REVIEW: Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

When The Avengers came out several years ago, I'd never seen a single superhero movie willingly. Then something crazy happened and now I can't get enough! SOOO, of course, when I saw this beauty on the shelf at Target, I just about lost my mind and I couldn't buy it fast enough. 

Black Widow is one of the most mysterious of the Avengers and that probably has something to do with the fact that she doesn't have her own individual movies (yet, I hope). But she's fantastic. Hence, this book was fantastic. Just let me tell you. 

The Short Story:

This book reads like a movie: the action is dynamic and the relationships are larger than life. Natasha Romanoff is a force to be reckoned with and the one thing she cannot reckon with is her past. But you'll want to be there when she has to. Black Widow is intense, plot-twisty, and unexpected. Be prepared for a ride.

The Long Story:

This book is not solely about Natasha herself (as one might guess), but about two teenagers who get tangled up in her life: Ava and Alex. They all have a special connection that cannot be severed and, for the sake of safety, should not be. Ava is an orphan, Alex is a seemingly innocent bystander, and Natasha is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent famous the whole world over. Some fun, well-known characters make a guest appearance, one of whom is Agent Coulson and the other is an avenger who banters like none other. There are so many actiony and adventurey scenes (yes, those are words now) that, as a reader, it is almost hard to keep up. The villain in this story sends shivers up my spine; he is very well-written and I won't be forgetting him any time soon. The story is frequently interrupted by official reports and interview documents taking place after the events of this book, making the story even more complicated than at first glance. The characters are likable and charming; even Natasha has her moments of charm (though anyone can see it kills her). I found myself not only smiling to myself but also laughing out loud as I read this book. Then other times I found myself wondering how Margaret Stohl could rip my heart out without so much as a second thought. "Emotional rollercoaster" is an understatement.
As much as I wish it were, this book was not perfect. The relationship was VERY intsa-lovey. Now, I'm a person who doesn't usually mind insta-love. But in this book, it seemed almost forced. It seemed to come out of nowhere and if the relationship had not been as prominent as it was, the story still would not have changed much. To each his or her own on insta-love, but I still liked and believed the relationship. 
Overall, I recommend this book especially to those who like superheroes and superstories and Marvel in general. It's creative and shocking and sad and hilarious.

4.5/5 stars.

Happy reading!