Behind Blue Eyes

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