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.

Book Review: WTF (Geek Actually #1.1) by Cathy Yardley, Cecilia Tan, Rachel Stuhler, and Melissa Blue

Author: Cathy Yardley, Cecilia Tan, Rachel Stuhler, and Melissa Blue
Series: Geek Actually #1.1
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotica, Women's Fiction
Publisher: Serial Box
Release Date: June 7th 2017
My Rating: 3.5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

This is the 1st episode in the first season of Geek, Actually, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Cathy Yardley.

Meet your new best girlfriends in this sexy, genre-busting serial that’s all about feminism, friendship, and fandom.

Michelle and Aditi have been friends for ages, but with Michelle as Aditi’s editor for her debut fantasy novel, their relationship is under a bit of strain. Aditi needs to blow off some steam—a hot Tinder date does the trick (and then some). Meanwhile, Taneesha and Elli are both having some job trouble.

Join this tight-knit group of lady geeks as they navigate the ups and downs of their personal and professional lives. Michelle is a hard-nosed fantasy and sci-fi editor used to things going her way. Taneesha is a talented video game programmer used to being the odd (wo)man out. Aditi is a fantasy writer on the verge of her big break. Christina is a rebel on the sidelines of Hollywood. And Elli is a fan—of anything and everything that keeps her from “proper adulting.” They might live far apart, but through the power of the internet and a shared love of all things geek, they are ready to face the world together.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy from Netgalley and Serial Box in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way

This is the first installment in the Geek Actually serial, the pilot if you may, and we get to meet five women: Michelle, Aditi, Taneesha, Elli and Christina. They're friends (Michelle and Christina are actually half-sisters) and we get to observe them navigating their lives. It kind of reminded me of Sex And The City, which intrigued me.

This book was told from multiple POVs, with an accent on Michelle and Aditi. I'm thinking that each episode focuses more on one of the women than the other, which is interesting. I connected a lot more with Taneesha, to be honest. She's a woman, she's a black woman, and she's a video game programmer, so she basically holds the job that once upon a time I wanted, and there's a scene with her and her bosses that is so painful and infuriating that I wanted to jump into the book and slap both of those idiots. I was also insanely curious about Aditi and her relationship with someone important in her life.

I felt like this was a bit too short for my taste, but I could see myself reading the rest of the installments. Since it was a pilot installment, I can't exactly say I was in love with the story, but it's good enough to make me curious about the rest of it.

Book Review: Legal Wolf's Mate by Eve Langlais

Author: Eve Langlais
Series: Fabian Garoux #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: October 4th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

In Eve Langlais's Legal Wolf’s Mate—previously published in the anthology Growl— taking on a pro bono murder case isn't a problem for a lawyer who enjoys a challenge. Discovering his new client is his mate? A tad more complicated. Gavin has no intention of settling down, especially not with a woman accused of murder. But the beautiful, fiery Megan has his blood boiling and his heart racing, and it doesn't take Gavin long to know that his fate is sealed...

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

This book was a nice discovery in the realm of paranormal genre. It had all the ingredients for a good paranormal book, and a good series starter.

Gavin is super sexy and super smart. Very stubborn too, which I guess you have to be, if you're going to be a lawyer. I liked how confused by Megan and by the way he felt for her he was, but I also liked that he was really trying to make the entire situation better and to save her.

Megan was a mystery. While the book is told both from hers and Gavin's perspective, at times I felt just as confused and in the dark about Megan as he was. It isn't until towards the end that we get to understand exactly the what, why, and how of it all, and let me tell you, I was surprised. I was expecting some kind of twist, but definitely not that.

The book is pretty fast paced, and I enjoyed reading it. The werewolf mythology was interesting, especially with how they shift. I'm curious if other shapeshifters are affected the same as wolves. As I said, I had a moment of confusion towards the end, but I certainly liked the book enough to want to read more books from this author. And I'm super ecstatic that there are at least two more books in this series, since we all know how much I enjoy paranormal series. Definitely check this one out if you like paranormal romance.

Book Review: The Southern Gentleman: Protective Instinct by Sweden Reese

Author: Sweden Reese
Series: Dominant Heroes Collection #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, BDSM, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Lens Flare Press
Release Date: September 13th 2016
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

ENTER THE GLAM WORLD OF A CRISIS MANAGEMENT AGENCY SPECIALIZING IN CELEBRITY SCANDAL AND POLITICAL INTRIGUE...

Sex. Politics. Scandal.

When a shadowy group intent on stealing the U.S. presidential election targets a leading candidate’s daughter, jaded professional fixer Nolan Jackson is hired to safely escort her across the country to a star-studded Election Eve event. There's only one problem: She’s ditched the campaign and disappeared… A southern gentleman who likes fast cars, deadly weapons and total control, Nolan is used to winning at all costs. Except in love. Yet, he’ll soon find himself irresistibly drawn to the candidate’s beautiful, naïve daughter.

Sheltered heiress Lola Randall has always played it safe. Now she’s gone rogue. After escaping the media spotlight and her overbearing parents, the last thing she needs in her life is an alpha male. But when Nolan shows her how good it can feel to relinquish control, she begins to secretly crave his domination. Now, she must choose between her independence and falling in love. Because Nolan is determined to win her heart and nail the bad guys before the opposition finds a way to steal the White House.

Erotic romantic suspense series for mature audiences

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is Book 1 in a steamy, suspenseful 2-book story. Book 1 ends in a scandalous cliffhanger, Book 2 delivers the HEA.

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

This is book 1 of the Dominant Heroes duology and it is quite an interesting story. It's the old famous, rich girl in need of protection, dark alpha male offering said protection story, only with a twist.

Lola is pretty innocent, doing what she needs to all the time, but she needs to escape, she wants to be on her own, without the watchful eyes of her security detail. She finds herself being "hunted" by Nolan, fixer and dominant alpha male, and being brought back home. On the way home though she gives him hell, he retaliates, she submits, he falls for her. The thing I liked about this book was that it didn't jump right to sex, it allowed the attraction between Lola and Nolan to grow.

It was interesting to see Lola going from hell-bent on rebelling to submitting so beautifully to Nolan, even though she didn't know anything really about submission. What I didn't fully like was the fact that Nolan at times was too harsh, knowing that Lola didn't know the rules of the game. But that is countered by how Lola reacts to his dominance, and how she eventually kind of goads him into punishing her.

The book ends with a cliffhanger, but not to worry, because you get to see how it all ends in book two. This was a book that, strangely, was a bit out of my comfort zone. I'm not used to reading about total-power-exchange or relationships with so much dominance over every aspect of someone's life, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Book Review: Legend Of Love by Lisa Kessler

Author: Lisa Kessler
Series: The Muse Chronicles #2
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 5th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The Prophecy - “Every generation the nine daughters of Zeus are reborn, and with their rebirth are also nine Guardians. They will be marked by the gods, and given gifts to protect his treasure. Their abilities will only be unlocked when they find their muse.”

Callie O'Connor's life has never been the same since the Muse of Epic Poetry came alive inside of her. Now she's on the other side of the country, working as civilian psychologist for the Navy, and leading her Muse sisters in their quest to reopen the Theater of the Muses.

But nothing could have prepared her for Hunter Armstrong. He's a Navy Seal, driven, confident, and dangerous. And he plans to do more than just protect her.

The gods couldn't have picked a better Guardian. But as Hunter soon discovers, Callie has some skeletons of her own in the closet, and loving her could lead to his destruction.

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

I'm completely in love with this series, and I'm waiting anxiously for each and every book in this series. The second book in this series takes the story further, by introducing a new Guardian, Hunter, but also by making the villains more evil and scarier, maybe even a little bit deranged.

Hunter is an interesting choice for a Guardian. I like how his military career was portrayed and how it played into his role as a Guardian. I also liked the fact that he didn't have the same gift as Nate, so I'm assuming each Guardian will have different gifts. I'm also assuming that their gifts are somehow tied to what the Muse they're protecting.

Callie was a great heroine. I like how she dedicates herself to working with military men and women, to help them heal from traumas from being in war zones. The thing I liked most about her is that she's not perfect, she has a little bit of a wildness in her, due to her Muse, that she tries a lot to keep under control.

I liked Callie and Hunter together, they make a great team, and I liked the little glimpse into Mel and Nate's future. The pacing was great, and there were a few developments in the overall story, that of some really deranged people trying to keep the Muses from opening up the Theater of the Muses, that I'm very curious to see how it will play out in the future books.

All in all, a great book and one that any urban fantasy lover should add to their TBR piles.

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.

Book Review: Going Hard by Kelsey Browning

Author: Kelsey Browning
Series: Steele Ridge #2
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: KickSass Creations
Release Date: October 11th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Slick sports agent Griffin Steele is living the highlife in Los Angeles, far from the shadow of the North Carolina mountains where he grew up. But when his hometown falls on hard times and needs his help, Grif reluctantly agrees to commute between coasts. He never expects the lush scenery, in the form of pretty tomboy Carlie Beth Parrish, to be such a temptation.

After an impetuous one-night stand with Grif Steele fifteen years ago, hardworking blacksmith Carlie Beth has tried to make a living and raise her daughter in the hometown she loves. Then, too-sexy-for-his-Rolex Grif blows back into town like the perfect storm, making Carlie feel less like a thirty-something mom and more like an infatuated teenager.

When a stalker targets Carlie Beth, Grif can’t help but step in to protect her. But once he discovers the fourteen-year-old secret she’s been keeping from him, will he embrace the truth or will he turn his back on Steele Ridge and Carlie Beth forever?

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

My first ARC August read and we're on a really good start. While the hidden baby trope is not one of my favorites in romance books, I have to say that Browning did a great job at writing it.

Now, while I don't think Carlie Beth made the right choice, I do understand where her nineteen-year-old-self was coming from. I don't agree, but I get it. All of that aside, I liked Carlie. She was funny, she was a good mother, and a good friend.

Grif was an interesting hero, full of contradictions. I'm curious to see if in the next books in the series this aspect about him is explored, but he seemed like a chameleon to me. When the book starts, we meet him talking on the phone with one of his clients, and by that small interaction, I was expecting a cold, stand-offish guy. Except the more time he spent with his family, back in his hometown, the more laid-back he turned out to be, so I'd love to see him in a big city environment, just to see if somehow he becomes a different person in any way.

Throughout the book there are such hilarious moments that I found it hard not to start laughing like a loon in the middle of the night, which I liked because it's been a while since my last laugh-out-loud read. The story is pretty fast paced, which is also a good thing, but I felt like the ending was a little bit abrupt. I would have wanted a "several weeks/months/whatever later" scene, but I guess that maybe we get that in the next books. I didn't expect the stalker to turn out to be who it turned out to be, which is a plus (I was completely pointing the finger at some innocent person).

I would have wanted to see more bonding moments between Aubrey and Grif, but all in all I enjoyed this book and I'll definitely read the rest of the books in the series, because I need more Reid in my life, Reid being one of Grif's brothers.

Comic Book Tuesday #22: Wonder Woman, Volume 1: The Lies by Greg Rucka

Author: Greg Rucka
Series: Wonder Woman, Volume V #1
Audience: +16
Genre: Comic Book
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: February 28th 2017
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A part of DC Universe: Rebirth!

New York Times best-selling writer Greg Rucka returns to Wonder Woman! After suffering an unimaginable loss, Diana must rebuild her mission as Earth's ultimate protector and champion. However, in the midst of her grief, her Lasso of Truth stopped working! Start down the rabbit hole as dark secrets from Wonder Woman's past unravel her present!

From the ashes of DC Universe: Rebirth, critically acclaimed writer Greg Rucka along with illustrator Liam Sharpunveil a tale that will forever alter the DC icon in Wonder Woman, Volume 1: The Lies!

Collecting: Wonder Woman 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, Rebirth

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

It's no secret that I love Wonder Woman or that she's my favorite superhero ever. So when I saw this beauty on Netgalley I just knew I had to read it ASAP.

As usual with most DC books, the artwork was fantastic. The drawings are gorgeous, the colors chosen are fit for a Wonder Woman comic book and it just looked good. I loved the look of each and every panel and I would love to see this book in real life, because I bet it's even more beautiful. The panels are well done, not too crowded and easy to follow. There were a few panels, especially towards the end, with the jungle, that I would love to have as posters, they're so pretty. My only real issue was with WW's costume. I am a sucker for the old one, and I can't exactly say I like the current one.

The story was also pretty great. I like the idea of Diana struggling with her identity and with entering the Paradise Island, and also the fact that her past keeps changing. I love the fact that all of her different origin stories are kind of put together into one story and made to seem as though someone is trying to make her forget who she really is. I wonder if this somehow influences other superheroes or just WW. I have to say, I was a bit confused by the choice to include odd numbered issues in this volume, but even so it didn't keep me from reading the book easy.

I'm definitely going to keep reading this story, because I'm very curious to know if Diana finds out who's guilty for the past being altered, and also because I want to know how that alteration will eventually influence the future.

Book Review: The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

Author: Elise Kova
Series: Loom Saga #1
Audience: +16
Genre: Steampunk, Fantasy
Publisher: Keymaster Press
Release Date: January 10th 2017
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Her vengeance. His vision.

Ari lost everything she once loved when the Five Guilds’ resistance fell to the Dragon King. Now, she uses her unparalleled gift for clockwork machinery in tandem with notoriously unscrupulous morals to contribute to a thriving underground organ market. There isn’t a place on Loom that is secure from the engineer turned thief, and her magical talents are sold to the highest bidder as long as the job defies their Dragon oppressors.

Cvareh would do anything to see his sister usurp the Dragon King and sit on the throne. His family’s house has endured the shame of being the lowest rung in the Dragons’ society for far too long. The Alchemist Guild, down on Loom, may just hold the key to putting his kin in power, if Cvareh can get to them before the Dragon King’s assassins.

When Ari stumbles upon a wounded Cvareh, she sees an opportunity to slaughter an enemy and make a profit off his corpse. But the Dragon sees an opportunity to navigate Loom with the best person to get him where he wants to go.

He offers her the one thing Ari can’t refuse: A wish of her greatest desire, if she brings him to the Alchemists of Loom.

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


Steampunk isn't one of my favorite genres, but it might just become one if all books are just like this one. I've heard a lot of great things about Kova's books, and I've decided to give this one a try.

There's something incredibly magical about this book, and it's truly amazing to experience. First of all, the world of Loom is really interesting, with steampunk themes blending perfectly with fantasy, in a way I hadn't quite imagined. There's magic, dragons, and technology that, strangely, work just fine together. The world itself is really complex, with a lot of stuff to understand, and a lot of stuff that I didn't quite understood at first. I kind of felt a lot like Cvareh, being thrown into an unknown world and trying to understand it. At times that proved a bit difficult, especially since there's a lot of stuff that we don't know about what happened in the bast, way before the events in the book started.

I also liked having the book told from different POVs. It helped show a bigger picture than what one side would have shown, and I loved that we got even the villain's side of things.

Ari was a really interesting heroine. She is definitely not an easy person to understand, or even like. She has a lot of secrets, and the more I read about her, the more intrigued I became. I wonder if in the future we'll get to fully know who Ari is, what her motives for hating the dragons are, and if she'll get some kind of closure. But I did respect her, to be really honest, because as cold as she wanted others to see her as, she was truly loyal to her friend, even though that put her in a lot of danger.

Florence was one character that I loved from the very start. She was witty, funny, and kind of impossible to resist. I can understand why Ari wanted to protect her at all costs and why she rescued her when she did. I also liked that even though Florence had a pureness and tenderness that made her seem soft and breakable, she found it in herself to make the hard decisions, even though she was truly scared of the outcome.

Cvareh was the character that, much like Ari, was interesting, but it took me a while to understand. I still feel like there's a lot about him that we don't know, that he's keeping a lot of things about himself hidden, and I'm curious how that will work out in the next book. But as I said, having different POVs in this book made it difficult to decide which side of the war to sympathize with, because contrary to what Ari believes, Cvareh didn't seem so bad.

The more I read, the more I understood why I had so many people urging me to read Kova's works, mainly because she managed to get me to like a story in a genre that I don't normally connect with. The only thing I would have wanted was to have more background information, to maybe understand how to navigate the world of Loom better, but all in all this book was a great series-started, and I'll definitely read the next book in the series.

Comic Book Tuesday #21: Justice League, Volume 1: The Extinction Machines by Bryan Hitch, Tony S. Daniel, Sandu Florea, Tomey Morey

Author: Bryan Hitch, Tony S. Daniel, Sandu Florea, Tomey Morey, Richard Starkings, Sean Parsons, Jesús Merino, Matthew Clark
Series: Justice League, Volume III #1
Audience: +16
Genre: Comic Book, Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 18th 2017
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A part of DC Universe: Rebirth!

A new day dawns for the Justice League as they welcome a slew of new members into their ranks. The question remains though, can the world's greatest superheroes trust these new recruits? And will the members of League be able to come together against an ancient evil that threatens to reclaim not just the world, but the entire universe!

Masterful storytelling, epic action, and unbelievable art come together in Justice League from best-selling comic book writer Bryan Hitch (JLA) and superstar penciler Tony S. Daniel (Batman, Detective Comics).

Collect: Justice League 1-5, 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 this review in any way

After reading my first Flash comic book, I tried to keep my excitement and my expectations under control, because I feel like the hype surrounding these comics, both due to the various forms they exist in, and the fans themselves, can influence the experience of reading them a lot. And as I manage to do that, and as I read more and more of the stories from the DC universe, I'm starting to understand why are these comic books so well-loved.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I was able to understand most of what was going on, even without knowing some of the most important details, like Superman's backstory. The story is a pretty simple one, with someone attacking Earth, trying to destroy the planet, and the superheroes trying to save the day. But I loved the aspect of "stolen powers". The creatures attacking the planet kept going on and on about how each superhero stole the powers they had, making some of the guys from the team doubt themselves a little bit. It was a really interesting idea, seeing all these really famous characters doubting themselves and also seeing how they dealt with it all. I am also intrigued by the fact that, even though they saved the day, the heroes didn't manage to find out who was attacking the planet. I liked that a lot, because it just means I'll definitely check the next volume out.

As far as the art goes, that one was fantastic. Each panel was more beautiful than the previous one, and there wasn't too much text, which I also liked. There were panels where the art seemed a bit different and it seemed as if the drawings for certain characters had some changes in them, but other than that I pretty much liked this issue. I'm curious to see what some of the older versions of the Justice League looks like, as opposed to this one. All in all, I was pretty surprised to how enjoyable I found this book, and I'll definitely keep an eye out for the next volume.

Book Review: Blood Red Kiss by Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, Gena Showalter

Author: Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, Gena Showalter
Series: Immortals After Dark #1, MoonBound Clan Vampires #2.5, Otherworld Assassin #2.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: September 20th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Good things always come in threes—and this paranormal romance anthology featuring steamy stories from New York Times bestselling authors Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, and Gena Showalter is no exception!

Get ready for a collection chock full of vamps, demons, aliens, and plenty of sizzle!

In Kresley Cole’s celebrated story “The Warlord Wants Forever,” the first in her scorching Immortals After Dark series, vampire warlord Nikolai Wroth will stop at nothing to claim his Bride, the one woman who can make his heart beat again. But can beautiful Myst the Coveted accept an enemy vampire as her own?

Tehya has spent the last twelve years as an accidental wolf, but is truly a vampire at heart. When she gets injured, Lobo sneaks her inside MoonBound’s headquarters and nurses her back to health…with potentially deadly consequences. Desire collides with danger in “Forsaken by Night,” a MoonBound Clan novella from Larissa Ione!

In Gena Showalter’s Otherworld Assassins novella, Dark Swan, Lilica Swan isn’t quite human or otherworlder; she is the best—and worst—of both. She is willing to do whatever proves necessary to save her sister from the seductive and deadly Alien Investigation and Removal agent, Dallas Gutierrez, even bond her life to his…effectively wedding him. But without consummation, the bond will fade. Can Dallas resist his insatiable desire for the powerful beauty? Or will she lead to his ultimate downfall?

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

A few years ago, before I started book blogging, I discovered the world of paranormal romance. Around that time, I fell in love with Ione's demons and Cole's valkyries. Then last year I stumbled across Showalter's alien hunters. Fast forward a few months, and then Blood Red Kiss is a thing, putting three of my favorite authors into one book. Can you say heaven?

As someone already familiar with the world of the Immortals, I knew Nikolai and Myst's story. I've already read it, and I vaguely remembered some of the details, but I was nevertheless excited about reading it. Myst is a wonderful character, and it was interesting to read about her now, a few years after being introduced to her, and see how the way I saw her changed from the first time I read it. And of course I see her differently. I was able to focus on her flaws, and I think her pride might be the biggest one. She's proud, but she's also the most loyal person, because she'd be willing to do anything for those she loves. And Nikolai is still intriguing, he's still mysterious, but he's also a tad vengeful. They shouldn't fit together as well as they do, but I still get a funny feeling when I read about them saying "I love you" to each other. And then there are the rest of the Valkyries, which are, as usual, a riot to read about. I'm planning on doing a reread of this series, tp see if there are any new stuff to be discovered about Nix, try to catch a glimpse of my love, Lothair, and generally reacquaint myself with everyone.

I can't remember if Lobo appears in the first MoonBound Clan Vampires book. I'm inclined to say yes, but I can't be 100% sure. I loved his story though, so, so much. It was interesting to see how Ione decided to combine vampires and werewolves and make this amazing, new take on their mythology. Lobo is a sexy guy. But he's also a tortured soul. I love reading about him finally getting to say what he needed to say, what his former clan needed to hear for a very long time. I love these big moments, when someone regarded as inferior gets to say his or her side of the story and the people on the receiving end of the harsh truth get to be stunned and basically ashamed of acting like they're the kings of the world. And Lobo gets such a moment, and I couldn't be happier for him. I loved the beginning of the novella, with him and Tehya, his wolf, running and playing in the forest.

I've only read one book in Gena Showalter's Alien Huntress, but I loved the idea of this world a lot. I also like the fact that there's a bunch of connected series surrounding this world. I enjoyed reading Lilica's story so much. What I loved about this story is that it explores the same issue from different points of view. You have Dallas who sees Lilica as a potential threat and her sister as someone who needs to be hunted down, you have Lilica who's trying to prove her sister is not so guilty as she seems, and then there's Lilica's own sister who proves to be completely different than what either thought she was. I loved reading about Dallas and Lilica, but I am super, super curious to read about about Lilica's sisters after this novella.

And in case you need one more reason to love this book, there's a fantastic part in this book showing the way these three authors procrastinate... I mean *ehem*... brainstorm. It's funny to get to experience that, but also super, super intriguing, because they drop some interesting hints about what's to come in these three series.

Lately I've had the need to "go back to basics", in a way, to find why I fell in love with reading in the first place, and this book reminded me why. Believe it or not, it wasn't the fun, hot, sexy times in the book that did it. And believe me, there where a lot of hot, sexy times in it. But the stories in general, the creation of new worlds, using mythological elements and figures, supernatural creatures, and creating new creatures, new elements, it's just what attracted me to reading in the first place. I definitely loved this book, and I cannot wait to see what these three ladies have in store for their series in the future.

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.

Book Review: Ever The Hunted by Erin Summerill

Author: Erin Summerill
Series: Clash of Kingdoms #1
Audience: +15
Genre: High Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: December 27th 2016
My Rating: 3.5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from Netgalley and HMH Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

My latest visit into the land of High Fantasy takes me to Ever The Hunted and let me tell you, this was a very interesting story. The blurb and the cover managed to catch my eye, but I was really intrigued by the idea of a girl trying to catch her father's killer, who apparently is her former best friend.

Britta is a pretty interesting heroine. She has her moments when she kinda made me roll my eyes, but it was all explained to me at the end of the book. I liked the fact that she agreed to find out where her father's killer was, to find him and bring him to justice, even if that meant hunting down for her ex best friend. As I said, there were some moments that made me question her state of mind a little bit,. There's a beautiful moment in the book, when she tells Cohen exactly what his and her father's "protection" meant for her once she was left alone, without someone to be there for her, and I found myself a bit disappointed that that aspect of the story wasn't explored more. I can only hope that we'll see that aspect of Britta's life, how she suffered, physically and mentally, in the next book.

I wasn't so sure exactly why Cohen was so loved by Britta. He wasn't as charming to me as Britta made him out to be, and he didn't stand out as much as I expected him to stand out. The ending kind of explains Britta's infatuation with Cohen, and it's interesting to see how that aspect of their relationship will be explained in the next book.

The plot is pretty simple, and easily read. There are a few cliche elements to this story, but I wasn't bothered by them. I read this book pretty fast. All in all, Ever The Hunted was a good read and I'm very curious to see how the story will continue.

Comic Book Tuesday #19: Another Castle: Grimoire by Andrew Wheeler, Paulina Ganucheau

Author: Andrew Wheeler, Paulina Ganucheau
Series: Another Castle #1-#5
Audience: +15
Genre: Comic Book, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Oni Press
Release Date: February 28th 2017
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

We are thrilled to invite you on a journey of courage, friendship, and rebellion—Another Castle: Grimoire! This volume gathers all the issues from the hit comic book series centered on the adventures of Princess Misty of Beldora, whose courageous spirit leads to her capture, and ultimately, to a heroic adventure that spans two kingdoms.

Our tale begins when Princess Misty of Beldora, who longs for a more exciting life, gets more than she bargained for when she is captured by Lord Badlug, the ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Grimoire. He intends to marry her and conquer Beldora, leading the land into ruin and chaos. The people of Grimoire already suffer under his rule and desperately need a hero… luckily, Badlug has just kidnapped one! Together with the citizens of Grimoire and a certain bumbling prince, Misty must fight to protect her kingdom and free both realms from Badlug’s tyrannical rule. Misty is determined not to be another damsel in distress; and with her new friends to protect, she'll discover just what it takes to be the hero of the story.

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

This was a different comic book than what I've read so far, but it was a great change in reading and art style.

I absolutely adored the fact that the women in this story were all powerful, strong, independent, brave and truly capable of saving themselves. At times it felt like the girls got out of sticky situations too easily, but they managed it and I loved seeing that. Misty was a pretty cool heroine, even though I found that her beliefs at the very beginning of the story were too simplistic. I felt as if she thought that attacking the enemy was easy and that her father wasn't doing it because he wasn't brave enough. I liked that she got a wake-up call and that she saw exactly what would happen if she were reckless enough to go into this battle blindly. At the same time though, I liked that, when offered the chance to escape Badlug she didn't take it, because she had friends that needed saving and because she also made a promise. She was bravest than I would have imagined. The secondary characters are also very interesting. This book actually has a pretty diverse group of characters, and I liked that fact.

The story itself is a pretty classic one, with the pretty princess being kidnapped by the evil king, the only twist being that Misty is her own white knight. I thought the ending was a little bit too rushed. I would have wanted for the story to drag out a bit more. That being said, I keep my fingers crossed for some twist in the story, if there are going to be more installments in this story.

Another main difference between this comic book and what I've read so far was the art. The colors were much brighter, more vivid, and there weren't as many shadows as I have come to expect. But I really liked how each character had their own individuality. I never got confused or thought that they looked too similar, like they could all be related, which is a feeling that some comic books have given me in the past. I liked the fact that the panels weren't too crowded.

I also loved that at the end of the volume the authors show how their process in creating this story was, both from the narrative perspective, and from the illustration's perspective. I love it when comic books include such sections.

All in all, Another Castle: Grimoire was a pretty interesting, light read, and I am going to hope that we're going to get the next part of the story (and soon).

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: Shadows and Dreams by Matthew Cody

Author: Matthew Cody
Series: ReMade #1.1
Audience: +16
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Serial Box Publishing
Release Date: September 14th 2016
My Rating: 3.5 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

You live. You love. You Die. Now RUN. ReMade is a thrilling sci-fi adventure that will take readers past the boundaries of time, space, and even death.

This is the 1st episode of ReMade, a 15-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode was written by Matthew Cody.

Holden Black never imagined his crush knew his name, much less that he’d suddenly be driving her to a party. But life can change in a second, especially when you’re 16. A look. A flash of headlights. A scream. What do you do when the unexpected jumps straight to the unbelievable, the dream becomes a nightmare, and waking changes everything except your heart’s desire?

ReMade Season One: In one moment the lives of twenty-three teenagers are forever changed, and it’s not just because they all happen to die. “ReMade” in a world they barely recognize – one with robots, space elevators, and unchecked jungle – they must work together to survive. They came from different places, backgrounds, and families, and now they might be the last people on earth. Lost meets The Maze Runner in this exciting serial adventure.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Serial Box Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of this review in any way.

I've never read a serial before. It's a new concept for me, and since I love TV shows, I thought it would be awesome to see how that concept could be applied to a book.

Shadows and Dreams is a pretty interesting start for this story. I wasn't really sure exactly what was happening, at first. I felt as confused as Holden for a while there, not knowing what is true and what isn't. Then it all became a little clearer as the story went on.

Just like you would expect in a TV show episode, a lot of stuff happens. I think I was most confused about the fact that there aren't many things that were explained. It kind of felt like a pilot episode, not that that's a bad thing. I did, however, feel like the action moved a little bit too fast towards the end, compared to how long the actual book is. I wouldn't have had any issue with the pacing had the book been even 10-15 pages longer, because I would have had more time to get into the story, and to believe that Holden and his companions really were in danger from those robots.

I'm curious enough about what happens next to pick up the second "episode" and read it. I am also intrigued by the idea that each episode has a new author, or at least some of them. I am hoping we'll get to learn more about Holden and his companions, not just get introduced to new characters in each issue. All in all, a pretty interesting way to tell a story, and I'm going to keep reading to find out more.

Blog Tour Book Review: The Darkest Torment by Gena Showalter

   

Gena Showalter’s THE DARKEST TORMENT is coming in paperback! The Queen of Paranormal Romance, USA TODAY bestselling author Gena Showalter, returns with THE DARKEST TORMENT, the eagerly anticipated twelfth novel in her Lords of the Underworld series! Order your copy today!

 
Author: Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld #12
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Release Date: 31 May 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Can Beauty tame her Beast?

Driven to his death by the demon of Distrust, Baden spent centuries in purgatory. Now he's back, but at what cost? Bound to the king of the underworld, an even darker force, he's unable to withstand the touch of another and he's quickly devolving into a heartless assassin with an uncontrollable temper. Things only get worse when a mission goes awry and he finds himself saddled with a bride just not his own.

Famed dog trainer Katarina Joelle is forced to marry a monster to protect her loved ones. When she's taken hostage by the ruthless, beautiful Baden immediately after the ceremony, she's plunged into a war between two evils with a protector more dangerous than the monsters he hunts. They are meant to be enemies, but neither can resist the passion burning between them and all too soon the biggest threat is to her heart.

But as Baden slips deeper into the abyss, she'll have to teach him to love or lose him forever.

Includes Q&A featuring J. R. Ward, Jeaniene Frost, Nalini Singh and more!

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from InkSlinger PR and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or rating of the book in any way.

One of the urban fantasy series that everyone seems to be talking about is Lords of the Underworld, and I finally decided to pick this series up. I have to say, it's a bit scary going into a series that you've heard great things about, but haven't read the previous books, however I'm very pleased with what I discovered.

As you probably know, I'm a huge lover of all things regarding ancient mythology, so this take on the myth of Pandora's Box is quite interesting and unique. I loved reading about the Lords and how each had to live with a demon inside, and I was quite intrigued with how this was portrayed and with how each character had to deal with that. 

Baden was an interesting male. He's kind of a reluctant hero, he seems like one of those guys that has a mission and just wants to do his job. I felt quite sorry for him, to be honest, because he went through a lot of bad stuff. Sure, when you think about it, a bit of karma was in there somewhere, but he certainly didn't deserve centuries of torment. At some point during the story though, I started to understand him better, and to actually get it, why he did certain things, why he took certain decisions that affected everyone, not just him, why he was so closed off. I think the thing that most made me want to give this guy a hug was how lonely he is. It's so heartbreaking to see him crave something that he once had, that he had to give up on, and that he might never have again. That was so painful.

Katarina was a great heroine. Her story is quite sad, as well. I love how she managed to not let that story break her spirit though, and how she managed to find the good in any situation, and how she keeps fighting. Katarina is a fighter, she's a badass woman, and that is awesome. I love how brave she is. There's a scene at the end of the book where she shows exactly how brave and how totally badass she is, involving herself and a very scary god, and I wanted to high-five her afterwards.

There are a few characters that intrigued me in this book, some that I hope will get their stories told, some that already have their happy ending, I just need to read those books. I love how there are things revealed in this book that makes me wonder what that means for the rest of the series, and I am dying to see if it also helps explain some of the events from the past.

It takes a lot of time for me to read a book in a series, without having read the previous books, and it just goes to show how great a storyteller Showalter is, that I didn't feel lost or confused, or worse, like I'm missing something. Sure, I know that I'm missing parts of the story, but that didn't keep me from totally enjoy this book. In case you're like me, and have had this series for a long time on your TBR, trust me, you won't be sorry for starting to read this series. 

Order THE DARKEST TORMENT here!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * GooglePlay *iBooks * BAM * Kobo * IndieBound

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

     
“—friends are looking for you,” an unfamiliar voice said, breaking into her awareness. It belonged to a male. Was deep and raspy, with the same cocky and perpetually amused timbre as William. “I think they want your head on a platter.”
“Thanks to you, Baden brought trouble to Buda,” William replied, utterly unconcerned by the threat. “Gillian needs peace and quiet right now.”
“I told you not to befriend her. She’s human.”
“And I told you to go fuck yourself. More than once!”
“Is that any way to speak to your dear father?”
“Adopted father,” William grumbled. “And I’m tempted to say worse. Let’s take this conversation outside.”
So. He was speaking with Hades, she realized, sweat beading on her brow. The bad boy of the underworld. And that was saying something!
William didn’t know it, but Hades had appeared to her one night. He’d warned her: Stay away from my son. You aren’t the one for him. Don’t make me prove it.
He’d scared her, but she hadn’t heeded him. William was too important to her.
“Not being blood related to me is an embarrassing secret you’d do well to hide,” Hades remarked now.
Gillian cracked open her eyes…caught sight of two towering shadows on the balcony.
“She’s deathly ill. She’s going to die if you fail to make her immortal,” William snapped. “So, make her immortal.”
“I have the power to change her, yes. But in her condition, she’ll die before she’s turned.”
“Then you’re useless to me. Leave.”
“Tsk-tsk. So rude. You might want to be nice to me, my son. I’m the only thing standing between you and scores of angry husbands you’ve cuckolded over the centuries.”
“As if a legion of them would be any match for me.”
“True. I trained you well. But the girl…they’d hurt her without a qualm.”
William unleashed a storm of curses. “Anyone touches her, and I’ll spend the rest of eternity ensuring they and everyone they love suffer unending torments.”
“What’s so special about her?” Hades asked.
Yes, Liam. What’s so special about me? She’d always wondered.
“I’m not discussing her with you.”
“I’m discussing her with you, then. You can’t be with her. You can’t be with anyone.
You know as well as I that your happiness walks hand-in-hand with your doom.” Gillian had heard a little about William’s doom. Aka, his curse. The woman he loved was destined to destroy him.
Did Gillian believe in curses? Yes and no. She’d lived with demon-possessed immortals for three years now. She’d seen things. Supernatural things. Wild things. Impossible things. But curses…good luck versus bad luck? No. Bad things happened because bad decisions were made. End of story.
“I’m searching for a way to break—” William began.
“You’ve been searching,” Hades interjected. “For centuries.”
“My book—”
“Is nonsense. A trick to make you hope for what can never be so that your demise will be that much sweeter. If the book could be decoded, it would have been decoded by now.”
Another tense pause. Then William spat, “Did you come here to piss me off?”
“Pissing you off is a bonus. I came to warn you.”
“Well, you’ve done both.”
“No, son, I haven’t.” Hades’s voice hardened. “The warning is this: if I think you’re falling for the girl, I’ll kill her myself.”

   

And don’t miss the previous titles in the Lords of the Underworld Series!

THE DARKEST NIGHT

THE DARKEST KISS

THE DARKEST PLEASURE

THE DARKEST WHISPER

THE DARKEST PASSION

THE DARKEST LIE

THE DARKEST SECRET

THE DARKEST SURRENDER

THE DARKEST SEDUCTION

THE DARKEST CRAVING

THE DARKEST TOUCH

       

Don’t Miss each stop on THE DARKEST TORMENT Review & Excerpt Tour!

November 7

Ashleyz Wonderland – Excerpt

Books Make You Happy – Excerpt

 November 8

danielriding.com –Excerpt

 November 9

Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog – Excerpt

 November 10

Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt

 November 11

The Book Beacon – Review & Excerpt

Enjoying life a day at a time – Review

The Bookery Review – Excerpt

 November 12

Barbara's Book Reviews – Excerpt

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Brittany's Book Blog – Excerpt

Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt

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EskieMama Reads – Excerpt

Those Crazy Book Chicks – Excerpt

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New Adult Addiction – Review & Excerpt

November 16

WTF ARE YOU READING? – Review & Excerpt

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Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt

Canadian Book Addict – Review & Excerpt

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Grownup Fangirl – Excerpt

Ruby's Books – Review & Excerpt

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Nicole's Book Musings – Excerpt

Quesarasera Book Blog – Excerpt

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Natalie TheBiblioholic – Review & Excerpt

Sweet and Spicy Reads – Review

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Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

PBC – Excerpt

The Eater of Books! – Review & Excerpt

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I Smell Sheep – Review & Excerpt

Bound by Books Book Review – Review & Excerpt

 November 23

evocative book reviews – Review & Excerpt

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Sassy Moms Say Read Romance – Review & Excerpt

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The Opening Hook – Review & Excerpt

Books n Wine – Excerpt

Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

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Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews – Excerpt

Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt

Limelight's Books Blog – Review

Pardon My Blurb – Review & Excerpt

      About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over fifty books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, and the White Rabbit Chronicles. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs. Visit her at genashowalter.com.        

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