Alias, Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis

Jessica Jones: Alias Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Basically, if you like the Jessica Jones show on Netflix, you will like this. It even has the same tone. Not much happens. Except the show has more wow, crazy moments than the graphic novel does. Heavy on prose and ironical humor. Jessica herself is impossible not to like, probably because of her flaws. She's cynical, drinks too much, and is a bit of a misanthrope. This is essentially a graphic novel about an ex-superhero turned private investigator who has turned her back on the superhero world, even though it keeps drawing her back in. So there is not a lot of epic battles and such. It's very grounded in everyday. Readers who are looking for a narrative/prose-driven graphic novel that deals with celebrity and the question of what happens afterwards, will appreciate this book.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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Lazarus, Vol.3 by Greg Rucka

Lazarus, Vol. 3: Conclave by Greg Rucka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This series is back on track after the second volume, which I believe was a misfire. It wasn't focused enough on Forever, who clearly is the heart of this series. I appreciated the storyline of all the Lazari meeting together for their conclave. Interesting contrasting their personalities with Forever's. Forever continues to have a vulnerability to her nature, despite her lethality. She really does want to be loved and cherished by her family, but it's an impossible goal. I was glad that she did choose to do the right thing (in my mind, even though it was disobeying orders). The fight between her and her friend who is another Lazarus, was incredible. You tend to think a fight like that wouldn't play well with a graphic novel, but it was done very well, with excellent play by plays. I'm really glad that I liked this so much more than Volume 3.

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Velvet, Vol.2: The Secret Lives of Dead Men by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting (Illustrator), Elizabeth Breitweiser (Illustrator)

Velvet, Vol. 2: The Secret Lives of Dead Men by Ed Brubaker
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

This second volume steps up the intensity by a big leap. Velvet is back in the game, and she has her former employees on her tail, not to mention the traitor who is trying to frame her. "The Secret Lives of Dead Men" delves deeper in Velvet Templeton's past, and her secret hurts. The reader learns that she has more than one reason to take her betrayal personal, and also we see how she embarks on the life of a spy at a young age. While Velvet can hold her own, the reader sees that she has vulnerabilities just like any other human being, despite her formidable skills.

This is fine storytelling with excellent art. I think this would be an awesome movie or limited tv series. Velvet is an excellent role for an older (fortyish actress), and she'd not only get to show some real dramatic acting, but also plenty of buttkicking.

This book has a heck of a cliffhanger that has me waiting with baited breath for the next installment.

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.

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Velvet, Vol. 1: Before the Living End by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting (Illustrator), Bettie Breitweiser (Illustrator)

Velvet, Vol. 1: Before the Living End by Ed Brubaker
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Velvet is the Real Deal!!!

I picked this up because I have enjoyed other volumes by Brubaker. He definitely has the noir, crime story vibe down. This book is about a woman who everyone has been overlooked because she's the Moneypenny (as in Miss Moneypenny from the James Bond series). Nice to flirt with, make travel arrangements, and take notes in the meetings for her Director. She holds the keys to the kingdom in that way that Executive Assistants often do, but not who you would consider a field agent. Well, they learn quite to their surprise that still waters run deep. This woman is a serious bad*ss! When one of the field agents get killed and the frame starts to fit Velvet Templeton, she goes off the reservation and puts herself back into active service. It turns out she's one of the most lethal agents her agency ever ran.

I'm a huge spy fan. I especially love action-oriented spy stories. While I will occasionally sit down and watch a movie like "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (admittedly for Benedict Cumberbatch), I prefer spy stories with lots and lots of action. This one doesn't disappoint. And I love that the beginning is a bit of a misdirection. You think this is about the boys, but nope. This woman gives the boys a run for their number. Keep reading and you realize exactly why this is called "Velvet."

I loved this book. It's violent and has some sexual content, but nothing I couldn't handle. I'm giving Velvet a high-five. She's definitely a Grade A Kickbutt Artist, and she knows her spycraft just as well as James Bond. If things had went differently, perhaps Sydney Bristow might have ended up like Velvet. I'm reading Volume 2 right now and it's probably even better!

This so needs to be a movie one day!

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.

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Code Name: Papa by Aliyah Burke

Code Name: Papa by Aliyah Burke
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

Ms. Burke gave me just what I was asking for: a great interracial spy romance. And the heroine is Grade A Certified Kickbutt Artist. She reminds me favorably of one of my all time favorite heroines, Charly Baltimore from "The Long Kiss Goodnight." There's even a line about her joining the PTA and making pretty good cookies. Happy sigh!

Seriously, Indigo is the real deal. She is hardcore. She's an ex assassin who goes off the grid to raise her son by her ex-partner, Beckett. They are reunited when he's sent to retrieve her from a Mexican jail. She cannot go back to their ex-agency. She has to save her son from the people who kidnapped him. Beckett finds out he's a papa in a very explosive way. And Beckett quickly chooses that he's going to help his ex-partner and lover get their son back. They make a killer team (literally).

I love that Burke makes the action authentic. Sometimes with romantic suspense, the action takes a backburner. The spy stuff will make a spy fan happy. Indigo and Beckett really do act like operatives. It also reminded me of "Alias", which is one of my all time favorite shows. Indigo has many of the traits I loved about Sydney Bristow, although she's more emotionally closed off. The scenes in which Indigo does what she needs to do to get her son back are well-orchestrated. I liked that even though there are plenty of steamy scenes, they are appropriate to the story. No extraneous sex breaks. And while it's clear that Indigo and Beckett love each other, they have to work through their issues and put the past into perspective. You can see that they were always good together. Their romantic relationship was built on a solid foundation of mutual respect and friendship, and despite the way things ended, that didn't change, except maybe for the better.

While this read a little slow at times (It was probably me and not it. I'm a bit short attention span right now), it ends with an explosive action sequence that will make any bonafide action lover happy. And the operations felt pretty authentic to me (not that I have a spy background!).

I gave this 4.25 well deserved stars because it's a very good story. The writing flows and it has a cinematic feel. Burke know show to bring on the sexy without being kinky or off-puttingly raunchy. The characters are three-dimensional (although I wish that Indigo's physical features were more described). Beckett is likable despite the fact that he acted like a commitment-avoiding Peter Pan in the past. I couldn't hate Indigo for her choice to disappear and have her baby without Beckett, based on their situation and the way Beckett acted in the past. It was good that she got to hear Beckett's side of things and to see that Beckett had changed. He deserved the right to know his son, and clearly he would die protecting both of them.

Burke delivers on the spy romance and with a dangerous couple to boot. Pick this up when you need your kickbutt heroine action romance fix.



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The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


Only Matthew Reilly would write a book about a zoo full of dragons.  I will admit I am a huge fan of his books.  I take each one as it is and I usually come out a happy camper.  In this case, I have to give him a thumbs up.  Let's face it, Reilly either works for you or he doesn't. He unashamedly writes escapist fiction that makes the reader feel as though they are immersed in a summer blockbuster movie. And he does it well.

I wasn't a big fan of the "Jurassic Park" book.  I didn't finish it because it felt like the characters only existed to be dinosaur food.  I don't care much for 'sacrificial lamb' characters.  However, I find it interesting that this is Reilly's favorite book of all time.  Even though I liked the movie version more than the book, I'd have to thank Crichton for inspiring one of my favorite authors in that way.  So for me, I don't mind that the idea of a dragon zoo was inspired by "Jurassic Park." With all due respect, I'll take dragons over dinosaurs any day of the week.

Clearly Reilly is aware that this book would be compared to Jurassic Park and he understood that fact.  I think I can get into this book because while I am a fantasist, I love the idea of real, live dragons. However, Reilly takes the fantasy version of dragons and gives it a very real, very gritty spin.  I like that Reilly put so much thought into bring dragons into a millennial setting in a believable way. Many of the reasons it's a bad idea to have a dinosaur park are evident in why it was a bad idea to have a dragon zoo, but maybe even worse.  Dragons don't mix well with humanity.  Especially Reilly's dragons. The creators of the zoo believe that have concocted a fool-proof plan with their zoo that will supplant China over the United States as the arbiter of cultural consciousness. However, they neglected to consider that while dragons are animals, they are fiercely intelligent, and are the ultimate of predators. Frankly, I think people who believe all animals are stupid aren't paying enough attention to the natural world and clearly do not have pets.  Humans like to think of themselves as the ultimate of predators, but in nature, when the odds are evened, we aren't.  Even a microbe can wipe the floor with humans, case in point.

Reilly is in his high action, high gore mode, and I know I'd be covering my eyes if this was a movie.  Reading the book had many wince-worthy moments, but also the awe of majestic dragons.  While I didn't want the dragons to be eating people, I felt wowed by the fact that they were real and they did a lot of what dragons do.   Like our intrepid heroine, CJ, I felt like the whole thing had BAD IDEA!! Written on it in huge block letters.  Even with the ingenious plan the zoo creators had to keep the dragons in the zoo, I had a feeling that they dragons would find a way around it, yet their strategizing gave me a huge feeling of awe.

I think books should stand for themselves and authors shouldn't have to defend themselves for what they've written outside of the book. But at the same time, I find it very interesting to see what the thought process behind their writing is.  I enjoyed reading Mr. Reilly's Q&A at the end of the book and I can see that he put a lot of hard work into writing this book.  His goal is to make a book that is easy to read and enjoyable, and that's evident.  At times, when I wondered why he phrased things a certain way, it made sense when I read the Q&A and saw that this was why he did it.

I loved CJ as the lead character. She is a buttkicking character and what makes it cool is that she is a woman.  She proved very clearly that an action lead doesn't have to be male to own a story or to save the day.  But anyone who has ever seen "Aliens"  or "Alias" knows what I'm talking about.  I like that CJ was the type who observed and assimilated information and acted on that information in a logical way instead of losing her cool.  But at the same time, she's not just an academic. She knows how to go into action and it saves her life and others around her many times in this book.  Her backstory really informs who she is a person and makes it clear that she's in the right place at the right time.

I liked the other characters, especially Hamish (CJ's brother) and Greg. But the scene-stealer is Lucky.  I was a bit jealous of CJ, except for the flying parts. Not for me, that.  Oh, I just adored Lucky!

I think Reilly brought it big time with this book. I'd give it 4.5 stars because I had a couple of quibbles.  I won't go deep into those because they are spoilers, but I wish the ending was slightly different.  I see why Reilly ended things the way he did, but part of me was still sad about that.





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Black Widow, Vol.1: The Finely Woven Thread by Nathan Edmondson (writer), Phil Noto (illustrations)

Black Widow, Vol. 1: The Finely Woven Thread by Nathan Edmondson

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


Black Widow is definitely going up my list of kickbutt heroines to die for.  Her backstory is tragic and conflicted, and it informs the choices she makes.  Black Widow is trying to make up for the red in her ledger when she worked as a KGB agent. She takes missions so she can send money to the families of people she hurt back in the day.  And she navigates the spider's web of the world she inhabits, where black and white doesn't exist.

Phil Noto has such a distinctive art style.  It is very retro, and his color palette is muted. But it works.  The action is rendered so excellently, and with this storyline, that's an absolute must.  The writing is excellent as well.  Storylines are twisted without being convoluted or incomprehensible, very much an asset with the graphic novel format, where there isn't a lot of room for long descriptions or narratives.  Together Noto and Edmonson make an excellent team. The Spider motif is conveyed excellently without being too blatant. If I had one quibble, I wasn't sure about the Cyrillic.  It doesn't seem to translate very well.  I admit I am a novice to Russian, but from what I know I'm not sure about it being accurate.

I can't say there's anything I didn't like about this volume. I am hooked and find this to be one of the stronger Marvel NOW titles I've read. 

If I had to recruit a team of kickbutt artists, Black Widow would definitely be on my list!

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.



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Fairest, Vol.3: The Return of the Maharaja by by Bill Willingham (Creator), Sean E. Williams , Stephen Sadowski (Illustrations), Phil Jimenez (Illustrations)

Fairest, Vol. 3: The Return of the Maharaja by Bill Willingham

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This volume of Fairest is quite different. The lead isn't even a princess.  But she is a Warrior Queen in her own right.  Nalayani undertakes a dangerous mission to seek help from the Maharajah to save her village from man-eating monsters and encounters a dispossessed Prince from the Land of the Fables, the one and same Prince Charming. Ever the opportunist, Charming takes advantage of his exit from Fabletown, after making an enormous sacrifice in the war against the Adversary.  Nalayani isn't his typical conquest (seducing Princesses is after all his niche). Instead, she's a fierce young woman who is passionate about saving her village. The question is,  Can she get Charming to believe in doing the right thing in the end, before it's too late?

I don't know if I was just in a weird mood, but this volume was creepy to me. I think it was the dhole monsters and the awful situation that Nalayani was facing (and later on Charming).  It has a very different feel from the first two volumes, but in a good way. A look at a very different culture from what we typically see in the Fables books.  I really liked Nalayani. While Charming shows all of his bad traits in spades, I still came to respect him for what he is.  He's like any real life person, flawed, just like I am.

I read this one in the right place with my reading of the Fables series, but I would consider this one as having spoilers for Volume 12 of Fables,War and Pieces, so reader be warned.



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Catwoman, Volume 4: Dollhouse by Judd Winick, Guillem March (Illustrator)

Catwoman, Vol. 2: Dollhouse by Judd Winick
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I liked the artwork in this volume much better. Selina's features aren't harsh in this version, and she does have the sharper, intelligent beauty of a cat. The story was pretty good, but the ending was a bit anticlimactic as far as the Dollhouse storyline. It was really disturbing what the Dollmaker was doing to those poor streetwalkers. I'm glad that they had Catwoman to fight for them.

I liked Catwoman's team-up with Spark. The inclusion of the Talon storyline was good too. Catwoman's sympathy for the Talon made sense in light of her antiheroic/villainous reputation. Catwoman continues to toe the line of moral ambiguity. Her actions are often spurred on by self-interest even if she does the right thing.

Looking forward to the next installment.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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Black Canary/Zatanna: Bloodspell by Paul Dini, Joe Quinones (Illustrations)

Black Canary/Zatanna: Bloodspell by Paul Dini
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I'd have to give this a 3.5/5.0 because I wasn't enamored of the facial rending of the characters, moreso Zatanna. For lack of a better word, she looked a bit goofy at times, with the exaggerated eyes and arched brows. I'm a bit of a Zatanna fangirl, especially from the previous Paul Dini run, and I liked her look so much better in those. It's a shallow thing, but I can't help how I feel. Overall, the story was good. Pretty straightforward, not a lot of surprises. A cute way to team up to admirable, strong female lead crimefighters, with slightly different approaches. I liked the strong foundation for their friendship and that they made such an excellent team together. I liked the Green Arrow cameo, but I was glad he was strictly a guess star and didn't participate in the major story arc unnecessarily. This is Black Canary's show.

I think readers who enjoy Black Canary and Zatanna will like this book. You may or may not enjoy the art more than me. I was jazzed like crazy that my library had this. Keep them coming!

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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Queen and Country, Volume 4; Operation Blackwall by Greg Rucka, Jason Alexander (Artist)

Queen and Country, Vol. 4: Operation Blackwall by Greg Rucka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This case hits to close to home for Tara Chase, Minder 2 for the British Special Service. Her school friend has been involved in a sex scandal, a sex video being used to blackmail her father into caving and backing out of a multimillion dollar communcations business deal by a player in the French government. One of her bosses sends her to France to investigate and to intervene in any way possible. In the meantime, her affair with a coworker is starting to get too serious, and Tara knows she's going to have to pull the plug.

This was good stuff. While the art is all black and white, it's beautifully done. The use of lines and shadows show talent that doesn't require coloring to dress it up (although I'm all for full-color artwork when it's there).

The narrative is tense and suspenseful, even though the dialogue is very economical. Tara is a complex woman. Not exactly personable, but she shows a lot of integrity and grit. I like that about her.

This is the first graphic novel I have read on my Kindle Fire, and I was pretty impressed at how easy it was to read and how good it looks. I'm kind of a cheapo, so I'm not saying I'm going to buy a lot of graphic novels in ebook format, but I will consider it more seriously now that I know I like the way they look on my ereader.

Queen and Country is spy fiction, and it works very well in the graphic novel format with the excellent artwork and good writing by Rucka. I paid $3.99 for the Kindle version, and I was pretty satisfied with the purchase.

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Catwoman, Vol. 1: The Game by Judd Winick
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I'm working my way through my library's graphic novel collection and availing myself of the New 52 titles. I would be remiss if I didn't check out Catwoman. I did start reading an earlier run (single issues) with Ed Brubaker several moons ago (still have a stack I never got around to reading). I thought, why not try this?

Catwoman isn't always my favorite. On one level, I like that she's morally ambiguous, sometimes on the good side, sometimes on the bad side. I like strong women who can fight and hold their own, but her selfishness and how it leads to others being hurt is hard to handle. I couldn't stand her in the last Nolan Batman movie. I didn't like her with Bruce/Bats, but I did like them together in this book. I can see why some ship Batwoman and Catwoman so avidly. I think they understand each other, even though they are on the opposite side of the line more than not.

I didn't like the artwork. Catwoman looks harsh and rather scary. Her features don't have the catlike beauty or appeal that I would associate with her. The colors were too washed out for my tastes as well.

I like Judd Winick's writing. I didn't find that much fault with the storytelling in this one. He shows Catwoman as a morally conflicted person who has made poor choices out of a damaged psyche. I can get that about her.

Overall, this was pretty good. The biggest issue for me was the artwork. Otherwise, I'll keep reading this title. Batman showing up drove my rating up a lot (I can't even lie). My library also has Brubaker's run, so I may grab those to read next year (which is only two months away now).

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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Woman Woman: Down to Earth by Greg Rucka, Drew Johnson (Illustrator), Ray Snyder (Illustrator), Steve Rude (Illustrator), Stuart Immonen (Illustrator), Eduardo Risso (Illustrator), Eric Shanower (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator), Brian Stelfreeze (Illustrator)

Wonder Woman: Down to Earth by Greg Rucka
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As much as I appreciate Greg Rucka's writing, I wasn't too fond of this graphic novel. Not an auspicious start to my Wonder Woman graphic novel reading career. I thought it was way too mired in politics. I hate politics. I don't see Wonder Woman as a woman of rhetoric, but a woman of actions which show the principles she holds dearly. This book made me almost like Wonder Woman less. It seemed as though she was cast in the role of politician/representative, and my trust factor seems to diminish greatly when I see someone in this role. She seemed to be trying to juggling both roles, as representative to her people and mouthpiece and fighter and protector for justice. Also, the artwork was dated. I think I am sensitive to that when I read graphic novels. I like the newer artwork and style. So when I read a book that is over ten years old, I almost have to brace myself that I won't be as attracted by the artwork.

It's hard to say much about the storyline, because I feel that this is part of a series and maybe I dropped in when things had already gotten started. As such, I didn't know the major players well, or what was going on. I don't know if it's worth tracking down the other parts of the series, honestly.

This could be an "It's not you, It's me" kind of scenario, seeing as how I am not a big fan of political storylines, and as mentioned, I prefer the newer graphic novels' art styles.

You might like this more than I did.

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X-23: Innocence Lost by Craig Kyle (Text), Christopher Yost, Billy Tan

X-23: Innocence Lost by Craig Kyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The real monsters are the ones who try to create them.

A brilliant geneticist embarked on a quest to create the perfect weapon. Nobody believed in her, but when she finds a person willing to finance her research, Dr. Sarah Kinney comes to realize she has gotten into bed with real monsters.

With stolen genetic material from the legendary Weapon X, aka Wolverine, these fringe scientist create clones (to make more weapons, of course), only to realize that the clone embryos aren't viable because of the Y chromosome. Dr. Kinney hits on the idea to use a X-gene. Of course the male chauvinist pigs don't like the idea. She does it anyway, and X-23 survives. Her penance is to have to carry the embryo to term. This backfires on the researchers and the company, because Sarah bonds with her daughter, instilling lessons into her that will come into play in her life at a later time. Despite the fact that Dr. Zander Rice, a %$%* of the first order, exercises his complete misogyny on X-23 (and latent hatred of Wolverine, who killed his father), torturing her to making his weapon, and unleashing her into the world as a killing machine with the use of his trigger scent.

This story is very tragic and also heartbreaking. I'm not sure if the writer intended to put so much pathos into the story, or if he was just trying to create a credible origin story suitable to Wolverine's daughter. The end result was a graphic novel that inspired a lot of emotion in me. Outside of my awe that X-23 is so awesomely kickbutt, is my sadness for her deprived childhood and what she was forced to do by her handler. I mean I can't help but appreciate an assassin of her caliber. But the idea of a child being raised that way and created to be a weapon, is heinous. It reminded me of Saber of the GhostWalker series by Christine Feehan (Predatory Game, which is a nice recognition, since I love that series. She was also cultivated as a child assassin (using her innocent, childlike appearance to infiltrate and destroy her targets).

To think I didn't even know who X-23 was six months ago. Boy was I missing out. Glad I discovered her. She's up there as a Marvel favorite now for me. Unfortunately, the Craig Kyle versions are out of print. But at least the awesome Marjorie M. Liu takes over, and those are still in print, so I will be checking those out.

Because of the storytelling and lovely artwork, I'd have to give this one 4.5 stars.


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Lazarus, Volume 1 by Greg Rucka/Michael Lark

Lazarus, Vol. 1: Family by Greg Rucka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A promising idea and a promising series!

In a post-apocalyptic society, select few families own all the resources, including land and supplies and people. The families have Lazaruses to protect them. My understanding is that a Lazarus is a genetically engineered human that has modifications that allow them to survive major trauma and injuries to the body.

In the case of the Carlyle family, their Lazarus is named Forever, and she thinks she is a daughter and sister of the family. She's wrong.

This is an intense action thriller book. Lazarus is thought-provoking as well. The future society make up is hardly an ideal place for most people, with a few families owning all the resources, possessing power over the life and death of everyone under their authority. In one scene, Forever has to execute an innocent man (who confesses to a crime he didn't commit) because the alternative is that all the serfs on the property will be executed.

Forever seems to have a conscience, moreso than her other family members, but she is used as a strategic weapon, and will in fact, do what is necessary for her family. A privilege they abuse with impunity.

Readers who love their heroines lethal will enjoy this. I'm not a big fan of dystopia, but the worldbuilding is interesting. The whole situation seems to be a powder keg about to explode. The house of Carlyle has traitorous forces within it, but the patriarch isn't unaware completely. Forever seems as though she has a crucial role to play in the whole situation, the one who can bring change and perhaps even justice. Which is why members of her family want her taken out of the equation.

I have a feeling that soon Forever will wise up to her situation and decide she no longer desires being a lethal weapon for anyone but herself. I will continue reading this series to find out.

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Elektra: Assassin by Frank Miller/Bill Sienkiewicz

Elektra: Assassin by Frank Miller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Was thrilled to see this on the shelf at my library, since I've been wanting to read it for a while. Mostly enjoyed it, although there were some unpalatable aspects.  A good dose of sex and violence cocktail.  I am not a big fan of that combo.  You may say a duh to that, since Elektra is a sexy assassin.  I think it's all in the execution. 

Elektra was depicted as a whole lot of crazy in this book.  It occurs after her death and is about her resurrection by the Hand.  She becomes a killer designated in service of the Hand, indirectly the Beast (yeah that one). However, she slowly becomes aware of a conspiracy of the Beast to end the world through the use of political puppets and dedicates her exceedingly expert kills in the art of death-bringing to eliminate all involved.  She leaves quite a body trail behind her. 

The artwork is innovative and very stylish, with a use of multiple media to convey the visual message of and along with the narrative in this book.  Elektra doesn't speak much. She retains this mystique that adds to her allure. Most of her narrative was thought processes conveyed on the page. Honestly, I found her psychopathic in some ways.  I wasn't quite sure if what she was experiencing wasn't a psychopathic break, and didn't get clarity until the end. 

I wasn't quite in love with the storyline.  It was way more political than I would have liked.  I think I would have preferred a more intimate storyline.  I certainly didn't like some of the venues and the secondary players in this novel.  Wasn't that in love with Garrett's character or his ex-partner who turns out to be all kinds of icktastic.

Would you like this one? It depends. If you like Sin City (by the same writer), then probably. If you find some aspects of Sin City repellent, you might be like me, where I do like some aspects and others not so much.  Yes, you know you're in for violence and lots of it with Elektra.  I think I was hoping for something a little different in the execution. However, I can't give it less than four stars, because it's quite a work of art overall, the parts that were a turnoff, not withstanding.

At the end of the day, I am still a big fan of Elektra.  A guilty pleasure of mine (since at heart I am not a fan of unnecessary or gratuitous violence).  Yes on one level, I know that's probably wrong of me, but she's a bad@$$ female Ninja assassin who knows her way around a katana and sais (any edged weapon although her whole body is lethal), and can wreak all kinds of havoc in unimaginable ways.  And I have to love her for that!



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Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Stormdancer has such a distinctive feel that impacted me as a reader. The mix of rich Japanese-like culture and folklore with a dystopian twist. The main character is a brave but troubled young woman who earns my loyalty and encourages me to stand up for what I personally believe in.

But the one thing that really won me over was the connection between Yukiko and the arashitora, who she names Buruu. I’ve been an animal person since I was a wee lassie, and the bond between humans and animals is very important in my life. To see the love and trust that grows between Yukiko and Buruu, and their devotion almost brought tears to my eyes, because I am a true sap about stuff like that. Buruu is a majestic and beautiful creature, although fiercely lethal and untamable, as a legendary creature should be. I loved that although Buruu doesn’t tame down or change in his essential nature, he grows as the bond with Yukiko develops. They teach each other things important for their journey.

The world of the Shima Isles is a dark one. The place hovers on the brink of ecological disaster, and many crimes against humanity occur daily. The Shogun is clearly mad, and his power without limitation. On top of that is the Guild, which strives to make more of their poison lotus, despite its cost to their world and the people within it, and burns people who they view as heretics, probably all of which are innocent. In this kind of world, it’s hard to have hope, which is why Yukiko begins this story as a sullen and miserable young woman. She’s lost more than she can reconcile, feels the personal sting of betrayal daily, and it’s wounded her emotionally. What a good time for Buruu to come along, although their connection is not without anguish for them both. But in this world, personal sacrifice is necessary to right the terrible wrongs occurring. In the end, they are healing and comfort and safety to each other in a dark place. Together, they will not be defeated.

Stormdancer is a very good book. While it took time for me to get into the flow of terminology and world-building, I appreciate the author’s efforts to create such an immersive, fascinating world. The Japanese cultural elements appealed highly to me. Of course, I loved the strong young heroine, among many strong capable women who fight for their world just as the men do. The action scenes brought to mind some of my favorite martial arts/fantasy movies. I admit I am a serious fan of swordplay, and this book has some beautiful and bloody evidence of this martial art, along with others. I could see this is a gorgeous anime-style film, but I hope that it is made in live action, with its all Asian cast. I would definitely pay money to see this on the big screen.

While I agree that is definitely for young adults and for older readers who enjoy young adult fiction, I like that Kristoff doesn’t curtail his writing merely to fit in the current YA trend. The violence is quite descriptive and there is some sensual content (although fade to black). The storyline is quite dark, with the ecological sabotage for power and money, the cruelty and violence against so called enemies of the state, and the disregard for the welfare and needs of the citizenry. I think there are good lessons in here, although I don’t think Kristoff ever strays into PSA territory. It’s inherent and beautifully integral to this novel. Personally, I think this book is fine for readers 14 and older. However, I would recommend a parent reading it first.
This one is very close to a five star rating, but since some scenes lacked clarity, I ended up giving it 4.5/5.0 stars. Despite that, I highly recommend it to dystopian, fantasy, and Asian folklore fans.


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Running from the Devil by Jamie Freveletti

The Informationist by Taylor Stevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Informationist has one of the most daring and distinctive heroines I've personally read about. Vanessa Michael Monroe is practically a force of nature. Her personality is hard to pin down, even if you know her very well, which few people do. And she makes a very bad enemy. While some characters might go to Africa to run away from their past or to define a new life for themselves, Monroe is the opposite. She was born in Africa and raised there. Although she is Caucasian American descent, Africa flows in her veins and helped to make her who she was, and not all in good ways.

Monroe doesn't let fear define her, instead she walks in defiance of it. Being afraid is not her problem. It's the rage and anger she keeps under lock and key. She struggles against demons from her past that simmer in her blood and make her heart beat fast with the tribal beat of war. Control is a way of life when she knows just what she's capable of. Yet, she is unafraid to go into dangerous places when others would shirk such a responsibility. When Emily Burbank's adoptive father contacts her to find out what happened to his daughter in Africa four years ago, she is going to have to go back to the place she was born and face her ugly past.

I love to read about heroines who are tough and resourceful. Who can kick butt just like the action heroes. Monroe is definitely one of those kinds of heroines. I like that she is very adaptable and clever about thinking through situations. While she has other weapons, she uses the one between her ears very well. Her personality is really abrasive and she's not what I would consider a typical "likable" heroine. And yet, there is something about her that resonates with me. I like that she is such a survivor. I mean, who could go through what she did and still be 100% sane and free of scars? She actually is quite sane, although I think deep down, she fears what lurks in the abyss she keeps locked away inside. She's sort of the opposite of Kurtz in The Heart of Darkness. She's been there and she walked away. It holds no appeal for her.

I liked the complex relationship that Monroe has with Francisco. I didn't expect it, yet when it happened, I thought, "Of course." I knew that Monroe would have to come full circle and get closure about Africa in order to heal. That process was ugly and painful, but necessary. I also liked her relationship with Miles. Each encounter helped to shape her in different ways, as relationship with others should do.

While I didn't like everything about the narrative, I did like how the author builds tension and unfolds the story, and keeps me guessing what's going to happen next. While one could easily draw conclusions about what happened in Equatorial Guinea, it's different from what I thought, and complicated. I think this is a book that lends itself well to audio, because some of the written facts about Emily's disappearance and the various places she went/the stonewalling she encounters, and Monroe's search in those places might be a bit dry on paper. I also think that some of the action scenes could have been more suspenseful and intensely written. There was a sense of risk, but it was a bit muted at times. As far as the narrator, I liked her voice a lot. She captures who Michael aka Monroe very well.

This is one of those books that doesn't build up one's faith in humanity. Corruption runs so deep and twisted in this world, and some places are built on this foundation. And while some of us who are lucky to live in a more lawful country, those same individuals go to other places in the world and make things worse in their conquest for power and money because they can get away with that in some places in the world, where life is cheap. Like some of my other thriller/suspense/action hero favorites, Monroe is there to teach them a lesson, but in her case, that lesson is a costly one for her as well.

I couldn't imagine living the life that Vanessa Michael Monroe has lived. One of the things I love about fiction is that I can go on a journey with a distinctive heroine like Monroe and see life through her lenses. I can feel her pain and her anger and experience the victories and defeats she has, and it helps me to understand that life is a complicated thing, but we can make it through things we never imagined possible.

This book might not work for everyone, but I found it interesting and thought-provoking. It felt unique and Monroe is an unforgettable heroine. She's kind of lawless in some ways, but deep down, she has a code that she won't stray from. She's a complicated women. Readers who enjoy this kind of heroine or a reader looking for something different might enjoy The Informationist.

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The Informationist by Taylor Stevens

The Informationist by Taylor Stevens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Informationist has one of the most daring and distinctive heroines I've personally read about.   Vanessa Michael Monroe is practically a force of nature. Her personality is hard to pin down, even if you know her very well, which few people do.  And she makes a very bad enemy.  While some characters might go to Africa to run away from their past or to define a new life for themselves, Monroe is the opposite. She was born in Africa and raised there. Although she is Caucasian American descent, Africa flows in her veins and helped to make her who she was, and not all in good ways. 

Monroe doesn't let fear define her, instead she walks in defiance of it.  Being afraid is not her problem. It's the rage and anger she keeps under lock and key. She struggles against demons from her past that simmer in her blood and make her heart beat fast with the tribal beat of war.  Control is a way of life when she knows just what she's capable of. Yet, she is unafraid to go into dangerous places when others would shirk such a responsibility. When Emily Burbank's adoptive father contacts her to find out what happened to his daughter in Africa four years ago, she is going to have to go back to the place she was born and face her ugly past.

I love to read about heroines who are tough and resourceful. Who can kick butt just like the action heroes.  Monroe is definitely one of those kinds of heroines. I like that she is very adaptable and clever about thinking through situations.  While she other weapons, she uses the one between her ears very well.  Her personality is really abrasive and she's not what I would consider a typical likable heroine. And yet, there is something about her that resonates with me.  I like that she is such a survivor.  I mean, who could go through what she did and still be 100% sane and free of scars?  She actually is quite sane, although I think deep down, she fears what lurks in the abyss she keeps locked away inside.  She's sort of the opposite of Kurtz in The Heart of Darkness. She's been there and she walked away. It holds no appeal for her.

I liked the complex relationship that Monroe has with Francisco.  I didn't expect it, yet when it happened, I thought, "Of course."  I knew that Monroe would have to come full circle and get closure about Africa in order to heal.  That process was ugly and painful, but necessary.  I also liked her relationship with Miles.  Each encounter helped to shape her in different ways, as relationship with others should do. 

While I didn't like everything about the narrative, I did like how the author builds tension and unfolds the story, and keeps me guessing what's going to happen next. While one could easily draw conclusions about what happened in Equatorial Guinea, it's different from what I thought, and complicated.   I think this is a book that lends itself well to audio, because some of the written facts about Emily's disappearance and the various places she went/the stonewalling she encounters, and Monroe's search in those places might be a bit dry on paper.  I also think that some of the action scenes could have been more suspenseful and intensely written.  There was a sense of risk, but it was a bit muted at times.   As far as the narrator, I liked her voice a lot. She captures who Michael aka Monroe very well.

This is one of those books that doesn't build up one's faith in humanity.  Corruption runs so deep and twisted in this world, and some places are built on this foundation.  And while some of us who are lucky to live in a more lawful country, those same individuals go to other places in the world and make things worse in their conquest for power and money because they can get away with that in some places in the world, where life is cheap.  Like some of my other thriller/suspense/action hero favorites, Monroe is there to teach them a lesson, but in her case, that lesson is a costly one for her as well.

I couldn't imagine living the life that Vanessa Michael Monroe has lived. One of the things I love about fiction is that I can go on a journey with a distinctive heroine like Monroe and see life through her lenses.  I can feel her pain and her anger and experience the victories and defeats she has, and it helps me to understand that life is a complicated thing, but we can make it through things we never imagined possible.

This book might not work for everyone, but I found it interesting and thought-provoking. It felt unique and Monroe is an unforgettable heroine.  She's kind of lawless in some ways, but deep down, she has a code that she won't stray from.  She's a complicated women.  Readers who enjoy this kind of heroine or a reader looking for something different might enjoy The Informationist.



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Grave Mercy by Robin LeFevers

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grave Mercy is a fantasy novel that feels like historical fiction. Our heroine is a young woman in 15th Century Brittany who has always been cast in the role of victim, until she is delivered to the Convent of St. Mortain, the God of Death who masquerades as a saint to appease the newer Christian church. Now she is the wolf instead of the prey. Ismae is believed to be the daughter of this god, since she even survived being poisoned in her mother's womb, although she is forever physically scarred by that poison. She seems to be resistant to poisons and heals faster. While Ismae never felt special so much as rejected, when the choice is a life away from an abusive husband, and some agency in her life, she chooses to become a novice in the convent, learning all the many skills of bringing death to those marked by her god.

Not long after her first mission, Ismae is sent to masquerade as the mistress of Gavriel Duval, the bastard brother of the young Duchess of Brittany. Her Mother Superior has tasked her with spying on Duval to see if he is faithful to the Duchy. If Mortain marks him for death, she is free to kill him. Instead of growing sure that Duval needs to die, she falls in love with him, one of the few men she has met who is decent and caring to women, when her own father hated and abused her. But love won't be easy when Ismae is surrounded by intrigue and treachery in the young Duchess's court. Will her father guide her aim true in these tortuous waters?

I enjoyed this book a lot. While the author doesn't describe every detail of the setting and appearance of the characters, I obtained a very clear picture of what was going on. Better yet, the story simmers with atmosphere, quite Gothic. While this book establishes itself as a historical fiction novel, the paranormal/supernatural vibe teases at the senses. The manner in which Ismae knows that her god has selected a target is quite eerie but doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, because the story fits so naturally in both categories, paranormal and historical fiction.

As far as Ismae's character, she is quite admirable. She's incredibly lethal, and I think a large part of her lethality is her quick mind and her observant nature. She makes a very good spy but also a bodyguard because of those skills. I liked seeing the mystery unfold through her eyes. You see that she isn't always unbiased, especially when it comes to men, considering her past painful experiences with men. I did like that her view changes as she comes to realize that not all men are bad and women aren't the superior sex, because they are just as flawed. She also comes to realize that people can use religion of any kind as a tool for power and control, but that doesn't invalidate one's personal faith in their god. While Ismae is very skilled at killing, she's not a killing machine. She has a respect for life and no desire to torture or cause suffering in others. This was necessary for the story to feel right. This reader is fascinated with assassins in literature, but she hates cruel, sadistic acts, and a good assassin should always show self control (or so this fictional assassin connoisseur believes).

Grave Mercy is a successful book, in my opinion. While this is slated as a young adult novel, it doesn't feel as though it's trying to talk down or dumb down the story. If anything, it aims for a clean feel, meaning no graphic sexuality or depictions of violence. But this book doesn't need that. The storytelling gives the reader what they would want for a story of this type. The author writes about themes that affect women, especially women in the past. How their lives and choices are restricted due to their sex, and how that impacts nearly every decision they make, even if they are allowed to have that much control over their lives.

Ismae is a heroine that a reader can cheer for. A lethal assassin with a supernatural ability who realizes the world is a lot bigger, less cut and dried place than she first assumed. And that love is definitely a possibility for the daughter of death, but her life and her choices are ultimately her own.

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