Lenni Reviews: "Sovereign" by April Daniels

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

In this sequel to Dreadnought, Danielle is working hard as the new hero in town but between kicking butt and maintaining her reputation with the press; and without even being fully licensed due to her age, she is feeling the strain. But Dreadnought is needed now more than ever as a worldwide threat lingers on the horizon.

I can't quite put my foot on what it is but this is not as enjoyable as the first book. Don't get me wrong, this is still a well-written superhero story with high stakes and plenty of thrilling action; by no means a bad book. A teenager dealing with the harsh realities of being a superhero AND transgender AND some topical threats to humanity deserves this darker tone. But in comparison to the first, the darkness is unpleasant instead of intriguing or compelling. I want to like this more than I do. If you ware interested in following Dreadnought's next steps as she develops as a hero, this entry is just ok. 3.5 out of 5.

Melissa MCarthy in Talks to for Virtigo's The Kitchen

Melissa MCarthy is in Talks to co-star in New Line cinemas THE KITCHEN, according to Deadline.

Based on DC/Vertigo series by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle, THE KITCHEN already has Writer/Director Andrea Berloff and actor Tiffany Haddish on Board.

Mcarthy's reported role in THE KITCHEN is unknown.

Lenni Reviews: "The Somnambulist and the Psychic Thief" by Lisa Tuttle

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Finding herself in desperate need of a new job and place to live, Mill Lane happens upon an advertisement for a brave assistant with a good memory. After inquiring, Lane becomes the partner of Mr. Jasper Jesperson, a detective. Pickings are slim at first until a sleepwalker and the disappearances of several local psychics both fall into their laps. Now, it is up to Jasper and Lane to solve these seemingly unrelated cases.

This book is just good fun. Jasper is the sort of detective character who is smart, clever, and charismatic yet a bit irresponsible. Lane is also intelligent yet charmingly self-depreciating and together they make a formidable pair you will enjoy following though the story as it unfolds.

Although this genre is not my expertise, I think I can safely call this a cozy mystery and I has a lot of fun reading it. I was on the edge of my seat and I would love to read the next one when I get my hands on it. 4 out of 5.

Lenni Reviews: "Capsicum Head" by L.J. LaBarthe

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

This book follows the efforts of Pete and his lover Jon as they try to make their band Capsicum Head a success. Since their first gig was a failure, they are hesitant to try again.

And... That's pretty much all the conflict here. There's no battle of the bands type thing, no rangling owners to give them a chance just the two gigs and Pete and Jon being together. This is very much a slice of life story but a little too much; meaning it all comes off as too mundane. Jon and Pete are likable enough and obviously are hot for each other, the premise of a multi-racial gay couple is very interesting but it all came off as humdrum. I felt I was consistently waiting for something big to happen. Sadly left me unsatisfied despite the decent writing. 2.7 out of 5.

Lenni Reviews: "Ashes to Fire" by Emily B. Martin

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*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.

In an attempt to bring peace, Queen Mona agrees to meet with the man who cost her her kingdom and many of her friends, King Celeno. But instead of diplomacy, Queen Mona ends up on the run after her ship is blown up and she is kidnapped along with Celeno's wife, Queen Gemma.

Despite being the second book in a series, enough details are filled in so you understand why things are the way they are and Martin includes these details well, without getting bogged down in clunky exposition. The cast of varied personalities all play off each other and the plot twists and turns like spinning poi (a reference you will understand when you read the book, which you should) making this a page-turning adventure. I can't speak to how well this fits in with the first book in the series but I can say I am absolutely looking forward to the next one! 3.8 out of 5.

Eleague Boston: An Experience

In three years of going to esports events I finally found an event that could rival a Combo Breaker Grand Finals..and I didn't even get to see the Grand Finals.

Eleague hosted a Counter Strike Major event that put the best teams in the world against another in a series of matches and qualifiers that began months ago. Last weekend was finals weekend and was truly a sight to behold.

The venue was perfect for the scale. Tucked away near the Boston University, the Agganis Arena didn't have the gravitas of the Garden but was perfect for the event and it was obvious that the staff made sure the stage layout was both functional and appropriate for spectators.

In between matches, there were your standard sports "in between" content. Replays, mini games and there was even a Jackbox.tv game setup for the early birds.

Typically I am apprehensive about comparing esports events to traditional sports events but Eleague truly nailed the production level and atmosphere that, I feel, rivals traditional sports.

All of the ingredients are there. World class competition, fans from around the globe and a killer production team.

There were chants for everything and everything. From the standard "FNATIC", the quintessential "USA", and even custom to the event "We can't hear you!". The atmosphere was electric, although I would be remiss not to point out the crowds fatigue during the SK v. FNATIC match that lasted nearly four hours, and there was a lack of artificial hype from the production and I'm glad for it. The crowd and player cams were more than enough to keep the crowd invested and excited for the events on screen. Oftentimes the crowd was so loud that the casters couldn't be heard!

The giant screens showing off the action in a resolution CS:GO rarely sees captured the action perfectly. Between the crowd and jumbo-trons, the fan experience was fantastic.

Only one thing stuck out to me as a flaw in the programming. The "fan experience" area was incredibly underwhelming. It served mostly vendor space with a 1v1 setup and while I definitely am not against additional retail space...calling it the "fan experience" area is a little bit of a let down

The experience of attending Eleague was really something I will carry with myself for the rest of my life. I look forward to the next Major!