I loved getting to see Loki in this one, and Spider-Man's interactions with other supernatural beings are always fun. We also get to see the end of the Ezekiel storyline here, which included a satisfying ending. Lots of supernatural things at work here, but by the end we're reminded: Spider-Man always gets back up.

Read this and more reviews at between-the-shelves.com!

There's a serial killer stalking writers in the United States--specifically, published writers with grammatical errors. She's all over the news; so of course, Corrigan Dante needs to get an interview with her. When she agrees to join his show hosted on the dark net, a show that interviews some of society's worst people, the chat takes a turn that no one is expecting.

I got an email request to review this book a few weeks ago, and the premise sounded interesting so I said yes! This book reads more like a novella, mostly comprised of the chat between Corrigan Dante and the Grammar Nazi Serial Killer. We do get a scene at the beginning and end that gives us a little insight into the serial killer, setting the tone for the chat that is to follow. This is a quick read that's perfect to snuggle in for an evening and read, though it should be noted that there are a few depictions of some graphic violence.

The concept behind the book is fun; after all, any English major or writer has probably been accused of being a Grammar Nazi at some point. Ryan Suvaal has taken this term to an extreme, serving as a sort of warning for authors to ensure that their work is edited. Fans of dark humor will definitely enjoy the story, especially the scene set at the beginning.

Because most of the story is taken up by the chat between Corrigan and the serial killer, we don't get much information on any of the characters. While the story premise was interesting and filled with lots of interesting (maybe only an English nerd would appreciate that), it felt too short. I couldn't get into the mystery behind who the killer was, and I didn't feel any sort of connection to the characters or their motivations. There's good material here to expand into a larger story; and I would probably read it if it was!

3.5/5 stars

This volume covers another story taken from Peter Parker's past; this time, a friend from high school comes back and asks for help--but things quickly take a turn for the worse. Peter is able to see what path he could have taken if he didn't have the support of his family and friends. There were a lot of emotional moments, and this marks a turn in Parker's story. There are also some really great layouts here; the art matches the epic fights that Spider-Man has in this volume.

Peter Parker, MJ, and Aunt May move into the Avengers Tower while Hydra launches a new attack on the city. The interactions between the heroes, and only Aunt May can put them in their place. Another fantastic installment from Straczynski that brings new twists to Peter Parker's story.

These are all the set-up stories for the event, Spider-Geddon, which is essentially a spin-off of Spider-Verse. I still love meeting all the different spider people, but there are so many that it becomes a bit difficult to follow. Despite that, the artwork is fantastic, and the creativity really shines through as we meet some new characters that we didn't see before. The different iterations of Spider-Man work together to add to the cannon of the character.

Though the actual events of Spider-Geddon are a bit difficult to follow because they're so spread out, there are still lots of fun moments here. The entire story line still mostly feels like Spider-Verse, just a bit bigger. Morlun and his siblings are back hunting people with spider powers and everyone has to team up once again. It's a fun a story, and a fun event, but maybe ready for something new?

Though these are side stories that absolutely don't make sense without the main Spider-Geddon story line, I think they add a different element than the rest (like the story line with Spider-Gwen as well). I enjoyed meeting Spider-Girls, and spider people in space are also fun. These are the people working behind the scenes to bring down the Inheritors, which means we get to learn more things about their history. Overall, Spider-Geddon is a fun addition to the Spider-Verse, maybe leading to more fun spin-offs!

Read the full post on between-the-shelves.com!

Wow, let me first say that Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday tackles an extremely difficult subject. For many, it’s a window into a culture not seen in YA lit. Abdi struggles with what happened when he was a part of Al-Shabaab. We get his experience in snippets, flipping between the past and present. While this is a bit difficult to follow at first, the inclusion of dates helps in keeping the reader straight throughout the book.

Anderson paints a light on the horrors that have happened in Somalia through the eyes of a teenager. We feel for Abdi as he tries to cope with the actions he’s committed, and the consequences of those actions. The book moves smoothly from past to present, giving readers a fuller picture of the status of events in Somalia.

Though the author isn’t from Somalia, the detail provided in the text shows that it is thoroughly researched. Anderson creates vivid images that illustrate her attention to the facts, and making parts of the book difficult to read. In the author’s note, she mentions interviewing refugees; while she hasn’t actually been there, she worked to gain the information necessary to create an authentic story.

Overall, the book is well-crafted, featuring an important topic. For me, it was a page turner. I just desperately needed to know that Abdi turns out okay. Well, as okay as can be expected.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers follows the story of the Wayfarer, a ship that creates tunnels through space. They've just been contracted to create a tunnel for the Toremi, a violent species just accepted into the GC. Rosemary is new to the Wayfarer, but it almost instantly feels like home. Together, the crew embark on a journey across space, growing together as a family along the way.

I read this as a part of a read along on Instagram, and while it's not something that I would usually pick up, I'm definitely glad that I did! Becky Chambers did a fantastic job crafting a world that's easy to fall into, mostly because she added so many details about all the species included in the book. Adding all these different species adds to the reader's experience, drawing them into this space community that Chambers has created.

For me, this felt a bit like the series Firefly/. We've got a lot of spunky characters, having adventures in space. What's not to like?

Definitely might pick up the rest of the series sometime later this year.

Read more reviews at