Behind Blue Eyes

Edgedancer by Brandon Sanderson My rating: 5 of 5 stars So why the delay? Well, I'm a bit OCD and when I received Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection , I wasn't quite ready to jump into the Mistborn and other stuff. The idea of reading a single story from the entire book made my eye twitch a bit. But then I found out that it would be a good idea to read this before Oathbringer , and since I'm starting that very soon, decided to just go with it. Great story! Lift is a fun character and this was a good comic side story in the Stormlight Archive. That said, it's feeling pretty essential, as there was lots of cool information about Radiants and the Everstorm and spren-stuff. It also flushed out some areas in Roshar that we probably won't see in the main series. Definitely worth the time. Now, on to Oathbringer ! View all my reviews

The Stormlight Archive - A Pocket Companion to The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson My rating: 4 of 5 stars Great little primer to prepare for the awesomeness that is Oathbringer ! View all my reviews

Swarm and Steel by Michael R. Fletcher My rating: 5 of 5 stars For real, a 5-star quality book took me this long to read? Wow. I can't blame the book though. Life and school and work and whatever else can take the blame, and that is my reality. If I believe it, that will make it true, right? insert doubt Ahh well... At any rate, this thing was awesome. Set in the same world as his Manifest Delusions series, this standalone certainly carries the same worldbuilding brilliance. I guess the biggest question though is, how in the Swarm does Fletcher manage to tell a story that is so gross and violent and graphic and just freaking Grimdark, but still manage to keep it light ?? "Light" probably isn't the right word at all, because it's so damn thought provoking and deep with philosophy. But the humor and tone keep it comfortable, and keep it from bringing the reader down. At least, that's what I believe, so it's now my truth.

Suicide Squad, Volume 3: Burning Down The House by Rob Williams My rating: 3 of 5 stars I received an ebook copy of this book ahead of publication from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Cool stuff. It's always good to get back to the old gang, even when it's such a group of misfits and degenerates. The banter between them is always entertaining, and more often than not we get some really crazy stuff from Harley Quinn that makes me laugh out loud. Honestly, she's the main reason I even invest in Suicide Squad. At any rate, lots of fun and great artwork. Can't ask for a lot more. :) View all my reviews

A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire My rating: 4 of 5 stars Took me long enough, but that was because of other commitments in life. This book was a pleasant surprise, in that I enjoyed it quite a bit more than I had #1 in the series. This has me wanting to continue the series at some point, and I'm quite a bit more intrigued with the world McGuire has created here. View all my reviews

Shackled by Michael Wisehart My rating: 4 of 5 stars I've been meaning to try this free eBook for some time as it looked very interesting when I first saw its blurb. But then I got an email from the author mentioning a new, free audiobook version. Cool, I went to check it out. And saw that Tim Gerard Reynolds was narrating... 🤘😄😎 Sold! Or not, since it was free... But you get the idea. It didn't disappoint, either. This had a great story that Tim's voice brought to life, as it usually does. This is definitely making me want to go and use an Audible credit on the full length novel that this serves as a prequel for: The White Tower . View all my reviews

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence My rating: 5 of 5 stars I've been stewing on a review for this book for a couple of days now. I feel it definitely deserves one, but it's hard to put into words what it meant to read it. I don't want to just say "it's great" and leave it at that. If Hogwarts was a convent for young novice nuns on a planet with a dying sun, located in an ice corridor, you might have an idea of the setting. Then imagine Arya Stark and a Chosen One prophesy, with some Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fight scenes and some Dark Tower mysticism thrown in, and you might get a feel for what this story is about... But then, not so much. This is a combination of so many great things, yet uniquely original in its execution. Beautifully written, and will have me pushing the next book way up on my TBR.. View all my reviews

The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter by Michael J. Sullivan My rating: 5 of 5 stars I was given a beta-version ecopy of this book in exchange for honest, thorough feedback. Note that this is not the final version of the novel and might change significantly before it is published. But here we are again. The 4th Chronicle, and 10th overall Riyria book does not disappoint. I can't say what happens, other than that it rocks. If you're a fan of Hadrian and Royce, you will want to read this ASAP. If you aren't a fan, why not? These books should be consumed immediately. It's been a few years since I read The Riyria Revelations, but this has me gearing up for a re-read. I'll re-read this as well once I can, as I'm looking forward to seeing whatever improvements make it to the final version. View all my reviews

Age of War by Michael J. Sullivan My rating: 5 of 5 stars I was given a beta-version ecopy of this book in exchange for honest, thorough feedback. Note that this is not the final version of the novel and might change significantly before it is published. But like I said with the beta reads of the first two books in this series, it shouldn't change that much. This baby is awesome as it is and will only need small tweaks and edits to put it in the same ballpark as the other books. Legends of the First Empire fans will not be disappointed. If you loved Age of Myth & Age of Swords , you will slap this one right up there on your favorites shelf beside them. Be prepared to be amazed and dragged through an emotional experience. Yes, I'm vague, but I promised not to spoil and you really have to read it to feel it, anyway. View all my reviews

The Dispatcher by John Scalzi My rating: 5 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this title from the publisher thought NetGalley, in exchange for an honest revew. I loved this! Scalzi never disappoints. This story is perfect as a novella, just the right length to tell a complete story without dragging on too long. That said, there needs to be a novel or series set in this universe/reality. I would be all over that... I won't say much of the details, as discovering them is much of the fun. Let's just say it's different than other Scalzi books as far as setting and background, but that it has his trademark snark, humor, drama, and great dialogue. View all my reviews

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin My rating: 3 of 5 stars Original impression (April 2017): 2 stars - Meh...I'm burned out on spending a lot of time on stuff I don't want to spend time on. Revised impression (July 2017): 3 solid stars. It turns out this book wasn't finished with me yet. I thought I had put it behind me, but it kept creeping back to my mind and I couldn't help but want to see where it would go....All in all, I was pretty impressed by the end, and I might even continue the trilogy....if it calls to me again.. View all my reviews

Little Wren and the Big Forest by Michael J. Sullivan My rating: 4 of 5 stars Great little story set in the world of The Legends of the First Empire . Of course, once you get a taste you're going to want more.... View all my reviews

Justice League vs. Suicide Squad by Joshua Williamson My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Now, that's what I'm talking about! Lots of kick-ass badassery and fights and attitude. Justice League vs Suicide Squad, vs another group of baddies that was pretty fun too...And a special appearance by (view spoiler) [The Main Main, Lobo himself! and not that New-52 sorry excuse, but the real Last Czarnian, aka Master Frag. (hide spoiler) ] Lots of fun with lots of little quips from heroes and anti-heroes alike. It's good to see that though they're basically after the same end game, the methods to get there are quite different for these teams. Definitely wanting some more of this stuff..... View all my reviews

Suicide Squad, Volume 2: Going Sane by Rob Williams My rating: 3 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. More fun and badassery from the Suicide Squad, picking up where Volume 1 left off. It wraps up that story nicely while giving us a preview of the Suicide Squad vs. Justice League event. Nice side scenes giving us background/character development of Hack, Croc, Enchantress, and Harley. Artwork was fantastic, as expected. View all my reviews

The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan My rating: 5 of 5 stars That was brilliant. Not just this book, but the whole trilogy. I had a great time getting to know these characters and understand the world and magic system behind them. It was refreshing to have a base trilogy to go with, rather than an unending epic. It was also a plus that all three books came out within a year or two of each other. That doesn't always happen... Yes, there is a new series that just got started in this world, as well as a bunch of prequel novellas. That's fine. I look forward to those but I still felt like this trilogy was self-contained and a satisfactory cycle all on its own. Well done, Mr. McClellan. View all my reviews

The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan My rating: 5 of 5 stars I'm loving this series. This one was even better than the first, and definitely sets up the third really well. I was a little skeptical about this new "Flintlock Fantasy" trend, but if this is typical of the subgenre, I'm sold. View all my reviews

Seeded by Benjamin Descovich My rating: 4 of 5 stars Great little piece of flash fiction that serves to introduce the author's style. I'm definitely interested in checking out some of his longer works. This little teaser was a great first chapter in what could be a pretty good novel. View all my reviews

Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King My rating: 5 of 5 stars Hell yes! This was an afternoon of audio delight. I'll read it in print someday because I'm a completest, but I am very glad that I got absorbed into this novella by way of Audible and the narration by the fantastically wonderful Maggie Siff, who I grew to love on Sons of Anarchy : And the story! It was just..so Stephen Kingly. I mean... (view spoiler) [The Man in Freaking Black is back! (hide spoiler) ] . And Castle Rock, circa 1970s. It was like going home..... I should also add that the bonus story "The Music Room" was enjoyable in its own right. Creepy and short, it was a nice added bit to the package. As was the short interview with the authors, King and Chizmar. I hope to see more of these kind of things. With the Dark Tower movie coming out this year and the new version of It and this Mist tv show, there's a lot to look forward to in the Kingiverse. Stories

Behind the Throne by K.B. Wagers My rating: 5 of 5 stars I received a copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars, and I'm going to round it up. Why? Because even after I worked all week and had a lot of things to do around the house last night, I stayed up until 3 am to finish this book. I could barely walk to get to the bed after I finished, but I did it. And really enjoyed the whole experience. This wasn't as detail-rich or epic scope as most of the top ratings I give, but when a book hooks you from the word 'go' and keeps you racing through pages and unable to put it down, that counts for something. I mean, that's why we read to begin with, isn't it? Definitely looking forward to the next book(s) in this series. View all my reviews

The Policewoman by Justin W.M. Roberts My rating: 4 of 5 stars Well, then. Just when I thought I was getting an interesting and detailed insight into a possible coalition of international police and military units working together against a drug cartel, a very human story took root and hooked me right in. The was some info-dumping, particularly early on. There was a lot of detail and a lot, I mean a lot, of acronyms. But these things were done well, in that at just the moment when I wanted to know what something was or what an acronym stood for, there it was. I didn't have to go look it up, so that was convenient. But then out of nowhere I realized I was attached to these characters and cared what happened to them. By the ending, I was swiping my e-reader as quickly as I could scan the page with my eyes. And wow....these action sequences are pretty amazing... All said, I won't say much. I'm being intentionally vague on dropping plot point

Kiss: The Elder, Volume One by Amy Chu My rating: 4 of 5 stars I was provided an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. When browsing through the available titles on NetGalley's website, was there reallly any chance that I'd see this: and NOT press the "Read Now" button immediately? Not so much. I mean, I've been a Kiss fan for as long as I can remember... So here's a bit of a reboot. That is, a new "version" of the story told on the 1981 album Music from the Elder It featured hits such as....well...there really weren't any hits. The song "A World Without Heroes" is somewhat well known, but for the most part this was a concept album for the band and a huge departure from their signature sound. That said, as I dug out my cd of the album and gave it a listen, I was reminded of how it's really not a bad album. Shocking to Kiss fans at the time, ther

Harley Quinn, Volume 1: Die Laughing by Amanda Conner My rating: 2 of 5 stars I received an eARC copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review . Well, for eye candy, Harley doesn't disappoint. The artwork overall is pretty great. The first story, "Die Laughing" is decent, with some good Harley humor chuckles. "108 Ways to Die" was pretty meh, and the final three parts "Undercover Punker" were pretty awful. All in all, I think I'm about Harley'd out. Still love the girl, but I might have become overexposed at this point. Maybe a break is in order. View all my reviews

Deathstroke, Volume 1: The Professional by Christopher J. Priest My rating: 2 of 5 stars I received an eARC copy of this graphic novel from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. First off, I loved the artwork. The characters were drawn vividly and the color really jumps out and is pleasing to the eye. But. The story? Eh. There were good moments, but overall it was pretty disjointed. Even within each issue, the storyline jumps from past to present to not as past but more past than present to kinda present to huh? And, where I though this was a reboot of sorts, it did not help a new reader (me) to understand who was who or who was in relation to each other and whatnot. I'd recently read another Rebirth title, Suicide Squad, Volume 1: The Black Vault , and very much got the feeling that it was meant as an introduction to the team and characters. This one seemed to require a good bit of prior knowledge of who Slade Wilson

The Mirror’s Truth by Michael R. Fletcher My rating: 5 of 5 stars I probably need some time to process. "There are no myths or monsters, just things people haven't hallucinated recently." Well, that was fun. It's actually a bit disturbing that I get these books so well. Does that mean I'm sane, or quite the opposite? Perhaps my own delusions help me understand how this world works. Perhaps the mirror knows, but will it tell me truth? As a concept, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it, and it's so perfectly executed. I'm being a bit vague, I know. But really these books are better experienced without too much knowledge going in. There is just so much to discover. Let's just say I'm a fan. View all my reviews

The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi My rating: 5 of 5 stars This was a lot of fun. Scalzi is really becoming one of my favorite writers, as his work is so readable yet so full of ideas. His science is plausible and he tells it in a way that an ordinary person can understand. He takes serious situations and balances them with snarky dialogue and humor. I wouldn't call his work comedy, but there is enough humor in it to keep it upbeat most of the time. This is the beginning of a new series, and this first book shows such great promise. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one! View all my reviews

Suicide Squad (2016-) Vol. 1: The Black Vault by Rob Williams My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review . I love Suicide Squad. I can't say why, I just do. Probably the whole anti-hero thing and gray morality and dark humor rolled up into a super hero being team I can get behind. I even liked the film, despite everyone instructing me to dislike it. And you know, I just freakin' adore Harley Quinn. Now this particular collection was enjoyable to me as a re-reboot in the Rebirth era of the Reboot-not-a-Reboot DC Universe that comes after the actual Reboot that was the New 52. Huh?? Yeah, what I said. Regardless to the backstory/reboot/restart status of the series, this was a great introduction to the series. A new reader would be able to follow what's going on. I did notice that the team makeup is very similar to that of the film, and I suspect that is an a

A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab My rating: 4 of 5 stars All in all I'm going to say that this was a decent way to wrap up the series. A bit underwhelming a review, huh? Well.. Schwab's writing is excellent. Her worldbuilding is top notch, and her characters are engaging. She's definitely a name in the fantasy field today and for years to come. I just think she's got some unlocked potential that wasn't ever fully realized with this series. She was close, oh yes. Very close. But she really has the potential to go from being very good to being one of the best in the genre. I'm hoping she'll get there sooner rather than later. Oh yes, and the audiobook was excellent too. :) View all my reviews

Fire and Flesh: A Manifest Delusions Short Story by Michael R. Fletcher My rating: 5 of 5 stars Wow, that was a fun (and disturbing) little story! These delusional manifestations of Michael R. Fletcher's world are amazing. I loved Beyond Redemption when I read it late last year. I needed a quick read last night before bed and this seemed like just the thing. And it was! The instant I finished it I was taken to the Kindle store and bought the second book in the main series, The Mirror’s Truth , which I started reading today. True, I had planned to buy and read The Mirror's Truth in the very near future, but reading this little gem of a story sped up that process quite a bit. This story would serve as a nice preview to Fletcher's work, as it cost less than a buck and was read in about half an hour. It's not as deeply explored as the main series of the Manifest Delusions, but it gives a good peek into how the author's mind works. Wh

The Reborn King by Michael R. Miller My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received a free ebook copy of this title from the author via his website. And that said, it was definitely worth the time investment. I really enjoyed this story and the characters. The worldbuilding is pretty good too and some of the concepts behind the "dragons" is definitely intriguing. I stumbled across this book and author while looking around for some new grimdark. After reading it I probably wouldn't classify it in that subgenre, but it does share some things that any reader of epic fantasy will love. Think of some early Terry Brooks for comparison to the magic and depth of the world. It's definitely a setup for future books in the series, and I'm sure I'll be looking into continuing. View all my reviews

Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys by Jimmy Palmiotti My rating: 3 of 5 stars I received an early e-ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars. The artwork was really good and the story was well written. It came together nicely and made for an entertaining read. Harley wasn't featured quite as much as she is in her own titles, and that's no surprise given the full name of this one. Her Gang of Harleys proved to be entertaining in their own right though, and worked together well enough when they had to. View all my reviews

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab My rating: 4 of 5 stars Much more satisfying on a reread (listen) than the first book. The alternating narrators did the characters more justice and the story in general was much more engaging. Looking forward to starting the final book very soon! View all my reviews

Wolf Moon by Ian McDonald My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Wow. I really do love the near-future universe that Ian McDonald has set up with Lady Luna. So vivid and realistic, yet one thing he really specializes in is flawed characters. I've found that I even care about the ones I don't much like on a personal level. This does have a middle-book feel, which does make it not quite as good as the first one, but it is still very good on its own too. And what a setup for the third it's leaving us with! I think this is going to be a great series to reread once it's all available. I can see that there are lots of small nuances that will be more interesting as the whole picture is observed rather than this one chapter. I'll definitely have the third book on my highly anticipated radar. View all my reviews

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab My rating: 3 of 5 stars This was a re-listen. It took me forever at 1.5 speed and I got rather bored. But it's still a decent story that just worked better the first time through. Honestly, the 4 stars I gave it the first time should have been around the 3.5 range, so this rating will average that out for me. View all my reviews

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson My rating: 5 of 5 stars Wow. Now that is why I love to read. This very book captures exactly what I love about the fantasy genre. Wow... Lame review for a fantastic book. Cannot wait for the next one! View all my reviews

The Policewoman by Justin W.M. Roberts My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received a free copy of this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review. Well, then. Just when I thought I was getting an interesting and detailed insight into a possible coalition of international police and military units working together against a drug cartel, a very human story took root and hooked me right in. The was some info-dumping, particularly early on. There was a lot of detail and a lot, I mean a lot, of acronyms. But these things were done well, in that at just the moment when I wanted to know what something was or what an acronym stood for, there it was. I didn't have to go look it up, so that was convenient. But then out of nowhere I realized I was attached to these characters and cared what happened to them. By the ending, I was swiping my e-reader as quickly as I could scan the page with my eyes. And wow....these action sequences are pretty amazing... A

Martians Abroad by Carrie Vaughn My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received an eARC of this novel from the publisher though NetGalley. I love Carrie Vaughn’s books, and I jumped at the opportunity to read this book early. As with her Kitty Norville stories, Vaughn gives us a first-person narrative with a very comfortable and conversational tone. You can’t help but love her protagonists, in this case a teenage Martian girl named Polly Newton. Polly learns that she’s been chosen to attend the Galileo Academy on Earth, and she’s not too happy about it. She’s perfectly content at her home of Colony One, on Mars. She’s going with her twin brother Charles, and that only makes it worse because he’s so agreeable to the proposition. This really felt like a YA take on The Expanse , that great series by Vaughn’s friend(s) James S.A. Corey. It doesn’t have the gritty feel of that other universe, but it does seem to have a similar society and political structure. That’s