REVIEW: "The Bigger Bang" by Vassilis Gogtzilas

Disclaimer: This book was given to be in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Release Date: May 26, 2015

Type: Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Mythology, Not a series?, The Big Bang (but Bigger!)

About the Book: The Big Bang created all life as we know it. The Bigger Bang creates just one: a being named Cosmos. Is he a destroyer? A hero? A god? All he knows is that he's completely alone in what was our universe... so he seeks out another where he'll try to atone for the sins of his mysterious creation. [Description provided by Netgalley.com]

My Review: This is a perfect example of a comic book that tries to be something epic and high brow, but falls short. Comic books and graphic novels are a visual medium, so I'm not sure why this story felt like it had to tell me what was happening instead of showing me. And there was such flowery language used in places, it felt like a dime store novel was trying to be a literary great. It just didn't work.

I liked the meat of the story, but I think it could have been done better. Maybe if this was longer, more fleshed out, it would have fared better. However, the "telling, not showing" and the art didn't do it for me. The cover is very artful, and I can even see that being an awesome art print in a comic book shop, or in someone's private collection. But the book itself just... well, as I said, it just felt like it was trying too hard.

Cover Lovin': While I do like how art-y this cover is, I can't say it's very eye catching, or gives the reader any idea of the story. So overall, not great.

Recommendation: For lovers of large epic stories told in a very small space.

Final Rating: THREE out of FIVE stars (3/5). This had some great points, but overall, it wasn't wow-worthy.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda at Novel Addiction~!~

REVIEW: Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown by Kate Leth and Drew Rausch

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thanks Netgalley!

Release Date: May 19, 2015

Type: Graphic Novel, Comic Book, IDW Publishing, Movie Tie-in, Series, Science Fiction, But how does he use the restroom with scissorhands?

About the Book: An all-new adventure revisiting Edward Scissorhands' two decades after the end of the fan-favorite movie! In a castle just outside a sleepy suburban town, a brilliant inventor created Edward Scissorhands…but left him tragically unfinished. Two generations of exile have left Edward digging through abandoned experiments, but once he wakes up a creature left buried, he discovers he isn't the only one missing a vital piece. As Edward tries to fix a grave mistake, he comes face-to-face with a teenage girl who was sure he was only myth... despite the stories her grandmother told her about the man she could never touch. [Description provided by Netgalley.com]

My Review: Talk about a blast from the past. When this was offered up for a review, I jumped at the chance. Poor Edward has been hiding up in his castle for years. And when he gets so lonely that he decides to wake up another invention made by Edward's own creator. Unfortunately, this doesn't turn out well, at all. This graphic novel definitely fits in with the tone of the movie. Comical, in places, but very dark. If you could have a lighthearted dark story, then Edward Scissorhands, this comic book included, would be the very definition.

Sometimes it is hard to review a book that you loved, but it also made you a little depressed. You're not sure what to focus on, because the stuff that made you depressed isn't bad, it's just part of what makes it good. So I'll just say this - I desperately want more Edward Scissorhands. This was a great read, and I cannot wait to read more.

Cover Lovin': Excellent cover! Super well done. Love the art, love the hedge creations. Reminiscent of the beloved movie but still being something new and original.

Recommendation: For fans of the movie, for sure.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). Darker tone, but I loved and relished the chance to return to the Edward Scissorhands world.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda at Novel Addiction ~!~

REVIEW: Birthright, Volume 1: Homecoming by Andrei Bressan and Joshua Williamson

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thanks Netgalley!

Release Date: March 17, 2015

Type: Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Magic, Time Travel (sorta?), Fantasy, Parallel Worlds, Kids grow up so fast...

About the Book: For the Rhodes family, losing their son was the most devastating thing that could have occurred...but it couldn't prepare them for what happened when he returned. Skybound's newest hit turns fantasy into reality in this all-new series from the creator of Nailbiter and Ghosted. Pick up this introductory-priced collection and see what everyone's talking about! Collects Birthright #1-5 [Summary provided by Netgalley.com]

My Review: This was a fun volume to read, and definitely entertaining enough that I had to read it all in one sitting. But ultimately, I don't feel like I have to keep going. I don't think I connected to everyone as much as I wanted to - but this is only volume one of what will be an epic series. This happens. I can't fall into insta-love with every comic book series. If I was given the second volume, I would gladly read it, but this is not a story I will desperately be hunting in stores.

Would it be odd if I said this felt almost like an adult version of Chronicles of Narnia? There are a lot of similarities - kid gets sucked into a different world, fulfills his destiny (or does he?) and comes back to his original world, only to find not as much time has passed. There are some huge differences, obviously - he comes back as a fully grown adult, and a year has passed, not mere seconds. This connection to a childhood series might turn some people off, but it's what drew me to Birthright to begin with. I love reading about people from our ordinary mundane world getting thrown into a fantasy world they never knew existed.

I can really see the potential in this series. And really, Volume 1: Homecoming is a great start. Just, as stated, I wasn't immediately desperate for more.

Cover Lovin': I like this cover. It doesn't do much to give the reader a good idea of what to expect, but it certainly is attention grabbing.

Recommendation: For fans of destiny! And this almost has a Chronicles of Narnia vibe, with the being transported to a magic world. Mind you, it's a heck of a lot darker than that.

Final Rating: THREE POINT FIVE out of FIVE stars (3.5/5). There was a lot about this I liked. But ultimately, I didn't feel like I absolutely had to read more.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda at Novel Addiction ~!~

BLOG BARRAGE: "Taken by a Dragon" by Felicity Heaton

Taken by a Dragon, the seventh book in New York Times best-seller Felicity Heaton’s hot paranormal romance series, Eternal Mates, is now available in ebook and paperback. To celebrate the release, she’s holding a FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY at her website and sharing sneak peeks of the book.
Find out how to enter the Taken by a Dragon international giveaway (ends March 22nd) and be in with a shot of winning a $75, $50 or $25 gift certificate at her website, where you can also download a 5 chapter sample of the novel: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/taken-by-a-dragon-paranormal-romance-novel.php
Here’s more about Taken by a Dragon, including an excerpt from this paranormal romance novel.

Possessed by a need to save a beautiful Amazon warrior from the vision he witnessed, Loke snatched her from the midst of the battle between the Third and Fifth realm of the demons, and carried her to his home deep in the black mountains of Hell to protect her. But as the fierce little female awakens, he finds she’s anything but grateful, and his dragon instincts roar to life to warn she might be more to him than an enemy—she might be his fated female.
Anais remembers meeting a handsome warrior in the heat of battle, a man who was her enemy but who looked at her with eyes that held dark heat and wicked promises. When she wakes to find that same dragon shifter has taken her captive, desire is the last thing on her mind, but escaping him to return to Archangel, the hunter organisation she works for, sounds less than appealing when he reveals the reason he took her—to stop her from dying.
Can Loke protect Anais from the dangers of his realm and how far will he go to save her from the future he keeps witnessing? Can Anais resist the fierce attraction that burns between them as hot as fire and stay true to Archangel or will her heart be taken by the dragon?

Taken by a Dragon is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback. Find the links to your preferred retailer at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/taken-by-a-dragon-paranormal-romance-novel.php

Excerpt

Anais had the feeling she had made a grave mistake by disobeying Loke and she was going to pay for it.
The men halted, jerking her to a stop with them, and she looked ahead of her, towards a larger round building that stood on a high solid black stone platform at the other end of an open square.
A golden-haired male lounged on an obsidian throne in front of the thatched hut, cragged mountains his grim backdrop. His large hands rested over the ornate ends of the arms of the throne and his deep bronze leathers stretched tight over long powerful legs that were spread, giving him a relaxed and easy-going appearance that his sharp golden gaze contradicted.
This man knew everything that was happening around him without even needing to look to confirm it.
Was he the dragon equivalent of a king?
The woman approached him and he eyed her, a bored edge to his gaze as they spoke. She fawned over him but the male didn’t seem impressed with her, not even when she pointed to Anais. His expression only darkened further then, his lips compressing into a thin line of displeasure. What was the woman telling him?
Anais looked at the green-haired and silver-haired men that held her, their strong hands clamped tightly around her upper arms and their faces impassive. Others had gathered around the square too, standing in front of the huts that lined the edges of it, a mixture of men and women.
She gasped when the men holding her began walking with her again, jerking her away from her study of the village and the other dragon shifters. Her eyes leaped to the blond male on the throne ahead of her. The redhead moved to one side, her head bowed as she backed away from the male.
Anais guessed this was Loke’s clan’s village and this man was the chief.
He looked no older than Loke, but that didn’t mean he was the same age. She had to assume he was older and more powerful than Loke, and not nearly as nice. If she did that, she might just survive whatever was about to happen.
The two men released her and backed away too, leaving her standing a short distance from the chief in the middle of the circle. She could feel everyone staring at her and it was hard to fight her nerves and not let them get the better of her. She had faced a lot of powerful enemies in her life as a hunter, but never without a weapon and never in such numbers.
“Where do you hail from?” the man said, his voice silken and smooth, and his English perfect.
Loke could take a few lessons from him. He spoke it as if it was his native tongue, not a second language. Loke still stumbled from time to time. She looked back in the direction they had come, heart sore with a need to see him flying over the mountain range.
Coming for her.
She hated relying on anyone, never wanted to be coddled or have another person fight her battles, but she was also a realist. She wasn’t so stubborn that she couldn’t recognise when she was in trouble and needed help.
She needed it pretty badly right now.
“I asked you a question.”
Anais turned back to face the chief, because not answering him sounded as if it might not end well for her.
“From the mortal realm.”
A murmur ran through the crowd around her but she didn’t take her eyes off the golden-haired male on the throne. His only reaction was a shift in position. He propped his left ankle on his right knee but kept his hands dangling off the ends of the arms of the throne. His fingers began a slow drumming against the carved black stone as he studied her.
Casual, yet deadly.
She could almost sense it radiating from him. He was dangerous. More powerful than Loke. She got the impression that being the chief of the clan wasn’t a role you were born or voted into. She had the feeling that it was a position you won through brute force, determination, and possibly bloodthirstiness.
“A mortal… and how did Loke come across a mortal… may I ask?” He ran golden eyes over her and she felt other men do the same.
Her skin crawled in response and she wanted to rub her hands over herself to wipe away that disgusting sensation, but didn’t want to draw their attention to her even more by openly touching herself in front of them.
“He took me from the fight in the Third Realm.” She had figured that honesty would be the best policy to adopt, but the way the chief’s eyes darkened dangerously warned her that it might have been the worst.
She had the feeling she had just got Loke into a lot of trouble, and possibly herself too.
“You are a prisoner of war and Loke should have notified me, as the others did.”
Anais stared at him as those four words ran around her head.
As. The. Others. Did.
Her stomach dropped into her bare feet.
“Others?” she whispered and started to shake her head as that tried to sink in. Other dragons had taken huntresses from the battlefield. They had taken her kin.
The man smiled cruelly. “Our males always have need of spoils of war.”
Anger curled through her veins, obliterating her fear, and she clenched her fists and took a step towards the man before she could stop herself. “Spoils of war? Those are my friends… I want to know where they are.”
His smile only widened and he pointed beyond her. “I believe Zephyr has one… do you not? You could attempt to take her back from him.”
Anais whirled on the spot to face the green-haired male who had marched her to the village. He folded thick arms across his bare chest, causing every muscle to tense, and she swallowed hard.
“Perhaps Zephyr would like a companion for his female?”
The bastard named Zephyr smiled at that suggestion and ran forest-green eyes over her, lingering on her breasts.
“The female has grown tiresome. She constantly cries and whimpers like a mewling bitch. A new female might suit me.” He took a step towards her. “You have fire. I should have taken you. Perhaps I shall.”
“You bloody bastard,” Anais growled, scooped up a small pebble from the black ground and hurled it at him with every drop of her strength. It beaned him in the eye and he snarled at her, flashing sharp teeth. Her heart leaped into her chest as he took a step towards her, menace and dark intent rolling off him.
“Enough.” The chief’s voice rang out and Zephyr stopped and backed off, settling for glaring at her even though she could see he wanted to get his own back and teach her a lesson she would probably never forget.
She slowly turned back to face the chief.
Her courage failed, immediately disappearing when he rose onto his feet and came to stand at the edge of the stone platform. He glared down at her, his golden eyes bright with fire that warned her to keep her temper in check. She was no match for him, or for the one called Zephyr, or any of the men present. She wasn’t even sure that she would be a match for any of the women, not without a weapon.
All she could do was bide her time and hope that Loke would come for her. She wasn’t sure that he would. She had broken her promise. She hadn’t just broken it, she had shattered it into a million pieces. She didn’t deserve to be rescued, but she held on to the hope that he would give chase and save her.
She hadn’t been a damsel in distress on the battlefield, but she was one now.
It was ironic that she didn’t want a prince to save her from a dragon.
She wanted a dragon to save her from Hell’s equivalent of a prince.
A chief who looked as if he was considering killing her or handing her over to Zephyr.
Loke had been right.
He’d had a vision. He had seen something terrible happen to her. He had asked her not to go to the cave mouth and had confessed he hadn’t wanted the other dragons to see her.
What if she had just made that vision come true?
Was she about to die here?
No.
Her nightmare wasn’t going to end here. She knew it. If Loke didn’t come for her, she would end up in the hands of one of the male dragons surrounding her, and she was one hundred percent certain that whichever dragon took her, he wouldn’t be taking care of her wounds, cooking for her, and protecting her out of the kindness of his heart.
He wouldn’t vow not to hurt her.
He would view her as a spoil of war, a way of satisfying whatever dark urges gripped him, and she would have no way of stopping him.
“What did Loke want with you?” the chief said and she stared up at him, her hands shaking at her sides and her knees on the verge of buckling as the gravity of her situation pressed down on her.
It took her a moment to understand what he was asking and when she did, she knew that the chief was somehow aware that Loke hadn’t taken her as a spoil of war.
“He didn’t take me prisoner,” she whispered, finding it impossible to speak any louder or with confidence. All of her strength was draining from her and nothing she did stopped it from flowing out of her, leaving her weak and trembling.
Zephyr’s words haunted her, tearing at that strength, ripping it away from her piece by piece. Whoever he had taken from the war, he had broken her. She rubbed her arms, trying to get the chill off them as fear crawled through her. He would break her in the same way.
Loke.
Her heart called for him, ached with a need to see his face, to look into his clear aquamarine eyes and hear his voice telling her that everything was going to be all right. No dragon would lay a hand on her. No dragon would hurt her.
She pressed her hands to her chest and the chief frowned at them, his eyes narrowing in a way she didn’t like. He looked as if he could see straight through her. He knew her inner fears and her thoughts. He knew her heart called for one of his dragons.
“Why did Loke take you?” he said, a commanding edge to his deep voice, one that warned her again not to disobey him or displease him.
Anais looked him right in the eye and opened her mouth to tell him. Her words died on her lips as his eyes left her, lifting towards the dark sky beyond her.
His golden gaze shimmered with fire and narrowed, focusing on something. She looked back towards the mountains but no dragon broke the bleak sky. What was he looking at? She turned back to face him and a quiet murmur ran through the people gathered around them.
“Save your answer.” The blond man didn’t take his eyes off the horizon as he addressed her. “I shall ask the dragon warrior himself.”
His eyes fell to her, intense and fierce, piercing her and leaving her feeling that he knew something she didn’t. He stared at her for long seconds before raising his hand.
“Shackle her. Let us see what Loke thinks of that.”
Zephyr grabbed her arm and began pulling her towards the edge of the square just as a distant roar shattered the silence. She whipped around to face the mountains and her heart leaped as she saw the majestic blue dragon zooming towards the village.
Loke.
She fought Zephyr and managed to break his hold, but didn’t make it two steps towards the landing strip before one of his hands clamped down on the nape of her neck and the other struck her across the back of her head. Her ears rang and her vision wobbled, and the grim colours of Hell whirled together into a single swathe of black as darkness claimed her.

Taken by a Dragon is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback.
Find all the links, a fantastic 6 chapter downloadable sample of the book, and also how to enter the giveaway and be in with a shot of winning a $75, $50 or $25 gift certificate at her website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/taken-by-a-dragon-paranormal-romance-novel.php
Books in the Eternal Mates paranormal romance series:

• Book 1: Kissed by a Dark Prince
• Book 2: Claimed by a Demon King
• Book 3: Tempted by a Rogue Prince
• Book 4: Hunted by a Jaguar
• Book 5: Craved by an Alpha
• Book 6: Bitten by a Hellcat
• Book 7: Taken by a Dragon
• Book 8: Marked by an Assassin – Coming in spring 2015!

Author Bio

Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too. If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series. If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Tsu | Pinterest | GoodReads | Amazon

Follow The Tour!

Mar 10:  Monlatable Book Reviews Kimmie Sue's Book Review Book Lovin' Mamas Night Owl Reviews Isalovesbooks Pure Textuality Marie's Cozy Corner Lore Lush Books Mar 11:  Nellie C. Lind Imagine a World Booklovers For Life Calling All Bookaholics Souls Readers Bookin' It Reviews thehellviscompendium Mar 12:  Meet My Character lushbookreviews Brazen Babe Reviews Carpe_Diem Nichole Severn MsRomanticReads Taking It One Book at a Time Sassy Book Lovers Mar 13:  Angel's Guilty Pleasures Wicca Witch 4 Book Blog The Jeep Diva SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews Yeyas ramblings Archaeolibrarian Sapphyria's Steamy Books Mar 14:  Book Lovers Life KT Book Reviews Inner Goddess Aly's Miscellany A Fortress of Books Bookworm Brandee The Book Lovers' Lounge Mar 15:  Book Reviews by Lynn Lisa's Loves (Books Of Course) Novel Addiction Daria's Views on Books RhiReading Crazy Four Books Proserpine Craving Books Mar 16:  Eskimo Princess Book Reviews A Bookworm4life Raunchy, Rude Reader's Blog

Booked & Loaded The Delighted Reader Warrior Woman Winmill Captain Swan Mar 17:  The Reading Cafe charline's blog and more mlsimmons.booklikes Indy Book Fairy Wicked Readings by Tawania Reading Between the Wines Book Club The Romance Cover Mar 18:  She Hearts Books Bitches n Prose Emmy Gatrell Books & Tales Just Talking Books The Bookaholic Cat Riverina Romantics Mar 19:  Totally Addicted to Reading Bex 'n' Books Comet Babes Books Barbara Book Review EBookObsessed Illuminite Caliginosus Page FLipperz Mar 20:  I Smell Sheep Bitten by Romance Adria's Romance Reviews Urban Fantasy Investigations vampy and racey Sizzling Hot Books Shameless Book Club Mar 21:  Share My Destiny AReCafe A Book Addict's Bookshelves Books That Hook Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock Book Loving Pixies Swept Away Again The Book Nympho Mar 22:  Sportochick's Musings Words, Words, Words LSK Sweetheart Reviews pnr book lover reviews Book Nook Nuts Vampire Romance Books Amethyst Daydreams