Hi everyone! As most of you know if you have been following along, we are holding a big Reading Challenge Month here at Joyfully Jay. This was our first week and the week’s challenge has been New-t0-Me Author week.
All week long we have been reading books by new authors. And you guys can play along in two ways. First off, you can leave a comment on any of the challenge week reviews. And second, if you read along with your own challenge book, you can tell us all about it here and get mega contest entries.
Ok, before we get too far, some things you may need to know:
- All the contest details and rules are in this post or at least linked from here
- This week’s deadline to leave comments on our reviews, or your mini review of your own book here on this post, is Sunday night. All entries will be tallied at that time and the Week 1 winner announced. All entries will also carry over for the grand prize.
- If you read along your own challenge book this week, leave your mini review here on this wrap up post
- And if you missed the chance to leave any comments, here is quick recap of the books we read this week:
Saving Grapes by Madeline Kirby
Tower of the Ice Lord by Anne Mok
The Cop and the Geek by Cat Blaine
Unsaid by Avery Aster
Chef’s Table by Lynn Charles
Ace by Jack Byrne
Knight of Ocean Avenue by Tara Lain
The Affair of the Porcelain Dog by Jess Faraday
Heart of a Hero by James Cox
Buchanan House by Charley Descoteaux
And here is where we want your mini reviews! If you read along, please leave your review here for 10 entries! And don’t forget, next week the fun continues with TBR Pile Week, so be sure to go digging through you Kindle for something good!
ACE by Jack Byrne
I agree with Jason both that this is worth reading, and that parts of it are really unsettling. Byrne has said that Jake is actually a homoromantic demisexual instead of an asexual, but to put that in a blurb would have been too lengthy and hard to explain. I really wish he had, because it would have made some of the story aspects sit better with me. On the other hand, the struggle for Jake and Damien to reconcile their mutual impulses felt really realistic and even heartbreaking…you can tell that they don’t want to hurt each other, but at the same time they’re trying to overcome very strong, entrenched responses. I was outraged at Damien’s behavior sometimes, when he was pushing for his own pleasure without keeping Jake’s reservations in mind, or blaming Jake for his responses. Byrne drops the bomb near the end that both characters had experienced unwanted or forced sex in their lives, and I was hoping for the characters to talk about this. It made sense that Jake coped by shutting down, and Damien coped by acting out. (Diane’s place in the story didn’t always make sense, and I cringed at the moment when she told Jake that he needed to have sex with Damien so he wouldn’t feel rejected. If he and Diane were so close, why couldn’t Jake tell her about his orientation, and that just because he’d had a lot of partners didn’t mean he wanted to?) As I read, I kept thinking about Eli Easton’s THE TROUBLE WITH TONY, which also has a demisexual lead, and liking its approach to the romance better. Then I realized that that is unfair–after all, Tony’s love interest was a sex therapist, who had a much better handle on his sexuality than he did! So, in spite of my problems with the romance, Byrne excelled at making me consider the spectrum of sexuality. While I imagine this story may anger some asexuals due to the simplifications here and there, I think it can provide a service. (By the way, Karma’s the best book dog I’ve come across in a while–her reactions were priceless!)
Great review Trix!
Ah, thank you! If you do read THE TROUBLE WITH TONY, I’d be curious to know what you think…it’s a totally different approach to the subject (murder mystery/comedy), and Tony’s demisexuality is different from Jake’s, but they’re interesting to compare. If Dreamspinner ever has cross-universe projects, I’d love to see Jake and Damien visit Tony’s Dr. Halloran–I think it would help them a lot!
The Trouble With Tony was a really good book and the subject was handled very well – I highly recommend the entire series!
Squeak and a Roar by Joyee Flynn
I did not know about Joyee so I did not have many expectations. The plot is so absurd I found it intriguing: In a conference with shifters, vampires and I guess other paranormals, the young ones assisting are tricked by the elders with a spell: if they do not mate within 24hs, they will become feral and be chased to death. Gavin is a lion shifter, the heir of his pride’s leader, with a terrible relationship with his dad and issues at socialising. He is a loner and he likes it that way. While he’s mulling on his own about the elder’s dirty trick, Anthony happens to come upon him. Anthony is running away from several paranormals who are trying to take him without his consent. After a short conversation and some hot sex, they decide they should mate. But that’s the easy part. Both Gavin and Ant have trust issues and keep information for themselves that annoy the other when discovered. Ant is a mouse shifter, and that means he’s prey for Gavin, who has to keep his instincts at bay with him. They meet a lot of problems trying to make their relationship work: assault and conspiracy only come to stress an already straining relationship. After a lot of quarrelling, a bit of anguish, some negotiations, and lots of hot sex, they reach their HEA. My problem is that I liked the story more at the beginning than at the end. When they meet, Gavin behaves as a jerk: Grumpy, antisocial, stubborn. Ant, on his side, is a sweetie from the beginning to the end, always willing to put up with Gavin’s tantrums and harsh remarks. The beginning of the story is really funny, what with Gavin second guessing himself about how a boyfriend is supposed to behave…But as the story progresses, it moves from funny and satiric to mushy and sugary. I’m sorry to recognise I prefer jerky Gavin to loving Gavin (but that’s my problem… I’ve always liked jerks…).
All in all, it was an entertaining story, only losing part of its appeal towards the end. I liked the idea and will probably read the second book in the series … I haven’t made up my mind about Joyee’s books yet.
I read JL Merrow as the new-to-me author for this week’s challenge, and the book I chose, because it was on the shelf and I had already planned to read it, is “Caught!” It ended up being a full pot reading experience for me for a various of reasons.
The book is about Robert Emeny, who works as a teacher for one of Shamwell’s elementary school classes – I believe the children he teaches are about six or seven and they, and a lot of the parents call him Mr. Enemy. Early on in the book we learn that he has taken the position in Shamwell to escape a bad experience and a past he rather wants to forget, in a much more classy private school teaching upper secondary students instead of young children. It takes almost the entire book before we find out exactly what drove him off, but Merrow thankfully throws the reader pieces of leads to keep us reading. Also early on in the book Robert lays eyes on Sean, the uncle of two of the children in his class and a professional pest control technician, or as one of Roberts friends says, a cat catcher, and despite some initial misunderstanding on Roberts part, attraction awakens.
This book captured my interest for several reasons. First, it’s a fun book. I caught myself laughing out loud a lot of times. Robert himself is a rather awkward main character, and some of the children in his class are just hilarious, especially when they are gathered in church for various traditional celebrations. Second, Merrow’s use of imagery is wonderful, and fun. I don’t remember reading another author in this genre where I have been so taken with metaphors and similes, and without the story being weighed down, but instead lifting it to another level. Third it had one of the best female supporting characters I have read in a long time. At times the obligatory straight best female friend can annoy me, but not Rose. Rose is woman of my taste, she eats a lot, meat, fat food, deserts, chines and Indian food. She speaks her mind, simply speaking: She’s human, and a good friend. Fourth, the children in Robert’s class, especially Charlie, who’s father’s concern for him almost broke my heart, are so well done; they feel like real life children, and not the too perfect carbon copies you often get in fiction.
The only thing I had an issue with is the British vocabulary and expressions. For me, a non native English speaker, it took some time to get into after having read almost exclusively m/m romance written in American English for a long time. I already have my eye on more of Merrow’s books.
Sara, I love JL Merrow’s books. Especially because her dialogue feel real to me as a British reader!! I have to say having read lots of MM books set in America my knowledge of your country has vastly improved – from breakfast biscuits to hockey to (American) football to baseball to ranching!!
Sutphin Boulevard (Five Boroughs #1)
by Santino Hassell
Four stars
The thing I liked most about this book was the strength of the writing. While a lot of the plot was pretty dark and depressing, the writing quality was top shelf. All of the characters were complex and well drawn. Plus it had some of the most scorching sex scenes I have ever read.
I loved Nunzio and Ray – they both had some major faults, but definite strengths as well. I eventually grew to like David, too. My one issue with the book (and why it was not a five-star read for me) was the MC Michael. He was so self-involved and self-destructive that I did not like him through a lot of the story. Made for some rough reading at times. The exception was when he was with his students. Those were some of my favorite scenes; Michael was like a different person. And, at the end of the story he did redeem himself for me.
I also enjoyed the storyline in the school – both the politics and the classroom scenarios were intriguing.
There was a lead-in to the next book at the end. Looks like it will be about Ray and David – yay! So, I will definitely be picking that one up.
Favorite Son by Will Freshwater.
I had bought this one because I think I had seen quite a few good reviews about it.
For a book with an ostensibly heavy subject matter – US politics – the book is written with a light touch, so it didn’t drag for me. I found it a quite gentle desconstruction of a man into a better person.
The thrall that the Washington political machine and the Senator he works for have over John is clear to see as the reader – makes him a frustrating character to read – I wanted to yell “Hello! wake up John and smell the roses!” And I was mad when it looked like he was getting sucked back in to it all again.
I did enjoy the eclectic group of people he meets in Ptown who help put him back together again.
I did feel for John/Peter but not at a gut wrenching depth, the story too lightly written to drag me down there. Danny is still a bit of an enigma as the story is from John’s pov and really more about his changes as a person than about their romance.
A book that grew on me as I read it. 3.75/5*
I also read Enforcing Emory by Mickie B Ashling
I’ve not read this author before and the thought of two skaters – one hockey, one figure caught my fancy. Also loved the cover!
I liked the story, it did move along at a good pace. It is perhaps NA/YA as both MC’s are fairly young. Emory has lived in a bubble of support but events both when he goes to Sochi and later with Nik serve to burst that bubble quickly.
Nik has lived in a bubble of fear of his father and being the person his father wants. When he meets Emory as he lives away from home for the first time, his bubble of opportunity grows.
I actually felt the two MC’s were more the fathers. Both forthright, both bigoted but different too. Tom, Emory’s dad has redeeming traits – he loves his son, he supports his son, he accepts Nik into the fold. Igor, Nik’s dad has no redeeming features at all.
The author makes a lot of big statements about Russian and their homophobic stance, it felt like a hammer on the head at times.
There does have to be a suspension of belief at times but I did like it. 3*
The Cop and the Geek 1 &2 by Cat Blaine. I really looked forward in reading these books because i liked the blurb of the books and i also love to read about cops and geeks. I must admit i liked the books but i wasn’t blown away. I feel these books are easy to read and are perfect in between books. I do hope we get a third book because i feel that not everything is resolved for example the situation with Jack (why did he react the way he did) so i hope that a third book will answer that question because i hate it when situations are mentioned but not resolved. Overall i would say that both books are nice enjoyable short reads. I liked the second book a bit better. My rating for both books together is 3 stars.
I read The Lion of Palmyra by Julia von Rist. It’s solid four stars for me. Honestly, I’d love to see a sequel!
This is a really interesting story, and not quite what it appears at first from the blurb. Instead of a straight-up romance, this is more of an erotic adventure exploring two couples who find that love doesn’t have to limit the pleasure they can find with each other. And it also gives a wonderful and satisfying happy ending. Sexy, fluffy, with just a bit of angst and seriousness to keep me reading to the end.
I read Demon of Mine by Rayna Vause. It was a 5 star read for me. The story is a mixture of paranormal, romance, adventure.
Ryan’s older sister is dying from cancer and in desperation he sells his soul to a collection demon. In exchange for his soul, the sister will be healed and can raise her eight year old daughter. According to the terms of the deal, Ryan’s soul will be collected in five years. The problems begin when the demon recognizes Ryan. Intimately!
Rayna Vause has created a world where heaven and hell are called Corporate South and Corporate North. Angels and Demons use cell phones to teleport.
The book was fun to read while at the same time pulled at the heart strings. I couldn’t put it down trying to figure out how everything was going to work out. Because of the sacrifices of the MCs. it made me think how far would I go to save someone I loved. I can’t wait to read more from Rayna Vause.
Glad to hear you liked this one! i have it in my to review pile and am looking forward to reading it!
You guys, I just have to say I am so beyond thrilled by how many of you read along with us this week for your own New-to-Me Author stories. (Seriously, would I sound like a huge dork if I told you it got me just a bit teary?) I am so happy that you all joined in the challenge with us and I absolutely love reading your reviews! Thank you so much for participating and good luck to everyone with the giveaway!
Aww! You put a lot of time and effort into making this place wonderful, and you’ve thrown a big party that everyone’s happy to be at, so you have a right to all those emotions. 🙂 I think it’s fun having all this interaction, too, reading what others are saying and hearing back from the reviewers. I’m at 67% of my book, so less interacting for me now and more reading! 😉
Thanks so much Carolyn! And yes, I think you have it exactly right. I feel like I threw a party and am so happy people came, lol! Thanks for joining in!
My New-to-me-Author book was 40 Souls to Keep by Libby Drew. An entertaining book with an interesting premise. A man wakes one day to not remember anything until one moment he realizes his destiny is to heal people. Not just anyone, but 40 specific souls he finds he has to drop everything for and find asap. His 40th and final soul turns out to be a little girl, Macy, whose parents had just been murdered. As he is drawn to her, he is also drawn to Lucas, her CPS worker. In the midst of trying to keep Macy safe, Jase and Lucas find they have a strong connection with each other as well and find that someone is after Macy to keep Jase from completing his task. I truly enjoyed this book.
I decided to read Stages Of Love: The Complete Series by T.L. Stowe which tells the story of Mark, a freelance musician who writes music for games and anything that catches his fancy, and Ross, the wealthy owner of a gaming company that has hired Mark for one of their games. The two are introduced during a company trip, with Mark mistaking Ross as a friend to a fellow coworker. Once they reach the resort, they find themselves fighting over a room and eventually agreeing to sharing said room. Even though the two have a very rocky start they slowly begin to get closer. It gets to a point where Ross is pulling out all the stops for Mark, Mark eventually gives the guy a chance they have a great night and then Ross is gone. Mark isn’t sure what to make of it…..
The story was told in seven parts (I only covered part 1-4) and really is just so easy to read it all in one go. I really enjoyed Mark’s fieriness when dealing with Ross and his take no crap attitude. The characters were very likable (secondary characters included!) and there was quite a good amount of buildup and some angst. The pacing very very natural to me. I do have to warn readers about the editing hiccups though, there were a few (it’s self published, I believe) .
I recently won a copy of a book written by a “new to me author”, Megan Linden.
In “Serve and Protect”, the first book in the DC Files series , Blake is a former SEAL raising a young daughter. He meets Sam in a bar the day before Sam gets the offer of a lifetime running a presidential campaign for a female US Senator. Between days and weeks on the campaign trail, Sam and Blake manage to find time to move forward with their relationship.
I really liked this book. While the attraction between the MCs is instant, it was not insta-love. Both men are committed to their jobs and their families. But they are both mature enough to know that if the right person comes along, it’s worth it to work through the challenges of very complicated lives. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series as well as other books by this author.
I read Shy by John Inman. This was a very cute, funny story about two guys, Tom and Frank, who both have social anxiety disorder. They meet and fall in love despite their neuroses. Tom is a city boy and Frank is fresh off the farm. When Frank’s dad becomes very ill, they have to go back to Indiana to take care of the farm. Hilarity ensues. Overall I enjoyed the book a lot. There wasn’t too much angst and lots of laughs. Of you’re looking for a light-hearted read, this one hits the spot.
I too enjoyed Shy and am a big fan of Inman’s other books including that Belladonna Arms series which I have reviewed here on the blog.
I listened to this in audio and enjoyed it as well Rod!
I think this may be the only time I’m reading the same book as a reviewer for this challenge, but it’s a fun way to start it. Just like Lloyd, I read Jess Faraday’s The Affair of the Porcelain Dog. This was definitely more mystery fiction (which I’m a big fan of) than romance, so that would be something for people who are looking for a romance with a side of mystery and thrills to know. Told in the first person by Ira Adler, the “kept man” of a crime boss in the Victorian London and former child left at a workhouse who ends up selling himself on the streets until her meets the crime boss, Cain Goddard. Goddard’s kept him away from his crime business until he has a task he can only trust Ira with, retrieving a porcelain dog, a tool in his and another’s blackmail. The simple retrieval goes wrong when Ira’s former trick/lover, doctor Tim Lazarus, is also tasked with getting the dog. What follows is densely-packed action and intrigue as well as a character study of Ira, since we watch him become more aware of his own beliefs and the problems outside himself. For me, there was just a bit too much packed into one novel, as far as all the intrigues and people involved. Some of it was really compelling and some fell flat. It was like Ms. Faraday was trying to make each person have a personality and motivation and story, and while that’s commendable so they don’t just look like caricatures, it wasn’t always necessary. There were just too many side plots that made the story feel less tight and focused as it could be. Having said that, I really enjoyed how she managed to have all this action and still make the characters’ personality and feelings well-developed. I felt for everyone, and especially loved watching Ira grow as a person. Ira makes a great narrator, and the style of writing is really engaging. Also, the epilogue was just perfect. It not only wrapped up the story’s action and emotion, it gave a glimpse into what would come next. I have heard this is a series, and it sets that up nicely, but had I not known, I wouldn’t have felt like this story was incomplete or that there was a cliffhanger. All in all, this is a really solid story, and for fans of mystery (like me) and historicals (like me) who don’t need to have a romance starting or for the romance to be neat and tidy, this is an enjoyable and worthwhile read. I know I’ll be reading more from Jess Faraday, starting with the next in the series.
Thanks for the review Carolyn! It is interesting to hear how your experience compared to Lloyd’s.
I loved this challenge, as it helped me get a few shorts off of my TBR list.
Love Without Knowing It by Bronwyn Heeley
3.5 stars
Paul didn’t want to settle down. He’s happy with his life and his friend with benefits Matt. However, his whole life changes when he notices a change in Matt’s body that might signal a more ominous condition. He has to make a choice – cut and run, or stay and be a partner in everything.
This is the first story I’ve read by Bronwyn Heeley, and while I enjoyed it, there were a few things that made it a 3.5 star read for me. One, was the editing. The pace of the story just didn’t feel right. The relationship occurred too quickly. Second, there were a few typos and grammatical issues that I just couldn’t overlook. What I did love about the story was the medical storyline, which I think was well done. It wasn’t overly angsty as some medical issues tend to be, but it still carried an impact.
Once Upon A Dragon by Jambrea Jo Jones
3 stars
This was kinda cute, but way too short. And something about the writing really made it hard to read. I think it was the various grammatical errors and typos, and the conversation just didn’t flow that well.
But two things saved it. First, dragon shifters. Enough said. Second, the names. They’re awesome and exactly appropriate for dragon shifters – Blaze, Ember, Pyre, Flame, etc.
Oh, I read the dragon story as well a while back. For some reason I feel like there might be more stories now…
The Affair Of The Porcelain Dog by Jess Faraday
I must have read a good review last year because I’ve had this book in paperback for months and New-To-Me Author week finally got me to pull it out and read it.
This book is set in London in the late 1800’s. The MC is Ira Adler, a former prostitute.
This was a fun book. Lots of action, murder, mystery. Not really a lot of romance, but I didn’t really miss it because the story kept me hooked until the end.
I’m a reader, not a writer, so I NEVER write reviews, but I really liked this book and would give it 4 or 4.5 stars.
In fact, I’m now ordering Turnbull House, the second book in the series, because I want to know more about Ira. 🙂
Oh good, glad you got a chance to pull it off your pile! I am intrigued that so many folks picked this one for their challenge this week. So fun to see everyone’s thoughts.
I added a 2nd book to my challenge since I had the time. I read Miller’s Creek by R.G. Green. Another book I had been looking forward to reading. Jesse Ellis is tasked with writing a series of articles regarding a 75 year old massacre set in his small home town. 60 years later a 13 year old Jesse and his best friend Geoff, set off to find the grave of Jacob Palmer, the man who massacred his entire family. In the process, the boys stumble across a homeless man who is accidentally murdered. The murder shatters the boys and the families are forced from the small town. Now, 15 years later having to go back to the small town that forced Jesse and his family out brings all his demons to the forefront. Fortunately Jesse meets Dustin who is there to give Jesse the support he needs to complete his task and more than Jesse had really hoped for. For some reason I went into this book thinking it was going to be more gruesome than it was. Actually, it wasn’t very gruesome at all, but it didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the book. Basically, it’s a story of going home again and facing your demons. Fortunately, Jesse met Dustin and he was able to help be the support system that Jesse needed for the trip. 4 stars
Looking forward to starting next week’s challenge. Thank you for this. 🙂
ooh, sounds good! I am pretty sure we reviewed that here. At least it sounds familiar.
The new-to-me author I read this week was Alessandra Hazard. I got the first one in her Straight Guys-series and ended up(buying and) reading all four of them. Each is a standalone with a different couple but they are all quite short, maybe closer to novella-length than novel.
My favorite was the third, Just a Bit Unhealthy, though I found all of them to be really entertaining. As is obvious from the title of the series each book has the OFY-theme in different variations. In addition there is plenty of other obstacles and drama, from girlfriends and fiancees to paying for sexual favours, and also the professor-student relationship in the first book, and the physician-patient in the third. But by firmly suspending all disbelief at the start, these books can give you a really entertaining time if you’re in the mood for loads of drama, angst of the more fluffy kind, and interesting characters.
I like lots of drama when I’m in the right mood, but it can be difficult to find books that scratch that particular itch because a lot hinges on the characters not acting in a way that ruins your suspension of disbelief and takes you out of the story. In this series it worked for me. Just a Bit Unhealthy especially has an MC that people may find unlikeable, but this enabled the author to keep the tension and the uncertainty about the resolution to the very end of the book. It was unpredictable in a refreshing way, and I give the series four entertaining start.
Thank you Joyfully Jay for having this reading challenge month, with reader participation. Very fun 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your review!
The new-to-me author I read this week was John Inman. I read Coming Back which is actually the 3rd in the series Belladonna Arms and I rated it 4 out of 5 stars. This book was really fun despite the sometimes heavy situations and had a great cast of characters that made me want to go and read the first two in the series. That being said at the beginning of the book I was totally lost b/c there was a lot of catch-up with the other couples and one of the MCs (Ramon) really wasn’t directly introduced right away, but if you had read the previous books I’m assuming you would know more about him and how he got into his current situation. Once Ramon and Barney meet, though, their love story is sweet and beautiful and I just loved how the found what they needed with each other. I will definitely be reading more by this author in the future.
I am currently reading Coming Back and strongly encourage you to read the first two in the Belladonna Arms series, they are such fun. I haven’t read a book by inman that I didn’t like.
First off, let me tell you I’m having a great time with this challenge, it’s a lot of fun! I also found several new titles to add to my TBR list, which is always a good thing *grins*.
Fall For Me (The Rock Gods #1) by Ann Lister
3.90 / 5 stars
This is my first book by the author and a surprisingly nice one.
The story starts with Dagger, the closeted rockstar who is about to be interviewed by Ryan, a handsome entertainment journalist. Sparks fly between them the moment they lay eyes on each other. Ryan is not gay (or so he repeately likes to tell himself) and Dagger is not eager to come of the closet even though Ryan tempts him.
From here on, we get to see how the guys experiment with their sexual desire and struggle to come to terms with their feelings and if they ‘thing’ they have is worth risking their careers.
My main complaint is the editing… or lack of… because the book was full of it. Besides, in some parts the text was underlined for no reason whatsoever. This was quite annoying but not enough to make me stop reading.
This is not a complex story and the blurb pretty much tells everything. But all in all, I really enjoyed this book and plan to continue with the rest of the series.
Oh good! So glad you are enjoying Challenge Month!
I read The Dating Game by Jay Northcote. 3/5 stars.
Owen had a crush on Nathan while at Uni, but Nathan presented as het so Owen kept his feelings for Nathan to himself. Now that they’re out of school, Nathan’s moved back to Bristol and he’s come out. Owen has a reputation as a one-night kind of guy, but Nathan wants a meaningful relationship. So when Owen asks him out, Nathan challenges him to a 5 date minimum before anything sexual can happen between them.
Owen accepts the challenge and the couple begin their one-date-a week schedule, often calling and texting in between dates – getting to know each other. As each date passes, it gets more difficult for Nathan to continue keeping his no-sex rule with Owen. And Owen finds that he no longer wants just another notch on his bedpost, he now wants a real relationship with Nathan.
I enjoyed the story, however there were 2 of my least favorite tropes in this one novella. The big misunderstanding and insta-love. Other than that, it’s a light, sweet love story.
I was out-of-town, so didn’t get to post this by the deadline, but still wanted to leave my review. My new to me author was Erica Pike. I met her at GRL last year, and she was such a sweetheart, I wanted to read one of her books before GRL this year.
I read Black Hurricane, since that is the book I had heard most about. It is written in first-person, which did not bother me. I loved both Jazz and Dean. I wanted to smack Jazz upside the head a few times for being an idiot and not reading between the lines of what happened when they were younger. But, other than that, I loved it. 5 stars. I went back and bought the first two books in the series and read them both right afterwards. I didn’t like them quite as much as Black Hurricane, but I still highly recommend the series.