This was very enjoyable. Susana and Andrew have fantastic chemistry and their love is believable. Isobel, Susana's daughter is a very pivotal and fun This was very enjoyable. Susana and Andrew have fantastic chemistry and their love is believable. Isobel, Susana's daughter is a very pivotal and fun character. Excited to read Lana's book soon.
I will always compare everything Bill Willingham does to Fables, fair or unfair. And it seems to pale in comparison. I normally love when modern writeI will always compare everything Bill Willingham does to Fables, fair or unfair. And it seems to pale in comparison. I normally love when modern writers borrow characters from the classics, and Willingham has done this with characters from the pulp action, fantasy and adventure of the 19th and Early 20th century and integrated them into the Steampunk framework of his imagination. I was more inspired by the artwork than the actual story. As far as the narrative itself, it was vaguely interesting. I think the cameos were the most fascinating aspect. If my library gets the next volume, I would read it.
The Owl/Talon storyline continues to be crazy. Wow, there are not too many enemies that can give Batman a run for his money, but the Owls definitely cThe Owl/Talon storyline continues to be crazy. Wow, there are not too many enemies that can give Batman a run for his money, but the Owls definitely can. Continually, I think Gotham can't be more of a deep pit, a literal hellmouth. But the more I read Batman, the worse it gets.
The action scenes were awesome, and the whole Owl story is deeply creepy. The point of view of Alfred's father gives an interesting look into the past of Gotham and the Wayne family. I think that there are some repeat stories with this and later volumes in the Scott Snyder run of Batman. It didn't bother me though....more
I've been so busy it's taken me almost a month to write a review for this. My review is based on my spotty memory. Four stars because this is a good cI've been so busy it's taken me almost a month to write a review for this. My review is based on my spotty memory. Four stars because this is a good collection of stories that reads like an anthology. It's hard to keep up with the chronology because they kind of jump around. Bats has a new sidekick, but he's trying to get rid of her (you know how Bats is about putting people in danger), especially in light of what happened to his last Robin in the recent past :( Lots of good action and plenty of Batman dealing with the tough emotional landmine he's fighting his way out of....more
"Heart of the Season" is the second book in the Loving Hearts series by a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ friend of mine, full disclosure. I can honestly say that I enjoyed"Heart of the Season" is the second book in the Loving Hearts series by a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ friend of mine, full disclosure. I can honestly say that I enjoyed this novella outside of being friends with the author. I can't say what I loved more, the hero, Zachary, an Afghanistan US Marine war vet or his dog, Akilah. Well honestly, their relationship is at the heart of this story. Julianna is clearly an animal lover, and she understands the power of the human animal bond. How having a pet can add so much to one's life and save one both physically and emotionally. That foundation of this story is a very strong one, and built on top of it is a believable romance. While this has somewhat of a happy for now feel, I do believe in the love between Zach and Jeannie. I think they are soulmates and they have a strong bond that is friendship, mutual respect, and a meeting of minds and hearts, on top of sexual attraction.
I love that Zachary is truly a very gentle man. While he's a soldier and a warrior, he's also a sensitive person. And it's okay for men to be sensitive. It's nice to be able to see that vulnerability in a hero without it seeming to compromise his masculinity. I could appreciate Jeannie even more that she respected the gentle man that Zach was. I loved how the narrative shows why Zach is the man he is due to his being raised by his grandmother, a sweet, caring woman who loved him deeply and raised him with strong values. Seeing male characters who have been raised by strong female figures depicted in a positive way doesn't get old.
I won't even lie. This book made me cry several times. I am so in love with both Akilah and Zach, and their deep friendship. I do have a weakness for beta heroes and Zach with his scars and his disability definitely snuck into my heart from practically the first page of my Kindle as I read it. Akilah is a precious furry baby. I wanted to give her a hug. The thought of what those poor dogs go through on the frontlines is heartbreaking.I can definitely see why the soldiers fall in love with them and want to bring them home. A relationship forged under those conditions will stand the test of time.
I haven't talked much about Jeannie. In a work, she was a great heroine. She's a principled, warm, caring young woman who is putting her principles to action. Going to work in an animal shelter in Afghanistan is not for the faint of heart, especially for a young woman who comes from a privileged environment. I like that she is a deep person and has the ability to look deep. Her love for animals and people is very obvious and made me loved her more.
This book even has some good action scenes on the frontline. They were well-written and it's obvious that Julianna did her research. Kudos to her for bringing a situation to light where people and animals could use some help.
While I personally am not a big fan of happy for now endings, I think this one works pretty well. I hope that we get to see more of Zach and Jeannie's developing relationship, and definitely more of Akilah.
This is still a four star read, but it didn't have the energy or hilarity of the other books in the series. They were tough acts to follow, so I ratedThis is still a four star read, but it didn't have the energy or hilarity of the other books in the series. They were tough acts to follow, so I rated accordingly. But still very good light Regency historical romance.
I thought this was a very good graphic novel. I've become a huge fan of Wolverine. I guess my buddy has rubbed off on me, because he's the biggest WolI thought this was a very good graphic novel. I've become a huge fan of Wolverine. I guess my buddy has rubbed off on me, because he's the biggest Wolverine fan on earth. This has everything you might like about the character. You see inside his soul and you see how sucky his life is in the sense that he has to fight, it's not an option.
Wolverine has lost his healing factor, and that is a very bad thing for a person who has to fight as often and as hard as he does. Death is literally right around the corner for him. To think that just retracting his claws could lead to endocarditis, and his skeleton harbors radiation from his time at Nagasaki.
Wolverine is on the search for who called out the hit on him and who wants him dead (well, who does the most, anyway). He ends up going full circle to his own creation as a warrior of adamantium, and that leads to the event forecasted in this title. The ending is as dramatic as one could hope for with a Wolverine title. This is the best one I've read so far, but I have a lot more Wolverine to read before I'm done....more
This is straight-up crime fiction. A new guy in town wants to take away Kingpin's supreme rule over crime in Hell's Kitchen, and is not above betrayalThis is straight-up crime fiction. A new guy in town wants to take away Kingpin's supreme rule over crime in Hell's Kitchen, and is not above betrayal to do it. I haven't read the first book in this run, so there are some things I had to figure out by context. However, it's clear that Daredevil and Kingpin have reached a sort of equilibrium in their relationship, but the apple cart is about to be upset. And the bid to bring down Kingpin has far-reaching consequences.
While Batman is my favorite crime-fighting vigilante, I have to say that I have a very healthy appreciation for Daredevil. Matt Murdock's sort of a soulmate of Bruce Wayne, although their situations seem far different in some ways. Deep down, they are avowed to fight corruption and crime in their resident cities, and are willing to give every little piece of their bodies and souls in the process.
The artwork is very good. It's gritty and dark, but it fits the mood of this story. I will admit I stay far away from Mafia movies, and this feels uncomfortably close to one of those. However, I do love stories about dark avengers and seekers of justice, especially in our world where might seems to mean right far too often.
As an Elektra girl, her nice little cameo of sorts did my heart glad. I wish my library had more Daredevil. Sigh....more
Unfortunately, I didn't like this as much as the last book. "Beauty and the Beast" retellings have to be very good to win me over, and I wasn't convinUnfortunately, I didn't like this as much as the last book. "Beauty and the Beast" retellings have to be very good to win me over, and I wasn't convinced of the love connection until the very end. But overall, this was entertaining.
Oh man. Waid is without limits. I can't believe that some of the things are happening in this book. It's like a superhero fiction reader's worse nightOh man. Waid is without limits. I can't believe that some of the things are happening in this book. It's like a superhero fiction reader's worse nightmare. Some major comic book storylines have flirted with the idea of absolute power corrupting absolutely, but Plutonian is relentlessly evil and corrupt, both morally and mentally/morally. Unfortunately, there seems to be no contenders who can really take him on, because of their own issues or limitations. I had hoped that Plutonian would turn out to be his own worst enemy, but it seems as though he's found his feet after the last volumes. If something doesn't change, this may turn out to be one of the most tragic graphic novel series I've ever read. It's really hard to process this story, and it makes writing a review rather hard.
I'll take a bit of a break before I read Volume 9....more
This had strong writing and great art. I have no major complaints. My Batman critical meter is high and I felt that while it did revisit the genesis oThis had strong writing and great art. I have no major complaints. My Batman critical meter is high and I felt that while it did revisit the genesis of Batman with some unique tweaks, it really concentrates what makes Bruce Wayne/Batman who he is. You see Bruce as a raw vigilante, making plenty of mistakes, with a worried Alfred looking on and discouraging his kamikaze approach. I liked how prominent Alfred's role is in the story. It almost seems to go closer in the direction of "Gotham", but still with Bruce as the focus. Alfred truly is an incredible man. The older I get and the more I explore Batmanverse, the more I appreciate him. The sidestory of Gordon and Bulloch's meeting and becoming partners was more interesting that I thought. A different view on both characters. And the whole concept of the Penguin as Mayor with a serial killer on his payroll was utterly chilling. When I watch the tv show "Gotham", I have this visceral feeling of Gotham City as a pit of twisted. slimy misery. That is the vibe I get from Gotham City in this novel. You often wonder how Gotham City could be Gotham City without Bruce Wayne/Batman and you certainly know that GC has made Bruce into the man he is.
I can't ever get enough of good Batman stories in my life. This is one I'd recommend....more
I liked this more than I thought I would. The storyline is pretty complicated and dark, with an immortal warrior facing an invincible enemy of darknesI liked this more than I thought I would. The storyline is pretty complicated and dark, with an immortal warrior facing an invincible enemy of darkness, seeing countless people dying. This time, he has formidable team mates working on his side, for reasons of their own.
Of course, my favorite character is the nanobite infected, anmesiac soldier, cause that's how I roll.
It was weird, but the art was good, and the story was interesting. I would read more of these, of there are more.
Although this wasn't terribly exciting, I really like Manda Collins' gentle, sweet, humorous voice and her very likable lead characters. For that reasAlthough this wasn't terribly exciting, I really like Manda Collins' gentle, sweet, humorous voice and her very likable lead characters. For that reason I would still give it four stars. It's just the thing if you want a pleasant Regency romance that has characters you would enjoy being around in real life.
This is a meaty little short story. It definitely has an insta-love vibe, I think most out of all the Carpathian novels. But the story has a lot to ofThis is a meaty little short story. It definitely has an insta-love vibe, I think most out of all the Carpathian novels. But the story has a lot to offer despite that. Falcon is one of the original Carpathian warriors sent out by the previous Prince Vladimir, which means he's at least a thousand years old. It's amazing that he's held onto his honor and Carpathian sense of ethics and not turned vampire. I like to think that the fact that Sara was out there in the future was one of the reasons he didn't give in, but he's very, very close to turning when he senses his Lifemate. Sara has been stalked by a vampire who killed her whole family for fifteen years. She's stayed one step ahead of him, traveling the globe and helping orphaned children. She meets Falcon and he realizes that she's his lifemate. She realizes that he's the male she's been in love with since she found his journal on one of her archaeologist parent's digs. The romance part is the easy part. The difficult part is keeping Sara safe from the vampire.
This book is full of action and some horror elements with the despicable vampire and his zombie-like human servants. While I like the romance aspects, I find the whole Carpathian culture thing very interesting. It was great to touch base with with Mikhail and Raven and Jacques and Shea. Jacques is a lot more stable than he once was. He's definitely benefited from having a lifemate in Shea. I read this after reading Dark Descent, out of the Dark Nights book. Feehan is developing the whole storyline about the Carpathians trying to find a reason for their infertility and infant mortality, and slowly but surely recruiting assets in their cause. Gary shows up briefly, and it's making me excited to read Dark Promises.
I have no issues with this book. It was a solid read....more
I was going to give this three stars, but I thought about it and realized I only liked maybe one or two of the issues. I will admit I am a pretty big I was going to give this three stars, but I thought about it and realized I only liked maybe one or two of the issues. I will admit I am a pretty big fan of occult detective stories, and the idea of Constantine does appeal. What I didn't like were very few of the stories in this volume are what I would call occult detective in theme. Some toe the line. Most are about the wreckage of human evil on society. That's not my thing. I like my monsters non-human (or once human). We have stories that go from a serial killer who preys on families to an underground scientific facility that broadcasts sonic waves that cause people to tap into the darkest aspects of their subconscious. The prose story at the end was more along what I expected, although it very dark in theme and content. Of course, the story in the aftermath of Constantine's battle with the Family Man on his family was definitely an bonafide occult detective story, but not in the old school/classic horror kind of way. Very much in the vein of 90s era Constantine though.
What I did like was that even though no one would call Constantine an upstanding man, he showed that he does believe in right and wrong, when confronted with the Family Man. He had to make a tough decision that I believe that any human who is not a bonafide sociopath would struggle with. He comes out of it shaken deeply. I think that while Constantine is very much antiheroic, he has a kernel of goodness deep inside. It does come out in most of these stories, well mostly.
So far, I'm not really that enthused with the original run of Constantine. Your mileage may vary. I'll not give up, but this is not a graphic novel series I will read back to back.
This volume has a super high creep factor. Anything with secret/demonic cults I find very disturbing. We meet an order of Christian knights who are trThis volume has a super high creep factor. Anything with secret/demonic cults I find very disturbing. We meet an order of Christian knights who are trying to do what Baltimore does, but they are quite in over their heads. We also learn the fate of one of Baltimore's greatest adversaries (not the Vampire he hunts, mind you). There's some werewolf thrown in and not a little bit of blood and gore. Definitely one of the darkest volumes in a series that ain't exactly light reading. It was very good, despite all that. I hope Mignola keeps writing about Baltimore....more
This series definitely takes me to that classic horror mood that I enjoy. To me, classic horror is the best horror there is. The modern-style stuff doThis series definitely takes me to that classic horror mood that I enjoy. To me, classic horror is the best horror there is. The modern-style stuff doesn't do it for me. I think Mignola and I have a meeting of minds on that. It's evident in his work. Baltimore is a man on a mission, and nothing will divert him from it. There are revelations about Baltimore and this story takes us full circle as it revisits a crucial scene from Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire. Again, it's an opportunity to see Baltimore through the eyes of others, and to try to understand his motivations. These books are very dark, but very fascinating. The artwork is excellent, even with the limited color palette....more
Finally have time to write this review. I was skeptical about Nalini Singh's re-embarkation into contemporary romance, especially since I am not into Finally have time to write this review. I was skeptical about Nalini Singh's re-embarkation into contemporary romance, especially since I am not into the rock star sub-genre. I heard such awesome things about this book, and I admit I find office romance a guilty pleasure. I hate business, but an office background in a romance makes it seem a whole lot more interesting. I have to say this was a pleasure to read.
The Characters:
It's always a joy when you truly like the main characters in a book. I definitely loved both Charlotte and Gabriel. I think that they had phenomenal chemistry. I loved how patient Gabriel was in wooing Charlotte. I am ever captivated by a hero in pursuit who shows genuine love for his heroine. It was clear that Gabriel wasn't just trying to conquer Charlotte. He wanted all of her. And Charlotte is one of those heroines who I could definitely be good friends in real life. She's adorable. I think most of us women can admit crushing on someone who is downright unattainable. And to think her crush is crushing on her. Charlotte's down to earth and a lovely person. Her shyness is certainly understandable, and I understand how being hurt that way could make a person withdraw from life. I liked how pivotal Charlotte's friendship with Molly is to the book. It definitely feels authentic the way she would call Molly or Skype with her about what was going on in their lives.
The Storyline:
Charlotte's past is definitely dark. I feel that it's handled sensitively and Charlotte's recovery is realistic. Seeing Gabriel gently work through her issues and understanding that certain things were a trigger for her just made me love him more. I was a bit disappointed with the love scenes. they didn't quite have the impact I wanted considering the long buildup. However the proposal was lovely! I found the narrative device of email memos fun and a great way to advance the plot and set the tone and the evolution of Charlotte and Gabriel's relationship. Gabriel was scrumptious. I wouldn't say I'm into hugely muscular guys typically, but this man is ultra fine! I loved the fact that he's not merely defined by his physicality. He's also fiercely intelligent.
Overall, this is a great book. I can't give it five stars because it didn't have the strong impact that I expect from a five star romance book. However, I was immersed and drawn into this story. Just the kind of book that you want to dive into, take a few hours out of your own life and enjoy. Rather like a book version of dessert. Speaking of dessert, that was a big part of this book, and I'm all for it. When Gabriel was being beastly, he would buy Charlotte sweet treats. Charlotte is a keen baker and she also baked for Gabriel. Dessert will always be my favorite meal, so it was like two for the price of one.
Not five stars, but definitely 4.5/5.0 stars!...more
Danielle The Book Huntress
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