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The Last Superhero
Even heroes have the right to bleed...
Everybody knows that Steven S. Waldorf, the last superhero to roam the Earth, died twenty-eight years ago. What everyone ignores is that not only is he still alive, but being kept under the protection of the United State's government.
That is until, one night, he finds himself saving a young woman from getting mugged.
Giana is no ordinary twenty-nine year old, though. She's witty, badmouthed, and once she's set her focus on something nothing can make her stray from her goal.
Even if that means putting her life on the line to save the man she's come to know and love from the nightmares that torment him.
Literally.
Everybody knows that Steven S. Waldorf, the last superhero to roam the Earth, died twenty-eight years ago. What everyone ignores is that not only is he still alive, but being kept under the protection of the United State's government.
That is until, one night, he finds himself saving a young woman from getting mugged.
Giana is no ordinary twenty-nine year old, though. She's witty, badmouthed, and once she's set her focus on something nothing can make her stray from her goal.
Even if that means putting her life on the line to save the man she's come to know and love from the nightmares that torment him.
Literally.
354 pages, Paperback
First published November 25, 2014
17 people are currently reading
564 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 11, 2014
Ask anyone in my book club and they’ll tell you “Stacia doesn’t read sci-fi.” It’s true – fantasy, sci-fi, romance are not usually my thing. But this book? It’s not "only" those things. It’s beautiful characters struggling with their day-to-day lives and some difficult situations. Then boy meets girl, boy saves girl from a mugging, and girl has to then save him from himself. The fact that he happens to be a semi-retired superhero is important for the specifics but the overall themes are relationships, human struggle, and get-stuff-done action.
Full-disclosure: I edited this novel. I wasn't asked to review it and I wasn't required to like it. My opinions are my own.
Full-disclosure: I edited this novel. I wasn't asked to review it and I wasn't required to like it. My opinions are my own.
January 6, 2015
While reading this, I wanted to punch the stupid fucking cunt of a narrator in the face so many times. She's such a whiney little bitch. I mean, in the very first chapter, some guy walks into her bookstore and she just swears at him under her breath. Asshole. Fucking jerkoff. Get the fuck out of my store...
And then, of course, she falls in love with him. Because he's the most interesting man in the universe. The last so-called superhero. But this isn't the story of the last superhero. Because there's really nothing heroic about him.
This is the story of romance, between a twenty-something stupid cunt, and a 100+ year old washed-up has-been superhero. I don't understand it, because when she first sees him, wandering through her bookstore, not only is she silently swearing at him, she also mentions in the narrative how old and homely he looks. So where's the attraction? I don't fucking get it.
After what seems like forever, they finally do fuck. And it's oh so amazing, of course. He's so dreamy, because he's controlling her fucking mind. He gives her fantasies inside her head that are more vivid than any virtual reality. And when they're fucking, she's not even aware of it. But that soon changes...
Because then the story becomes fucking bullshit Inception. See, when this so-called superhero falls asleep, his nightmares come to life, and drag this stupid cunt into them. And in those nightmares, it's all out superhero war, like back in the good old days, when there really were villains to fight.
Later in the story, it becomes full on Matrix-Inception. Where a group of people have to jack into superfreak's mind, in order to save him from all the super villains in his head. Yes, I know. Stupid as fuck, right?
I don't understand why the fuck the author decided to go the Inception route. Why have the nightmares at all? Why not just be some kind of Hancock tale? You know, where the washed-up hero has to make amends for his past, and ends up fighting evil in the real world once again.
I could get behind a story like that. It'd be awesome. Hell, maybe another super villain will come out of retirement and wreck some havoc. Destroy a city or two. Why'd the whole story have to be in this fucker's head? There was just no reason for it. Well, other than the author just being a lazy cunt.
And then, of course, she falls in love with him. Because he's the most interesting man in the universe. The last so-called superhero. But this isn't the story of the last superhero. Because there's really nothing heroic about him.
This is the story of romance, between a twenty-something stupid cunt, and a 100+ year old washed-up has-been superhero. I don't understand it, because when she first sees him, wandering through her bookstore, not only is she silently swearing at him, she also mentions in the narrative how old and homely he looks. So where's the attraction? I don't fucking get it.
After what seems like forever, they finally do fuck. And it's oh so amazing, of course. He's so dreamy, because he's controlling her fucking mind. He gives her fantasies inside her head that are more vivid than any virtual reality. And when they're fucking, she's not even aware of it. But that soon changes...
Because then the story becomes fucking bullshit Inception. See, when this so-called superhero falls asleep, his nightmares come to life, and drag this stupid cunt into them. And in those nightmares, it's all out superhero war, like back in the good old days, when there really were villains to fight.
Later in the story, it becomes full on Matrix-Inception. Where a group of people have to jack into superfreak's mind, in order to save him from all the super villains in his head. Yes, I know. Stupid as fuck, right?
I don't understand why the fuck the author decided to go the Inception route. Why have the nightmares at all? Why not just be some kind of Hancock tale? You know, where the washed-up hero has to make amends for his past, and ends up fighting evil in the real world once again.
I could get behind a story like that. It'd be awesome. Hell, maybe another super villain will come out of retirement and wreck some havoc. Destroy a city or two. Why'd the whole story have to be in this fucker's head? There was just no reason for it. Well, other than the author just being a lazy cunt.
December 20, 2014
Great read! I am usually a thriller/mystery reader but this definitely has expanded my horizons to new genres
January 17, 2015
I always wondered how people would react if superheroes were real. Would we be friendly with them? or as usual would we be afraid of these people with superpowers? who might seem so different from us but equals in essence.
In this world created by Astrid, the last superhero walking on Earth saves Giana from a dangerous situation and from then on a chaotic, romantic, intense and why not exciting story starts to develop.
Giana is a twenty-nine-year old woman, who owns a bookstore (my dream job) and to be honest has a lot to figure out about life. Like most thirtyish people she still needs to decide where she is going professionally and her personal life is a disaster. Here enters Steven S. Waldorf, a superhero with a shady past.
Once she meets Steven, curiosity wins and she decides to take a leap of faith and gives him a chance. The relationship between those two is really good. It goes from innocent and sweet, to hard and intense.
I really like Giana because she is like a walking disaster but still manages to be the heroin of the story. She has a real and believable personality and of course she makes mistakes. I love characters with flaws because I can relate to that. Despite her doubts, her hesitating moments and all, she is everything I want in a character and more.
Steven is hard to describe. There a shadows in his personality but his loneliness and despair is really well described. This dark character was perfect to create such a story.
The plot was flawless and easy to understand. The author creates a solid world, with explanations for all the questions you might have. It´s not only a story about love, there is also a lot of action and adrenaline going on. The whole deal with the government is outstanding. There are moments that really blown up my mind because of the consequences of some choices.
Now, I have to mention the dream land (or the nightmares world). The human imagination is powerful and can create things beyond our wildest dreams. So everything that happen in this place is fantastic. The scenes were written in a way that made easy to picture each moment. They were vivid, colorful and full of action.
The story was so gripping that made me impossible to stop reading. Each word dragged me more and more into a world where feelings and emotions were palpable and real.
Another thing I loved was Giana´s voice. The author gave her the power and she became a living entity. This is the result of the writing style. The way the character talks to herself and describe the events for her is original and refreshing . It seems like she has forgotten that the reader is there observing her life.
Overall, this is an excellent book, very recommendable. If you like superheroes, love and fantasy you should read this one.
** I received a complimentary copy in exchange of an honest review. **
In this world created by Astrid, the last superhero walking on Earth saves Giana from a dangerous situation and from then on a chaotic, romantic, intense and why not exciting story starts to develop.
Giana is a twenty-nine-year old woman, who owns a bookstore (my dream job) and to be honest has a lot to figure out about life. Like most thirtyish people she still needs to decide where she is going professionally and her personal life is a disaster. Here enters Steven S. Waldorf, a superhero with a shady past.
Once she meets Steven, curiosity wins and she decides to take a leap of faith and gives him a chance. The relationship between those two is really good. It goes from innocent and sweet, to hard and intense.
I really like Giana because she is like a walking disaster but still manages to be the heroin of the story. She has a real and believable personality and of course she makes mistakes. I love characters with flaws because I can relate to that. Despite her doubts, her hesitating moments and all, she is everything I want in a character and more.
Steven is hard to describe. There a shadows in his personality but his loneliness and despair is really well described. This dark character was perfect to create such a story.
The plot was flawless and easy to understand. The author creates a solid world, with explanations for all the questions you might have. It´s not only a story about love, there is also a lot of action and adrenaline going on. The whole deal with the government is outstanding. There are moments that really blown up my mind because of the consequences of some choices.
Now, I have to mention the dream land (or the nightmares world). The human imagination is powerful and can create things beyond our wildest dreams. So everything that happen in this place is fantastic. The scenes were written in a way that made easy to picture each moment. They were vivid, colorful and full of action.
The story was so gripping that made me impossible to stop reading. Each word dragged me more and more into a world where feelings and emotions were palpable and real.
Another thing I loved was Giana´s voice. The author gave her the power and she became a living entity. This is the result of the writing style. The way the character talks to herself and describe the events for her is original and refreshing . It seems like she has forgotten that the reader is there observing her life.
Overall, this is an excellent book, very recommendable. If you like superheroes, love and fantasy you should read this one.
** I received a complimentary copy in exchange of an honest review. **
December 16, 2015
The plot of the book doesn't break a lot of new ground--man with a chequered past is redeemed by the power of love and a samurai. The world was well thought out--if you've been reading me for a while, you'll remember my comment about "It's just like now except elephants can fly". It's a similar set up, but there's been thought put into how that changes things in the world. I appreciate that our protagonist reacts poorly to being mind controlled, and that our secondary character thought he was doing a good thing when he did it. In many stories involving mind control we tend to gloss over moral questions, but here I liked wondering to what extent Giana was being manipulated. Of course, I just finished watching "Jessica Jones" so I'm predisposed to look for that right now. I nearly rolled my eyes at how quickly said p. falls madly in love, but then I remembered that I've done the same thing.
There were a couple of elements in the ending that I might have wished were handled differently, but this is a good story. It starts off easily, gently, getting our feet wet, picks up speed, and then throws you into the cuisinart for the big finish.
But what drew me in the most was the author's voice. We live inside Giana's head, and the action and dialogue are seasoned with her impressions and thoughts. It's like a kaleidoscope, or perhaps better like a pointillistic painting. Each element is a dot on the canvas, and put together they create a full picture. Your momentum carries you along--each bit may not connect, but the first bit allows you to jump or drop to the next. Her head feels a lot like mine, even if I did occasionally wince at pop culture references that will soon serve as anchors to stick the story in a certain time.
Unlike some self-published works, this book has cleaned itself up nicely and there are very few typographic incidents. Ten points for Hufflepuff!
There were a couple of elements in the ending that I might have wished were handled differently, but this is a good story. It starts off easily, gently, getting our feet wet, picks up speed, and then throws you into the cuisinart for the big finish.
But what drew me in the most was the author's voice. We live inside Giana's head, and the action and dialogue are seasoned with her impressions and thoughts. It's like a kaleidoscope, or perhaps better like a pointillistic painting. Each element is a dot on the canvas, and put together they create a full picture. Your momentum carries you along--each bit may not connect, but the first bit allows you to jump or drop to the next. Her head feels a lot like mine, even if I did occasionally wince at pop culture references that will soon serve as anchors to stick the story in a certain time.
Unlike some self-published works, this book has cleaned itself up nicely and there are very few typographic incidents. Ten points for Hufflepuff!
January 6, 2015
This book was seriously engrossing, especially after it reached the halfway point. Before the halfway point, there were dull moments with too much ordinary life showing through, but once it hit halfway, it took off. The book is about the last living superhero and his girlfriend. He was voluntarily exiled for being dangerous to others, and breaks that exile to save her from a thief. She falls in love, but is endangered by what makes him dangerous -- his out of control nightmares.
The struggle between the girlfriend and the government and between everybody and the nightmares is suspenseful, but it's the emotions that really draw you in. Particularly the last little bit.
The book has a few typos, like 'heroin' for 'heroine' and similarly silly faults. And no actual acts of superheroism occur, just ordinary heroism. Also, as I said, it's dull from about 10% to about 40% of the way through, but overall, it's worth reading.
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The struggle between the girlfriend and the government and between everybody and the nightmares is suspenseful, but it's the emotions that really draw you in. Particularly the last little bit.
The book has a few typos, like 'heroin' for 'heroine' and similarly silly faults. And no actual acts of superheroism occur, just ordinary heroism. Also, as I said, it's dull from about 10% to about 40% of the way through, but overall, it's worth reading.
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2015
the last superhero
The Last Superhero was an enjoyable read that brings about a new take on superheroes. The last living superhero has been living in exile until a fateful meeting with human, Giana, changes the course of both of their lives. Action, suspense, a decent helping of romance, and a dash of sass.
The Last Superhero was an enjoyable read that brings about a new take on superheroes. The last living superhero has been living in exile until a fateful meeting with human, Giana, changes the course of both of their lives. Action, suspense, a decent helping of romance, and a dash of sass.
July 25, 2017
Good story
I will admit that for me this book started slow and I almost quit. But I'm glad I persisted to the end. I ended up loving the use of the characters and plot in this book
I will admit that for me this book started slow and I almost quit. But I'm glad I persisted to the end. I ended up loving the use of the characters and plot in this book
February 8, 2018
I enjoyed this book; however, maybe it's just me, but I got a bit confused during some of the nightmare scenes. Good characters - I rate this one 4.4 stars.
March 29, 2018
Decent story, but horrible writing. Some of the worst narration I've ever seen. I almost wonder if the Author is not a native English speaker
January 21, 2015
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The low review for this novel is a mixture between my personal taste and actual problems with the book. As a reviewer, I only ever take off one star maximum for issues that I personally had with the book, but they are issues that make it difficult for me to read through and enjoy the book in question.
Starting with said personal issue, most of this book is written in something akin to internal dialogue. You experience all the random thoughts the main character has (her opinions, fantasies, questions, random thoughts), mixed with the actual narration of the novel. Because both internal thoughts and the narration were in first person point of view, and their was no formatting variation (i.e. Italics, bolding, or ‘single quotations’), I sometimes got confused as to what was actually happening, and what the main character wanted to happen. Thus, my flow of reading was constantly interrupted to take a minute and reread to figure out what was going on. I personally like to get fully immersed into my reading, usually finishing a book in one to two sittings; this book however, took me several sittings because the writing didn’t draw me in enough. Again, this is a personal reading issue of mine, this may not apply to other readers.
The major problem I found with the book itself was the pace of the story line. Everything between the main character, Gina, and our romantic interest/ superhero, Steven, consumed the first third of the book. The romantic aspects of this book happened EXTREMELY fast, with little to no sexual tension (or any tension) that makes the reader desperate to read on and find out what will happen between them. As for the conflict, it pretty much takes a back seat to the love story. You don’t really get a sense of the major conflict of the novel until much later. You get snippets here and there of the actual plot outside of the romance at the beginning, but these snippets felt more like an after thought than anything else. It was almost as if they were added later on to have the plot make more sense and flow better without much success.
HOWEVER, there were some great things about this book as well. The main character, Gina, is a big fan of poetry (as mentioned near the beginning of the novel). With the novel written in her point of view, in certain areas, the writing would turn very poetic to match the passion and excitement of the scene. This was popular with more of the intimate scenes. It’s a creative choice I would never have thought of, but I found to be very interesting and added a different layer to the book that I haven’t seen in many other novels. (One book I have seen it in is Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, and it was just as satisfying in The Last Superhero).
I also really liked most of the underlying story outside of the romance, specifically Steven’s story and even Steven himself. A mixture of his superpowers, his family history, his nightmares, and his rivalry with his brother make him such a dynamic character that really felt real to me. I don’t know if it is the sucker in me who loves a tortured male lead or what, but Steven was by far the best-developed character in this story and my personal favorite person to read about. Props to Astrid Cruz for a job well done there.
Overall, it wasn’t a BAD book, but it definitely wasn’t great either. I do believe that with a few read throughs and some edits to the speed of the story line in contrast to the romance, this book could really be something. I will have to keep a look out for Astrid Cruz’s future writing to watch her writing grow and develop into something wonderful.
The low review for this novel is a mixture between my personal taste and actual problems with the book. As a reviewer, I only ever take off one star maximum for issues that I personally had with the book, but they are issues that make it difficult for me to read through and enjoy the book in question.
Starting with said personal issue, most of this book is written in something akin to internal dialogue. You experience all the random thoughts the main character has (her opinions, fantasies, questions, random thoughts), mixed with the actual narration of the novel. Because both internal thoughts and the narration were in first person point of view, and their was no formatting variation (i.e. Italics, bolding, or ‘single quotations’), I sometimes got confused as to what was actually happening, and what the main character wanted to happen. Thus, my flow of reading was constantly interrupted to take a minute and reread to figure out what was going on. I personally like to get fully immersed into my reading, usually finishing a book in one to two sittings; this book however, took me several sittings because the writing didn’t draw me in enough. Again, this is a personal reading issue of mine, this may not apply to other readers.
The major problem I found with the book itself was the pace of the story line. Everything between the main character, Gina, and our romantic interest/ superhero, Steven, consumed the first third of the book. The romantic aspects of this book happened EXTREMELY fast, with little to no sexual tension (or any tension) that makes the reader desperate to read on and find out what will happen between them. As for the conflict, it pretty much takes a back seat to the love story. You don’t really get a sense of the major conflict of the novel until much later. You get snippets here and there of the actual plot outside of the romance at the beginning, but these snippets felt more like an after thought than anything else. It was almost as if they were added later on to have the plot make more sense and flow better without much success.
HOWEVER, there were some great things about this book as well. The main character, Gina, is a big fan of poetry (as mentioned near the beginning of the novel). With the novel written in her point of view, in certain areas, the writing would turn very poetic to match the passion and excitement of the scene. This was popular with more of the intimate scenes. It’s a creative choice I would never have thought of, but I found to be very interesting and added a different layer to the book that I haven’t seen in many other novels. (One book I have seen it in is Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, and it was just as satisfying in The Last Superhero).
I also really liked most of the underlying story outside of the romance, specifically Steven’s story and even Steven himself. A mixture of his superpowers, his family history, his nightmares, and his rivalry with his brother make him such a dynamic character that really felt real to me. I don’t know if it is the sucker in me who loves a tortured male lead or what, but Steven was by far the best-developed character in this story and my personal favorite person to read about. Props to Astrid Cruz for a job well done there.
Overall, it wasn’t a BAD book, but it definitely wasn’t great either. I do believe that with a few read throughs and some edits to the speed of the story line in contrast to the romance, this book could really be something. I will have to keep a look out for Astrid Cruz’s future writing to watch her writing grow and develop into something wonderful.
December 30, 2014
The bookstore was being robbed as I was about to close up.
A mystery man saved the day.
I give him a ride home. The gate plaque says Waldorf Manor on it.
The next day the Good Samaritan Steven Waldorf (aka Steven Dennis) returns to talk.
He is the last superhero here on Earth.
Steven insists on buying some poetry books.
Giana’s (editor) mom owns the bookstore, but she manages it.
Daphne also works there as a bookstore clerk. She has a watchful eye on the 2.
Mr. Brownstone (landlord) tells Giana she is behind in the rent. Giana informs him her mother in Spain at the Madrid Book Fair. Her father lives there with his wife.
Steve & Giana go to the park. He has been hiding for 28 yrs. They continue their coffee ritual & get to know 1 another.
Steve Dennis tells & Giana about his past. The other superheroes & villains that once roamed the Earth.
Agent Kenneth Ross (DoD) came to see Giana Armstrong & let her know the unsuccessful thief died. Giana had already told the police everything.
Did she know Steven Salvatore Waldorf Jr.? His powers were Telekinesis & also he has the ability to project fantasies into PPL's minds to manipulate their thoughts.
Off to the airport, Giana (29) introduces Steve to her mother Juliana Moran.
Later Juliana ends up in the hospital. Dr. Armstrong is her attending physician.
Steve visits her a lot also.
Fast forward & Agent Kenneth Ross (DoD) & 30 other DoD agents surround his house. Giana soon arrives; too late Steve is hit by a tranquilizing dart.
Now what will happen to him?
Who is Aaron Salvatore Waldorf?
“…customers that come in right before closing time.” Retail or especially fast food didn’t you just hate that!
Bold & rough around the edges Giana. Opposites attract they always say.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written YA psychological fantasy superhero book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great YA superhero movie, animated cartoon, or mini TV series. I’m not a prude or an ole fuddy duddy but other than the millions of expletives I just loved this book. Or maybe that is your style? Regardless; there is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free book (Goodreads; PDF)
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
A mystery man saved the day.
I give him a ride home. The gate plaque says Waldorf Manor on it.
The next day the Good Samaritan Steven Waldorf (aka Steven Dennis) returns to talk.
He is the last superhero here on Earth.
Steven insists on buying some poetry books.
Giana’s (editor) mom owns the bookstore, but she manages it.
Daphne also works there as a bookstore clerk. She has a watchful eye on the 2.
Mr. Brownstone (landlord) tells Giana she is behind in the rent. Giana informs him her mother in Spain at the Madrid Book Fair. Her father lives there with his wife.
Steve & Giana go to the park. He has been hiding for 28 yrs. They continue their coffee ritual & get to know 1 another.
Steve Dennis tells & Giana about his past. The other superheroes & villains that once roamed the Earth.
Agent Kenneth Ross (DoD) came to see Giana Armstrong & let her know the unsuccessful thief died. Giana had already told the police everything.
Did she know Steven Salvatore Waldorf Jr.? His powers were Telekinesis & also he has the ability to project fantasies into PPL's minds to manipulate their thoughts.
Off to the airport, Giana (29) introduces Steve to her mother Juliana Moran.
Later Juliana ends up in the hospital. Dr. Armstrong is her attending physician.
Steve visits her a lot also.
Fast forward & Agent Kenneth Ross (DoD) & 30 other DoD agents surround his house. Giana soon arrives; too late Steve is hit by a tranquilizing dart.
Now what will happen to him?
Who is Aaron Salvatore Waldorf?
“…customers that come in right before closing time.” Retail or especially fast food didn’t you just hate that!
Bold & rough around the edges Giana. Opposites attract they always say.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written YA psychological fantasy superhero book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great YA superhero movie, animated cartoon, or mini TV series. I’m not a prude or an ole fuddy duddy but other than the millions of expletives I just loved this book. Or maybe that is your style? Regardless; there is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free book (Goodreads; PDF)
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
April 8, 2015
Nice idea, but it wasn't carried out well.
The Last Superhero's plot was unique. Reading the description, I was very intrigued. If only the story was as good as the idea.
What was promised to be a sassy heroine was just plain annoying. She fell for the hero way too easily. She wasn't sassy at all. In the beginning she was grumpy and bitter not sassy.
The hero was a little bit more thought out than the heroine. Steven Waldorf looks as old as our heroine's, Giana, father. Giana is almost thirty years old. So I assume her father is at least fifty. Steven is a little too old for my taste in male leads.
I am not a fan of poetry.
In The Last Superhero, the author goes from writing normally to writing a few paragraphs as a poem. She even goes as far as to make a sexual scene rhyme.
Some people may look at this as a positive thing, but for me it was a huge negative. If I wanted to read poems, I wouldn't read a book about superheroes.
There was some things that i really liked about this story.
The whole superhero/super power thing was really well thought out and complex.
When the author wrote in first person point of view, it was great. There was a flow to the story, although I found myself skimming pages when the story became boring.
I would recommend this book to people who love more artistically written stories, people who appreciate it when the text randomly turns into a poem.
Overall, I wish that I didn't waste so much time reading this book. Science fiction is not normally a genre that I read, but so many reviews said that you don't have to like science fiction to enjoy this. Well, let's just say that I will not dive into the world of science fiction again for a long time.
The Last Superhero's plot was unique. Reading the description, I was very intrigued. If only the story was as good as the idea.
What was promised to be a sassy heroine was just plain annoying. She fell for the hero way too easily. She wasn't sassy at all. In the beginning she was grumpy and bitter not sassy.
The hero was a little bit more thought out than the heroine. Steven Waldorf looks as old as our heroine's, Giana, father. Giana is almost thirty years old. So I assume her father is at least fifty. Steven is a little too old for my taste in male leads.
I am not a fan of poetry.
In The Last Superhero, the author goes from writing normally to writing a few paragraphs as a poem. She even goes as far as to make a sexual scene rhyme.
Some people may look at this as a positive thing, but for me it was a huge negative. If I wanted to read poems, I wouldn't read a book about superheroes.
There was some things that i really liked about this story.
The whole superhero/super power thing was really well thought out and complex.
When the author wrote in first person point of view, it was great. There was a flow to the story, although I found myself skimming pages when the story became boring.
I would recommend this book to people who love more artistically written stories, people who appreciate it when the text randomly turns into a poem.
Overall, I wish that I didn't waste so much time reading this book. Science fiction is not normally a genre that I read, but so many reviews said that you don't have to like science fiction to enjoy this. Well, let's just say that I will not dive into the world of science fiction again for a long time.
February 20, 2015
Thanks to Goodreads for yet another really fun read.
Giana, the foul mouthed proprietor of the faltering family business leads us through a fantasy story that isn't so far removed from reality, except perhaps for Steven, the Superhero/Love interest in hiding. Giana is both clumsy physically and emotionally if not just plain pissed at the world at times (well, a good deal of the time). Love and life are vexing for her and her dialog is believable if not uncomfortably familiar.
The story is rich with both human emotion and the conflict that is part and parcel of contemporary life and yet the elements of the oldest tales are woven into an entertaining tapestry as well. Brother against brother,tragic angels befitting classic Greek myth , the inability to fathom parents only to be smothered by epiphanies that are the onion skins of life.The lingering effects of the actions of generations that have come before. This and more.
If indeed this were a comic book, it would be one similar to the more self aware and quality titles such as the Vertigo imprint that have been publishing for the last couple of decades.If you are an avid comic fan, you know that it is high praise indeed.
There is much more to this book than the title might lead one to believe and after reading this, I will venture to say that I will seek out other works by Astrid Cruz.
Giana, the foul mouthed proprietor of the faltering family business leads us through a fantasy story that isn't so far removed from reality, except perhaps for Steven, the Superhero/Love interest in hiding. Giana is both clumsy physically and emotionally if not just plain pissed at the world at times (well, a good deal of the time). Love and life are vexing for her and her dialog is believable if not uncomfortably familiar.
The story is rich with both human emotion and the conflict that is part and parcel of contemporary life and yet the elements of the oldest tales are woven into an entertaining tapestry as well. Brother against brother,tragic angels befitting classic Greek myth , the inability to fathom parents only to be smothered by epiphanies that are the onion skins of life.The lingering effects of the actions of generations that have come before. This and more.
If indeed this were a comic book, it would be one similar to the more self aware and quality titles such as the Vertigo imprint that have been publishing for the last couple of decades.If you are an avid comic fan, you know that it is high praise indeed.
There is much more to this book than the title might lead one to believe and after reading this, I will venture to say that I will seek out other works by Astrid Cruz.
January 20, 2015
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. With a name like The Last Superhero, I knew that I was going to have to suspend belief and embrace an unrealistic plot. However, no parents that I know would be that accepting of a man in their daughter's life with such an age difference - superhero or not. The dream sequences were entertaining, but too much time was spent in that realm and not in real life. It definitely was a unique concept and kept me guessing as to where the author was going to take me in subsequent pages. I am looking forward to reading what this author comes up with next.
May 22, 2015
I am not going to finish this book. If you read Fifty Shades of Gray and enjoyed it you might like this book. The overuse of the word f*** was very distracting at the start. It made me think of FSoG and the word hot. As soon as I had that thought I knew finishing this book was a long shot.
The descriptions are weak (I have no image for the best friend) and really don't know what anyone looks like. I like world building and scene painting by authors and this has neither. Mostly though, this book is not engaging. I think it's the main character. I don't care for her and it is written in her voice.
The descriptions are weak (I have no image for the best friend) and really don't know what anyone looks like. I like world building and scene painting by authors and this has neither. Mostly though, this book is not engaging. I think it's the main character. I don't care for her and it is written in her voice.
July 17, 2016
The Last Superhero was a fairly good story, but the writing style was distracting. The author choose first person narration, which was a poor choice. First person is difficult, and the attempts made to counteract the inherent problems were overdone. The writing tended toward choppy, and a lot of word choices seemed forced, often seemingly just because the word chosen is not often used (irremediable is the one that sticks in my head). There were also a lot of contractions used that had me going back to re-read sentences. I'm not a fan of contractions, except to make dialogue sound more natural, but that's just me.
Overall, the story would have earned 3 stars with better editing.
Overall, the story would have earned 3 stars with better editing.
February 26, 2021
Unfettered freewheeling deeply emotional whirlwind love affair - crazy journey that arrived where I (eventually) thought it might and damned if I didn't cry.
Like artwork I love but cannot possibly create, novels I love but could never write hold a very special place in my heart.
I should create a shelf here specifically for such books. Remarkable.
Like artwork I love but cannot possibly create, novels I love but could never write hold a very special place in my heart.
I should create a shelf here specifically for such books. Remarkable.
April 23, 2015
Exceptional
This story was great! I had a hard time putting it down. There were parts that had me holding my breath, smiling and crying throughout. I would definitely recommend it to others.
This story was great! I had a hard time putting it down. There were parts that had me holding my breath, smiling and crying throughout. I would definitely recommend it to others.
February 11, 2015
Interesting idea initially, however after about 20-30% through I was skipping pages and then gave up as I just didn't care.
May 6, 2015
The writing is good, but the storyline just didn't keep my interest. I didn't even finish it. I just didn't care about the characters or what would happen to them.
June 22, 2015
DNF 12%
May 10, 2016
Superheroes and Super heroine's
A wonderful story full of fighting, friends and of course, Love. As someone who has read about a thousand books, I highly recommend this book.
A wonderful story full of fighting, friends and of course, Love. As someone who has read about a thousand books, I highly recommend this book.
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