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Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated X-Men Red, Vol. 1: The Hate Machine in Books
Nov 30, 2020
While I was starting to tire of Tom Taylor's run on ALL-NEW WOLVERINE (I didn't hate it or anything, I just was starting to tire of some of the humor incorporated in the series. Still, if I had to decide between him and Tamiko, who took over after him on the X-23 series, I would take Taylor for another run, no question!), I wasn't sure if I wanted to read any X-Men stories leading into "Dawn of X". I also had lost a lot of interest in the X-franchise, as the stories were just awful (yes, Bendis and Hopeless, I am talking about you both in this sentence!)! However, I have gotten back on board with the wonderful re-invigoration of the mutants, making them cool again! Thus, when the recent Comixology sale came through, I took advantage of snagging both Volumes!
Dear God, this was some solid writing here! Edgy as heck, VERY socially relevent ("mutant hate" subbing in for "immigrant hate"!), and more representative of the team as a whole! I seriously wanted to sit up in bed and cheer last night, as I found myself coming to the end of this first volume!
I know there has been some off-handed remarks towards this series, citing its content as being too "on the nose" as far as the social relevance of what was being portrayed. There has also been that <b>waaaay</b> TOO OVER-USED word "SJW" thrown out, when forward-thinking makes some folks have to <i>think</i> a bit <u>too</u> forwardly! Yeah, well, maybe that's the only way to get the message across, as trying to do it subtle-like, leads to the overly message often getting missed or brushed off!
I applaud Tom Taylor for his writing here. The feeling I got from reading this was it not only began to reset the X-line in a positive, and very socially relevant way, but it also helped set the stage for what would lead into Moira's "Dawn of X" temporal reboot! Not only that, but for me, anyways, it helped restore the X-Men as being heroes and doing truly heroic deeds again! Something we most definitely need in this racially-imbalanced toxicity that is the current state of our culture! Thank you, Tom!!
My only quibble with the series, and it is more of a superficial quibble at best, was Kurt (Nightcrawler) sporting facial hair. I dunno. With all the negative connotation that hipsters have been generating with the whole <i>"I just rolled out from under a dumpster!"</i> look for those that choose to adopt the regrettable "neck-beard" look! Yeah, can't think of Kurt as anything other than clean-shaven! But, it did not take away from the story in any way! Just like I ignore hipsters, whether sporting a "neck-beard" or just in general, I was able to forget about it! lol
Again, I loved this book! Looking forward to starting Volume 2 tonight! Still not sure if this is for you? Ask yourself what makes a hero a Hero, and chances are, you will find yourself enjoying what is a solid read!
Dear God, this was some solid writing here! Edgy as heck, VERY socially relevent ("mutant hate" subbing in for "immigrant hate"!), and more representative of the team as a whole! I seriously wanted to sit up in bed and cheer last night, as I found myself coming to the end of this first volume!
I know there has been some off-handed remarks towards this series, citing its content as being too "on the nose" as far as the social relevance of what was being portrayed. There has also been that <b>waaaay</b> TOO OVER-USED word "SJW" thrown out, when forward-thinking makes some folks have to <i>think</i> a bit <u>too</u> forwardly! Yeah, well, maybe that's the only way to get the message across, as trying to do it subtle-like, leads to the overly message often getting missed or brushed off!
I applaud Tom Taylor for his writing here. The feeling I got from reading this was it not only began to reset the X-line in a positive, and very socially relevant way, but it also helped set the stage for what would lead into Moira's "Dawn of X" temporal reboot! Not only that, but for me, anyways, it helped restore the X-Men as being heroes and doing truly heroic deeds again! Something we most definitely need in this racially-imbalanced toxicity that is the current state of our culture! Thank you, Tom!!
My only quibble with the series, and it is more of a superficial quibble at best, was Kurt (Nightcrawler) sporting facial hair. I dunno. With all the negative connotation that hipsters have been generating with the whole <i>"I just rolled out from under a dumpster!"</i> look for those that choose to adopt the regrettable "neck-beard" look! Yeah, can't think of Kurt as anything other than clean-shaven! But, it did not take away from the story in any way! Just like I ignore hipsters, whether sporting a "neck-beard" or just in general, I was able to forget about it! lol
Again, I loved this book! Looking forward to starting Volume 2 tonight! Still not sure if this is for you? Ask yourself what makes a hero a Hero, and chances are, you will find yourself enjoying what is a solid read!
Merissa (13123 KP) rated The Eternal Series - Box Set Books 1 to 4 in Books
Jul 9, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
THE ETERNAL SERIES: Books 1-4 not only gives you the four main stories, but two added extra shorts. The first one tells the origin story of Sammael/Alaric and the second is Kaitlyn and Raif's story.
The premise of this series is a really good one, but I'm afraid the constant time- and head-hopping made the writing style difficult for me to get into. There were also numerous spelling mistakes that jolted me out of the story. There were also a multitude of euphemisms used, eg. middle leg, and flag pole. I'll leave it to you to figure out what was being spoken about. And if I had a euro for every time "Rock, meet hard place," was mentioned, I'd be rich.
I enjoyed most of the characters and their individual stories. I also enjoyed seeing how their relationships continued in the following stories. The only one I really didn't like was Alex. He annoyed me from the beginning and nothing he did changed my mind.
I'm sure there are plenty of stories left in this series and I certainly wouldn't mind continuing with the story. Each book is long enough to sink your teeth into with plenty of intense steamy scenes too.
Great stories and overall story arc, 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!
Jul 9, 2021
The premise of this series is a really good one, but I'm afraid the constant time- and head-hopping made the writing style difficult for me to get into. There were also numerous spelling mistakes that jolted me out of the story. There were also a multitude of euphemisms used, eg. middle leg, and flag pole. I'll leave it to you to figure out what was being spoken about. And if I had a euro for every time "Rock, meet hard place," was mentioned, I'd be rich.
I enjoyed most of the characters and their individual stories. I also enjoyed seeing how their relationships continued in the following stories. The only one I really didn't like was Alex. He annoyed me from the beginning and nothing he did changed my mind.
I'm sure there are plenty of stories left in this series and I certainly wouldn't mind continuing with the story. Each book is long enough to sink your teeth into with plenty of intense steamy scenes too.
Great stories and overall story arc, 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!
Jul 9, 2021
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2387 KP) rated A Midnight Puzzle in Books
May 18, 2024
Litigious Customer Murdered
Secret Staircase Construction is being sued by their latest customer. He maintains that his wife’s accidental fall down the stairs was the result of their shoddy construction. Tempest Raj doesn’t believe a word of it and thinks he may have tried to kill his wife and blame them. Before they can figure out what to do the man dies at the theater where Tempest is preparing for her farewell tour – a theater with a connection to the Raj family’s tragic past. While the police are initially looking elsewhere, Tempest knows it is just a matter of time before they look at her family. Can she figure out what really happened?
This book wraps up an arc that Tempest has been on, which means fans of the series will be satisfied. If you are new to the series, there is some background, but you might not fully understand some of what happens here. The pacing in this book is off, with things a little slow in the second act. Unfortunately, it means that the third act, while it does logically wrap things up, also feels very rushed. We needed a little more time to fully absorb the twists. Still, I love the premise of this series, and Tempest and her friends and family are always a joy to spend time around. As usual, there are a couple of recipes at the end. Fans will be looking forward to the next entry when they finish this one.
This book wraps up an arc that Tempest has been on, which means fans of the series will be satisfied. If you are new to the series, there is some background, but you might not fully understand some of what happens here. The pacing in this book is off, with things a little slow in the second act. Unfortunately, it means that the third act, while it does logically wrap things up, also feels very rushed. We needed a little more time to fully absorb the twists. Still, I love the premise of this series, and Tempest and her friends and family are always a joy to spend time around. As usual, there are a couple of recipes at the end. Fans will be looking forward to the next entry when they finish this one.
Ross (3284 KP) rated American Gods - Season 1 in TV
Nov 27, 2017
I read the book quite some time ago, so knew the concept of the series but needed a little gentle reminder of the world we are exploring.
The series is very stylish with excellent dream sequences and imagery throughout, a la Hannibal, however at times I felt this dominated the actual storytelling somewhat.
With something like Hannibal, you don't need to worry about the story too much, people get killed, someone is doing it, twists and turns and suspect caught. So it was right for the focus of that series to be on the imagery rather than the telling.
However, here I think the story and concept are quite hard to get used to initially (and I don't think it really gets nailed at all during the series) and more should have been done to explain it. I'm not saying everything needs laid out neatly with a little bow on, but I think the style needed toned down a little and more effort invested in explaining the world. It felt a little bit like a TV show made for people who have just read the book.
The cast is excellent and it is an enjoyable watch, but a lot of people will struggle to get the hang of it (and may only stick with it in order to say they did rather than because they enjoyed it!).
With such a cult classic book as the source material, I think there were high expectations for it, which may not have been met (mine weren't, sadly).
The series is very stylish with excellent dream sequences and imagery throughout, a la Hannibal, however at times I felt this dominated the actual storytelling somewhat.
With something like Hannibal, you don't need to worry about the story too much, people get killed, someone is doing it, twists and turns and suspect caught. So it was right for the focus of that series to be on the imagery rather than the telling.
However, here I think the story and concept are quite hard to get used to initially (and I don't think it really gets nailed at all during the series) and more should have been done to explain it. I'm not saying everything needs laid out neatly with a little bow on, but I think the style needed toned down a little and more effort invested in explaining the world. It felt a little bit like a TV show made for people who have just read the book.
The cast is excellent and it is an enjoyable watch, but a lot of people will struggle to get the hang of it (and may only stick with it in order to say they did rather than because they enjoyed it!).
With such a cult classic book as the source material, I think there were high expectations for it, which may not have been met (mine weren't, sadly).
Merissa (13123 KP) rated Uprising (The Outliers #2) in Books
May 31, 2018
Uprising (The Outliers #2) by Kate L. Mary
Uprising is the second book in The Outliers series. I thought the first book was amazing, but this one is even better! We reunite with Indra as she starts back at work in the Sovereign city. She feels different now, with the strength that Bodhi encouraged. She is not prepared to go back to being meek and mild, as she was before. Asa is still working for the Sovereign.
This book has so much packed into it, it's quite unbelievable. With action, hope, and heartbreak, there is plenty to keep you turning the pages. There are plenty of twists and turns as Indra works to bring the Outlier tribes together, to beat the Fortis and Sovereign. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how the women of the Winta tribe worked together, although you can see the cracks in the seams. I can't wait to see where this goes next.
It does end on one helluva cliffhanger, so fair warning! This is a book where I knew the ending was coming, and it couldn't come quick enough, but I also wanted it to never stop!
This is an excellent addition to the series, and is still rich in detail, with wonderful characters, and an intriguing and gripping storyline. Absolutely recommended by me. Bring on the next!!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This book has so much packed into it, it's quite unbelievable. With action, hope, and heartbreak, there is plenty to keep you turning the pages. There are plenty of twists and turns as Indra works to bring the Outlier tribes together, to beat the Fortis and Sovereign. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how the women of the Winta tribe worked together, although you can see the cracks in the seams. I can't wait to see where this goes next.
It does end on one helluva cliffhanger, so fair warning! This is a book where I knew the ending was coming, and it couldn't come quick enough, but I also wanted it to never stop!
This is an excellent addition to the series, and is still rich in detail, with wonderful characters, and an intriguing and gripping storyline. Absolutely recommended by me. Bring on the next!!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (13123 KP) rated Burned (Dark Reflections #5) in Books
Apr 12, 2023
So, this is the fifth book in the series so I'm not going to rehash the synopsis and the previous four books for you. Instead, I will just launch straight into this one, although, be warned! It may contain mild spoilers from the first four books, but I'll try to keep it as generic as possible.
Adri is still grieving and reeling from what happened in Minnesota and as such, can't bring herself to be civil to Alec. He is trying to make things easier for her as he does understand but he is also dealing with a lot of pressure from every which way.
The story that is told inside this book is speeding up and gaining momentum. It is an action-packed book but there is still a thin trickle of romance for the die-hard romantics like me. Things are never straightforward for Adri and Alec, although I sometimes wish they could catch a break, and never more so than here. Instead of a love triangle, Dean has gone one further and made it a love quadrangle! I am really hoping that Alec and Adri get their HEA even though this is an alternate universe.
We have new threats, old threats, conspiracies, betrayal, and love - it's all here. This is a series that is getting better with each book. Highly recommended by me.
* 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!
July 19, 2016
Adri is still grieving and reeling from what happened in Minnesota and as such, can't bring herself to be civil to Alec. He is trying to make things easier for her as he does understand but he is also dealing with a lot of pressure from every which way.
The story that is told inside this book is speeding up and gaining momentum. It is an action-packed book but there is still a thin trickle of romance for the die-hard romantics like me. Things are never straightforward for Adri and Alec, although I sometimes wish they could catch a break, and never more so than here. Instead of a love triangle, Dean has gone one further and made it a love quadrangle! I am really hoping that Alec and Adri get their HEA even though this is an alternate universe.
We have new threats, old threats, conspiracies, betrayal, and love - it's all here. This is a series that is getting better with each book. Highly recommended by me.
* 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!
July 19, 2016
Merissa (13123 KP) rated Reap This Too (Oh So Happy Holidays #2) in Books
Nov 11, 2020 (Updated Aug 14, 2023)
Reap This Too is the second book in the Oh So Happy Holidays series and this time we meet up with Ian, Seamus' brother. He has been more interested in travelling than learning which colour candle means what but some of the things have stayed with him.
This is a fast-paced novella that takes you from the pyramids in Giza to Boston, just in time for Samhain. Seamus is there, of course, and we even get a cameo from Mine - but not in the way I hoped!!!
I think it would help if you have read book one because previous circumstances are mentioned in that book and it would give you a better idea of their family too. However, you COULD read this as a standalone if you really had to.
The connection between Khnurn and Ian is instantaneous but there is a depth to it that comes from their previous associations. I loved how sneaky Khnurn was toward the end and I'm sure these two have more adventures to tell us.
All in all, this was a great seasonal read with characters I either know and love or have loved getting to know. A great addition to the series and one I highly recommend. I just hope Mr Jadison has another story planned for Seamus and Mine!!!
* 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!
Nov 11, 2020
This is a fast-paced novella that takes you from the pyramids in Giza to Boston, just in time for Samhain. Seamus is there, of course, and we even get a cameo from Mine - but not in the way I hoped!!!
I think it would help if you have read book one because previous circumstances are mentioned in that book and it would give you a better idea of their family too. However, you COULD read this as a standalone if you really had to.
The connection between Khnurn and Ian is instantaneous but there is a depth to it that comes from their previous associations. I loved how sneaky Khnurn was toward the end and I'm sure these two have more adventures to tell us.
All in all, this was a great seasonal read with characters I either know and love or have loved getting to know. A great addition to the series and one I highly recommend. I just hope Mr Jadison has another story planned for Seamus and Mine!!!
* 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!
Nov 11, 2020
Merissa (13123 KP) rated Comforting the Grump (Forestville Silver Foxes #5) in Books
Jan 17, 2025
COMFORTING THE GRUMP is the fifth book in the Forestville Silver Foxes and this time, it's Marnin's turn - the self-proclaimed bachelor forever.
He has a high sex drive and makes no apologies for that. He does not want a relationship in any way, shape, or form unless it's friendship with his guys, but even there, he keeps them at arm's length some of the time. Ennio is Auden's younger brother in his thirties who seems a lot younger. Now, he is supposed to be bubbly and flamboyant, but he also came across as incredibly naive and I have no idea how he managed to reach that age without having some financial acumen, even if it's just keeping an eye on his accounts!
I did enjoy this story but it didn't grip me as some of the other books in this series have. I did like how Ennio was there for Marnin during his scare and could completely understand Marnin's anger that came out later towards another character.
This was a good read and addition to the series. For me, it just didn't connect in the way I wanted it to and felt a little rushed. If you enjoy Ms. Phoenix's books, then I'm sure you will enjoy this one too.
** 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!
Jan 10, 2025
He has a high sex drive and makes no apologies for that. He does not want a relationship in any way, shape, or form unless it's friendship with his guys, but even there, he keeps them at arm's length some of the time. Ennio is Auden's younger brother in his thirties who seems a lot younger. Now, he is supposed to be bubbly and flamboyant, but he also came across as incredibly naive and I have no idea how he managed to reach that age without having some financial acumen, even if it's just keeping an eye on his accounts!
I did enjoy this story but it didn't grip me as some of the other books in this series have. I did like how Ennio was there for Marnin during his scare and could completely understand Marnin's anger that came out later towards another character.
This was a good read and addition to the series. For me, it just didn't connect in the way I wanted it to and felt a little rushed. If you enjoy Ms. Phoenix's books, then I'm sure you will enjoy this one too.
** 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!
Jan 10, 2025
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime in TV
Jul 7, 2020
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime is a 2018 anime series animated by 8-Bit with the light novel written by Fuse. It was directed by Yasuhito Kikuchi, with Atsushi Nakayama as assistant director. Kazuyuki Fudeyasu handled music composition with Ryouma Ebata designing the characters and Takahiro Kishida providing monster designs. The series was Simulcast by both Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Minami Satoru was a 37-year old manga loving, corporate worker until one day his life ended in tragedy. While meeting up with a friend for dinner, he sees a man with a knife run up and shoves his friend out of the way, but is fatally injured and dies. When Satoru regains consciousness, he discovers he has been reborn as a "slime", a famously weak character from video games and now in a different world. Blind, deaf, and weak, things are pretty grim initially but he finds he has some new abilities which he uses to gain both friends and enemies in a whole new world.
This anime is pretty cool. It's an "isekai" anime which means it's set in a different world; and is also a genre of anime that I enjoy. It has a fantasy element too and a variety of different races of characters. This series has quite a bit of "fan service" so it might not be for everyone. Also the main character is pretty "op" (over-powered), so you might not find it as compelling as other anime. I felt that they were able to make the conflict that arises work very well with the storyline and with the introduction of new characters. One thing that I didn't think I was going to like, was how he has abilities similar to a character in a video game and learns more over the series. This wound up being really cool in the way they show him use it and develop his abilities as he uses them against enemies. I really liked the animation and designs of the characters and monsters too.
Minami Satoru was a 37-year old manga loving, corporate worker until one day his life ended in tragedy. While meeting up with a friend for dinner, he sees a man with a knife run up and shoves his friend out of the way, but is fatally injured and dies. When Satoru regains consciousness, he discovers he has been reborn as a "slime", a famously weak character from video games and now in a different world. Blind, deaf, and weak, things are pretty grim initially but he finds he has some new abilities which he uses to gain both friends and enemies in a whole new world.
This anime is pretty cool. It's an "isekai" anime which means it's set in a different world; and is also a genre of anime that I enjoy. It has a fantasy element too and a variety of different races of characters. This series has quite a bit of "fan service" so it might not be for everyone. Also the main character is pretty "op" (over-powered), so you might not find it as compelling as other anime. I felt that they were able to make the conflict that arises work very well with the storyline and with the introduction of new characters. One thing that I didn't think I was going to like, was how he has abilities similar to a character in a video game and learns more over the series. This wound up being really cool in the way they show him use it and develop his abilities as he uses them against enemies. I really liked the animation and designs of the characters and monsters too.
Fred (860 KP) rated Tomb Raider (2018) in Movies
Jul 10, 2018
The acting is top notch (2 more)
Lots of action
Very loyal to the game series
The Story of Lara Croft is an interesting one
Watched this last night. As usual, I try not to see any reviews until I see it, so I'm not swayed by other's opinions. And so, not knowing if the movie was liked or disliked, I was able to watch it & make my own opinion.
I am a fan of the game series & love the new entries. I'm very glad they decided to follow the new games for this film & I found Lara's "origin" to be real interesting. I was not a fan of the Angelina Jolie movies. I found her too snooty & arrogant to like the character. But Alicia Vikander plays the characters perfectly. She plays a young Lara, who's tough, but has some vulnerability to her. She's an underdog we can root for, but she can hold her own too. A perfect balance.
Daniel Wu & Dominic West play their parts well. Although I would have liked to have seen Wu pull off some martial arts moves, like his character on "Into the Badlands", but I'm also glad they didn't fall for the stereotypical Asian.
But. a movie is only as good as it's main villain. And this movie has a great one. Played by Walton Goggins, who doesn't get the credit he deserves. This guy is great. He can make you love him & he can make you hate him too. I've never seen him in a bad role.
There's really not much to say about the story, as it's practically a live-action remake of the last 2 video games stories mashed together. You know what to expect, lots of action, lots of raiding of tombs. I kind of wish there would have been more puzzle solving in it. Some of the puzzles were solved without even showing them. Lara just solves them. I kind of wish I could have figured them out. But I guess I'm just used to playing the game & doing everything myself.
Anyway, the bottom line, it's a fun film, well worth watching.
I am a fan of the game series & love the new entries. I'm very glad they decided to follow the new games for this film & I found Lara's "origin" to be real interesting. I was not a fan of the Angelina Jolie movies. I found her too snooty & arrogant to like the character. But Alicia Vikander plays the characters perfectly. She plays a young Lara, who's tough, but has some vulnerability to her. She's an underdog we can root for, but she can hold her own too. A perfect balance.
Daniel Wu & Dominic West play their parts well. Although I would have liked to have seen Wu pull off some martial arts moves, like his character on "Into the Badlands", but I'm also glad they didn't fall for the stereotypical Asian.
But. a movie is only as good as it's main villain. And this movie has a great one. Played by Walton Goggins, who doesn't get the credit he deserves. This guy is great. He can make you love him & he can make you hate him too. I've never seen him in a bad role.
There's really not much to say about the story, as it's practically a live-action remake of the last 2 video games stories mashed together. You know what to expect, lots of action, lots of raiding of tombs. I kind of wish there would have been more puzzle solving in it. Some of the puzzles were solved without even showing them. Lara just solves them. I kind of wish I could have figured them out. But I guess I'm just used to playing the game & doing everything myself.
Anyway, the bottom line, it's a fun film, well worth watching.