“The Legacy of Mandrake the Magician #0” By Various Review

Before learning about her history and heritage as a descendant of Mandrake the Magician, Mandy Paz was a normal pre-teen girl. An increasing amount of supernatural occurences suddenly has Mandy realizing there is more to her life than she has ever considered.

I need to admit here that this comic book is the best comic book I have read this year. And I have read a lot of comic books this year which is saying something here.

This comic book is in a way a respectful, modern-leaning revival primer that balances nostalgia with a new-hero handoff. Which I had a hard time staying interested in at times.

This comic book is in a way functional and inviting, but the setup-heavy approach and uneven tone makes it boring and uninteresting at times. 

This comic book gives us some good teases of magic and hinting at good antagonists with a lot of character conflicts which I guess are further explored in other parts of this comic book series. 

In my opinion this comic book leans too much on narration and info which in a way drops the memento of this comic book rather than letting the mystery breathe.

This comic book has also a very uneven tone to it. Since the scenes in this comic book swings between pulpy wonder and YA-flavored angst without always smoothing the transitions.

The ending and the low stakes climax of this comic book makes this comic book not quite land with me to actually give this comic book a good rating.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

“Dungeons and Drama” By Kristy Boyce Review

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she’s grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop. Riley can’t waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous. But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn’t require as much acting as she would’ve thought.

I gotta admit that I didn’t have a lot of expectations of this book because I had a lot of mixed feelings about this book before reading this one. But after reading this book I gotta admit that it isn’t half bad.

The plot of this book is very cute and sweat which made me like this book a little bit. But at the same time the plot of this book is very generic YA plot. 

There was a huge thing that annoyed me a lot in this book. Which is that main character in this book is a teenager girl who is obsessed with with musicals and theater plays. So she and her friend steals her mom’s car and drives to the neighboring state to watch some theater play while she didn’t have a driving license. And when her parents learn about their daughter without a license stealing their car with a friend only gives their daughter 7 weeks of her needing to work for free in her dad’s board games store.

This aspect of this book made me think that me think that that the author of this book had no idea how serious it is when a teenager without a car license stealing a car really is.

But other than that I gotta admit that this book is kinda cute and fun to read. Even thou it is very generic to the YA book category. I gotta admit that this book hasn’t worked on me beside being a quick book to read because of how simple and easy going it was.

The characters in this book are all over the place in this book. I found Nathan being a very good character but Riley on hand was very annoying for me personally because her entire personality was about theater and being overall a rich kid who done what she wanted. And for characters and people like Riley all I have is pure hate because I find them to be very very annoying.

While reading this book I gotta admit that I had few moments where I wanted to DNF this book just because of how annoying I found Riley to be. But I pushed through it and I am kinda happy that I have finished this book. 

This book had a lot of potential to be a very good book if Riley wasn’t so annoying a acting all the time as a spoiled rich kid who was just playing on my nervous all the time I was reading this book. Which makes it safe for me to say that I wasn’t a fan of Riley even thou I loved the rest of the characters in this book.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

“The Secret History of D.B. Cooper: Preview” By Brian Churilla Review

24 page preview! The most infamous airline hijacker of all time, D.B. Cooper remains on the FBI’s most-wanted list almost 40 years after the crime. For the first time, the secret history will be revealed. During the height of the Cold War, a fringe group within the C.I.A. wages a crusade on the deadliest battlefield of the mind. Aided by powerful psychotropic compounds, Cooper assists in a campaign of psychic assassination against the Soviets but are his government’s motives the same as his own or is his true mission something else entirely? Collecting the hit series from visionary cartoonist Brian Churilla (The Anchor), this volume offers new insights into Cooper’s multi-faceted quest.

Let me start this review by saying that this one is just a preview for the entire comic book. And I read it because I wanted to see if the full comic book was worth the money and time I would spend on it. And I’m gonna give you the answer for that at the end of this review.

This preview is a pretty punchy, surreal spin on America’s most infamous skyjacker. Because this preview fuses Cold War espionage with psychedelic mind-war in a way that’s both stylish and intriguingly off-kilter. Which got me very intrigued by the plot of this preview. 

This preview is like a bland between alternate history and occult spycraft which is reframing the D.B. Cooper myth through assassinations waged in psychic dreamscapes. I need to admit here that this preview is weird in all the right ways for me personally to be interested in this preview. 

This preview has also a pretty confident tone to it. The deadpan humor and hardboiled narration which this preview has keeps this review in high-concept grounded.

At the same time this preview suggests a world where bureaucrats casually weaponize nightmares and it feels disturbingly plausible.

The thick lines, chunky silhouettes, and expressive faces which the artwork of this preview has evoke a pulpy, retro vibe that suits the period setting.

The creatures and landscapes of this preview almost points towards something close to psychic realm.

So will buy and read the full version of this comic book ? Yes I will. It might take some time for me to actually read the full version of this comic book because I have been way too optimistic when creating my TBR list for this year and I don’t know if I get the time to read the full version of this comic book this year. But I will read the full version of this comic book at some point in time.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

“Never Flinch” By Stephen King Review

When the Buckeye City Police Department receives a disturbing letter from a person threatening to “kill thirteen innocents and one guilty” in “an act of atonement for the needless death of an innocent man,” Detective Izzy Jaynes has no idea what to think. Are fourteen citizens about to be slaughtered in an unhinged act of retribution? As the investigation unfolds, Izzy realizes that the letter writer is deadly serious, and she turns to her friend Holly Gibney for help.

I gotta admit here that this book is easily a much better book than the books Stephen King has been writing since the 80s in my opinion. But this book in my opinion is a long way away from being a good Stephen king book. But as always I will explain everything in this review, so if you are interested in hearing my thoughts about this book then keep reading.

The plot in this book was split into 2 separate perspectives. Since this book involves a stalker who wants to murder an pro-choice activist which Holly was hired to be a bodyguard of, and the second part is a serial killer murdering innocent people because of a innocent guy being sentence for something he didn’t do and then being killed in the prison by an another inmate.  

I personally think that this book would have done so much better if the plot of this book was split into 2 books in the Holly Gibney series rather than shoving everything into one book. Because in my opinion there was too much action happening and following 2 cases being solved by holly at the same time was kind of confusing for me personally.  

The action in this book takes very long time to get to a suspense and tension level in this book, and I personally think that it would have done a much better job at being shorter and getting straight into action rather than focus on some police versus firefighters baseball match, Barbara becoming besties with a old gospel singer and all the rest of events which have taken place in this book which only became convenient for the Stephen King to use at the very end of this book. Since it seemed like he had no ideas how to write the ending of this book.

The characters in this book were very good. Which didn’t surprise me because Stephen King knows his stuff when it comes to creating good and relatable characters in his book. Which is one of the main reasons why I am such a huge fan of Stephen King’s books. 

One of the things which annoyed me in this book beside the plot which I already talked about above, is the thing that Holly doesn’t solve much cases in this book. Because all the breakthroughs she makes in this book is guessing and letting Jerome do the research and come back to her with the stuff he found out. Stephen king could easily take Holly out of this book and it wouldn’t change a thing in this book because of how small role Holly plays in this book.

The writing style in this book is very on point in this book. Because the writing style in this book is very good and it had completely grabbed my attention from the very moment I started reading this book. Which hasn’t surprised me at all looking at the fact that Stephen King has written this book.

The ending of this book is okay for the most part, there wasn’t a big standoff between holly and the main villain of this book. The ending itself felt like Stephen king wanted to be as quickly done with this book as possible.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

“Oz: The Manga #1” By David Hutchison & L. Frank Baum Review

From the mind of Dragon Arms and Junction 17 creator David Hutchison comes this remarkable re-imagining of L. Frank Baum’s timeless classic. Dorothy longs for something more than the gray plains of Kansas, but when her wish is granted, she gets both her fondest dreams and her worst nightmares! With stunning art by fan-favorite David Hutchison, this fantasy adventure of Harry Potter caliber is sure to amaze readers of all ages!

This comic book offers us a pretty fresh visual take on the beloved Oz universe, blending classic storytelling with manga-inspired artwork.

The story in this comic book follows well-trodden paths, with little in the way of surprises or new twists, which have left me personally feeling déjà vu because I read the first book in the L. Frank Baum Oz series not so long ago.

The pacing in this comic book is pretty uneven, with some scenes feeling rushed while others drag, affecting overall engagement. Which I say a lot about the comic books I have read recently.

This comic book has a manga-inspired art style adds a dynamic, modern flair to the Oz characters and settings, making it visually appealing. Which I enjoyed a lot even thou I’m not a fan of manga. Which can be very controversial to say in 2025 because it seems that every reader is a big fan of manga.

The character development in this comic book is very minimal, and the narrative doesn’t go beyond basic adventure tropes, making it feel somewhat shallow.

I gotta admit that this comic book is enjoyable to read this comic book that captures the magic of the original stories, it falls into some familiar pitfalls—being somewhat derivative and lacking in originality.

I personally think that the fans of Baum’s original works will appreciate the familiar characters and motifs, presented in a new artistic format.

As a first issue, this comic book introduces the world and characters clearly, setting the stage for future adventures.

The artwork in this comic book is vibrant and expressive, capturing the whimsical yet adventurous tone of Oz. However, at times, the panel layouts can be cluttered, making it hard to follow fast-paced action.

The design of the characters and settings in this comic book for the most part stays true to the classic aesthetic while adding a manga flair, which is a plus for fans of both styles.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

“Marvel Previews August 2023” By Various Review

Check out all the amazing new releases for August 2023!

I gotta admit that this comic book gives us a very solid snapshot of upcoming Marvel titles, giving fans a glimpse into the exciting stories on the horizon.

This comic book can be used as a useful guide for readers and collectors. But if you want me to say something more about the stories themselves in this comic book then I gotta admit that those stories are a mixed bag. Because some pages spark anticipation, while others feel rushed or underwhelming.

This comic book showcases a variety of titles across different genres and characters, appealing to a broad Marvel audience.

The artwork snippets and cover designs this comic book offers us are vibrant and capture the tone of each upcoming series, generating excitement.

Overall this comic book gives us a brief synopses and creative team info. Which at least helped me to decide what to keep an eye on when it comes down to the comic book realized in August 2023 which I still haven’t read any of even 2 years later.

This comic book is mostly visual and lacks detailed story descriptions, leaving some titles feeling vague or generic.

Some of the previews this comic book has are compelling artwork and intriguing concepts, while others seem rushed or less polished, reducing overall impact.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

“How to Fake It in Hollywood” By Ava Wilder Review

Grey Brooks is on a mission to keep her career afloat now that the end of her long-running teen soap has her (unsuccessfully) pounding the pavement again. With a life-changing role on the line, she’s finally desperate enough to agree to her publicist’s scheme… faking a love affair with a disgraced Hollywood heartthrob who needs the publicity, but for very different reasons. Ethan Atkins just wants to be left alone. Between his high-profile divorce, his struggles with drinking, and his grief over the death of his longtime creative partner and best friend, he’s slowly let himself fade into the background. But if he ever wants to produce the last movie he and his partner wrote together, Ethan needs to clean up his reputation and step back into the spotlight. A gossip-inducing affair with a gorgeous actress might be just the ticket, even if it’s the last thing he wants to do.

I gotta admit that I was very skeptical about this book before reading it. But now that I have read it I gotta admit that it had surprised me in a positive way. But let me explain everything in this review so if you are interested in hearing my thoughts about this book then keep reading my dear reader. 

The plot of this book is very drama like because there is a lot of drama happening in this book. And the overall plot of this book is a roller coaster of emotions which the characters in this book go through.

The plot of this book is on the heavier side even though I was expecting the plot of this book to be light and sweet but this book was everything but what I have expected.

The plot of this book involves a lot of dark sides of fame and being a actor / actress in Hollywood. This involves a lot of addiction, anger issues, imposter syndrome, child actors and what abuse they face and overall what people don’t think about when it comes to the actors / actresses in Hollywood.

But I gotta admit here that the plot was uninteresting at times for me personally. I found it hard to say interested and engaged in the plot of this book. And the closer I got tot the end of this book the more I was thinking about DNF-ing this book. Which in the end I didn’t do because I wanted to read this book to the end to see if reading this entire book was worth it. 

There are times where the book drags for way too long and makes the entire book feel like the author was paid by the word count for this book. 

The characters in this book were okay for the most part. I personally found them to be okay characters. But I couldn’t bring myself to care about them and their journeys in this book. 

I personally feel like the characters in this book didn’t have a lot of depth to them. It could be something about me not being fan of following journeys to actors and actresses which the 2 main characters of this book are.

We don’t learn much about the characters backstories even though we see glimpses of their past. We still remain in the dark about why exactly did Ethan divorce his ex-wife or why Gray’s relationship with her mother is so tense and hostile as it is. 

The writing style of this book was pretty generic to a YA-mixed-with-Romance novel type. Which really didn’t impress me. 

The writing style felt like the narrator of this story didn’t care either about the plot to tell it in a good way. Which in a way affected me because it gave me another thing to dislike about this book.

At times the writing style was confusing to me. Because it times the writing style would say something like “she stood behind him as he turned” and I wouldn’t know who “she” was until the next paragraph where the book decided to explain who “she” was.

Even thou I said plenty of negative things about this book. I still had a lot of fun with this book because it was a easygoing book where we as readers don’t have to use a lot of brain power to get through the book.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

“THE LAST TRAIN I MISSED” By Udhaya nidhi Review

In a bustling train station on a sunny morning, a chance encounter between a red-shirted individual and a mysterious stranger sets the stage for an extraordinary journey. As the stranger shares tales of their life’s adventures—ranging from rocket science to crime writing to teaching—the red-shirted figure is drawn into a world of intrigue and possibility. With each revelation, the stranger’s diverse experiences offer a glimpse into the boundless potential of human existence. Yet, as the encounter unfolds, the true significance of their connection remains shrouded in mystery, leaving the red-shirted figure to ponder the profound insights gained from this unexpected meeting.

I gotta admit that this book is a decent read that offers a mix of nostalgia, reflection, and emotional moments. But if you want me to be very honest about this one then I gotta say that this one doesn’t quite stand out as extraordinary, it managed to interest me with its relatable themes and straightforward storytelling.

The story in this book touches on universal feelings of missed opportunities, regrets, and the passage of time.

The horse of this book is accessible and easy to follow, making it an ideal read for those looking for a light, reflective story.

There are a lot of genuine moments in this book of introspection that evoke empathy and thoughtfulness.

The story in this book follows familiar beats and doesn’t introduce many surprises, which have lefty me at times wanting more depth or originality.

The characters in this book are flat and one-dimensional because they have very limited backstory and almost no personalities to them which made it hard for me to like them or care about their journeys

The narrative of this book moves at a steady pace but sometimes feels a bit slow, especially in parts that could benefit from more tension or insight.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

“Notebooks” By Leonardo da Vinci Review

Most of what we know about Leonardo da Vinci, we know because of his notebooks. Some 6,000 sheets of notes and drawings survive, perhaps one-fifth of what he actually produced. With an artist’s eye and a scientist’s curiosity, he recorded in these pages his observations on the movement of water and the formation of rocks, the nature of flight and optics, anatomy, architecture, sculpture, and painting. He jotted down fables, epigrams, and letters and developed his belief in the sublime unity of nature and man. Through his notebooks we can get an insight into Leonardo’s thoughts, and his approach to work and life. This selection, organized in seven themed sections, offers a fascinating and informative sample of his writings. Fully updated, this new edition includes some 70 line drawings and a Preface by Martin Kemp, one of the world’s leading authorities on Leonardo, who explores the artist’s genius and the contents and legacy of his manuscripts. The book also features new notes and a chronology of Leonardo’s life.

I need to admit that this book have taken me a very long time to finish reading. But also this book had been laying on my shelf waiting to be read even longer than it took me to finish this book. But without making this into longer than it already is lets jump into the review of this book. 

First of all I gotta admit that the topics which this books talks about comes straight from Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebooks which he himself have written a very long time ago. I was very surprised to read about the topics which Leonardo Da Vinci has written about back in the Renaissance era.

This book have taken me a very long time to read as I’ve said above, because this book talks about a lot of advanced topics which I needed a lot of time to process and understand because I’m not that smart as Leonardo Da Vinci clearly was.

But I need to admit here that a lot of parts of this book doesn’t seem to have been meant to be read by other people than by Leonardo Da Vinci himself. They seemed like a lot of parts of this book where meant for Leonardo Da Vinci himself as notes to himself if he wanted to look back at some of his notes. Which is the main issue that I had about this book. Because there are a lot of moments of this book where I would get bored because a lot of parts of this book seemed like I was reading school textbook. 

This book involves a lot of drawings that Leonardo Da Vinci himself have made during his time, which made me give this book some extra points for doing. Because the drawings really helped me to understand what Leonardo Da Vinci was talking about in the notes which this book has.

The writing style of this book is very flat and almost school textbook like. But once again this book wasn’t exactly meant for readers as it was meant more like Leonardo Da Vinci making notes for himself for later use if needed.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

“Cyber Force (2012) #1” By Marc Silvestri & Matt Hawkins Review

TOP COW’S TOP-SELLING SERIES RETURNS IN A GROUND-BREAKING WAY! Top Cow celebrates its 20th anniversary with the return of the series that started it all: CYBER FORCE! Top Cow founder MARC SILVESTRI (THE DARKNESS, Incredible Hulk) returns to his first Image series as co-writer, art director and cover artist! Co-writer MATT HAWKINS (THINK TANK, LADY PENDRAGON) and artist KHOI PHAM (Mighty Avengers, Daredevil) join SILVESTRI to bring you a contemporary re-imagining rooted in cutting edge, real world technology. Carin Taylor, codenamed Velocity, has escaped from the CDI controlled Millennium City and is desperately trying to find the one man she believes can help her prevent the end of the world. When she runs a group of other CDI escapees, will they help her… or turn their backs?

I need to admit here that this comic book gives us a pretty solid sci-fi action and an on-ramp to the franchise’s transhuman corporate-conspiracy roots, without fully distinguishing itself from other cyberpunk-adjacent team books.

I need to admit that the plot in this comic book is very interesting because it talks about corporate surveillance, predictive algorithms, and bio-augmentation which I personally found to be very fun and enjoyable.

However when it comes to the characters in this comic book I had a very hard time telling the characters apart. Because all of the characters in this comic book felt like the same person because they had very similar personalities to each other. 

The world building aspect of this comic book sometimes leans on tell over show, slowing momentum between action beats. Which hasn’t worked for me personally which is the reason why I haven’t given this comic book a higher rating.

The artwork in this comic book are very polished which was easily my favorite aspect of this comic book. The tech designs and cybernetic detail are standout because of how good they were. 

Cool palettes and neon which this comic book has accents sell the cyberpunk vibe without tipping into visual noise.

I Give This Book 3 / 5