I didn't like this as much as I expected. I like the idea of normal people getting powers and becoming superheroes and villains, but the storyline jusI didn't like this as much as I expected. I like the idea of normal people getting powers and becoming superheroes and villains, but the storyline just got weirder and less coherent as it went along. I love the concept of super-powered individuals, and it was interesting how Carey taps into the dark side of that. Similar to what Brandon Sanderson did with Steelheart and Mark Waid with Irredeemable, Vol. 1. It's a scary thought when people have super powers and they are mentally unstable or just plain evil. The damage they can do is incalculable. So I could understand the lead character's motivations on that score, but over time, the story just made less and less sense, and it took a right turn that I didn't like towards the end. The artwork was pretty good, but I didn't find much to enthrall me about the story overall. I'm not sure if I will continue reading this series.
This is a preliminary review. I may add more later....more
I listened to this on audiobook while I made my Christmas cards, and it was an enjoyable read and kept me entertained while I attended to my crafting.I listened to this on audiobook while I made my Christmas cards, and it was an enjoyable read and kept me entertained while I attended to my crafting. The narrator used a voice for Arthur that was a bit stuffy, and not at all brooding and sexy, but otherwise, I can't complain. There was a good balance between mystery and romance in this book. The mystery was quite authentic, and the villain was a fiend. The reveal was suspenseful, and I hadn't figured out who the villain was until the correct time. The storyline was cute, the way that Elenora and Arthur enter each other's lives was a good setup for the building of their relationship. I like that they feel like unique people, even with some of the typical historical romance character traits they have.
Elenora was a very likable heroine. She was intelligent, independent, brave and self-sufficient. But she was also warm and open to love. I liked how she bounced back from some very difficult circumstances in her life, and wasn't going to allow anyone to bully her. She took an active part in solving the mystery, and she was a very good detective.
Arthur was sexy and manly but also gentlemanly and cerebral. That was a very nice combination. While he definitely had a dangerous aura, he was a principled person. I like that he treated Elenora as an equal and it was evident that he really respected her.
The romance was believable and I rooted for their happy ending. Their love scenes were nicely sensual (although it was a bit odd hearing the older, stuffy-sound narrator read the naughty bits).
I think Amanda Quick's book are really good audiobook listens. I feel I enjoy them in this format more than I might in reading them. I think it's because the mystery is so prominent and Quick gets the historical details just right, and her style of romance works really well in this format.
I'd recommend getting this on audio if you can. I realized today that I had a paper copy but I'm glad I did the audio. It's worth the listen....more
Ugh. I hate to give an Anna Campbell book less than four stars. I think I was just underwhelmed. I mean, this is like one of my fave themes, spinster Ugh. I hate to give an Anna Campbell book less than four stars. I think I was just underwhelmed. I mean, this is like one of my fave themes, spinster and rogue. But I didn't get as involved emotionally with this story. It's a pretty good short Christmas romance, that I expected to like this more than I did. Don't get me wrong. Erskine has had a thing for Phillipa since they first met, intrigued by this quiet wallflower. Phillipa looks down her nose at Erskine because he's a notorious rake. Apparently her sister wrote a steamy letter to him, and Phillipa enters the tiger's lair to get it back, but ends up locked in a cupboard with him, leading to a compromising position. Marriage is required, and Erskine is actually looking forward to it. That sounds pretty scrumptious. But it didn't come off as well as I expected.
I think I wasn't in the mood for such a self-deprecating heroine. She wouldn't believe that Erskine was into her! While I can understand the reasons for her low self-esteem, I wish she had made the most of having such a sexy hubby who couldn't get enough of her instead of being so 'woe is me'. That brings me to another area that I was disappointed. Usually Campbell rocks the love scenes. These weren't quite as sizzling as she typically manages. Maybe I just wasn't feeling it when I read this.
I admit it might be my mood right now. I'm still grieving and adjusting to things right now, so that does impact you when you are trying to focus on a book. I will try to read this again when I'm in more of receptive mood. I definitely don't want to miss out on Erskine's reformed rake sexiness.
This is still a four star because overall, it's very powerful reading. I am finding that any sympathy I developed for Plutonian has dissipated. I am aThis is still a four star because overall, it's very powerful reading. I am finding that any sympathy I developed for Plutonian has dissipated. I am at the point now where I cannot feel sorry for him, despite the sad aspects of his life. I think that it's clear that we all make choices and there is always a moment where we can say that what we do next is warranted and morally acceptable. And even if that lasts a split second, we all have the imperative to consider all actions and to if we are doing something reprehensible, to stop. Plutonian seems to be gleefully set on the course of wrongdoing. This volume has a Great Escape meets Dirty Dozen feel as Plutonian allies with a few other prisoners to escape from Gehnom, the insane asylum planet where he's been imprisoned, but his allies soon learn he's not to be trusted.
As the story delves deeper into Plutonian's dark course, we learn more and more that the remaining Paradigm members might technically still be the good guys, they also have selfish motivations and actions that they need to be accountable for.
I admit that sometimes I got Qubit and Modeus confused, probably because their personalities are quite similar to me. Modeus is interesting in that he has a dark, twisted love for Plutonian that motivates many of his actions.
This isn't fun reading by any stretch, but it's compelling without a doubt....more
I think the connection to Ra's al Ghul was a bit tenuous. Oh, yeah, he was the mastermind of the troubles that Batman and Gotham faces in this book, bI think the connection to Ra's al Ghul was a bit tenuous. Oh, yeah, he was the mastermind of the troubles that Batman and Gotham faces in this book, but it wasn't about Ra's al Ghul. Bottom line: Don't read this as an origin story about Ra's al Ghul. You'll be disappointed. I admit I kinda was. Overall, this was interesting. More or less Batman versus the zombies. If you go into it to read about Batman kicking butt, you'll probably be okay.
I'm so glad that some of my discerning buddies on the Harlequin Presents Reader group raved about this book. It was an excellent short and sexy romancI'm so glad that some of my discerning buddies on the Harlequin Presents Reader group raved about this book. It was an excellent short and sexy romance to read before the end of the year. At first, I was thrown by the writing style, very descriptive and emotive to the degree that it was hard to get a feel for the tone initially. But it didn't take long before I was soaking this book up like a sponge. Parker taps into my need for an intense, escapist, passionate romance book. It definitely gave me my angsty/dramatic romance fix.
Thane is all that and a bag of chips! Intense, honorable, grumpy, dedicated to his one and only woman (that alone made me swoon over him), and sexy as all get out. I could totally see why Luciana found him irresistible. He touches on all my hero qualities that I love. Luciana is a great heroine. Her motives are sound and her heart was good. She's strong in the best ways. Even though I did want her to cave and fall in with Thane's plans head first ('cause he was just so very...), I could understand her misgivings and her pain and anguish because of what she'd seen in her parents' marriage and scars from her own childhood. She made the best decision she could have at the time, even though she did deny Thane four years of his child's life. She regretted that she had cost him that and understood how wrong she was about him. While I don't care much for secret baby romance, this was well done. Scenes of Thane bonding with his son made me all cartoon starry eyed.
This is the kind of Romeo and Juliet tale I love. Honestly, I didn't care much for the original play, but Parker has given die hard romantics the version of that tale of young lovers and feuding families that they will love.
The sexual chemistry and tension was off the charts, but what made it so powerful was the delirious and intense love that Thane and Luciana found together and never got over. You could tell it was a once and a lifetime connection and you wanted them to get their happy ending.
Parker has convinced me that she's an author to watch for in the Harlequin Presents line. If she has more heroes in the vein of Thane (no rhyming intended), I'm sold!
Definitely recommend this book. Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars....more
This graphic novel gives you your money's worth and then some. It takes the Court of the Owls/Talon storyline to the razor edge. You see how profound This graphic novel gives you your money's worth and then some. It takes the Court of the Owls/Talon storyline to the razor edge. You see how profound the war of the Owls is on those who oppose their agenda for Gotham.
Batman and his family of crimefighters and their associates all find themselves in mortal danger and taking on these formidable and superhuman warriors that serve the the Court of Owls, the Talons. I liked how the story crosses generations in the telling. I finished reading all the All Star Westerns my library has and I was pining for more, but I got a bit of that when the story goes back to Jonah Hex and his comrades dealing with the Talon. Also, we get to see how Dick Grayson's family became intertwined in the history of the Talon.
There are some excellent cameos by Red Hood, Arsenal (Red Arrow), Starfire, Batwoman, Young Robin (Damien Wayne), Nightwing, Catwoman, and many others. We even see how Alfred's own father ran afoul of the Court of Owls.
To me, this is a really excellent graphic novel collection. The artwork is beautiful and the storytelling is compelling. Batman is the king of awesome, but he's against a force that makes him the dark horse in this race (not something you see that often). This took me a while to read, but it's one that you want to spend a lot of time with, because the content is truly good stuff.
Definitely recommend this to fans of Batman and his associates!
I had no idea this was the fourth book in the series. I grabbed it off the shelf, thinking it was the follow up to Batman: Arkham City. It does seems I had no idea this was the fourth book in the series. I grabbed it off the shelf, thinking it was the follow up to Batman: Arkham City. It does seems like it does pick up soon after that book ended.
Overall, I was bored with this graphic novel. Not very much happened. It was more of a mystery/police procedural, which isn't bad in itself. However, there was no real excitement or build in the story. I found myself just trying to finish it.
For those who ship Batman and Catwoman, there were some interesting flirting bits. Bats is different with her. I don't know if indulgent is the right word. He seems more emotive than usual, at any rate.
My verdict is I didn't care that much for this book. It wasn't terrible, although I wasn't that fond of the way Bats is drawn. Just kind of middle of the road for me.
I became acquainted with the "Under the Red Hood" storyline via the animated movie, and it is definitely a very dark part of the Batman history. I havI became acquainted with the "Under the Red Hood" storyline via the animated movie, and it is definitely a very dark part of the Batman history. I have recently embarked on exploring the Batman graphic novels, and decided to give this one a swing. This was very good.
This serves as a bit of a prequel to when the Red Hood enters the Gotham scene. It's not about Batman. It's about Jason Todd, who was found in the ruins of the warehouse that the Joker brought down on his head after beating and torturing him nearly to death. Initially, Jason is catatonic, but Talia Al'Ghul sees him as a pawn in destroying Batman and mentors him into the dangerous and murderous vigilante/assassin he becomes. He learns everything that Batman doesn't teach him about the darker Arts of War, with the goal of getting revenge on Joker (and peripherally Batman). In the process, he realizes that deep down, he still believes in fighting for good, but is willing to use extreme methods to deal with evil that Batman would never countenance.
This feels like a credible action/suspense story. Jason goes deep into the darkest pits of corruption and criminality, learns the skills he needs for his ultimate quest, and finds he can't turn a blind eye when innocents are harmed, or the tutors that Talia acquires for him turn out to be reprehensible in their habits. He also realizes that not all the means are justified for a desired end. Jason has a phenomenal brain and the incredible acrobatic and martial arts skills that demonstrate very clearly why he was Batman's Robin. Ultimately, I don't see that he has departed to far from the path that Batman sent him down. Maybe he is lost, but I think he will find his way. I need to read Batman: Under the Red Hood soon!
Definitely worthy of a 4.5/5.0 star rating....more
I love this series like crazy. Rucka brings it. He shows all the angles on the Punisher and his partner, Rachel Cole-Alves. How they don't lack moraliI love this series like crazy. Rucka brings it. He shows all the angles on the Punisher and his partner, Rachel Cole-Alves. How they don't lack morality, but have an extreme sort of ethos that drives them to do what they do and not to be swayed by anything.
The heat is on as the Avengers are put on the trail of the Punisher. They all demonstrate varying levels of being conflicted about taking him down. Some feel that what he does is absolutely valid, and others feel that his murdering is no better than other criminals.
This story arc makes me think about vigilantism and why people feel warranted to take the law in their hands. I won't go into my own thoughts, but I will say that Rucka makes me support Castle and Cole-Alves and their endeavors, and I am firmly on their side. I think that that's good storytelling where you can become a part of the character's story and process what they are doing and going through.
As always, the artwork is beautiful. The artist's ability to capture expression and action effortlessly is impressive.
I hope to see more Punisher stories by Rucka in the future.
My dislike of this book borders on violent. I realize what the author and artist were going for, and I appreciate the foreward and even the screenplayMy dislike of this book borders on violent. I realize what the author and artist were going for, and I appreciate the foreward and even the screenplay with commentary. I admit I gave up on reading the whole screenplay because I was tired and wasn't feeling well, and felt my time was better spent moving on. However, even gaining insight into their thought processes didn't make me like this book any more.
I am an artist, and I love art. However, I am not a fan of art becoming so all-consuming that it loses meaning to the average person. In other words, I like my art to be accessible. This book wasn't. It was full of social commentary, allusions, and symbolism, which can be good in therapeutic doses. But even medicine can be toxic when overdosed. I think that is a good way to describe my feelings for this book. It was toxic with the statements of the creators, and it killed the overall book.
Some of my individual issues:
*The lettering was nearly incomprehensible, especially the Joker's words and thoughts. I am very near-sighted, and I am getting where small print gives me fits. The Joker's print was in red, and the font was very scribbly. Everyone knows that the Joker is bat*&$# crazy. I understand where Morrison and McKean were trying to go here showing how chaotic his mind was, but it fell on deaf ears since I had trouble reading the lettering. Also obscure symbology dispersed through this volume makes no sense to me. Another place where it falls flat, since it seems to have no purpose in this volume.
*Batman was played as anal-retentive to the extreme. I'm not sure I appreciated this. Admittedly, Batman does have some psychological issues he's working through--he's a control freak and is incredibly uptight and is at times intolerant. I think his portrayal in this book was unpalatable, showing him as pathologically damaged. That isn't the Batman I know and deeply respect.
*The storyline about Arkham, the founder of the Asylum was okay. Although I didn't like what happened to his family, and the view of his relationship with his mother was way too Freudian for my tastes.
*The artwork is nebulous and difficult to cipher and track over the panels. I would almost call it abstract. Does that work for a comic book medium? I'm going to say no. If I can't follow it, it has failed to convey meaning to me.
I know that this is a very highly praised and critically-acclaimed book, but I'm not a fan of it. Art is meaning to me. While art is highly subjective, the viewer has to have a lens through which to take in and process the work. In this book, the lens is cloudy and muddled. There is no avenue to look deeper....more
Reread in December 2018/January 2019 on Audiobook:
This was great on audiobook. Xe Sanders has a great voice for both male and female voices. She makesReread in December 2018/January 2019 on Audiobook:
This was great on audiobook. Xe Sanders has a great voice for both male and female voices. She makes the hero sound purringly sexy and her accents are great too. Listening to this reminded me of how fantastic a writer Anne Stuart is. I can never get enough of her writing.
This is a nice sort of homage to "Like Water for Chocolate" or "Simply Irresistible" but without magic. I love that Sophie's thing is cooking. In the kitchen and in the bedroom with the sizzling hot Alexander. As always the banter and flirting is superb, but then it's an Anne Stuart romance. When all three of the couples (Russell sisters and their spouses/beaus are together, it's magic).
My Casting Choices:
[image] Henry Cavill and Alexander, Lord Griffiths
[image] Clare Bowen as Sophie Russell
I loved this book from beginning to the end. I was so excited to get this as a review ARC, even though I haven't had a chance to read the first two books in this series yet. Alexander is a scoundrel, but you definitely want him to catch Sophie. Great chemistry, and wonderful romance. A five star read!
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine in the September 2014 issue. ....more
I loved this book for the chemistry and obvious love between Elizabeth and Garik. Garik is eminently lickable. The mystery wasn't quite as well plotteI loved this book for the chemistry and obvious love between Elizabeth and Garik. Garik is eminently lickable. The mystery wasn't quite as well plotted, but it was still good. I liked the small-town atmosphere of Virtue Falls.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine in the September 2014. ....more
Oh man, this was crazy. At times, it was hard to track the fights going on, with so many different characters going at it. It's like the creators madeOh man, this was crazy. At times, it was hard to track the fights going on, with so many different characters going at it. It's like the creators made a list of past X-Men Universe characters and threw most of them in this book. However, due to the nature of the story, there is an inherent sadness to it all. Not only sad, but creepy in the more cerebral and existential (if that's the right word) of ways. Poor James. He really goes to a dark place in this one, old griefs and horrors literally resurrected.
I freaking love this X-Force run. It's dark and bloody and visceral, but the it's also intense and gets you in the gut. There is no holding back from the team, because so much is at stake. The artwork is gorgeous. Clayton Crain is the artist, and he has a way of expressing images in a beautiful way even when the images are nightmarish and horrific. And in this series, there are plenty of both.
I can't give this a five star rating because of the fact that it was confusing and I wasn't always able to keep up with what was going on. But it's very close. Definitely 4.5 stars.
The villain is one of a kind. Truly a horrible being, with no concept of respecting life of any kind. Just understanding power and gaining more of it.
I'm going to be sad when I run out of books in this run. I know they have the Uncanny X-Force and Cable and X-Force, but the members are different. I like this team so much....more
It's not as predictable as one would think, putting The Punisher and Wolverine together. They are actually very different. One is methodical and rigid
It's not as predictable as one would think, putting The Punisher and Wolverine together. They are actually very different. One is methodical and rigid in his application of violence. The other is very emotional in his application of violence, and not quite as dogmatic about the application of justice and judging others.
This book has a very pulpy feel to it. That's not necessarily bad, since we are dealing with hardened criminals (and some not-so hardened, but shady all the same).
I don't like this incarnation of the Punisher as much as the Rucka variation, but he is true to his character. Wolverine is always Wolverine, and you like him for who he is (good and bad). However, their dialogue between them gets hilarious, and the laconic dialogue about crime and punishment is descriptive of their individual paths and how they intersect in this book.
I liked the different point of views of the various criminals, more of a spectrum than you would think.
I didn't love the artwork, honestly. It was a bit blocky for me. This Wolverine is pretty homely, and the Punisher looks like a Mack Truck.
Not my favorite, but pretty good. A nice team-up comic....more
This was a good read. Jonah Hex is a hero whose demeanor is as disreputable as his appearance. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty, and probably enThis was a good read. Jonah Hex is a hero whose demeanor is as disreputable as his appearance. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty, and probably enjoys violence too much. But he's not an amoral killer either. He makes his way to Gotham, and that place is definitely in need of a tough hero like him. Set in the late 1800s, more than a 100 years before Bruce Wayne is born, but Gotham is already a cesspool of corruption in the making. There is already a secret society who really runs things, and they are committing murders to send a message. Jonah teams up with the future founder of the Arkham Asylum, a psychologist who cannot help analyzing him, and there's a lot to analyze. He eventually comes to respect Hex for his methods, because there is no better man to have at your side or cutting a swathe of destruction in front of you to clear the way.
I'm not sure how much Bruce Wayne would respect or get along with Hex. Probably a certain level of respect, but I'm sure Batman wouldn't be as fond of all the killing that Hex does as a matter of course.
Other stories feautured different western heroes like El Diablo and the Barbary Ghost. I liked the Barbary Ghost because she is a kickbutt Chinese woman who takes on the crime syndicate who wiped out most of her family. How could I not like her?
This graphic novel is fans of good, old-fashioned western action. The supernatural elements are light here, but that's okay. There's plenty of action to keep this reader happy.
I liked this a lot more than the first volume, thus the higher rating. The storyline makes more sense to me, and it's quite menacing with a series of I liked this a lot more than the first volume, thus the higher rating. The storyline makes more sense to me, and it's quite menacing with a series of stories where the team is forced to give their 100% in working together to save the world, and a team of people who don't want to work together having to do so. I also liked the look back when Zatanna and Constantine meet, since it ties into the story as an old enemy from their past becomes an issue again.
Also, I liked the way the story leads into a huge arc that promises to provide plenty of fuel over this series. They have a special kid to protect, for specific reasons. Constantine, who is not quite a hero, has to man up and be heroic to save the world. But never fear, he's still up to his shifty tricks. Also, there were some cool cameos that sent me running to the DC Wikia page to do some research.
This story was fun but scary and has plenty of cool magical and action moments. There are plenty of twists and turns and the story feels more developed, cohesive and layered. It's definitely convinced me to keep reading this series. I would have done so half-heartedly before (just because of Constantine and Zatanna), but now I'm invested.
My advice is if you didn't like the first volume, don't give up. This one is much better. I enjoyed the heck out of it....more
Slade Wilson is a jerk. Let's be honest. He has put his desire to be the best warrior before everything. He will take on just about any mission just sSlade Wilson is a jerk. Let's be honest. He has put his desire to be the best warrior before everything. He will take on just about any mission just so he can achieve the recognition and accolades of completing the mission. It's not about the money.
I found him hard to like. That makes it's difficult to root for a character when he's so insufferable. I appreciate how incredibly kickbutt the man is, but his colossal ego and the enormous chip on his shoulder ruins things for me.
This is a very violent comic. Lots of blood and decapitated heads flying. I think the body count is easily in the hundreds.
At the root of it, this is a story about the consequences of dysfunctional families on a person's psyche. Because Slade's father was abusive and pretty much a rat, he became obsessed with being the biggest and strongest, and this nature destroyed his relationship with his own son, Grant.
This wasn't a bad graphic novel, for the subject matter. It has action from beginning to end. I just don't like Deathstroke. His motivations are shallow and the fact that he places no value on human life about his own ego are a real turnoff for me.
Moon Knight is a new comic book hero for me, but I find I like him quite a bit. I like the concept of his identity, and the fact that he is in fact, sMoon Knight is a new comic book hero for me, but I find I like him quite a bit. I like the concept of his identity, and the fact that he is in fact, suffering from what appears to be schizophrenia, in that he hears voices talking to him. At first, I didn't get it when Wolverine, Spider-man, and Captain America show up to give him a pep talk. I thought they were there in real life! Nope, they are a manifestation of his mental condition.
Also, I liked how this book shows how the Avengers were building up their West Coast hero roster, since some of the crime outfits were fleeing the Eastern seaboard for greener pastures.
And the coolness escalates when Marc (Moon Knight) recruits an ex-Avenger, Echo (real name Maya) who is deaf and Latina. His gadgets man is an ex-SHIELD agent who is black. I appreciate cultural diversity enormously. I'm a black woman, and I can tell you from experience that many comic book and movie geeks are black, and we like to see people who share our culture/background in the genre.
Moon Knight definitely knows how to kick butt. He relies on his physical adeptness, fighting skills and gadgets to do his thing. On Marvel Wikia, he's described as Batman with mental illness. I can see where they are coming from with that.
The art was really well well done. It has rustic feel that I liked, and it uses plenty of shading. This adds to the noir feel of the storyline.
I am happy to keep up with this series. Marc Spector is a distinctive kind of hero, some traits recognizable to other big heroes, but others off the beaten path. I like that he's a big time actor who uses his income to finance his crime fighting activities.
I'm really sucked into this series. There is a tremendous meeting of the minds between Castle and Cole-Alves. They almost don't have to talk, but commI'm really sucked into this series. There is a tremendous meeting of the minds between Castle and Cole-Alves. They almost don't have to talk, but communicate via body language. This is probably a good and bad thing, because they both understand their rage and need to punish those who have taken their loved ones away and will do the same to others. Even the secondary characters have an impact on the storyline. I liked the dialogue between the two detectives on the trail of the Punisher and his new ally. One represents the side of the person who is sympathetic to the Punisher, and who thinks he's doing the right thing, the other on the side of the law and true justice. I think they represent the duality of the reader, their thoughts on both sides of the equation.
The artwork is gorgeous. I think the artist is excellent at conveying the sense of purpose and the intensity of the characters on their faces, making up for a lack of dialogue, and also conveying action on the page.
I especially liked the Punisher/Spider-Man/Daredevil crossover. Daredevil is determined to steer Cole-Alves off the path she has taken, when he failed to do so with Castle.
I am going to be sad when I run out of this run of The Punisher. I still don't know if I'm ready to read the more hardcore Garth Ennis version, and I like the dynamic of Cole-Alves....more
Danielle The Book Huntress
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