Shelf Tour 2.0

 

With it being the middle of the month in the middle of the year, I thought it was time for a shelf update pic. Really though, I just want to show off my updated shelves and it seems my last one went down well so here we go again. Starting from the far left to right then down.

1. A couple of my favorites; particular proud of my MASSIVE Wicked + Divine Compendium, this shelf also has Hickman's roll-over from...

2. My Jonathan Hickman Marvel shelf; House of X/ Powers of Ten, his whole Fantastic Four run, S.H.I.E.L.D (one of his more under-rated series) and Infinity.

3. My now completed Dandelion Dynasty set. Last time I did this I was missing Grace of Kings and Wall of Storms and now I have both. The Paper Menagerie and other Stories also belongs on this shelf. I tried to fit All that We see or Seem but it was too tight of a squeeze so it makes it to the overflow shelf below it.

4. My only shelf that has never changed and probably will stay that way (I have moved every other shelf at least 3-5 times now). This is my Fromsoft/ Future Press shelf.

5. Movies I like/love. My Spartacus collection (which I hope to add House of Ashur too) and some random Xbox/Xbox 360 games I own.

6. My Jonathan Hickman Image shelf. Proud of everything on this shelf, we have the whole East of West Vol. 1 to 10, The Manhattan Projects 1-6, Secret (hella under-rated) and my 10th anniversary version of The Nightly News aka the book that got me into Hickman in the first place. I think I now own all of Hickman's Image work even stuff that is not collected in trade like his Dying and the Dead which I own in floppies (its right next to Decorum).

7. Ken Liu overflow as mention, one of my new favorite authors V.E Schwab and Harlan Coben. Dracula in the middle just because its a classic and its a nice edition.

8. Finally some Sara Douglass (something I wanted to add in my previous pic), LaQuette's breakout hit for me Vanessa Jared's Got a Man and my two big classic horror author collections featuring H.P Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe. Now I think about it, I think Dracula should be moved to this shelf to be with the other classic authors.

9. Xbox360 overflow and my PS4 games. Mostly Fromsoft games.

10. Hickman's floppies, a mixture of Marvel and Image behind a showcase for Elevation. A Hickman one off featuring Wolverine. I don't know if this book has been collected in other editions of his X-men work so I decided to show it off.

11. My Clive Barker shelf, newly updated with Everville, the second book of the Art. I really want the Great and Secret Show (the first book of the Art) but I am going to have to make some adjustments to fit that.

12. Stephen King, Ursula Le. Guin and their writing guides and David Eddings, I have spoken before about how David Eddings (and Dragonlance) helped me fall in love with the fantasy genre and its been a love affair since then.

13. Random DVDs I have bought over the years, nothing really fancy, hence the hidden corner.

14-15. CDs me and my wife have collected over the years. Me and my wife were very big on buying CDs and were one of the last hold out before fully converting to digital. One of our biggest bonds is through music so it make sense CDs played a big role in our lives. The dusty black thing in the corner is also filled with, you guessed it... CDs.

16. Cassandra Clare and her Shadowhunter series which me and my wife felled in love with and are both doing separate reads before the finale series comes out. Also is some new series I am interested in that'll I will eventually get around to reading.

And that is the shelf tour! I hope to do another one maybe at the end of the year just to showcase any changes/ updates. Last time around I use the closing to talk about books I wanted to add and I've actually added some of them which is nice.

AV

LIST: June's Rants and Raves

 No cool meme this time around. I am however contemplating a mid year 'Best of' LIST since it is July.

I'll make a decision come July LISTs.

This month we see a new Golden RAVE owner (other than the obvious) crowned and I am happy to give them their flowers. Without more to say.

21. A Phoenix First Must Burn by Various: 7 - OKAY

       I so badly wanted to like this anthology of stories. It had a lot of elements I like, black culture, mixture of genres and a very cool cover. Unfortunately this book is the definition of a mixed bag it swayed more towards meh then good. Sure, I found some new authors I would like to look into and I was surprised to see R'n'B singer Amerie is also a good writer as well as a singer. Some other stories did hit but as stated above, most of them were misses.

    I feel some of the authors took the subtitle of  'black girl magic, resistance and hope' and had some good ideas but in the end, a lot of the stories became very samey with little variation. In this tale a girl is in love with vampires, now a girl is a mermaid, now a girl wants to be the sun (no lie, that one was cool). I understand embracing the theme but I did wish for some better execution and some surprises. As it stands, it was good enough to read the whole collection but I can't recommend it.

20. Predator Vs Black Panther: 7.5 - OKAY

    After a promising start with Predator vs Wolverine, writer Benjamin Percy is back with another versus. This book takes a great concept (two of the universes biggest hunters of their respective universes colliding) and makes it... boring. Granted I read this book at the beginning of the month but I can not recall anything really memorable happening in this book. Maybe one or two scenes but nothing worth the price of admission. It is disappointing because as I said, Percy did great previously but that book also embraced the concept that Wolverine is also age-less so their war was able to be drawn out. This book embraced a tired, aliens invade Wakanda and BP is able to send them on their way. This story was done so much better, in Jason Aaron's Black Panther 'Secret Invasion' tie-in.

    Also a personal gripe is the artwork really did not work for me at all. The predators looked okay but all the Wakandan scenes looked very basic and deserved better. The artwork is actually what brought this books final score down a full point.

19. Run on Red by Noelle W. Ihli: 8 - Rave

    After killing it with Ask for Andrea (see my April's LIST), I decided to dive back into the dark world of Noelle W. Ihli. However this book didn't resonate as well as Ask for Andrea did for me. It is titled a thriller and it definitely was but weirdly I actually wished that the pace was always so fast and insane ALL the time. 50 chapters of non-stop action was a bit much and I wished this books pacing gave some scenes more time then it got.

    The main characters were like-able enough to be worth cheering for, the plot was good and the execution was there if a bit by the numbers. It also had a surprisingly good ending despite all the insanity to get to that point. I enjoyed this book and I'll keep reading Noelle's work but I did wish this book gave me the same highs Ask for Andrea did.

18.  Spring Fever (Kdrama): 8.5 - Rave

After the intensity of Bloodhounds season one and two, me and wife need a chaser from all that craziness. We found it in the form of Spring Fever. This was a very cute k-drama filled with some funny moments. Ah Bo Hyun and Lee Joo Bin have a warm chemistry that makes them worth cheering for. The secondary couple which in this show was a young couple also had some ups and down and fun to follow. Also the main couple early adoption of a cute dog called Bom-Shik and Bom-Shik becoming a reoccurring character sold me as well. He was so dang cute.

My only gripes was when the drama focused on some boring side characters and what I felt was the main conflict got resolved a bit quicker then I wanted. Also Bom's father being a non-character was a bit disappointing too when he could have been much more and help his 'beloved' daughter. However the show was still worth watching and it had a very good conclusion with a cute happy ending.

17. Water, Mirror, Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America by Jeff Chang: 8.5 - Rave

    Picking up this book I was expecting a nice Bruce Lee biography mixed with some social commentary about being Asian American. What I was not expecting was it was more than just a little. It ended up being 70% Bruce's story, 30%  commentary and as I got deeper and deeper into the book I realized what I really wanted from this book was a Bruce biography and the asides became less exciting to read and lessened my enjoyment of the book. Now I know, the title plainly states it not just a Bruce Lee biography but still I just wished I went in knowing it'll have so many non-sequiturs with loose connections to Mr. Lee. This book was also very large (400 pages plus) and I felt it was a bit bloated because of afore-mentioned constant additions.

The book itself was written well and well researched, I enjoyed the insights and it was filled with a lot of BTS personal pictures (from the BL family archive). I especially enjoyed learning more about Bruce's struggles in Hollywood and his drive to become the first major Asian movie star and how despite the walls put up in front of him, he was able to rise above.

16. Shadow Force: 8.5 - Rave

    

    It is funny, as mentioned in the previous entry, Bom-Shik stole the show for me in Spring Fever and in Shadow Force, it was the son of the main couple. Not saying Omar Sy and Kerry Washington were not draws, they also did a great job. I appreciate the movie allowing Omar to occasionally go back and forth into his natural French language, it made it more realistic.

This movie was fun, action packed (tho some of the fight scenes relied too heavily on editing and weird angles) and filled with the right amount of genre tropes but enough to keep watchers on their toes. It was cool seeing the role reversed with who was looking after the kid versus who was hunting the bad guys. A good popcorn flick worthy of your time if you want a fun spy flick.

15. A Pslam of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A. Brown: 8.5 - Rave

       Concluding Roseanne A. Brown's duology, A Pslam of Storms and Silence was just as compelling as the first book, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin. I still enjoyed the setting, magic systems and the characters. The characters especially are the biggest draw because they are so real and relatable, flaws and all.

    I have a few gripes with this book tho. I did not like the need to add more worldbuilding when this was the last book in the series, adding more characters just to have more bodies didn't seem necessary when I felt it should have just focus on finishing strong and the finish is why Pslam is at 15 and not higher despite my earlier praise. The ending for this book was just okay. Ms. Brown decided to go with a 'the story is not over' and I understand it plays into the theme that is a story that is being re-told and most stories like that seldom have neatly tied up endings but I won't lie, I wanted more. Neverless I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in a African inspired fantasy epic.

14. Mr. Church: 8.5 - Rave

I remember seeing this trailer ages ago and I was always interested in it. This was around the time where Eddie Murphy had semi-retired from the industry and his first comeback film after 4 years away. He also decided to take a serious role and definitely not his normal type of role. This film was good y'all. Eddie kills it as Mr. Church, perfectly playing the role like it was written for him (which surprisingly it was not). His co-lead Britt Robertson also brought her A game and combined with Mckenna Grace, who already shows a lot of promise even at such a young age, made the entire cast have an easy chemistry which was enjoyable to watch.

The story was a bit clique but it had a good heart and I did tear up at one point. I wish we got a bit more understanding about who Mr. Church was but I understand it was part of his mystery. Learning that the film is based on the film writer's real history was also heart-warming and you could tell this film was made with love.

13. The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass by Stephen King: 8.5 - Rave

 Continuing my path towards the Dark Tower (audio books this time) has been an interesting one. I recall reading Wizard & Glass when I was much younger and it is interesting to re-read it again. One of King's more divisive books, this book really resonates with you if you wanted more information on Roland because the main ka-tet (his destined companions) takes a big break during this book.

Me personally, after reading the whole series, to go back now and learn more about Roland felt different this time around. I enjoy getting more insight into what made the gunslinger as harden as he is. I also enjoyed how the original ka-tet truly became a real unit this book and really getting 'The Stand' references this time around was a treat as well.

12. Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer: 8.5 - Rave

 After a first book that caught me interest and a second one that really pulled me in, the third book in the Assistant series was more of what I liked. It still has the quirky humor, the characters as well as the unique setting. I have also enjoyed that over time, more POVs have been added and the story is getting much more intriguing.

However, I won't lie, this book was good but I lost my interest a couple times and only really picked up for me near the end and that's when I was all-in again. This book suffers a bit from the sagging middle book syndrome for me and it felt long just to be long. I still enjoyed it and I am very invested how the story concludes.

11. Predator Versus Spider-man: 8.5 - Rave

Compared to Predator vs BP this was a much better showing. A much more clearer conflict, feeling like it was pulled straight out of a Predator movie, shady government types included. There was one additional character, a police officer who's story never really went anywhere but on the other hand, I appreciate the inclusion of Kraven and his arc. The action was also pretty nuts and I surprised how much blood and gore Marvel/ Fox was able to get away with.

The art was hit and miss for me, some good scenes, the violence was suitable over the top and the predators look much better again compared to Predator vs BP. However some of the main character models, Peter and MJ for example left a bit to be desired. On an end note I am now actually looking forward to finishing out this quartet of Predator versus series by Benjamin Percy which I can say I was not after Predator Vs BP.

10. Run Away (Netflix): 9 - RAVE

After loving the book by Harlan, (see my January's LIST for my review) me and wife was very excited to see the TV adaption of Run Away. This film had all the hallmarks of a Harlan show but somehow it still pushed the enveloped much better than some of the recent adaptations we have seen. The source material helps but the actors were also on point, especially James Nesbitt  who showed a father's desperation and rage with such nuance you had to feel for him.

My only real gripe with this show was the need to add extra elements originally not in the book (Elena's side story which painted her in a much less sympatric light and was added for no real reason because the book already had enough twists and turns). However the show was still able to handle the deep subject matter and that twist was still amazing even though we knew it was coming.

9. Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning: 9 - RAVE

Wow. Now I have been a fan of the MI movies for awhile and every since the 4th one me and my

wife have watched them pretty faithfully if we have the chance to watch them. However I do not recall a MI movie being as action packed, plot driven but with as much heart as this one.

This film was long but I did not want the ride to end. The train sequence alone is worth the price of admission. Maybe it was because they were writing with an endgame in mind but they pulled out all the spots for this one and I loved it. I am actually looking forward to how they will wrap this up and hopefully they don't drop the ball.

8. The Uncanny X-Men/ Marvel Masterworks Vol. 1: 9 - RAVE

As a big fan of the X-Men, I can honestly say I have never explored the classics. Now when I say the

classics I mean the Claremont/ Cockrum era, one of the most influential X-Men eras ever. Like I know the stories but I have never read them. Thanks to the Masterworks series. I have now experience them first hand and man, it truly was a different time but what a time. Seeing the next generation of X-Men, the ones I grew up loving getting their sea legs and coming together as a team is a sight to see. Claremont really understands these characters as he has proven over many years.

Speaking of characters, Cockrum's costumes established in this era were also amazing and their is good reason why they have stuck around for so long (Nightcrawler for example has not changed much from his initial design because it is that dang good). The art is also clean and storytelling was perfect. Seeing this art compared to some of the artwork I previously bemoaned in the Predator Versus series is a breath of fresh air. I have the second volume of this era ready to go and I won't lie, I am excited to read it.

7. XO Kitty Season 1: 9 - RAVE

A surprise for sure is how high XO Kitty places on this LIST. After hearing about this show for ages we 

decided to give it a try. A classic story, girl falls in love, travels to be with him and all the chaos that ensues however it is not formulaic at all and XO Kitty nails the Western influence but Korean setting that so many shows are trying to obtain (and normally not doing as well).

XO Kitty feels like a kdrama but at the same time, it is its own thing and I like that about it. The cast is like-able, the story and the twists and turns it took was interesting and it had the right amount of sweet without it being too much. The soundtrack is amazing, especially as Kpop fans with lots of popular artist contributing to it. Sure, the show did the original main couple Kitty and Dae dirty and Kitty doesn't did as many entanglements as they put on her in this ONE season but it was still an enjoyable show which we will keep watching.

6. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros: 9 - RAVE

    This book was amazing and Rebecca continues to grow as one of my favorite romance authors but man can the woman write heartache. In fear of spoiling it I won't say much but when I say this book will pull and tear out your heart I am not lying.

    I pre-write some of my thoughts before putting them on this LIST and no lie, The Last Letter's pre-write has been blank up until now because I still can not process the insanity Ms. Yarros put us readers through. Just be prepared to cry, yell but also at the same time, feel the healing power of love. That is all I am going to say.

5. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson: 9 - RAVE

    Okay, the endless armies of Sanderson's fan were right. This book is amazing and worth the hype. Everything about this book hit for me, understandable detailed magic systems? Yep. A dark but also very lively setting. Got it. Amazing, deep characters who make you cheer for their wins. Yessir. I really enjoyed this book and what added to the enjoyment is how this book can be read as a standalone and you'll still get a completed story which is a rare feat in fantasy.

    Needless to say, I am all in for Cosmere universe now and I will definitely keep exploring his worlds. I am legit excited to what other stories are in it.

4. Darkglass Mountain # 3: The Infinity Gate by Sara Douglass: 9.5 - RAVE

I love Sara but man I wished she stuck the landing better with this one. I am happy we got a conclusion but this stings because of the lost potential. Our main characters finally get their Happy Ever After and we got to see an epic showdown and a lot of threads finally paid off. However it is sad that we are introduced to a lot of characters who are important for a while and then just become background characters, Salome and Zeobrath come to mind. Also SPOILERS: What was the point behind Hereward and her eventual death? Also after hating the big bad's sidekick Elannon and all the evil he has done, we don't get a scene where his nemesis Axis gets his revenge? I wanted much more pay-offs and I went away a bit disappointed. END SPOILERS

However, I did enjoy this book immensely and I consumed it in record time and loved being back in the world of Tencendor. It is sad but I am stuck with a 'what if'. I think Sara wrote the ending this way to create future trilogies/ stories but she never got the chance which is a real shame.

3. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab: 9.5 - RAVE

    

    As I mentioned above, I sometimes pre-write my thoughts for these LISTs so I am not overwhelmed when it comes to writing it all up, I also want to make sure I do not forget any great moments as well. I, however have not been able to perfectly verbalize how much I enjoyed this book until now and I can recall so many moments without needing to write it down, it was that memorable. Knowing its booktok history and its importance to V.E, I went in with high expectations and if anything this book was able to exceed them in the best way.

    This book is not just a book, it is an experience. V.E takes an amazing concept and delivers with thrills, chills and complex nuance. The main characters feel like real people, with real problems and how V.E effortlessly destroys our emotions and rebuild us needs to be studied. Her prose is poetic and at the same time hypnotic and that ending? That ending is so satisfying. I had no idea how she would write herself out of the hole she put us in but the way she did it? Chef kiss. This book is highly recommend even if you don't like fantastical realism books. I love her Shades of Magic series but so far, this is V.E best book for me.

2. Darkglass Mountain # 1: The Serpent Bride by Sara Douglass: 9.5 - RAVE

I was so ready to start this trilogy and I am so happy I did. After doing my homework and reading the

prequels previously (Threshold and Beyond the Hanging Wall respectively) I was ready to dive back into Sara's Wayfarer Redemption setting (one of my favorite fantasy settings growing up) again. For her to effortlessly combine all her universes and even introduce new pieces to the tapestry was amazing. I was always a bit bummed that both Threshold and Beyond... just 'ended' and it was nice to see the direct continuation of their stories.

When I say this book had me hooked, it had me hooked. I consumed this massive book within days and this trilogy is the only trilogy where I wanted to read the whole story within one month (hence all the reviews in this LIST). Outside of Ken Liu's Dandelion Dynasty I have never wanted to be consumed by a book as much as this one and to believe, she even upped the ante even more with its sequel. This book is a masterclass in the fantasy I love.

1. Darkglass Mountain # 2: The Twisted Citadel by Sara Douglass: 10 - RAVE

    Man am I happy I can finally give this honor to one of my favorite authors and my favorite Australian

author of all time. The Twisted Citadel was a rollercoaster ride and I love every moment of it. I consumed this big book (500 + words) within days and I regret nothing. Everything I enjoyed about The Serpent Bride is enhanced in this book. The battles are more epic, the betrayals more heart-rendering, the victories more sweeter because we know the characters and their motivations now. This book's description of the raising of Elcho Falling castle still exists in my mind as one of the best 'Wow' moments I have read in recent memory and our main characters Isabel's revenge against the people who betrayed her husband and the aftermath? Those scenes was amazing and lives rent-free in my mind.

I always knew when I started re-reading Sara that she would get a moment like this. I felt a bit of it in Threshold and Beyond the Hanging Wall had potential but this... this was epic in all the right ways. So many fantasy epics experience the sagging middle syndrome but not Darkglass Mountain. This book effortlessly has risen to the same level I viewed Wall of Storms by Ken Liu in how an author takes something amazing and just takes up even more notches.

In a month where the 9's started in the Top 10. Where Brandon Sanderson planted his claim as a new fave, Rebecca broke my heart and V.E delivers what might be her best book yet, to claim the number one spot is a lofty height but Ms. Sara Douglass, the queen of Australian fantasy, deserves it. Cheers to you.

    What a month eh? So next up we have July and a possible middle of the year round up? I guess we shall see. Till then.

AV

LIST: May's Rants & Raves

 Ladies and Gentleman, as N*Sync loves to tell us

and here is May's Rants & Raves Reviews! This month started out slow and was still slow until near the end of the month where it blew up. We have some new friends, some old buddies and some disappoints and some triumphs. So, a normal LIST right? Let's get started.

20. Boys with Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell: 7 - OKAY

    Starting with the month's biggest disappointment. I will not lie, I got suckered by the cover, the synopsis and the fact that an Asian male was a main character. The author also had a very cute and kooky bio which made me laugh. However after an initial promising chapters the book became very convoluted, predictable, a bit pretentious and worst... boring.

    Sure this is a debut novel so some jank might exist but this book took some weird narrative twists and turns which really confused me and I consider myself a very competent reader (humble brag: on average I read 7 books a month) but the sad thing is when I was confused, the story was not compelling enough to make me re-read to understand it. It mostly has a 7 because I original enjoyed it enough to finish it and see how it ended but the last couple chapters were a struggle and the ending really did not do it for me either. The main characters were predictable with no personality as well. Easily my biggest disappointment for this month after such a promising start.

19. The Language of the Night by Ursula K. Le Guin: 8 - Rave

    A insightful selection of essays by one of the queens of fantasy, Le Guin. While the introductions she wrote for the books discussed in this collection did not resonate with me because I have no read those books, everything else was very well written and though provoking. It was a nice insight into all the struggles she went through as a female author in what was once a male dominated genre filled with tropes and sexism.

    Ursula writing advice through is second to none (and one of the reasons why her writing craft book 'Sailing the Seas...' previously got a 9 on this very LIST) and inspires me to keep at my own writing. One of the quotes from this book has stuck with me so much I made it a one of my quotes on Goodreads. Even through this book is at the back of the LIST, I liked this sooo much more than Boys with Sharp Teeth by a large margin.

18. Grey's Anatomy Season 22: 8 - Rave

    How does one go about reviewing a show that has been around for 22 seasons when regular readers of this blog know I am mostly a one and done season type of guy? It is really sad that the writers of this show can only write truly heart provoking moments when cast members are leaving. This season we finally say goodbye to main cast members characters' Teddy and Owen, both whom have stayed long past their welcome and have dragged us through endless drama. I am happy they gave them an optimistic ending because honestly if they gave us a throw-away or tragic ending it would been a spit in the face of the people who watched this show.

    Grey's really shows its age, even in a decent season like this one. The endless parade of new characters introduced just to be a love interest for a arc thing is getting old, the endless saga of will they/ won't they relationships is also played out too. I am happy some relationships are handled with more care  and given time to really flourish (Jules/Winston comes to mine) but those are few and far between. Grey's has long moved past being a TV show and Must Watch TV and become a soap opera with better cameras and better actors and that's a shame. I still like most of the current cast and the new class (Kwan/ Millin/ Griffith/ Adams) did breath some much needed life into the series so I guess I'll keep watching.

17. Ultimates Vol. 3 Rescue Mission: 8 - Rave

    

    Let me take a side-bar and discuss something I have noticed about myself. I not a big fan of episodes of the week, I intend prefer long arcs and big pay-offs. It is why growing up I found myself enjoying Star Trek: Voyager but compared to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and its rich storytelling, there was no comparison. So on that note, I find myself realizing why I like the Ultimates by Deniz Camp but not connecting with it as much as I want too.

    Deniz seems to favor stand-alone stories which introduce big things but right now there is no pay off for me. We are introduced to interesting characters but nothing comes out of it even after a couple issues. Also because all the stories are so loosely connected, after reading one of these volumes I start to forget what happened in them because there is no clear arc (at this time). This was the feeling I had when I read Vol. 2 previously but this month I can actually clarify what I was feeling. I like Camp's writing, I like the art, I like his take on the characters (Ultimate Hawkeye for an example is an instant like) but I just missing something. Hopefully with the Ultimate universe coming to an end, Camp brings all his threads together and we get a great pay off but as it stands, this is feeling much more Voyager and not DS9 for me and why it is at the back of this LIST.

16. Shanghai Calling: 8 - Rave

    

    A fun, no fuss rom-com with Daniel Henney playing a jerk but eventually finds his soul and love. This movie played the fish out of water trope well and Daniel is just has charisma... even as a jerk. Sure the love connection with Eliza came out of nowhere but eventually I was on board once they gave themselves a chance.

    The film also had a clear beginning, middle and end which I appreciated and it was nice seeing Daniel's change of heart in real time, the side cast were also more than just window dressing and got their own stories as well. Overall a cute flick and it is always nice to see Mr. Henney get some attention.

15. Nemesis Forever: 8 - Rave

    Mark Millar's characters and world seems to have great starts but eventually they long stay past their welcome (at least for me). Thankfully, Nemesis Forever doesn't stick too close to the formula and we actually get a definitive conclusion (for now) with a unique twist. Nemesis is such love to hate him type of guy and the stuff he gets away with is amazing in the worst way. While this wasn't a blockbuster like his original outing for me, it is much better than its sequel. I hope Millar lets Nemesis rest for awhile before he does what he does best and keeps milking it till I'm not interested anymore.

    Also the art... I was not a fan. At first I really didn't like it but I eventually got used to it but it never stuck out to me like the previous artists who worked with Millar on this character. I think it was a combination of the scratchy art style and the color choices that gave this series a almost water color look which I do not associate with Nemesis at all.

14. Shades of Magic: Steel Prince (Full series): 8.5 - Rave

    It is awesome that V.E Schwab took a throw-away line in a Conjuring of Light and turned it into a full on exploration of the character, in this case, Maxim the father of two of the main characters in the Shades of Magic series. Just as awesome is that V.E actually wrote these books as opposed to getting someone to write with her name attached to it which most authors do. I enjoyed exploring Maxim's back story, learning more about him and the person would become his main bodyguard as well as the three different artists interpretations of the Shades of Magic magic systems.

    Some of the art could have been cleaner (book two is especially very messy for me) but at the same time it is cool to see the world that I really grew to love come to life. A fun side quest to explore if you want more from Shades... universe.

13. Battle Beast Vol. 1: 8.5 - Rave

   

    This series is just pure undulated fun. For Kirkman and Ottley to revisit Battle Beast and really flesh him out was an unexpected treat especially with Invincible currently doing great due to the animated series. Speaking of, getting Michael Dorn aka Worf of Star Trek: The Next Generation voice him was genius and one of the best casting in a animated series with an already stellar voice cast. I won't lie, every dialogue I read of Battle Beast in this book I read it with Dorn's voice in my head.

    The art is stellar and appropriately grisly in all the right ways, Invincible has never balk at violence and BB keeps the flag raised high. I love the story of Beast finding his own make-shift crew and making it work (despite one trying to constantly kill him and failing miserably). Also the tease that this is just the beginning and who is coming in the next volume makes me look forward to it even more. As stated earlier, it is fun and I am here for it.

12. Dragonlance Destines # 1: Dragons of Deceit by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman: 8.5 - Rave

 

    Does this title get an extra. 5 because of nostalgia? Maybeee. However it needs to be known that growing up the original Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends trilogies were my Lord of the Rings. Along with David Eddings, it helped me seriously get into fantasy and I've never left. So when I heard the original writers were coming back to write a new trilogy and it was going to be a mixture of new and old characters? I knew I had to check it out and I am happy I did.

    Just like certain foods can bring you comfort, this series does that for me. I love the original cast, to this day I still think about Rasitlin, Tanis, Sturm, Tas and others. Now to add new characters who are just as unique, likeable but just as flawed into the mix and add a time travel element to it? Yep. I knew I was in. My only real gripe is that this series suffers from over-stating the main characters motivation non stop which is a trend in writing I am not a fan of (in also happened way too much in Boys with Sharp Teeth) but other than that I really enjoyed my new-old trip down memory lane and will definitely continue with this new trilogy.

11. The Dark Artifices # 1: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare: 8.5 - Rave

    Due to another book, which will be become clearer as we continue this LIST, I am deep inside the Shadowhunter universe again. For awhile, me and my wife were big fans of the Shadowhunter universe but we just stopped. We don't even really know why. However we have both found our spark for it again (just in time it seems as Cassandra prepares to write the last trilogy in this universe) and I am invested again. Speaking on Lady Midnight, I really liked it. I enjoyed meeting a new cast of characters, good and bad but also catch up with some previous favorites. The storyline was compelling enough and the action came fast and furious like we are used too.

    My biggest gripe with this story though was the chemistry between its main leads, Emma and Julian. Both are in love with each other but can not be with each other and I felt I would feel the angst more if they weren't written to be automatically be in love with each other. Personally because we never really saw the journey of them falling into love, its harder for me to cheer for people whom were are told are destined to be with each other. I know, Cassandra is trying something different than what she did previously but their scenes were my least favorite in this book. The sprawling extended cast also seem a bit un-necessary but maybe they'll come into their own in the subsequent books. Speaking of; I am invested so I'll continue but I hope Jules and Emma relationship truly becomes something I can organically root for.

10. All that We Seem or See by Ken Liu: 8.5 - Rave

    What is this you say? A mainline Ken Liu book only scrapping into the Top 10? A Ken Liu book getting lower than a 9? Sadly All that We... is a good book but I just expected better from Ken. I know he publicly said he does not know if he has another epic fantasy like The Dandelion Dynasty in him and that he wants enjoys the 'lower' stakes of what seems to be the beginning of a group of novels staring his protagonist Julia Z.

    Unlike some critics of this book, I actually liked the story. I enjoyed the near future setting, the plot (Julia trying to help a client find a dream weaver who has gone missing) and where it ends. This book kind of gave me a mixture of the TV show Fringe via Harlen Coben-esque mystery, which is surefire hit for me at least. The technology is fascinating, especially Julia's fancy morphing drone and the concept of dream weaving. Julia definitely smacks of 'not like those girls' trope but she is likable and flawed enough to be someone worth cheering for.

    So why only 8.5? Well, that is a couple things that keeps this book from rising higher. First and the weirdest one for me is Ken's lack of explaining things. For a person who is known for his detailed explanations (to the point it scares some readers away), Ken is relatively tame for this book to the point where he is dropping terms we have never heard of with no explanation at all and no glossary in sight. It caused a slight disconnect for me and took time to get used to. My other gripe is pacing, this book felt a bit padded for what is a simple tale. Some scenes could have been cut and the book would not suffer. Also Ken is also known for complex, multi-facetted villains and the bad guys in this book where pretty generic to say the least which is surprising as well. Overall though, I enjoyed the science and the fiction of this book and look forward to more of Julia Z's exploits.

9. The Liveship Traders # 2: Mad Ship by Robin Hobb: 8.5 - Rave

    Okay... Wow! From going from 'I don't know if this series is for me' and 'I guess I like it' in Ship of Magic, book two in The Liveship Traders has sold me to the point where I am actually enjoying myself. It is something about these second books which sell the series to me, it happened with the Assistant to the Villain series last month, now Mad Ship has made me a bonafide enjoyer. This book flew for me as I consume multiple chapters and this is a chunky book (800+ pages) so you know I am liking it that I went through it as fast as I did. Hobb still suffers from pacing issues but it was nowhere near as apparent for me as it was in the first book.

    Hobb's characterization however continues to be un-matched and she surprised me with the twists and turns she takes her characters on. I mean, she took a near unlikable character and made me worry and care for her. She is that good. Also when the weird serpent side story started to make sense, I was blown away in the best way. I won't lie, I am now looking forward to finishing this trilogy and I hope Ship of Destiny is a banger just like this one.

8. Nobody Wants This Season 2: 8.5 - Rave

    A cute, fun and surprisingly sometimes deep series with two likable leads continues to be one of me and my wife's favorite shows. While this season did not do much for the main couple moving the needle-wise ( SPOILERS: they pretty much do the exact thing in this finale that they did in the previous finale which was disappointing and one of the reason this show is rated down a bit) the writers at least took some chances with the side characters and gave them much deeper, stronger storylines and made them better because of it. Sasha, Morgan and Esther all feel like real people this season and not just 'siblings' and friends.

    Do I wish we had more forward movement for the main couple? Yes but I trust the writers have a plan. Also the scene where Sasha and Morgan pretend to be fake British to scam the phone guy was hilarious and one of the best scenes of both seasons.

7. Reborn: 9 - RAVE

    Mark Millar's writing and ideas can be a bit of a hit or miss for me lately. For every Magic Order or Big Game hits we have duds like Night Club and Prodigy. Reborn falls in the hit. Taking a very unique concept of where we go when we die, the story really goes there. Our lead after her death awakes in a world where aliens, monsters, dragons and more exist in a massive mish-mash and she is the chosen one. She is aided by people she loved who have long passed on but can now re-join her in this over the top fantasy world. Surprisingly, it works and it works well. This is a popcorn flick with a bit of heart but in comic form. You just turn off your brain and let it take you for a ride.

    Also this book is no slouch when it comes to the art with Greg Capullo pulling no punches and you can tell he relishes drawing a world with almost endless possibilities. You want to draw a dragon with a lion head? Go for it! Your favorite pet, now grown up so you can ride him? Sure. Nothing seems off limits in Reborn and its stronger because of it. I really enjoyed this read and I hope that the subsequent books (cause Millar loves milking his products) keep up the quality because this is a hell of a opening salvo for this universe.

6. Bloodhounds Season 2: 9 - RAVE

    Bloodhounds is back and bloody as ever. This show pulls no punches, pun intended. This season we are also given a evil, un-hinged but also charismatic villain played to perfection by K-pop star Rain. Bi (Rain) is pretty much known for his good guys roles so it is nice he is able to cut loose and I know he relished being a bad guy for once and you can tell he gives it his all. However the heart of Bloodhounds will always be Woo DoHwan and Lee SangYi as our leads. This season giving SangYi's character WooJin some of most dramatic moments and heart rending scenes. Previously, DoHwan hard carry the emotion but this season sure SangYi step up and step up he did. Also the action as always is top notch with some truly brutal scenes.

    My only gripes with this season was for a show that is not afraid to go there most of the time, it got kind of timid this season. SPOILERS while a lot of the side cast was killed the main cast members have some serious plot armor where the writers don't want to kill them off for fear of losing their character especially in instances they could have clearly been written out. END SPOILERS.

    This might be because this season feels like a continuation instead of beginning and end like Season one did. This season seems more interested in keeping the story going even introducing new bad guys and while I don't mind more stories in this universe I hope they don't end up milking it too much. I also hope they avoid some of the tropes like constantly endangering their mother, folks getting beaten but not getting arrested, folks surviving the most ridiculous scenarios just because and making the story more compelling which this season lacked as well. However it still gets a 9 from me and I really enjoyed watching it.

5. The Surge 2: 9 - RAVE

 

    As regular readers of this blog know, I love me some Souls games, specifically Dark Souls, Elden Ring and Sekiro. Because of the popularity of this sub-genre, many game makers have made many Souls-likes over the years. Well today because I beat it again for maybe the fourth time? I get to review one of my favorites. The Surge 2 by Deck 13.

    This game was recently on sale and even though I have 100% it previously on my PS4, I decided I need to play it again on my Steam Deck instead and what a fun replay it has been. I love everything about this game. I like its hi-tech, cyber-punk setting which is a massive departure from most Souls-like settings, I like the character weapon choices and the combos you can pull off with them. I like the story, even though its is nothing spectacular, it still keeps you going and motivated. However most of all I love two systems which is exclusive to The Surge 2. The armor crafting and parry system. The armor crafting is the Surge's call to fame, you see an armor piece you like? Aim specifically for that part and chop it off them. Chop enough and you can build a full set of the armor and then you are really in business. It helps too that when you do the chopping, the game slow down just enough so you can see the bloody business in action. Its pretty addictive. Another addictive system which is also new to The Surge 2 is its unique directional parry system. As a person who loves parry mechanics in his games, the fact this game changes it up and makes it intuitive as well as rewarding is heaven for me. I can play a whole game and do nothing but parry and my life is complete.

    Now while I enjoy all this, this game is not perfect and hence a mark down from 10. On my Deck I am experiencing a bit of slow-down which always dampens the fun and it weird because this game isn't that intense to run or new. I am not a fan of fast travel being such a late addition it is barely needed and that when you start a new game, you lose all your movement items and have to re-earn them. I dream there is a version of new game plus where you keep all your movement items and have true freedom from the jump but alas it is not meant to be. However these are all minor gripes to one of the most addictive games I have ever played. As previously stated, I 100% this game on PS4 and I am aiming to do the same again on Deck. Every time I beat this game I want to restart it and go again, its that much fun and easily one of my favorite pieces of content this month.

4. Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare and Various: 9 - RAVE

    As previously mentioned in my Lady Midnight review, this month I got back into The Shadowhunters series seriously. While I enjoyed The Mortal Instruments Cassandra's first foray into this universe, the SH series nearest and closest to me and my wife's heart is The Infernal Devices. This series, staring Will, Tessa and the main star of this book, Jem, left such a mark on us that we might as well called them Runes of Remembrance.

    Well when I heard that Jem was getting his own short story collection involving him through the years, I knew I would be done and I am happy I dived back in when I did. This series re-ignited my interest in this world and just me talking about got my wife back into the world as well ironically. This book just hit at the right time, seeing Jem, one of my favorite literary creations move through time and touch various peoples lives was really cool, especially when he interacted with people I have met before.

    I am only marking it down because while some stories were great, some didn't hit mainly due to me not knowing the characters (which I know is my bad). Some stories also felt a bit slow paced as well but when the good stuff happened, it was worth it. On one hand it sucks that this book is placed so far back in the SH timeline that I should have read it much later to really get the full experience but on the other hand, it is this specific book that got me back into the universe. Strange right.

3. Bedding the Enemy by LaQuette: 9 - RAVE

    LaQuette continues to impress, after last month's Golden Rave for Vanessa Jared's Got a Man to this month's top 3 placement, I think I am a fan of her work. LaQuette's take on the Mafia romance genre (which seems to be all the rage thanks to my recommendations after reading this) is done with a different take when she made our female lead Black and our male lead Asian. Her characterization is strong, the action is on point and the spicy is hot. The story was a bit generic and we can see the twist coming a mile away but the main thing is, it worked and I liked it.

    Also LaQuette's opening about making sure her Asian male fans were seen really spoke to me (and definitely did not influence this score nooo...) and it was cool that an Asian male lead can be the mover and shaker of one of these stories. This is the Romeo Must Die we should have got back in the day if the studios and public weren't so afraid to pull the trigger on a inter-racial romance.

2. A Conjuring of Light by V.E Schwab: 9 - RAVE

    As a reader whose rating can change based on an ending, it really makes me happy to say with A Conjuring of Light, V.E Schwab sticks the landing for the Shades of Magic series. Everything fell into place and when I closed this book I had a big smile on my face. After falling in love with the first two books in this trilogy, this book continued to go from strength to strength. I love how every character gets their moment in this book, even the ones you least expect. I love how epic the showdown was, the magic systems, the side quests which grow to be just as important to the main story and everything else. I like how this series which I had zero expectations when I first picked it up grew to become one of my most loved trilogies in recent memory. It is that good.

    With this book, V.E has secured her spot as a must-read author for me and I have been reading everything she has put out about writing, following all her socials and even bought more of her books. This series has turned me from a casual observer to a real fan but despite all this praise it is not my # 1 piece of content for this month. No, that title belongs too...

1. House of X/ Powers of Ten (whole series): 10 - RAVE

    Regular readers of this blog know that Jonathan Hickman is no stranger to the top spot of my LISTs. However this month he secured it in the best way possible. House of X/ Powers of 10 is such a blockbuster of a series that I am lost for words when I try to describe it.

    After being back-seated by Disney/ Marvel due to Fox's ownership of the IP, the X-Men comic series has suffered for years. No longer relevant and no longer selling like it used to Disney sat until the IP was back where it belonged. To truly bring it back to the forefront, Marvel asked Jonathan Hickman, the architect of so many recent big moments in Marvel to come in and usher in a new era. The era of Krakoa and for awhile, all bets were off and what a ride it was. But he was not alone, Marvel paired Hickman with two of the most talented, up and coming artists Pepe Larraz and R.B Silva and he made household names out of them too and deservedly so. This series is beautiful to look out with splash pages filled with action, color and having the impact of a blockbuster film.

    Hickman understanding of all the characters and what makes them tick is second to his ability to put them in some of the most craziest stakes and upped the ante even more. Yes, we knew he'll write a great Magneto and Xavier but his Moira? The final piece of the puzzle fit so perfectly and she became a character that no-one will ignore ever again. During my re-read of this series, I loved following each thread and even in hindsight the second time around, I enjoyed every facet of this story. All the timelines have their 'oh my' moments. This Hickman and his peak and it is a shame that the story he wanted to tell was truncated by Marvel because where we could have gone from here? No-one knows.

    This is the easiest 10 I have ever given.   

    

Well that is May. I hope you enjoyed reading this LIST and look forward to next month's one.

Until then.

AV