Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller, Vol. 1 by Roger McKenzie

Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller, Vol. 1 by Roger McKenzie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Daredevil is the Man Without Fear, shaped by childhood circumstances to be a nighttime prowler and avenger/crime-fighter. His father's sad demise spurred him to seek justice, but he doesn't stop there. He disciplines his body to further his mission of protecting the innocent and seeing criminals captured, although he never goes over the line to murder.

I am in the minority, but I liked the movie with Ben Affleck. I think they conveyed the essence of the comics fairly well.

Daredevil is actually pretty noirish. The concepts, the setting and the characters. Daredevil has an interesting Rogue's Gallery, a mix of types. While some of the villains/foes that Daredevil faces are over the top and comic booky, a fair amount are amoral criminal types that you might see in the real life of any city's underworld. You can see why he is so determined to wipe out crime in his city as it's evident how far-reaching and destructive its effects are, which Matt Murdock learned intimately. As a lawyer, he sees the failings of the justice system to protect people, so he is not afraid to get physical to see justice done.

Daredevil's ability is really cool. When he was doused with radioactive waste, it blinded him, but enhanced all his other senses. His sense of hearing and smell is super-acute, but he can also see things with sonar, similar to a bat. While Daredevil does have superpowers, he also uses extensive martial arts and physical conditioning to hone his skills, along with his billy club, which is pretty darn awesome. This dude can kick serious butt.

This is an older graphic novel collection, and the coloring and artwork is a bit dated-looking, but otherwise, compelling and well-written despite the dated feel of the illustrations. Many will be familiar with Frank Miller, if not from the comic book world, than from the movie adaptations based on his work. His noir touch is very evident in the stories inked by him, with Daredevil's formidable and well-earned reputation as a denizen of the night who vigilantly protects his city. Matt Murdock is a mall-mannered lawyer by day, stricken with blindness as a child. His personality seems fractured, but he merely hides his purpose from those in his life who would no doubt be hurt by his double life. It's not one of those situations where you wonder why people don't know who he is. Clark Kent, I'm looking at you! His secret identity is rock solid.

I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. I guess I forgot how much I liked what I read of this series. I have read a couple of comic books with Daredevil (years ago, back when I first fell in love with comic books), with a stack of them in my garage I never got around to. I'm glad that my library had the collections that show his origins as a crimefighter. He's a compelling character that resonates with me. Not a carbon copy of Batman, but there are some similarities between them. Goodness knows how much I like Batman. I think I like Daredevil for similar reasons, and he's also a redhead, so that's another level of like.

So yes, I am grateful to the movie version for bringing this character to my attention. I am looking forward to Affleck as Batman too, for the record. I got Volume 2 which has my girl Elektra, so I'm jazzed! I recommend this graphic novel.

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Ultimate Iron Man, Volume 1 by Orson Scott Card

Ultimate Iron Man, Vol. 1 by Orson Scott Card

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I think a caveat of enjoying this book is suspending what you know about Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. If a reader can't do that, then that's going to be an issue in reading this graphic novel.

Orson Scott Card takes a huge departure in some ways in the evolution of Tony Stark and his becoming Iron Man.  It was pretty weird and different from what I know, and I am admittedly mainly familiar with the character from movies and TV, and some research I've done into the character online.  I won't go into what was changed, because it's a major spoiler.  I think in some ways, it undermines the coolness of Stark as a normal man who becomes a superhero through his ingenuity and invention. That's probably my major issue with this story.

I'm not sure why they decided to take that direction with the story, but I think less experimentation with the central identity of the character would have been better.

I gave it 3 stars because it has good action, good artwork, and there were some interesting ideas, but subtracted two off because it took too many liberties with the storyline.



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Zatanna, Volume 1: The Mistress of Magic by Paul Dini

Zatanna, Vol. 1: The Mistress of Magic by Paul Dini

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


My first review got sucked into the Review Twilight Zone, so here we go again.

Zatanna is an interesting mix of showmanship, jocular affability and incredible magical aptitude.  Her costume is a shirtwaist and tails, with a top hat, and she brandishes a magical wand.  Her enemies tend to underestimate her abilities, big time. She's more than capable of taking on the practitioners of the darkest of magics, as evidenced in the story arcs of this book.

This book was an improbably successful mix of a light-hearted vibe and kooky magic tricks and a glimpse into the world in which sorcerers practice dark arts and demons trade power for souls.  It shouldn't have worked, but it did.  I think it's because Zatanna successfully straddles that line of fun-loving, cheerful stage magician and truly talented wizard who uses her skills to protect humans from the world of evil sorcery that she is familiar with through past battles and a heartbreaking loss.

I am watching "Young Justice" on Netflix (fantastic show, by the way!), and Zatanna was on an episode I watched today, and it was serendipity that I had read this around the same time.  I think she's a cool character with a skillset that is distinctive compared to some of the more famous DC Comics heroes.  I found Justice League Dark at my library, where she teams with other sorcerers and wizards to combat dark magic, and I'm looking forward to reading more Zatanna graphic novel content.

I'd recommend this to readers who aren't too squeamish about sorcery and magical content.  One of the baddies is really, really bad, and some folks die in terrible ways due to evil magic, so not for the faint of heart.



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Powers Volume 2: Roleplay by Brian Michael Bendis

Powers, Vol. 2: Roleplay by Brian Michael Bendis

My rating: 3.25 of 5 stars


Powers is an interesting concept.  It looks at the superhero world from the viewpoint of superheroes being the perps and victims of murder. With this second volume, the victims aren't quite superheroes.  They are college students playing an elaborate superhero role playing game that gets deadly when they get murdered by a superhuman.

This was dark and sad, to think that these kids were being murdered that way.  And the root cause makes it even more distressing. Detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim investigate this crime, and Deena in her forthright way steps on some toes and gets herself in trouble. There is a part that is really funny, in a sick kind of way.  So Walker is forced to solve the crime on his own for the most part. He calls in some markers with folks he knew from his superhero days.

I didn't like this one as much as the first book in the series. It seemed less dynamic, although it has an interesting statement on the concept of superheroes as celebrity and part of popular culture.  The kids were playing with fire in big and small ways, considering dressing up like a superhero is illegal in the story and also for another huge reason.

Powers is for people who are intrigued by a different view of superheroes, but the story is focused on dialogue and characterization and less on action and over the top exploits of superpowers.  In a way that's kind of refreshing, but you have to be in the mood for it.  It was a departure from some of the other graphic novels I am reading right now, so I think the downer aspect of this book didn't quite work for me at the time.

Overall rating: 3.25/5.0 stars





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Incognito by Ed Brubaker

What if a powerful supervillain ended up in witness protection, working a regular office job like the average Joe?

That is the scenario that Ed Brubaker presents his readers in the series "Incognito."

Zack Overkill was 'a very villainous fellow,' it was all he knew. And then his world changed. His brother was killed and he woke up in a secret government hospital and he was given drugs to deactivate his supernatural abilities and he was under the oversight of SOS, who had once been his greatest adversaries.

Zack hates his new life. He feels empty and useless, until he begins going out at night as a masked avenger, saving people, not out of altruism, but because it staves off his sense of boredom. But his past is catching up with him.

This is noir meets comic book superheroes and villains, and it's very well done. The tone is unapologetically 'adult', with plenty of foul language, violence, and some sexual content. However, there is something quite fascinating about this book. Maybe it's the whole concept. Or maybe it's the fact that Zack's situation is compelling. Readers can feel his pain, especially if your workday has ever felt like the movie "Office Space." And imagine going from being a supervillain to a working stiff who has the strength of the average sedentary young male. Brubaker allows the readers to walk in the shoes of a supervillain and watch his view of the world change. Zack comes to realize that why kill, steal and rampage for no reason, when once's powers can be strategically employed for something of more value? Can there be a better worldview than nihilism? Can people you once viewed as your enemies become your allies for a greater purpose?

There are some disturbing scenes in this book, but then we are dealing with plenty of amoral villains and psychopaths, and even some of the office joes and janes are not exactly admirable in their choices. I didn't care for that, but I did like that Zack's view on things is evolving, and he realizes he doesn't have to be enslaved to his past identity or even who others see him as.

I'll have to keep following this series.

Proposition Player by Bill Willingham

Proposition Player by Bill Willingham

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


This proposition player has become a whale. He's playing for the highest stakes he has ever been handed--human souls.

I wasn't a big fan of this graphic novel. While the idea was very interesting, I didn't like the direction the story took or the main character much at all. Joe is a jerk, a lowlife, and a self-absorbed, insensitive putz. Strong words, but warranted. The folklore and mythology aspects could have been an advantage in this book, but they weren't. The situations in which they acted sort of stole their thunder, considering the opportunity to have all the mythological godfigures in the same place. It would have been interesting to show traits that distinguished them from each other to people who had some background in their various folkloric origins. I had hopes that there would be a big stakes poker game with the mythical godfigures and Joe, but the author chose to end this one differently. Also, I think this is one of those stories where a jerk gets rewarded for his bad behavior. Not a fan of this plot device in the slightest. Lastly, the humor is irreverent and in some places, downright perverse.


I can't think of a whole lot to recommend about this book, other than the artwork was lovely and the concept mildly interesting. As much as I love the Fables series by Willingham, I didn't care much for this one.

Overall rating: 2.5/5.0 stars.



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Irredeemable, Vol. 1 by Mark Waid

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


This book earns a "WOW" from me!

For readers who are hugely captivated by superheroes, this book will hit them where they live.  It's very ambitious and quite brave of Mark Waid to go there. To show a superhero go dark, and I mean, really, really dark.  I know that we've seen Superman get a little 'bad boy' when he gets poisoned by red kryptonite, but that is no where near what happens to Plutonium. 

Plutonium is evidence of a superhero who cracks under the pressure. He has been derided and criticized and blamed for what he has not done and not thanked enough for what he does.  He hears all the negative thoughts of people, and over time it erodes his optimism and belief in himself and humanity.  When betrayed by people who he trusted, he goes over the edge and becomes a genocidal killing machine with no sense of morality or ethics.  The worst part is he is nearly invincible and he is determined to kill all his former crimefighting partners.

This is a book I read with my mouth open, my eyes transfixed by the visceral, emotionally distressing story unfolding before me. It was like a runaway train that couldn't be stopped.  I can imagine the horror of Plutonium's former teammates and his past love interest.  Their increasing realization that nothing would be able to stop Plutonium before he had exhausted his rage and ceased his rampage of terror, if ever.

Part of me is afraid to keep reading this, but part of me is afraid not to read it. I have to know what happens next. If anything will bring Plutonium to his senses.  Where does this end?  My inquisitive brain is already pondering what happens next.

This is a powerful and fearless series.

4.5/5.0 stars.



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Deadpool, Volume 2: Soul Hunter

Deadpool, Vol. 2: Soul Hunter by Brian Posehn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Disclaimer:  You cannot take these Deadpool graphic novels seriously.  Deadpool is a wise-cracking mercenary who is also cracked in the gourd.  His grasp of reality is tenuous, and thus, through his eyes, our view of the world is as well. 

I think that Marvel uses this character for some comic relief (although I think Spider-Man as well to a lesser extent). Of course, readers have to have a twisted, darker sense of humor.  When I started reading this, I was hoping that Deadpool wouldn't do any killing of innocent people, and he mostly doesn't.  It's complicated.  He has a conscience in the form of a dead SHIELD agent who shares his mind with him, and I think that deep down, Deadpool isn't a bad guy. Maybe that's wishful thinking on my part.  No, seriously, he does try to minimize collateral damage and help people, showing a strange sense of ethics.

The artwork was bright and reflected the craziness of Deadpool's mind and his adventures.  Another great thing about this book was the prodigious cameos it had:  Iron Man/Tony Stark, Luke Cage/Power Man, Daredevil, even Spider-Man.

The story is seriously whacked, so I wouldn't recommend it across the board.  It's for folks who have a strange sense of humor (I can count myself among those, even though some of it was on the edge of my own tastes). And for those who like a seriously kickbutt main lead who can go all ninja on his enemies, even while he's spouting foolishness and who is quite obviously insane.



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The Astonishing X-Men Volume 1: Gifted by Joss Whedon, John Cassady

Astonishing X-Men, Vol. 1: Gifted by Joss Whedon

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


I have been on a Marvel roll lately.  It's mainly due to the fact that I've been mainlining Marvel shows on Netflix, along with the various Marvel movies we've been treated to lately. I discovered that there was a motion comic series for The Astonishing X-Men, and some of the episodes are posted on Netflix.  Watching it and "Wolverine and the X-Men" (and loving it), encouraged me to check out some of the comics after many years of not reading them.  Luckily my awesome library has this series!

I will admit I am an admirer of Joss Whedon's tv shows, and his characteristic wit is on display in this comic book series run that he authors. His snark and biting sarcasm, plus some sociopolitical commentary.  It's fun to see his words come out of the mouth of Emma Frost, Wolverine, and the gang.  Not to say it feels foreign to the X-Men, but Whedon just has a characteristic writing style.

Along with the writing, the artwork is beautiful.  Bright and stylish, but also detailed to the degree that Kitty's hair blows in the wind like real life, Wolverine's arms and back are covered in hair (let me say that he's the only guy who can get a free pass for back hair), and Emma Frost is unrealistically gorgeous, both in her flesh and diamond form (Can I admit I have a tiny girl crush on Emma Frost?). 

I thought I was over the X-Men, but I see that I am very wrong.  I am definitely officially sucked back into the world of the mutants.  I wish I could run back to the library today to get the next volume.

FYI: Marvel has a wikia database that is tres awesome: http://marvel.wikia.com/Main_Page

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.



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Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Mistborn is set in a world where people have a special magical ability, allomancy. They can manipulate metal to endow themselves with specific abilities.  The Final Empire is in the stranglehold grip of a tyrannical ruler, the Lord Ruler, considered a God, and his enforcers, the Inquisitors.  The world is a place of overt injustice and ecological disaster.  The ruling class manipulates and abuses the lower classes, who are enslaved (skaa). 

There is one man who is determined to dismantle this system, the only man who survived the worst hell, The mining Pits of Hathsin, where atium, the most powerful metal for allomancy is mined and controlled by the Lord Ruler. Kelsier is a mistborn, a person who has the ability to manipulate all the known metals, and has found another one that he feels is powerful enough to kill the Lord Ruler.  He has assembled a group of incredibly skilled allomancers who work as thieves, and a new addition, a young female street thief named Vin, who might just be the most powerful Mistborn of all.

Sanderson has written a novel that combines several genres together in one punch:  the caper thriller, political drama, martial arts historical action, coming of age drama, epic fantasy, and even a bit of star-crossed romance thrown in.  And it's a great mix.  While this book is quite long, and it takes a while to get a feel for the world-building and the magical system, it's intriguing the whole way through. 

The characterization shows a deft touch, with layered portrayals, and gradual revelations of the leads.  Kelsier is appealing in his flaws and his strengths, a charismatic man who truly believes in what he's doing, even if his actions are not strictly moral.  Vin is a good stand-in for the reader, normal enough to gain a sympathetic connection from the reader.  She is also deceptive in her normality.  While Kelsier seems like he's the one to save the day, the reader might just be surprised at what little Vin can do.  The secondary characters round the story in a desirable manner, each character serving a specific function. 

Sanderson tackles some important issues in this novel.  Ecological mismanagement (something we know a lot about with our rapidly escalating climatological changes and their effects on the world and even the economy), for one. Also the lack of ethics in a system of vast inequality where the rich are very rich and can commit crimes without reprisal, and the poor are desperately poor, with no rights.  How this system in itself contributes to societal breakdown and criminality as the poor have little resources to do other than commit crimes to improve their situation in society, and they have no protection under the law.
 
Vin is placed in a situation where she sees both sides of the equation and can understand that while not all the nobles are bad, the system itself is broken and needs to be changed.  Through her eyes and Kelsier, we are able to evaluate the ethics of Kelsier's plan and make up our own minds.  Although seeing the horrible actions of the Lord Ruler and his bullyboys, and the way they manipulate and abuse the skaa, it wasn't difficult for me to believe in what Kelsier is working for.

While this is a thoughtful book with some serious subject matter, it has plenty of action and fantastic magic battles for the action-craving reader.  The allomancy concept is fascinating and provides a very fertile foundation for plenty of intriguing magic-driven scenes, many action-oriented.  It took me a while to get a good understanding of the allomancy principles, but once I started catching on, it made sense and adds up to a fun read. I liked how it has plenty of twists and turns and builds to an exciting climax. And I think that it was far from predictable.

"Mistborn" is a fantastically complex novel that offers plenty of action along with a fair amount of food for thought.  I can see this is going to be a great series to follow. This definitely earns five stars from this reader.



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Proposition Player by Bill Willingham

Proposition Player by Bill Willingham
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

This proposition player has become a whale. He's playing for the highest stakes he has ever been handed--human souls.

I wasn't a big fan of this graphic novel. While the idea was very interesting, I didn't like the direction the story took or the main character much at all. Joe is a jerk, a lowlife, and a self-absorbed, insensitive putz. Strong words, but warranted. The folklore and mythology aspects could have been an advantage in this book, but they weren't. The situations in which they acted sort of stole their thunder, considering the opportunity to have all the mythological godfigures in the same place. It would have been interesting to show traits that distinguished them from each other to people who had some background in their various folkloric origins. I had hopes that there would be a big stakes poker game with the mythical godfigures and Joe, but the author chose to end this one differently. Also, I think this is one of those stories where a jerk gets rewarded for his bad behavior. Not a fan of this plot device in the slightest. Lastly, the humor is irreverent and in some places, downright perverse.


I can't think of a whole lot to recommend about this book, other than the artwork was lovely and the concept mildly interesting. As much as I love the Fables series by Willingham, I didn't care much for this one.

Overall rating: 2.5/5.0 stars.

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Irredeemable Volume 1 by Mark Waid

Irredeemable, Vol. 1 by Mark Waid

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


This book earns a "WOW" from me!

For readers who are hugely captivated by superheroes, this book will hit them where they live.  It's very ambitious and quite brave of Mark Waid to go there. To show a superhero go dark, and I mean, really, really dark.  I know that we've seen Superman get a little 'bad boy' when he gets poisoned by red kryptonite, but that is no where near what happens to Plutonium. 

Plutonium is evidence of a superhero who cracks under the pressure. He has been derided and criticized and blamed for what he has not done and not thanked enough for what he does.  He hears all the negative thoughts of people, and over time it erodes his optimism and belief in himself and humanity.  When betrayed by people who he trusted, he goes over the edge and becomes a genocidal killing machine with no sense of morality or ethics.  The worst part is he is nearly invincible and he is determined to kill all his former crimefighting partners.

This is a book I read with my mouth open, my eyes transfixed by the visceral, emotionally distressing story unfolding before me. It was like a runaway train that couldn't be stopped.  I can imagine the horror of Plutonium's former teammates and his past love interest.  Their increasing realization that nothing would be able to stop Plutonium before he had exhausted his rage and ceased his rampage of terror, if ever.

Part of me is afraid to keep reading this, but part of me is afraid not to read it. I have to know what happens next. If anything will bring Plutonium to his senses.  Where does this end?  My inquisitive brain is already pondering what happens next.

This is a powerful and fearless series.

4.5/5.0 stars.



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BRPD: Hollow Earth and other Stories by Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, and Thomas E. Sniegoski

B.P.R.D., Vol. 1: Hollow Earth and Other Stories by Mike Mignola

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the first in the spin-off series from Hellboy, about the other members of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense.  It starts just after Hellboy quits, and it's all on Abe Sapien to be the leader of their team to go out and save the world from paranormal threats.  Abe and his crew are still reeling from Hellboy's departure, but they have to move on because the world isn't safe. Along with Abe, and Roger, the homunculus, Johann Krauss joins the crew. He is a powerful medium who unfortunately had his body fried during an out of body experience during a seance.  He was powerful enough to keep his spirit together, and now he had to wear a specially designed suit that contains his essence.  Being spirit form comes in handy a lot in this story, and his special skill adds a lot to toolbox of the BRPD.  They are dealing with a race of primitives who have traveled from the inside of the earth, yes the earth is Hollow, at least in this story. An old friend and former BRPD member needs their help big time, and they follow her trail into the earth.

This is a weird idea, to say the least. What does that say that I still gave it four stars? I guess I have to admit, I like weird stuff.  Glad there are stories out there to cater to weird fiction lovers like myself.

I like seeing Abe take the wheel in this series. Abe is a cool character. He seems to be mostly cerebral (compared to the brawn and bravado of Hellboy), but he can hold his own.  Additionally, he is a very empathetic, and caring person.  That's a good combination in a leader. 

While Hellboy's absence is felt, I still enjoy the BRPD stories, because the other characters are appealing and fascinating in distinct ways from Hellboy, and there is plenty of supernatural oddness to go around. And there is more Mignola to read, especially with Golden and Sniegoski along for the adventure. All good things.





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Hellboy Volume 5: The Conqueror Worm by Mike Mignola

Hellboy, Vol. 5: Conqueror Worm by Mike Mignola

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Gee, I wish I'd had time to write this review sooner, because my brain can be like a sieve.  I'll do my best, two weeks down the road.

It's fairly obvious that I am a big fan of Mike Mignola, so the four star rating is not unexpected.  I love me some Hellboy, which sounds really strange to say, but there it is. 

Hellboy faces his past head on in this fifth installment in the series.  He is confronted with his identity and how others may see him as he becomes an advocate for Roger, a homunculus who is treated as much less than human by the brass at the BRPD. If they view Roger this way, then they must see Hellboy the same way. Is Hellboy more than just a demon spawn, a walking, talking weapon who can be used for the BRPD's purposes, until he outlives his usefulness? Despite the BRPD's definition of who he is, does that mean that Hellboy can't be more if he chooses?

Along with the exploration of identity, Hellboy comes face to face with a sinister Nazi plot to awaken a worm that will destroy the world.  I think Hellboy and I share a true abhorrence for Nazis, and not surprising at all.  This is one of the weirdest Hellboy stories thus far.  Killer giant worms, Nazi undead astronauts, killer monkeys, talking heads, ghostly crimefighters from the 30s, you name it.  At the core, another good volume full of Mignola's expert storytelling with its respectful nods at classic horror and weird fiction greats like Poe and Lovecraft.  Hellboy is a non-human who struggles with the essential elements of humanity, and it's appreciated by this reader.



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Incognito by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips

Incognito by Ed Brubaker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


What if a powerful supervillain ended up in witness protection, working a regular office job like the average Joe?

That is the scenario that Ed Brubaker presents his readers in the series "Incognito." 

Zack Overkill was 'a very villainous fellow,' it was all he knew.  And then his world changed.  His brother was killed and he woke up in a secret government hospital and he was given drugs to deactivate his supernatural abilities and he was under the oversight of SOS, who had once been his greatest adversaries.

Zack hates his new life. He feels empty and useless, until he begins going out at night as a masked avenger, saving people, not out of altruism, but because it staves off his sense of boredom.  But his past is catching up with him.

This is noir meets comic book superheroes and villains, and it's very well done.  The tone is unapologetically 'adult', with plenty of foul language, violence, and some sexual content.  However, there is something quite fascinating about this book.  Maybe it's the whole concept.  Or maybe it's the fact that Zack's situation is compelling.  Readers can feel his pain, especially if your workday has ever felt like the movie "Office Space."  And imagine going from being a supervillain to a working stiff who has the strength of the average sedentary young male.  Brubaker allows the readers to walk in the shoes of a supervillain and watch his view of the world change.  Zack comes to realize that why kill, steal and rampage for no reason, when once's powers can be strategically employed for something of more value?  Can there be a better worldview than nihilism?  Can people you once viewed as your enemies become your allies for a greater purpose?

There are some disturbing scenes in this book, but then we are dealing with plenty of amoral villains and psychopaths, and even some of the office joes and janes are not exactly admirable in their choices.  I didn't care for that, but I did like that Zack's view on things is evolving, and he realizes he doesn't have to be enslaved to his past identity or even who others see him as.

I'll have to keep following this series. 



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The King by JR Ward

The King by J.R. Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am not overstating to say that the release of the new Black Dagger Brotherhood series book is a highlight of my spring, and I view it as JR Ward's present to me for my birthday! That said, let's get to my review:


**Disclaimer: This review is as spoiler-free as I could make it!

Wrath, Son of Wrath and Beth Randall have come a long way since Dark Lover, and it's been my pleasure to accompany them on the ride!

When I first read Dark Lover (about eight years ago), I will be honest in saying that my biggest draw was not Wrath or Beth, but the world and the storyline of the Black Dagger Brotherhood and the strange world within a world of Caldwell, New York. While I enjoyed their relationship, it didn’t blow me away, and neither character is my favorite in this series. However, I knew I was going to keep reading the series, and boy am I glad.

With The King, I feel that an immensely important chapter has been closed in the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and it makes me happy because I feel that all the Brothers and their Shellans have found peace and the close bond of family, drawing close friends into their net. I also feel a sense of excitement in knowing that the storyline can continue and branch off in different ways and directions, and the waters seem uncharted. While there are tendrils that Ms. Ward has planted in this novel, I honestly don't feel I can predict too much about what is coming next. It's going to be fun to see where the story leads, and I am in no way ready for this series to end.

Character Thoughts:

Wrath

I feel we got to see some added depth to Wrath that was very good for expanding my view and appreciation of the King. He came to terms with some major hurts and issues he was facing, and I felt the flashbacks were a crucial aspect of the storyline. Wrath always regretted that he could not save his parents and he divorced himself from the concept of family and his legacy so long out of a sense of fear and guilt. In this book, he came to terms with his past and how his future did not have to be governed or hemmed in by fear. I loved his evolution as a King and what that responsibility came to mean for him. It was joyous for him to get everything he needed, but didn't even realize he wanted. Even though I know things didn't end well for his parents, their powerful love for each other and their son was still inspiring to me.

Beth

Beth's storyline was thought-provoking. She was all over the place emotionally, and I understand why. I feel that she was at some of her deepest lows and her highest highs both in this book. While the story is about her, as Wrath's shellen, I think that more of the story was about Wrath. Her role seems more peripheral, but in a pivotal way. I still enjoyed reading about her character journey in this book. Beth is the best Queen for the race, and I can think of no other shellan to stand at Wrath's side.

Beth and John Matthew

I think this book explored their relationship in a more satisfactory fashion than any of the proceeding books. They know they have each other's backs, and the readers as well. Also, it shows that although you may have your desired life partner, you also need the connection of family (blood and found). I almost thought the thing Ward said would never happen was going to happen, but it turns out that it wasn't necessary. I like the way the story unfolds instead. That John Matthew remains his own person, and his relationships with others aren’t hinged on his secret heritage.

Xcor

Xcor remains a complicated male, not quite likable in many moments, and captivating and deeply sympathetic in others. Since I like my characters complex, he definitely has my interest, and he may turn out to be a new favorite of mine in this series. He remains a wild card in this new series arc, his behavior not the slightest bit predictable. To his great surprise, his feelings for a certain Chosen have open closed off parts of his psyche, and this cannot be a bad thing at all. I think he will have a potential enemy in his own nest, but he’s not unaware of that.

Layla

Layla is on shaky ground, but she is making her own choices and defining herself as a female. In her own way, she may have helped to avert a war that wasn’t going to end well, and that’s a good thing. I’m happy about that. I’m very excited to see where the story leads her next.

Assail and Sola

Assail is probably the most amoral of the lead characters in this series to date. His behavior chilled me at times, but he was also very sweet in others to Sola and her grandmother. It’s hard to know what to make of him. I hope we see more of his viewpoint. I can’t believe their road ends here. Sola’s in a place where she has to deny the desires of the heart. How long will she be able to tune out the siren call of her unwise feelings for Assail, who logically seems like a ‘very bad man?'

The Shadows: Trez and iAm

I am jubilant at the expansion of their storyline. These two promise to be a gamechanger in the series. We will finally explore the world of the s’Hisbe, and what a fascinating world it is. Trez has been running from his past for a long, long time, dragging his brother iAm along for the bumpy ride, as iAm has ever been his self-appointed guardian. iAm will soon step out of his brother’s shadow and find his own destiny, since Trez must soon face the music. Trez’s character is both repellant and alluring. He breaks my heart in many ways, but I feel hope for his future. I am drawn into this exploration of the dark path he has walked. The Shadows, once merely loyal allies of the Sympath King, have their own grand tale to be told.

Selena

I didn’t expect her secret struggle at all. Another case of ‘keep reading’ to see how she will get her happy ending. And she had better!

The Usual Suspects

It's always a pleasure to see the various characters who have had their books, and at the same time, I want more of them. I don't think the WARDen could ever sate my desire for enough of each character, honestly.

Overall Thoughts

JR Ward, like every other author, has her own distinctive voice. There are aspects to her storytelling that turn off some readers. While I can see where she can overdo some of her affectations (like the brand name dropping and the copious use of slang), I love reading her writing. I feel that her depiction of the ancient culture of the vampires and their various subspecies is very poetic and dramatic, like an epic in its own way. Her romantic exposition lushly romantic and deeply sensual. It wraps around me like the dark spices her bonded males exude for their mates. Her tendency to adapt an urban vibe doesn’t bother me, because I think it’s an interesting juxtaposition to the very antiquated rituals of the vampires. While I can’t deny that the Black Dagger Brotherhood is at its heart a soap opera (not a bad thing in itself), it’s an enthralling one that draws me in and doesn’t let go of me until I read the last page (although the stories and characters continue to linger deep in the recesses of my imagination long after I finish the books). I feel like the Brothers, their shellans, and their friends/associations are part of my family, and each book release is like a yearly family reunion that I don’t dare miss. If only I was as excited to go to my real life family reunions!

I’m sure that I could nitpick about the things I felt could have been better written, but I don’t want to. It won’t make me feel I wrote a better review, and I’m not sure it would change my rating at all. I just want to bask in the glow of a new release of one of my top three series. I don’t drink JR Ward Kool-Aid, but I certainly enjoy her fine literary comestibles.

**The countdown has begun until next year’s release.**





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The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda

The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I first became acquainted with Sarwat Chadda when I read Devil's Kiss, and I knew he was an author I wanted to follow.  Chadda has switched gears slightly, writing for the MG/Juvenile group with this series, and with a male lead.  He has also set his book in India, I believe that he was drawing in some degree from his own heritage.  With The Savage Fortress, Mr. Chadda has written an involving read quite full of darkness and danger, and incredible heroism at its center.

General Synopsis

Ash Mistry is an English boy of Indian descent.  He gains the opportunity to explore the land of his parents' birth when he goes to stay with his aunt and uncle in India.  Ash doesn't care much for India, despite his romantic hopes. It's hot, dirty, and basic in amenities.  He'd rather be at home in England, with his videogames and his friends.  I could identify with Ash in that I hate being hot and dirty, and the descriptions of India in that sense make me question whether I would enjoy my first experience with it any better than Ash does. However, Ash finds his destiny and comes to life in a way that staying in England never would have provided.

When his uncle gets the opportunity to translate a scroll for the very rich Englishman, Lord Alexander Savage, Ash encounters evils right out of Indian legend and folklore.  For Lord Savage is a wicked magician cursed with immortality in a decaying body, and surrounded by blood-thirsty rakshasa creatures (rakshasa is a general term for demons who can have a variety of animal/human forms).  Ash begs his uncle to have nothing to do with the man and his dark enterprises, but his uncle doesn't believe him.  Ash falls in a deep hole at an archeology site funded by Lord Savage, and pricks his finger on an ancient arrow that connects him to the power of an ancient god, whose power belongs to the wielder of the arrow, which is called an astra. 

Things go downhill from here and tragedy results in Ash and his young sister Lucky being on the run for their lives.  An ancient holy man and his strange companion intervene, and guide Ash closer to his destiny as the wielder of the astra, and the only person who can stand in the way of Lord Savage's wicked intentions.

My Thoughts

Mr. Chadda is definitely in touch with the child part of himself.  He understands that kids want adventure and wonder, but don't always have awareness of what comes along with the fun parts.  Ash is like a stand-in for the thirteen-year-old self of older readers, or the young readers who read this book. It's a case of "Be careful what you wish for."  We can't even know how dark our world is until we face it head on.  Ash encounters things that made my hair stand on end.  And the author is almost gleeful in describing the gore and violence. Not too much for a MG book, although I think the age restriction should be 13 or older, honestly. I could see this book causing nightmares to a younger reader.  I was hesitant to read it late at night, just in case.

There is no lack of adventure and danger, and Ash's character undergoes desired and necessary growth in character.  At the end of his harrowing experience, he is not unchanged.  He realizes that we are accountable for our actions and we do have responsibilities in our lives to do what's right even if it's hard.  While some readers might not be as accepting of the polytheistic elements of this story, I think this content can still be enjoyed as a fiction work, and I would recommend that parents investigate this book before letting their younger children read it. Even though I don't subscribe to the Hindu beliefs, I do think there are some good lessons to be learned about accountability and personal ethics.  As a lover of folklore and mythology, I thought the world-building was fascinating, and Chadda describes India vividly. I felt as though I was there.  He shows a lot of textures in the different peoples in this book, and I think it's good for readers to be exposed to multicultural characters and the diversity of our big, wide world.

Bruce Mann is an excellent narrator.  He utilizes a variety of tones and accents that fit this book very well. I especially liked how he speaks Ash's part.  Ash has a very distinctive way of speaking and he comes to life for me. I liked the kid a lot.  I'm glad my library had this in audio, even if took me ages to finish listening to it (not out of boredom, just time issues).

I'd recommend The Savage Fortress to 13 or older children (with parental approval) and older readers who enjoy MG/Juvenile fiction with folklore. I'm looking forward to more of Ash's adventures.



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Slash and Burn by Matt Hilton

Slash and Burn by Matt Hilton

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


I ended up picking up the third book in this series first with Slash and Burn, but it isn't detrimental to read these out of order.  The book is fairly self-contained, and anything you might need to know about Hunter's previous adventures are given as an aside or in short sentences that give an adequate frame of references to readers. So I think it's okay to start here.


Matt Hilton's Joe Hunter series is a good choice for action/adventure fans who like Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Robert Crais' Joe Pike, and the character of John Reese from the television show "Person of Interest".   If it's okay, I will make a few comparisons for readers like myself who can't enough of the tough guys who fight for the defenseless and kick some serious butt and take names (kickbutt artists).

Joe Hunter could probably sit down and have a cup of coffee with the other three characters.  They might even start a "I Don't Take Crap And I Hate Bullies" Club.  Henceforth, this concept will be abbreviated as IDTCAIHB in the rest of the review. In some ways, Joe Hunter also reminds me of Nate Garrett from Steve McHugh's urban fantasy series, in that he is a very lethal man who really doesn't like abusive people who take advantage of innocents.  He seems to be a little more plugged into life than Jack Reacher, but he shares his ability to be brutal when necessary, although he has more of a conscience and feels a bit more regretful when he gets ugly with people.  I think Hunter is much less of a loner than Reacher, and perhaps that is why he is more in touch with his emotions.  I think more than John Reese (also more emotionally healthy). Oh, I should add that if Nate's invited, he'd drink tea, since he hates coffee.

Like most of the members of the IDTCAIHB club, Hunter has few friends and emotional connections.  His besties are Rink and Harvey, both also tough as nails who have his back in a fight.  I think it made it more realistic that Hunter did need help.  He didn't come off as a superhero.  He's vulnerable to all the things that affect most human beings, and he doesn't have any super-skills that inhibits a reader's ability to suspend disbelief.  I like that he does have ethics/morals.  They are more extreme in that he believes he's responsible for righting wrongs and dealing with injustice, not the police, since the police often fail to do what needs doing (his thoughts, not necessarily mine). Somewhat like Batman, but with more willingness to kill.  While I am not advocating vigilantism, I can understand the reasons behind it (at least in fiction), and I admit that I am drawn to these types of characters who are there to help people and don't mind getting their hands dirty doing it.  It satisfies that part of me that gets angry when I see gross injustice in society around me, although my personal ethics don't agree with an eye for an eye kind of justice. Fiction is a safe exploration of themes and concepts we don't condone or espouse in life, or so I think.

I could only give this book 3.5 stars, because I found the prose to be a bit simplistic.  While I respect terse and concise writing, the writing seemed a bit facile at times.  Matt Hilton is a competent writer, but I feel that his voice could be more distinctive and as a result, show the added complexities of a man like Hunter. While Hunter might seem like a simple man, there is an underlying thought process that members of the IDTCAIHB club have that is worthy of exploring. And this story deals with some heavy events. Yes, this is an action/adventure book, so the goal is not deep character exploration. But that doesn't mean that a little sprinkled in amongst the butt-kicking scenes would go amiss.

I have found that many action/adventure books don't effectively convey a romantic relationship. This is true of Slash and Burn.  The embryonic emotional bond between Hunter and Kate went from 0 to 60 in too fast a time, and I couldn't quite buy into it.  I would have preferred if the author either kept it light or used the page scenes more effectively to build romantic tension.  Not enough to turn off romance hating readers, but enough to be believable.

The villains are not fluffy bunnies. Nope, they are varying degrees of morally bankrupt to seriously crazy. The Bolan twins are in a class all by themselves, really. I wasn't sure where the author was going, but the early pages of this book set up a suspenseful set of events that helps to drive the plot along.  Huffman is the type of sociopath that seems more socially acceptable than vicious psychopaths like the Bolan twins, but I actually feel he's worse, because of the deep rot concealed under his smooth, handsome, sharply-dressed exterior.  There are a few disposable villains that I feel could have been given more depth, since I don't like when an author sets up characters just to get killed off, aka Redshirts, to the Trekkies.  That might work on an episodic TV show, but not so well in a novel.  In general, I think the characterization could have used more development, and that's a major issue with this novel, along with the simplistic writing tone.

Readers looking for an escapist action/adventure novel with a IDTCAIHB kind of hero might consider adding Joe Hunter to their list of potential readers.  I think that Reacher, Pike and Nate Garrett's books are better written, but this was a good read, and I did like Hunter. He's worth adding to my action/adventure reading list. 



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Intangible Dream by Patricia Wilson

Intangible Dream by Patricia Wilson

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


Intangible Dream is the kind of Harlequin Presents that old-school fans will enjoy.  Despite the lack of descriptive love scenes, there is plenty of passion in this novel.  And enough true love to make a diehard romantic sigh when they finish the last sentence.

It has a strong, fascinating hero who's pretty much obsessed with the heroine.  Readers who love heroes who are stone cold in love with the heroine will find this book very romantic and James irresistible.  Wilson maintains the tension of the reader sensing the hero's feelings, although we don't get his point of view.  You feel like Gemma has underestimated his feelings for her, even though you don't find out how much until later on. Despite that, he conveys just enough and says enough to make it clear that he's crazy about Gemma.  While Gemma puts up quite a fight against falling in love with James and into his plans for her, I could understand her reasons, even though I knew just how crazy James was about her.  She was a bit too hurtful at times, although I think it was because she felt like she was a mouse caught in the lion's paws, out of self-defense.

Gemma has a sweet shyness and awkwardness about that I found really appealing.  I could definitely see myself in her shoes, especially when I was younger.  I am sure I would feel a bit overwhelmed by James' powerful personality, especially if I was youngish and very sheltered by an overprotective father (she's a very sheltered 24-yr-old) .  The scenes in which James teases Gemma and draws her out of her shell are really appealing.  They have a warmth and made me smile.  Some readers don't care for young and innocent heroines, but they don't bother me, especially if their naivety makes sense and feels authentic.  While Gemma is definitely naive, she wants to gain some agency in her life, and she has a lot of courage considering.  After a life of being in a gilded cage with her dad, she doesn't want to change it to a gold cage as James' trophy wife.  When she realizes his love is genuine and that she feels the same, that makes a big difference to her, and it shows in the denouement.

I think this might be one of my favorites by this author so far. I think James is a Class A Stalkerific hero (shows the possessive/jealous/obsessed traits I find a guilty pleasure, but not in a really psycho way that's too disturbing).  I also liked Gemma a lot. They make a good couple and they made me root for things to work out for them.  I recommend this to fans of the older Harlequin Presents, and for any fan of stalkerific romance novel heroes.

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.



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Baltimore, Volume 3: A Passing Stranger and Other Stories by Mike Mignola/Christopher Golden

Baltimore, Vol. 3: A Passing Stranger and Other Stories by Mike Mignola

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A good tertiary addition to the Baltimore graphic novel series.  Readers who love classic horror fiction can't help but enjoy this series, and this one just cements the classic horror sensibility of the work by Mignola and Golden.  Forgive the pun, but they are a bit of a Golden Team for me.  I think their writing is seamless where I can't figure out which part Mignola wrote and what was written by Golden. The artwork is sober and dark in color, matching the unrelenting darkness of the literary tone of the stories.  Baltimore is a lone hunter who travels with one goal in mind: finding Haigus, the vampire who turned him and destroyed his family. Along the way, he will destroy evil he encounters. His relationship with God is complicated. He still calls him Lord, but he has a palpable anger towards Him. Baltimore seethes with it. He shakes his fists at God, but doesn't curse him. He only asks that he be left alone to seek his vengeance. To my mind, God manages for him to be in the right place at the right time, a fierce warrior against darkness and evil creatures of all kinds.  I am not saying I like an invincible hero all the time, but I appreciate how Baltimore always ends up in tight spots where I would expect him to be a goner, but he manages to survive, even if he adds a few more scars to the landscape of his body and face.

It's hard to rate this as a good book, in the sense that it's not at all feel-good.  It's very depressing in a lot of ways. The vampire plague has left destruction in every place, and all manner of foul creatures prey on the humans who manage to survive the plague and aren't turned into vampires.  So, no, it's not an uplifting read. However, the writing and the artwork are beautiful and has a penetrating effect on me as I read.  An excellent example of how successful the graphic novel medium can be for storytelling.  And since I don't get to read much Gothic/classic horror, lately, it satisfies my palate for the stories in a quick reading format, and the art-lover/artist in me.

I'm ever so grateful that I am able to get this from my library. These volumes would cost a pretty penny to buy new.

So, yes, I do recommend it to readers who aren't averse to a dark read.  It's violent and at times visceral, but not at all over the top or graphic.  As I said earlier in the review, it has the Gothic and Classic horror sensibility that any fans of 18th-early 20th century horror will appreciate. 

Four well-deserved stars.



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A Forbidden Seduction by Sara Wood

Forbidden Seduction by Sara Wood

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


This was kinda different.  The heroine gets fooled into a bogus marriage by a sociopathic Sicilian, and finds out from his brother that he was already married since he was nineteen.  It turns out his wife has been sabotaging Debbie and her mom's sandwich business to get revenge.  Debbie finds all this out from a coincidence when Luciano buys the bank where she delivers sandwiches through a service contract. 

I liked that Debbie really was a working class girl.  I can imagine her with an East Enders accent.  It was a matter of suspending belief that she truly had gotten fooled into a bogus marriage and it didn't come up.  I don't know how easy it is for a foreigner to get married in England when he's already married. I'm guessing you couldn't do that very easily in the United States using your real name.  I'll allow that this was possible for the purposes of the story.  I feel that Debbie got over being betrayed and made into an involuntary bigamist/adulteress too easily. 

I didn't quite get why Debbie was determined to go to the funeral in Sicily when she already knew her so-called husband was a lying sack of you know what, and she took her son. I felt that was extremely naive of her, despite being warned by Luciano.  She said she wanted to pay her respects.  I think that was just a plot device to get the story moved to Sicily.  The rest of the story is Debbie and Luciano owning up to their feelings, and that was sweet. Luciano is such a lovely guy. Considerate and caring, despite the great wrongs perpetrated against him. 

I think the best part of this book is that both leads are very likable and kind people who were taken advantage of by the dead bigamist husband and his family.  Their characters appealed to me. I think the melodrama about Luciano's Sicilian family is to be expected for a Harlequin Presents book, but I think that the resolution on their threat towards Debbie and her son Stefano was anticlimatic.  I would have liked a more dramatic on-screen confrontation, but maybe that's just the dramahound in me.

This is pretty good.  So, 3.5/5.0 stars.



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Hellboy Volume 2: Wake the Devil by Mike Mignola

Hellboy, Vol. 2: Wake the Devil by Mike Mignola
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This second volume in the Hellboy series is menacing and intensely creepy. People familiar with the first film by Guillermo Del Toro about Hellboy will recognize some elements of the story, but a good bit of the story was also adapted to the animated film "Blood and Iron." I think that as dark as both film adaptations are, the source material is moreso.

Hellboy managed to overcome his origins through sheer force of his self-determined will in Volume 1, Hellboy, Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction. He is challenged yet again, because forces of evil want him to take his role as the bringer of the apocalypse. Back to cause more trouble is the spirit of Rasputin and his cadre of Nazi devotees. In this volume, their plan is to gain control of the remains of notorious vampire Vladimir Giurescu and use his vampiric nature to create a super-army to help bring on Ragnarok. Rasputin has a grander final plan in mind that gets his group even closer to the desired end-time apocalypse. When Giurescu's remains are stolen from a museum in New York after the murder of its curator (a man with past Nazi connections), The Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense sends small teams in various directions to investigate and eliminate this threat, with tragic results.

Mignola mixes in a surprising amount of folklore and mythological traditions, from Eastern European vampire lore, to the Greek mythology of Hecate, not to mention some Russian origin Baga Yaga elements. It works very well. Let's not forget a bit of Lovecraft thrown in. I can tell you my stomach was fluttering as I read this story. There is something deeply creepy about the characters who truly believe in their dark plans for humanity and the world, that they would have so many followers who fully ascribed to such perverse beliefs. While intellectually we know that Hellboy is practically invincible, the triumph of good does not feel like a guarantee.

The artwork is beautiful as always, the colors mainly confined to a mix of red, tan, black, and gray. It might seem monochromatic, but it works very well for this book. There is an appreciated harmony between the script and dialogue and the artwork, making for excellent storytelling.

While I found this graphic novel very unnerving, I can't deny its brilliance. Dark folklore with a good dose of horror, classic and cosmic in a congruous final product makes for an appealing graphic novel for fans of these genres.

If you've watched the Hellboy movies, I highly recommend checking out the graphic novels.

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Pretender to the Throne by Maisey Yates

Pretender to the Throne by Maisey Yates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maisey Yates takes the Beauty and the Beast story and twists it on its side with this book. Is the heroine the beast due to her unsightly scars, or is the gorgeous prince with his decadent lifestyle really the beast?

Disclaimer: I didn't put this review in spoiler tags, although there might be some borderline spoilerish elements. I endeavored not to give too much away, that wasn't necessary to expressing my thoughts of the book.

As I read this novel, it struck me that this is a very serious book. I didn't feel much levity, not that I always expect it, but it was noticeably lacking. Layna and Xander have some serious hurts in their past and their present situations. Xander went off the rails big time and the author wasn't afraid to keep it real in describing Xander's depredations. No Xander did it all in his checkered past (recent and distant). He was notoriously promiscuous to the degree that he doesn't even know how many women he's slept with (and doesn't even remember some of them), abused drugs, and was a hard drinker. In my mind I couldn't help wonder how healthy his liver is. I have alcoholics in my family on both sides, and through them I have seen the effects of long-term alcohol abuse on a person. I was glad that Layna doesn't let him off the hook when she agrees to marry him. She demands fidelity from him, and I was so glad that she required that he get STD tested. It was judicious, considering the circumstances. As for Layna's scarring, it's not just confined to a thin line that barely disfigures her face. She has significant scarring and the tabloids/newspapers say some truly awful things about her. That part was heartbreaking. I could completely understand her fears about going back to the public life she escaped from ten years ago. Going from a shallow, spoiled socialite with impeccable looks to a scarred woman in her near to mid-thirties who is marrying a good-looking future king would be heart-wrenching for any woman. Even with her training that vanity has no place in her life from the convent, that was difficult to weather. Although Xander is clearly the worse bargain, they make it seem like Xander is being altruistic in honoring his promises and marrying Layna.

Yates definitely brings the reality to what seems like a storyline straight out of the fairy tales. I can't say I would be eager to marry Xander with his abuses on his body (and it's not out of judgmentalism, but because you can't just click a finger and erase the effects of such a lifestyle from his body). And I think that it's clear that Xander has a ways to go before he breaks fifteen years of bad habits. I think this is evident when they are first intimate. Xander's lovemaking style while accomplished, does show a certain degree of selfishness and callousness about sex. He doesn't understand why Layna is conflicted about the experience, even though she enjoyed it. This is telling and I think realistic for a man who has spent fifteen years sleeping around with random women he meets as he frequents the casinos where he parties and makes his living gambling. I also liked how Xander's perception of Layna changes. He never thinks she's ugly, but he sees the scars through a harsher lens initially. As he falls in love with her, the scars become a part of her, and he loves the character of her features, because that's who she is. They cease to stand out to him.

Layna isn't portrayed as a perfectly good, pure woman either (other than what she appears to be on the surface). While she retired to a convent for ten years, her actions did have a certain degree of self-motivation. The convent was an escape, although she does realize how much she loves helping others and that her faith in God is real to her, in the process. At the root, it is running away, from the exposure she suffered as Xander's rejected fiance who was horribly scarred by an angry protestor, and also from her own emotional breakdown.

Yes, as I wrote earlier, this is a very serious book. Despite the fact that one would consider this storyline fertile ground for a dramatic, glossy style Harlequin Presents, there is a deep emotional core to this book that refuses to allow the reader to dismiss this book as a light read.

I gave this four stars because it was a intense, layered, well-written, and emotional novel, and I think that Yates handled this dicey subject matter very well.

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Once a Ferrara Wife by Sarah Morgan

Once a Ferrara Wife... by Sarah Morgan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book packs an emotional punch.  From page one, I was fiercely involved with the story. I have been an admirer of Sarah Morgan for several years, and she continues to meet my expectations. In this case, she's exceeded them. Sarah has created a story of a marriage that self-destructed, and the aftermath when this couple gets reunited by a family wedding.

I really liked the fact that the characters' emotional problems aren't solved by their love for each other. In fact, they have to work them them and communicate. Honestly though, that's one of the things I love the most about Sarah's writing. Her consistently strong use of dialogue and communication between the main characters.  Communication (or lack of it) was a huge factor in the breakdown of Laurel and Cristiano's marriage, and the only way they could save that marriage. Neither of them is the bad guy.  The 'bad guy' is that they hadn't developed a strong bond of communication the first time around.

Cristiano really does let down Laurel, but she could have handled the situation better. And both characters realize their faults and own up to them. But it takes some hard emotional moments and confrontations. Not to mention putting oneself out there for possible hurt, and a willingness to trust someone else.

I loved Cristiano. At first I did think he was being mean to Laurel. However, I could see his meanness was out of a broken heart.  Similarly, I really felt for and admired Laurel. My heart was aching for the pain she suffered as a child and the way it had caused her to erect thick emotional walls and self-defense mechanisms that eventually lead to unhealthy emotional behavior as an adult.  I tend to be self-protective like she is, so I could see the hallmarks of her behavior. I was so glad that Cristiano was willing to be a man and take her harsh but deserved criticisms on the chin. My respect of him went up a thousand notches just seeing how he truly makes amends to Laurel and is willing to move mountains to win her back.  At the same time, I didn't feel like Laurel was being deliberately cruel. She was hurting bad and what Cristiano did (even through ignorance) was devastating to her. In some ways, Laurel had not developed as a mature woman emotionally, and that was a huge part of the reason their marriage self-destructed. 

While I don't feel I am qualified as a marriage expert, I stand by the belief that commitment to honest and communication in a marriage is crucial, and I was very appreciative about how the author wrote this book. It's a very meaningful romantic story about an emotional journey between a married couple who loved each other deeply, but didn't understand each other well enough to keep it together the first time.  While reunited estranged married couple romance will never be my favorite, I think that Sarah knocked it out of the park with this book. I am growing more stingy about five stars lately, but I can't help but give this book that rating. It's well-deserved. Bravo!

PS:  I am glad to say that neither character was unfaithful to each other while they were apart. I absolutely hate that!!!



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Bargain with the Wind by Kathleen O'Brien

Bargain with the Wind by Kathleen O'Brien

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I pulled this out of my HP pile because I needed an O for a challenge.  It was a good read.  The hero is a jerk to the heroine for a significant part of the book.  However, I could tell he had feelings for her.  It's one of those scenarios where the 'boy' pulls the 'girl's' hair and teases her because he likes her and he doesn't want to deal with this feelings.  Miles is determined to think the worst of Darcy because she wasn't in love with his brother, who was her college friend and who continually asked her to get married. He think she's just scheming for Evan to marry her out of greed.  Little does he know that for Darcy getting married is almost literally a matter of life and death.

In this situation, the wicked step-parent is a father. George is really quite evil.  He has malicious feelings towards Darcy and his intentions towards Darcy's nubile sister are far from fatherly.  Darcy has past experience with her father's lechery and is determined to protect her sister, even if it means marrying a friend who she doesn't love in that passionate way you should love your spouse. One huge obstacle in the way is Miles, Evan's older brother. He's cynical and sardonic, and continually hurts Darcy's feelings. So why is she attracted to him in a way that she never was to Evan?

While Miles wasn't very nice to Darcy, the chemistry between them is very palpable. I do feel that the author conveyed his feelings for Darcy as the story progressed, and so I wasn't too unbelieving when he declares he fell for her at first sight but didn't recognize it.  Although this book is not graphic sexually, I think it has some very sensuous love scenes that work very well for the story.

I also liked how the author uses the ocean and the hurricane that happens near the end as a metaphor for the growing and powerful feelings between Darcy and Miles.  Those feelings and the conflict that occurs with George (who Miles has his own reasons to hate) come to a head like the hurricane, and the calm aftermath shows the resolution of the acknowledged love that Darcy and Miles share.

Bargain with the Wind was a good read. Quick and enjoyable.  I got involved with the story and the characters. I felt Darcy's pain and Miles' confusion over his uncontrollable feelings for her.  I liked the manner in which O'Brien uses the familial bonds that Miles and Darcy share with their siblings as an active backdrop to this story. I recommend this to fans of short contemporary romance if you can get a copy of Bargain with the Wind.



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The Daily Devotional Series: The Gospel of John by Kristi Burchfiel

The Daily Devotional Series: The Gospel of John by Kristi Burchfiel

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


I suppose I could only give this one 3.5 stars, because each day's devotional focus is so short.  I think that's an advantage for readers who want something really quick, but I think I like a longer reading for my devotionals. Thus, I was a mite disappointed. I do have to say that the Gospel of John cannot fail to inspire believers with the majesty and power of the deity of Jesus, and his profound love for everyone.  John called himself "the disciple whom Jesus loved." That man was so tapped into the love that Jesus has for us that the Romans couldn't even kill him when they tried boiling him in oil.   That's a lesson for every believer to learn right there.  So I was thrilled to get a copy of this devotional for free on Amazon Kindle.  I have been specifically meditating on God's love for me (right believing leads to right living), and I already feel it has changed my life profoundly.  John's gospel is required reading for believers who are on the same path for that reason stated above.  I loved the prayers at the end of each devotion, and they definitely packed a punch for their short length.

So even though I didn't give this one a higher rating, I still feel it is a very worthwhile daily journal for less than a month of study.



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Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan

Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very good follow up volume in the Saga series. It reads as though it picks up immediately after the first volume ends, which is great. I enjoy this series, but at times, I feel as though the writer/artists are deliberately trying to be shockingly gratuitous with their subject matter. The violence is quite graphic and there are at least two borderline pornographic scenes on top of the sexual content that I feel is acceptable in a mature-themed graphic novel. I didn't even understand the point of showing the porny images, honestly. I took a double take, and I felt like I had to look again to make sure I saw what I thought I was. One was so gross I had to show my aunt. I couldn't even see what the point of that was.

After all my ranting, I guess I have to explain what appeals to me about this graphic novel. What wins me over with this series is the fact that at its heart, this is a story about the purest forms of love. It's a story about a family that is committed to stay together and fight for a life for their young daughter. Even the cold, amoral bounty hunter turns out to have an altruistic side for a child who is in a very bad situation. I am a sappy, diehard romantic, and I can't help but love a story where enemies fall in love and are willing to face any obstacle for their family, where people sacrifice and fight for love. I enjoyed meeting Marko's parents, and I can see why Marko fell so hard for Alana. She reminds me of his mother in the best ways. Similarly, Marko reminds me of his father, the more gentle, but steady as a rock member of the partnership.

As before, I loved the narrative of Hazel, the young daughter of Marko and Alana. I have a feeling she will be the best of both of her parents, and she will be tough as nails for all she has gone through in her short life. The way this story is written, they are in almost constant danger, and you know that it's only going to get worse, considering that they have the rulers of both planets on their tails, and a very determined bounty hunter.

I just plain love the setting and the out there science fiction/adventure tone. If they toned down some of the violence and sexual content, I could see this is a fun series for basic cable. Of course, they could go in the direction of the HBO/Cinemax and Showtime series and keep the over the top stuff as well. I'd probably end up watching it, but I admit I would cringe or cover my eyes on some parts. That's how I roll.

Anyway, despite the porny parts, I really enjoyed this second book. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

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Hellblazer Constantine, Volume 3: The Fear Machine by Jamie Delano

Hellblazer, Vol. 3: The Fear Machine by Jamie Delano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I confess that I started reading this series out of order. I can't say if that affected my rating. I will say I was disappointed with this first read of Constantine in the graphic novel format. I have read a novel with him Hellblazer: War Lord, and I liked that more.

In all honestly, I am completely square when it comes to free love sex, drugs, and alternative religions. None of that are things I would choose for my life. Yes, that's an obstacle with this book, because they play a big part in this story. However, I believe all humans are equally worthwhile, and I care about the connection you form with a character, even if I don't necessarily agree with their choices.

John Constantine is on the run, implicated in a series of brutal murder with occult elements (when he actually saved the world in that situation and didn't kill those people). He runs into a group of earth-religion practitioners and bonds with a strange young girl with precognitive abilties named Mercury. Her mother Marj, is the poster child for an aging flower child/hippie chick. Her friends are all good-hearted, kind people who have a penchant for psychedelic drugs, earth spirituality, and living off the land. They generously take in Constantine, and he bonds with them. Constantine has led a rough, cynical life, but I get the impression that he is a kind person at heart, and goes out of his way not to harm others. When Mercury is kidnapped, he vows to get her back, even though it takes him back into the eye of the dark, occult storm he is trying to escape.

My biggest issue with this story was the graphic violence and the horrible murders that took place. I admit I am sensitive to that kind of thing. Ritual murders and stuff, and pretty much any kind of heinous murder or violence like that disturb me. This was all done by the bad guys, of course. So it's perfectly warranted to dislike them. ( I wish they had gotten more comeuppance in the end.) The Fear Machine concept was interesting, but stomach-turning. I think fundamentally, I hate when people's fears and weaknesses are manipulated, and I certainly hate innocent people getting harmed for whatever reason. Also, some aspects were confusing and didn't translate in the visual medium well. I had some question marks, even when I finished this book.

Constantine himself, is a likable character, what I'd consider an amiable rogue (and I do have a weakness for them and antiheroes). I think ultimately he does save the day, but I wish he had done so a little sooner, and the methods he used were kind of questionable and didn't make a lot of sense to me. I love the graphic novel format, but I feel that prose would have worked better for this storyline, and I might have liked this more.

Will I keep reading this series? Yeah. I really like occult detective stories. And while I didn't like some aspects of this particular volume, I am hoping that I will find other storylines that appeal to me more than this one did. Your mileage may vary.

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Standing in the Shadows by Shannon McKenna

Standing in the Shadows by Shannon McKenna
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh man. Shannon McKenna is becoming like romantic crack to me. I am blaming my sister 100% for this. She is the one who raved about this author. It took me years to read her, but now, I am broken. I can't not read her. I have to get all her books! I have been blessed to get the last two releases by her as review books (and I freaking loved them), and now I just need to go back and catch up on the earlier books after Behind Closed Doors. In a fit of rebellion towards my stack or required review books, I picked this up this week, and couldn't look back (I need a love story infusion in my life).

I have a fantasy about a guy who is so in love with you, he's crazy about it. His feelings for your border on obsession. He's probably a bit too possessive. The song "Crazy in Love" conveys what I mean. My rational side says that sounds like a bad idea. Honestly, I wouldn't have time for a guy like Connor. I would need my space, although he's so adorable and cute about it, like my cat, who is fixated on me (which gets annoying at times). And in real life, that doesn't work for me. But McKenna understands how irresistible that appeal is in a fiction novel, where all bets are off. Where you can go with a story and feel safe, because it's just between the pages of a book. I'm a mature woman, and I know the psychology of a hero like this doesn't translate well to real life, and I leave those expectations at the door as I read. Even so, McKenna is not so dishonest an author, that she doesn't explore the implications of that sharp edge of intense love that boilers over into obsession. The appeal here is that this love is unselfish. Otherwise, it's not love. In a real life scenario, a stalker fixation is never unselfish. It's always about what the stalker wants and needs. With Connor, you see that he cares so very much about Erin's needs, even if he's rough and uncertain about how to show it. That's something you can learn. And in a mutual relationship, there is room for those understandings to develop with communication.

Gosh, this book hit me right in my marshmallow, die-hard romantic, sappy core. The mutual unrequited love that Connor and Erin had. That love pulled them back together, like two powerful opposite magnets. I think romance had me from the moment I read my first one, at twelve years of age. Since then, I've always been a sucker for a true love story (even the dark ones, maybe moreso, as long as it's a happy ending). I believe that love conquers all, and romance should convey this. Connor and Erin's journey is a bumpy road. They are both less than emotionally healthy, and they have a sick, twisted, megalomanical villain with no respect for boundaries, morals, or human life working to destroy them. Erin's father's fall from grace tainted her life, and Connor's as well. And Connor already had the baggage of a father who was far from emotionally adjusted. To my rather twisted imaginations, this was very fertile ground for a moving romance story. Love has a lot to conquer here. Add some very steamy, melt your fingers love scenes, and it's magic.

Yes, at times, Connor was a bit intense with his personality and his interactions with Erin (a bit grabby). Some readers might not like that. But I never felt like he would hurt Erin. I think he cherished her so much. Connor is like a huge grizzly bear with a teddy bear heart. So appealing to me, these kinds of big, strong marshmallow heroes! Erin was a very sweet, likable heroine. Very normal and that appealed a lot to me. While she was attractive, she wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but to Conner she was! I love when a hero is like that about the heroine. I found her steadfast love for Conner very appealing. He's a hot guy, but you could tell it wasn't just about lust for Erin. Even though the situation with her father went horribly pear-shaped, and it deeply involved Connor, she didn't blame him for it. However, I wanted to shake Erin a little near the end. I understand her uncertainty, but I believe strongly in trust, and she didn't show the trust I felt Connor deserved. However, the situation was a very strange one, with a villain who was playing some serious mind games with them both.

I'll be the first to admit I have no tolerance for kinky sexual stuff. This book isn't in any way kinky. Yes it has very descriptive sexual scenes, but nothing that I cringed about. At the same time, the love scenes are raw, earthy, and strongly sensual. The key is how much emotion is there. It's not just tab A into slot B and variations of that. I think that the author shows how much sexual congress can communicate between two people who love each other. She definitely shows the power of love in those moments as well as in other interactions between Erin and Connor. I would put this book down and sigh at night. That's a good sign for me.

I also loved the interactions between Connor and his brothers. They definitely have each others' backs, and for a family that has a reputation for being dangerous and crazy, there is so much love and caring for each other. They remind me of the GhostWalkers by Christine Feehan (which is a very high compliment). Similarly, Erin's close relationship with her mother and sister show bonds of familial love. You also see the importance of friends and how they add to your family.

Although some aspects towards the end frustrated me, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. You definitely get your romance time and money's worth with this author. I highly recommend her to fans of romantic suspense who love some steamy love scenes, and irresistible (and edgy) heroes who are head over heels, crazy about their heroines. I have a feeling I won't be able to put off reading Davy and Sean's books.

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