Weekly Reading Update 6/17 - 6/23/16!

Another week, another update! As always, click the title for more information.

It’s been another full week for me. I started feeling really poorly Monday morning, and ended up having to leave work early, and then stay home Tuesday. Since I couldn’t do much else but lay there and whine, I got a fair amount of reading done. Reviews are scheduled for the next week, so you’ll be seeing some of what entertained me while I was sick. The rest is below!

Another week of graphic novels - a bunch came in for me at once, and they’re easy and fast to read, so I usually read those first, so I can return them faster. I read Batman and Robin vol 7: Robin Rises by Peter Tomasi. I cannot tell you how happy I am to see Damien again. Batman and Robin just isn’t the same without.. You know.. ROBIN. Following that was Teen Titans vol 1: Blinded by the Light by Will Pfiefer. Red Robin features heavily in Robin Wars (surprise surprise), so I wanted to read more with this character - this was the only thing I could find on short notice. Next was The Astonishing Ant-man vol 1: Everybody Loves Team-ups by Nick Spencer. I enjoy Ant-man as a character, but this volume just felt meh to me. And finally, I finished the Deadpool Killogy by reading Deadpool Kills Deadpool by Cullen Bunn. It was truly hilarious to see the different versions of Deadpool. Worth a read if you like The Merc with a Mouth.

After binging on some review books I had been looking forward to, I moved on to Envy of Angels by Matt Wallace. As you’ve seen in a few previous weeks, I’m working my way through the Tor.com novellas that have been releasing in the past year. Every single one I’ve read thus far has been fantastic - and this book was no exception to that rule. I was so completely amused. It’s weird, it’s quirky, and it’s exactly the type of odd that I love. I already have book two to start reading!

So I’ve been working my way through the Unfinished Hero series by Kristen Ashley. Guys, these books drive me insane. I think I hate them. I roll my eyes while reading them. But after I finish… I can’t stop thinking about it. I can still find plenty to rant about, but it’s like they get under my skin. Heck, it was while I was ranting about book two that I paused mid-rant, and requested book three - which amused my friend to no end. I actually bought Knight, the first book. Why?! And guess what. As soon as I finished Raid this week… I requested book four, Deacon.

As part of my library’s staff summer reading challenge, we are filling out bingo cards. Each box has a different task we’re supposed to complete to fill the square, and when we get a bingo, it’s one entry towards a prize. The boxes are all reading/listening related, some examples: “an audiobook from OneClickDigital,” “Coworker Recommendation,” and “Juvenile Fiction.” It’s fun to read outside of my usual genres. For A book adapted into a movie, I read Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx. I read this years ago in college for a literature and film class, but that was forever ago. It was nice to revisit it.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Review: BATMAN AND ROBIN 6: THE HUNT FOR ROBIN by Peter Tomasi

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

Release Date: June 30, 2015

Type: Graphic Novel, Comics, Comic Books, Superheroes, Batman and the Batlings, Hard to have Batman and Robin without Robin..

About the Book: After losing his son Damian—a.k.a. Robin—Batman has finally found peace with his death. Damian's grandfather Ra's al Ghul, however, has not. In order to resurrect Robin, he's stolen the body and now Batman will stop at nothing to reclaim him. 

Nearly two years of storylines—including threads from Grant Morrison's BATMAN INCORPORATED and Scott Snyder and Greg Capulo's BATMAN—conclude here in BATMAN AND ROBIN VOL. 6: THE HUNT FOR ROBIN. 

Collects BATMAN AND ROBIN #29-34 and ROBIN RISES OMEGA. [Description from Netgalley.com]

My Review: Despite Robin being no longer with us, he still has a strong presence in this graphic novel series. But then, I guess it is hard to continue a series bearing his namesake without having him there in some way shape or form. My biggest issue with this graphic novel, was that it felt like since they couldn't team Batman up with Robin, they would just team him up with whomever else was handy - Aquaman, Wonder Woman, even Frankenstein. In a way, it makes sense - hard to have a series based on a team up without some sort of team-ing happening. But it just felt rushed and so-so.

What I think this series does well is the tiny bits of humor they manage to sneak into such a dark series. Even in Bruce's moments of lightness and healing, though they be very few and far between, it is still gritty, like a true Batman comic should be. As a fan of Robin in all his (or maybe her?) forms, I was happen to see a small reunion of former title holders, though I will not spoil how or why.

There is a lot this series does well - the tone, the story lines.. but I will be happy to either move on from Damien, or find a way to bring him back to the story. Frankly, I would prefer bringing him back. I loved Damien. Not my favorite of the past and present sidekicks, but he had his own flair, and I loved seeing him and Bruce work together.

Cover Lovin': Very fitting cover. This title may be called Batman and Robin, but Robin is not exactly in the picture any more - as this cover accurately portrays.

Recommendation: For hardcore Bat-fans, and only for those that have kept up with this series. This is not a volume you can just pick up without the backstory.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). Good, but not as dark and gritty as it used to be. This felt like it was missing something (maybe Robin?!).

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~