Black Widow: Forever Red

Ready for some excitement?




Title:  Black Widow: Forever Red
Author:  Margaret Stohl
Publisher:  Marvel Press
Release Date:  October 13, 2015

  

ABOUT THE BOOK

Enter the world of the Avengers' iconic master spy 

Natasha Romanoff is one of the world's most lethal assassins. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the title of Black Widow by Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room, Moscow's infamous academy for operatives.

Ava Orlova is just trying to fit in as an average Brooklyn teenager, but her life has been anything but average.The daughter of a missing Russian quantum physicist, Ava was once subjected to a series of ruthless military experiments-until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection. Ava has always longed to reconnect with her mysterious savior, but Black Widow isn't really the big sister type.
Until now.

When children all over Eastern Europe begin to go missing, and rumors of smuggled Red Room tech light up the dark net, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned-and that Ava Orlova might be the only one who can stop him. To defeat the madman who threatens their future, Natasha and Ava must unravel their pasts. Only then will they discover the truth about the dark-eyed boy with an hourglass tattoo who haunts Ava's dreams. . . .

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MY THOUGHTS

OK now, don't shoot me when you read this. I don't read Marvel comics.  There, I said it! I know of Black Widow because of the Avengers movie, and Scarlett Johansson played Black Widow, aka Natasha Romanoff great.  Don't even ask me what other Avengers movie series are out there or where Black Widow played a part. I'm not 100% sure.  With that out of the way, let's get back to the book at hand, Black Widow: Forever Red. 

I saw the cover, and thought nice, another Marvel franchise starting.  Then I saw the author, Margaret Stohl, and something click. O! She co-wrote Beautiful Creatures series.  I've only read the original set, not the subsequent series, Dangerous Creatures, and I loved it. I really had fun reading that series.  Knowing that Margaret authored Black Widow: Forever Red, I'm interested in seeing how she does with probably a highly anticipated novel for many Marvel/superhero fans.

Copyright: Margaret Stohl/Marvel Press
What a fun, entertainingly visual, action-filled, electrifying and emotional read!  You can't put it down! I loved it so much, I went out and bought a print copy (I was reading the digital version). Yes, a book and possibly a series I would continue reading.  We have the excitement (and horrifying) of finding out a little history of Black Widow and the Red Room. Then, there's the emotional aspect of who Black Widow is, and her relations, adding the connection of Ava. I feel for Ava, and what it means to be different.  How Black Widow and Ava are more alike than not sure gives a nice perspective of Black Widow and how they fit into the Agents of Shield dynamic.  Don't forget, this is a Marvel Press book, there's bound to be action and there were, up to, almost the very end.

In all, I think it's a great start to a story focused on the female heroes (heroines) in the world of comics and Avengers.  However, I can see die-hard fans may be put off by the inclusion and highly focused storyline of Ava, versus Black Widow, herself. Even for that, Ava and Black Widow have a certain connection/relationship that brings this novel to a different level than just fighting the bad guy.  Give this a try, and not let your preconceived knowledge of Black Widow blind you to what Margaret Stohl have to offer you here in Black Widow: Forever Red. 

NOTE: I received a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review.


TO PURCHASE A COPY

  

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margaret Stohl is the #1 New York Times Bestselling co-author of the BEAUTIFUL CREATURES Novels and DANGEROUS CREATURES novels, as well as the author of BLACK WIDOW: FOREVER RED forthcoming from Marvel Press (Marvel YA), and the ICONS Novels. She is the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Los Angeles Times, Indie-Bound, Wall Street Journal and Internationally Bestselling author of nine YA novels, and has been published in 37 languages and 48 countries. BEAUTIFUL CREATURES was adapted into a film (2013) by Warner Brothers and Alcon Entertainment, and was an ALA William C. Morris YA Debut Award finalist in 2010, as well as a SCIBA award finalist, a NYPL Book for the Teen Age, and a YALSA Teen Top Ten Pick. Beautiful Creatures was named the #1 Teen Pick from Amazon in 2009, and the #5 Editors Pick, Overall. Prior to becoming an author, Margaret worked in the video game industry as a writer and lead designer for sixteen years, eventually co-founding 7 Studios game developer with her husband, Lewis Peterson. She is also the co-founder of YALLFEST (Charleston, SC) and YALLWEST (Santa Monica, CA), two of the biggest kid/teen book festivals in the country. An alumnus of Amherst College, Stanford University, and Yale University, Margaret lives in Santa Monica with her family, two rescue cats, and two bad beagles.

CONNECT WITH MARGARET:    website, facebook, twitter 





CONVERSATION

1 comments:

  1. Very interesting, I've never read the comics either but my husband and I do enjoy watching the movies together. I will be on the lookout for this title!

    ReplyDelete

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