My Weekly Pull [84] & Can't Wait Wednesday [54]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday (when the stars align in my favor) to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Transformers '84 #0 by Simon Furman, Guido Guidi

Daredevil #10 by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Fornes, Totino Tedesco

Canto #3 by David M. Booher, Drew Zucker

Jacob's comics for the week!

Absolute Carnage vs Deadpool #1 by Matthew Rosenberg, Marcelo Ferreira, Tyler Kirkham

Deadpool Annual #1 by Various Artists, Aaron Kuder 

Guardians of the Galaxy #8 by Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, Mike Henderson

History of the Marvel Universe #2 by Mark Waid, Javier Rodriguez

Strayed #1 by Carlos Giffoni, Juan Doe, Dustin Nguyen

This Daredevil series has been really, really good. I haven't read any of the others, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I'm enjoying Zdarsky's perspective. Canto is one I'm reading with my son, and it's been great so far! It's very unique and interesting--love the concept. I think Transformers '84 is supposed to be a prequel for the current ongoing series... Regardless, I'm looking forward to reading it!

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Expected publication: January 7th 2020

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In the sequel to New York Times bestselling A Curse So Dark and Lonely, Brigid Kemmerer returns to the world of Emberfall in a lush fantasy where friends become foes and love blooms in the darkest of places.

Find the heir, win the crown.
The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers. Win the crown, save the kingdom.
Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen--until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?

The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.


I really loved A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and I loved Grey even more, so I cannot wait to read A Heart So Fierce and Broken! I need to know what happens between Grey and Rhen, because there are some serious secrets being kept, and I cannot wait to see how everything unfolds.

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A Curse So Dark and Lonely (A Curse So Dark and Lonely, #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

𑁋

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product. 

A Curse so Dark and Lonely completely consumed me once I started reading it! I kept telling myself it was late, and that I needed to go to sleep, but I just could not put this book down. Rhen and Harper were both trapped in tragic circumstances, and I felt compelled to continue reading until I knew how their story ended. It was devastating and beautiful, but also entirely believable. 

I loved Kemmerer's spin on Beauty and the Best, and thought Harper was fierce and wonderful. She's stubborn and strong, and she's willing to risk her life to save others. I don't think she ever thought of herself, because she was constantly trying to find a way back to her sick mother and troubled brother. Even after spending time with Rhen, Grey, and the people of Emberfall, she was unwilling to leave them if there was a possibility she could help save their lives. Her struggles were realistic, and she didn't accept her new surroundings without a fight.

I don't typically like love triangles, and I'm not saying this has one, but there's an opportunity for one to occur. Honestly, I wanted Harper to end up loving both guys and spending her life living with both. I know that sounds really weird, but they both had qualities I admire, and I think they would have been happy in a three-person relationship. 

I also like that Harper has cerebral palsy. Honestly, if it hadn't been for the author's reminders, I would have completely forgotten about it. Her condition doesn't define her or affect what she's capable of. She's willing and determined to try new things, and she accepts herself exactly the way she is. Lilith called her broken, but I never saw her that way. She rides horses, runs from potential kidnappers, tries to save a women she doesn't know, and risks her life for a world that she's not a part of. I think Harper is a character that will inspire readers to be better versions of themselves.

"They believe her limp is the result of a war injury, but Harper is quick to correct them. 'I was born this way,' she'll snap, 'and I'm going to die this way, so teach me to work around it.' They love her for it."

Rhen mentions being a douchebag prior to the curse (and even a little at the start), but we also see how he's changed over the many seasons he's had to live through it. He's learned to care about his people, and he worries about their safety and whether or not they trust him to be in a leadership position. He's been physically and mentally tortured, and still tries to protect those around him. I didn't love everything about Rhen, but I understood him and his actions. 

Grey was mysterious and unintentionally charming. His words and movements are very calculated, and he manages to say a lot with very few words. He's loyal to a fault, and his loyalty has cost him a lot over the years. I was unsure about him at first (when he retrieves Harper), but he quickly gained my trust and respect. I'm curious what his role will be in the next book! 

A Curse so Dark and Lonely may be a retelling, but Kemmerer easily made it her own. I loved her twists on the original story, and I'm happy she chose to include the surrounding kingdom and not just the cursed castle. It added an interesting and unique perspective! Harper and Rhen couldn't sit around and worry about themselves, because they had to work together to save his kingdom from an invasion. Truthfully, it was probably better for their relationship. 

I really, really loved this one! This book wrapped up nicely, but definitely left room for more.

My Weekly Pull [31] & Can't Wait Wednesday [4]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, leave a link in the comments. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Ant-Man and the Wasp #4 (of 5) by Mark Waid, Javi Garron, David Nakayama
Hunt for Wolverine Weapon Lost #4 (of 4) by Charles Soule, Matteo Buffagni, Ron Garney

Jacob's list for the week!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bebop and Rocksteady Hit the Road #1 by Ben Bates, Kevin Eastman

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #25 by Ian Flynn, Nelson Daniel

Deadpool #3 by Skottie Young, Nic Klein

Infinity Wars #1 (of 6) by Gerry Duggan, Mike Deodato

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely

by Brigid Kemmerer

Expected publication: January 29th 2019

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin. 

I'm not always a fan of retellings, but this one sounds amazing! I already have high expectations since the synopsis says "perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer," and love Meyer's books (The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless & Renegades). Also, that cover is stunning and I want it!