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Empire of Storms Book Review

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empireofstormsTitle: Empire of Storms
Series: Book #5 in Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: September 6, 2016
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 689
Format: Purchased Hardcover

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Aelin’s journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?

As this is the fifth book, there will most likely be spoilers in this review.

When I first started this book, I knew it was going to be intense. I just wasn’t expecting it to be as intense as it was.

There was so much going on, so much that happened, and my mind was reeling after reading it, trying to comprehend everything that happened, everything that is to come, and so much more. And to be quite frank: I absolutely enjoyed it.

I found that the plot followed a steady stream from where it left off in Queen of Shadows and took a lot more darker turns, a lot more sexual turns, and showed a lot more teamwork, friendship, and hardship. It was one that I found to be full of action – and a lot more devastating action than before. There were heartbreaks and upsets, but there was also hidden joys and bits of happiness that could also be found.

So let’s take a look into the characters, shall we?

Aelin continues to grow stronger in her magic in this book, which I highly appreciate given I wanted more after the last two books from when she really started to hone her skills into the Fire Wielder she is now. Holy crap, she’s powerful, and at times I felt like she was too powerful, but I was also glad to see that even her magic has limits, that even she is susceptible to burnouts, and that she needs to replenish her magic just like all of the others who have magic have to, too. I found Aelin to be more arrogant in this book, even if it was a front sometimes, but I also found her to be more unwilling to share any sort of plans with her comrades. I felt that that was where her downfall was, because then maybe some certain events could have been prevented more, but at the same time, probably not.

Despite having so much arrogance, it’s not that Aelin doesn’t trust her friends with things (she does tell Lysandra some things), but it’s that she feels that if her plans fail that her friends will hate her for it – again, another character flaw, but one that was well done, in my opinion, because her friends got that and understood it (even if they did get a bit mad afterward). She was such a strong, kickass version of herself in this installment, and I need to know what happens to her next because she just got into a lot of shit at the end there. Oh man.

Rowan was ever the protective Fae male warrior who definitely lusted after Aelin a lot, but as those scenes between then grew and grew until they practically burst, I found that I was growing to like it more and more. Even if it was a bit much sometimes. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy what went on between them, but I feel like we lost a bit of the warrior Rowan we saw in Heir of Fire in these last two books. I mean, he still kicks ass and he’s still fierce, and willing to take down a whole arming of ilking if the need arose, but I wanted more of that stern, snarky warrior we once had before.

Manon. Oh, my ever loving heart, Manon. She was phenomenal. She was still cool and calculating, ready to rip peoples’ throats out, but I saw that humanity in her, the one she thought didn’t exist, especially when it came to a brutal decision that was forced upon her and her Thirteen. When she stood up to her grandmother, you bet I was cheering for her. She’s powerful and strong, and cunning, and I love that even though she says she doesn’t need anyone, she really does. I don’t know if she’s truly realized that yet, but she’s definitely a powerful force to be reckoned with and I’m really interested to see how she goes about accepting her bloodline, what will happen next, and if there will be any resolve as a result of it.

ELIDE. FREAKING. LOCHAN. Where the hell were you hiding, girl!? Elide definitely grew on me in the last book, but in this one? Oh, she has my whole heart now, because she just showed so much growth and strength and heart, and I thought that she was just incredible in this book. Not only did she set out on her journey to find Aelin, to do what she could for her queen, but she also showed that she’s not this frail little thing, but she has a fighting spirit. I loved her time spent with Lorcan, strained though it was, and I thought that the two were two sides of the same coin in ways. We got to learn more about her, how she uses her cunning to get through many situations, and that she’s willing to risk a lot for those she cares about. I need more of her in my life. Now.

Speaking of Lorcan, I love him. And yes, I’m totally 100% shipping him and Elide together. Even though he was kind of a jerk at the end and all of that, I want them to be together. He was very hard to crack at the beginning, very serious and hellbent on completing whatever mission he had set out to complete, but as time progressed alongside Elide, I thought that he softened a bit and slowly came to realize that there is more to life than fighting and death and destruction. I think he’ll really try to atone for his mistakes in the next book for sure.

Dorian was so cool in this book (no pun intended). He really got a hold over his magic and I thought that he did really well in learning just what that magic held. He was still kind of a lost puppy at the beginning, but he still proved that he was worth something as the book progressed, and that he was still hurting when a certain scene happened that I feel didn’t really need to happen, but there it was because ohmygodthatsexualtension. Anyway, I thought that Dorian was strong in ways even he didn’t realize, and I really appreciated that.

Aedion and Lysandra just need to get together already. Both of them proved how strong they are in different ways and how far they’re both willing to go for their companions. I found that Aedion was just as protective and hot headed as ever, and that Lysandra was really a cool calm before the storm. They really mixed well and balance each other out nicely, that’s for sure. I love how much potential each of them holds and am anxious to see more of what they’ll have to show in the next book.

As for the rest that happened? Oh, where do I even begin? There was so much more added to the story, and bits and pieces of the story from before we even knew certain characters that was shown and unfurled as the plot progressed. I loved seeing a lot of it and felt that it wasn’t too much or overbearing, but just what the characters needed in that time.

Also, can we talk about Erawan and Maeve? I seriously feel like they’re conspiring together, but both of them are so good at hiding things from everyone around them, I can’t be sure that that’s actually true. And I really don’t like Maeve. At all.

ALSO, all of those characters that came back from the novellas!? I loved that! Seeing Rolfe, Ansel, and the others was just so, so awesome and I hope that they play a bigger role in the next book.

There were just a few things that nagged me and bugged me that happened in the book that is causing this to not be a full five star read for me, and that is the amount of sex scenes in the book. I mean, I’m all for a good sex scene and it being a positive experience for the characters and all that, but I felt like there was just too much of it going on amidst the chaos of the rest of the book. Maybe it was to break up the tension, but maybe it could have been done in different ways. Like, every other character pairing wanted to get into each other’s pants. Chill your hormones.

I’m very interested to see what happens in the last book *insert sobbing here* because there is going to be a LOT of action, a LOT of heartbreak, and I can already feel my heart sobbing in many different ways.

I rate this book 4.75/5 stars and highly recommend it if you’ve read the rest of the series.

A Court of Mist and Fury Book Review

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acourtofmistandfuryTitle: A Court of Mist and Fury
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #2
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Genre: New Adult – Romance, Fantasy
Pages: 624
Format: Purchased Hardcover

Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

As this is a sequel, there may be spoilers!

Guys. I just. I have so many wonderful, incredible emotions from this book. It was heart-pounding, beautiful, rage-inducing, sorrowful, funny, and just plain incredible. I loved this book to the moon and back and I am so incredibly happy that I read it.

This sequel was much more of a New Adult read than a Young Adult read because of the sexy times that happened on multiple occasions in this story, so keep that in mind when reading this. Apart from that, I thought that the story itself was levels above the first book, and I like the first book. The story and characters in this one, though, were all so much more… alive and entrancing and it made me yearn for so much more from this world and to learn as much as possible about each new character and who they are and their story.

The plot of this book focused a lot more around Feyre’s time in the Night Court with Rhysand, and how at first she hated and resented it, but over time it was an escape, a way for her to be free from what was happening in the Spring Court, and it also focused heavily on her powers and what she gained from being Made into a High Fae. The plot also centered around the threat from the King of Hybern, the Cauldron and why it’s so dangerous, and a magical book called the Book of Breathings. It was all interwoven exceptionally well and I did’t feel like any part of it was really rushed or anything because the way the ending was written definitely left a lot to be discovered and developed in the next book – which I need in my hands ASAP, by the way.

Feyre grew exponentially on me throughout this book because she FOUGHT for herself and she FOUGHT for her rights as a human being – simple rights that were being denied her and OH MAN. It was glorious. She stood her ground when she wasn’t shattering, and she was given the freedom she so deserved when she was in the Night Court. I am so proud of her for sticking up for herself. She did go through a long series of depression at the beginning of the story, which was very much to be expected given the circumstances that had happened, but also the toxic situation she was in. But as the story continued and she learned how to use her powers, learned how to fight and regain strength, learned how to trust in others again – I saw her grow and change and it was just lovely. She used her mind tactically, but she also used her heart. I think using both, for a main character, is extremely important and Feyre did an excellent job of both.

Now Rhysand. Oh. My. God. Rhysand. I didn’t really like him in the first book. I was kind of really iffy about him and his motives. But now? I love him to pieces. He was so… normal in this book that I didn’t really know what to expect. The mask he had to wear when he was around certain groups, compared to who he was in front of his comrades and others – it was the difference between light and day. But I think the thing I loved most about him was that he NEVER forced Feyre to do anything she didn’t want to. He always left the choice for her to do something if she wanted to or not. I loved that he flirted with her and bantered with her, and I love how he looked after her. His magic is astounding, for sure, too. He loves his people, his Inner Circle, Feyre… I am so glad he was so well developed in this book because he deserved every second of that spotlight that was shining on him.

Tamilin, I want to gouge his eyes out with a spoon. Slowly. He pissed me off so much in this book I was ready to jump into the pages and tear him apart. He was controlling and WAY too overprotective of Feyre. It was actually kind of crazy that he didn’t really seem to care that she was suffering so much at the beginning and then he’d apologize for his behavior… it was a vicious, toxic cycle and I’m glad she got away when she did before she married him.

And then we met Morrigan (Mor), Cassian, Azriel, and Amren. Rhysand’s Inner Circle. I love them all. I don’t know how Maas did it, but she made it so you could connect to the characters and fall in love with each of them.

  • Mor is the third in command and has a sarcastic kind of personality where she’ll easily banter with others, but she makes friends almost everywhere she goes. And she’s not afraid to kick ass, either.
  • Cassian is an arrogant Illyrian fighter and he is probably my favorite of the Circle. He’s funny and likes getting into trouble, I swear. But he’s fiercely loyal and I love that.
  • Azriel is extremely mysterious, and he’s a Shadowsinger, able to communicate with shadows around him. He’s very quiet, but he’s a fierce Warrior.
  • Amren is also mysterious, but for entirely different reasons. She’s sharp tongued, highly intelligent, and mean. I like her.

Throughout all of this, though, there are friendships forged, lessons to be learned, moments of peace, and, most importantly, love. And when the romance came about in this book and then THE THING happened? I nearly died of swoons and feels and happiness and I was glowing right along with  Feyre. Oh man. It was beautiful, guys, truly.

There’s also lies and deceit from some people that you would least expect it from and I wanted to punch something I was shaking with so much rage. There’s trials and so many risky things that Feyre, Rhys, and the others go through that I just had to keep flipping the page to find out more.

And the sexy times. Ooooooh man, the sexy times. They were very steamy, descriptive, and I needed a fan. I don’t think it really distracted or took away from the story because of certain things that happened around it.

AND THEN. Just when you thought everything was going to turn out fine? THAT ENDING. THAT TWIST. I’m pissed and sad for various reasons, BUT I am also very, very anxious to see what happens in the last book. I need it. Now.

Overall, this was an extremely solid sequel in my opinion and I absolutely, 100% recommend it.

I rate this book 6/5 stars.

No? Okay.

I rate it 5/5 stars and highly recommend it.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue Book Review

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bluelilylilyblueTitle: Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Series: The Raven Cycle #3
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Genre: Young Adult – Paranormal
Pages: 391
Format: Purchased Paperback

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.

Mothers can disappear.

Visions can mislead.

Certainties can unravel.

As this is a sequel, there may be spoilers!

Trying to get my thoughts together for this one is proving to be a serious challenge right now. I loved it – truly – but I don’t know if it was worthy of five stars? I think I’m still digesting it.

This third book was so vastly different from the last, but at the same time not that I feel like I may have missed something or I didn’t let it soak in. Maybe Cabeswater is affecting me, too?

The plot in this story grew and flowed continuously from the second book, following Adam, Gansey, Ronan, Blue, and Noah as they continue their search for Glendower, but there’s so much going on behind the scenes with Maura’s disappearance, with threats from outside sources, with Cabeswater wanting to speak to them with urgency, and with three sleepers: one to wake, one not to wake, and on in between.

I think that the concept for this series is fantastic and I loved how it was delivered in this book. Each of the characters continued to play their major roles and were learning more and more about themselves and each other, even when they felt that they didn’t know anything about one another.

Blue, I think, is really coming out of her shell and showing the boys that she’s capable of so much more than what she seems, and I think that she learns that about herself as well in this book. She does have a bit of an anger problem still (which I still don’t know how/where it stems from in situations?), and they reflect on the others around her, and either the boys understand and diffuse the situation, or sometimes things escalate too far. I felt that she really tried to take the initiative a lot more in multiple ways in this novel, from seeking out trying to find out where Glendower is, to the budding romance between her and Gansey, to trying to save her mother. There’s so much more beneath the surface of her and I love her for that. Blue really got a handle on her powers in this book in many instances and I thought that that showed great progression for her.

Gansey had a lot more inner turmoil when it came to Blue and I think a lot of his walls were let down around her, which made him much less uniform and polite and more wild and young. He felt more genuine in those moments, which I highly appreciated. He tries his best in many situations in this book to remember his stance in his relationships, for sure, but I think we also learn a few things about him that may not have been present in the past books: he does have fears. I was surprised when I read these parts, but when I did they felt so real and genuine that I couldn’t help but feel for him. I think he, like Blue, is really coming out of his shell and showing many different facets of himself and who he is.

Adam grows the most out of anyone given the situation he thrust himself into, but also because of what happens around him and how he can’t ignore it. Cabeswater calls to him in many ways and when he ignores it, it doesn’t end well for him. I think that he definitely grows in this book as he learns more about his powers, himself, and what kinds of things he can do with and through Cabeswater. He’s stronger than he lets himself on to be, and though it may not be totally evident, it is seen in small pieces in different situations such as when he scrys, or when he faces his father at the courthouse (by the way, did he win that case?).

Ronan is Ronan, though and through, and I wish we had perspectives from him in this book. He was in a lot of scenes, don’t get me wrong, but he didn’t directly have any sort of chapter from his perspective alone. I will say, though, that I feel like he’s getting to be a little softer? As in, he may still be his kind of jerkish self, but he’s also showing more care for his friends (and that little bit of feelings for a certain someone, though nothing’s been spoken aloud). He’s vengeful, but doesn’t act on it; he’s protective over his friends and Chainsaw; and he knows his limitations. I just love him, honestly.

Noah, though present in this book, didn’t have as much presence as the last book. There was a lot going on with him in this book, though, that was caused from the ley lines and the powers around Henrietta. A lot of times it was kind of creepy what was happening to him, and a bit unsettling, but eventually things became a bit more steady for him and how he acted.

The romance is there, it is. And that one scene was so intense and intimate and oh man, I just wish they could kiss, but death is imminent, and ahhhhh. It makes me sad, but also happy?

And then there’s things that happen with other characters, like The Gray Man, Greenmantle, Malory, Jesse, Persephone… Oh man, so many emotions.

The overall plot of the three sleepers was an interesting take in this book and I think it was part anti-climatic and part brilliant because the one who was in between seemed like the anti-climactic bit, while the one who was to be awake was kind of really entertaining, and then the one who’s not supposed to wake? Oh man, I’m interested to see how that plays out in the last book. It’s definitely going to lead up to it.

This book definitely had a lot going on and though my brain is still trying to wrap around it, I can say that I really enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite. I do still think that it has a lot of story behind it and a lot that was learned and lot that will unfurl in the last book, though.

I rate this book 4/5 stars and highly recommend it.

Dreams of Gods & Monsters Book Review

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dreamsofgodsandmonstersTitle: Dreams of Gods & Monsters
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone #3
Author: Laini Taylor
Publisher: Little, Brown
Publication Date: April 17, 2014
Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 613
Format: Purchased Paperback

What power can bruise the sky?
Two worlds are poised on the brink of a vicious war. By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera’s rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her.
When the brutal angel emperor brings his army to the human world, Karou and Akiva are finally reunited–not in love, but in tentative alliance against their common enemy. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves.
But with even bigger threats on the horizon, are Karou and Akiva strong enough to stand among the gods and monsters?
The New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy comes to a stunning conclusion as–from the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond–humans, chimaera, and seraphim strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

I feel as though I’ve become an emotional wreck on the inside. My heart is filled with happiness after reading the third and final installment to this trilogy.

This book picks up right around where the last one let off and it was filled with nothing short of action, heartbreak, vengeance, mystery, love, and so much more.

The plot of this book encompassed so much and introduced us to a few important characters, namely Eliza, and the Stelians. Each were crucial to the story, and though I didn’t figure out why until the end, I thought that their parts in it played important roles and that they were much needed and added not only to the story itself, but to the lore of the world that Laini Taylor created.

I’m not sure that I can fully do justice by explaining the plot without giving away too many spoilers, as this is the third book, so just know that there is a lot of tension between the chimaera and angels, and that Jael wants to have complete control over Eretz by not only using what powers he may have available to him there, but also from Earth. It’s a crazy, twist and turn story that weaves itself in ways I wasn’t expecting, telling the story from many points of view. Each part of it, though, I felt like progressed the story and didn’t hinder from it.

There was a heavy focus on the romance aspect at times, but from the first book – where it was introduced and we learn of the manner of Karou and Akiva’s relationship – to the second book where there was virtually no romance, it was kind of understandable why it was there as much as it was. And trust me, I’m not complaining, because there were a few scenes in particular that made me squeal in excitement for what was going on – and it wasn’t between our two main heroes.

So let’s talk about the characters.

Karou really bounced back from the grieving, anger driven girl in the second book to a strong individual in this book. She has her moments where she is lost or down, as there’s a lot of war and death and destruction going on around her, so it’s understandable. I thought that she came a long way from where she first started not knowing anything about who she is or where she came from, to accepting her fate, to making it her own and realizing the dream she wanted to see come true when she formed it with Akiva so long ago. I thought that her persona was true to who she was and that she was really a huge driving force in this book.

Akiva seemed a bit more lovesick than anything in this book, but he also had a lot going on in terms of learning about himself and his people, and his powers and the consequence of using his powers. We still got to see a warrior side of him, but I think that it was more of the strategic side than the fighting side. He, too, has come a long way, but like I said, the romance was a large driving force between him and Karou in this book – and again, I can understand why. I think that their love and relationship is beautiful and strong, and even though they may desire after one another, it’s not in itself a bad thing; it’s a very powerful motivator for them. I do love how their relationship is often described as two magnets either being pulled together or pushed apart, because it’s true.

We got to see more chapters from Liraz’s point of view, and oh. My. God. I love her. She’s become one of my new favorites, especially toward the end. When we first meet her she seems like this cold, mean person, but it’s the way she’s brought up and how she has to stifle that part of herself that makes her that way. But as she warms up to others and slowly gets to understand them and care for them, the ice in her heart cracks and she shows that she is capable of having emotions and feelings. She’s strong, though – physically, mentally, and emotionally – and I love that about her. My favorite quote that I read about her was, “She was no mere weapon as she was trained to be, but a woman in full command of her power, unbowed and unbroken, and that was a dangerous thing.” Like, seriously Liraz, SLAY.

We got a lot from Ziri, too, as he was performing in secret as someone for a while, and though he tried his best to be like the one he had to portray, some of himself continued to shine through, and that was tough on him. I really enjoyed his chapters because I felt myself growing more and more attached to this kind soul. He has a sense of innocence about him that draws you in, but he’s still an incredibly capable warrior and just, wow. I’m amazed at what he can do.

Also, for the record, I SO ship Liraz and Ziri. Read the book to find out why because I was giggling like a freaking schoolgirl, and omg I can’t even.

Eliza was a new character introduced, and at first I was confused as to who she was and why she was important to the story to have her own perspective and chapters thrown in. As the story of her and who she was unfolded around her, though, and the circumstances for which she was put into, I realized that she is incredibly important. I just didn’t know how much so until the end. I found her character to be useful, and slightly filler, but not really? I liked her, though, and I think that she’s a very bright woman.

Zuzana and Mik, ah, one of my OTPs, never fail to make me smile. They go through a lot in this book with Karou and everyone else, but they always try to stay true to who they are and how they react to situations and everything. I love the dynamic that these two throw into the mix because they a) provide much needed comic relief sometimes, b) they’re adorable together, and c) they each have distinct personalities that really help to show the story in a different perspective. I think that they really helped to progress the story, as well, and am so glad as to where they were at the end.

P.S. Morgan Toth is a jerk and I hope he enjoys his punishment delivered to him.
P.P.S. Razgut is also kind of manic and crazy, but he does provide us a lot of insight into who he is and what happened when he was, you know, not a crippled Fallen.
P.P.P.S. I don’t like Ester. She got her just desserts.

As for the rest of the novel, well… there is honestly so much I could cover, but that would be an extremely long and spoilery post, and since this is the third book I’d rather you all read it and then see how much I loved this book and why this trilogy has become one of my favorites of all time. The writing is still exquisitely beautiful in this book with many phrases that caught my eye, and the story was all encompassing and I felt a sense of completion when I finished. I didn’t think that there was any kind of cliffhanger or anything like that.

I still want more, though.

Overall, I think that this was an extremely solid final book to the trilogy. Not only was the plot large and encompassing and complete, but it allowed the characters to reach out and reach their final destinations – their potential destinations – whatever they might be. It’s filled with heartbreak, romance, friendship, betrayal, second chances, lore, truths, discovery, and so much more.

I rated this 5/5 stars and highly recommend it.

My overall series rating: 5/5 stars

Saga Volumes 1-5 Review

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sagavol1Title: Saga, Volume 1
Series: Saga volume #1
Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrator: Fiona Staples
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication Date: October 23, 2012
Genre: Comic/Graphic Novel – Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance
Pages: 160
Format: Purchased Paperback

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

From bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan, Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults.

Collects Saga issues #1-6.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I went into this graphic novel series, but I was quickly captured by it. The story of two races who are at war with one another, and one from each side who falls in love and have a child together, is not an uncommon story, but the way Vaughan weaves it alongside the beautiful illustrations of Staples makes it a spectacular story.

I thought that the art itself was beautiful in each volume, capturing the essence of the story while giving just enough to understand the emotions being emitted or the situation at hand.

Alana, the female heroine, is kind of a hot mess. She’s fiercely protective of her child and she loves her husband, Marko, very much and would die for either of them. She’s a headstrong woman, very sarcastic, and she knows how to kick ass.

Marko, the male heroine, is a solider who vows to never use violence again – it can overtake him and control him rather than him being in control. He loves his family intensely and would do anything for them.

I think that these two, along with several other that we meet along the way, are what makes this story incredibly unique and engaging. And in just the first book I was whisked away with feelings of surprise, sorrow, joy, and so much more.

I will say, though, that this comic series is not for an underage audience. I’d definitely recommend being 17+ when reading this series. There is explicit sexual content as well as graphic violence and language, so just remember that going into this series.

I highly recommend this comic series and I give the first volume 5/5 stars.

sagavol2Title: Saga, volume 2
Series: Saga volume #2
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Pages: 168
Format: Purchased Paperback

From award-winning writer BRIAN K. VAUGHAN (Pride of Baghdad, Ex Machina) and critically acclaimed artist FIONA STAPLES (Mystery Society, Done to Death), SAGA is sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. Thanks to her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana, newborn baby Hazel has already survived lethal assassins, rampaging armies, and horrific monsters, but in the cold vastness of outer space, the little girl encounters her strangest adventure yet… grandparents.

Collects Saga issues #7-12

I think this second volume really just made the series better. The plot is thickening as the family races into space to escape a lot of people who were hunting after them (not that that’s going to stop them from hunting them) when they have to rescue one of the ones who came on board with them while Marko deals with issues with his mother.

Not only that, we get more backstory into some of the characters’ pasts and why and how they got to be where they are. I think this is a crucial element to the story and one that I really enjoyed.

The Will (yes, that’s his character name) is a freelancer, someone who hunts people for a price, and he’s after Alana, Marko, and Hazel. But when he arrives on Sextillion for a little side trip looking for a good time (you know what I mean), he is given to a young girl – Slave Girl – who is six years old – and he is not okay with that. He wants to rescue the girl but ends up getting kicked out before he has a chance to. I think that The Will has a lot of potential in him for either good or bad, and I’m really interested to see where his choices take him.

I think that Slave Girl is very shy at the beginning and she’s quick to please. I think that partially comes with age and the fact that she was thrust into a very sexual world. But she doesn’t let anyone touch her in that way, at least not from what we’ve seen so far.

And then we meet Gwendolyn and she’s just all about the revenge on her ex. Very fierce woman.

I really enjoyed this volume and thought it was better than the last. 5/5 stars.

sagavol3Title: Saga, volume 3
Series: Saga volume #3
Publication Date: March 25, 2014
Pages: 144
Format: Purchased Paperback

From the Hugo Award-winning duo of Brian K. Vaughan (The Private Eye, Y: The Last Man) and Fiona Staples (North 40, Red Sonja), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. Searching for their literary hero, new parents Marko and Alana travel to a cosmic lighthouse on the planet Quietus, while the couple’s multiple pursuers finally close in on their targets.

Collects issues 13-18.

Man, the plot just keeps getting more intense as the family is still on the run from pretty much everyone in the universe. Not only do they have their own people after them, but now the Robot Kingdom is after them, too.

There were some plot twists I didn’t see coming in this book. Plus I don’t like seeing relationships become severed over stupid things, but I understand that there’s a lot of tension going around and all of that.

There’s more and more characters being introduced, which isn’t a bad thing, but sometimes it can be difficult to keep track of. As the story progresses, though, we really see more of just who and what these characters are about and what they’re willing to fight for.

I will say, though, that all of the sexual references and content I can do without. It doesn’t all have to be eliminated, just toned down a bit.

I still really enjoyed this volume, though, and I give it 5/5 stars.

sagavol4Title: Saga, Volume 4
Series: Saga volume #4
Publication Date: December 17, 2014
Format: Purchased Paperback

From the Eisner Award-winning duo of Brian K. Vaughan (The Private Eye, Pride of Baghdad) and Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, Thor, SAGA is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. As they visit a strange new world and encounter even more adversaries, baby Hazel finally becomes a toddler, while her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana struggle to stay on their feet.

The family is trying to keep a low profile on a new planet as they try to make a living for themselves in this volume. Though there are a lot of struggles and a lot of bad choices made in this volume, there are some good choices made, too, but it still doesn’t stop from what the characters decide to do.

I think this was a good edition to the series, but it definitely wasn’t my favorite. I was disappointed in the decisions that Alana was making, as well as Marko, but I think that it was a learning experience for both of them to see how strong they are working together rather than trying to get through things apart.

And Hazel’s growing up! So cute!

Of course there are still people are them, and then there’s even kidnapping involved in this volume. Lots of things going on, that’s for sure.

I enjoyed this volume and gave it 4.5/5 stars.

sagavol5Title: Sage, Volume 5
Series: Saga volume #5
Publication Date: September 9, 2015
Format: Purchased Paperback

Multiple storylines collide in this cosmos-spanning new volume. While Gwendolyn and Lying Cat risk everything to find a cure for The Will, Marko makes an uneasy alliance with Prince Robot IV to find their missing children, who are trapped on a strange world with terrifying new enemies. Collects Saga #25-30.

This one was just so much action going on and so many “what’s going to happen” gripping moments that I wasn’t sure how it was going to end. This volume had a lot more fear involved on the part of the parents, but it also had a lot of strength as well as fragility.

Yes, some of the characters keep making mistakes, or decide to do the wrong thing, but they do learn from them and I think that’s the most important part.

The plot in this one was following three separate stories that would all eventually come together, minus one of them, but it was still an important plot point nonetheless.

I think that this volume was a good edition, but it wasn’t my favorite. I am sad about what happens to a couple of characters and I’m happy with a few others, but I’m also really sad that I have to wait for the next volume to come out to see what happens next! Gah!

I rated this volume 4.5/5 stars.

So far, I’m really enjoying this comic book series as it’s also the first comic series I’ve ever read. The story is gripping and it’ll leave you wanting more. The art style is also really beautiful and it really helps to pull the story together. Just remember: for mature audiences.

Accompanying video: Saga Volumes 1-5 Review