Review: Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

Title: Vengeful Series: Villians #2 Written by: V.E. Schwab Published: June 6, 2018 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Eli Ever and Victor Vale were only medical students when their mutual discovery that near-death experiences can, under the right conditions, manifest extraordinary abilities.  They were best friends, and rivals, and then enemies. They were dead, then alive, and then---Eli killed Victor, once and for all.  Or so he thought---but Sydney Clarke felt otherwise, and used her own superpower to tip the scales. Now, a trio hides in the shadows, while another takes advantages of post-death life to take over the city of Merit.  If there can be life after death—will there be calm after vengeance, or will chaos rule?

Another amazing Victoria Schwab book. Vicious will always hold a special place in my heart because it was my first book by Victoria I read. So when I heard she was writing a sequel I was over the moon and she did not disappoint.

One of the things that I love about Victoria’s books are the characters. She has a real knack for writing morally grey characters who you still root for and that is absolutely evident in Vengeful. On Wednesday I saw Victoria in Boston and she mentioned how she always makes sure we know why the character is doing the awful thing and that’s why I think her characters are so good. They are not good people. They are basically terrible people doing terrible things and yet you still want them to achieve their goals. Most of that is because they are so sympathetic and likable. They are complex and fully-fledged characters who emerge off the page fully-formed and so engaging.

In Vicious the main focus of the book was on Victor and Eli. It was great to catch back up with those two and to see the consequences of their actions in the first book. I know Victoria said she was going to make us sympathize with Eli in this book and holy crap did she do it. I felt so much for Eli and it was so unexpected. He was always the characters doing the right things for the wrong reasons while Victor was doing the wrong things for the right reasons but here they seemed to flip and that was so interesting to see. But the real highlights of this book are the female characters. There is a lot of female rage in this book and it’s great to see. I think a lot of people are really going to love Marcella. She is fierce and badass and has so many amazing one-liners that I know people will connect with because I did. But I think the more interesting character is June. She is one of the most complex and intriguing characters I have read about in a long time. And like Marcella she is incredibly tough and you root for her to get her vengeance. But I really think we’ve only scratched the surface with June. I really hope Victoria writes another book because I want to know more about her.

As you can tell by the number of main characters here, this is a super complex plot. Like Vicious it interweaves flashbacks with the present timeline as we learn about the characters and how they got to where they are today. Not to mention all the perspectives intertwining. It would have been very easy for this book to get confusing and muddled but it didn’t. The stakes were high, the plot was action-packed and it all worked together to create one completely thrilling climax that had me totally enthralled. I listened to the audiobook for this and it only took me a few days to read it because I was that invested. And I listened to it on 1.0x speed. Usually I listen at 1.25x but her I wanted to take it all in.

Because seriously, this book is so immersive. The world Victoria has created is so fantastic. She is such a master when it comes to building a fantasy world. What I love about this one is that it actually feels grounded in reality. The rules are so clear and specific that it honestly seems possible. Seriously, a book about people with superpowers seems realistic. But that just goes to show you how good Victoria is at this. And let me tell you, these powers are amazing. We get a host of new powered people in this book and I loved seeing their powers in action but it was even cooler learning more about how Eli and Sydney’s powers work. I love stories about superheroes where they explore the morality and responsibilities that comes with powers and I think this series does it in a way that is so dark which makes it even better. It’s one of the best superpower based worlds I have ever read about.

All in all, this was a completely amazing read. I loved being able to return to the world of Vicious and to catch back up with the amazing characters but the new characters and the thrilling. Plot made this book just as good of not better.

I give Vengeful by V.E. Schwab 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Definitely buy this book. It's amazing and and fantastic. If you liked Vicious you definitely need to read this book. It's a great sequel. And you haven't read that book, start there and experience one of the best books about superpowers and anti-heroes that exists.

Have you read Vengeful? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Title: Renegades Series: Renegades #1 Written by: Marissa Meyer Published: November 7, 2017 by Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice. The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew. Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

This was not my favorite Marissa Meyer book. I’m a fan of the author and I have always thought she has done some amazing a creative things with classic stories so I had high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, I think that I had too high of hopes because I just didn’t love it. It was a good book but it wasn’t as exciting and I wanted and could have been much more creative.

One thing I did like about the book, despite their lack of creativity, was the characters. I’ll talk more about the powers later but as far as basic characterizations go, this part was pretty good. Character creation has always been where Marissa shines. She is great at creating lovable and charming characters that are complex and engaging. And while these weren’t some of her best they were still really good. As far as the main characters go, there were two, Nova and Adrian. I definitely liked them both. They had interesting backstories and were similarly complex in that they weren’t totally bad or totally good. I connected with them both and their search for answers. But many of them were odious and complex and walked the line between good and evil. That is what I like in my superhero/villain stories and also what I like about books in general so I did appreciate that.

But as far as the powers and the world-building goes, they were not very creative. I say they are not very creative because these characters had definite X-Men vibes. Like SUCH X-Men vibes. Which honestly is natural when you’re talking about superheroes because seriously there is a mutant for everything. It when basically every character has a near Pete t correlation with am X-Men character it gets a little old. There were some exceptions. Adrian’s power was really cool. I liked what she did with him a lot. And Monarch who could turn into butterflies was pretty interesting. But in general, I felt like instead of playing with superhero tropes this book played them up. Which is not a bad thing but also not what I am looking for.

But I think that was how I felt about the plot as well, it was not what I was looking for. It’s not that this book is not exciting. Because, come on, it’s a book about super powered people, there are plenty of action scenes. It’s just that the action scenes were kind of few and far between. There was so much potential here, but the book really just didn’t go there. I had all these theories about complex directions that that plot could be taken in and it didn’t do any of them:m. Which, whatever, I didn’t write this story. But the climax just fell flat for me. I didn’t feel like there was much of an over-arching plot that built up as the boom developed even though it tried to do that. It just felt like it was trying to be tense and it succeeded in that but the plot on the whole felt kind of lackluster.

Maybe it just suffered from first book syndrome for me. I am interested to see where the series goes because the big reveal at the ending was amazing and I know there is definitely some shoes to drop but on the whole, this book just didn’t impress me how I hoped it would.

I give Renegades by Marissa Meyer 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I would probably recommend this book to someone who is not a superhero fan. It’s probably geared more towards a casual fan and not someone who wants an in-depth and creative exploration into the story of heroes and villains.

Have you read Renegades? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

August Wrap Up and September TBR

Read in August: Superheroes

YES! This was a great month. Best month I've had in ages. July was pretty but August was amazing. In August I read a total of 17 books. Granted, three of them were audiobook rereads and two were comics, but still. An amazing reading month. And it's good to have a really good month because September is going to be super busy for me. I have a big work thing in the middle of the month and then I love at the end of the month. And this is no small move. But, more on that later. Anyway, as far as the books go it was very hit or miss for me. I really enjoyed a lot of the books I read but I also did not like some. There were some almost 10 star reads and also some 6 star reads. Hit or miss.

For challenges, I am doing okay but not as well as I would hope on some of the individual challenges. I decided to go for a Goodreads goal of 100 books for the year and that was a really good decision because I am totally on track for that. In fact I almost finished with it. I am four books away from that and I'm definitely feeling like 120 is totally doable for the year. But I like being ahead of that challenge and I feel much better about meeting my goals. I am also on track for the Debut Author Challenge of 25 debuts. This month I did great and read 4 debuts, making my total for the year 18. I wanted one really good month for this one and I got that. Now if I just read two a month for the rest of the year I should be good. For the Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge, I read 3 books this months which makes my total 26 for the year. I'm thinking the 36 target is still doable as all I'll have to do is read 3 a month until the end of the year. For the Rock My TBR Challenge I read 2 book for that this month towards my goal of 25 for the year bringing my totally up to 11 for the year. I'm definitely behind on this one but I might be able to meet the actual challenge goal of 15. And finally, I did 1 post for the Discussion Challenge, making my total 9 for the year which is on track for my goal of 12.

The Books

1.) I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]

2.) Jackaby by William Ritter Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]
 3.) The Rattled Bones by S.M. Parker Rating 7.5 out of 10 [My Review]
4.) Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

5.) League of American Traitors by Matthew Landis 
Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]

6.) Heroine Worship by Sarah Kuhn Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]
7.) Wonder Woman, Vol 2: Year One by Greg Rucka
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars [My Review]
8.) Beastly Bones by William Ritter Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [Original Review]
9.) Gotham Academy, Vol. 3: Yearbook by Brenden 
Fletcher, Becky Cloonan, and Karl Kerschl Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]
10.) The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]
11.) Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars [My Review]
12.) The Dire King by Chelsea Caine Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]
13.) Sleeper by Mackenzie Cadenhead Rating: 6.5 out of 10 [My Review]
14.) Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo 
Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
15.) Girls Made of Snow of Glass by Melissa Bardashout 
Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]
16.) Halloween Party by R.L. Stine Rating: 7.5 out of 10 [Podcast Review to Come]
17.) Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Oneybuchi Rating: 6.5 out of 10 [Review in October]

Other Posts

Discussion Post: I Have Bookish Amnesia
Crossing Over: Recommending Comics
Waiting on Wednesday: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao, The Empress by S.J. Kincaid,
Blog Tours: League of American Traitors Guest Post, The Dire King Interview with R.F. Jackaby

To Be Read in September: Historical Mystery

I am so excited for this month's theme. As some of you may know historical mystery is one of my absolute favorite subgenres. It combines my favorite things, historical fiction and mysteries. Often it also involves some fantasy elements which is even better. I am some books this month that I am super excited about. Some highly anticipated reads by favorite authors and some that I have heard really good things about. I hope it's going to be another good month.

Books for Review

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by  Alexandra Bracken - Add to Goodreads
I'm reading this right now and I'm really excited about it. I'm a big fan of Alex's work and any time she has a new book out I am all for it. Plus this sounds like an interesting dark historical fantasy.

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff - Add to Goodreads

I was hoping to read this last month but I didn't get the chance. I am definitely hoping to get to it this month though. I may try the audiobook. We'll see.

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller  - Add to Goodreads
Again, wanted to read this last month but didn't get the chance. It's about an assassin and a thief and I really want to read it. Why did I read books I didn't like over this one? Bad call, Cassi.

Warcross by Marie - Add to Goodreads
I love Marie Lu. I love all her books and I am super excited about this one as well. It totally sounds up my alley and I have heard good things from bloggers who have already read it. I'm thinking about starting it soon in fact.

Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George - Add to Goodreads
I cannot wait for this book. It's a Much Ado About Nothing retelling set during the Roaring 20's. It's everything I never knew I needed.

Odd and True by Cat Winters - Add to Goodreads

Despite my desire to read her books ages ago, I didn't read my first Cat Winters book until last year. But I really want to read more and this one sounds amazing. Moster-hunting kickass sisters in the Victorian era. All for it!

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco  - Add to Goodreads
Speaking of kickass female monster hunters! I loved Stalking Jack the Ripper and I am super excited about the sequel. On top of more Audrey Rose and Thomas we also get Romania and Dracula. Little known fact: I love all books that involve Dracula.

Shadowhouse Fall by Daniel Jose Older - Add to Goodreads
I read the first book in this series last month and I really loved it. But I listened to the audiobook (which was great) and I'm considering listening to the audio again.

House of Ash by Hope Cook - Add to Goodreads
This definitely sounds interesting to me. Like totally a book that I would like and a good book for the fall. I'm hoping to read it as one of my e-books.

Invictus by Ryan Graudin- Add to Goodreads
Another author that I really enjoy. Although I have not read many of her books. This one is completely up my alley. I mean it's about time traveling pirates. Sign me up!

The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cook - Add to Goodreads
I really enjoyed With Malice so I am super excited for more from this author. Not to mention this seems like my kind of read anyway.

I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn and Alison Raskin - Add to Goodreads
I like these two's YouTube channel. I think they are super funny and they have great banter. I expect the same thing from their book. 

Backlist Books

Custard Protocol by Gail Carriger - Add to Goodreads
This series is the last of the big Gail Carriger books for me. I really like this world and the characters she writes to inhabit them. I'm excited for the next phase of the series. I've heard good things about it too.

There you have it. Some of the books I hope to read in September. As always, these are subject to change. I may read all of these or I may only read a few and then read a bunch of different ones. But honestly I think this list I can stick to. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Wonder Woman Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Wonder Woman Warbringer Series: DC Icons #1 Written by: Leigh Bardugo Published: August 29, 2017 by Random House (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: She will become one of the world’s greatest heroes: WONDER WOMAN. But first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning. . . . Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world. Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery. Together, Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. If they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at ALA in an exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I am a huge fan of Wonder Woman. She has always been my favorite superhero and not just because she is the most mainstream female hero. So I was really excited to hear that there were going to be YA books about the DC heroes, including this Amazon princess. And then I was even more excited when I heard it was going to be written by Leigh Bardugo, who I also love. And this was an absolutely fantastic read.

The thing I liked the most about this book was the characters. Leigh Bardugo just does such a brilliant job with characterizations and this once again allowed her to show that skill. First of all we have the titular Amazon, Diana Prince. I know that Leigh is a big Wonder Woman fan and it showed in the character she created. It absolutely captured the spirit of Wonder Woman and everything I love about her. Her desire for peace and love of mankind despite their flaws. You also got to see her in full badassery throughout the book defending those who she was sworn to protect, which let's be honest is everyone. I think fans of the character will appreciate Leigh's treatment of her and those who don't know her will connect with Diana just like I have.

But the secondary characters is really where this book shines. Leigh is a master at character depth and creating odious and slightly dark characters. And while these weren't as dark as some of her other books they were still incredibly complex and odious. I spent a lot of the book questioning their localities and I loved that about them. But also, the banter. Oh my gosh you guys, the banter here was on point and like I don't mean romantically. The way the characters talked, their jokes, and wit. It was all so fantastic. My favorite was probably Nim who was full of sass and knowledge. Theo was pretty good as well. He easily could have just been comic relief but Leigh gave him a lot of depth. All of these characters could have been very one-dimensional but none of them were under Leigh's hand.

I also really appreciated that this is a book that was rooted in Greek Mythology. My favorite Wonder Women stories are always ones that have roots in the mythology. This one definitely did just that focusing on the characters from the Trojan War and some lesser known Greek gods and goddesses. It added some interesting dimension to the world and the plot development.

But I will say, it focused more on the Greek mythology then it did on the character mythology. This is not a Wonder Woman origin story. If you are not familiar with the character and how she came to be, jumping in at this stage may confuse you. This is a story all it's own. As someone who does know Wonder Woman really well I appreciated that. It felt like it was written for someone like me. But if you are new to the character then maybe it isn't so accessible. Or maybe I am wrong and you will appreciate not getting bogged down in whether or not Diana was birthed from clay or from an affair between Hippolyta and Zeus. Who am I to say.

No, the plot of this book was something entirely it's own. It was definitely an interesting plot for sure. It was full of surprises and unexpected twists, some of which definitely had me reeling. It also did what a lot of Leigh Bardugo books do where It very slowly built to an exciting conclusion. The beginning was definitely more on the slower side but even during those parts it was still really readable. My only criticism however is that I wanted a little bit more action. Now I don't mean fight scenes. There were just enough of those. I mean I wanted more adventure and drama. There were just some moments where I didn't feel like the stakes were very high. I feel like Wonder Woman deserve that kind of story and it happened in the end but I would have liked more of that throughout.

But all in all this was a really great story. It was everything that I was hoping for in a Leigh Bardugo written Wonder Woman story. There were great characters, a world rooted in mythology, and a plot full of surprises.

I give Wonder Woman Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Wonder Woman or if you are new to the character. Or even if you are looking for a book full of mythology with great characters then check this out. It's a great read and I'm so excited for more DC Icons.

Have you read Wonder Woman Warbringer? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Comics I've Read Recently: Summer 2017

Every couple months I go through a phase where I read a ton of comics, and in the past few months I have done just that. But it seems completely fitting that I do this post now because it is my superhero themed month here on the blog. That on top of the fact that I have actually read more comics these past few months than even my normal busy months. So obviously, lots of comics coming.

Runaways, Vol. 1: Pride and Jo and Vol. 2: Teenage Wasteland by Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian Alphona 
(Amazon / Goodreads / Comixology)

Synopsis: Meet Alex, Karolina, Gert, Chase, Molly and Nico - a group of teens whose lives are about to take an unexpected turn... Runaways vol. 1 #1-6

Still on the run from their super-villain parents, this motley crew of super-powered kids finds a kindred spirit in a daring young stranger and welcomes him into their fold. But will this dashing young man help the teenagers defeat their villainous parents...or tear them apart? One troubled member finds out, as she leaves the group's hideout with their new recruit, who reveals his startling secret, putting the entire team in jeopardy Plus: Who do you send to catch a group of missing, runaway teenage super heroes? Marvel's original teen runaway crimefighters, Cloak and Dagger, making their first major appearance in years.

 Runaways vol. 1 #7-12

My Thoughts:

I have been wanting to read Runaways for awhile now. I had heard really good things about it and it seems like the kind of comic that I would be really interested in, unique cast of teenage characters, mystery, and a little bit of a sci-fi flair. But then I heard that Rainbow Rowell was writing a new version of the comic. And that sealed the deal. I knew I needed to read this so I could read Rainbow's version.

And just as I suspected, I really enjoyed it. There is a handful of characters here and they are all really interesting. I think my favorite is probably Molly. She is the youngest and the others keep trying to protect her but she is the most physically strong and I know there will come a point when they stop under estimating her. I also really love Gert and Old Lace. I mean Gert is totally snarky and she has a telepathic connection with a dinosaur. Goals, amiright? But honestly they are all really complex. I'm excited to see more from them.

But this comic also has a really great plot to it. If this were a written book then I definitely would say that it has a plot that is the perfect combination of action and mystery. There is tons of thrilling action scenes that you expect in a comic but there's also an overarching plot that is slowly unfolding. In two volumes there is still so much that has not been explained yet and I can't wait to find out.

Only the whole, this is a good series and I think the perfect comic for people who may not necessarily big fans of comics. It's super accessible if you are new to comics and for people who do love them there is enough to enjoy.

Mockingbird, Vol. 1: I Can Explain by Chelsea Caine and Kate Niemczyk

 (Amazon / Goodreads / Comixology)

Synopsis: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Bobbi Morse, the former Avenger known as Mockingbird, goes solo in her own incredible adventures! With a scientific mind and a lethal mastery of martial arts, she's one of the most versatile, in-demand assets at Maria Hill's disposal - that makes her ideal for investigating strange goings-on in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s own medical and recovery network. And when Lance Hunter's undercover gig at the London Hellfire Club goes south, Mockingbird sets off, battle staves at the ready, to save him - and the Queen of England! From helping out a teen driven bonkers by her own new powers, to doing a little dog-sitting, Bobbi shows that she's a woman of many talents as bestselling author Chelsea Cain and artist Kate Niemczyk make Mockingbird sing!

COLLECTING: MOCKINGBIRD: S.H.I.E.L.D. 50TH ANNIVERSARY 1, MOCKINGBIRD 1-5

My Thoughts:

So here is another comic that I have been wanting to read for awhile now. I heard about this awhile ago when all that drama about the cover with Bobbi wearing a shirt that said "Ask Me About My Feminist Agenda." Which honestly is so on brand for Bobbi. But I never got around to reading it. But then Marvel got added to Comixology Unlimited and this was one of the first ones I read.

And I really loved it. For one thing, Mockingbird has always been such a kickass female heroine. I loved her on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.and I was so excited to see a Mockingbird solo comic. And I was not disappointed. It was Bobbi Morse at her finest. She was brash and kickass but she was also really really fun and funny. If you like the character you will enjoy her solo comic.

But I do think the series as a whole lacked some cohesion. In each issue she went on a different adventure, often with other Marvel characters, which was fun and enjoyable but if you look at it all together there wasn't much of a point. There was supposed to be an over-arching storyline and it did get resolved in the end but it didn't feel like there was a point to those side adventures.

If you are a Wonder Woman fan maybe check this one out, but if you are reading the character for the first time, do not start here. I would also maybe suggest waiting until you have volume 2 and reading them together. I have that one now so we shall see how I feel.

Wonder Woman, Vol 2: Year One by Greg Rucka and Liam Sharpe
(Amazon / Goodreads / Comixology)

Synopsis:A part of DC Universe: Rebirth!

New York Times best-selling writer Greg Rucka continues his return to Wonder Woman! The team of Rucka and artist Nicola Scott weave the definitive and shocking tale of Diana's first year as Earth's protector.

Paradise has been breached, Ares stirs, and the Amazons must answer with a champion of their own...one who is willing to sacrifice her home amongst her sisters to save a world she has never seen. Wonder Woman's journey begins in this epic origin story!

Collecting: Wonder Woman 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14

My Thoughts:

I am actually really enjoying the DC Rebirth version of Wonder Woman. I really like what they are doing with the characters. It's interesting because I feel like in some ways this is a version of the character that is meant for fans of Diana Prince already. There's not a lot of backstory, you're sort of just thrown into her story in the hopes that you know it already.

But it is also a really accessible version of the story because it doesn't get bogged down with a lot of history and mythology of the character.It's very reminiscent of the movie in that it mostly explores why she is in the world of men and why she can't really go back to Themiscyra. I liked the way that the story is going and I'm interested to see how it develops.

But honestly, I think that the best thing about this series is the art. It is one of the most gorgeous books I have seen in awhile. It's got bright colors, creative layout, and lots of movement. I like when comics take that to the next level and they do more than design rectangular panels and that's what this series did.

But I may be a little biased because I am a huge fan of Wonder Woman. I would probably love any of her comics because it is Wonder Woman. I will say though that I didn't realize until I was putting this together that this is not a chronological collection. It is the even numbers where volume 1 in this collection was the odd. If you are going to read these I would suggest picking up both and reading them in chronological order. This one felt like we were getting another volume 1 and I think that would be resolved if you read them that way.

Gotham Academy Volume 3: Yearbook and Second Semester Vol. 1: Welcome Back by Brendan Fletcher. Karl Kerschel, and Becky Cloonan
 (Amazon / Goodreads / Comixology)

Synopsis: "Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Life grabs you by the wrist..." and hands you this year's Gotham Academy yearbook! The students of Gotham's most prestigious prep school are back and they've just survived one heck of a year within the walls of Gotham Academy. Now it's time for everyone to look back and experience some of the lost adventures from the school year that was. Featuring stories and art by some of comics' best and brightest creators including Dustin Nguyen (BATMAN: L'IL GOTHAM), Derek Fridolfs (BATMAN: L'IL GOTHAM) and Rafael Albuquerque (AMERICAN VAMPIRE), as well as from regular series writer Brenden Fletcher (BATGIRL)! 

Collects GOTHAM ACADEMY #13-18.

GOTHAM ACADEMY is back with an all-new storyline for its second semester! When you’re Olive Silverlock, winter holidays can be a drag. Luckily, when a new student shows up at Gotham Academy to keep her company while the other students are away, Olive finds what could be a brand new friend…or a whole lot of trouble!

My Thoughts:

I'm a big fan of the Gotham Academy series. I feel like it's a comic that is not talked about enough because it's probably not that exciting for people who are big comic book fans. But it's perfect for me because it's great characters at a Gothic boarding school.

And in the course of four volumes now I have become super obsessed with these characters. Well most of them. I'm not really a big fan of Olive. She has definitely become less likable in the past few volumes. I mean that's kind of the point but still. If you ask me, the real hero here is Maps. I freaking love Maps. She might be one of my favorite comic book characters ever.

I also really like the art in this series as well. It's always been one of those where there are tons of bright colors and lots of different designs on the page. It's like the characters can't be contained by typical panels and they just break out and go wherever they want.

I will say, though, that I think I liked Second Semester better than Yearbook. Yearbook was another one of those books where there are all kinds of different side adventures that are not at all connected to the main plot of the volume. They were fun, but lacked cohesion, and clearly that is something that I need. But Second Semester was great. It was everything I love about Gotham Academy. There were secrets, mystery, big surprises, and lots of drama. I can't wait for what is next in the series because oh boy that ending was great.

And those are all the comics I have read in the past few months. Have you read any of these comics? What did you think? Do you have any comics or graphic novels that you would recommend to me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee

Title: The Epic Crush of Genie Lo Written by: F.C. Yee Published: August 8, 2017 by Amulet Books (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie Lo's every waking thought. But when her sleepy Bay Area town comes under siege from hell-spawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are suddenly and forcefully rearranged.  Her only guide to the demonic chaos breaking out around her is Quentin Sun, a beguiling, maddening new transfer student from overseas. Quentin assures Genie she is strong enough to fight these monsters, for she unknowingly harbors an inner power that can level the very gates of Heaven.  Genie will have to dig deep within herself to summon the otherworldly strength that Quentin keeps talking about. But as she does, she finds the secret of her true nature is entwined with his, in a way she could never have imagined…

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at ALA in an exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

This book seemed totally up my alley, which is why I picked up a copy at ALA. I've heard good things about this one so I was totally excited to read this as part of my superhero month. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a fun and fast superhero story with diverse characters and a fascinating world. It didn't blow me away but I did really like it.

One of the things that I loved about this book was the world. I'm always looking for a unique fantasy world and that is exactly what I found here. It's not super uncommon to find fantasy influenced by Asian culture and yet this still felt like something unique. Much of the basis for the world was in Chinese mythology. I'm not very familiar with these stories but I did find them, and therefore this, incredibly compelling. I love when my fantasy incorporates a mythology so it was even more fantastic that this one used an actual mythology. Part of that mythology also involved the magic of this book. There was a lot of magical creatures and characters who can do all kinds of magic. It was fantastic and engaging.

I also liked the characters of this book. I particularly enjoyed the main character of Genie. She was not your typically heroine but that's why I enjoyed her even more. She's a little unlikable sometimes, being somewhat brash and overly-aggressive. But honestly I loved that about her. I love that she has a short temper and is quick to act. She's also incredibly heroic in that she would sacrifice anything for those she cares about. I would have liked a little bit more of a personal development for her as she attempted to save the world and realized that it wasn't all about the college you get into. There could have been some good opportunities for personal development but it never took advantage of that.

As far as the other characters go, they were good but not many of them were not totally memorable. Much of the book focused on Genie and it sort of sacrificed some of the other characters. Genie's parents were involved but only minimally, same for Genie's friends. Her best friend Yunie was one of the more involved characters and even she didn't get much screen time. The characters who did get the most attention were the immortals like Quentin. But if I am being totally honest, I didn't love Quentin. He was fine as far as mythical creatures come but not totally engaging as a male lead. As usual, I wish there wasn't a romantic element. But I did like the other mythical character. I think Gaunyin and Erlang Shen were among my favorites. They were both complex and engaging. I which all the characters were as complex and even dubious as these two.

The plot too was really interesting. Like most superhero books it was full of action and adventure. There were all kinds of great fight scenes as the characters battles demons and attempted to save the world. It slowly built to a thrilling conclusion with plenty of drama along the way. It was also really fun. It's one of those irreverent kind of superhero stories where there is plenty of humor to cut the more serious moments. It was a good balance and it made for an interesting plot. It was also pretty fast paced. If you have the time I think it it is entirely possible for you to finish this book on just a few days. It's definitely an engaging read.

That about sums it up. It's an engaging read. There are a lot of really great things about this book. It had a fantastic world inspired but Chinese mythology, a great main character, and a plot full of action. I do which there was more character development but on the whole I enjoyed this book.

I give The Epic Crush of Genie Lo 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. I've heard some pretty rave reviews of this book and I get it. It's really good. If you like YA fantasies and are looking for a really unique one with a world inspired by a different kind of mythology then check this one out. And I would definitely recommend this to fans of YA superhero stories.

Have you read The EPic Crush of Genie Lo? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Heroine Worship by Sarah Kuhn

Title: Heroine Worship Series: Heroine Complex #2 Written by: Sarah Kuhn Published: July 4, 2017 by DAW (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Once upon a time, Aveda Jupiter (aka Annie Chang) was demon-infested San Francisco’s most beloved superheroine, a beacon of hope and strength and really awesome outfits. But all that changed the day she agreed to share the spotlight with her best friend and former assistant Evie Tanaka—who’s now a badass, fire-wielding superheroine in her own right. They were supposed to be a dynamic duo, but more and more, Aveda finds herself shoved into the sidekick role. Where, it must be said, she is not at all comfortable.  It doesn’t help that Aveda’s finally being forced to deal with fallout from her diva behavior—and the fact that she’s been a less than stellar friend to Evie. Or that Scott Cameron—the man Aveda’s loved for nearly a decade—is suddenly giving her the cold shoulder after what seemed to be some promising steps toward friendship. Or that the city has been demon-free for three months in the wake of Evie and Aveda’s apocalypse-preventing battle against the evil forces of the Otherworld, leaving Aveda without the one thing she craves most in life: a mission.  All of this is causing Aveda’s burning sense of heroic purpose—the thing that’s guided her all these years—to falter.  In short, Aveda Jupiter is having an identity crisis.  When Evie gets engaged and drafts Aveda as her maid-of-honor, Aveda finally sees a chance to reclaim her sense of self and sets out on a single-minded mission to make sure Evie has the most epic wedding ever. But when a mysterious, unseen supernatural evil rises up and starts attacking brides-to-be, Aveda must summon both her superheroine and best friend mojo to take down the enemy and make sure Evie’s wedding goes off without a hitch—or see both her city and her most important friendship destroyed forever.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

This is a really fun superhero story. It's full of action and adventure, complex characters, and an interesting science fiction world. However I didn't love it as much as the first book for some reason.

One thing that I do really love about this book is the characters. I'm really enjoying getting to know them over the course of these two books. They are definitely complex and interesting characters. In Heroine Worship we switched perspectives and got to go inside of Aveda/Annie's head. At first I wasn't sure how I would feel about that but I really liked it. She has such a distinctive voice and it added to the fun element of the book. It also helped us get to know here so much better. Hearing and seeing directly from their perspectives always helps empathizing and making a character more complex. That is absolutely what happened here. In the beginning of the book she's a pretty unlikable character but she has really great growth throughout the book and I totally loved her by the end.

But the heart of this book is the connections with the characters. First we have the fantastic friendship between Aveda/Annie and Evie. A lot of this book is about Aveda/Annie trying to be a good friend. I love seeing how strong their friendship is and that they care and support one another no matter what. There is also romantic relationships. Evie and Nate should be the focus here but because Evie isn't our narrator that was replaced by Aveda/Annie and Scott. They had a fantastic slowburn throughout the book and I enjoyed the way it developed. But I will say, I missed some of the other secondary characters. I would have liked more from Bea and more from Lucy in this book. I get that without Evie as the MC we lost some of Bea but I felt like her and Lucy were not involved at all. I really missed Bea. But I have a feeling she'll be our MC for the third book and I am definitely excited about that.

As far as the plot goes, this was definitely a book full of action and adventure. Just like everything that involves superheroes there are all kinds of action scenes and crazy fights. But this has always been a series that doesn't take these sorts of things to seriously. It's much more on the silly side. Sure they are fighting demons and saving the world but it's cupcakes and bridezillas. I love this about the series and I liked it about this book. There's also a pretty decent mystery to it. Although there wasn't enough clues for my liking. It's wasn't super predictable but it also wasn't very solvable.

But I will say, I didn't totally love the pacing with this book. I think I had much of the same issues with this one as I did with the first book. It always starts with a bang and then comes crashing down. From there it's a slow start until it builds to a strong conclusion. It's not a particularly long read for an Adult SciFi/Fantasy coming in at just under 400 pages. But I have read longer books in less time. I think it's just a series that is more on the slow side. That isn't a bad thing but it also isn't what I usually prefer.

On the whole, this was a good read. I really enjoyed the character and the superhero story full of adventure. I which the pacing was a little but more exciting but I think it's a fun and engaging read. I didn't love it as much as the first book in the series but I am definitely invested in what is coming next.

I give Heroine Worship by Sarah Kuhn 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. This was a good read. If you read the first book and enjoyed it check this one out. I would definitely recommend to fans of superhero stories, especially if you are looking for one with diverse female heroes and strong friendship themes.

Have you read Heroine Worship? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!