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.  

How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis

How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, 151 pages

This book is a carefully crafted guide for people who are struggling emotionally or physically or both to keep their spaces clean. There are guides and references, and the author even has a "short cut" mode for those reading who do not have the mental bandwidth to deal with the whole book. It's also a good place for people to unlearn any cleaning-related trauma they might have picked up by well-meaning loved ones early in life.

 

Training the Heart by Paisley Hope

Training the Heart by Paisley Hope -- 448 pages

Wade Ashby doesn’t let anyone in. With the death of his father and his failed marriage, plus the weight of the family business on his shoulders, Wade has plenty to deal with. He thrives on being the one constant and steady thing in his family’s life and on their ranch, Silver Pines.

Ivy Spencer knows two things for certain. Animals make better friends than people and she can only count on herself. After a turbulent childhood and a string of bad luck since, Ivy is excited to start fresh at Silver Pines Ranch and live out her dream of training a racehorse en route to the Kentucky Derby. 

Wade needs help on the ranch, but with two entirely different views on how to train his star horse, it makes absolutely no sense why he allows her to stay on. She’s chaos and he’s control, but it doesn’t take long for the levee to break and their passion to ignite.

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #2)

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #2, 182 pages

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Google Books)

In this book, Nancy, the daughter of prominent attorney Carson Drew, is visited one evening by Nathan Gombet, a sinister man who claims that Carson Drew swindled him out of money for a property. Nancy gets rid of Gombet with difficulty. Soon after, she is drawn into the case of the Turnbull sisters, unmarried women living alone in their old family mansion, Cliffwood.

The sisters claim that their house is haunted, but it quickly becomes clear that something more is afoot: valuable heirlooms of the Turnbull family mysteriously vanish. Nancy, sure that ghosts are out of the question, stays with the sisters to unravel the mystery. She is certain that there must be some secret entrance to the old house, but she cannot find it. In the meantime, Carson Drew is mysteriously detained in a trip out of town on business. Nancy does not hear from him, and she worries that something may have happened to him.

Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 3: The Realm of the Mind by Peach Momoko

Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 3: The Realm of the Mind by Peach Momoko

Ultimate X-Men (2024) #13-18, 152 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The startling reimagination of mutantkind in the Ultimate Universe enters its second year! Chaos erupts as former Children of the Atom rise up against the society that used and abused them just as tension between Armor and Maystorm comes to a head in an explosive confrontation! And when the Shadow King returns - more powerful than ever - will Armor be the first to fall? Witness how Hisako's journey through her inner darkness wreaks havoc on her fellow mutants - and reality itself! Nico's undercover sleuthing finally yields results! But the Church of the Children of the Atom is ready for a fight. What dangers await our young X-Men in the Astral Plane?

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 4 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 4 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011) #16.1, 19-22, 144 pages

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The Daily Bugle is on the hunt to find out everything they can about the new Spider-Man...but what they discover will surprise them, you - and him!
Then: Venom Wars begins! Miles Morales finally has his costume, his web-shooters, and now he has his first A-list Spider-Man villain...there's a new Venom in town, and he's hungry! But who exactly is the new Venom, and what is his terrible connection to Miles' father? All this, plus Miles' new girlfriend, and the return of award-winning artist Sara Pichelli!