, if someone could please tell me what the hell happened, I'd really appreciate it.
As far as I can tell, Superman's Imagination (along with some Kryptonian sciency-stuff) created...Utopia? And then somehow his Magic Imagination Ball (for some unexplained reason) blew up or went off (not sure?), and caused a Rapture-like event called The Vanishing. The Vanishing is pretty self-explanatory, in that a bunch of random people, um...vanished. Oh, and Lois. Lois is gone, too. So, you know....
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And for some reason, it seems Superman has amnesia about Imagination World, as well. But not really. I think he erased his own memory, but (again) not sure that's actually how it went down. I mean, Wonder Woman and Batman knew more about what had happened than he did, but that's actually not a good argument for amnesia, is it? They usually know more about what's going on in any given situation than Clark does anyway.
There's more to the tale, including a dying priest, a surly mercenary spy, animatronic parents, some Elemental giants, and a balding General Zod. Don't worry, it all makes more sense in the story! (view spoiler)[Ha! Just kidding. It doesn't make any more sense in the story. Sorry. (hide spoiler)]
I'm sure I'll catch shit for not loving this, or not getting the deeper nuances to the story, but I simply don't care. It was a weird look at Superman whining on and on and on about his inner feelings, and I'm just not the right audience for that sort of comic.
Huh. I had no idea that Viv Daniels was Diana Peterfreund's alter ego. I probably would have read this earlier, but then again, I probably wouldn't haHuh. I had no idea that Viv Daniels was Diana Peterfreund's alter ego. I probably would have read this earlier, but then again, I probably wouldn't have gotten quite what I expected, either. Hear Me is a New Adult (urban?) fantasy novella with a great big heaping spoonful of romance. It's short enough that I could easily ruin the plot if I explain too much, but it centers around two childhood sweethearts from different...backgrounds...that find their way back to each other.
I'm not a huge fan of books that center around the sex, but this one had an interesting story to go with it. And Hear Me also felt pretty well thought-out for a novella, so I was mostly happy with it. If you're looking for something a little different in a short romance novel, then this would fit the bill nicely.
I will say there's a part about his semen being evil that sort of freaked me out, but if you want to know any more about that, you'll just have to read the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.
Not a fan of the rapey books. And that's probably my biggest (but not my only) problem with Fairest of Them All. See, all I was hoping for was some flufNot a fan of the rapey books. And that's probably my biggest (but not my only) problem with Fairest of Them All. See, all I was hoping for was some fluffy romance-like stuff, and possibly an new take on Beauty and the Beast. For a few chapters, that's sort of what this was. Then this clanging warning bell went off in my head when the hero's inner monologue got a bit wonky. There were several other signs that things were careening from a quirky story to an icky story, but the writing wasn't awful, so I ignored them.
Holly is beautiful. Like, the most stunning thing ever born. EVER. EVEREVEREVEREVEREVEREVEREVER! No other woman in the world can compare with her beauty. And she has awesome tits to boot! I know this, because it's mentioned on just about every page. Even Holly can't stop touching her boobies, that's how fuckin' awesome those bad-boys are. Holly=Perfection Got it?
Holly keeps finding new and creative ways to get rid of suitors. Webbed toes run in the family, she has the pox, every other generation of women is insane (and her mother was fine), etc... Holly's father wants her to marry. She's 18. It's time. He sets up a tournament so that men can come from far and wide, and win her hand. Enter Gavenmore. He's under a curse. There's a whole backstory to it, but the short version is that every man in his family is doomed to fall madly in love with...and then kill...a beautiful woman. So why was he even entered in this tournament? He gets pissed at Holly for tricking him into thinking she was ugly, but he's the IDIOT who entered a tournament to marry the MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN ENGLAND! There are a lot of plot holes like that, but I could have ignored them if this story hadn't drifted into rape-is-cool territory. Anyway, in a effort to dissuade any suitors, Holly chops off her hair, blackens her teeth, uses soot to give herself the illusion of a mustache, pads her clothes...and binds her gorgeous knockers. So. Guess who ends up winning her hand in marriage?
Ok, all of that has the makings of a really cute story. Until about halfway through, there's a lot of funny/cute moments where these two start to fall for each other by building a friendship. Awwwww! Then this happens in a lake: (view spoiler)[ He finally discovers her treachery! So he holds her face underwater several times (to, you know, get the soot off), then rips the majority of her clothes off (to, you know, expose the padding and bindings), and hauls her through the castle and up to the tower in front of everyone (to, you know, lock her ass up). As he should! And there she stays for months. Hmmm. What so you do with prisoners that you're married to, but haven't slept with yet? Riiiiiiiiight. So. To prove that she's a virgin, and not a whore, he HAS to have sex with her, right? Right? Now, naturally, she loves it. Even though he won't kiss her, and even though he holds her down, and even though she's been kept prisoner in this tower for months, and... Here's the thing. He thinks he's raping her. He knows it's wrong. She was a virgin, and he fingered her, then fucked her. Nice guy. So for the rest of her captivity (no, he doesn't let her out after that), she tries to win him over. As she should! Right? Right? It becomes a Battle of the Wills, since now that he's had a taste of her, he just can't resist trotting up there every night and screwing her. Of course, he brings her sooooooooo much pleasure. She loves him, and she just knows that he loves her too...if she can only break through the walls he has erected around his heart! (hide spoiler)]
Fuck that! It's Stockholm Syndrome. Nothing about him, or anything he did was remotely acceptable. I was not pleased by any of the feeble excuses that the author stuck in there to excuse his behavior.
No. No, to all of that shit.
PS Even without all of that, this would have only been 2.5 star book, because there were enough plot holes to drive a truck through. ...more
3.5 stars 2 for the first half. 4.5 for the last half You know, in case you were wondering...
Volume 7 wraps up this run of Daredevil, and (I'm assuming)3.5 stars 2 for the first half. 4.5 for the last half You know, in case you were wondering...
Volume 7 wraps up this run of Daredevil, and (I'm assuming) sends him on a whole new set of adventures in the future.
Ok, so the story up to this point? Foggy is fighting cancer, the Jester is instigating race riots, and now Matt needs to find some occult document that's really important to the Sons of the Serpent. In case you've forgotten, these guys are white supremacists who've infiltrated the New York legal system. *sigh* I'm so over the evil white dude storyline. I mean it. I have met a few truly racist white people in my life, but I was shocked each time. Why? Because it's so fucking uncommon to actually meet a person who actually doesn't think another person is as good as they are based solely on their skin color. AND I LIVE IN THE HEART OF DIXIE! As a side note, none of the 'whitey is righty' racist people I've encountered were southern. So stick that in your pipe and smoke it, ya damn Yankees.
As you can see from the cover, DD meets up with the Monster Squad. In Kentucky. Surrounded by rednecks. *sigh* With torches and pitchforks...
Anyhoo, the plot picks up once you get past the first few issues. There are quite a few GASP! moments in this volume, so saying too much about the plot would certainly spoil it for anyone who hasn't read this yet. First half was meh, second half was good. All in all, a nice conclusion to this particular run of Daredevil, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next! ...more
So, this is The Classified Edition of Incognito that includes both volumes. Huh. I have to admit, I was a tad annoyed at the ending when I found out thaSo, this is The Classified Edition of Incognito that includes both volumes. Huh. I have to admit, I was a tad annoyed at the ending when I found out that this was it. Hello? What the hell was that?!
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So, this thing doesn't exactly have a tidy ending. I don't consider that a spoiler. More of a WARNING for others, like myself, who have certain expectations when it comes to reading books. And if you're like me, then this 'ending' will bother you a great deal! I know a lot of you lovely folks out there like these open-ended kinds of stories, but if I'm going to invest my time in something, then I sure as shit want to know how it all turns out. Is that too much to ask? I think not.
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Other than that MAJOR complaint, this was a pretty decent story. You've got a Villain turned NotQuiteAsBadAsHeOriginallyWas kind of thing going on. He's got to try to navigate all the lies he's been told to get to some sort of truth about his origins, and maybe save his life. Ish. Because it's not even totally about that, either.
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Incognito is one of those Let'sLookAtTheGreyAreasOfLife stories. And also one of those There'sNoRealMeaningToAnything sort of stories. In other words, it's a tale that's meant to be read over and over again, with the reader finding new and interesting interpretations each time. Shockingly, I'm not that kind of reader. However, if you are, then I think you might enjoy this one quite a bit.
I've been in the mood for fun books lately, and this one certainly fit the bill. But. I feel the need to address this awful cover.
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Now ma3.5 stars
I've been in the mood for fun books lately, and this one certainly fit the bill. But. I feel the need to address this awful cover.
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Now maybe you can't see it very well, so I've taken the liberty of blowing it up for you just a bit. Although, I have to say, even blowing it up to that size doesn't do it justice. The picture below actually looks much cooler than the book I'm staring at right now. For one thing, when you're holding the book, it looks like the dude's eyes are crossed. I even went so far as to try and look up alternate editions online, to try and get the bad taste out of my mouth, but this is apparently the Cover of Choice. *shudder*
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Whyyyyyyy?! I had the paperback version, so that visual was what greeted me every time I started to read. And, at first, I thought that maybe it was published 20 years ago or something...but, no! 2013! It's like some straight guy who still listens to a lot of Bon Jovi on the weekend designed this. Because in his mind, this is an attractive and/or badass look that would lure in the female readers. Ugh. P.S. Jon said he wanted his jacket back when you're done, Charming. (view spoiler)[
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Well, whoever you are...Great Job! [image]
Alright, fine. I'm a cover whore, and I'll admit I've spent too much time ranting about this one. But in my defense, the cover so ugly it made me slightly crazy(er).
And here's where the saying Don't Judge a Book By It's Cover comes into play. The actual story wasn't anything incredibly new, but I loved the tone of the book. It's a fast-paced urban fantasy with an extremely likable lead character, and the dialogue had me smiling for the entire book. And John Charming's inner monologue was surprisingly funny! Now I always hate it when reviewers rave about how funny a book was, and then when I read it, I feel totally betrayed. As in: How the fuck could someone think drunk chicks giggling over a dildo like 12 year old girls is all that funny? Well, we all have different ideas about what makes something humorous, right? So in an effort to help others avoid making a mistake, I'll add in the first paragraph of the prelude below. Then you can decide for yourself if it makes you giggle.
There's a reason that we refer to being in love as being enchanted. Think back to the worst relationship you've ever been in: the one where your family and friends tried to warn you that the person you were with was cheating on you, or partying a little too much, or a control freak, or secretly gay, or whatever. Remember how you were convinced that no one but you could see the real person beneath that endearingly flawed surface? And then later, after the relationship reached that scorched-earth-policy stage where letters were being burned and photos were being cropped, did you find yourself looking back and being amazed at how obvious the truth had been all along? Did it feel as if you were waking up from some kind of spell?
Now, see, that paragraph made me do this: [image]
But maybe you felt more like this: [image]
Well, now the decision is in your hands! My only recommendation is to either get the digital version, or perhaps tape brown paper over the cover of the book. Bonus points if you have an especially crafty grandmother who like to crochet!
Not quite as super-funny as some of the other installments, but still excellent!
M'kay. Not to poop on the parade, but I had to do some mental editing Not quite as super-funny as some of the other installments, but still excellent!
M'kay. Not to poop on the parade, but I had to do some mental editing when it came to our hero. Let me explain why.. Gwenvael has long blonde hair. Now, when I think of long blonde hair on men my mind wanders into two distinctly different directions.
A) Growr! [image]
And
B) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter [image]
Alrighty, it's not just long blonde hair, though. Gwenvael is described as having blonde hair that comes below his knees. To me, this isn't sexy. [image]
So. I very quickly pulled out my 'mental scissors' and gave that boy a trim. You're welcome.
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And now that I had my Gwenvael, I could let the lust-fest begin. Oh, and also focus on the person that I really wanted to read about, Dagamr Reinholdt. Dagmar has always been one of my favorite characters in the other books, so finally getting a chance to read her backstory was awesome! She was just as impressively devilish as I thought she'd be, and seeing how Gwenvael the Handsome won her over was pretty entertaining. Dagmar (for those of you who don't know) is usually referred to as The Beast, and considered one of the most dangerous people to cross in the Dragon Kin series. Even the dragons are afraid of her, but not because she's the least bit physically frightening. Nope. She's one of those cold, calculating schemers that topples kingdoms (and evil sister-in-laws) without ever breaking a sweat.
So how does an apparently air-headed pretty boy win over a lady like that? Well, you've gotta read the book! Duh....more
I wanted to love this one, but I just couldn't get into it. The gist of the story is that in this dystopian world a group of people referred t2.5 stars
I wanted to love this one, but I just couldn't get into it. The gist of the story is that in this dystopian world a group of people referred to as the Guild basically run everything. Water Bearers are people who are 'chosen' as their servants through a draft-like screening process. If you get chosen, your family gets taken care of, and you supposedly live a relatively luxurious life. Conspiracy! Conspiracy! Yes, yes...of course there is. Without spoiling too much, whether or not you like this story is going to come down to whether or not you like Tate, and her inner monologue. I didn't. I found her dull, uninteresting, and somewhat annoying. There's a romance between her and the General's Blade Dude, but there was seemingly no reason behind their feelings toward each other. Or at least none that I could see. They are both in a situation that they don't like. And they are both THERE together. Ta-Da! Eh. I just wasn't feeling it.
I also found the rebels to be a bit idiotic. (view spoiler)[Why, why, why the hell would they EVER let Tate into their secret hidey-hole/base of operations? She has their sworn enemy riding shotgun in her head! The explaination is that 'Tate knows when the General is awake', and can warn them before he shows up. Oh, come on! Do you seriously expect me to believe that adults, who have been fighting the Guild for years, are going to trust their lives (and all the other rebels' lives) on whether or not a teenager has mental control of an centuries old evil mastermind? Did none of them think the General could possibly trick Tate? That's what he's KNOWN for! General=Tricky Bastard I also failed to see why they had to meet at the Secret Base. Why couldn't they have had these 'meetings' with her in a random hotel room somewhere? *bangs head on desk* (hide spoiler)] There were several things they could have done to weaken or even cripple the Guild, and I was a little surprised that nobody mentioned it. At the very least, I thought it should have been discussed. (view spoiler)[Ok, maybe I'm just a heartless bitch, but did anyone ever think about just...I don't know...killing Tate while they had her away from the General's compound? If she dies, and they can't get the next Water Bearer in there (cremate the body!), wouldn't he die? They had TWO Guild members in their grasp at one point. TWO! And yet, nobody was jumping up and down in the background going, "Quick! Shoot 'em in the head!". Because, that would have been Plan A, if I were in charge. Kidnap the Guild members while they were in this weakened state, and then kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkktttt. I understand that you couldn't actually do that and have a viable story, but it would have made sense for that to have been part of the plan. In all fairness, Blade Boy 'threatened' to kill her (kind of), but it didn't feel like she was ever in danger of that really happening. (hide spoiler)]
On a positive note, as I was reading this, I had no idea it was a self-published title. Kudos to the author for doing such a good job! I love it when indie authors manage to look as glossy and well-edited as the authors from a big publishing house! And while I'm at it, I have to give a standing ovation for that beautiful cover! Several of my friends did love this book, so don't be afraid to give it a shot if it looks like something that would interest you.
I received an digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Why? (view spoiler)[Movie rights for the X-Men are owned by Fox, right? Well, then conventional wisdom says that if MarvInhumans are making a comeback!
Why? (view spoiler)[Movie rights for the X-Men are owned by Fox, right? Well, then conventional wisdom says that if Marvel wants to get a piece of the mutantish pie, it better find a loophole. Inhumans = Loophole. They aren't 'mutants' per say, but they have a lot of the same qualities. Or at least, enough of the same qualities. So, will this work? Will the Inhumans be able to worm their way into the coveted (Movie) Mutant spot for Marvel, or will audiences think they're a bunch of Generic X-Men? I'm not sure it really matters. Either way, the Inhumans have their own title! (hide spoiler)]
Black Bolt has released the Terrigen Mist, and thanks to the weather patterns, it's working it's way across parts of the world. I have no idea how that happened, by the way... Anyone with the right gene-thingy is getting their very own cocoon, and once they emerge they each have new mutant powers.
Black Bolt is missing, so it's up to Medusa (Queen of Atilla) to make sure all the new mutants Inhumans are safe. Which is kind of proving harder than it should be, since there's some rock-guy running around killing off the 'unworthy'.
I liked the art and the story quite a bit. Unfortunately, I could only get my grubby paws on this one issue, but it was good enough to make me want to read the entire volume when it comes out. ...more
Things to know before you read it: NOT A SEXY-TALE See, I thought with the title and all, this would be like a fUm. For a Kindle Freebie, this was cute.
Things to know before you read it: NOT A SEXY-TALE See, I thought with the title and all, this would be like a funny little erotica. Nope. No sex. Just a fairytale about a disembodied penis. And that's not a bad thing! I never go into these weird little stories thinking that I'm going to get to read something hot. So. Food for thought, nothing more.
NOT HYSTERICALLY FUNNY I see lots of OhMyGodIPeedMyPants reviews, but to me? Ehhhh. I thought it was good silly fun, but not once did I laugh out loud (aka LOL). I was expecting to double over with laughter, and it didn't happen. I did, however, smile quite a bit. So, don't go into it thinking you're getting comedy gold, and you should be fine.
NOT BADLY WRITTEN Here's where the author took me by surprise... The story? Well, first of all, there was a story! I know, right?! And second, it made sense! Or at least as much as a fairytale about an invisible penis can make sense... It was kind of adorable, and I found myself *rooting for the characters to get their Happily Ever After. I honestly didn't think I would care, but I did. So there.
If you get the chance, check this one out. I certainly wouldn't mind reading more by this author.
I feel like I'm being very generous by giving this 3 stars. Then again, maybe historical paranormal mysteries just aren't my thing? Don't get me wrong, I feel like I'm being very generous by giving this 3 stars. Then again, maybe historical paranormal mysteries just aren't my thing? Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a chore to read, but it never really captured my attention.
First, let's start off with what I really liked about the story.,. I loved Delia and Gabe's relationship. They are just such a rock solid couple, and there's a lot of mutual respect that runs both ways between them. I also love the way Moyer describes the city of San Francisco in 1917. She makes it seem like another character in her story, and really brings the time period to life. Moyer also does an incredible job bringing the side characters to life. Dora, Jack, and Sam are all vividly written, and feel very real on the page.
Unfortunately, the mystery isn't much of a mystery. You know almost immediately who the Bad Guy is, and then it's just up to these guys to find a way to stop them. And sometimes that approach really works, but it just didn't do it for me this time. There was absolutely no tension, so it felt like our intrepid heroes just plodded along toward the conclusion.
Another problem is that Delia herself isn't a very interesting character. Dora (Delia's mentor) is a bohemian medium who regularly puts herself in harm's way to rid people of evil spirits. Delia is a woman who sees ghosts...and tries to help Dora. Dora is flirtatious, full of life, and haunted by the painful emotions of everything she comes into contact with. She appears to have quite a (somewhat hidden) drinking problem in order to cope with what she sees and feels. She uses her knowledge of spells and charms to ward her home, and the homes of anyone who needs protection from spirits. Delia is a nice married lady who wants to make sure her husband and friends are safe. Do you see where I'm going with this? Why isn't Dora the main character, and Delia a side character? It doesn't make much sense to me to have the boring one as your lead, because (especially this time around) it felt like the story would have been better from Dora's point of view. I think the real kicker was when a spiritual fight (toward the end of the book) took place between Dora and a Bad Guy. Since Delia is the narrator, you never find out what went on while Dora was 'fighting'. ????? Are you kidding me with that?
Then you have the lighting-fast acceptance that everyone seems to have toward the spiritual world. Gabe is San Francisco's Chief of Police in 1917. And his wife is continually telling everyone they meet about her talent to see spirits, and nobody gives them a hard time. Ever. They're all like, SURE THING! I BELIEVE YOU! Nobody reports this to the newspaper's gossip column, his superiors never 'have a chat' with him, his officers 'trust that he knows what he's doing', and he still has a job. Are you shitting me?! There are WAAAY too many people in on their little secret for something like this not to cause problems for them. It would cause problems for a public figure today, much less close to 100 years ago!
Then there's the spirit world, itself. Are the ghosts benevolent? Are they trying to help? Are they confused and lost? Or are they evil? All we know for sure is that Dora and Delia don't trust them, and keep trying to 'banish' them. Ghosts are tricky little bastards! But it seems like it would behoove them to see what these specters actually want, don't you think? I assumed after the first book didn't elaborate on the rules of the spirit world, that book 2 would have more answers...more clarification? More something to let the reader know whether Delia & CO should reach out to them, or be afraid of any interaction. I'm not sure I'm even explaining this very well, but the world building for the ghostly stuff is (in my opinion) sorely lacking in these books.
Anyhoo. Last, but not least, I felt like the ending was abrupt and a bit anticlimactic. It was just...over. Kind of like this review.
For a debut novella, this didn't suck. I'm not sure what to make of the way the author has written it, though. I've honestly never come across2.5 stars
For a debut novella, this didn't suck. I'm not sure what to make of the way the author has written it, though. I've honestly never come across anything like this before, and I'm not even sure if this is correct, but it seems to be written in 3d person present tense. Maybe? I'm not an expert on tenses or narration so I could very well be wrong. If anyone out there would like to correct me on this, feel free to leave a comment and I'll edit this sucker. All I know is that it was sort of...odd...to read. But the story wasn't bad at all, and it leads up to what will be the start of this new series from Tash McAdam.
So. There's a girl, Serena, who wants to become a soldier/agent for this group of underground telepathic rebels. Her little brother was captured by the government a few years ago, and the only way for her to get the resources to mount a rescue mission, is to pass this test and become a full-fledged operative. However, her one-time BFF seems to be trying to sabotage her efforts. The first half of the book focuses on this part of her life, and gives you a bit of backstory into the dystopian world she lives in. The next half of the book revolves around her mission, and introduces (I'm assuming) some of the characters that will eventually play a role in the novel, Maelstrom.
I'm waffling on whether or not I'd want to continue with these books. There's potential for it to be really good, and it's hard to tell from a novella whether it's going to rock or not. There are some cool elements that I enjoyed, but the way it was written made me feel detached from the characters. I'm just not chomping at the bit to read an entire full-length book in that style. But. If I find out that it was only the novella that was written like that, I'd be more than happy to give Maelstrom a chance.
Nothing, I repeat, nothing about this 'story' is even remotely coherent. The worse thing a writer can do is have theWhat the f*@k did I just read?!
Nothing, I repeat, nothing about this 'story' is even remotely coherent. The worse thing a writer can do is have the main character of the story drugged or hallucinating, and not have some kind of an alternate reliable narrator ready to step in and tell the reader what's really happening. Or, since this is in graphic novel format, the artist could step in and become a reliable narrator. Show us what Spider-Man can't see, maybe? That didn't happen here, though. Now, the art was fantastic, so please don't think that I'm complaining about Rudy's work. But nothing about it helped me get a grip on the...plot. Yes. For the purposes of this review, we're going to say it had a 'plot'.
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And here it is: Peter Parker and Madame Web walk into a spooky house filled with little robot girls. Stop me if you've heard this one... Robots explode, as they do. Web gives Parker a vague warning about how he must run a gauntlet of villains...or DIE. Somewhere along the line he either swallows a blue pill (from Arcade) or gets bit by a vampire (Morbius). And nothing will make sense from then on out. Not that any of it made sense beforehand.
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I went on a camping trip with Uncle Ben... Someone is attacking me... Wha...? Mary Jane left me... Must fight! Plane exploded... An underwater submarine? Can't fight... My hair is sticking up through my mask! Nooooooo... Uncle Ben bought a ring for Aunt May. Hurts... When did I arrive on an island? I complained and whined on my camping trip... Kraven is hunting me! I'm lonely... Who is behind this? Awww. Mary Jane missed me!
If that sounds like something you would like to read about, then by all means, please go grab this book....more
I've read part of this storyline somewhere, but I can't put my finger on it... Maybe just a continuation of this particular story?
Whatever. I 3.5 stars
I've read part of this storyline somewhere, but I can't put my finger on it... Maybe just a continuation of this particular story?
Whatever. I liked it. After Magneto goes nuts and destroys New York, what's left of the X-men are in hiding. Or in Camps. Not the fun kind of camps, with sing-a-longs and spooky stories around the fire...
Kitty Pryde is telling the story of how she went from Miss Don't Wanna Get Involved to Big Time Mutant Terrorist. And along with that, you get a look at how the United States government is trying to do damage control, after they're 'outed' for being the idiots who created the mutant problem.
With this taking place in the Ultimate universe, it won't be for everyone, but I enjoyed it....more
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