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The Superheroine Collection #4
Shadow Hand
A mysterious stone figure of the goddess Ishtar, long-buried in the desert, bestows on US Army Lieutenant Ashton the power to move objects by her mind alone. Ash must learn to control this impressive power, before it controls her. She turns to her tough, steadfast lover Cleo, with talents of her own, to help Ash in her struggle to stay firmly rooted in her humanity.The women seek a cause worthy of their skills, refusing to allow the destructive side of Ash’s ability to be used by any outside forces—military or mythical. A hazardous rescue mission hurtles them back to the desert they’d left far behind, links their past and present, and just may be what Ishtar had in mind all along. A lesbian action adventure about sudden superpowers, lasting romance, and fighting for what matters.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2018
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117 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 24, 2018
2.5 Stars. This was rough. After reading the other reviews my expectations for this book were tempered. Even knowing that, I still approached this book with hope that it would work for me. We all have different tastes and I happen to love superheroes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how much you love them as this book falls flat anyway.
This is the fourth and sorry to say worse book in The Superheroine Collection. All four books are standalone so you can read any you choose and in any order. This story is about two women, who are a couple, in the military. After one woman is cut with an artifact, she is able to move things with her mind. There was nothing wrong with the big picture storyline. The premise left things open for lots of possible action and excitement. The problem was the execution.
Flat. That is the best way to describe what this book felt like. The characters, the story, nothing had any dimension. They were just a bunch of cardboard cut-outs walking around, that I couldn’t care about. On top of that the psychic distance to the main characters were so far away. Encase you don’t know what I mean by psychic distance… have you ever read a book where you felt like you were right in the characters head, seeing and feeling what they are going through? That is the closest psychic distance you can get to a character. This book was the opposite of that. You are so far away from the people you are reading about that it feels like they were hanging out down the street from you. It just made it impossible to connect or care about any of the characters.
Four out of the last five books I have read have been blah or worse. I’m fighting a reading slump and getting behind in my reviewing. This book just made it worse. A book I should have been done with in a night, instead took days. The pace of this book would slow way down and just bore me. There was a little bit of excitement at times, but about half as much for a superhero book. I actually nodded off sitting straight up in my seat while reading this. Nope, this was not the book I was hoping for. I can’t recommend this encase there was any doubt. There is nothing offensive or bad, it’s just super flat.
An ARC was given to me by YLVA for a honest review.
This is the fourth and sorry to say worse book in The Superheroine Collection. All four books are standalone so you can read any you choose and in any order. This story is about two women, who are a couple, in the military. After one woman is cut with an artifact, she is able to move things with her mind. There was nothing wrong with the big picture storyline. The premise left things open for lots of possible action and excitement. The problem was the execution.
Flat. That is the best way to describe what this book felt like. The characters, the story, nothing had any dimension. They were just a bunch of cardboard cut-outs walking around, that I couldn’t care about. On top of that the psychic distance to the main characters were so far away. Encase you don’t know what I mean by psychic distance… have you ever read a book where you felt like you were right in the characters head, seeing and feeling what they are going through? That is the closest psychic distance you can get to a character. This book was the opposite of that. You are so far away from the people you are reading about that it feels like they were hanging out down the street from you. It just made it impossible to connect or care about any of the characters.
Four out of the last five books I have read have been blah or worse. I’m fighting a reading slump and getting behind in my reviewing. This book just made it worse. A book I should have been done with in a night, instead took days. The pace of this book would slow way down and just bore me. There was a little bit of excitement at times, but about half as much for a superhero book. I actually nodded off sitting straight up in my seat while reading this. Nope, this was not the book I was hoping for. I can’t recommend this encase there was any doubt. There is nothing offensive or bad, it’s just super flat.
An ARC was given to me by YLVA for a honest review.
November 18, 2018
I've been waiting for this novel for months but I think it is my most disappointing read this year. I've read a few of Green's short stories, which were good, as well some wonderful erotic anthologies edited by her so it was my hope that her addition to The Superheroine Collection would be an easy-win. The premise is fantastic but the execution took me three days to read, with increasing reluctance.
Lieutenant Ashton, known as Ash, and her lover, Sergeant Cleo Brown find themselves having to hide in a hole in the wall of a dry river bed when opposition forces come across their vehicle. A rock cuts Ash's hand and when it's finally safe to venture out she realises the rock has some kind of carving on it. Another close call with landmines and it's not long before she discovers her hand has been imbued with a kinetic power of the ancient goddess, Ishtar. Ash and Cleo have been in a relationship, albeit a secret one given their professions, for a while but Ash's display of power brings some unwanted attention.
Ash and Cleo could have had a phenomenal relationship but instead everything about them felt bland. Their dialogue was uninteresting, they had no chemistry and the telling of their story was a struggle to wade through. I found all the secondary characters to be little more than names on the page and I never really felt anything more than a bored indifference towards any of them. The story is told in such a lackluster way with no escalating tension that I found it really difficult to finish.
I'm not comfortable with giving negative reviews because I understand the work that goes in to writing a novel but I find I can't recommend this. Fortunately we're all different and there will definitely be other people who enjoy this much more than I did.
Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
Lieutenant Ashton, known as Ash, and her lover, Sergeant Cleo Brown find themselves having to hide in a hole in the wall of a dry river bed when opposition forces come across their vehicle. A rock cuts Ash's hand and when it's finally safe to venture out she realises the rock has some kind of carving on it. Another close call with landmines and it's not long before she discovers her hand has been imbued with a kinetic power of the ancient goddess, Ishtar. Ash and Cleo have been in a relationship, albeit a secret one given their professions, for a while but Ash's display of power brings some unwanted attention.
Ash and Cleo could have had a phenomenal relationship but instead everything about them felt bland. Their dialogue was uninteresting, they had no chemistry and the telling of their story was a struggle to wade through. I found all the secondary characters to be little more than names on the page and I never really felt anything more than a bored indifference towards any of them. The story is told in such a lackluster way with no escalating tension that I found it really difficult to finish.
I'm not comfortable with giving negative reviews because I understand the work that goes in to writing a novel but I find I can't recommend this. Fortunately we're all different and there will definitely be other people who enjoy this much more than I did.
Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
Read
November 25, 2018I tried but after 60 %mark I just bring myself to continue. Personally I found it lacking in depth and compelling story telling. There was no chemistry between the 2 leads and nothing made me care or feel invested in any of the characters.
The concept of the story is fine, for me it needed building suspense, good dialogue and decent characters.
Arc received from ylva for honest review.
The concept of the story is fine, for me it needed building suspense, good dialogue and decent characters.
Arc received from ylva for honest review.
January 5, 2019
This is book four of 'The superheroine collection' featuring different Ylva Publishing authors under the common theme of lesbian superheroines. There has been a couple of very good books in this series such as 'Shattered' by Lee Winter and 'Chasing Stars' by Alex K. Thorne.
Lieutenant Ashton receives the power to move objects with her hand by a goddess while deployed by the US Army somewhere on the Middle East desert. When her abilities are discovered, she is sent to a special division in Germany to research her powers as a potential weapon of war. Separated from her longtime lover Sargent Cleo Brown, she looks for ways to get together again and use her powers for a greater good.
Sacchi Green is a seasoned author of short stories but this is her debut novel which, in my opinion, wasn't successful. I feel that her writing style is a bit distant and impersonal. For me, the book reads as a chronicle or a bird's-eye view of series of events. As the main characters' intimacy is described in a detached way, their scenes together feel devoid of emotion, too clinical. That really affected my connection with the characters and the story as a whole.
The plot seems a bit contrived and unrealistic even for the sci-fi world the author built. For example, Shadow Hand's lack of secrecy about her powers and real identity doesn't follow usual superhero behaviour. I also feel that the book ended rather abruptly, it would have been good to see how the relationship between both main characters evolve.
Overall, a good idea that fails on the execution. 2.5 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.com
Lieutenant Ashton receives the power to move objects with her hand by a goddess while deployed by the US Army somewhere on the Middle East desert. When her abilities are discovered, she is sent to a special division in Germany to research her powers as a potential weapon of war. Separated from her longtime lover Sargent Cleo Brown, she looks for ways to get together again and use her powers for a greater good.
Sacchi Green is a seasoned author of short stories but this is her debut novel which, in my opinion, wasn't successful. I feel that her writing style is a bit distant and impersonal. For me, the book reads as a chronicle or a bird's-eye view of series of events. As the main characters' intimacy is described in a detached way, their scenes together feel devoid of emotion, too clinical. That really affected my connection with the characters and the story as a whole.
The plot seems a bit contrived and unrealistic even for the sci-fi world the author built. For example, Shadow Hand's lack of secrecy about her powers and real identity doesn't follow usual superhero behaviour. I also feel that the book ended rather abruptly, it would have been good to see how the relationship between both main characters evolve.
Overall, a good idea that fails on the execution. 2.5 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.com
November 27, 2018
I’ve enjoyed all of the novels in Ylva’s superheroes series thus far, so I was looking forward to this. Sadly, I was a bit disappointed. It’s not terrible, but I found it really hard going. I kept getting bored and putting it down, so it took me a while to read it. It should have been great – the premise is fantastic, and I love a good military story.
It felt a bit disjointed, and I wasn’t surprised to read that Green usually writes short stories. The pacing is very different for novels, but this feels like a series of set pieces – ie, short stories – rather than a novel.
My key stumbling blocks with this novel are as follows:
• It seems like some of the ideas came later in the writing so key events spring from nowhere;
• I would have liked to have known more about Ishtar;
• I didn’t feel Ash’s struggle to contain Ishtar’s impulses;
• Too many coincidences.
As the superhero, I would have liked to have been able to relate to Ash more, but I couldn’t. I did like Cleo though, and I liked the concept that she had to struggle as a normal human being to keep her relationship with Ash. Sadly, that part of the dynamic changes, so that was another disappointment.
Did I place too high an expectation on this book? Maybe. Perhaps other readers will enjoy it more than I did.
Note: I received an advance copy of this book from Ylva publishing in exchange for an honest review.
It felt a bit disjointed, and I wasn’t surprised to read that Green usually writes short stories. The pacing is very different for novels, but this feels like a series of set pieces – ie, short stories – rather than a novel.
My key stumbling blocks with this novel are as follows:
• It seems like some of the ideas came later in the writing so key events spring from nowhere;
• I would have liked to have known more about Ishtar;
• I didn’t feel Ash’s struggle to contain Ishtar’s impulses;
• Too many coincidences.
As the superhero, I would have liked to have been able to relate to Ash more, but I couldn’t. I did like Cleo though, and I liked the concept that she had to struggle as a normal human being to keep her relationship with Ash. Sadly, that part of the dynamic changes, so that was another disappointment.
Did I place too high an expectation on this book? Maybe. Perhaps other readers will enjoy it more than I did.
Note: I received an advance copy of this book from Ylva publishing in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2018
Shadow Hand is the fourth novel in the Superheroine Collection. Writer Sacchi Green uses the war in Afghanistan as a back drop to her super heroine adventure. While Lieutenant "Ash" Ashton and her partner Sergeant Cleo Brown stay behind their convoy to inspect an ancient ruin, they are forced into hiding due to approaching enemy combatants. Burrowing deep into an ravine overhanging to avoid detection Ash's right hand is accidentally cut from the fall of a small goddess idol. Ash's Super Power is born.The army would love to weaponize Ash's powers however she believes this is a gift to be used to support her causes.
As an action novel I found it somewhat lacking on the suspense side. There was a lot of strategizing going on however very little build up to a climatic resolution. A number of easy plot progressions for the author involved mind reading. Would all our problems be easily solved if we all could read minds.
I am a big fan of the super hero genre. Shadow Hand let me down unfortunately.
As an action novel I found it somewhat lacking on the suspense side. There was a lot of strategizing going on however very little build up to a climatic resolution. A number of easy plot progressions for the author involved mind reading. Would all our problems be easily solved if we all could read minds.
I am a big fan of the super hero genre. Shadow Hand let me down unfortunately.
November 23, 2018
I hate to say this but I was disappointed by Shadow Hand. The pace was stilted, the characters lacked any chemistry and there were no real stakes. Nothing to lose. I understand how hard it is sometimes to show emotions and motivations, but this book was hard to get through in many spots and under developed in others. While I applaud the main characters choice of causes, they had the best of intentions, I didn't feel any urgency, or sense of risk. This one didn't hit any buttons for me.
November 30, 2018
Quite liked this fourth installment in the superhero series by YLVA. The existing couple Ash/Cleo worked pretty well for me on the whole. I liked them quite a bit. There was a time middling through where pacing slowed down a lot but generally speaking I thought the action was pretty entertaining. Some of the secondaries like Twelve I'd like to see in her own novella. She was cool :) If there were ever a follow up/sophmore book following the MC's I'd definitely check it out.
November 18, 2018
Eh, I didn't like this one. I didn't hate it, but it was not good. I felt like the tone shifted a lot and some of the promised conflicts were not really there. Some of the more interesting revelations came about a little too late in the game, with almost no buildup.
So, with this being the fourth book of Ylva's super heroine collection, I thought this would be more along the lines of the great books before. It really wasn't. It begins with Lt. Ash and Sgt. Cleo Brown being stuck behind enemy lines and almost no way out. But Ash has something up her sleeve: she just developed the ability to move things with her mind. The pair get out, and Ash reveals that she had found a small statue of the goddess Ishtar, which seemed to have given Ash her new abilities. Cleo also has an affinity for mechanical things, but that felt really tacked on. The pair find themselves on the run from the government after Ash goes AWOL, and they end up with a ragtag group of folks who give Ash the name "Shadow Hand". They do some superhero stuff, but Ash has an insistent push to do more, and they end up back in a war zone for a pretty fun climax.
There was a ton of potential here, with Ash seemingly being pushed forward by a pretty powerful goddess in Ishtar. It was a pretty smart twist to have Cleo and Ash focus solely on the women in illegal trafficking rings, as one of Ishtar's many roles was that of a patron goddess of prostitutes. I admit it made the book a little more interesting. But the problem is that I felt the characters were so one dimensional, that I found myself not really caring about what happened to them. So even Ishtar's influence ends up being just a gimmick for me. And that was the biggest let down for me.
This was the weakest of the Super Heroine collection, but there's a lot of good stuff there. I just wish it was fleshed out better.
I received this ARC from Ylva in exchange for my honest opinion.
So, with this being the fourth book of Ylva's super heroine collection, I thought this would be more along the lines of the great books before. It really wasn't. It begins with Lt. Ash and Sgt. Cleo Brown being stuck behind enemy lines and almost no way out. But Ash has something up her sleeve: she just developed the ability to move things with her mind. The pair get out, and Ash reveals that she had found a small statue of the goddess Ishtar, which seemed to have given Ash her new abilities. Cleo also has an affinity for mechanical things, but that felt really tacked on. The pair find themselves on the run from the government after Ash goes AWOL, and they end up with a ragtag group of folks who give Ash the name "Shadow Hand". They do some superhero stuff, but Ash has an insistent push to do more, and they end up back in a war zone for a pretty fun climax.
There was a ton of potential here, with Ash seemingly being pushed forward by a pretty powerful goddess in Ishtar. It was a pretty smart twist to have Cleo and Ash focus solely on the women in illegal trafficking rings, as one of Ishtar's many roles was that of a patron goddess of prostitutes. I admit it made the book a little more interesting. But the problem is that I felt the characters were so one dimensional, that I found myself not really caring about what happened to them. So even Ishtar's influence ends up being just a gimmick for me. And that was the biggest let down for me.
This was the weakest of the Super Heroine collection, but there's a lot of good stuff there. I just wish it was fleshed out better.
I received this ARC from Ylva in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 26, 2018
I'm not normally a fan of superheros/superheroines in any form, bar Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman and that's partially because real life Lynda Carter is awesome and quite the heroine! Anyway, back on track, Ylva's 'Superheroine Collection' (https://www.goodreads.com/series/2128...) has proved the exception to to my rule, all of the four books are extremely enjoyable novels, have some well written romantic elements to them and above all show us the way to a better world by giving us the glimpse of an alternative present, or a very grim future. All good science fiction is beautifully dystopian with more than a hint of Post-Colonialism (Alien for example, or The Lily & The Crown by Roslyn Sinclair), simply throwing in a few un-earthly elements doesn't cut it.
Usually I write these review reasonably soon after reading the book (i.e. within a week) but on this occasion work and December/Christmas madness stole my time so it was more like a month before I was able to get to it, and I flicked through the other reviews here to see what the reception had been like from other readers. I was actually quite surprised to see people I frequently agree with utterly slating this book! While "Shadow Hand" isn't quite as smooth and polished as the (often heartbreaking) Shattered by Lee Winter (No. 1 in the Superheroines Series) it is still a very good book. Ash & Cleo are excellent characters and the lack of the standard romantic arc of: 'couple meet, fall madly in love, unrealistic crisis tears them apart because they can't communicate, even more unrealistic crisis brings them back together again' is actually really refreshing! They are a couple from the outset, their relationship is not ideal and simple and fairy-tale perfect. Despite the ending of DADT the internal structures of the army still mean that they have to keep their relationship a secret and being posted in the Middle East adds a layer of complexity.
The setting plays a very important role in the novel, from Ash's discovery in the ruins of an ancient palace of the statue of the goddess Ishtar, a figurine she believes gives her the power to save their lives from an enemy patrol, to the far less mythical plight of the Kurdish and Yazidi people, particularly women captured as sex slaves. My note in my Kindle when this plot element was first introduced was, "This better not get preachy" and I'm pleased to say that it doesn't! The action keeps coming, laced with a suitable amount of humour and some touching moments between Ash and Cleo.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it, apart from anything else Shadow Hand addressed some important issues like, what happens when someone with super-powers is dreaming, gets woken up by a loud noise and unwittingly uses their powers to silence the disturbance...I won't spoil it for you but it's not good!
Usually I write these review reasonably soon after reading the book (i.e. within a week) but on this occasion work and December/Christmas madness stole my time so it was more like a month before I was able to get to it, and I flicked through the other reviews here to see what the reception had been like from other readers. I was actually quite surprised to see people I frequently agree with utterly slating this book! While "Shadow Hand" isn't quite as smooth and polished as the (often heartbreaking) Shattered by Lee Winter (No. 1 in the Superheroines Series) it is still a very good book. Ash & Cleo are excellent characters and the lack of the standard romantic arc of: 'couple meet, fall madly in love, unrealistic crisis tears them apart because they can't communicate, even more unrealistic crisis brings them back together again' is actually really refreshing! They are a couple from the outset, their relationship is not ideal and simple and fairy-tale perfect. Despite the ending of DADT the internal structures of the army still mean that they have to keep their relationship a secret and being posted in the Middle East adds a layer of complexity.
The setting plays a very important role in the novel, from Ash's discovery in the ruins of an ancient palace of the statue of the goddess Ishtar, a figurine she believes gives her the power to save their lives from an enemy patrol, to the far less mythical plight of the Kurdish and Yazidi people, particularly women captured as sex slaves. My note in my Kindle when this plot element was first introduced was, "This better not get preachy" and I'm pleased to say that it doesn't! The action keeps coming, laced with a suitable amount of humour and some touching moments between Ash and Cleo.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it, apart from anything else Shadow Hand addressed some important issues like, what happens when someone with super-powers is dreaming, gets woken up by a loud noise and unwittingly uses their powers to silence the disturbance...I won't spoil it for you but it's not good!
September 12, 2024
3.5 star rating
This has more human context to it than superbeings of the others i have read in this series. While it didn't waoh me as much, it related with me alongside watching a GI war film.
This has more human context to it than superbeings of the others i have read in this series. While it didn't waoh me as much, it related with me alongside watching a GI war film.
March 16, 2019
Lieutenant Athena Ashton and Sergeant Cleo Brown are comrades-in-arms—and much more. On a desert mission with their squad, Cleo deliberately disables their jeep so the two of them can spend some time together. This turns out to be a near-fatal mistake. A dozen jihadis roar up on motorcycles and the two women take shelter in a shallow cave within a ravine, a poor hiding place at best. They’re seconds away from being caught by their pursuers, from likely rape, torture, and death, when the figurine of an ancient goddess falls from the cave roof, drawing blood from Ash’s hand and bestowing telekinetic abilities in the process. Ash has no idea how she manages it, but she brings down the walls of the wadi on one of the enemy, then hurls the jeep into the air and causes it to explode, scaring off the rest.
The initial chapter of Sacchi Green’s novel Shadow Hand hooked me right away. It’s vivid, compelling and a plausible origin story for Ash’s power. Once Ash and Cleo get back to their base camp, though, they’re faced with the core problem of the book. Given that Ash has the power to move things with her mind, including to tear physical things apart, what should she do with these capabilities? And how will her newly acquired powers affect her relationship with Cleo?
I’m not going to tell you the answers to these questions; finding out is part of the fun of reading Shadow Hand. Let me just assure you that Ash and Cleo take on missions you’re not likely to find in a Marvel comic. In the process they discover that Cleo has some unusual talents of her own, which complement Ash’s abilities. They also encounter an assortment of strong, distinctive women, each of whom is heroic in her own way.
Sacchi Green is a friend and colleague of mine. Despite a long and distinguished career as a short-story author and editor, this is her first novel-length work. I know she found the process of writing Shadow Hand difficult, but overall, I think the book is a success. Cleo and Ash are sympathetic and appealing characters, both individually and together. The premise is far more believable than being bitten by a radioactive spider or being exposed to gamma rays. I liked the way the author suggests that psychic or super-normal talents are more widely distributed than one might expect. The link between emotion and power felt right. The villains are more mundane than in the typical super-hero tale, but no less evil. The message is clear; you don’t have to look very far to find a cause to fight for.
The book has some issues with pacing. Although the plot moves along briskly in the first half of the book, it gets a bit bogged down as Ash, Cleo and their allies prepare for their second, more demanding mission. When the final, climactic battle begins, though, the story once again becomes thrilling and inspiring.
Another minor complaint I have concerns the rather awkward depictions of sex. Most of Sacchi’s work that I’ve read would be categorized as lesbian erotica or erotic romance. In Shadow Hand, she makes it clear that Ash and Cleo are lovers, but describes their erotic encounters in rather vague and purplish prose. Reading these scenes, I had the sense that there was a struggle going on, either between the author and her editor, or else between Sacchi’s own erotic instincts and her sense that the book was not supposed to be sexually explicit. In fact, I think the book would have worked well if she’d pushed it in either direction—either toward more graphic and honest depictions of lesbian sex, or toward a completely PG story.
Aside from this issue, Shadow Hand offers a healthy and satisfying hit of romance. I was completely convinced of Cleo’s and Ash’s commitment to one another, a commitment that eventually expresses itself in telepathic connections.
Shadow Hand has a great comic-style cover, but I’m not sure that it really qualifies as a superheroine story. It’s a bit too grounded in reality. That’s fine with me, though. Regardless of the genre, I seriously enjoyed the book, and would be interested in reading more about Ash’s and Cleo’s adventures.
The initial chapter of Sacchi Green’s novel Shadow Hand hooked me right away. It’s vivid, compelling and a plausible origin story for Ash’s power. Once Ash and Cleo get back to their base camp, though, they’re faced with the core problem of the book. Given that Ash has the power to move things with her mind, including to tear physical things apart, what should she do with these capabilities? And how will her newly acquired powers affect her relationship with Cleo?
I’m not going to tell you the answers to these questions; finding out is part of the fun of reading Shadow Hand. Let me just assure you that Ash and Cleo take on missions you’re not likely to find in a Marvel comic. In the process they discover that Cleo has some unusual talents of her own, which complement Ash’s abilities. They also encounter an assortment of strong, distinctive women, each of whom is heroic in her own way.
Sacchi Green is a friend and colleague of mine. Despite a long and distinguished career as a short-story author and editor, this is her first novel-length work. I know she found the process of writing Shadow Hand difficult, but overall, I think the book is a success. Cleo and Ash are sympathetic and appealing characters, both individually and together. The premise is far more believable than being bitten by a radioactive spider or being exposed to gamma rays. I liked the way the author suggests that psychic or super-normal talents are more widely distributed than one might expect. The link between emotion and power felt right. The villains are more mundane than in the typical super-hero tale, but no less evil. The message is clear; you don’t have to look very far to find a cause to fight for.
The book has some issues with pacing. Although the plot moves along briskly in the first half of the book, it gets a bit bogged down as Ash, Cleo and their allies prepare for their second, more demanding mission. When the final, climactic battle begins, though, the story once again becomes thrilling and inspiring.
Another minor complaint I have concerns the rather awkward depictions of sex. Most of Sacchi’s work that I’ve read would be categorized as lesbian erotica or erotic romance. In Shadow Hand, she makes it clear that Ash and Cleo are lovers, but describes their erotic encounters in rather vague and purplish prose. Reading these scenes, I had the sense that there was a struggle going on, either between the author and her editor, or else between Sacchi’s own erotic instincts and her sense that the book was not supposed to be sexually explicit. In fact, I think the book would have worked well if she’d pushed it in either direction—either toward more graphic and honest depictions of lesbian sex, or toward a completely PG story.
Aside from this issue, Shadow Hand offers a healthy and satisfying hit of romance. I was completely convinced of Cleo’s and Ash’s commitment to one another, a commitment that eventually expresses itself in telepathic connections.
Shadow Hand has a great comic-style cover, but I’m not sure that it really qualifies as a superheroine story. It’s a bit too grounded in reality. That’s fine with me, though. Regardless of the genre, I seriously enjoyed the book, and would be interested in reading more about Ash’s and Cleo’s adventures.
December 31, 2018
Overall, I have found the "super heroine" series to be much stronger than I anticipated and particularly enjoyed the first release, "Shattered" by Lee Winter. I was left underwhelmed by Ms. Green's take on this subset of the genre. The premise seemed rife for success-two women dealing with the travails of serving in the military as well as maintaining a romantic dynamic is quite a feat, coupled with the acquisition of otherworldly power by one of the partners and the weight of that responsibility on the duo-I was awaiting a complexly layered tale. However, the novel left much to be desired, largely due to the lack of a compelling bond between the protagonists. The author could have done more to present the characters as fully imagined individuals, with complexities and a vested romantic history that was reattenuated to suit the reality that Ash was confronting. That did not occur and I was left waiting for more-action, depth and fun. I will read more releases by Ms. Green and await a volume that more fully achieves that more solid moments that I glimpsed in "Shadow Hand."
Arc was generously provided by the author and the publisher, Ylva.
Arc was generously provided by the author and the publisher, Ylva.
December 12, 2018
I received this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
DNF.
I had high hopes for this book. I've read 'The Superheroine Collection' this summer and i was super stoked for a new book. But I couldn't be more dissapointed. I couldn't find the storyline to be honest. I loved the idea of this book but the story went from one point to the other real fast and I couldn't keep up.
DNF.
I had high hopes for this book. I've read 'The Superheroine Collection' this summer and i was super stoked for a new book. But I couldn't be more dissapointed. I couldn't find the storyline to be honest. I loved the idea of this book but the story went from one point to the other real fast and I couldn't keep up.
August 11, 2025
For when you need something positive that acknowledges the dark and kicks it in the...
December 6, 2018
Despite the dynamic opening scene that served to establish the relationship between the two main characters and Ash’s new super power, I thought this started off slowly. It picked up steam as I read more. This novel features Ash and Cleo, two American soldiers in the Middle East. While hoping to escape capture, they hide in a cave where Ash is pricked by an ancient goddess figurine. The two women are lovers, although they don’t want anyone to know, since Ash is Cleo’s superior officer. That somewhat unbalanced relationship dynamic between lovers and commanding officer to subordinate had some delicious potential. Ash discovers her super powers and is initially shaken. Although they want to keep this to themselves, things happen and this “gift” turns their lives upside down.
That leads into the next part of the story in which several events occur that show us Ash’s motivation and character while she hones her skills. With a bunch of Cleo’s old bar friends, she goes after men who traffic women. The focus on the issue of sex trafficking and the rape and enslavement of women here and abroad appealed to me because I don’t think this gets enough attention. So, I was right there with Ash and her friends as they tackle this problem. There’s lots of planning and talking and discovering what Ash’s limits might be. Basically, the women are discovering what they can do. There’s some derring-do going on as they free the captives that was easy to visualize.
This book also works as a kind of character study. Both Ash and Cleo have to deal with big changes to their lives, and Ash especially has to determine how she’ll use her new powers. There is no question in her mind that she’ll use them
The couple is already paired up. I felt the feelings each had for the other; their love is established in the opening scenes. There are some intriguing other characters, who I think they could have been developed more, but their purpose seemed to be just to illustrate qualities of the main characters and to move the story along. I think the story ended stronger than it started because the characters had to either restrain or push themselves, and the conclusion was satisfying. I was a little surprised that the author didn’t take a different direction in this book. Green kept the book focused on the superheroine aspects more than anything else. It feels like the groundwork was laid for a possible series featuring Ash and Cleo, and maybe the other characters. Maybe that’s just because I feel like more could have happened.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
That leads into the next part of the story in which several events occur that show us Ash’s motivation and character while she hones her skills. With a bunch of Cleo’s old bar friends, she goes after men who traffic women. The focus on the issue of sex trafficking and the rape and enslavement of women here and abroad appealed to me because I don’t think this gets enough attention. So, I was right there with Ash and her friends as they tackle this problem. There’s lots of planning and talking and discovering what Ash’s limits might be. Basically, the women are discovering what they can do. There’s some derring-do going on as they free the captives that was easy to visualize.
This book also works as a kind of character study. Both Ash and Cleo have to deal with big changes to their lives, and Ash especially has to determine how she’ll use her new powers. There is no question in her mind that she’ll use them
The couple is already paired up. I felt the feelings each had for the other; their love is established in the opening scenes. There are some intriguing other characters, who I think they could have been developed more, but their purpose seemed to be just to illustrate qualities of the main characters and to move the story along. I think the story ended stronger than it started because the characters had to either restrain or push themselves, and the conclusion was satisfying. I was a little surprised that the author didn’t take a different direction in this book. Green kept the book focused on the superheroine aspects more than anything else. It feels like the groundwork was laid for a possible series featuring Ash and Cleo, and maybe the other characters. Maybe that’s just because I feel like more could have happened.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
November 3, 2019
This is SO good!
Action, drama, danger, ancient idols, mysterious happenings, sex traffic rescues and lesbian soul mates… What more could you want?
WOW! This book is engaging and entertaining, amazing, alarming and action packed! It had me on the edge of my seat so many times! I had to keep reminding myself that the heroes always win and Ash and Cleo would be alright, but my oh my was I worried about them. The characters seemed so real and the main secondary characters were written so well, I really did care what happened to them. I could hardly put this book down, I read it as fast as I could, not by choice but because I was so involved, I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what happened next. I fear I was up FAR too late in the night, reading until the wee hours in the morning. If you like super heroes this book is definitely for you!!
The only way this adventure could be any better is if it were made into a movie!
Action, drama, danger, ancient idols, mysterious happenings, sex traffic rescues and lesbian soul mates… What more could you want?
WOW! This book is engaging and entertaining, amazing, alarming and action packed! It had me on the edge of my seat so many times! I had to keep reminding myself that the heroes always win and Ash and Cleo would be alright, but my oh my was I worried about them. The characters seemed so real and the main secondary characters were written so well, I really did care what happened to them. I could hardly put this book down, I read it as fast as I could, not by choice but because I was so involved, I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what happened next. I fear I was up FAR too late in the night, reading until the wee hours in the morning. If you like super heroes this book is definitely for you!!
The only way this adventure could be any better is if it were made into a movie!
December 21, 2018
This was an interesting read, and a first for me into superhero stories.
I liked that it was creative, with a hard hitting but well together story and plot that was interesting and focused on different topics, and that a particularly difficult subject was picked as the focus for our superhero main character and her team. It centres on strong women, who are independent, successful and fighting for freedom and fairness. They do a brilliant job with their organisation.
Ash and Cleo’s story is exciting and thrilling, keeping the reader intrigued to their missions, objectives and goals.
I would definitely recommend giving this book a read if you are into supernatural power, superheroes and mystical, unexplained powers. It had a uniqueness that I would say draws a reader to it, and if you fancy trying something new and giving it a go this could be the book for you!
I liked that it was creative, with a hard hitting but well together story and plot that was interesting and focused on different topics, and that a particularly difficult subject was picked as the focus for our superhero main character and her team. It centres on strong women, who are independent, successful and fighting for freedom and fairness. They do a brilliant job with their organisation.
Ash and Cleo’s story is exciting and thrilling, keeping the reader intrigued to their missions, objectives and goals.
I would definitely recommend giving this book a read if you are into supernatural power, superheroes and mystical, unexplained powers. It had a uniqueness that I would say draws a reader to it, and if you fancy trying something new and giving it a go this could be the book for you!
November 26, 2018
There may be spoilers here ... I'm not sure so read with a tiny bit of caution just in case.
Usually I like my key characters to develop their relationship throughout the novel. In this case, it's already there. All done, all sorted and no real development of their relationship at all. That's fine if the story delivers an epic journey or an amazing race and so on. For me, this didn't quite hit the mark.
PROS:
I enjoyed the premise of 'acquiring' a special talent and the ensuing super hero life. Learning to use it, how, where and what to use it for.
CONS:
The story and plot jumped around a lot and tried to be too many things. As a result it suffered from being not enough of anything.
Usually I like my key characters to develop their relationship throughout the novel. In this case, it's already there. All done, all sorted and no real development of their relationship at all. That's fine if the story delivers an epic journey or an amazing race and so on. For me, this didn't quite hit the mark.
PROS:
I enjoyed the premise of 'acquiring' a special talent and the ensuing super hero life. Learning to use it, how, where and what to use it for.
CONS:
The story and plot jumped around a lot and tried to be too many things. As a result it suffered from being not enough of anything.
December 28, 2018
Not bad. I kinda like it.
November 29, 2018
Awesome women battling truly dark human forces
"What must it feel like, some impossible, unnatural power being thrust into you without your consent?" This question is asked when main character Ash acquires mysterious powers; the question and its possible answers linger throughout the book.
There are so many so many strong female characters in the story and plenty of opportunities for them to outsmart (mostly) men who disrespect women in a myriad of ways. The subject matter is dark and centers around sexual slavery, trafficking and exploitation of women; it makes for tough reading and those triggered by these subjects will want to give this book a miss because it pervades the majority of the story.
Ash and Cleo are a fantastic pair to read about and follow around the story; their relationship and love for each other is solid and palpable throughout the book. Plus Cleo has some mad skills as do other characters besides Ash. The cast of characters is made up of multiple ages and ethnicities, working together as a team or in teams towards a common goal; they're like an A-team of avenging angels that do great things despite some tremendous obstacles. High action and adventure dominate the story and while there is plenty of humor, the overall tone of the story is dark adventure so the frequent quips between characters break up their tension but not necessarily the reader’s. I would have preferred a different ending but I suspect the setup is there for a sequel or sequels to turn this into a series which I’d be keen to read.
This is my first time reading this author and I’d love to read more of their work in the future; editing in this book is impressive and the pacing generally good. I’d suggest readers approach the book's entire story arc as a series of adventures like episodes in a TV series and be aware that the latter adventure has a slower pace than the others, with a greater buildup similar to a multi-episode storyline; that change of pace threw me off initially and took me out of the story briefly (and tempted me to stop reading) until the action eventually picked back up and pulled me back in.
I suggest this book for those who like storylines that are are eyeopening, thought provoking and haunting and who are prepared for heroes fighting truly dark and twisted human forces.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
"What must it feel like, some impossible, unnatural power being thrust into you without your consent?" This question is asked when main character Ash acquires mysterious powers; the question and its possible answers linger throughout the book.
There are so many so many strong female characters in the story and plenty of opportunities for them to outsmart (mostly) men who disrespect women in a myriad of ways. The subject matter is dark and centers around sexual slavery, trafficking and exploitation of women; it makes for tough reading and those triggered by these subjects will want to give this book a miss because it pervades the majority of the story.
Ash and Cleo are a fantastic pair to read about and follow around the story; their relationship and love for each other is solid and palpable throughout the book. Plus Cleo has some mad skills as do other characters besides Ash. The cast of characters is made up of multiple ages and ethnicities, working together as a team or in teams towards a common goal; they're like an A-team of avenging angels that do great things despite some tremendous obstacles. High action and adventure dominate the story and while there is plenty of humor, the overall tone of the story is dark adventure so the frequent quips between characters break up their tension but not necessarily the reader’s. I would have preferred a different ending but I suspect the setup is there for a sequel or sequels to turn this into a series which I’d be keen to read.
This is my first time reading this author and I’d love to read more of their work in the future; editing in this book is impressive and the pacing generally good. I’d suggest readers approach the book's entire story arc as a series of adventures like episodes in a TV series and be aware that the latter adventure has a slower pace than the others, with a greater buildup similar to a multi-episode storyline; that change of pace threw me off initially and took me out of the story briefly (and tempted me to stop reading) until the action eventually picked back up and pulled me back in.
I suggest this book for those who like storylines that are are eyeopening, thought provoking and haunting and who are prepared for heroes fighting truly dark and twisted human forces.
I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2019
I don’t know what I was expecting from this book, because from the resumé I read before getting the book, I was hoping for an active, action-filled supernatural-ish story. Reading the first few chapters of the book really took my expectations down a notch.
I mean, isn’t it most people’s dream to get the chance to acquire a superpower? I know it always was one of mine. And seeing this storyline fall flat was a deception.
I read through the story, hoping it would get better, that it would intrigue me enough to get in a fast-reading mode, but it never did. Instead, it slowed my reading and made me lose interest in the book more often than I care to admit.
I’m not saying the book is bad though, I’m mostly saying it missed a lot of great opportunities turning it into a wonderful intriguing storyline. I’ve read stories from Sacchi Green before, and they were well written and captivating, hopefully, the next one will be able to fix the harm that this book might have done.
I do believe every book deserves its chance, so to the most curious and avid readers, you could take on the challenge to read this book, as I am pretty sure it has its special readers who will love it. And as it pains me to say this, I wasn’t one of them.
@RainbowMReviews
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
3/5
I mean, isn’t it most people’s dream to get the chance to acquire a superpower? I know it always was one of mine. And seeing this storyline fall flat was a deception.
I read through the story, hoping it would get better, that it would intrigue me enough to get in a fast-reading mode, but it never did. Instead, it slowed my reading and made me lose interest in the book more often than I care to admit.
I’m not saying the book is bad though, I’m mostly saying it missed a lot of great opportunities turning it into a wonderful intriguing storyline. I’ve read stories from Sacchi Green before, and they were well written and captivating, hopefully, the next one will be able to fix the harm that this book might have done.
I do believe every book deserves its chance, so to the most curious and avid readers, you could take on the challenge to read this book, as I am pretty sure it has its special readers who will love it. And as it pains me to say this, I wasn’t one of them.
@RainbowMReviews
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
3/5
December 27, 2018
I was given this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an Honest Review.
I have loved, loved the other three books in this Superheroine Collection, but, this one just didn’t do it for me, unfortunately. It took me forever to get into. Perhaps because Ash and Cleo start the book together and we don’t get a lot of background on that to start.
Ash seems to get powers of a sort while they’re in mortal danger in the desert. And then we get introduced to others who also seem to have powers. But, then the story abruptly changes lands and we’re in Boston and Ash is dealing with the human trafficking problem. But, then just as I was getting back into –that– story, everything changed again.
And that was my main complaint about the book, it seemed very scattered, both within each of the parts as well as just in the context of the entire novel.
All that said, the plots themselves were awesome and I’d have loved to see shorter stories about all the characters that were introduced.
Because I really liked those too. Every one of the characters jumped off the page and was each so unique.
I guess I just sorta wish I’d gotten it in smaller chunks of story. ‘Cause I was overwhelmed.
I have loved, loved the other three books in this Superheroine Collection, but, this one just didn’t do it for me, unfortunately. It took me forever to get into. Perhaps because Ash and Cleo start the book together and we don’t get a lot of background on that to start.
Ash seems to get powers of a sort while they’re in mortal danger in the desert. And then we get introduced to others who also seem to have powers. But, then the story abruptly changes lands and we’re in Boston and Ash is dealing with the human trafficking problem. But, then just as I was getting back into –that– story, everything changed again.
And that was my main complaint about the book, it seemed very scattered, both within each of the parts as well as just in the context of the entire novel.
All that said, the plots themselves were awesome and I’d have loved to see shorter stories about all the characters that were introduced.
Because I really liked those too. Every one of the characters jumped off the page and was each so unique.
I guess I just sorta wish I’d gotten it in smaller chunks of story. ‘Cause I was overwhelmed.
December 20, 2018
4.25 stars.
I enjoyed reading this book.
I liked the superhero, do-good angle and that our super-heroins won in the end.
You need to suspend a little bit of disbelief to enjoy such books and when you do, it is simply a good, fun, get-away-from-it-all read. In this current climate, good overcoming evil (sex traffickers/sex-slave themes) make you feel like there is yet hope out there for those in the clutches of extremists.
I would have wished for a deeper development of the relationship between the main characters but I will take it for what it is.
I enjoyed reading this book.
I liked the superhero, do-good angle and that our super-heroins won in the end.
You need to suspend a little bit of disbelief to enjoy such books and when you do, it is simply a good, fun, get-away-from-it-all read. In this current climate, good overcoming evil (sex traffickers/sex-slave themes) make you feel like there is yet hope out there for those in the clutches of extremists.
I would have wished for a deeper development of the relationship between the main characters but I will take it for what it is.
November 29, 2018
Interesting story but a bit of a mix in terms of the three parts the book is divided into. I really enjoyed the first two parts because the writing was slick and punchy and the superhero avengers plot worked well. Sadly I didn’t enjoy the third part as much. It seemed to get bogged down in details and sentences were too long winded. May have been better to use the third part as a sequel. Loved the front cover though.
December 16, 2018
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A superpowered action adventure.
This is the latest instalment in the superheroes series.
Set in the Middle East and Boston. The two main protagonists are both in the US military and in an established relationship. Both are likeable.
There are several action sequences and a plot line involving freeing women from imprisonment and sexual slavery.
Overall an interesting storyline. More action and adventure than character development.
A superpowered action adventure.
This is the latest instalment in the superheroes series.
Set in the Middle East and Boston. The two main protagonists are both in the US military and in an established relationship. Both are likeable.
There are several action sequences and a plot line involving freeing women from imprisonment and sexual slavery.
Overall an interesting storyline. More action and adventure than character development.
February 21, 2019
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars
This is the 4th book in Ylva's Superheroine series and it is the one that works least for me so far. The idea behind it was good, Ash is cut by ancient artefact and becomes able to move objects with her mind but the story didn't flow as well as hoped and the pacing was off.
Am hoping the next in the series, if there is one, picks up the game again.
2.5 stars
This is the 4th book in Ylva's Superheroine series and it is the one that works least for me so far. The idea behind it was good, Ash is cut by ancient artefact and becomes able to move objects with her mind but the story didn't flow as well as hoped and the pacing was off.
Am hoping the next in the series, if there is one, picks up the game again.
January 18, 2019
I read this one since it it part of the series for superheros that Ylva has been doing. The others i have absolutely loved! This story really felt forced to me. The storyline was original and could have been amazing but just fell flat in keeping your attention. Not one that i would want to read a second time.
April 29, 2019
Okay, no it wasn't my favorite book in The Superheroine Collection but I didn't feel it was as bad as some other reviews. It had a good story and was told in a traditional novel way but more as comic novel.
Get the sample and make your own decision to read it or not. I enjoyed but I doubt I will read it again.
Get the sample and make your own decision to read it or not. I enjoyed but I doubt I will read it again.
December 5, 2018
This is #4 in the Superheroine series.
A minor disappointment as I couldn't really get into the storyline and struggled to finish. Sadly I can only rate it 2 stars.
I rec'd an ARC from Ylva for review.
A minor disappointment as I couldn't really get into the storyline and struggled to finish. Sadly I can only rate it 2 stars.
I rec'd an ARC from Ylva for review.
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