Comic Book Tuesday: Blackbird by Sam Humphries, Jen Bartel, Triona Farrell

Author: Sam Humphries, Jen Bartel (Artist), Triona Farrell (Colourist)
Series: Blackbird #1-6
Audience: +16
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: May 14th 2019
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Image Comics
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Nina Rodriguez knows a hidden magical world run by ruthless cabals is hiding in Los Angeles. When a giant magic beast kidnaps her sister, Nina must confront her past (and her demons) to get her sister back and reclaim her life. Don't miss the first collection of the smash-hit neo-noir fantasy series from fan-favorite writer SAM HUMPHRIES (Harley Quinn, Nightwing) and red-hot artist JEN BARTEL (Mighty Thor)!

Collects BLACKBIRD #1-6

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Trigger warning: substance abuse

Aside from books, I've collected some comic book ARCs over the last few months and I thought that it's finally time to read them. First up is this really interesting story by Sam Humphries, Jen Bartel, and Triona Farrell. Let's dive right into it.

Book Review: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #6
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date:  February 10th 2015
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: My copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

THEY WILL BE TESTED

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s bestselling Bloodlines series.

When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.

Don't miss their unforgettable final chapter. . . .

LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL

**Disclaimer: This is book 6 in the Bloodlines series and book 11 in the Vampire Academy series. Spoilers are unavoidable for previous books. 

The day has come! Jamsu and I have reached the end of our Vampire Academy/Bloodlines, and I feel so sad, you guys! When we started out buddy read, I knew it would be a wonderful experience, but also heartbreaking. I just didn't expect how heartbreaking it would be.

Buckle up, my dear book lovers, and join me for the last time on this wonderful adventure. I mention this in the disclaimer I put above, but this review will contain spoilers. There's just no way around it.

Reread Book Review: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #6
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date:  December 7th 2010
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: My copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

They come first.

My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri's face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world.

The dead could finally have me.

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose - for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back...and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?

Join Rose, Dimitri, Adrian, and Lissa in Last Sacrifice, the epic, unforgettable finale to Richelle Mead's international #1 bestselling Vampire Academy series.

The day has come, my dear fellow book lovers. Jamsu and I are finally at the end of our Vampire Academy buddy reread. I didn't imagine I'd be this happy to read the final book in a series that I love so much, but here we are. Here's the thing. This reread has made me realize once again that the way one feels about the book they're reading is influenced by a lot of things that are not related to the book itself. Let me tell you all about it.

Reread Book Review: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #5
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date:  May 1st 2010
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: My copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's and to her best friend, Lissa. It is at long last graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him . . . forever.

My buddy read with Jamsu @ Jamsudreams of the Vampire Academy series continues. I have to say that so far, this has been the most disappointing reread out of the entire series. Let me tell you all about it!

Book Review: Wolf Hollow by Nikki Jefford

Author: Nikki Jefford
Series: Wolf Hollow Shifters #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Dystopia
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 23rd 2017
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A REBELLIOUS OUTCAST

Cocky. Coy. Wolf shifter. Tabor is the hollow's only half-breed, scorned and forbidden to use his powers. Constantly overlooked despite his strengths, Tabor believes Sasha is as shortsighted as the rest of the pack until she proves there's more to her than a blindly obedient lapdog to the council.

A DUTIFUL PUREBLOOD

Spirited, stubborn, and deeply loyal, Sasha feels the pressure from her pack to claim another pureblood, yet no one is brazen enough to defy the elders and toy with her . . . no one besides a sexy, hotheaded half-breed.

AN ATTRACTION THAT THREATENS THE FUTURE OF THE PACK

Bewildered by the deceptively proud and surprisingly sensual Sasha, Tabor would risk everything to claim her. Despite her vanishing bloodline, Sasha can't resist the charismatic half-breed even as predators threaten their pack and the elders pressure her to breed with a pureblood.

In a fantastical post-apocalyptic world, where only the strongest survive, sometimes trusting the heart is the bravest act of all.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Nikki Jefford in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

Comic Book Tuesday: Xena: Penance by Meredith Finch

Author: Meredith Finch
Series: N/A
Audience: +16
Genre: Comic Book
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: October 9th 2018
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The path to redemption is never easy, and the journey of a warrior princess seeking to wash the blood of innocents from her hands is no exception. Xena travels to Athens, to plead for redemption in the temple of Eleos. But some things can never be forgiven and the shadows of past sins are long. Will Xena find redemption or betrayal waiting for her in the temple of the gods? The power, the passion, the danger... her courage would change the world. Xena: Warrior Princess.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Dynamite Entertainment and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

Comic Book Tuesday #30: Charmed: A Thousand Deaths by Erica Schultz

Author: Erica Schultz
Series: Charmed Vol. 1
Audience: +18
Genre: Comic Book
Publisher: Dynamite Book Distributors
Release Date: October 11th 2017
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Dynamite Entertainment is proud to continue the story of Phoebe, Piper, and Paige, television’s fan-favorite witches, in all-new adventures set within the official continuity of Charmed! A dark force has set its sights on the art world of San Francisco, utilizing a gallery exhibit to feed souls to the underworld and unleash demons into our reality. Only the Power of Three, harnessed by the Halliwell sisters, can stop the madness! Collects issues 1-5.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Dynamite Book Distributors in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

I have a confession to make: I haven't watched Charmed. I watched a few episodes back in the day, but it didn't catch me. I don't know why exactly. My guess is it was because it was airing at the same time as Buffy, and I loved Buffy, and I was a one-TV show kind of girl at the time. I was a kid, okay? Anyway, I saw this on Netgalley a few weeks ago and I thought I'd give the Charmed sisters another try, and now I'm kinda thinking about watching the show too.

The story in this comic book is pretty simple, when you think about it. Basically a bad guy with a lot of power wants to bring some pain and mayhem on Earth and decides to help another bad guy that wants the sisters dead. I feel that for the number of issues this volume had, the story was enough, however I kept wishing for a bit more depth. There were a lot of things that could have been explored more, like what Shaina can do and what are the limits of her power, what this place where souls go is like and more. I also didn't particularly like the fact that for as bad as he was, the sisters managed to get rid of the villain so fast, based on how devious he was. Djall was pretty smart and pretty evil, and I believe he deserved a bit more struggle from the sisters' part. That being said, the story is pretty short, so it kind of makes sense that it was all solved so quickly.

The artwork was pretty amazing. I liked it a lot. The panels weren't too crowded, and they were easy to read and to follow. The colors used were very pretty and vibrant, but they also got pretty dark when the story went to darker scenes, which I liked. I love it when the color tones follow the story-line like that.

All in all, this was a pretty good story, and it made me curious about the sister and their stories, so I might be inclined to watch the show now.

Comic Book Tuesday #26: Wonder Woman Vol. 3: The Truth (Rebirth) by Greg Rucka

Author: Greg Rucka
Series: Wonder Woman, Volume V #3
Audience: +16
Genre: Comic Book
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: August 29th 2017
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A part of DC Universe Rebirth!

New York Times best-selling writer Greg Rucka continues his return to WONDER WOMAN! Rucka is joined by fan favorite artist Liam Sharp as Diana's life is unraveling around her. Diana’s search for the truth about herself, her history, and her home Themyscira, takes her on a journey into darkness. But the price of understanding may be one sacrifice too many for Wonder Woman.

Collects WONDER WOMAN #13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25.

Rebirth honors the richest history in comics, while continuing to look towards the future. These are the most innovative and modern stories featuring the world's greatest superheroes, told by some of the finest storytellers in the business.

Honoring the past, protecting our present and looking towards the future. This is the next chapter in the ongoing saga of the DC Universe. The legacy continues.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not inlfuence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

I had really high hopes for this volume, which unfortunately weren't completely met.

The book starts off with Wonder Woman having some issues, being completely unresponsive towards the outside world, and a good part of the first half of the volume shows Diana suffering from some mental issues. I enjoyed that part, but I feel like it wasn't explored as it should have, nor was it explained in a proper way. This may be because, yet again, this volume includes only select issues, so I didn't get to read about how she actually found it in her to fight her catatonic state and her delusions. I also didn't completely understand what brought the entire situation on, but that may be because I haven't read Vol. 2. So maybe it was explained there. I liked the fact that she realizes that she's not as invincible as she thought in the beginning. I also liked that eventually the laws of the Amazons are respected, in the sense that what she was warned about in the past came true. I don't want to give too many details, because I don't want to spoil it for anyone in case you haven't read it. Even so, I was pretty unimpressed with the ending. I was expecting this huge plot against Wonder Woman, at least from the way the story was told in the first volume. I do hope that the story will be picked up in the future and the implications of what Diana found out will be explored more thoroughly.

The art, as usual with the Wonder Woman Rebirth storyline, is stellar. I really have no complaints there. I hope I get to read more comic books drawn by Liam Sharp, as he is very talented and manages to capture the exact mood and tone of each panel, each dialogue, each scene, even each character.

I think I probably would have enjoyed this volume a lot more if it had all the issues, not just select ones. That way the story would have made much more sense, and I wouldn't have the feeling I'm missing something. Other than that, I hope there will be more Wonder Woman books in the future, because I am curious if some of the details from this volume will be explored more.

Comic Book Tuesday #25: Army of Darkness/Xena, Warrior Princess: Forever and a Day by Scott Lobdell, Elliot Fernandez

Author: Scott Lobdell, Elliot Fernandez
Series: N/A
Audience: +16
Genre: Comic Book
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: August 29th 2017
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Xena, Warrior Princess, has toppled nations through the force of her will. She's captained the most deadly pirate crew ever to sail the seas. She even turned her back on her past, seeking redemption for her darker acts alongside her partner Gabrielle. And yet, despite her propensity for defeating all odds, her thousand-strong army has fallen to an implacable and ancient evil. Her only recourse? To use the dreaded Necronomicon to summon Ash Williams - the wise-ass, butt-kicking, smooth-talkin' demon-killer from the future - for aid! But how can Xena save the world when that chainsaw-wielding knucklehead's every temporal mishap threatens to unravel time itself? Cult favorite media sensations Army of Darkness and Xena, Warrior Princess collide in a wildly hilarious adventure written by Scott Lobdell (Red Hood and the Outlaws, Uncanny X-Men) and featuring artwork by Elliot Fernandez and Diego Galindo!
"A superlative job of capturing the spirit of both Xena, Warrior Princess and Ash of Army Of Darkness." - SciFiPulse
"Lobdell balances the personalities of his distinct cast and Fernandez's layouts are superb." - Nerds on the Rocks
"(Lobdell's) dialogue is hilarious and flows very well." - Big Glasgow Comic Page

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Dynamite Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

It's no secret that I love Xena, and that, in my opinion, she's the second best superhero, right after Wonder Woman. Since the end of the show *queue sobbing* I've been drowning in watching reruns and reading whatever new story available with and about her. So I was super duper excited about reading this book. I also have to be honest and say that I know nothing about the Army of Darkness, but I plan on rectifying that this year.

I have to say, the artwork was awesome. The thing I liked most was that the artist didn't try to make portraits of the actors playing these characters, which would have bothered me to be honest. I can't explain it exactly, but I know I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much with actor portraits all over the book.

The panels are easy to read and to follow, and they were not as crowded as usual. I also liked how the art seemed to adapt to the story in each issue. You could tell that the story happens in a different timeline based on the colors used and the use of shadows. I thought that was cool.

The story was pretty standard. You have Xena and Gabrielle in a little bit of trouble and they're trying to get some help by summoning Ash, the time travelling warrior. I loved the Xena episodes with time loops. I'm not sure if there were more than one, I remember one where Xena gives in and just kills the rooster, which still makes me giggle every now and then. But time loop usually means that things stay the same, it's just one person that figures it out and tries to break the loop. For some reason this didn't happen in this comic book, which I guess makes sense, because it shows how desperate times are for Xena and Gabrielle, so in that regard the book is pretty unique and different from what I was expecting.

Now here's what I didn't like all that much. I feel like the story in itself wasn't bad, but it wasn't executed as well as it could have been. At one point there's this character that tells Ash to look for clues in all his time jumps. There were no clues, not that I could figure out. Ash makes a ton of time jumps, but they don't actually make sense. The ending was anticlimactic too. If you're going to have a super powerful baddie, make him really bad, and scary and not as easily defeatable. Maybe this is just me being more bloodthirsty than most, but I was expecting more of a struggle than that. There were a lot of things that didn't quite make sense in this story, and I feel like they could have made for a fantastic plot, had the story not been so rushed. The idea that someone is like a time guardian, that guards the various alternate worlds and timelines, or the fact that it takes a lot of time before Ash reaches Xena when she's summoning him, or that we don't know what happens to Xena while Ash is timejumping to the wrong place.

I was expecting a lot more from this story, honestly. A tons more than what I got, but it was still fun to spend some time reading and remembering about my favorite heroine.

Comic Book Tuesday #23: Nightwing, Volume 1: Better Than Batman by Tim Seeley

Author: Tim Seeley
Series: Nightwing, Volume IV #1
Audience: +16
Genre: Comic Book
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 25th 2017
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A part of DC Universe: Rebirth!

Nightwing is back...in blue!

He's been Robin, he's been a super spy, a ghost. Now, Dick Grayson finds himself back in Gotham City fighting to reclaim the life that was taken from him. But when a new evil threatens those closest to Dick, as Nightwing he must once again choose whether or not to tear himself away from his home in order to combat this dark force.

Everything Dick thought he knew about being Nightwing will be brought to bear, and his relationship to his former mentor Batman will be put to the test in Nightwing: Volume 1, Better Than Batman! written by Tim Seeley (Grayson) with art by Yanick Paquette (Swamp Thing, Batman/Superman) and rising star Javier Fernández (Red Hood/Arsenal).

Collecting: Nightwing 1-4, 7-8, Rebirth

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

Since I'm fairly new to the DC universe, I went into reading this book not knowing anything about Nightwing, who he is, who he was before he became Nightwing and why he is so important in the Batman universe.

The artwork was pretty, but I felt like the artist at times wasn't really sure how to draw the characters, as the drawing style changed a bit between issues. The artwork was also a bit darker, fitting the storyline, but I felt the need for some lighter panels here and there.

As for the storyline, it wasn't all that clear. There are funny parts, with him and Babs trying to go out, and with the new Robin and Nightwing himself. But I wasn't really sure what was happening at times. I felt like the plot for this book was driven mostly by the inner struggle of Nightwing rather than an actual bad guy. Yes, there is a bad guy involved, but call it ignorance or whatever, but I didn't feel that connected to the story. Now, keep in mind that this volume has 2 missing issues, 5 and 6, and maybe some of the story makes more sense with those two issues inside, but that's how I read this book.

I would like to read more about Nightwing, probably some of the older stories about him, because it is interesting to see how the old Robin transforms into Nightwing. All in all, the book, while not one of my favorite DC stories so far, it served its purpose and made me curious about the character a lot more than I was in the beginning.

Comic Book Tuesday #20: The Flash (2016-) Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice by Joshua Williamson, Carmine Di Giandomenico

Author: Joshua Williamson, Carmine Di Giandomenico (Illustrator)
Series: The Flash, Volume V #1
Audience: +15
Genre: Comic Book, Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 24th 2017
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Part of the most critically acclaimed, best-selling, all-new line of volume one graphic novels, DC Universe Rebirth!

His name is Barry Allen, and he’s the Fastest Man Alive. But he’s also so much more.

As he learns more about the Speed Force that fuels his incredible powers, the Flash is also discovering secrets about his past beyond anything he’d ever dreamed-how he created a Flashpoint that changed history and helped create a new world, watched over by forces unknown.

And when the same Speed Force that flows through him is unleashed all over Central City, striking cops, criminals and ordinary civilians alike, it’s up to the Flash to train this new wave of speedsters to use their amazing abilities wisely.

But while some may become his partners in crime-fighting-forming a true “Speed Force”-others will use their godlike powers for a more sinister purpose. And the Flash is about to learn that there’s some evil even he can’t outrun…

The race is on as writer Joshua Williamson (DEATHSTROKE) and artist Carmine di Giandomenico (All New X-Factor) present THE FLASH VOL. 1: LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE-the starting line of a bold new era for the Scarlet Speedster, bursting from the blockbuster DC Universe Rebirth event! Collects THE FLASH: REBIRTH #1 and THE FLASH #1-8.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating of the book or the content of this review in any way

Ever since the TV show The Flash, I've been dying to read more about the superhero, so when I received the approval notification on Netgalley, I was super duper excited. Alas, I can't say I was as in love with this book as I thought I'd be. Let me start with what I did like.

I realize there's a lot of backstory that I don't have, but I liked the fact that I was able to start reading this book, even with what little knowledge I acquired from the TV show, and not feel as lost as I thought I'd be. That's always a huge fear of mine when I try to read comic books about superheroes that have been getting their stories told for decades, that I'll never get the gist of things. So it was actually a really nice surprise to see that I was able to read this book and not be completely lost about some of the characters or storylines.

The thing that I liked most was the fact that this book shows that sometimes the Speed Force makes mistakes. It shows that not always someone that gets speed powers has good intentions. Sure, we all know about how Zoom killed Barry's mom, but that is one example (or at least the only one I know of). But in this story there are a lot of bad guys turned speedsters, people who are willing to abuse their newfound powers and use them for evil. I also liked the balance between those who wanted to use the powers, those who thought they got lucky or that they had a chance to be what they always wanted to be with their powers, and those who wanted nothing to do with superpowers. In a way, I feel like that was one of the main themes of this comic book, balance between good and evil, between friends and enemies, between those who wanted powers and those who didn't. And the book did an okay job of getting that across. I also liked that I wasn't suspecting the right person, so the book kind of fooled me for a while.

The art itself was pretty great. Not the best I've seen, probably not what I imagined a DC comic should look like, but I did go into this with pretty high expectations. Even though they can be challenging to read, I adored the double-paged panels. The panels themselves aren't that difficult to read, they aren't too crowded with either characters or text bubbles. I liked the fact that whenever the POV changed, we got some inner monologue bubbles, because, in a way, it helped me understand the characters better.

The thing that I didn't enjoy was how fast it seemed that Barry got to the answer, and the fact that, in some way, the first part of the book seems to be very, very disconnected from the second part of the book. This part of the review might have spoilers for some of you, so don't read ahead if you don't want to.

Maybe this is just me, since I'm new to this comic book, but I was slightly confused by the idea of Barry Allen not remembering certain things in the beginning, and not knowing about it. It seemed as if he wasn't even aware that something was wrong with him, and then just a few pages in, he manages to crack that mystery and restore part of his memories. Not a bad idea, except, and maybe I'm wrong here, but it didn't feel as if that particular plot point had anything to do with the rest of the story. Now, it's possible that that is the big story with the full run of this comic book. Or, which is another possibility, is that the first part of this volume is actually the first issue of the Rebirth comics, while the rest is from a different comic book, in which case, I'm still confused. Mostly because, and this is another thing that kind of bothered me, the volume doesn't make it clear when one chapter or issue ends and when another one begins. I don't know if that's the case with every DC comic book volumes, but this one didn't include chapter breaks, or at least it didn't seem like that to me. I guess you could take the change in the POV as a new chapter, but it still doesn't really help all that much.

I actually wanted to be more impressed with this book than I actually was. It may be that I had too high expectations, or it could be that because of the two different storylines, the entire volume felt a bit strange. Will I read the next volume? Probably, since this one ends on a cliffhanger and you know I can't help myself but be curious about it and to want to know the end of the story. But I'll probably seriously reduce my expectations. In the end, I did enjoy this story, even if not as much as I wanted to.

Comic Book Tuesday #18: Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Harper Connelly Graphic Novels #2
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 27th 2016
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The official graphic novel adaptation of Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris, the author of The Southern Vampire Mysteries!

Harper Connelly, a psychic capable of finding dead people and reading their last thoughts, discovers a grave in Memphis with two bodies: a man centuries dead, and a girl recently deceased. How the two bodies ended up together would be perplexing enough... but the sudden appearance of a third body the next morning makes this a mystery that perhaps even Connelly can't solve!

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Dynamite Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of this review in any way.

If there's one author that will always hold a dear place in my heart, it's Charlaine Harris. She was my first "contemporary" urban fantasy author, and while I haven't had the pleasure of reading all of her works, I'm pretty confident in saying that I'll be just as amazed by her worldbuilding and her writing style as I was when reading the Southern Vampire Mysteries series. That is why when I saw a comic book adaptation of one of her novels, I did a tiny happy dance, because here I could combine three of my favorite things, and be super in love with the result. Unfortunately, that wasn't exactly the case.

Let's start with what I loved first. As I was already expecting, I truly enjoyed the story. The idea of someone reading the last thoughts of dead people, of being able to help families of the some of the victims find closure and peace, solving murders, is fantastic. Harper Connelly felt like an edgier, darker, stronger, less whiny and more mysterious version of Sookie Stackhouse. I loved Harper. I want to learn more about her, I want to know what got her into this job, how she decided to transform her ability into a paying job, I want to know how her story ends, so I'll definitely go back to read the books. I also want to know more about Tolliver, her step-brother. The story was pretty interesting, although I feel like there are a few loose ends that I'm hoping will be solved in the rest of the books.

The art itself is pretty spectacular. A lot of the colors used are pretty dark, making the mystery and the suspense a bit stronger. And I liked how color was used to draw attention to certain moments in the story, or to certain characters. The panels weren't too crowded with drawings, and there were just enough characters to keep the story going and to not confuse me. There were a lot of dialogue boxes of inner monologue from Harper, which I kind of liked, because it made me understand the story and Harper, herself, more.

Which brings me to what I didn't necessarily like in this book. I did have an issue with some of the art details and the panel choices, which a lot of times pulled me out of the story. At times, the way different facial expressions was drawn was too comical, but not in a good way. I understand that it is difficult to transform text into drawings, but I would have wanted for some of their facial expressions to be more natural and to not look so strange. I also struggled a bit with the reading order, because every once in a while, the order of the panels changed, but not necessarily always due to the size of the panels, or at least it didn't feel like that some of the time. I also feel like there were a few inconsistencies in terms of timeline, mostly in the beginning. Towards the end the plot felt a bit too rushed, and the way the story was wrapped up felt too abrupt, comparing to the slower pace of the rest of the novel.

When I started reading this book, I honestly expected to have another 5 cups read on my hands, and I feel like the potential was there, but unfortunately that was not the case. I don't know if this was because I had really high expectations, or because it really is difficult to translate a written novel in a graphic version, but I felt like this was just an okay read. I do, however plan on reading the original version of this story, as well as the other books in the series earlier than I first planned on.

Book Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Raven Cycle #1
Audience: +15
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: September 18th 2012
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Amazon
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.

His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

I know I'm a little late reading this book, as per usual with me and super hyped books, but I figured I should give it a try, especially now that the last book in the series is out.

It's rare that a book confuses me so much, that I don't know what rating to give it. But that's genuinely what I'm feeling right now. I've struggled with writing this review, not because I didn't enjoy reading this book, but because I'm so effin' confused here.

The thing that had me the most confused is the writing style. I won't lie to you, guys, I found this book to be too slow-paced for me. But the writing style made up for it. It was complicated, and yet so simple, beautiful and slightly scary at the same time. There's just something that the way Stiefvater writes hooked me, and kept me keep on reading, even if I didn't particularly root for the main characters. If you follow Stiefvater on social media, if you've read at least one of her blog posts, you've probably noticed that she has a way with words that not many people have, I don't think. And it's the same way with The Raven Boys, and I can see why so many people fell in love with her writing style, because I definitely did.

Now let's go back to the characters. Blue is a strange girl, because she's quite normal, compared to her family. But I found her a bit too... bland, if you know what I mean. She definitely wears her disappointment of the fact that she doesn't have any real powers of her own as you would a jacket or something, so it's really out there, and that kind of made me not be a super huge fan of hers. Also, the fact that she constantly has to take care to not kiss anyone because she might kill them was a bit strange. I understand that her family has all sorts of powers, but are we really sure that that's what's going to happen? Because I have a feeling that Blue might challenge that premonition. She's really careful, a girl that doesn't take a lot of chances, a lonely girl. I definitely enjoyed seeing her relax and enjoy the company of other kids, of strangers, and becoming friends with them, even if they are the Aglionby boys.

Speaking of the boys, I have a confession to make. Ronan and Adam, combined, reminded me of Michael from Rosswell. The TV version, because I haven't yet read the books. I love Ronan, and I kind of like Adam, but they reminded me so, so much of Michael, that I was trying not to swoon. (Michael is my favorite, but that's a different story). I'm super excited to read more about Ronan, actually, to find out about his story more, and understand exactly what it is that he can do, as well as how will this ability influence the events of the entire story. Gansey...yeah, he kind of annoyed me a little bit. Just a bit. I admire his dedication or solving one of history's mysteries, although I'm not sure I understood his motivation. I think there's more to Gansey's story that I hope we get to learn more about in the following books. And Noah, my sweet, sweet Noah. I'm not sure I know what to say about him, other than wow. I definitely want to know more about this mysterious guy.

Halfway through the book, I kind of got to get used to the writing style, and with the pacing, and a little detail that surfaced about one of the four boys hooked me in for good. Let's just say that what was revealed was so unexpected, that it surprised the hell out of me. But it was an interesting detail, and I'm curious to see what exactly will that "provoke" in the future, what consequences does that have on the future of all of the characters.

I saw that people who reread this book, after reading the last one, said that there's a ton of foreshadowing happening in The Raven Boys, so I'm really curious to see what happens in the future. I'll definitely read The Dream Thieves. I don't know when, but I will.

Book Review: #Static by Eric Laster

Author: Eric Laster
Series: N/A
Genre: YA, Mystery & Thrillers
Publisher: Automatic Publishing
Release Date: 19 Apr 2016
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

When Curtis Brooks starts receiving phone calls from his older brother Wilt, who’s been dead a week, he’s sure it’s to help him find evidence that will lead to a murderer’s arrest. But Wilt claims he wasn’t murdered; his calling, meant to help him adjust, is standard protocol for newly deceased at the Aftermart—a kind of inescapable, ever-expanding Walmart filled with discontinued products.

Wilt’s death ruled a homicide, Curtis embarks on a dangerous plan to find the killer, which soon has him scheming against a billionaire and floundering toward love with his brother’s ex-girlfriend Suzy, all while struggling through high school and his single mom’s poor choices.

Why does Wilt help Curtis win over Suzy, even as he organizes a rebellion at the Aftermart? Who’d wanted him dead? Curtis risks his life to answer these questions, in the process forging a bond with his brother unlike any they’ve ever had.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and Automatic Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book in any way.

As soon as I saw the description on Netgalley I was intrigued, because the theme of a dead person being able to call a loved one is one that I haven't read much about. I was also a bit confused by the genre, because surely a book that talks about receiving phone calls from the dead has a little bit of fantasy in it, right? Or horror, depends on how you look at it.

It was interesting to read an entire story from a boy's POV. I found it a bit strange at times, but I definitely found it an interesting and good change from what I normally read.

I thought Curtis was a fascinating character. He had moments when he frustrated me, but for the most part I rooted for him and hoped he'd succeed in what he was doing. The story reveals a lot of things about Curtis that made me question some of the things about the story. I feel like, in the end, he does the best he can with the cards he was dealt. His parents are far from perfect, his life in general sucks. The fact that his brother died is important, but I feel like the fact that he got these phone calls from Wilt helped him cope or at least ignore the fact that Wilt isn't physically there for him when he needs him the most.

Remember when I said that I was confused by the genre? Well, the story itself left me with a lot of doubts regarding these phone calls. I kept wondering, mostly because of some of the details that emerged about Curtis throughout the book, if those phone calls were real. Which in a way I thought was brilliant, because then, depending on what you want to believe, there's two ways in which you can see the book. Either Curtis was completely delusional, or he really was talking to his dead brother on the phone.

I felt like the pace was a little too slow for my taste, and the ending turned out to be completely not what I imagined. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I expected.

My only issue was with the parents in this book. I would've wanted at least one of the parents to be somewhat normal, or at least true, mature adults. Actually, now that I think about it, all of the adults in this book weren't exactly role models, or even adults per se.

Anyway, I thought the book was okay and if you're fans of YA mysteries, you should definitely check it out and let me know what you think.

Book Review: Once Upon A Dream by Liz Braswell

Author: Liz Braswell
Series: Twisted Tales #2
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date:April 5th 2016
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dream marks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways.

It should be simple--a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess's, it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over.

With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up?

*Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from Netgalley and Disney Press in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion of this book or my rating in any way.

Sleeping Beauty has always been one of my Top 3 Disney animated movies. As a little girl, I remember being captivated by Aurora's relationship with the animals, but also by the three fairy godmothers. One thing I've always been attracted to, that I don't think I've ever told anyone before, was Maleficent's raven. I had a soft spot for that animal, even though he did ultimately belong to Maleficent, making him one of the bad guys, but he was a pretty bird. I was always sad when he ended up being turned into stone. Anyway...

I was very excited to see how the author would remake this story and make the villain win. There have been many remakes of the story, but I was really curious to see if this book could match the original movie's lavish world, with the medieval-looking drawings and details.

I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the first quarter or so of the book. The plot was slow-paced and the language used made me think the book was intended for middle-grade aged readers. Which is not bad, except I was expecting more, for some reason.

I have to say though, I'm glad I pushed through and kept reading. Around the middle of the book, the story started picking up and it became the dark story I hoped it would be. It touched on some really delicate themes, like suicide and child abandonment, and I'm really happy the story went there. It was also really interesting to see that Aurora/Rose isn't shown as the delicate princess with the pretty voice and gorgeous hair that the movie shown, but she's more than that. She basically becomes the hero in this story, and I liked that very, very much.

I can't say I liked Prince Phillip very much. Probably because we see him mostly from Aurora's perspective, and he is yet another person who hid things from her. Even so, I was expecting more from the daring prince who faced a dragon for a girl he didn't even know.

The world-building was good. I liked how the story is told from the lens of a war won by the villain. Unlike the previous book in the series, I felt like Maleficent really was a villain in this story. She was cruel, she was ruthless, and she was deranged. Far more dark than the movie allows the audience to see. I still feel that, for a story where the villain wins at first, there were so few scenes told from her perspective.

I did enjoy this book more than the other one, however I think the first part of the book, as I said before, could have been a bit more fast paced, and maybe used a more mature language. I saw that the next book in the series is about Beauty and the Beast, and I can't even explain how much I want to read about that library that Beast has in his castle. So I'll definitely read the next book in this series.

Comic Book Tuesday #10: Heroes Haven by Mario Simone

Author: Mario Simone
Series: Heroes Haven
Publisher: Gotham City Films, LLC
Release Date: May 10th 2016
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Heroes Haven is set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, where scientists are developing a drug — called V-1 — designed to awaken 'Superhero DNA Code' in the human body. As V-1 testing commences to enlighten and heal the dregs of LA, the drug begins to ‘synergize,’ awakening gifts like healing, super strength, visions and telekinesis in its subjects.

These gifts, however, come with a price: side effects include madness, acute psychotic episodes, body altering paralysis, degeneration, suicide and insane fits of rage that lead to murders.

In the dark shadows, a secret society is stealing the drug to test on death row inmates and create immortal super soldiers. As the power of this secret society grows, the imminent dangers of tyranny and oppression now face all of mankind. The battle begins to control the drug that will create a new world order.

The only hope to save humanity? The societal outcast test subjects from Heroes Haven who managed to escape the facility and survive the psychotic, emotional and physical altercations, becoming 'The Awakened Ones.' It’s up to them to decide if they will 'Awaken Their Inner Hero' and fight for the freedom of mankind.

*Disclaimer: I received an ecopy from Netgalley and Gotham City Films, LLC in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book.

I really enjoy reading about the cruelty of some people. It might sound weird, I know, but there's something really interesting in seeing just how far an author will go to show how cruel and purely evil some people are. Themes like super-soldiers and human experiments are themes that will always be explored, in many, many different ways, but it's always interesting to see how different people approach them.

I liked the idea of trying to create superheroes. I also liked that a comic book explored that theme, the creation and testing of a virus that would ultimately create superheroes. The thing I liked most is that the story explores the negative side effects of this virus. I liked the symbolism, that as much as people try to create perfect, more powerful version of themselves, they lose something in the process.

At times it seemed like the story is told from one of the test subjects' POV, because the story seemed messy and not easy to follow. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but at times I did have a hard time keeping up with the story. That said, I liked that the tone of the book is as dark as I expected.

The art was actually beautiful. I liked the darker tones, the fact that some panels were crowded when the story became darker. At times the crowded panels fit the description of the poor people who were part of the experiments, conveying the same feeling of being on the verge of insanity.

I did however find that the different chapters, at times, showed only a small part of the story. It was difficult to follow the storyline, mainly because a lot of characters were introduced and not a lot of backstory was offered. I feel like the story would have felt "cleaner" with more backstory or with fewer characters. I'm hoping that if there's a second volume, it will explain better the history of the characters and that not a lot of new characters will be introduced before the storyline for the current ones is finished. All in all I did enjoy the story, and I'm hoping there are more installments in the future.

Book Review: Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru by Tera Lynn Childs

Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Series: Creative HeArts #1
Publisher: Entangled Crush
Release Date: September 14th 2015
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

When life gives you a blank canvas, make art.

Sloane Whitaker hates everything about moving to Texas. She hates leaving behind her friends and half her family in New York, starting over senior year at Austin’s NextGen Academy, and having to say she lives in Texas. Most of all, she hates that it’s all her fault. If she wants to earn her way back to the Big Apple, she has to prove she can still be the perfect daughter.

Which means no vandalism art, no trouble at school, and absolutely no Tru Dorsey, her serial screw-up neighbor, who loves nothing more than pushing her buttons.

But from the moment he vaults onto the roof outside her bedroom, there is something about him that makes her want to break every rule. Suddenly it’ s not the ten things she hates about Tru that are at the top of her list. It’s the ten reasons she doesn’t want to be without him.

*Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC in exchange for an honest review

I know this has probably been mentioned a few times by different reviewers, but my first thought when I saw the title was to thing of the movie Ten Things I Hate About You, which to this day is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is probably because of that connection that I had such high expectations for this book.

I enjoyed the fact that the main character was in the school of arts, as it's something I haven't read about before. I thought Sloane was an interesting character. The story hinted a few times at "the incident", which you get to find out about towards the end of the book. I really hoped that Sloane would be more accepting with how things are because of that thing that happened because of her. Most of the book she kept saying how much she hated Texas and the fact that she had to move, which at times got to be a little too much for my liking.

I liked Tru. Like Sloane, he has his secrets that he doesn't want anyone to know about. His story did break my heart, because he is a great guy, despite his family and his relationship with his parents.

This was a quick and fun read, although the ending did feel a little bit rushed. I found out there's a sequel, so I'm hoping that some of the questions I was left with will be solved in later installments.

Early Book Review: A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

Author: Liz Braswell
Series: Twisted Tales #1
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: September 1st 2015
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Welcome to a new YA series that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. Each book asks the question: What if one key moment from a familiar Disney film was changed? This dark and daring version of Aladdin twists the original story with the question: What if Jafar was the first one to summon the Genie?

When Jafar steals the Genie’s lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed Princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Disney Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


When I first heard of this book, the 5 year old in my did crazy happy dances. What could be better than a Disney movie retelling where the bad guy wins? So I was ecstatic to read this book.

The idea of the book is great. Although not one of my favorite Disney movies, I always loved Genie (Robin Williams, may he rest in peace, was amazing in this role). And although he was twisted and mean, Iago was my favorite pet sidekick, along with Abu. Though Iago was funnier in my eyes.

Because the book was focused on what if Jafar had gotten the lamp, we don't get to see much of Iago or the Genie. We get to see how life for the Street Rats was, how they go from being just the poorest of the poor to being the bravest of the brave. We see a darker Agrabah and I really enjoyed that. Usually the fairytales we get to read/see nowadays are lighter than this book, so it was a good change to see a darker story. There were some details that I didn't see coming, mostly relating to some characters and how they reacted to magic. I also liked some of the stories that were new to the story, like a little bit of Genie's backstory, or the beginning of the book, with Aladdin as a kid. I also liked the little moments that tied the book to the movie.

There were a few things that I was hoping would be different. For instance, there's an insta-love element that I feel could have been avoided. In the movie it was acceptable, because there is  a limited time frame that filmmakers have to put together a good story. But in a book setting, I feel like the love story of Jasmine and Aladdin could have been built a little bit more. I also would've wanted to see a little bit of growth in the characters. There were new characters used in this book, some of which were great and did feel a little changed by the end of the book. But the well-known characters could have had a little bit more growth in them by the end of the story.

A Whole New World was an interesting take on the story of the magic lamp and Aladdin. I've sometimes wanted to know how the story would look like if the bad guy won, so it was good to see a story like this. I'm curious what stories will be retold in the future.

Book Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices #1
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: August 31st 2010
My Rating: 3 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

Disclaimer: Before I start my review I should warn you that: 1) my review might contain SPOILERS and some curse words and 2) There will be a few GIFs because words fail me at the moment and I need them to accurately convey what I'm feeling right now. 

So...Umm...I finished reading this book on Sunday and I'm still a bit confused about what I'm actually feeling about this book. I loved the first part of it. Adored it, actually. Then the second half of the book happened and I kept wondering "What am I reading? What did I miss?". I'm getting ahead of myself though.

So the first half of the book was great. A girl was murdered and no one knows why, there's another girl kidnapped and a race of warriors feared by all dark creatures that will do anything to protect the humans, also known as "mundanes". Everything sounds fine until now right? Right. Our heroine is a book lover as well and that was so great, because I love book nerds as heroes/heroines.

I have to admit to one thing first: I decided to read these books after I saw the movie. I saw the movie and I liked it (I know, I know, those who read the books were disappointed) and I thought I need to see if the books are just as awesome. The idea of a strong warrior race fighting demons, vampires, warlocks and other dark creatures has always appealed to me and it's still not getting old. I love that theme and so here I am. Granted, The Infernal Devices takes place before the events in the movie, but I always hated reading series/sagas out of order.  

I was thrown off by Tessa's naive nature, but then again she was a young girl in a new country, new continent, hoping to meet her brother whom she has not seen for a while. Plus, she's been God knows how many weeks on a ship and that would make anyone longing for some human interaction. Granted, there were people on that boat but maybe she was just shy *shrugs*. I did like the idea of her being kidnapped right as she arrived at her destination though. It made the villain be very scary, the fact that he acted right away, with no warning whatsoever. We are introduced to our hero (or so I thought), Will. Will is a smart-ass and I like that in a guy. Sarcastic and completely unashamed of his shortcomings. Sometimes he's a bit rude, but he secretly loves books and again my judgement was clouded by emotions. Then I got to know him a little bit and by the end I wanted to punch him in the nuts, just for shits and giggles, but that's another story. There's another guy in the picture, Jem, but I kinda didn't like him all that much. I mean, I didn't dislike him, but he was a little...he's a character I can miss, someone that I don't necessarily notice all that much.

Anyway, the first part of the book had a great deal of suspense, some mildly irritating moments involving a female Shadowhunter (of which I will refrain from talking about because then this review will turn into a rant about characters I'd like to bitch-slap into the next century), and some action-filled scenes, during which I was keeping my fingers crossed for the good guys.

Then... the rest happened. Here's the thing. I'm usually a forgiving reader. I understand that my expectations are somewhat weird in terms of how a book should end and that if I guess correctly what's going to happen sometimes that makes me roll my eyes, other times it makes me want to pat myself on the back for being a smart cookie. HOWEVER. Something happened here that didn't quite sit well with me.

First, how is it that the Shadowhunters, a great race of warriors, feared by all supernatural creatures, didn't know that one of their "trusted friends" was actually working against them? You'd think they would have the means necessary to control everyone 'cause, you know, they sounded like the freakin' police of the supernatural world. Amirite?

Second, why is it that it took the good guys so much time to even consider that the one guy feeding them information might be lying? Granted, the possibility didn't even register in my mind at the time, but why would they, the smartest, strongest, most fierce of all, took so long? And then, when time came for them to figure it out, Will said it like he said something ordinary, like...oh, I don't know, "The sun is hot". If it was THAT easy, why did it take so freaking long in the first place??? 

Then there's something...technical, if you'd like, that bothered me. It seemed that in the last...100-150 pages or so, there were too many important moments that could've been the ending of the book. Now, you might frown and look all confused, but usually big moments in a book signal the end of that book, right? Huge, bombastic moments happen once or twice, but this book seemed to have more. I probably wouldn't have noticed this, had the book been split in two parts. Then it wouldn't have been an issue. Since that was not the case, I kept scratching my head, wondering what could possibility happen next, because it seemed that all that had happened was all that seemed possible at the time. 

I'm not saying in any way, shape or form, that the book was bad. It wasn't, but the ending...Yeah, that was bad. The only way for me to express my feelings about the ending compared to how the book started, is by using this gif:

It was exactly like that. I'm now confused, because I don't know if I am ready to read further or not. I do want to read City Of Bones, but I just don't know... It's sad, because I see so many bloggers that I follow and that I trust that gave glowing reviews to this book and I'm sitting here all confused and pouting, wondering if I read a different book.

Book Review: Partials by Dan Wells

Author: Dan Wells
Series: Partials Sequence #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: February 28th 2012
My Rating: 3 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

I have to be honest and say that I have been delaying this review for about two months now. The reason I kept putting it off is that I know a lot of people loved this book and I honestly feel like a freak.

Let me start with what I liked, because there were things that I enjoyed.

First, I liked the concept of this book. The idea of a war where human-like beings are used as soldiers is a new theme for me. Yes, I've read about cyborgs, but not to this extent. And though the idea of an unknown disease freaks me out, I liked that this was used in the book. And I love medicine, so I did enjoy the parts where Kira tried to discover how to cure the disease.

Second, there was no insta-love. I did a happy dance. I'm okay when two characters fall in love, but not immediately. Of course, now I'm sort of hoping Kira and Samm get together. I like Samm.

I also liked the scenes where the characters were either fighting for their lives or trying to escape the bad guys and such. There are quite a few action scenes and I think they were done very well. I could actually feel the tension in those particular scenes.

The things that weren't quite what I expected aren't that huge, but they did keep me from fully enjoying the book.

One is the difference that I perceived between the characters' ages and their actual "voices". I understand that the world is in chaos, the people are trying to find a cure for a terrible disease, but I didn't feel as if Kira and her friends were sixteen and seventeen year old teenagers. It felt as if I was reading about people in their twenties. I would've wanted to see them think their age or at least talk like they were teenagers.

Then there's the pacing. It was a little too slow for my taste. I wonder if the next book in the series is faster.

Lastly, I wanted to get to know the characters. I know this is a series and probably we'll get to see more of each character and to understand them better, but so far, other than Kira I felt as if all other characters weren't as developed.

I will read the next book in the series, to see what happens with Kira and Samm, though. Especially since the ending was surprising. I wasn't expecting this book to end the way it did and that is enough to make me want to keep reading.