REVIEW: "Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time Volume 1" by Scott Tipton

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Type: Graphic Novel, Science Fiction, Whovian's Dream, Doctor Who, Series, 50th Anniversary Special

About the Book: November 23, 1963: A day that changed the world forever. That day saw the broadcast debut of Doctor Who, which was to become the longest-running science-fiction series on television. And now 50 years later, we pay tribute to one of the greatest pop-culture heroes of all time with this special series, which tells an epic adventure featuring all 11 incarnations of the intrepid traveler through time and space known simply as... the Doctor. (From the IDW.com shop.)

My Review: I'm not used to reviewing graphic novels, so this is a first for me. Let's start off with the art - I found it to be well done. The Doctors and Companions looked like themselves, and the colors were appropriate. Movement and excitement was done well, and each monster featured was well done, and in many cases, quite scary.

Onto the story: While this volume is pretty good, I found it to be a little lacking - mostly because while some small story lines were completely, the overall story has just begun. This book is more like an introduction to the past Doctors and their companions, and a lead up to the big reveal which will come in later volumes. I would have liked more information on what will be happening down the road. No, I don't want spoilers or too much given away too early - but a little something more would have been appreciated.

Like with the illustrations, each Doctor acted exactly like I expected them to, so the characterization was there, and much appreciated. For a fan of graphic novels AND Doctor Who, this is a great way to gear yourself up for the 50th Anniversary in November of this year. And of course, be on the lookout for Volume 2!

Cover Lovin': I'm a fan of this cover. I love seeing the four Doctors in this book shown like a prism in the TARDIS console.

Recommendation: For fans of Doctor Who - more specially the Old Who, considering that is whom the book features.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE (4/5). Fun, fast volume, and I can't wait for more! I want to know what happens to the other Doctors, and how it all fits together.

This book is being released in preparation for the 50th Anniversary later this year. If you're a Whovian, New School, Old School, or both!, this is definitely a volume you should check out. And be on the look out for the next volume!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

REVIEW: "Lucky Bastard" by Deborah Coonts

Disclaimer: This book was given to me in exchange for a review.

Type: Mystery, Humor, Women's Fiction, Contemporary, Vegas!, Series, Book Four

About the Book: Lucky O’Toole, the newly promoted vice president of Customer Relations for the Babylon, Las Vegas’s primo Strip property, has never met a problem she couldn’t handle. But when a young woman is found dead, sprawled across the hood of a new, bright red Ferrari California in the Babylon’s on-site dealership, a Jimmy Choo stiletto stuck in her carotid, Lucky’s skills are maxed out. Of course her life is already on overload. Her mother, Mona, is pregnant, hormonal, and bored — a triple threat. A song that Teddie, Lucky’s former lover, wrote for her is getting national airplay as he hits the talk shows, pleading for her forgiveness. Lucky is less than amused by the high-powered “infotainment” spotlight on her personal life. She’s having enough trouble fending off Chef Jean-Charles Bouclet, the Babylon’s tasty new dish. All of this and The Smack-Down Poker tournament, the second-largest poker tournament in the world, is holding its final round at the Babylon. Hookers, thieves, players, cheaters, media, and hangers-on descend, looking to win or to score. When one of the players turns up dead, Lucky starts to make connections between the two murders, putting her in the crosshairs of the killer. After a revelation by someone close to her sends her world reeling even further, Lucky struggles to keep her life in balance, and a murderer from killing again as bodies pile up. Then, just when she’s losing control… life deals another major complication to her personal life… and it’s not going to be pretty. Lucky struggles to keep her life in balance, and a murderer from killing again as bodies pile up. (From Goodreads.com)

My Review: This is one of those books that properly falls under the category of "un-put-downable." Though I was rather daunted by the size of the first few books, they were so fascinating that they truly flew by. I love Lucky's life, but I definitely don't envy her the amount of stuff she has to put up with. I do hope she gets some breaks between all the death and catastrophes!

Lucky is a truly well-done character. She's has her obsessions (shoes and cliches), and she has her passions (also cliches... but also Vegas), and she does her job well - even to her detriment. She works herself ragged, and the author does an excellent job changing her character to suit how little sleep she has had throughout the murder investigations.

It was wonderful to see beloved characters from the past come back once again, and to see how they have grown and changed along with Lucky and Vegas, and how relationships between the characters have matured over the course of the series. And the ending - ah the ending! Once again, Deborah Coonts had me shaking my book in frustration. I want to know what's going to happen! I don't know how she expects me to wait until the next book releases.

This is a series that I highly recommend to pretty much anyone, and I'm even looking into doing one of them for a Mystery Book Club I help run at my local library.

Cover Lovin': Considering how important shoes are in this book, the cover is very apropos. And I do love how the different charms reflect different aspects of the book. Another well done cover for Deborah Coonts.

Recommendation: Definitely for fans of adult, funny, contemporary mysteries. There is a little romance to appeal to romance fanatics, and enough mystery and suspense to keep the mystery fans going.

Final Rating: FIVE out of FIVE (5/5). I couldn't put this down. I'm not the biggest mystery and suspense buff, but these books are so fun, I can't wait for the next one!

Series in Order:
Wanna Get Lucky?
Lucky Stiff
So Damn Lucky
Lucky Bastard
(Also: check out the eBook shorts!)

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~