black widow: forever red

I was a very lucky duck and picked up an advanced review copy of Margaret Stohl’s Black Widow: Forever Red at BEA this year.  I promptly read it and mailed it along to an internet friend.  While I jotted down notes immediately, I didn’t pull together the review until just now.  If you’re keeping score at home, that puts me several months from the reading experience, and with a slightly different view of the book and its merits.  Here’s what I know (now): Black Widow: Forever Red is a thrill.  It’s fast-paced, satisfying action from start to finish, and I loved the heck out of it.  Just don’t ask me to quote back any of the dialogue or narrate the fight scenes!

Natasha Romanov was once the world's most lethal assassin. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the name "Black Widow" by her brutal teacher, Ivan Somodorov. Now, Natasha wants nothing more than to leave that life behind her.

Ava Orlova is trying to live the life of an average American teenager.  But Ava’s life has been anything but average.  As a girl, she was experimented on by Ivan, until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed in the care of the US government. Ava spent years trying to contact her mysterious savior, but Black Widow has always stayed silent.

Until now.

When children all over the globe begin to go missing, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned.  And Ava may be the key to stopping him once and for all.  But first Natasha and Ava will have to unravel their pasts to defeat the madman who threatens their futures.This novel features all the thrilling adventure readers will expect from the Marvel brand, backed up by the young-adult cred of #1 New York Times bestselling author Margaret Stohl. Uncover a new side of the Marvel Universe, accessible to old fans and new readers alike, as Stohl weaves an unforgettable story through the world of the Black Widow.

Ana is a teenage orphan who once was a pawn in a sinister experiment that involved the infamous Black Widow.  Alex is an impulsive, likeable high school fencer who sometimes feels like he doesn’t fit in his own life.  Natasha Romanov is a spy, a manipulator, and an Avenger.  She has avoided contact with Ana, even though she claimed kinship with her once, years ago.  That all changes when Ana’s and Alex’s lives intersect, world-changing secrets are revealed, and the Black Widow’s old nemesis rises from the ashes. 

TENSION! excitement! YEAH! (let’s talk about what’s going on in this book)

The writing encourages you to expect a certain outcome, but the story itself tricks you into forgetting that – so the reader should be surprised, even if they’re the type to half expect that a twist is coming.  Basically, Stohl is clever, and it comes out in the book in the best of ways.  There’s also a dual narrative voice structure to consider, with interrogation transcripts, flashbacks, and bits of memories (some of them unreliable).  As for pacing: after an action- and explosion-filled first few scenes, the story slows while new characters and mysteries are introduced.  It soon picks up again though, and familiar (beloved?)(people love Tony Stark and Coulson, right?!) Marvel characters make appearances as well.  It’s a fast-paced book with all of the scene changes an action flick fan could want.

Pros: The story is an easy read, the plot is high stakes, new characters fit into Natasha’s back story seamlessly (and you end up caring about them!).  There are satisfying action sequences, and the secrets, spy games and possible world-ending doom all meet and/or exceed expectations.  Add to that a tiny splash of romance, and the result is pure entertainment.

Cons: There might be a bit of reader drop-off in that one “slow” bit between the opening hook and the first action (where a lot of the exposition/set-up happens).  I’m also not sure how broad the appeal of a Black Widow book is. I think she’s a great character and anyone/everyone should check out this book, but if a reader hasn’t seen most of the big Marvel films to date, there may be some confusion as far as story context. 

That said, this book will delight Natasha Romanov/Black Widow fans of all ages, and likely convert a few interested bystanders into full-fledged Marvel geeks (like me). 

Recommended for: devotees of Marvel universe, fans of political intrigue and spies going rogue, those who enjoy plot- and action- heavy YA fiction, and anyone who likes the Mission Impossible, Bond, or superhero movies.  Requisite (sinister) Russian villain included at no extra cost.

Fine print: I picked up an ARC of this title at BEA for review consideration. I did not receive any compensation for this post.

the strange maid blog tour - tessa gratton author guest post (+ giveaway!)

Author Tessa Gratton is here today at Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia with a guest post.  Her new YA fantasy The Strange Maid features a girl who would sacrifice all to be a Valkyrie, and is set in The United States of Asgard, an alternate version of North America. The Strange Maid was released by Random House Books for Young Readers on June 10, 2014.  Check out the end of the post for a giveaway!

When Tessa was a kid, she wanted to be a wizard. Or a paleontologist. Maybe both.She’s neither now, but magic and monsters are still her favorite things.

Born in Okinawa, Japan, while her Dad was on duty with the US Navy, Tessa moved around throughout her childhood and traveled even more. She’s lived in Japan, California, Kansas, and England, and visited 4 continents.

After graduating from the University of Kansas in 2003 with a degree in Gender Studies, she went on to graduate school for a Master’s in the same. Halfway through, she ditched the program in favor of the blood, violence, and drama of  Anglo-Saxon and Germanic epic poetry and to focus on her writing. Tessa doesn’t have a graduate degree, but she did translate her own version of Beowulf!

Despite having traveled all over the world, she settled in Kansas where the sunsets are all in Technicolor, with her partner, two cats, and a mutant mutt named Grendel.  You can learn more about Tessa and her books at TessaGratton.com and on Twitter.

Welcome Tessa!  When we were talking about possible guest post ideas, I mentioned The Avengers… and you came through with a US of Asgard version of Captain America.  YUM.  I mean… yay!  *grin*

A brief history and analysis of Steve Josephson, aka Captain Asgardia, the First Avenger

  

Born to immigrants from Eireland nearly one hundred years ago in New Amsterdam City, with a frail constitution and parents dedicated to Tyr the Just, Steve Josephson seemed an unlikely candidate for such a shining and long-reaching destiny as the one woven for him. Perhaps Freya the Witch herself might have seen the knot, and preserved him through childhood illness and the deaths of both his parents, but she’ll never admit it.

When the misguided cult of Odin stirred across the ocean and began the Second Eurland War, the United States of Asgard tried to stay out of it, reverting to isolationist policies the government adopted in the wake of the Thrall’s War which had divided the country – and the gods – eighty years beforehand. But when news reached the Alfather and his administration that the cult in Deutschland had begun experimenting with super-solider serums in order to create their own cast of warriors to match the magically-born berserkers of the Alfather’s own line, the USA entered the war.

Though the Alfather’s priority was ending the offensive project, Thor Thunderer had always been a champion of humanity and equality and wanted to fight for the sake of the people of Eurland. He agreed with his generals who suggested soldiers as strong as berserkers but without their inherent weaknesses of madness and lack of control could turn the tide of conflicts for the rest of time. The Thunderer disliked secret projects, but reluctantly agreed to shelter a group of his military scientists who began looking into the super-serum. Though there was much trial and error, eventually Steve Josephson was chosen to receive the experimental dose.

He took to it mightily. Having already gone against his family’s dedication Tyr the Just in favor of the Thunderer, Steve had spend his life standing up to bullies and defending the weak – despite being weak himself. He proved to have the strength of heart and courage necessary to survive the serum, waking with super strength and a vastly improve war-machine of a body.

The Alfather was predictably furious, and refused to allow the newly dubbed Captain Asgardia to fight. Steve was relegated to raising money for the real soldiers, until he took matters into his own, super-strong hands and bucked the Alfather’s authority to follow his heart and favored god into battle. History shows us how he used his power to help turn the tide of the war, and though he did not survive the war, his ultimate sacrifice appeased the Alfather – the god of sacrifice – and Odin helped the Thunderer in later years to enshrine the name of Captain Asgardia as the ultimate hero of New Asgard.

Both while he was performing to raise funds and while he fought bravely as a symbol of Asgardian values, Captain Asgardia wore a uniform based upon the US flag: red, green, and blue for the highest gods, with wing-symbols for the Alfather’s bloodthirsty Valkyrie, lightning bolts for the Thunderer’s bravery, and red stripes for Freyr the Satisfied’s drive and passion. His shield was shaped by the last of the elves-under-the-mountain from their horded extra-terrestrial steel. Onto it was imprinted the Seal of New Asgard: blue and silver with a silver apple of immortality and nine stars for the nine supreme gods and nine Valkyrie and nine years of presidential service.

Though some have speculated after his death he was raised to the Valhol to become one of Odin’s immortal warriors, most agree his bones wait somewhere at the cold bottom of the ocean for the day when Thor Thunderer calls all his faithful servants up from death to join him in the final battle. 

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Thank you for sharing that, Tessa!  I imagine I’ll be daydreaming about Chris Evans all day now (that’s what you meant to happen, right?!).

If this post has sparked your interest in The Strange Maid (or The Lost Sun, United States of Asgard Book #1), please enter the giveaway! Tessa will send a signed copy of The Strange Maid to one lucky winner, and a signed copy of The Lost Sun to another. TWO SIGNED BOOKS!  *happy dance*  To enter, simply fill out the FORM. Giveaway open to US addresses only, will end on Wednesday, June 18th at 11:59pm EST.  Winner will be notified via email.  Good luck!

Fans of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, and Maggie Stiefvater will embrace the richly drawn, Norse-influenced alternate world of the United States of Asgard, where cell phones, rock bands, and evangelical preachers coexist with dragon slaying, rune casting, and sword training in schools. Where the president runs the country alongside a council of Valkyries, gods walk the red carpet with Hollywood starlets, and the U.S. military has a special battalion dedicated to eradicating Rocky Mountain trolls. 

Signy Valborn was seven years old when she climbed the New World Tree and met Odin Alfather, who declared that if she could solve a single riddle, he would make her one of his Valkyrie. For ten years Signy has trained in the arts of war, politics, and leadership, never dreaming that a Greater Mountain Troll might hold the answer to the riddle, but that’s exactly what Ned the Spiritless promises her. A mysterious troll hunter who talks in riddles and ancient poetry, Ned is a hard man to trust. Unfortunately, Signy is running out of time. Accompanied by an outcast berserker named Soren Bearstar, she and Ned take off across the ice sheets of Canadia to hunt the mother of trolls and claim Signy’s destiny.

Fine print: Giveaway books provided and shipped by the author.  I received no compensation for this post.