What do you think?
Rate this book
Red and Black #1
Red and Black
From super fangirl to superhero.
Twenty-year-old Dawn Takahashi has been a comic book fan for years. So when she gets a set of superpowers of her own, she dives right in. Guided by a series of hard and fast rules, Dawn plans to use her experience with comics to earn her place as Bailey City’s first superhero.
Then, Faultline enters the picture.
As a lead henchman for the supervillain Calypso, Faultline is smart, strong, and the most powerful person Dawn has ever gone toe-to-toe with. None of her rules can prepare her for the fight to come or the revelation that there’s more to Faultline than she realizes. Because Faultline is also Alex Gage, a handsome guy with an axe to gride against the elite.
Dawn and Alex have a date next week.
But with Calypso planning the downfall of several of Bailey City’s most prominent citizens, it won’t be long before they must face the truth.
Identities can only remain secret for so long.
Red and Black is the first book in a seven-book series featuring superhero action and an enemies-to-lovers superhero/supervillain romance.
Twenty-year-old Dawn Takahashi has been a comic book fan for years. So when she gets a set of superpowers of her own, she dives right in. Guided by a series of hard and fast rules, Dawn plans to use her experience with comics to earn her place as Bailey City’s first superhero.
Then, Faultline enters the picture.
As a lead henchman for the supervillain Calypso, Faultline is smart, strong, and the most powerful person Dawn has ever gone toe-to-toe with. None of her rules can prepare her for the fight to come or the revelation that there’s more to Faultline than she realizes. Because Faultline is also Alex Gage, a handsome guy with an axe to gride against the elite.
Dawn and Alex have a date next week.
But with Calypso planning the downfall of several of Bailey City’s most prominent citizens, it won’t be long before they must face the truth.
Identities can only remain secret for so long.
Red and Black is the first book in a seven-book series featuring superhero action and an enemies-to-lovers superhero/supervillain romance.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2018
44 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Nancy O'Toole
21 books62 followersNancy O’Toole is an author of superhero fiction and fairy tale retellings. Her body of work includes The Red and Black Series, and The Twin Kingdoms series. She is the co-host of One for All: A My Hero Academia Podcast. When not writing, or working as a librarian in Central Maine, she spends her time reading, playing video games, watching kdramas, and taking far too many pictures of her cat, Coraline.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Read
January 24, 2023Re-reading my own book to help me prepare for writing the seventh and final Red and Black book later this year. It doesn't feel right to assign a rating to myself, but it was comforting to know that I do enjoy my own books!
July 15, 2019
There is a lot to like in this fun and creative superhero story, starting with the outstanding characters.
As a comic book nerd Dawn has always been enamoured with superheroes, so when she acquires her own superpowers, she’s right on top of things- right down to sticking to her own set of rules that she tries to adhere to with varying degrees of success.
Dawn’s alter ego Red and Black, is everything that Dawn has a hard time showing the world without the disguise. She’s asmart-ass outspoken, confident and strong-willed, when Dawn is costumed, she gets to be the person that she can’t be without a disguise. The unmasked Dawn is shy, awkward and has some major avoidance issues, she isn’t good at confrontation or people but she has a good heart and that shows, costumed or not.
I really adored Dawn. The scenes with her and her best friend Sunshine, were some of my favorites. I liked her geekiness, her inner voice, and her humor. I found her to be very relatable and her anxieties felt true.
Alex aka Faultline, is doing all the wrong things, for the right reasons. An absentee father and his mother’s death, have left him with two sisters to look out for and a whole lot of buried anger that scares the hell out of him.
I enjoyed Alex a lot too. He’s a great brother, and I loved the family dynamics that felt all too real to their situation (especially the angry teen sister who doesn’t appreciate the older brothers parenting). I couldn’t help but root for him and hope that he caught a break.
The characters do have a lot of introspection and awareness of their own faults with good reasons for their choices. At times I thought they were maybe a little too aware of their own shortcomings during these self-examinations but the characters really were wonderfully handled. Even Calypso and other support characters had motives beyond just being bad, for the sake of being villains.
The plot was multilayered- light enough that you can see how a few threads will undoubtably play out into future books and can guess at what might be the answers to things that are hinted at and probably be right, but deep enough, to enjoy the little twists and turns along the way. I liked that there was a lot more to the plot and things weren’t so black and white.
The power-trading and hinted at organization and other little things- like my assumption on how Dawn received her powers, give this lots of room to grow as a series with that ground work in place. I really liked a lot of those in-world ideas and I can see some cool future book possibilities. Also, that costume morphing etc. which keeps the whole how did they not know each other Lois/Clark Kent type of relationship, making more sense. Really cool stuff.
Other notes-
This walks the tightrope between superhero-action story and character story. There were a few scenes that a little less inner-awareness would have helped to speed up the action.
I did wish there’d been more closure between Alex and Dawn since their relationship was such a large part of the story.
The villain’s end arc felt oddly un-villainy but maybe that was the point because we got to see them as human with motivations that were as true to themselves, as the heroes were. Trying to word this where I don’t give away too big a spoiler, bzah!
There were a few places where the scene jumped and lost me. Maybe a formatting issue or some scene breaks got dropped, but whichever, it had me backtracking pages to find what I missed.
Pet-peeve alert- so take this next complaint with a grain of salt. A couple of issues of that overlapping repeated pov that I find so unnecessary, and the breath-holding that I wish people could find a better way of letting their anxiety show and quit using the supremely overused ‘letting out that breath they didn’t know they were holding’ line.
But really minor stuff to complain about when this was just excellent fun!
My best recommendation I can give, is when I can say that if book two had been out- I’d have been trying to figure out how to make it fit into my schedule immediately.
4.5
A huge thank you goes to Nancy O’Toole Meservier for supplying a copy for review.
As a comic book nerd Dawn has always been enamoured with superheroes, so when she acquires her own superpowers, she’s right on top of things- right down to sticking to her own set of rules that she tries to adhere to with varying degrees of success.
Dawn’s alter ego Red and Black, is everything that Dawn has a hard time showing the world without the disguise. She’s a
I really adored Dawn. The scenes with her and her best friend Sunshine, were some of my favorites. I liked her geekiness, her inner voice, and her humor. I found her to be very relatable and her anxieties felt true.
Alex aka Faultline, is doing all the wrong things, for the right reasons. An absentee father and his mother’s death, have left him with two sisters to look out for and a whole lot of buried anger that scares the hell out of him.
I enjoyed Alex a lot too. He’s a great brother, and I loved the family dynamics that felt all too real to their situation (especially the angry teen sister who doesn’t appreciate the older brothers parenting). I couldn’t help but root for him and hope that he caught a break.
The characters do have a lot of introspection and awareness of their own faults with good reasons for their choices. At times I thought they were maybe a little too aware of their own shortcomings during these self-examinations but the characters really were wonderfully handled. Even Calypso and other support characters had motives beyond just being bad, for the sake of being villains.
The plot was multilayered- light enough that you can see how a few threads will undoubtably play out into future books and can guess at what might be the answers to things that are hinted at and probably be right, but deep enough, to enjoy the little twists and turns along the way. I liked that there was a lot more to the plot and things weren’t so black and white.
The power-trading and hinted at organization and other little things- like my assumption on how Dawn received her powers, give this lots of room to grow as a series with that ground work in place. I really liked a lot of those in-world ideas and I can see some cool future book possibilities. Also, that costume morphing etc. which keeps the whole how did they not know each other Lois/Clark Kent type of relationship, making more sense. Really cool stuff.
Other notes-
This walks the tightrope between superhero-action story and character story. There were a few scenes that a little less inner-awareness would have helped to speed up the action.
I did wish there’d been more closure between Alex and Dawn since their relationship was such a large part of the story.
The villain’s end arc felt oddly un-villainy but maybe that was the point because we got to see them as human with motivations that were as true to themselves, as the heroes were. Trying to word this where I don’t give away too big a spoiler, bzah!
There were a few places where the scene jumped and lost me. Maybe a formatting issue or some scene breaks got dropped, but whichever, it had me backtracking pages to find what I missed.
Pet-peeve alert- so take this next complaint with a grain of salt. A couple of issues of that overlapping repeated pov that I find so unnecessary, and the breath-holding that I wish people could find a better way of letting their anxiety show and quit using the supremely overused ‘letting out that breath they didn’t know they were holding’ line.
But really minor stuff to complain about when this was just excellent fun!
My best recommendation I can give, is when I can say that if book two had been out- I’d have been trying to figure out how to make it fit into my schedule immediately.
4.5
A huge thank you goes to Nancy O’Toole Meservier for supplying a copy for review.
January 13, 2025
https://beforewegoblog.com/review-red...
RED AND BLACK by Nancy O’Toole is probably the best indie superhero novel I’ve read in a long time. Which may not sound like much but I’ve read over two hundred of them since I started writing in the genre myself. It’s a small genre compared to fantasy and science-fiction but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of people who enjoy writing prose stories of caped crusaders.
I think this may actually qualify as the first “cozy” superhero novel that I’ve ever read as well even though there is a decent plot. The stakes are real with a bunch of people being kidnapped around a city but it is restricted to the fairly small community of Bailey City as well as more interested in establishing the lives of the characters versus their ability to punch bad guys. It’s one of the novels that I would say is readable by teenagers and adults alike with equal enjoyment.
The premise is that twenty-year-old Dawn Takahashi AKA Hikaru has gained superpowers. This is not unheard of in her world but is a fairly recent seeming phenomenon ala HEROES. Because this is a cozy superhero novel, this doesn’t trigger massive world-wide persecution or revolution but people deciding to dress up as superheroes or keep their powers to themselves. There are very few known supervillains and heroes are mostly amateur activists or rescue workers rather than full-time vigilantes.
Dawn is a likable enough heroine and a huge comic book geek who exploits the fact she transforms ala Captain Marvel or the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman into her superheroic form to keep a secret identity. Unfortunately, few supervillains doesn’t mean none and she meets up with the ones in her city who had been doing the pragmatic thing of staying under the radar and exploiting their powers for personal gain. One of these is Alex Gage AKA Faultline, who is an enforcer for a local crime boss and cult leader named Calypso. She can addict people to her touch, which is incredibly useful but also leaves them dependent on her.
Alex is actually the co-lead of the book and he’s a fairly laid back sort of guy for a supervillain. He has super strength and armor designed to intimidate people into compliance but he’s limited himself to breaking legs versus breaking necks. Being a supervillain doesn’t pay much but it pays a helluva lot better than not being one and he’s used his position to get his family out of extreme debt. The mild class commentary in the book with Dawn coming from a wealthy doctor’s family and Alex from the wrong side of the tracks is welcome but not obtrusive.
In conclusion, I felt this was a fun book from beginning to end. There were some twists and turns but the real heart of things was the characters. They are extremely enjoyable and richly detailed as are their relationships with one another. I won’t spoil how Dawn and Alex come to interact but I feel like it was quite fun.
RED AND BLACK by Nancy O’Toole is probably the best indie superhero novel I’ve read in a long time. Which may not sound like much but I’ve read over two hundred of them since I started writing in the genre myself. It’s a small genre compared to fantasy and science-fiction but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of people who enjoy writing prose stories of caped crusaders.
I think this may actually qualify as the first “cozy” superhero novel that I’ve ever read as well even though there is a decent plot. The stakes are real with a bunch of people being kidnapped around a city but it is restricted to the fairly small community of Bailey City as well as more interested in establishing the lives of the characters versus their ability to punch bad guys. It’s one of the novels that I would say is readable by teenagers and adults alike with equal enjoyment.
The premise is that twenty-year-old Dawn Takahashi AKA Hikaru has gained superpowers. This is not unheard of in her world but is a fairly recent seeming phenomenon ala HEROES. Because this is a cozy superhero novel, this doesn’t trigger massive world-wide persecution or revolution but people deciding to dress up as superheroes or keep their powers to themselves. There are very few known supervillains and heroes are mostly amateur activists or rescue workers rather than full-time vigilantes.
Dawn is a likable enough heroine and a huge comic book geek who exploits the fact she transforms ala Captain Marvel or the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman into her superheroic form to keep a secret identity. Unfortunately, few supervillains doesn’t mean none and she meets up with the ones in her city who had been doing the pragmatic thing of staying under the radar and exploiting their powers for personal gain. One of these is Alex Gage AKA Faultline, who is an enforcer for a local crime boss and cult leader named Calypso. She can addict people to her touch, which is incredibly useful but also leaves them dependent on her.
Alex is actually the co-lead of the book and he’s a fairly laid back sort of guy for a supervillain. He has super strength and armor designed to intimidate people into compliance but he’s limited himself to breaking legs versus breaking necks. Being a supervillain doesn’t pay much but it pays a helluva lot better than not being one and he’s used his position to get his family out of extreme debt. The mild class commentary in the book with Dawn coming from a wealthy doctor’s family and Alex from the wrong side of the tracks is welcome but not obtrusive.
In conclusion, I felt this was a fun book from beginning to end. There were some twists and turns but the real heart of things was the characters. They are extremely enjoyable and richly detailed as are their relationships with one another. I won’t spoil how Dawn and Alex come to interact but I feel like it was quite fun.
August 31, 2018
Disclaimer: I received this arc in return for an honest review.
Red and Black is a fun, compelling read that I devoured in two satisfying sittings. Fittingly, for a book set in the world of superheroes and villains, it begins with a crime being committed, as an unlucky citizen falls prey to the criminal element of Bailey City. It's the perfect way to present Miss Red and Black; her abilities, appearance, experience, moral code and disposition. Ka-pow! The author tackles introducing the heroine as confidently as her hero herself. From there, layers of information are unveiled as if by her everyday persona Dawn; with caution and a love of literature.
Red and Black's world of superheroes is unique. She herself is a 'costume' and can transform into a hero that is physically different and imbued with enhanced strength and healing powers. This all comes with a nifty magical disguise, allowing her a greater confidence. Alex aka Faultline, however is 'empowered' with the gift of seeing the weaknesses in others - but can he turn that gift inwards? When he dons his uniform he suppresses his true self in order to carry out his job. The characters are threaded with depth and flaws, which make you invest in their journey.
There were a couple of threads of the story that I wanted to read more about - especially after *that* revelation - that I felt was not really addressed further. However I do trust the author to explore this in her sequel, which I found out today she's already writing! I can't wait to find out more!
In conclusion, if you're looking for a, light, enjoyable read full of superhero cape-rs (see what I did there?), action, and plenty of heart pick up a copy of Red and Black.
Red and Black is a fun, compelling read that I devoured in two satisfying sittings. Fittingly, for a book set in the world of superheroes and villains, it begins with a crime being committed, as an unlucky citizen falls prey to the criminal element of Bailey City. It's the perfect way to present Miss Red and Black; her abilities, appearance, experience, moral code and disposition. Ka-pow! The author tackles introducing the heroine as confidently as her hero herself. From there, layers of information are unveiled as if by her everyday persona Dawn; with caution and a love of literature.
Red and Black's world of superheroes is unique. She herself is a 'costume' and can transform into a hero that is physically different and imbued with enhanced strength and healing powers. This all comes with a nifty magical disguise, allowing her a greater confidence. Alex aka Faultline, however is 'empowered' with the gift of seeing the weaknesses in others - but can he turn that gift inwards? When he dons his uniform he suppresses his true self in order to carry out his job. The characters are threaded with depth and flaws, which make you invest in their journey.
There were a couple of threads of the story that I wanted to read more about - especially after *that* revelation - that I felt was not really addressed further. However I do trust the author to explore this in her sequel, which I found out today she's already writing! I can't wait to find out more!
In conclusion, if you're looking for a, light, enjoyable read full of superhero cape-rs (see what I did there?), action, and plenty of heart pick up a copy of Red and Black.
August 14, 2018
A wildly entertaining ride through a superhero cityscape. With harrowing turns and heart-at-odds, Red and Black is a well-paced adventure that settles satisfyingly on a nail-biting conclusion.
August 24, 2018
A super-fun read that I stayed up WAY too late to finish reading. A few formatting issues that tripped me up, but overall, if you enjoy urban fantasy and/or superheroes, definitely give this book a go. I’m already looking forward to book 2!
August 4, 2018
A PDF of this book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an unbiased review. Full disclosure: The author and I were already friends on GoodReads but do not know each other "in real life," and have also talked very little by means of the internet.
I really wanted to be able to give this book a very level review, explaining things I liked and didn't like about it. Unfortunately, I can't, because there's very little here I didn't enjoy the heck out of.
This will not be a very in-depth review because I don't want there to be many spoilers, so...
Characters- Interesting and fun to read about. They have flaws and sometimes made me very frustrated with them, but in the way that good characters do that. While the main character, Dawn, is solidly a good person, pretty much everyone else could be said to be morally gray to varying degrees which made them all the more interesting. You care about and understand why the characters do the things they do.
Idea- A heckin' neat take on superheroes. My Marvel-loving heart really enjoyed this.
Plot- Good pacing for the most part, easily pulled me in, and kept me wanting to find out what would happen next.
Bad Stuff: Not much I didn't like. There were a few grammar-y things I caught, but no more than you'd find in any other book. Occasionally I was confused about when characters switched to a different location or had changed into their costumes as there was very little warning in the change and it would take me a second to connect that it'd happened.
Is it super deep? No, (though not very shallow, either). Is it a whole lotta fun? Hell yes. I always wanted to know what would happen next and the things I listed in the Bad Stuff section was not enough to subtract from the overall enjoyment.
Nancy, I hope the sequel is coming soon, cause that was quite the ending...
I really wanted to be able to give this book a very level review, explaining things I liked and didn't like about it. Unfortunately, I can't, because there's very little here I didn't enjoy the heck out of.
This will not be a very in-depth review because I don't want there to be many spoilers, so...
Characters- Interesting and fun to read about. They have flaws and sometimes made me very frustrated with them, but in the way that good characters do that. While the main character, Dawn, is solidly a good person, pretty much everyone else could be said to be morally gray to varying degrees which made them all the more interesting. You care about and understand why the characters do the things they do.
Idea- A heckin' neat take on superheroes. My Marvel-loving heart really enjoyed this.
Plot- Good pacing for the most part, easily pulled me in, and kept me wanting to find out what would happen next.
Bad Stuff: Not much I didn't like. There were a few grammar-y things I caught, but no more than you'd find in any other book. Occasionally I was confused about when characters switched to a different location or had changed into their costumes as there was very little warning in the change and it would take me a second to connect that it'd happened.
Is it super deep? No, (though not very shallow, either). Is it a whole lotta fun? Hell yes. I always wanted to know what would happen next and the things I listed in the Bad Stuff section was not enough to subtract from the overall enjoyment.
Nancy, I hope the sequel is coming soon, cause that was quite the ending...
September 30, 2018
An incredible read by a new author! I was hooked on this story from the beginning and spent all my free time reading for a couple days.
The characters are endearing and well thought out. Each has their own unique voice and I found myself rooting for everyone, even the more villainous characters.
The story flowed easily from beginning to end. The plot was thoughtful and detailed, plenty of backstory for everything without being muddled or confusing.
I cannot wait to read more from this author! I will be impatiently awaiting a sequel to see where Dawn and Alex (and hopefully more Sunshine) go next.
The characters are endearing and well thought out. Each has their own unique voice and I found myself rooting for everyone, even the more villainous characters.
The story flowed easily from beginning to end. The plot was thoughtful and detailed, plenty of backstory for everything without being muddled or confusing.
I cannot wait to read more from this author! I will be impatiently awaiting a sequel to see where Dawn and Alex (and hopefully more Sunshine) go next.
March 21, 2020
Story time! So Nancy, the author of this book, was my old librarian. She got me into volunteering there and has been such an awesome person. I’m am not bias for rating this four stars. This review is completely honest.
First, for an indie book, I’m super impressed! I had never read a self-published book before but now I want to read more.
Second, I really enjoyed the main character, Dawn. She has a Peter Parker feel, but us more mature since she’s a college student.
The writing reminded me of Brandon Sanderson in a way with some Marie Lu as well.
The only thing is near the end it becomes a bit rushed and there is some info dumping. Other than that, I really enjoyed it! Broken down RTC on blog, along with an author interview!
First, for an indie book, I’m super impressed! I had never read a self-published book before but now I want to read more.
Second, I really enjoyed the main character, Dawn. She has a Peter Parker feel, but us more mature since she’s a college student.
The writing reminded me of Brandon Sanderson in a way with some Marie Lu as well.
The only thing is near the end it becomes a bit rushed and there is some info dumping. Other than that, I really enjoyed it! Broken down RTC on blog, along with an author interview!
July 12, 2018
Disclaimer: The author is a fellow contributor to a shared blog; I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book falls squarely in that sweet spot of being completely appropriate for both adult and young adult audiences. There's a bit of brand-name pop culture referencing that feels a bit more YA, but there's never a moment when I want to smack any of the characters upside the head for being idiots about relationships, which I will admit is my personal litmus test for whether a story will appeal to adults.
Aren't we over the superhero thing, though, thanks to constant exposure on television and the big screen? Absolutely not, if this book has anything to say about it. Dawn is delightfully self-aware of the history of her profession, and her list of personal and practical rules of how to be a superhero are one of my favorite parts of the book. The story both acknowledges and destroys tropes in the same breath. Even better: this book is NOT an origin story. A bit of backstory comes in at about the one-third mark, right when you're really craving it -- and then the author never gives you all the details, leaving you wanting much, much more.
We don't just get Dawn's story, however, and despite how easy it would be to portray Alex as a reluctant villain, the author has to go and get his family involved. The sadly realistic representation of how a family can struggle after loss justified a lot of Alex's actions even if they were disagreeable.
So after all that gushing, why did I only give this book four stars? Simple -- room to grow. Meservier leans on some writing ticks that a lot of debut authors have, such as excessive use of physical attributes to describe character and too much unnecessary setting detail. But this is all presented in a breezy, conversational narrative that really shines with character voice, so it's only in retrospect that you really wonder whether you needed to know about every item in a room.
This is blatantly the first book in a series, but it doesn't end on a cliffhanger. The main conflict is resolved thoroughly, but in a way that sets of plenty of questions to leave me already anxious to read the next installment. Miss Red and Black (not her official superhero name) is definitely a hero to keep an eye on.
This book falls squarely in that sweet spot of being completely appropriate for both adult and young adult audiences. There's a bit of brand-name pop culture referencing that feels a bit more YA, but there's never a moment when I want to smack any of the characters upside the head for being idiots about relationships, which I will admit is my personal litmus test for whether a story will appeal to adults.
Aren't we over the superhero thing, though, thanks to constant exposure on television and the big screen? Absolutely not, if this book has anything to say about it. Dawn is delightfully self-aware of the history of her profession, and her list of personal and practical rules of how to be a superhero are one of my favorite parts of the book. The story both acknowledges and destroys tropes in the same breath. Even better: this book is NOT an origin story. A bit of backstory comes in at about the one-third mark, right when you're really craving it -- and then the author never gives you all the details, leaving you wanting much, much more.
We don't just get Dawn's story, however, and despite how easy it would be to portray Alex as a reluctant villain, the author has to go and get his family involved. The sadly realistic representation of how a family can struggle after loss justified a lot of Alex's actions even if they were disagreeable.
So after all that gushing, why did I only give this book four stars? Simple -- room to grow. Meservier leans on some writing ticks that a lot of debut authors have, such as excessive use of physical attributes to describe character and too much unnecessary setting detail. But this is all presented in a breezy, conversational narrative that really shines with character voice, so it's only in retrospect that you really wonder whether you needed to know about every item in a room.
This is blatantly the first book in a series, but it doesn't end on a cliffhanger. The main conflict is resolved thoroughly, but in a way that sets of plenty of questions to leave me already anxious to read the next installment. Miss Red and Black (not her official superhero name) is definitely a hero to keep an eye on.
September 23, 2018
*ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review*
With Red and Black, Meservier has created a superhero adventure that both celebrates the traditions of the genre and takes classic elements in a new direction. Loaded with references to comics and other cultural influences, the story is nonetheless grounded in tangible characters and real-world struggles.
With any story about heroes and villains, there are certain expectations on the part of the reader. Red and Black operates in relatively familiar territory throughout the story in terms of plot and the general feel of the narrative--but also sets itself apart with subtle changes in character, setting, and motivation that make the story feel refreshingly unique in often subtle ways. Much of the story unfolds in the voice of a young woman gifted with powers she does not fully understand as she imperfectly tries to find her role as a hero in the city she cares about--a struggle of identity that extends far beyond the realm of powers and super villains. And as Red and Black's struggles unfold, Meservier delivers some twists and revelations that complicate the story in unexpected and exciting ways.
In addition to the grand conflict of the story's center, much of the narrative's weight comes from simple personal relationships. Friends, family, romance, responsibility--these personal elements are at the center of much of the story's tension, bringing distinctly human conflicts to a notable super human adventure.
As a whole, Red and Black is a strong start to a series that ties up enough loose ends while still leaving story threads to be addressed in the future. The novel has its dark moments, but is largely a fun and exciting adventure which unfolds through the eyes of two characters--at once allies and enemies--who are simply trying to make the best of the extraordinary situations that they find themselves involved with.
With Red and Black, Meservier has created a superhero adventure that both celebrates the traditions of the genre and takes classic elements in a new direction. Loaded with references to comics and other cultural influences, the story is nonetheless grounded in tangible characters and real-world struggles.
With any story about heroes and villains, there are certain expectations on the part of the reader. Red and Black operates in relatively familiar territory throughout the story in terms of plot and the general feel of the narrative--but also sets itself apart with subtle changes in character, setting, and motivation that make the story feel refreshingly unique in often subtle ways. Much of the story unfolds in the voice of a young woman gifted with powers she does not fully understand as she imperfectly tries to find her role as a hero in the city she cares about--a struggle of identity that extends far beyond the realm of powers and super villains. And as Red and Black's struggles unfold, Meservier delivers some twists and revelations that complicate the story in unexpected and exciting ways.
In addition to the grand conflict of the story's center, much of the narrative's weight comes from simple personal relationships. Friends, family, romance, responsibility--these personal elements are at the center of much of the story's tension, bringing distinctly human conflicts to a notable super human adventure.
As a whole, Red and Black is a strong start to a series that ties up enough loose ends while still leaving story threads to be addressed in the future. The novel has its dark moments, but is largely a fun and exciting adventure which unfolds through the eyes of two characters--at once allies and enemies--who are simply trying to make the best of the extraordinary situations that they find themselves involved with.
August 5, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. The author and I have known each other is Goodreads for a very long time, but have rarely interacted outside liking status.
This was a enjoyable read with an interesting take on superhero origins. That said and I hope this makes sense, it's not entirely an origin story. Our protagonist may be new to the job, but by the time we meet her she's getting the hang of it and you get just enough information about her and the world she lives in to get a good grasp of what is going on, while still leaving enough questions for what comes next. Some things I could see coming, but others took me by surprise, always a nice thing to find on this genre in which like many others, you get a feeling of where the story is going but that's alright, because what matters is how you get there. And this was a great road to follow.
The characters were a lot of fun, althought we spend most of our time with our leads, Dawn and Alex, the supporting characters were interesting enough that you came to care about them. There were characters I didn't care for at first whom I really liked by the end. I found myself shaking my head at some of the decisions they made, but these actions moved the plot along without frustrating me as a reader, a good balance that is sometimes hard to find.
As for the bad, I did feel there was a bit too much description at times, specially every single time a new character or location was introduced. And there were a couple things that I wish I could have seen more (more of some secondary characters like Sunshine, Alex's sisters and Steve, the romance itself) but seeing as this is the first of a series, hopefully there will be more of them later on. And I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.
This was a enjoyable read with an interesting take on superhero origins. That said and I hope this makes sense, it's not entirely an origin story. Our protagonist may be new to the job, but by the time we meet her she's getting the hang of it and you get just enough information about her and the world she lives in to get a good grasp of what is going on, while still leaving enough questions for what comes next. Some things I could see coming, but others took me by surprise, always a nice thing to find on this genre in which like many others, you get a feeling of where the story is going but that's alright, because what matters is how you get there. And this was a great road to follow.
The characters were a lot of fun, althought we spend most of our time with our leads, Dawn and Alex, the supporting characters were interesting enough that you came to care about them. There were characters I didn't care for at first whom I really liked by the end. I found myself shaking my head at some of the decisions they made, but these actions moved the plot along without frustrating me as a reader, a good balance that is sometimes hard to find.
As for the bad, I did feel there was a bit too much description at times, specially every single time a new character or location was introduced. And there were a couple things that I wish I could have seen more (more of some secondary characters like Sunshine, Alex's sisters and Steve, the romance itself) but seeing as this is the first of a series, hopefully there will be more of them later on. And I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.
September 25, 2018
Full disclosure: I am a former coworker of the author's and I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
While the opening chapter was a little jarring for me and gave me a "WTF" moment, it was definitely in a good way. I was excited to know what was going to happen next. The story completely won me over the next couple of chapters and my favorite thing was that in between tasks, I could easily pick this book up and read a chapter or two at a time without losing the flow. I love alternating perspective books and this one had clearly defined character voices and lovely but casual world-building.
Dawn was so sweet and well-meaning and even though this was obviously her first major foray into the criminal underbelly, she had clearly already been learning to master her powers. This is not exactly an origin story but it isn't exactly not one either.
Alex was a great character to read, he obviously has a big heart and wants to do the right thing for his family without necessarily examining the road to get there too closely. I liked that his sisters were also given distinct personalities instead of being flat.
There was so much color and light but also darkness and shadow. I could almost see what was going to happen but there was just enough angle to keep me entertained. Dana definitely comes back in a big way from his first chapter encounter. The villain and her minions were great to read as well. There was very little I did not like about this story. I even liked that Dawn's powers had limitations, as all good superheroes should. The only downside was not fully understanding how Dawn received her abilities and how/when this all started happening, but I suppose that may be included in a future book which is fine by me! My expectations for backstory can be a little impatient at times.
All in all, a solid book, definitely worth the read!
While the opening chapter was a little jarring for me and gave me a "WTF" moment, it was definitely in a good way. I was excited to know what was going to happen next. The story completely won me over the next couple of chapters and my favorite thing was that in between tasks, I could easily pick this book up and read a chapter or two at a time without losing the flow. I love alternating perspective books and this one had clearly defined character voices and lovely but casual world-building.
Dawn was so sweet and well-meaning and even though this was obviously her first major foray into the criminal underbelly, she had clearly already been learning to master her powers. This is not exactly an origin story but it isn't exactly not one either.
Alex was a great character to read, he obviously has a big heart and wants to do the right thing for his family without necessarily examining the road to get there too closely. I liked that his sisters were also given distinct personalities instead of being flat.
There was so much color and light but also darkness and shadow. I could almost see what was going to happen but there was just enough angle to keep me entertained. Dana definitely comes back in a big way from his first chapter encounter. The villain and her minions were great to read as well. There was very little I did not like about this story. I even liked that Dawn's powers had limitations, as all good superheroes should. The only downside was not fully understanding how Dawn received her abilities and how/when this all started happening, but I suppose that may be included in a future book which is fine by me! My expectations for backstory can be a little impatient at times.
All in all, a solid book, definitely worth the read!
Read
July 29, 2018*I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
April 27, 2021
Finished Wandavision and Falcan and the Winter Soldier? Thought the Snyder cut was too short?
Well, if you looking for a something to tickle your superhero itch, you should check this book out. Bailey City is set in a world where people, called Actuals, have begun to manifest powers. Dawn is a young woman with a great power set, trying to figure out how to be a hero and a college student. Alex is a young man with responsibilities beyond his years, grappling with debt and powers he is using to aid a burgeoning villain. the young people meet and try to start a relationship, while operating (unknown to each other) as hero and villain. Coming of age and understanding your place in the world, mixed with romance and lots of super hero nods, references and nerdery, this is a great start to a series exploring what the world would look like if people started developing superpowers. Some great epic fights, with some really personal stories, this a book well worth a read.
Well, if you looking for a something to tickle your superhero itch, you should check this book out. Bailey City is set in a world where people, called Actuals, have begun to manifest powers. Dawn is a young woman with a great power set, trying to figure out how to be a hero and a college student. Alex is a young man with responsibilities beyond his years, grappling with debt and powers he is using to aid a burgeoning villain. the young people meet and try to start a relationship, while operating (unknown to each other) as hero and villain. Coming of age and understanding your place in the world, mixed with romance and lots of super hero nods, references and nerdery, this is a great start to a series exploring what the world would look like if people started developing superpowers. Some great epic fights, with some really personal stories, this a book well worth a read.
November 24, 2018
*e-ARc provided by author, in exchange for honest review. I don't feel this affects my opinion*
I found Red and Black very exciting, fun, and all around fantastic. The characters are well-developed, and I found both Dawn and Alex relatable and realistic (even with superpowers:P). The dialogue was funny, and people had true-to-life voices (I especially appreciate that when adults write college-age people). The fight scenes were high-action and exciting, but also easy to follow. The ending was satisfying, but definitely open for more in the series:)
The only things I didn't like were sometimes it was hard to follow time jumps, as there wasn't any indication in the formatting of the text (this may be different in other editions), and I felt there was a little bit of possible queer-baiting towards the end, but I may be misreading that
Also, I think this is the first e-book (as opposed to short story) I've read, so it took me a long time to finish, but that is all about me (I also had a concussion) and not at all a reflection of anything in the book. On the other hand, I found it really easy to get back into the story if I'd "put it down" for a while:)
I found Red and Black very exciting, fun, and all around fantastic. The characters are well-developed, and I found both Dawn and Alex relatable and realistic (even with superpowers:P). The dialogue was funny, and people had true-to-life voices (I especially appreciate that when adults write college-age people). The fight scenes were high-action and exciting, but also easy to follow. The ending was satisfying, but definitely open for more in the series:)
The only things I didn't like were sometimes it was hard to follow time jumps, as there wasn't any indication in the formatting of the text (this may be different in other editions), and I felt there was a little bit of possible queer-baiting towards the end, but I may be misreading that
Also, I think this is the first e-book (as opposed to short story) I've read, so it took me a long time to finish, but that is all about me (I also had a concussion) and not at all a reflection of anything in the book. On the other hand, I found it really easy to get back into the story if I'd "put it down" for a while:)
January 19, 2019
What a fun, action-packed superhero adventure! I had so much fun following Miss Red and Black as she fights crime, rescues people, and investigates a string of kidnappings. This is a true superhero story from beginning to end. Dawn is easy to love, the mystery element is engaging, and the drama is dialed up to eleven.
The only thing holding me back from a five-star review would be that the ending left me needing more closure. But since this is the first book in a series, that's understandable.
I will definitely be reading book 2, and I suggest everyone reads this book if you're a fan of superheroes.
The only thing holding me back from a five-star review would be that the ending left me needing more closure. But since this is the first book in a series, that's understandable.
I will definitely be reading book 2, and I suggest everyone reads this book if you're a fan of superheroes.
October 5, 2019
A new super hero to root for!
I loved this book the minute Dawn as Miss Red and Black was introduced. The plot is intriguing and intense, with a fantastic motivation reveal at the end. And a superhero/henchman romance? Heck yeah, that's the type of relationship problems that make this a hard to put down book.
On top of that, Asian. Superhero. Seriously, fans of Sarah Kuhn would love this. The style, wit, and comic book references also reminded me a lot of Seanan McGuire, so I highly recommend this series for any of her fans.
I loved this book the minute Dawn as Miss Red and Black was introduced. The plot is intriguing and intense, with a fantastic motivation reveal at the end. And a superhero/henchman romance? Heck yeah, that's the type of relationship problems that make this a hard to put down book.
On top of that, Asian. Superhero. Seriously, fans of Sarah Kuhn would love this. The style, wit, and comic book references also reminded me a lot of Seanan McGuire, so I highly recommend this series for any of her fans.
August 24, 2018
A peek inside the heads of superhero world—beyond the capes and spandex. Nice to see something like this that is not a graphic novel. Strong, relatable protagonist, with good dialogue and internal monologue, although at times I had to page back and check whose POV I was in. Loved the cover. A bit talky in some scenes and the ending is a bit drawn-out. Waffled between a YA feel and a straightforward adult thriller but holds appeal for both readerships.
January 26, 2019
What a cool story!
This was such a well-written and fun story, with a fresh twist on superheroes you can’t help but admire. The main character Dawn is easy to relate to. She’s a good person who launches into a new life of learning how to be a superhero. The pacing of the story was really well done, and I liked how things developed between Dawn and Alex as well as all the action between their other selves, Red & Black and Faultline. A fun, exciting story for any age.
This was such a well-written and fun story, with a fresh twist on superheroes you can’t help but admire. The main character Dawn is easy to relate to. She’s a good person who launches into a new life of learning how to be a superhero. The pacing of the story was really well done, and I liked how things developed between Dawn and Alex as well as all the action between their other selves, Red & Black and Faultline. A fun, exciting story for any age.
April 11, 2022
I really enjoyed this one! The dynamics between Dawn and Alex were very good, very cute, and both characters on their own were likeable and compelling. I think it was a little rude to have two important characters and name one Dawn and the other Dana; that was very confusing and I got tripped up on it pretty much every time. Other than that, though, I enjoyed it and I'm excited for the sequel.
Read
November 29, 2019This was a delightful read. Twists and turns I did not see coming!
Looking forward to the next books in this series.
Looking forward to the next books in this series.
December 20, 2020
I haven't read many superhero books, but this was a fantastic read! Dawn and Alex are both incredibly likeaeble and the plot moves at a rapid pace. And the ending leaves a great opening for a sequel!
September 1, 2022
3.5 stars
An entertaining read, with plenty of superhero action and a rather adorable superhero-villain budding romance. No sex or swearing, which is a big plus, as far as I'm concerned.
An entertaining read, with plenty of superhero action and a rather adorable superhero-villain budding romance. No sex or swearing, which is a big plus, as far as I'm concerned.
November 7, 2024
I like the realistic characters, most of the dialogue, the descriptions, that the author typed each of the chapters from one of the main characters’ point of view, and the pace in this novel. I don’t like that one of the sentences in this novel isn’t grammatically correct. Four stars.
October 7, 2019
I found this book very slow. I felt that the characters were very cliche and did not have lots of depth. I also found the plot cliche. I felt that the book was well-written thats why I tried to read on but in the end, I didn't. I will say that some people will like this book but for me, I just couldn't get into it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews