This slim volume features a selection of cover, trading card, and gallery art from DC Comics' now discontinued Vertigo imprint. A few of the series featured are ones I've read, albeit a very long time ago: Sandman, The Books of Magic, Black Orchid, Swamp Thing, Sandman Mystery Theatre. Most are series I've never heard of before, or heard of but never looked into enough to find out what they were about. I've been meaning to try Animal Man for ages, for example, but it still hasn't happened.

When I was in high school, I'd occasionally use my lunch period to go to a nearby comics shop and buy a few things. The store was arranged by publisher, with imprints getting their own subsections, and an odd "miscellaneous" section to catch anything by smaller publishers. I spent most of my time in the Marvel and "miscellaneous" sections (yay, Elfquest!), but my love of Neil Gaiman's Sandman prompted me to spend time in the Vertigo section as well. Although I never bought many Vertigo titles - I didn't have much money and didn't know which series I might like, and the store owner was so unwelcoming that I didn't dare ask him for recommendations - I loved the covers. They looked so different from the Marvel and other DC stuff.

I spotted this book during a shopping trip years ago and bought it with the intention of using it as artistic inspiration. Nothing ever came of that, but it was still nice looking at all the artwork and huge variety of styles. Each section has a little bit of text, normally something about the history of a particular series. Most of the artwork just has captions with the title and issue number if applicable, date, and artist, but a few include tidbits of info about the artists' style and, very occasionally, something about their technique or the medium used.

All in all, this is a nice collection of artwork. I wish there had been more text focused on particular pieces, though, and interviews with some of the artists would have been great.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

• THE HIDING PLACEDavid Bell
• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (October 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 045123796X
• ISBN-13: 978-0451237965
• aslo on Kindle ASIN: B0083P4ANC and audiobook ASIN: B009SBIGSA

I must have changed my mind as to the who and what 3 or 4 times by the end of this book. David Bell's writing style is easy to read, so this I was able to get through this quickly, even while trying to not speed read and miss anything. I really enjoyed the main character, Janet's daughter. The main characters were developed well. I am looking forward to reading more of David Bell's writing.

******I received this book from a Goodread's first reads giveaway held by Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA)****

Naked. Wet. Dirty...Scorched.

Introducing Scorched, Entangled Publishing's Erotic Romance Imprint! Grab your copies and get under the covers today!

 

 

About the Book:

People say I’m shameless. They’re right.

I like my work dirty and my sex even dirtier. It takes a hell of a lot to tilt my moral compass, and dancing as a private stripper for horny suburbanites doesn’t even register. Neither does hooking up with them afterward whenever the mood strikes—it’s one of the bennies of the job—but it’s always a one-and-done. I don’t do repeat performances. Ever.

 

Until I meet the one girl in all of Chicago not interested in dry humping my junk. She’s all I can think about, and that’s a problem, because I made sure she wants nothing to do with me. But I’ve seen her deepest secrets, her darkest fantasies, and they match mine to a fucking T.

I want her. Bad.

Now I need to show her how good it can feel…to be shameless.

 

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About the Book:

I’m indecisive when it comes to my shoes. Choosing a werewolf mate who’ll be with me until I croak? Pardon me while I take some time to think on it. But a steamy encounter before the final ceremony changes everything.

Reaper, the Omega’s eldest grandson, is fiercely loyal, scorching hot, and built for pleasure. He brings down my defenses, and before I know what’s happening, I succumb to the heat in his touch and the skill of his mouth. I’ve only just met him, but I need him like no other.

As part of my pack duties, I must parade in front of the Alpha, who has first choice of the pre-shifters. Rumors of his dark desires run deep, and I’ve always been intrigued. But the forbidden passion blazing between Reaper and me is too primal to deny. By pack law, Reaper can’t have me until the Alpha makes his choice…but Reaper’s never been one to follow the rules.

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Taking it slow, he unleashes her sexuality and it quickly occurs to him that what started out as a bet for him has become something more. With their weekend nearly over, and her ex showing interest in this new confident version of Lauren, Linc will have to risk it all if he wants to win the game of love.

Learning Curves by Cathryn Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Linc and Lauren fight like cats and dogs. Is it because she doth protest too much? Linc has always been suggestive, but now there is an option for them to be on the same page.

Lauren fights her attraction to her best friends boss the best way she can. Until he catches her doing something she could be fired for. Then he asks her to bet him and try to win. Is any bet where a billionaire involved a bad thing?

Linc and Lauren have sparks flying all around them when they are in the same room. No one else is fooled when they see them together. Such a great story and a super HEA!


***This ARC copy is given by Netgalley and its publisher for an honest review only.

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About the Book:

 

Rion Ward fought hard to be free of the Irish mob life. Now, as the co-owner of Boston’s hottest aphrodisiac club, he’s traded crime for the ultimate sexual fantasy. But when the “good girl” from his past walks through Lick’s doors, he discovers that his unconsummated hunger for her never abated.

 

Widowed for two years from a man who felt that anything besides the missionary position was dirty, Harper Shaw is ready to move on. The first step to feeling alive again is sex. Hot, dirty, black-out-from-orgasm sex. And who better to provide it than the brooding, sexy, tatted bad boy-turned-man she’s known for years?

 

Rion, however, has one stipulation: He’ll be hers only for one night. One night to explore her every fantasy. One night to push her limits.  One night to introduce her to a passion that makes both doubt if it will be enough…

 

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I definitely loved this book. The "blurb" got me interested and the book did not let down for me. The translation was well done (original was written in Hebrew). The copy I received was an uncorrected proof, but there was nothing that stood out other than the word the tilde was not over the n in the word Senor.  The story follows several generations of women, their husbands, and the trials they dealt with in the 1940's and later in Jerusalem. I loved the characters, the neighborhoods the different members of the family lived in, and cultures that were represented. A beautiful read and I would definitely recommend it to others.

„Die Wächter von Avalon  – Die Legende von Ýr“ von Amanda Koch ist der letzte Teil einer Fantasy-Trilogie.

Avalon wird erschüttert. Schuld daran sind alte und vergessene  Kraftlinien. Die Hohepriesterin erfährt durch eine Sternenkarte, wo die Wächter suchen müssen. Raven nimmt Aylórien mit zu diesem Ort. Doch vermutet er noch etwas anderes dahinter.

Aylóriens weg zur Selbstfindung ist noch nicht abgeschlossen.  Ihr Leben als Mensch hat sie stark beeinflusst und das merkt man. Es spricht auch den Leser selbst an und man bekommt ein gutes Gefühl für sie.

Die Charaktere wachsen weiter an ihren Aufgaben.  Sie müssen schließlich einiges meistern. Auch ist es Amanda Koch gelungen einen tollen neuen Charakter einzubetten, Muireall. Er verdeutlicht die Konflikte zwischen „Gut und Böse“ in uns selbst.

Der Leser kann jetzt noch neue Teile der Fantasywelt entdecken und abtauchen in schöne Landschaften, Mythen und Legenden. Es passt alles gut zu den Werken vorher und bildet eine richtig tolle Fantasywelt. Da hat Amanda Koch wirkliche eine atemberaubende Welt erschaffen.

Auch ihrem Schreibstil bleibt die Autorin treu. Man darf wieder aus den verschiedenen Sichten der Charaktere lesen und bekommt so einen guten Gesamtüberblick.

Es ist spannend, gefühlvoll und interessant geschrieben. Der Leser kann miterleben, was die Charaktere durchmachen.

Das Ende ist bildet einen guten Schluss der gesamten Trilogie und rundet sie ab.

Das Cover ist wieder ähnlich zu den anderen und diesmal gelb. Zu sehen sind eine junge Frau, ein Mann, mystisch wirkende Kriegerin  und schwarze Vögel. Dies passt auch zur Geschichte.

In den ersten beiden Teilen hat mir ja die Nähe zu den Charakteren gefehlt und somit auch das gefesselt sein von der Geschichte. In diesem Teil bin ich Aylórien näher gekommen und habe sie Stück für Stück mehr verstanden. So konnte ich auch eine andere Nähe aufbauen und etwas mehr Nähe zum Buch finden.

Die Geschichte an sich ist wieder großartig. Alles in allem ein toller Abschluss.

Es gibt 4 von 5 Wölfen.