After finishing it, I liked it. But while reading, I was repeatedly frustrated to the point of DNFing it. I can't say whether or not I'd recommend it. It's one of those books that could go either way depending on your mood. Apparently I was not in the mood for Felicity's shenanigans.

Nomen est Omen

While the ancient Romans were what we may consider these days to be a bit socially awkward, philosophically speaking they knew their shit....

The name says it all

Let's start by giving praise where praise is due. I loved this book, the concept of it was brilliant. I am plainly put- a sucker for a good antihero. To be honest I always was, but in this day and age even more so. I think what pushes my rebellious side lately is the saturation of self-righteousness that seems to be everywhere. Everybody's constantly outraged by everything, and the internet breaks every five minutes because of something so colossally stupid that I welcomed.... YES WELCOMED a morally challenged maniac. Just for shits and giggles.

Achilles.
The big cheese.
A psychopath and a killer with a penchant for Maybelline.
…....Achilles.

When you choose to attach a name like that, a legendary name, a powerful name to a character, you silently say, 'They share common traits'. This is true for all weather you want it or not (try naming your character George Bush if you don't believe me and see how far that gets you), and honestly that's what threw me. I kept expecting to find those common traits... The legendary Achilles was a Myrmidon- a precise, structured warrior that lived his life by a set of rules branded into him by others since birth. Then there is the whole matter of his rather famous, untimely death. Achilles of Equal Part was batshit cray-cray, emotional whiplash kind of guy with a sense of duty that served only himself.

Then there is the Death Mask. Dia de Muertos full on.

Now there is another subtext on its own.

There are so many different folk tales and hidden meanings in the way the Latin America celebrates the Day of the Dead, and yes, I expected some connection. The author made a brilliant display of just how important the public persona and the mask is for the MC, so at the end, when his name was Henry Westwood and all of this was *because fuck you,that's why*, I was left deflated. There were so many endless possibilities, and the end result got me trying to mash 300 Rise of an Empire with the best Mexico has to offer and got this.


What started with Achilles developed in a pattern throughout the novel where more then once I found myself curious about an element that Winters introduced, but then failed to use. There were superpowers, yes? We only saw a few jumps by Finn and some mindfuckery by Molten. In a city where crime rate is higher then the Nitrogen saturation in the air, you would think we would see some more shebang out of it all. Then the romantic side of it all. I don't care who the hell you are, how powerful, how badass, how sexy and enchanting. If you hurt a girl she will be angry. Very, very angry...She wouldn't stand around listening to the man that hurt her spout BS and then start explaining herself. The whole nightclub scene was underwhelming and disappointing. He gave her some lamery, she beamed at him, and he swung his Mjolnir happily ever after.


If you're wondering what the hell is going on with the hammer...read the book.

At the end of it I will say that this is not my last book by Winters, and I enjoyed Equal Parts. I just needed more detail, more engaging moments to find it brilliant. And it can be brilliant! Emma Winters has got all it takes - originality, shock value, sense of humor and a flair for the dramatic.

PS: I am aware of my current profile pic and the whole theme going on here. Kinda prophetic.

Wow I loved this book! It is very unique and I loved the characters almost instantly. It was very refreshing to read something so different from all the other books out there!

Guardians of the Galaxy released in theaters this weekend.  The film features a bevy of great Super Heroines!

 

Gamora is an orphan from an alien world who was raised by the mysterious Thanos to become the perfect weapon. As Thanos personal assassin, Gamora has earned a reputation as a formidable warrior. Gamora now seeks redemption for her past crimes.

 

Nebula is a blue-skinned deadly assassin, Nebula is a loyal lieutenant in Ronan and Thanos employ. Her advanced skill set and cybernetic enhancements make her a valuable asset but her resentment of Thanos adoptive daughter Gamora may prove to be her Achilles heel.

 

Nova Prime Irani Rael is in charge of Nova Corps operations throughout the galaxy. From her base of operations on Xandar, the principled and efficient Nova Prime leads her forces with confidence. She defines her mission above all to protect the citizens of Xandar and keep peace.

 

Bereet is a female Krylorian techno-artist. 

 

Maybe we will get the the Wonder Woman Standalone Film sooner than later! 

 

In the meantime, here are some wonderful Superpowered Heroines from Romanceland!

 

 

1.  Even Villains Fall in Love by Liana Brooks  

 

A super villain at the top of his game must choose between the world he wants and the woman he loves.

If you believe the rumors you know that Doctor Charm, the wickedly sexy super villain, retired in shame seven years ago after his last fight with the super hero Zephyr Girl. The fact that the charming Evan Smith—father of four and husband of the too-beautiful-to-be-real Tabitha—bears a resemblance to the defeated Doctor is pure coincidence. And, please, ignore the minions.

Everything is perfect in the Smith household, until Tabitha announces her return to work as a super hero. Evan was hoping to keep her distracted until after he rigged the 2012 presidential election, but—genius that he is—Evan has a backup plan. In his basement lab, Evan has a machine whose sole purpose is keeping Tabitha hungry for him.

But children and labs don’t mix. The machine is broken, and Tabitha storms out, claiming she no longer knows him. World domination takes a back seat to meeting his daughters’ demands to get Mommy back right now. This time his genius isn’t going to be enough—he’s going to need both his evil alter-ego, and the blooming super abilities of his children to save his wife. But even his most charming self might not be enough to save their marriage.

 

2. Sunroper by Natalie J. Damschroder 

 

Marley Canton is done being a victim. A year and a half has passed since she discovered her ability to nullify power in those who aren’t supposed to have it. She’s now on a quest not only to stop the brats who’ve become addicted to goddess power, but also to find the source of their addiction.

 

Like Marley, Gage Samargo is tracking down the goddess who went rogue decades ago. Insane with too much power from the sun, she’s selling that energy to Gage’s younger brother and his friends, who are no longer content to come into power naturally. While they work to find a way to neutralize the goddess, Marley discovers that every time she nullifies someone, she takes on some of the goddess’s insanity.

 

Gage falls for Marley’s sharp wit and intense desire to right wrongs. But once he discovers she’s turning into her enemy, is it too late to back away?

 

3. Temptress by Lola Dodge 

 

Kidnapping a super-powered suspected felon from a Vegas bachelor party is another day at the office for Jenny Ray, alias Temptress. With one kiss, any naughty supe’s powers are hers. Except this time she’s caught by her mark’s boss, who’s no ordinary superhero.

 

It’s Thinktank, leader of the toughest hero crew around. One destroyed men’s room and near-toilet-drowning later, Jenny’s forced to steal an innocent hero’s powers.

For a super brain, Tank’s feeling pretty idiotic. First, he let Jenny close enough to get to him. Second, he’s helpless against the tide of desire that rises in him every time he kisses her. Which he’s doing a lot, since she’s trying to give him back his power—only it’s not working. As he shadows her on her various freelance casino security jobs, he realizes she’s no she-demon—she’s a time bomb. Her acquired powers are shredding her, body and soul.

 

As they give in to desire, a shadowy figure from Jenny’s past surfaces with a kidnapping plan of his own. Jenny will do anything—even level Las Vegas—to rescue the man she loves. But there may not be anything left of her when the dust settles.

 

 

4. Equal Parts by Emma Winters  

 

Nobody knows happiness better than nineteen-year-old Felicity Eastwood. For years now, she’s been ‘gifted’ with the ability to collect and transfer happiness to anyone at will. Well, everyone except herself.
That is until Achilles - renowned criminal mastermind with a face painted like Death and enough charm to cause hormonal riots – crashes into Felicity’s world and her feel … something.

Determined not to let such a coveted superpower slip beyond his reach, Achilles kidnaps Felicity, hoping to use her ability to brave his own skeletons. Felicity is only a half-unwilling prisoner though, forgoing escape to learn more of the man behind the mask and pursue the inexplicable spark between them.

As the lines between hero and villain begin to blur, Felicity finds herself wondering if Achilles might be the key to her own happiness at long last. Is it possible to be so happy with someone so dangerous?

But Achilles isn’t the only villain in the town, and the pursuit of happiness can be a deadly hunt…

 

5. To the Fifth Power  by Shirin Dubbin 

 

Three years ago, Zola Noite's nemesis killed her sidekick and forced her to watch. The guilt drove her to hang up her cape. Zola knows one thing for certain. She will never be a superhero again.

 

Psychologist Dr. Arturo "Fort" Forte specializes in super-powered mental health. He’s the only reason Zola can once again call herself sane—although, truth be told, the heat between them is slowly driving her back to mad.

 

When three mega-villains escape the prison Fort oversees, all Zola's best laid plans go up in flames. Fort asks her for help, and she can't turn down the man she's secretly come to love. As battles ensue and clues add up, the one thing Zola trusts is called into question: Fort's true agenda and which side he’s on.

 

6. Blindside by Jayden Alexander 

 

Once a masked superhero, Mac Gamble is a cage fighter using his infamy to attract a crowd, until the cop who ran him out of town asks him to track down a dangerous vigilante. 

Once an ambitious cop determined to continue in her brother's footsteps, Lana Rossini craves vengeance. The abilities she acquired in the same explosion that killed her brother allow her to hunt the streets at night for those who betrayed him. Yet, during the day she is a helpless invalid, unable to stand the thinnest light. 

She doesn’t expect the man sent after her to be the one whose powers she somehow stole, a man she thought abandoned her to blindness, a man she can't allow herself to love. 

 

7. Seduced by the Storm by Sydney Croft 

 

They met in a steamy Florida bar—then spent a night of mind-bending passion. Two secret agents who each possess unique telekinetic gifts—and whose combined sexual powers leave neither of them unscathed. For ex-Navy SEAL Wyatt Kennedy, assigned by the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives to the most treacherous mission of his career, the woman in black leather and lace has just become more than a one-night stand. Because Faith Black is the sole barrier to the success of his mission—and not even Wyatt’s legendary seduction skills can penetrate her deep cover.

Faith’s psychic gifts make her one of the world’s most dangerous women—but she hides a secret pain she shares with no one. Until Wyatt. And Faith has an agenda of her own: using her unique powers to save someone close to her—a move that pits her against a man she thought she’d never see again. For as a deadly hurricane is unleashed across the eastern seaboard, desire reignites between Faith and Wyatt, exposing secrets that thrust them both into harm’s way. With the hurricane sweeping closer—and their erotic hunger for each other growing—these two wary hearts must come together to heal, to trust . . . and to harness the power of a storm that could consume everything in its path.

 

8. Chain by Viola Grace 

 

Estelle is a logistical expert, show her a problem and she can solve it. When she is drugged and enslaved, she looks for a way out, sending messages with every outgoing slave and hoping that one will get her plan to the Alliance in time. The escape is on, but she has been shackled to her breeding partner that very evening, linked by a chain they lead the escape until one partner goes on alone. Survivors are offered a place on an Oefric colony world. The shape shifters have a separate town from the arena survivors, and that is where their hospitality ends. Steel leads the charge to design a working village, and since she conveniently made it into the survivors and not the Alliance specialist designation when she landed, let the fun begin. Wyanic is eventually persuaded to look in on the growing village, and imagine his surprise when his true mate greets him when he thought her dead on the ship.

 

9. Shadow Touch by Marjorie M. Liu 

 

Elena Baxter, a psychic trying to do good in her local hospital, has a healing touch. Literally. And her life is forever altered when she's kidnapped by an organization out to exploit her powers. She learns that she's not the single irregularity she believed; others have been captured. Shape-shifters, fellow psychics, and Artur, an ex-Russian Mafia agent now working for the secret detective agency Dirk & Steele and a man who can see into a person's soul. But what she sees in him is far more precious, something she is willing to risk her life for.

 

10. Super Bad  by Vivi Andrews

 

Equal Parts (Supernova, #1) - Emma Winte... So, what do we have here? Stockholm syndrome! Sometimes, we just have to fall in love with a bad guy.

The story was pretty good. I was kind of wondering how she would pull off this super hero theme, but in the end I liked how it worked out. You'd think there was only good and bad, but I really like it when there's a gray line in between, and enemies becomes friends, and then you have the "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" thing going on, sort of.

Sometimes the heroine could be a bit annoying but overall, I'd say that was only like 10% of the time. It was mostly when Achilles would be with another girl, and Felicity was already jealous even though she knows him for like 10 secs.

Since the good girl gets the bad boy, we have the bad boy changing for good girl. That part kind of a bit got too good to be true. In the beginning he would easily chop off hands of people and bludgeon anyone to death without a second thought, yet at the end, he was all like, "I can't do it anymore because I want to be good for you" Not actual word for word, but you get the idea. Is it really that simple to change a guy?

Also, at some points, they were each majorly spilling their hearts out to one another, out of nowhere. It was a lot of telling, and I probably would have liked it more if there were more showing. Even in the book, he actually says that actions speak clearer than words or whatnot. Please less talking and more just grab her and kiss her! haha, but overall I liked the story. Will definitely read more of this author's work!