Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn

Title: Heroine Complex
Author: Sarah Kuhn
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Heroine Complex # 1

Trade Paperback, 378 pages
Publication: July 5, 2016 by Daw

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Being a superheroine is hard. Working for one is even harder.

Evie Tanaka is the put-upon personal assistant to Aveda Jupiter, her childhood best friend and San Francisco's most beloved superheroine. She's great at her job—blending into the background, handling her boss's epic diva tantrums, and getting demon blood out of leather pants.

Unfortunately, she's not nearly as together when it comes to running her own life, standing up for herself, or raising her tempestuous teenage sister, Bea.

But everything changes when Evie's forced to pose as her glamorous boss for one night, and her darkest comes out: she has powers, too. Now it's up to her to contend with murderous cupcakes, nosy gossip bloggers, and supernatural karaoke battles—all while juggling unexpected romance and Aveda's increasingly outrageous demands. And when a larger threat emerges, Evie must finally take charge and become a superheroine in her own right... or see her city fall to a full-on demonic invasion.

I’m always looking for a good superhero novel, something on par with all the movies saturating the market these days. Heroine Complex’s synopsis sounded promising with two female leads, a quirky plot and a whole bunch of humor. I’m always down for a humorous Urban Fantasy, if done right. Heroine Complex had some good moments, but it was out weighed by the under developed world building and characters. I like some things but for the most part it fell short and didn’t meet my expectation.

What Heroine Complex did well was showcase women friendship between Evie and Aveda. There were up and downs, bumps but what friendship doesn’t have that? At least when Aveda wasn’t treating Evie like a personal servant. Readers did get to see how their friendship began in grade school to where they are now. Aveda protected Evie from elementary bullies when they were young and now Evie protects Aveda from the harsh realities of being a superhero and the fame that goes along with it. My only issue with this is that Evie felt indebted to Aveda now. She spends basically her entire life catering to Aveda’s life because of her kindness as kids. I think it was a bit too much and thought Aveda definitely abused the friendship and took it for granted. I thought it could’ve been executed better.

The world building was pretty simple and straightforward, after a specific event (which I don’t think was explained) certain people obtained powers. That’s it. I wished Kuhn developed the world more.  get that it’s Urban Fantasy but I’ve read plenty of Urban Fantasy that were more complex than this; Nor did Kuhn delved into the characters’ powers and they were all very basic power…fire, levitation…nothing new or spectacular.

At first I thought Evie was kind of funny but as the story went on, her “quirky” traits and personality just got tiresome and ridiculous. If I remember correctly, she’s in her mid 20’s but she acted like a pubescent teen. It also didn’t help that she played guardianship to her teenage younger sister, which she did a poor job of doing. One of these said trait is that her diet only consisted of lucky charms…that’s just really unhealthy and not remotely funny or cute. She also whines a lot. Just her character overall wasn’t very likeable. If Evie was a real person, I don’t think I’d want to be friends with her. Then there’s Aveda, the ever shallow superhero. All Aveda cared about was herself and treated everyone around her like shit…which made her also unlikeable. Then we had the side characters; Scott, Nate, Bea and Lucy. And as you can guess, they too were unlikeable. Scott was just there in the background. I didn’t think he lend anything to the story. Nate was Evie’s love interest that came out of the blue with a personality of a cardboard box. Nuff said. There’s a secret that Nate is hiding but said secret was random as heck and silly in my opinion. Bea is Evie’s sister.I didn’t like her either…she was reckless and annoying like her older sister. And Lucy was there I guess as comic relief but like Scott, she blended into the background as well. Never have I read a book where I dislike all of the character. I didn’t like a single person! But then again there’s a first for everything.

Heroine Complex was a big disappointment. I managed to finished the book, although how I got through it…I don’t even know. As I mentioned before, the world building and characters were under developed, the plot had no substance but add in writing/dialogue that’s trying too hard to be funny made for a really underwhelming novel.The only good thing that Heroine Complex had going for it is the amazing artwork. It was what first caught my eyes. It’s beautiful and certainly grabs your attention. I haven’t found a decent superhero novel yet but I am determined to find one! Bottom Line, skip this one…not worth the time or money. 

The Song of the Orphans by Daniel Price

Title: The Song of the Orphans
Author: Daniel Price
Genre: Sci-Fi
Series: The Silvers #2

Hardcover, 748 Pages
Publication: July 4, 2017 by Blue Rider Press

Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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After their world collapsed in a sheet of white light, everything and everyone were gone—except for Hannah and Amanda Given. Saved from destruction by three fearsome and powerful beings, the Given sisters found themselves on a strange new Earth where restaurants move through the air like flying saucers and the fabric of time is manipulated by common household appliances. There, they were joined by four other survivors: a sarcastic cartoonist, a shy teenage girl, a brilliant young Australian, and a troubled ex-prodigy. Hunted by enemies they never knew they had, and afflicted with temporal abilities they never wanted, the sisters and their companions began a cross-country journey to find the one man who could save them.

Now, only months after being pursued across the country by government forces and the Gothams—a renegade group with similar powers—the Silvers discover that their purpose on this unfamiliar earth may be to prevent its complete annihilation. With continually shifting alliances and the future in jeopardy, the Silvers realize that their only hope for survival is to locate the other refugees—whether they can be trusted or not.

The Song of the Orphans is the second installment in The Silvers Trilogy following an eclectic group from an alternate earth with super powers. The one thing they all have in common is that they’re destined to save this new earth and the only way to do so is to unite with one another, Silver with Gold, and enemies that become unlikely allies.

This was one hefty book with over 700 pages! However, don’t feel put-off or discouraged by its enormous size because once you start it; you’ll finish the book before you even know it. I haven’t had the chance to read the first book, The Flight of the Silvers, so I was a little bit confused in the beginning. I don’t recommend going into The Song of the Orphans without reading the first book. The world building and characters are very complex and I certainly felt like I was missing a lot of their back story and development. However, Price did do a great job at summarizing some of the events and the characters’ background. Once I got through the first 4-5 chapters I was fully engrossed into the story and characters and had a pretty good idea of how the world worked and of the terminology used.

I really enjoyed The Song of the Orphans, so much so, that I plan on going back and read the first book in the series when I get the chance. The Song of the Orphans is the epitome of a perfect Superheroes versus Villains novel but with so much more substance. Again with The Song of the Orphans clocking out at approximately 750 pages, Price’s storytelling flowed flawlessly ensuring readers never a dull moment and characters you automatically connect with where you can’t help but care to see what happens to them next. I highly recommend everyone to check this series out if you haven’t already. It’s definitely the best Sci-fi novel I’ve read in years!

Portrait of Rage by Cynthia H. Wise

Title: Portrait of Rage
Author: Cynthia H. Wise
Genre: Fiction, Paranormal
Series: The Marcel Experience #1

Paperback, 426 pages
Publication: October 31, 2015 by BookLogix  

Source: I received a review copy from the author in exchange for a honest review.

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Soon after Thomas Shear buys a house for his art gallery, the spirits of a killer’s child victims haunt his dreams. Believing they were conjured by stress and a vivid imagination, Tom hopes to vanquish the nightmares that leave him shaking and sweat-soaked by creating a series of life-sized portraits portraying;the suffering of each little girl.

When news of his portrait series spreads, however, Tom is confronted by the lead investigator for the missing children, Detective Mark Winward. Realizing he has become involved in something more sinister than he could ever have imagined and the detective’s number one suspect, Tom races to find the real killer before he is framed and someone Tom loves becomes the killer’s next victim.

Portrait of Rage was a big, big surprise. I knew it was going to be good but it went beyond my expectations. I was captivated within the first few pages and it had me hooked till the very end. The story is centered on an artist and a murder investigation. Thomas Sharp, our main character, recently purchased a perfect house to showcase his art, but what he didn’t except was it to be haunted...by little girls all under the age of sixteen. The girls’ terrorizes his dreams and his waking hours, urging him to find their murderer and it is through his art that readers follow along Thomas as he discovers what happened to the nine little girls and the identity of the killer.

Wise’s Portrait of Rage is impressive. The writing was natural and the story flowed seamlessly. The plot /structure was perfect and the pacing great. I can tell the author took time and consideration in everything she did, from how the story was setup to the words written on the pages. Everything from the setting, characters, and paranormal elements served its purpose and made the book come alive. For example, Thomas used painting as a medium to interpret the girls' messages. I thought this was clever and visually detailed that I can picture it perfectly in my mind. Another reason why I thought it was notable is because this is the author’s debut novel. If I didn’t know that already, one would have thought a seasoned author with multiple books under her belt wrote it.

Portrait of Rage is told through multiple POVs which gave readers an in-depth look at the characters and a wider perspective on the situation. I love seeing the story from Thomas, the detectives, and the killer’s point-of-view. Wise is a natural storyteller and she did a great job creating the perfect combination of mystery, thriller, suspense, and romance with a touch of supernatural. While the story is filled with tormented specters, there was an interesting turn of events with some of the characters possessing unique abilities. Portrait of Rage kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time. The story had so many twist and turns that when the big reveal came…I was speechless! I thought I had the killer pegged but I was so shocked when I found out who it was. Definitely didn’t see that one coming! I loved Portrait of Rage and I think it’s an excellent start to a new series and I can’t wait to see what the author has planned for The Marcel Experience. I highly recommend Portrait of Rage. I think it will appeal to a lot of people, as there is something for everyone. Read it, you won’t be disappointed!

New Sight by Jo Schneider

Title: New Sight
Author: Jo Schneider
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Series: N/A

Paperback, 310 pages

Publication: April 22, 2014 by Jolly Fish Press 

Source: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

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After succumbing to the sudden and terrifying urge to rip people’s eyes out of their sockets, 16-year-old Lysandra Blake finds herself tied down in a psych ward, convinced she’s crazy. The doctors have no answers, and Lys is ready to give up when the mysterious Jeremiah Mason appears, telling Lys that she’s not insane—she’s addicted to a rare and deadly drug that she has no recollection of using. Mr. Mason offers to take her to his facility where he can treat her. Desperate yet suspicious, Lys agrees to go with Mr. Mason to his facility where she meets with a fellow addict, the tall and handsome Kamau. Together they discover that Mr. Mason may not have told them the truth about their condition—they’re thrown headfirst into a world of daunting powers that are not only unbelievable, they are dangerous.

MY THOUGHTS

New Sight is narrated by 16-year-old Lysandra ‘Lys’ Blake. At the start of the book, readers find Lys in a mental institution; everyone thinks she’s crazy because she attacked her mom and then inflicted a self wound. Dr. Mason says Lys is affected by a drug that makes her want to gouge people’s eyes out, and that he’s the only person that can help her. With Lys and her parents’ permission Dr. Mason takes Lys to a private hospital, where she can be with others who are also affected with the same drug. It turns out Dr. Mason is a liar and Lys and the other patients aren’t affected by a drug; they have magical powers!

New Sight was a fresh and unique concept that I’ve never read before. The beginning of the book read like a sci-fi, but a few chapters in the real reasons for Lys and the others’ abilities came to light…they have powers that ties back into our 5 senses: sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. Long ago the majority of the people had magic but for the select few who didn’t weren’t happy so they developed technology to even the playing field. The technology eventually grew so powerful that the people’ magic became suppressed then dormant. Readers explored the different abilities/powers and watch as the characters themselves learn how to control it. Each power corresponds to the five senses and within each power there are different stages of mastery: toddler (beginner), adolescent (intermediate), and adult (full mastery). I think the author did a good job at creating an original magic system that was well explained but I still think the world building can use a little work. Everything was easy to understand and straightforward but I felt there was still something lacking…what exactly? I’m still not sure; I felt like something was missing.

While the overall idea of the novel was great, I thought the characters were two dimensional. I didn’t really connect with Lys or any of the other people she met when she escaped the hospital. There was so much happening and action in the book that I never felt like I got to know the characters. I don’t even recall any background information either, maybe just Kamau’s history but none of the others...and one of the more interesting characters died! That was a bummer. I think if the author spent as much time as she did explaining the magic system on characters development, the book would have been better balanced out. There is also a little romance going on in the background between Lys and one of the patients she meets but it is barely developing. I thought the light blossoming romance was sweet and I really enjoyed the pairs’ dialogue. 

Overall New Sight was an enjoyable and well written debut novel by Schneider. The book started out a bit slow but after a couple of chapters things got exciting and lasted that way till the very end. I highly recommend this book to young adult, dystopian, and paranormal fans alike. I think New Sight will appeal to many people because it definitely has a lot to offer. 

Review: Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Title: Vicious
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Adult, Paranormal, Sci-fi
Series: N/A, Standalone 

Hardcover, 368 pages

Publication: September 24, 2013 by Tor  

Source: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.  

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Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

Vicious is Schwab first adult novel and it was superb! I’m a big fan of her YA novel, The Archived so when I heard about her new book I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Vicious is a story about two college friends who discovered a way to become Eos, ExtraOrdinary; people with special/unique abilities. Victor and Eli have total opposite personalities, and we see how their new ability/power stems from who they are at their core and how the power shapes them further throughout the story.

I must say, the layout/story of Vicious is ambitious. There are many books that jump back in and forth; past and present but Schwab takes it to a whole other level. The book is split into two parts; the first part jumps from the present to 10 years ago, a couple of weeks ago, couple of days ago, back and forth till the characters are all connected in some way. The second part is sort of a countdown when Eli and Victor meet face to face (present, after 10 years), the final battle/climate of the story. At first the format was kind of confusing but 50 pages in I understood why Schwab wrote it the way she did. Readers are given in-depth explanation of how our two main characters came to be; a look at how Eli and Victor are, their personalities, their beliefs and how they view themselves and the world. How becoming an ExtraOrdinary showed ones’ true natural. The layout made for an engaging read and had me on the edge of my seat as we got closer and closer to the deadline to explosive face-off between Eli and Victor.

At first glance; everyone would assume Victor was the villain of the story and Eli the hero but that assumption proved wrong as both their motives is revealed.  There are no heroes or villains in this story; Victor and Eli believed all the choices they made were for the right reasons. For example Eli was ‘removing’ anyone and everyone that was an ExtraOrdinary because he truly believed God gave him the power to do so. Victor and Eli are extremely well-written, realistic and complex characters.  By the end of the story you will know everything about them; how fascinating yet terrifying-cutthroat they can be. Schwab doesn’t stop there with incredible character development; the secondary characters were just as interesting and I found myself absorbed in their story and background. There’s Sydney the 12-year-old with the deadly power to resurrect the dead, Serena, Sydney’s big sis who can control anyone with the sound of her voice and Mitchell, a non-ExtraOrdinary that is the brain and brawn of the operation.  Everyone played a crucial part to one another and brought a little something extra to the amazing world that Schwab built. 

Vicious is everything one can hope for in story; engaging plot, thoroughly researched world-building, strong and multifaceted characters and beautifully written prose. Vicious is a very dark and violent novel, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve mentioned before that I think Schwab is a very talented writer. She has a way with words that immediately grabs your attention from the first page and keeps you mentally and emotionally connected with the story and characters till you finish the book. Schwab is definitely a writer to watch. She has already conquered young adult novels, and now adult…is there anything this lady can’t do? I can’t wait to see what Schwab comes up next! If you haven’t read Vicious yet (but really, who hasn’t?), I highly recommend you picking up a copy A.S.A.P!

Review: Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

Title: Being Jamie Baker
Author: Kelly Oram
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy YA
Series: Jamie Baker #1

E-book, 362 pages
Publication: June 18, 2010 by Bluefields

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An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities. To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High's resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special. Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat? More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?

After a horrible accident Jamie discovers herself with powers, her boyfriend dead, and a local journalist who is all too keen on exposing her secrets. Jamie and her parents move across country to start fresh where no one knows her, hoping to escape her past. Jamie puts up walls and alienates herself from everyone to make sure she doesn’t accidently hurt anyone. Life may be lonely but Jamie is slowly getting used to doing everything alone…until Ryan Miller comes along. Ryan Miller is the most popular boy in school and Jamie is known as the ‘freak or Ice Queen’ at school…so it was strange when Ryan Miller approaches her eating by herself in the Cafeteria. It turns out his friend dared him to get a kiss from Jamie, because that would be impossible! It surprises them both when Jamie agrees, shrugging it off and thinking nothing of it. Soon Jamie finds Ryan at every corner, trying to befriend her and break down the walls she had put it for so long. She constantly tries to shoot him down but Ryan isn’t easily deterred, slowly charming his way into Jamie’s life. Jamie starts to really enjoy herself, trying to enjoy a little teenage normalcy until a person from her past shows up in town.

Everyone has always wanted super powers as a kid, I know I did! Jamie may have super speed, hearing, and cool glowing eyes but readers also see the downside to having powers…making sure your secret never gets out. I felt really bad for Jamie, thinking that the only way to protect her family and secret was to alienate herself from everything…no friends, no boyfriend, no parties, no job, practically a nonexistent life. Then Ryan comes along and turns her world upside down, slowly you see that she isn’t a cold hearted person…just a normal girl who wants to be happy and to have a friend.  Oh Ryan, Ryan, Ryan. He is such a flirt, and a bit cocky but I love his perseverance. Ryan never once gave up on Jamie. She keeps pushing him away but he’s so charming she can’t seem to stop herself from liking him or spending time with him. I really enjoyed their banter, and every moment the two had page time.

Being Jamie Baker was fun-light read, but not without some serious moments…there were a couple of scenes that made me teary. What made this book were the characters, and Oram did a great job in creating such real and relatable characters…even if we don’t have super powers like Jamie LOL. Summer is just around the corner and this would be a fun summer read; if you haven’t already read it I suggest checking this one out. The book is told in first person perspective and is the first book in a planned series. This was a great book and I’m looking forward to reading the next, More Than Jamie Baker which comes out January 2014.