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Shaun Collins (3 KP) rated Star Wars: Vader Down in Books
Jan 12, 2018
Vader goes from hunter to hunted in this crossover event from Marvel.
Firstly, "crossover" is a bit of a misnomer, since he's already a character in STAR WARS, but the idea was to broad strokes fill in some of the details of what he was doing when he wasn't on camera. Since these series are set between New Hope and Empire, there's a lot more wiggle room. Secondly, crossover events tend to be gimmicky and difficult for comic readers to track since they span multiple titles. Fortunately, there are only two titles here to deal with, so its a bit easier, but it still took some detective work to figure out the individual issues involved.
* VERY MILD SPOILERS (like the kind on a dust jacket) FOLLOW...
Okay, with the rant over, lets get to the good stuff. This book was good. This is really the first time we've seen the fearsome dark lord of the Sith AS a fearsome dark lord of the Sith, and not a broken down mechanical mystery monster who is really just a shadow of his former legendary self. This feels more like Anakin at the height of his powers, just evil. Alone on a planet with an entire battalion of Rebels on his trail, and Imperial agents who want to usurp him close behind, he's not worried, phased or hell even concerned. They're just dead men to him, and he tells them as much. This Vader is BAD-ASS.
Unfortunately, the counter plot to the Vader story is lighter in tone (and normally when those characters show up in the Vader comic I'm exceedingly happy for their brief forays into comedy to lighten up the proceedings), but here they are over used and quite honestly, detract from the bloodbath the Emperor's Fist finds himself in. While a dose of comedy can be welcome, this feels like the authors were trying too hard, and the result comes out as very uneven. Especially when the subject of the humor is Han. Han should be cool and unintentionally funny when things don't go his way, not bungling Mr. Bean style funny because he's inept.
Bottom line, the plot drove me through the rough spots, and I still think this is a great series, I only hope the luster is not starting to tarnish on this one, but that's what this volume feels like...
Firstly, "crossover" is a bit of a misnomer, since he's already a character in STAR WARS, but the idea was to broad strokes fill in some of the details of what he was doing when he wasn't on camera. Since these series are set between New Hope and Empire, there's a lot more wiggle room. Secondly, crossover events tend to be gimmicky and difficult for comic readers to track since they span multiple titles. Fortunately, there are only two titles here to deal with, so its a bit easier, but it still took some detective work to figure out the individual issues involved.
* VERY MILD SPOILERS (like the kind on a dust jacket) FOLLOW...
Okay, with the rant over, lets get to the good stuff. This book was good. This is really the first time we've seen the fearsome dark lord of the Sith AS a fearsome dark lord of the Sith, and not a broken down mechanical mystery monster who is really just a shadow of his former legendary self. This feels more like Anakin at the height of his powers, just evil. Alone on a planet with an entire battalion of Rebels on his trail, and Imperial agents who want to usurp him close behind, he's not worried, phased or hell even concerned. They're just dead men to him, and he tells them as much. This Vader is BAD-ASS.
Unfortunately, the counter plot to the Vader story is lighter in tone (and normally when those characters show up in the Vader comic I'm exceedingly happy for their brief forays into comedy to lighten up the proceedings), but here they are over used and quite honestly, detract from the bloodbath the Emperor's Fist finds himself in. While a dose of comedy can be welcome, this feels like the authors were trying too hard, and the result comes out as very uneven. Especially when the subject of the humor is Han. Han should be cool and unintentionally funny when things don't go his way, not bungling Mr. Bean style funny because he's inept.
Bottom line, the plot drove me through the rough spots, and I still think this is a great series, I only hope the luster is not starting to tarnish on this one, but that's what this volume feels like...
Merissa (13427 KP) rated If I Were A Weapon (All These Gifts #1) in Books
Dec 29, 2021
IF I WERE A WEAPON is the first book in the All These Gifts series, and we find ourselves in an Earth of the not-too-distant future where alien ships crash-landed to Earth, killing or displacing the inhabitants. For those that survived, for the lucky majority, life continued as normal but, for some, their lives were irrevocably changed.
Deneve and Jolie are some that changed. Deneve has the ability to predict the future in certain circumstances, with the nanites ramping up until she acts to change whatever it was she saw. Jolie has the ability to play with fire. Both are hiding from people who might use them and neither wants anything long-term. When Deneve has a vision about Jolie being in danger though, she has to stay to make sure Jolie is safe, even though they don't know each other.
This was really well-written, with plenty of backstory and build-up to move the story along. Deneve and Jolie don't know each other, and their relationship reflects that, although it will change as the series progresses. For now, they share a kiss and that's it. For the most part, it is stilted formality between them, which somehow works and lets you see more into their personalities than if they had been best buds from the outset.
Set in Austin, Texas, you get a story rich in detail, where the differences between those that are 'normal' and those that are not are highlighted in simple and subtle ways. This is a series so don't expect to have all the answers given to you in book one, because you will surely be disappointed.
As for me, I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to continuing with the series to see where it takes me next. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Deneve and Jolie are some that changed. Deneve has the ability to predict the future in certain circumstances, with the nanites ramping up until she acts to change whatever it was she saw. Jolie has the ability to play with fire. Both are hiding from people who might use them and neither wants anything long-term. When Deneve has a vision about Jolie being in danger though, she has to stay to make sure Jolie is safe, even though they don't know each other.
This was really well-written, with plenty of backstory and build-up to move the story along. Deneve and Jolie don't know each other, and their relationship reflects that, although it will change as the series progresses. For now, they share a kiss and that's it. For the most part, it is stilted formality between them, which somehow works and lets you see more into their personalities than if they had been best buds from the outset.
Set in Austin, Texas, you get a story rich in detail, where the differences between those that are 'normal' and those that are not are highlighted in simple and subtle ways. This is a series so don't expect to have all the answers given to you in book one, because you will surely be disappointed.
As for me, I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to continuing with the series to see where it takes me next. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Debbiereadsbook (1570 KP) rated Ryker (Owatonna U Hockey #1) in Books
Mar 14, 2019
Not sure I liked Ryker!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
**This review will be short, I really dislike writing the three star reviews!**
Ryker is hockey royalty, coming up as 4th generation championship winning players. Jacob works his family farm with his mum and dad. Both end up at hockey camp for the summer, and are polar opposites in most things. Sharing a room brings them closer, then camp is over and they are on opposite sides of the country. When Ryker switches college to be closer to Jacob, will Jacob let him?
I can't put my finger on why this one didn't work for me, and ya'll know how much that does my head in! So, here's what I DID like.
Both Jacob and Ryker have their say, so we get both sides of the coin. Both voices are clear and very different, and their voice is in the first person. Each change is clearly headed, and comes as the chapter changes.
I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
I tagged it as a short read, because it does NOT seem as long as the billed 196 pages! One sitting read, too.
There are some characters from the series this one spins off, and that makes me want to go back and read THEIR series, or at least, Jared and Ten (Ryker's dad and step dad) stories.
I just . . . .DON'T know what didn't work!
Or at least, that was what I thought when writing this review. Now I'm typing it up, I *think* it might be Ryker himself. I dunno, maybe. Possibly.
So, gonna leave it at that.
3 good solid but maybe not for me, stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
**This review will be short, I really dislike writing the three star reviews!**
Ryker is hockey royalty, coming up as 4th generation championship winning players. Jacob works his family farm with his mum and dad. Both end up at hockey camp for the summer, and are polar opposites in most things. Sharing a room brings them closer, then camp is over and they are on opposite sides of the country. When Ryker switches college to be closer to Jacob, will Jacob let him?
I can't put my finger on why this one didn't work for me, and ya'll know how much that does my head in! So, here's what I DID like.
Both Jacob and Ryker have their say, so we get both sides of the coin. Both voices are clear and very different, and their voice is in the first person. Each change is clearly headed, and comes as the chapter changes.
I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
I tagged it as a short read, because it does NOT seem as long as the billed 196 pages! One sitting read, too.
There are some characters from the series this one spins off, and that makes me want to go back and read THEIR series, or at least, Jared and Ten (Ryker's dad and step dad) stories.
I just . . . .DON'T know what didn't work!
Or at least, that was what I thought when writing this review. Now I'm typing it up, I *think* it might be Ryker himself. I dunno, maybe. Possibly.
So, gonna leave it at that.
3 good solid but maybe not for me, stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Merissa (13427 KP) rated Healing Him (Bromley Brothers #2) in Books
Dec 12, 2018
Healing Him (Bromley Brothers #2) by Laura N. Andrews
Healing Him is the second book in the Bromley Brothers series, and I was thoroughly looking forward to delving into their world once more, and I have to say I was not disappointed!
This time we concentrate on Henry. He is a Dom who has just agreed with his submissive they will not make a new contract. After seeing how happy his younger brother, Trey, is, Henry knows he wants more. What he wasn't expecting was the lightening bolt he got the first time he met Ryan. Ryan has issues, and with good reason. He is hurt and wounded, emotionally as well as physically, and it takes Henry time and patience to get through to him.
I really loved Henry in this book, and he could be a model boy for how to be a Dom. He was kind, caring, and patient, but he also let Ryan know when he had overstepped. He understood what Ryan was going through, and helped him in every way he could, which did NOT mean Ryan kowtowing down to Henry at every moment.
This was sensitively written in a way that in no way lessened the impact of what Ryan went through. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I read it through from start to finish in one sitting. Who needs to eat, after all? An amazing continuation to the series, and now I'm waiting oh so patiently for Trav's story. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This time we concentrate on Henry. He is a Dom who has just agreed with his submissive they will not make a new contract. After seeing how happy his younger brother, Trey, is, Henry knows he wants more. What he wasn't expecting was the lightening bolt he got the first time he met Ryan. Ryan has issues, and with good reason. He is hurt and wounded, emotionally as well as physically, and it takes Henry time and patience to get through to him.
I really loved Henry in this book, and he could be a model boy for how to be a Dom. He was kind, caring, and patient, but he also let Ryan know when he had overstepped. He understood what Ryan was going through, and helped him in every way he could, which did NOT mean Ryan kowtowing down to Henry at every moment.
This was sensitively written in a way that in no way lessened the impact of what Ryan went through. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I read it through from start to finish in one sitting. Who needs to eat, after all? An amazing continuation to the series, and now I'm waiting oh so patiently for Trav's story. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Batgirl, Vol. 3: Death of the Family in Books
Nov 30, 2020
Man, I have no idea WTF happened here, but I am the minority, as I just wasn't feeling it here!
Gail Simone is a favorite writer of mine, as well as a sizable number of comic readers. I don't pick up everything she writes, i.e. Dynamite's RED SONJA series, but I do try to keep a lookout when a new series, or new writing assignment from her, is out. And, generally, she is all aces, except here!
This was a re-read for me, as I was reading BATMAN: DEATH OF THE FAMILY (which was AWESOME, btw!), and I wanted to get the whole story. I don't know what happened, but it just started to get on m nerves! I really, truly wanted to enjoy the second time, but just felt like bland potato salad!
Daniel Sampere's art, on the other hand, was flawless. All the characters, as well as the backgrounds, looked hella tight! I found myself more into the art that the actual story!
I am not 100% sure why I didn't like it. Mostly, I felt some of the characterizations were off, leaving to not give a fart about any of them! That right there is what makes a book, regardless of whether a comic or an actual prose work, the characters have to stand out and make you actually interested in them! Without factor, you have a book that will fail to attract attention, and ultimately, will fail, falling quite flat!
Ok, this is my closing part. This is where I give my final grade, as well as recommending, or trashing, the book being reviewed. Not gonna do it this time round! I want to say that you, yourself, should read this trade, seeing if you like it as much as the others seemed to, k'?
Gail Simone is a favorite writer of mine, as well as a sizable number of comic readers. I don't pick up everything she writes, i.e. Dynamite's RED SONJA series, but I do try to keep a lookout when a new series, or new writing assignment from her, is out. And, generally, she is all aces, except here!
This was a re-read for me, as I was reading BATMAN: DEATH OF THE FAMILY (which was AWESOME, btw!), and I wanted to get the whole story. I don't know what happened, but it just started to get on m nerves! I really, truly wanted to enjoy the second time, but just felt like bland potato salad!
Daniel Sampere's art, on the other hand, was flawless. All the characters, as well as the backgrounds, looked hella tight! I found myself more into the art that the actual story!
I am not 100% sure why I didn't like it. Mostly, I felt some of the characterizations were off, leaving to not give a fart about any of them! That right there is what makes a book, regardless of whether a comic or an actual prose work, the characters have to stand out and make you actually interested in them! Without factor, you have a book that will fail to attract attention, and ultimately, will fail, falling quite flat!
Ok, this is my closing part. This is where I give my final grade, as well as recommending, or trashing, the book being reviewed. Not gonna do it this time round! I want to say that you, yourself, should read this trade, seeing if you like it as much as the others seemed to, k'?
Debbiereadsbook (1570 KP) rated The Good Green Earth (Colors of Love #3) in Books
Sep 29, 2019
an enjoyable read
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book three in the Colors of Love series, but save for the hockey player and the agent (Arn) there is not real connection, so you don't need to read Lost In Indigo or Touch of a Yellow Sun before this one.
I enjoyed this one, as much as book two, but not as much as book one, and the same reason applies.
Only Nathan has a voice. Now I know I say it often enough, but here I think I'm justified!
Nathan is a force of nature and he plows himself into Bran's business while doing his community service. Bran is still grieving the loss of his husband two years before. Nathan decides he wants Bran but Bran is in a position of power over Nathan and Bran doesn't want Nathan, or so he says.
But I wanted to hear from Bran, about how he feels about the attraction to Nathan, a much younger man. About his grief for the loss of his husband. About taking the steps he does to, not remove his husband, but to allow Bran and Nathan to move on, without his presence. And Bran doesn't have that voice.
I enjoyed watching Nathan get to the root cause of his behaviour, felt for him when he finally lets it all out, when we hear what happened. Wanted to punch the brother so bloody hard though!
I don't know if there will be any more of this series, but I hope so. I'm enjoying watching these hockey players meet the men who will colour their world!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book three in the Colors of Love series, but save for the hockey player and the agent (Arn) there is not real connection, so you don't need to read Lost In Indigo or Touch of a Yellow Sun before this one.
I enjoyed this one, as much as book two, but not as much as book one, and the same reason applies.
Only Nathan has a voice. Now I know I say it often enough, but here I think I'm justified!
Nathan is a force of nature and he plows himself into Bran's business while doing his community service. Bran is still grieving the loss of his husband two years before. Nathan decides he wants Bran but Bran is in a position of power over Nathan and Bran doesn't want Nathan, or so he says.
But I wanted to hear from Bran, about how he feels about the attraction to Nathan, a much younger man. About his grief for the loss of his husband. About taking the steps he does to, not remove his husband, but to allow Bran and Nathan to move on, without his presence. And Bran doesn't have that voice.
I enjoyed watching Nathan get to the root cause of his behaviour, felt for him when he finally lets it all out, when we hear what happened. Wanted to punch the brother so bloody hard though!
I don't know if there will be any more of this series, but I hope so. I'm enjoying watching these hockey players meet the men who will colour their world!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Merissa (13427 KP) rated Waiting for Ty (Lovers and Friends, #2) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
This is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone.
I enjoyed this story but will admit to liking Landon a bit more than Ty. That may be for a couple of reasons - there is a lot more depth and information about Landon than Ty for a start. The second thing is that I wished Ty had a bit more spine about him. I know the story was about will they/won't they and did give you quite clearly an idea of what each of them could lose as well as what they could gain by making their relationship public. However, Ty was one minute strong and in charge of the situation and in the next, to me, it seemed like he was a young schoolboy who had no idea of anything, let along a political reporter. We all have days like this but Ty seemed to have more than most.
Saying that, I really enjoyed this story. It was nice to read a story were waiting was involved (ok, so maybe not at the beginning!) and the consequences of this sort of decision were taken into account.
I am loving this series by Samantha Ann King, I now have all 3 and am waiting to see if there will be a fourth.
Definitely recommended to all M/M fans.
I enjoyed this story but will admit to liking Landon a bit more than Ty. That may be for a couple of reasons - there is a lot more depth and information about Landon than Ty for a start. The second thing is that I wished Ty had a bit more spine about him. I know the story was about will they/won't they and did give you quite clearly an idea of what each of them could lose as well as what they could gain by making their relationship public. However, Ty was one minute strong and in charge of the situation and in the next, to me, it seemed like he was a young schoolboy who had no idea of anything, let along a political reporter. We all have days like this but Ty seemed to have more than most.
Saying that, I really enjoyed this story. It was nice to read a story were waiting was involved (ok, so maybe not at the beginning!) and the consequences of this sort of decision were taken into account.
I am loving this series by Samantha Ann King, I now have all 3 and am waiting to see if there will be a fourth.
Definitely recommended to all M/M fans.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Righteous Gemstones in TV
Apr 7, 2020
Pretty entertaining
I'm not a fan of Danny McBride but I kept seeing the trailer for this show, so figured I'd give it a try. I have to be honest & say that I watched it whilst working from home, so my attention wasn't 100% but I think this may have been for the best.
This was surprisingly a fairly entertaining show. I was expecting a lot of crude or ridiculously stupid humour, but in fact I found a lot of the humour to be fairly understated and dark in parts, which I definitely preferred. This didn't have as much humour in as I expected, there was a much more serious plot and even some heartwarming emotion mixed in with all the dark humour. The cast was good overall, there are some great actors in this and I didnt even mind Danny McBride for a change. The story was wacky and fun, even if maybe slightly predictable in parts.
My biggest issue is that it didnt blow me away. It was good, entertaining but it was ultimately a show that I could give or take another series. If I happened to have nothing better to watch then a second series wouldn't be bad, but I wouldnt go out of my way to recommend this as an absolute must see show.
This was surprisingly a fairly entertaining show. I was expecting a lot of crude or ridiculously stupid humour, but in fact I found a lot of the humour to be fairly understated and dark in parts, which I definitely preferred. This didn't have as much humour in as I expected, there was a much more serious plot and even some heartwarming emotion mixed in with all the dark humour. The cast was good overall, there are some great actors in this and I didnt even mind Danny McBride for a change. The story was wacky and fun, even if maybe slightly predictable in parts.
My biggest issue is that it didnt blow me away. It was good, entertaining but it was ultimately a show that I could give or take another series. If I happened to have nothing better to watch then a second series wouldn't be bad, but I wouldnt go out of my way to recommend this as an absolute must see show.
Merissa (13427 KP) rated Dominic and the Dolphin (Land and Sea: A Shifter Series, #3) in Books
Oct 3, 2023
DOMINIC AND THE DOLPHIN is the third book in the Land and Sea: A Shifter Series but the first one I have read. In no way did this affect my enjoyment of the story, apart from now wanting to go back and read the first two as well.
I love Shifter books and if they have Mpreg in there, all the better. But what I got with this was unexpected! And I loved that. You see, usually in Shifter books, if there is a fated mate, it's BOOM, all hands on deck. But not with this one. Oh no! Instead, the author had me laughing out loud as these two have no idea they're fated PLUS they enjoy snarking at each other.
Add to that a hint of danger for both of them (in different ways), friends you can count on, new found family, plus the most amazing pregnancy/nesting/birth scenes I have read.
I loved every word of this story and am so glad I took the chance on it, even knowing it was the third in a series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 3, 2023
I love Shifter books and if they have Mpreg in there, all the better. But what I got with this was unexpected! And I loved that. You see, usually in Shifter books, if there is a fated mate, it's BOOM, all hands on deck. But not with this one. Oh no! Instead, the author had me laughing out loud as these two have no idea they're fated PLUS they enjoy snarking at each other.
Add to that a hint of danger for both of them (in different ways), friends you can count on, new found family, plus the most amazing pregnancy/nesting/birth scenes I have read.
I loved every word of this story and am so glad I took the chance on it, even knowing it was the third in a series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 3, 2023
Merissa (13427 KP) rated Immersion Play (Leather and Lattes #1) in Books
May 30, 2024
IMMERSION PLAY is the first book in the Leather and Lattes series, a spin-off from Dungeons and Dating, but you don't need to have read those to enjoy this one.
Micah, vanilla as they come, broke off his so-called relationship and disappeared to San Francisco in the middle of the night. Parker is the Daddy Dom who is determined to never fall in love, due to the heartbreak that follows when one of them inevitably dies. The connection between these two is electric from the beginning, as Parker realises he may have found the boy perfect for him, and Micah realises he isn't as vanilla as he always thought.
Not only do you get a great story between Micah and Parker, but you also get a Found Family, with snippets of their backstories. It looks like this series is going to be another winner for this author, and I can't wait to read them!
Full of connections, love, s3x, and steam aplenty, this was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 23, 2024
Micah, vanilla as they come, broke off his so-called relationship and disappeared to San Francisco in the middle of the night. Parker is the Daddy Dom who is determined to never fall in love, due to the heartbreak that follows when one of them inevitably dies. The connection between these two is electric from the beginning, as Parker realises he may have found the boy perfect for him, and Micah realises he isn't as vanilla as he always thought.
Not only do you get a great story between Micah and Parker, but you also get a Found Family, with snippets of their backstories. It looks like this series is going to be another winner for this author, and I can't wait to read them!
Full of connections, love, s3x, and steam aplenty, this was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 23, 2024