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Marvel Press Novels
Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King
Kate Bishop's Hawkeye is still figuring out how to be a Super Hero—and a functioning human being—in this thrilling YA mystery adventure that has her crossing paths with some of the Marvel Universe's greatest heroes—and most dangerous villains.
When Kate Bishop, the young Hawkeye, solves a minor crime and saves the surprisingly cute Milo in the process, she counts it as a rare win. But a mix-up of their bags means that nope, Kate's life is still refusing to run smoothly. In that bag is a mysterious book that holds powerful, dangerous secrets—ones that New York City's most powerful super villain, the Kingpin, would kill to uncover.
Kate finds herself on the run, searching for Milo and what he knows, texting her Super Hero besties for moral support, and trying to solve the mystery she's blundered into before she becomes the victim of her own story.
Just like its main character, Kate Bishop, Ashley Poston's Super Hero adventure doesn't miss a single shot in one of the funniest, twistiest Marvel stories ever told.
When Kate Bishop, the young Hawkeye, solves a minor crime and saves the surprisingly cute Milo in the process, she counts it as a rare win. But a mix-up of their bags means that nope, Kate's life is still refusing to run smoothly. In that bag is a mysterious book that holds powerful, dangerous secrets—ones that New York City's most powerful super villain, the Kingpin, would kill to uncover.
Kate finds herself on the run, searching for Milo and what he knows, texting her Super Hero besties for moral support, and trying to solve the mystery she's blundered into before she becomes the victim of her own story.
Just like its main character, Kate Bishop, Ashley Poston's Super Hero adventure doesn't miss a single shot in one of the funniest, twistiest Marvel stories ever told.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2023
30 people are currently reading
1286 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Poston
29 books24.1k followersNew York Times best-seller by day, fanfic author by night.
Viist her at www.ashposton.com.
Viist her at www.ashposton.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
December 20, 2023
4/5 stars, so much fun fan service and an easy read
Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide & Marvel Press for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
As a hardcore Marvel fan, it was kind of surprising to me that I haven't actually read any of their books or things like this. I've certainly seen all the movies and read/collected lots of the comics, but when I saw this was for request I immediately jumped at the opportunity. Especially as Kate Bishop and the young avengers are my favorite comic books EVER. I was really hoping for a fan service read with just a fun little plot to follow, and I certainly got that so I was very content with my read.
First of all, it was really fun following a superhero like this in a book, and not really something I've really read before. In the future, I'm going to keep my eye out for books like this because I think it was really fun and interesting, as it's completely different from urban fantasy, it's sort of light science fiction. So a new sort of experience for me turned out to be great, the plot was also simple and easy to follow, with lots of plot points that brought in some of my favorite marvel characters ever but also some interesting little twists.
I absolutely adore Kate Bishop in the comics, and now the movies, so having her as a main character was super fun and I'm really happy she got a book to highlight how amazing she is. I love her sarcasm and how it blends so well with some of her friends that are in this book like America Chavez. Other than that there were so many mentions of other superhero, storylines, and locations that were pure fan service and I thought that was so fun!
[TW: stealing, murder, dead bodies, nightmares, torture, death of parents mentioned]
Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide & Marvel Press for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
As a hardcore Marvel fan, it was kind of surprising to me that I haven't actually read any of their books or things like this. I've certainly seen all the movies and read/collected lots of the comics, but when I saw this was for request I immediately jumped at the opportunity. Especially as Kate Bishop and the young avengers are my favorite comic books EVER. I was really hoping for a fan service read with just a fun little plot to follow, and I certainly got that so I was very content with my read.
First of all, it was really fun following a superhero like this in a book, and not really something I've really read before. In the future, I'm going to keep my eye out for books like this because I think it was really fun and interesting, as it's completely different from urban fantasy, it's sort of light science fiction. So a new sort of experience for me turned out to be great, the plot was also simple and easy to follow, with lots of plot points that brought in some of my favorite marvel characters ever but also some interesting little twists.
I absolutely adore Kate Bishop in the comics, and now the movies, so having her as a main character was super fun and I'm really happy she got a book to highlight how amazing she is. I love her sarcasm and how it blends so well with some of her friends that are in this book like America Chavez. Other than that there were so many mentions of other superhero, storylines, and locations that were pure fan service and I thought that was so fun!
[TW: stealing, murder, dead bodies, nightmares, torture, death of parents mentioned]
December 4, 2023
PLEASE, give me more Kate Bishop novels. Give me more YA novels like this one PLEASE. Ashley Poston needs to get a comic run, she needs do so much more with Marvel. This book had me laughing out loud and hugging my copy all day long. It was the perfect Kate sass and she wrote America, Clint, Misty, Ms. Marvel & Spidey so on brand. It was an absolute delight to read.
If you aren't an avid comic fan or just know Kate from the Hawkeye Series, you can still read this gem of a book. This book blends the comics and MCU styles seamlessly in my opinion. It makes me want to reread all of my Kate comics ASAP. Thank you for writing this book Ashley!
If you aren't an avid comic fan or just know Kate from the Hawkeye Series, you can still read this gem of a book. This book blends the comics and MCU styles seamlessly in my opinion. It makes me want to reread all of my Kate comics ASAP. Thank you for writing this book Ashley!
November 6, 2023
Instant 5 stars for confirming Fuse and Noh-Varr started dating. Also, this fits into the comics universe seamlessly and Kate is SO Kate!! If only her more recent comics were this good... 5/5 stars.
January 26, 2025
Kate Bishop, you will always be famous.
March 5, 2025
we’re ignoring the fact that i’m only 9% through emma by jane austen and yet finished this in approximately 24 hours. kate bishop hyperfixation and obsession goes crazy.
anyway i loved it. because it’s kate bishop. i love everything kate bishop. she makes everything better. i love her. she’s my girl. she’s so me. she’s the best ever, all the time.
anyway the novel was fun! it was great, entertaining, and totally could’ve been just another comic book if it hadn’t been in prose format ykwim; totally would’ve fit as hawkeye vol.7 (i think we’re on vol.7, right? 4 was fraction, 5 was thompson, 6 was the hawkeyes thing…… so we’re on 7?). perfect length and a super enjoyable story featuring all my faves: kate, lucky, america, and clint!
we EVEN got a paragraph mention of elijah bradley and YKKKKK i shrieked out loud when i saw my boy being mentioned even though it was just. yk. one singular paragraph. but idc, i love my boy, i love him so much.
oh my god. the plot. genuinely so good, i loved the villain, kingpin was actually written really well (i say this cuz so many people dumb him down as “general mob boss bad guy” when he’s actually a really interesting character) and the whole hypnosis thing was super interesting and REALLY well executed. and milo, omg, i really hope they introduce his character into comics after this because his power and backstory is too good to pass up!!!! please marvel let that happen, i need to see him as a morally grey vigilante with super cool hypnosis powers PLEASEEEEEE. ashley did all the work for you already just give him a sick character design and feature him in some minis!
also i have so much respect for the author while we’re talking about her. ashley poston, i love you. i had the sneaking suspicion that she was a fandom girlie from the mention of percy jackson, but also the general internet memes and fandom culture she weaseled into the book. and ALSO the amerikate crumbs, i see you girl! that acknowledgement section confirmed it for me. love that you’re on ao3 please give me your account i need to read your other marvel stuff.
it was great i loved it. i love kate bishop.
anyway i loved it. because it’s kate bishop. i love everything kate bishop. she makes everything better. i love her. she’s my girl. she’s so me. she’s the best ever, all the time.
anyway the novel was fun! it was great, entertaining, and totally could’ve been just another comic book if it hadn’t been in prose format ykwim; totally would’ve fit as hawkeye vol.7 (i think we’re on vol.7, right? 4 was fraction, 5 was thompson, 6 was the hawkeyes thing…… so we’re on 7?). perfect length and a super enjoyable story featuring all my faves: kate, lucky, america, and clint!
we EVEN got a paragraph mention of elijah bradley and YKKKKK i shrieked out loud when i saw my boy being mentioned even though it was just. yk. one singular paragraph. but idc, i love my boy, i love him so much.
oh my god. the plot. genuinely so good, i loved the villain, kingpin was actually written really well (i say this cuz so many people dumb him down as “general mob boss bad guy” when he’s actually a really interesting character) and the whole hypnosis thing was super interesting and REALLY well executed. and milo, omg, i really hope they introduce his character into comics after this because his power and backstory is too good to pass up!!!! please marvel let that happen, i need to see him as a morally grey vigilante with super cool hypnosis powers PLEASEEEEEE. ashley did all the work for you already just give him a sick character design and feature him in some minis!
also i have so much respect for the author while we’re talking about her. ashley poston, i love you. i had the sneaking suspicion that she was a fandom girlie from the mention of percy jackson, but also the general internet memes and fandom culture she weaseled into the book. and ALSO the amerikate crumbs, i see you girl! that acknowledgement section confirmed it for me. love that you’re on ao3 please give me your account i need to read your other marvel stuff.
it was great i loved it. i love kate bishop.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2023
This was one of the most decent YA books I've read in a long time.
This book had a cozy mystery vibe to it!! MORE YA BOOKS NEED TO HAVE THIS VIBE!! ASHLEY PLEASE MAKE MORE KATE BISHOP BOOKS!! 🥹🥹
I need this to be a movie!! BRING JEREMY RENNER, HAILEE STEINFELD, AND LUCKY THE PIZZA DOG!!
The random phone calls between her and Clint were so hilarious!!
This book had a cozy mystery vibe to it!! MORE YA BOOKS NEED TO HAVE THIS VIBE!! ASHLEY PLEASE MAKE MORE KATE BISHOP BOOKS!! 🥹🥹
I need this to be a movie!! BRING JEREMY RENNER, HAILEE STEINFELD, AND LUCKY THE PIZZA DOG!!
The random phone calls between her and Clint were so hilarious!!
November 29, 2023
4.5 rounded up!
Honestly I was a little nervous about reading this because the last YA author to tackle Kate Bishop was Marieke Nijkamp's run of the comics last year and it was soooo poorly written and I found it to be a real disappointment. However, Ashley Poston has worked her YA magic and done a standout job here with "Bishop Takes King!" She's found the perfect balance of portraying Kate both as a young person living her life as well as a superhero who has been through some really difficult times. Poston also nailed Kate's voice: it's jokey and witty, but not cheesy or forced, and overall has a deeply earnest tone. The plot is also actually just a totally enjoyable romp through NYC, bookstores, and has a cast that anyone familiar with the Young Avengers is definitely going to enjoy (and the amount that Lucky is involved made me so happy!). Also, Kate interacting with Clint literally made me tear up. Their relationship is so wholesome and I absolutely love their dynamic.
The only critique I have is that there are a few places that just needed some more proofreading. For example, at one point a character sees their bag and goes to pick it up, gets interrupted, and then a couple paragraphs later asks where their bag is, despite having already seen it? There are a few instances like that, especially early on, that made the story a touch sloppy.
However, all in all, a really fantastic Kate Bishop story, and I would be thrilled to see Poston write more of "the better Hawkeye" in the future!
Honestly I was a little nervous about reading this because the last YA author to tackle Kate Bishop was Marieke Nijkamp's run of the comics last year and it was soooo poorly written and I found it to be a real disappointment. However, Ashley Poston has worked her YA magic and done a standout job here with "Bishop Takes King!" She's found the perfect balance of portraying Kate both as a young person living her life as well as a superhero who has been through some really difficult times. Poston also nailed Kate's voice: it's jokey and witty, but not cheesy or forced, and overall has a deeply earnest tone. The plot is also actually just a totally enjoyable romp through NYC, bookstores, and has a cast that anyone familiar with the Young Avengers is definitely going to enjoy (and the amount that Lucky is involved made me so happy!). Also, Kate interacting with Clint literally made me tear up. Their relationship is so wholesome and I absolutely love their dynamic.
The only critique I have is that there are a few places that just needed some more proofreading. For example, at one point a character sees their bag and goes to pick it up, gets interrupted, and then a couple paragraphs later asks where their bag is, despite having already seen it? There are a few instances like that, especially early on, that made the story a touch sloppy.
However, all in all, a really fantastic Kate Bishop story, and I would be thrilled to see Poston write more of "the better Hawkeye" in the future!
September 3, 2024
Kate Bishop, mi patrona. Amo con locura este pinche libro, amo que sea canon, Kate se merece una historia así de cool.
Espero que Marvel pronto anuncie algo nuevo de Kate.
Espero que Marvel pronto anuncie algo nuevo de Kate.
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May 16, 2024
4.25 stars✧˖°.
I love Kate Bishop. Genuinely devoured this so quickly, it was so entertaining.
I love Kate Bishop. Genuinely devoured this so quickly, it was so entertaining.
July 1, 2023
Kate bishop!! Kickass archer, sassy superhero, young avenger and owner of the best dog in the world (lucky the pizza dog. Amiright?). She is by far one of my fav of the marvel characters and she’s really one you root for and get behind. This book was a fab adventure with Kate and I loved it!
I’ve never read the comics (I know) and am limited to the knowledge of the MCU on TV & screen, from movies and tv shows, but I love reading the books as a different format for more marvel content and all that it provides. They are entertaining, easy, generally badass and exciting with harks to familiar faces and plots from the tales we all know and love.
The banter between Clint and Kate never get old and I loved reading their exchanges in this. And with America as sidekick best friend and awesome marvel name drops throughout, I couldn’t get enough of it. Once I started reading I struggled to draw myself away and may have accidentally read most of it in a day. Whoops. Super enjoyed and the ending was SO satisfying and spot on.
I was highly anticipating this read and it delivered on all fronts. Loved it.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
I’ve never read the comics (I know) and am limited to the knowledge of the MCU on TV & screen, from movies and tv shows, but I love reading the books as a different format for more marvel content and all that it provides. They are entertaining, easy, generally badass and exciting with harks to familiar faces and plots from the tales we all know and love.
The banter between Clint and Kate never get old and I loved reading their exchanges in this. And with America as sidekick best friend and awesome marvel name drops throughout, I couldn’t get enough of it. Once I started reading I struggled to draw myself away and may have accidentally read most of it in a day. Whoops. Super enjoyed and the ending was SO satisfying and spot on.
I was highly anticipating this read and it delivered on all fronts. Loved it.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
May 23, 2025
4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A fun time reading a Marvel side story in novel form by one of my favorite authors. This reminded me of reading when I was younger in the best way. I was thinking about this one in between when I didn’t have time to read it as fast as I would have originally liked too, and I loved the outcome we left off on. I could see this being done as one of the actual Marvel projects, be it an episode of the Hawkeye series if we ever get a second season, or even a full on movie. I had fun with this and would love to see more books in this vain from Ashley Poston in the future. You can tell she loves these characters and did her research on them before writing this. I also love how we saw some characters in this I was not expecting to interact with Kate and Clint from the comics but it worked so well all together.
If you’re a fan of Marvel and want to read a fun novel set in that universe, definitely pick this one up. It’s a fast read and fun mystery with good twists all around.
A fun time reading a Marvel side story in novel form by one of my favorite authors. This reminded me of reading when I was younger in the best way. I was thinking about this one in between when I didn’t have time to read it as fast as I would have originally liked too, and I loved the outcome we left off on. I could see this being done as one of the actual Marvel projects, be it an episode of the Hawkeye series if we ever get a second season, or even a full on movie. I had fun with this and would love to see more books in this vain from Ashley Poston in the future. You can tell she loves these characters and did her research on them before writing this. I also love how we saw some characters in this I was not expecting to interact with Kate and Clint from the comics but it worked so well all together.
If you’re a fan of Marvel and want to read a fun novel set in that universe, definitely pick this one up. It’s a fast read and fun mystery with good twists all around.
September 24, 2023
I LOVED this series. I was super excited to see that it was turned into a chapter book as well! Kate Bishop is the other Hawkeye: the one who is snarky, humorous and super loud. Of course, I am a sucker for any super hero with a super awesome dog and Lucky is pretty fantastic. Between Kate's witty comebacks and Lucky's pizza eating shenanigans, this novel was super fun and engaging. I loved that America Chavez such a major character in this novel too.
Kate does take on the notorious Kingpin to stop a catastrophic event from happening. If Kingpin collects all the books with the sleeper codes in them, he could take over the world... for evil. Kate has to collect the books first and stop it from happening. I love that the whole book was essentially a manhunt... for books.
What I LOVED most: the ending (when you get there, you'll know why), Kate's never ending chatter, Clint
Kate does take on the notorious Kingpin to stop a catastrophic event from happening. If Kingpin collects all the books with the sleeper codes in them, he could take over the world... for evil. Kate has to collect the books first and stop it from happening. I love that the whole book was essentially a manhunt... for books.
What I LOVED most: the ending (when you get there, you'll know why), Kate's never ending chatter, Clint
August 11, 2023
Thank you Netgalley and Ashley Poston for the opportunity to read the eARC of Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King!
I have been a fan of Ashley Poston's other books and I was super excited to find out about her jump into a marvel universe novel!
This book is amazing! One of the best marvel books I have read yet! Kate Bishop is a favorite new character of mine and she is incredible in this story, funny, witty and takes no garbage from anyone! She is tough and the book has great cameos placed in that doesn't feel forced, it is all natural.
It doesn't matter your age, if you enjoy marvel, give this book a try! You will very glad you did!
I will post my review on Netgalley, Amazon and Goodreads.
I have been a fan of Ashley Poston's other books and I was super excited to find out about her jump into a marvel universe novel!
This book is amazing! One of the best marvel books I have read yet! Kate Bishop is a favorite new character of mine and she is incredible in this story, funny, witty and takes no garbage from anyone! She is tough and the book has great cameos placed in that doesn't feel forced, it is all natural.
It doesn't matter your age, if you enjoy marvel, give this book a try! You will very glad you did!
I will post my review on Netgalley, Amazon and Goodreads.
October 4, 2023
This is everything I wanted in a book about Kate Bishop! They're sass, and sass and more sass. A lucky is exactly lucky a one-eyed pizza loving dog who has sass. Kate thinking she can do everything on her own like always and learning that she can't the hard way. The random phone calls between her and Clint that are the most bad joke ridden, sassy phone calls that have ever existed. This book has a lot of callbacks to Kate's past and comics that she has been in. It has some beloved characters even if just slightly mentioned (Aka Wiccan and Hulkling). And of course America Chavez is with her every step, mostly to call her out on her BS.
February 17, 2024
THIS BOOK. I LOVE THIS BOOK. I read this book in a day and I cannot remember the last time I did that.
I was so excited for this book when it was announced but also so so nervous. Kate Bishop is one of my favorite comic characters, the Young Avengers is my favorite team, the dynamic between Clint and Kate is my favorite. And I love Ashley’s writing, I don’t know that I’d trust another writer with these characters more, and, friends, she nailed it. She got their voices PERFECT. Opening this book was like coming home and being greeted with a warm hug, being reunited with friends you hadn’t seen in a while but still loved.
I was so excited for this book when it was announced but also so so nervous. Kate Bishop is one of my favorite comic characters, the Young Avengers is my favorite team, the dynamic between Clint and Kate is my favorite. And I love Ashley’s writing, I don’t know that I’d trust another writer with these characters more, and, friends, she nailed it. She got their voices PERFECT. Opening this book was like coming home and being greeted with a warm hug, being reunited with friends you hadn’t seen in a while but still loved.
January 25, 2024
Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King by Ashley Poston is a whole lot of fun. It made me happy to read this story. The author did a fantastic job of bringing Kate Bishop to life in novel form. I really want to see America Chavez and Kate appear together in the MCU and alongside Kamala Khan too. I hope Ashley Poston writes another Marvel novel featuring these characters.
July 4, 2024
This was so good! I was so hopeful, and Ashley Poston delivered! If she were to continue on with more Kate Bishop novels I wouldn’t be mad about it. I was a little surprised how dark this one got, so I would say it might be better for older YA readers. Narration for the audiobook was great too.
December 10, 2023
SO MUCH FUN!
June 21, 2024
KATE BISHOP MY BELOVED. idc if this is a kids book it was super cute and had a decent plot. also glad it’s cannon that the avengers have a rooftop pool.
October 2, 2023
I’m a massive MCU fan but have never read the comics, and I didn’t realize that there was such a huge difference between Kate’s backstory in the comics and the one I’m familiar with through the Hawkeye TV show. I think this is super important to know from the get-go, because I was so confused by a few of the references at first.
Speaking of the references, I loved the author’s sly references to (what I assume) must be things she loves - a boy wearing a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, a bookshop in Brooklyn named Books are Magical, video games, and lots of superhero name drops and cameos. The action is very constant through the book, and while there are a few places where the story lulls a bit, I felt like it picked up quickly and held my attention for the most part.
I read this book and then listened to it in the car with my sons (ages 10 and 13) and they really liked it as well except for the light romance. I think it’s because they’re boys! They enjoyed the humor and said that it enhanced the story for them.
I would definitely recommend this fun story to any Marvel fan!
Speaking of the references, I loved the author’s sly references to (what I assume) must be things she loves - a boy wearing a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, a bookshop in Brooklyn named Books are Magical, video games, and lots of superhero name drops and cameos. The action is very constant through the book, and while there are a few places where the story lulls a bit, I felt like it picked up quickly and held my attention for the most part.
I read this book and then listened to it in the car with my sons (ages 10 and 13) and they really liked it as well except for the light romance. I think it’s because they’re boys! They enjoyed the humor and said that it enhanced the story for them.
I would definitely recommend this fun story to any Marvel fan!
December 17, 2023
So cute! I loved every second of it!!! Kate was written perfectly, very in character. And I absolutely loved the little references to the comics AND the MCU! So good!
September 5, 2024
I'd like to thank this book for reminding me why I don't read young adult novels.
Unfortunately, this book starts with a low rating because it is victim to the extremely clunky, short, and choppy writing of a good half of young adult novels I've read have. Which is fault of the genre not of the writer. As for the content of this book; It's obviously based on Kelly Thompson's West Coast Avengers (2018), and her Hawkeye run. I did not manger to finish either of these runs because I hated them so much. Kelly Thompson's Kate takes what really made Matt Fraction's Hawkeye sparkle, bastardized it and stripped it of all it's depth. Her run contribute to, if not caused, to the major character assassination of SEVERAL characters (Quentin Quire, Noh-Varr, Kate Bishop and sadly America was a little on the way anyway). The Kate in this is "hot girl from a CW show" and "Best Archer" not the deeply complex martial artist that Allan Heinberg originally created. (Which I can't blame Poston or Thompson too much for since Kieron Gillien did a good amount to start that character assassination.) So, taking both an unfavored genre and the one dimensional interpretation of one of my favorite characters into account, this book had to crawl out of hell to get any stars. A feat which it did not accomplish.
A good amount of the content annoyed me in this book but I will be fully clear and say I do not know if it is the doing of Thompson or Poston. Kelly Thompson stripped Kate of her character and made her a pathetic and #relatable #girlboss #girlfailure, a complete CW caricature of a cool girl instead of the complex character she was in Fraction's Hawkeye and Hiensberg's original Young Avengers run. This book takes that caricature and runs with it, including all of the niche hits and plotlines from both Thompson series. All of which have me sitting mildly agape questioning why in what world would any of this happen and why wasn't it viewed as cliche as hell when it was published.
Aside from that I was frustrated by
-The fact that this is a Kate Bishop book completely revolve around a love interest because that's just a cliche I personally hate.
-Lucky. I don't understand why the dog go SO MUCH screentime. He was borderline the main character and she kept putting him in dangerous situations. AND ITS NOT. EVEN. HER. DOG.
- "Noh-Varr is too emotionally available" ??? Noh-Varr... The alien cockroach who has a revolving door of relationships because he doesn't understand human emotions or intimacy? That Noh-Varr? Okay.
- Kate mentions seeing her friends die in front of her but doesn't dare utter Jonas or Cassie's names.
- This is yet another Modern Kate/Young Avengers novel that forgets anyone but Billy, Teddy and America exist.
- Fisk complaining about Kate talking too much as if he hasn't experienced that with every single marksman he knows (Bullseye and Clint also do not shut up).
-Fisk just really being a random insert of a villain that has nothing whatsoever to do with the plot.
-Did Riordan pay you to write this?? Why the hell did you talk about Percy Jackson more than 3 times in this book.
- Random Ms. Marvel insert. (only mad about this because no Young Avengers existed in this book but a random hero like 6 years younger than Kate is there).
- Calling Kate a teen? Kate has been canonically over 21 since like 2012 why is she a teen here. Beyond that, way gross to have her plot completely center on how sexy she finds the minor antagonist if she is a teen.
- Don't say "spicy book" in a novel. I'm getting a migraine.
I think that's about it.
Unfortunately, this book starts with a low rating because it is victim to the extremely clunky, short, and choppy writing of a good half of young adult novels I've read have. Which is fault of the genre not of the writer. As for the content of this book; It's obviously based on Kelly Thompson's West Coast Avengers (2018), and her Hawkeye run. I did not manger to finish either of these runs because I hated them so much. Kelly Thompson's Kate takes what really made Matt Fraction's Hawkeye sparkle, bastardized it and stripped it of all it's depth. Her run contribute to, if not caused, to the major character assassination of SEVERAL characters (Quentin Quire, Noh-Varr, Kate Bishop and sadly America was a little on the way anyway). The Kate in this is "hot girl from a CW show" and "Best Archer" not the deeply complex martial artist that Allan Heinberg originally created. (Which I can't blame Poston or Thompson too much for since Kieron Gillien did a good amount to start that character assassination.) So, taking both an unfavored genre and the one dimensional interpretation of one of my favorite characters into account, this book had to crawl out of hell to get any stars. A feat which it did not accomplish.
A good amount of the content annoyed me in this book but I will be fully clear and say I do not know if it is the doing of Thompson or Poston. Kelly Thompson stripped Kate of her character and made her a pathetic and #relatable #girlboss #girlfailure, a complete CW caricature of a cool girl instead of the complex character she was in Fraction's Hawkeye and Hiensberg's original Young Avengers run. This book takes that caricature and runs with it, including all of the niche hits and plotlines from both Thompson series. All of which have me sitting mildly agape questioning why in what world would any of this happen and why wasn't it viewed as cliche as hell when it was published.
Aside from that I was frustrated by
-The fact that this is a Kate Bishop book completely revolve around a love interest because that's just a cliche I personally hate.
-Lucky. I don't understand why the dog go SO MUCH screentime. He was borderline the main character and she kept putting him in dangerous situations. AND ITS NOT. EVEN. HER. DOG.
- "Noh-Varr is too emotionally available" ??? Noh-Varr... The alien cockroach who has a revolving door of relationships because he doesn't understand human emotions or intimacy? That Noh-Varr? Okay.
- Kate mentions seeing her friends die in front of her but doesn't dare utter Jonas or Cassie's names.
- This is yet another Modern Kate/Young Avengers novel that forgets anyone but Billy, Teddy and America exist.
- Fisk complaining about Kate talking too much as if he hasn't experienced that with every single marksman he knows (Bullseye and Clint also do not shut up).
-Fisk just really being a random insert of a villain that has nothing whatsoever to do with the plot.
-Did Riordan pay you to write this?? Why the hell did you talk about Percy Jackson more than 3 times in this book.
- Random Ms. Marvel insert. (only mad about this because no Young Avengers existed in this book but a random hero like 6 years younger than Kate is there).
- Calling Kate a teen? Kate has been canonically over 21 since like 2012 why is she a teen here. Beyond that, way gross to have her plot completely center on how sexy she finds the minor antagonist if she is a teen.
- Don't say "spicy book" in a novel. I'm getting a migraine.
I think that's about it.
December 8, 2023
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
Try as I might, I haven't kept up with all the Marvel Cinematic Universe characters, shows, movies, and stories. I'm aware of the television season with the Kate Bishop Hawkeye but I've only seen one episode and I don't recall ever reading any of the Kate Bishop comics.
In Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King, Kat Bishop is still trying to figure out what being a 'superhero' means. Using her mad archery skills she manages to stop a few minor crimes and saves the boy Milo in the process. That Kate finds Milo pretty cute is pure bonus. It also seems like kismet to Kate that the two accidently grabbed the others' backpack (she'll have to meet with him again!). But in Milo's backpack is a book - a very special tome that is wanted by one of the most notorious criminals in New York. Now that Kate's in possession of this book, she'll soon come into direct contact with Kingpin - the man who's taken down more experienced superheroes.
Author Ashley Poston captures the spirit and snarkiness of the teenage marksperson quite well. Is witty dialog a trademark of Marvel superheroes?
The plot takes a bit of a back seat to character here. This is much more about the struggles of being a teenager with the added weight of superhero-ness than it is about keeping Kingpin's big mitts off the special book, but there is a very exciting sequence of the final confrontation between hero and villain.
There is good mentor/mentee discussion with the elder Hawkeye, Clint Barton, which brings us back to this being a really solid YA story of a young woman making some self-discovery and gaining confidence in herself.
I can see this being very popular with the school-age readers. The Marvel character will lure readers in, and they will identify with the teenager struggles. Getting advice from an adult isn't too bad when it comes from an approachable superhero, like Clint Barton.
Looking for a good book? Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King by Ashley Poston is an exciting coming of age story, complete with Marvel superhero action. It is an excellent book for YA readers.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Try as I might, I haven't kept up with all the Marvel Cinematic Universe characters, shows, movies, and stories. I'm aware of the television season with the Kate Bishop Hawkeye but I've only seen one episode and I don't recall ever reading any of the Kate Bishop comics.
In Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King, Kat Bishop is still trying to figure out what being a 'superhero' means. Using her mad archery skills she manages to stop a few minor crimes and saves the boy Milo in the process. That Kate finds Milo pretty cute is pure bonus. It also seems like kismet to Kate that the two accidently grabbed the others' backpack (she'll have to meet with him again!). But in Milo's backpack is a book - a very special tome that is wanted by one of the most notorious criminals in New York. Now that Kate's in possession of this book, she'll soon come into direct contact with Kingpin - the man who's taken down more experienced superheroes.
Author Ashley Poston captures the spirit and snarkiness of the teenage marksperson quite well. Is witty dialog a trademark of Marvel superheroes?
The plot takes a bit of a back seat to character here. This is much more about the struggles of being a teenager with the added weight of superhero-ness than it is about keeping Kingpin's big mitts off the special book, but there is a very exciting sequence of the final confrontation between hero and villain.
There is good mentor/mentee discussion with the elder Hawkeye, Clint Barton, which brings us back to this being a really solid YA story of a young woman making some self-discovery and gaining confidence in herself.
I can see this being very popular with the school-age readers. The Marvel character will lure readers in, and they will identify with the teenager struggles. Getting advice from an adult isn't too bad when it comes from an approachable superhero, like Clint Barton.
Looking for a good book? Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King by Ashley Poston is an exciting coming of age story, complete with Marvel superhero action. It is an excellent book for YA readers.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2023
In Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King, readers catch up with relatable Kate Bishop, who, despite being a sort of superhero, can’t seem to keep food in her fridge. Kate Bishop first showed up in the Young Avengers comics as a sassy teenager who was a major fangirl of the Avenger Hawkeye, Clint Barton. Even though she had zero training at the start, Kate quickly leveled up her archery and fighting skills to become a strong heroine.
In Bishop Takes King, Kate becomes embroiled in a murder mystery. When a robbery happens in front of her she quickly steps in to stop the crime. After accidentally swapping bags with the victim (a very cute boy named Milo) Kate realizes that she has his bag with a book that lots of people including the formidable Wilson Fisk also known as Kingpin would like to have.
The story takes place all over New York City with some familiar faces popping up in the story and Kate connecting with a group of video-playing kids. She also falls into a little romance after connecting with Milo and banters with Clint similar to how she does in the Hawkeye series.
What I love about this book by Ashley Poston is that you get to see Kate's humor and empathy. Sure, she’s sort of a mess at adulting but when it comes to protecting the public, Kate takes her duties very seriously. Readers will also get to read about an intriguing cast of supporting characters, including America Chavez, Clint Barton, and Kamala Khan. America Chavez is Kate’s complete opposite with her sensibility and neat house and I was happy to see her pop up in this book.
Bishop Takes King is a solid read but I should caution readers may be confused or lost if they don’t know anything about the Young Avengers, Hawkeye, or Wilson Fisk. Wilson Fisk is one of the most evil and formidable villains in the MCU and the second he comes onto the scene I knew the danger was going to get real. At the least brush up on the Marvel Wikipedia or watch Hawkeye on Disney Plus, but know that Kate’s background story is much different in the television show than the original comics.
In Bishop Takes King, Kate becomes embroiled in a murder mystery. When a robbery happens in front of her she quickly steps in to stop the crime. After accidentally swapping bags with the victim (a very cute boy named Milo) Kate realizes that she has his bag with a book that lots of people including the formidable Wilson Fisk also known as Kingpin would like to have.
The story takes place all over New York City with some familiar faces popping up in the story and Kate connecting with a group of video-playing kids. She also falls into a little romance after connecting with Milo and banters with Clint similar to how she does in the Hawkeye series.
What I love about this book by Ashley Poston is that you get to see Kate's humor and empathy. Sure, she’s sort of a mess at adulting but when it comes to protecting the public, Kate takes her duties very seriously. Readers will also get to read about an intriguing cast of supporting characters, including America Chavez, Clint Barton, and Kamala Khan. America Chavez is Kate’s complete opposite with her sensibility and neat house and I was happy to see her pop up in this book.
Bishop Takes King is a solid read but I should caution readers may be confused or lost if they don’t know anything about the Young Avengers, Hawkeye, or Wilson Fisk. Wilson Fisk is one of the most evil and formidable villains in the MCU and the second he comes onto the scene I knew the danger was going to get real. At the least brush up on the Marvel Wikipedia or watch Hawkeye on Disney Plus, but know that Kate’s background story is much different in the television show than the original comics.
January 2, 2024
In 2023 I asked the universe for MCU novelizations for Christmas. Last month I went to the library in hopes of finding good holiday reads, and in addition found this. It is a start, right?!
Previously, I had attempted Gamora and Nebula but could not get into it. I pushed through The Pirate Angel, The Talking Tree, and Captain Rabbit (Avengers Endgame) hoping it would get better, but it did not (but, it was geared for kids...). So, while I was eager to read Hawkeye, I did not have high hopes. To my surprise, it absolutely did not disappoint, in fact, it pulled me right out of a reading slump.
I am not sure if Penchant is a real Marvel antihero/vigilante (I could not find an actual reference to him in my quick Google search), but he gives me vibes of a combination of what I know of Gambit and Nightcrawler (which, admittedly is very little). The only thing that I did not really care for is how both Kate and Clint are Hawkeye. Why? Shouldn’t they be more like Iron Man and Iron Patriot?
Neither Hawkeye (male nor female) is anywhere near at the top of my list in terms of characters, but, if they were to make this into a movie, I would buy tickets the day they go on sale; the story line is easily, my new favorite. It is funny, full of references to other characters we know and love and is truly the perfect read for any Marvel loving book nerd!
Previously, I had attempted Gamora and Nebula but could not get into it. I pushed through The Pirate Angel, The Talking Tree, and Captain Rabbit (Avengers Endgame) hoping it would get better, but it did not (but, it was geared for kids...). So, while I was eager to read Hawkeye, I did not have high hopes. To my surprise, it absolutely did not disappoint, in fact, it pulled me right out of a reading slump.
I am not sure if Penchant is a real Marvel antihero/vigilante (I could not find an actual reference to him in my quick Google search), but he gives me vibes of a combination of what I know of Gambit and Nightcrawler (which, admittedly is very little). The only thing that I did not really care for is how both Kate and Clint are Hawkeye. Why? Shouldn’t they be more like Iron Man and Iron Patriot?
Neither Hawkeye (male nor female) is anywhere near at the top of my list in terms of characters, but, if they were to make this into a movie, I would buy tickets the day they go on sale; the story line is easily, my new favorite. It is funny, full of references to other characters we know and love and is truly the perfect read for any Marvel loving book nerd!
January 19, 2026
There's something almost puckish about Kate Bishop. Yes, she's known tragedy and loss. She's watched friends die. She has a strained relationship with her socialite, constrained and uptight sister. But she enjoys a strong of bad relationships with questionable men. Her best friend is a dimension-hopping superhero. Her second-best friend is a one-eyed dog. She's got a garrulous tongue that almost matches that of Deadpool. And she constantly refers to herself as the "better Hawkeye".
So when she gets mixed up in a race to grab a series of magical, deadly books, it comes as no surprise to anyone except herself. All she did was stop a mugger after picking up a gift for her sister. How the hell does the Kingpin get involved?!
The book is chock-a-block with hijinks, heists, superhero derring-do, betrayal and nights infested with Lovecraftian nightmares. At times, the action reaches cartoonish levels of lunacy. When you've got someone wielding bows and arrows and someone else twirling a lasso, you have to wonder what's next. Men galloping by on horseback?
The action is deftly paced with quieter moments, questionable magic rides comfortably alongside science-fiction gadgets and enough quips to fill a cheap joke book. For fans of Kate Bishop or those who've just learned about her, this book is often chilling, unnerving and sometimes just plain good fun. Enjoy!
So when she gets mixed up in a race to grab a series of magical, deadly books, it comes as no surprise to anyone except herself. All she did was stop a mugger after picking up a gift for her sister. How the hell does the Kingpin get involved?!
The book is chock-a-block with hijinks, heists, superhero derring-do, betrayal and nights infested with Lovecraftian nightmares. At times, the action reaches cartoonish levels of lunacy. When you've got someone wielding bows and arrows and someone else twirling a lasso, you have to wonder what's next. Men galloping by on horseback?
The action is deftly paced with quieter moments, questionable magic rides comfortably alongside science-fiction gadgets and enough quips to fill a cheap joke book. For fans of Kate Bishop or those who've just learned about her, this book is often chilling, unnerving and sometimes just plain good fun. Enjoy!
January 26, 2024
*4.35 Stars
Notes: I really enjoyed reading this very imaginatively descriptive story. Kate Bishop/Hawkeye is one of my favorite characters in the MCU currently. There was no way I would have not read this in a short amount of time. I’m just way too attached to that character (and also Clint Barton as well). The dog known as Lucky is included in here as well, and I was so, so amazed that he was having so many scenes.
This book contains fandom references in it, I am so honestly surprised right now, in the good way? It also mentions Kamala Khan too - thank goodness, as I’ve read several of her comics before. This also confirms that there is also massively popular book series in the fictional marvel universe as well. So, I’m really glad that that was included in there.
The reason why this isn’t five stars is because the title raises my anxiety some, I am very absolutely terrified of Kingpin/anything related to him. Other than that, this book was quite good, and I thought that the writing style was really descriptive. This is also researched thoroughly, which as someone who has read hundreds of marvel comics before, I liked that there was time and care taken into writing this book. I own a copy of this, so I’ll probably be rereading it in the future.
Notes: I really enjoyed reading this very imaginatively descriptive story. Kate Bishop/Hawkeye is one of my favorite characters in the MCU currently. There was no way I would have not read this in a short amount of time. I’m just way too attached to that character (and also Clint Barton as well). The dog known as Lucky is included in here as well, and I was so, so amazed that he was having so many scenes.
This book contains fandom references in it, I am so honestly surprised right now, in the good way? It also mentions Kamala Khan too - thank goodness, as I’ve read several of her comics before. This also confirms that there is also massively popular book series in the fictional marvel universe as well. So, I’m really glad that that was included in there.
The reason why this isn’t five stars is because the title raises my anxiety some, I am very absolutely terrified of Kingpin/anything related to him. Other than that, this book was quite good, and I thought that the writing style was really descriptive. This is also researched thoroughly, which as someone who has read hundreds of marvel comics before, I liked that there was time and care taken into writing this book. I own a copy of this, so I’ll probably be rereading it in the future.
Read
April 16, 2025Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King follows Kate Bishop, the self-described ‘Better Hawkeye’ as a calm day out turns into a wild, action-packed chase to find all the copies of a children’s book series which have a secret and dangerous project hidden in their pages before Kingpin and his friends do. We meet Milo, who turns out to be connected to the books in a close, personal way, and I liked that throughout the book, it was uncertain if he was a good or bad character, as it showed that even good characters have flaws. I loved the cameos from other well-loved Marvel characters such as Ms Marvel, Spider-Man, and America Chavez, who is Kate’s best friend and tries to keep her out of trouble. I also appreciated the occasional pop culture reference, especially the ones relating to the Percy Jackson series, which I am a very big fan of, as it was really nice to be able to relate to what characters in the book were interested in. I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend this to anyone interested in Marvel or fun adventure/superhero stories, or any fans of the Hawkeye series on Disney+, as I felt like this was a nice progression where we see Kate fully established as the ‘Better Hawkeye’.
January 19, 2024
When an author of a popular Harry Potter type book series dies, Kate Bishop is on scene and tries to help find clues. However, what Kate finds is a mystery that brings trouble right to her door and puts her at the center of trouble. Kate finds herself on a quest that could mean life or death for herself and others. After the Kingpin becomes a threat to that quest, Kate wonders if she is strong enough to go up against such a strong foe.
Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King is a fun middle grade/YA mystery about the successor to Clint Barton's Hawkeye. Some of the younger members of Marvel's superheroes based in New York make appearances including America Chavez and Ms. Marvel. Kate Bishop's trademark humor comes through in this story that includes magical realism in the city of New York. In this book, there could have been more emphasis placed on characters, but the plot is enjoyable and entertaining. Overall, Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King is a delightful, amusing, middle grade/YA novel. 3 1/2 stars
Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King is a fun middle grade/YA mystery about the successor to Clint Barton's Hawkeye. Some of the younger members of Marvel's superheroes based in New York make appearances including America Chavez and Ms. Marvel. Kate Bishop's trademark humor comes through in this story that includes magical realism in the city of New York. In this book, there could have been more emphasis placed on characters, but the plot is enjoyable and entertaining. Overall, Hawkeye: Bishop Takes King is a delightful, amusing, middle grade/YA novel. 3 1/2 stars
August 30, 2025
*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide*
Kate Bishop may have bitten off more than she can handle when stopping a small crime leads to Kate crossing paths with none other than Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin.
Kate is on the clock as she tries to stop Kingpin from finding and using the deadly secret hidden in a beloved children's book series to destroy his enemies.
As a fan of the character of Kate Bishop and having enjoyed some of the author's previous books, I was intrigued to see what this novel would be like.
Kate was a likeable and relatable protagonist. She was funny and wanted to help people.
As well as Kate, I also enjoyed seeing more of Lucky the Pizza Dog, and America Chavez who I knew less about. I liked Kate's relationship with both of them.
The plot was enjoyable and held my attention, but I was never gripped. Nothing that happened was particularly surprising or shocking, but I found the book to be a fun read.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read.
Kate Bishop may have bitten off more than she can handle when stopping a small crime leads to Kate crossing paths with none other than Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin.
Kate is on the clock as she tries to stop Kingpin from finding and using the deadly secret hidden in a beloved children's book series to destroy his enemies.
As a fan of the character of Kate Bishop and having enjoyed some of the author's previous books, I was intrigued to see what this novel would be like.
Kate was a likeable and relatable protagonist. She was funny and wanted to help people.
As well as Kate, I also enjoyed seeing more of Lucky the Pizza Dog, and America Chavez who I knew less about. I liked Kate's relationship with both of them.
The plot was enjoyable and held my attention, but I was never gripped. Nothing that happened was particularly surprising or shocking, but I found the book to be a fun read.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read.
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