Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup

Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup, 314 pages

From the MARC: "Caroline Lindley is determined that her new romance novel will be her best one yet. Fantasy! Formal gowns! Fencing! And, of course, a twentysomething heroine to star in an enemies-to-lovers plot with all of Caroline's favourite tropes. But Lady Rosamund Hawkhurst is a thirty-six-year-old widow. She has a war to stop and two children to get home to and flatly refuses to take the correct approach to there being Only One Bed. What's an author to do? Especially when discussions with her editor might reveal that he and Rosamund's Hot Enemy have some suspicious similarities . . "

Just Stab Me Now is a fun story-within-a-story meta read. It's completely aware of its genre and its audience and is quick to delight and surprise. I'm not much of a romance reader but I was drawn in by Lady Rosamund's delicious stubborness and courage. It's a lovely change of pace to have an older heroine who gets stuff done and has her own agency even when her circumstances box her in. 

 

Absolute Batman Vol. 2: Abomination by Scott Snyder, et al.

 Absolute Batman Vol. 2: Abomination by Scott Snyder, et al.-224 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In this chilling new saga, Batman confronts the icy menace of Mr. Freeze and the brutal force of Bane as he uncovers dark secrets within the Ark M facility that link Victor Fries, the Joker, and Gotham’s deepest evils.

The story marks the debut of Mr. Freeze’s Absolute Universe version, focusing on Victor Fries, his connection to the Ark M experiment, and its mysterious link to the Joker. Batman faces a deadly battle against Mr. Freeze, uncovering chilling secrets about Ark M and the Joker’s involvement. Ark M is a facility meant to help society’s broken, but it has also played a role in creating evil. When Bruce Wayne infiltrates Ark M, he encounters Bane—an old foe with a brutal origin story and a terrifying plan to break Batman. The narrative reveals Bane’s background, motivations, and how he arrived in Gotham, all while Bruce and his friend Waylon Jones endure harrowing trials inside Ark M.

Collects Absolute Batman #7-14

Thoughts: Absolute Batman continues to be really good. It is right up there with "The Dark Knight" trilogy of movies. This second volume is just as good as the first. New, alternate versions of Bane and Mr. Freeze are introduced as well as a new version of Arkham Asylum (Ark M). Apparently, Joker is coming in the next volume, for which I am excited. 

A Song for You & I by K. O'Neill

A Song for You & I by K. O'Neill

240 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Rowan knows exactly what they want to be: to be a ranger, protecting their village alongside their trusted flying horse Kes. But when Rowan's eagerness to show off their worth gets Kes injured, Rowan is suddenly unsure if they're capable of being the protector they've always dreamed of becoming. 

With Kes needing to heal, Rowan is assigned a slow and winding expedition across the outlying lands. Paired with a lackadaisical sheep herder Leone, Rowan only finds frustration as they seem to fail even the simplest tasks. But Leone's own struggles, and endless support brings a new possibility to Rowan. Could their unlikely friendship be something more? And if it is, will Rowan be able to leave Leone behind to pursue being a ranger once Kes is healed?

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me by Kelly Thompson, et al.

 Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me by Kelly Thompson, et al.-208 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Trapped in the Maze, Forged by Myth—Wonder Woman Faces Her Greatest Test

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me continues Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman’s bold new vision of Diana of Themyscira. Collecting issues #8–14, this volume finds Wonder Woman navigating the twisted corridors of Area 41’s Black Box Maze—a prison of temptation, trauma, and revelation. As Diana confronts the horrors of man’s world and the truth of her Amazonian legacy, she must choose between rage and compassion, isolation and connection. With supernatural threats erupting across the globe and Smallville under siege, Diana’s journey becomes a battle for identity, justice, and the soul of humanity. Available in both hardcover and softcover formats.

Thoughts: I really liked this volume. I continue to enjoy reading this alternate origin story for Wonder Woman and I'm excited to see what happens next. 

The Love Wager

The Love Wager by Lynn Painter | 315 pages | 2023

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.

After agreeing they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie realize they’re each other’s perfect wing-person in their searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they both struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon by Kelly Thompson, et al.

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon by Kelly Thompson, et al.-208 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

 Without the island paradise, without the sisterhood that shaped her, without a mission of peace…she’s still the Absolute Amazon!

Spiraling out of the catastrophic events of Absolute Power, a new side of the DC Universe is born—the Absolute Universe!

In a different, darker world, Diana of Themyscira was not raised in paradise, but instead was exiled to the underworld as a baby and raised by an enemy. Darkness and exile did not destroy her; instead, they made her all the stronger—honed into an even greater weapon by tragedy, danger, and magic. Long denied her Amazonian heritage, Diana has finally reached the time for her to rejoin the surface world. Armed with new weapons forged in Hell, and a mission that looks a bit more like justice than peace, Diana will not be stopped on her quest to save the world and discover her place in it, even if that means carving it herself!

Eisner Award-winning writer Kelly Thompson is joined by breakout superstar artist Hayden Sherman to reinvent Wonder Woman from the ground up! Collects Absolute Wonder Woman #1-7.

Thoughts: I really like this as an alternate origin story for Wonder Woman. It delves a bit deeper into the Greek mythology lore and I'm here for it. I am looking forward to reading the next volume and I continue to like the Absolute DC Comics stories (so far, anyway).

One of Us is Dead by Jeneva Rose

One of Us is Dead - 312 pages

Jeneva Rose

Summary (From Goodreads)

Opulence. Sex. Betrayal … Sometimes friendship can be deadly.

Meet the women of Buckhead—a place of expensive cars, huge houses, and competitive friendships.

Shannon was once the queen bee of Buckhead. But she’s been unceremoniously dumped by Bryce, her politician husband. When Bryce replaces her with a much younger woman, Shannon sets out to take revenge …

Crystal has stepped into Shannon’s old shoes. A young, innocent Texan girl, she simply has no idea what she’s up against …

Olivia has waited years to take Shannon’s crown as the unofficial queen of Buckhead. Finally, her moment has come. But to take her rightful place, she will need to use every backstabbing, manipulative, underhand trick in the book …

Jenny owns Glow, the most exclusive salon in town. Jenny knows all her clients’ secrets and darkest desires. But will she ever tell?

Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead—and who will wind up dead? They say that friendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly.

Review

I read this one for the Anything Goes Book Club and it...didn't really do it for me.  Granted, I've never been one for shows like Desperate Housewives or Keeping Up With the Kardashians.  In spite of having shorter chapters, the story's being told through 5 different viewpoints detracted from the pacing significantly.  The ending was still somewhat satisfying, though.