Up until a few years ago, I had written off graphic novels as “just comic books” and nothing “too serious.” Said the woman who now writes contemporary romance novels (Summer 2022! GET READY). But I remember listening to a podcast or seeing a list on a book review site that said something along the lines of “Graphic Novel Recs for Any Type of Reader” and suddenly, my library hold list was full of requests for books with pictures. And now, if I’m not reading at least a graphic novel or two at a time—in addition to all of the other reading I do—then it’s because I just came off of a week-long bender devouring an entire graphic novel series and I need a breather before I start a new one. There’s something in the physiology of reading Graphic Novels that just works for me. I get to see the characters and all the plotlines come to life in front of me. I read dialogue and inner monologues with the added benefit of sometimes having reactions from other characters that would otherwise go unsaid or a glimpse of foreshadowing from a literal shadow in a scene. The attention to detail is…

Confession time: I’m a big ol’ scaredy-cat. I’ve been to one haunted house in my life and never want to go again, and I’ve been known to sleep with the lights on after seeing a trailer for a scary movie.  But I love Halloween. Weird, right?  I have been known to dip my toe in what I’m calling “spooky” reads, though. They aren’t really scary per se, but they definitely have an atmosphere. My #romancelandia pal, BandHerBooks, and I like to say we’re “pastel goths,” which I think just means we like skulls and cozy sweaters and idolize Morticia Addams, but that’s a topic for another blog post.  I gravitate toward spooky reads around this year especially, but my supernatural-lite obsession lasts year-round–does my skull soap dispenser stay in the powder room even if it’s weeks past October 31st? Yep. Do I wear all black pretty much every day? You bet. Will this lovely typewriter with a “heartwarming” message have permanent residence in my office? MOST DEFINITELY!  Here are a few spooky reads for the rest of the pastel goths out there–enjoy them at Halloween or whenever you want to do your best Lydia Deetz impression. . . *** THE…

A warm welcome back to Fresh Fiction reviewer Miranda Owen, here to chat about the possibly doomed nuptials of Batman and Catwoman in their recent DC graphic novels!  The flirtation and sexual tension between Batman and Catwoman are well documented and encompass the comics, TV, films, and animated shows. My earliest exposure to their relationship was when I watched the 1960s pairing of Adam West and Julie Newmar. When DC was building up this latest Batman/Catwoman romantic storyline, I knew that it wouldn’t end in a happily-ever-after, but Tom King and the other writers and artists who worked on this story built something with a strong emotional punch and added interesting nuances to these beloved characters. In BATMAN VOL. 6: BRIDE OR BURGLAR, readers saw a different and more human side to two comic book legends, leaving their story on an optimistic note. The end result, covered in BATMAN VOL. 7: THE WEDDING, BATMAN/CATWOMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM, and BATMAN: PRELUDES TO THE WEDDING, is something to wonder over and scream into the void at the unfairness of it all. Even though this entire arc is focused on Batman and Catwoman and their alter egos Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, the…