Description
If superheroes have one downside, it’s supervillains. Superhero work is dangerous and expensive. Few attempt the job. Even fewer succeed. The celebrity superheroes get all the attention and applause, but one of them just died. The fallen hero was an icon, and Punch-Girl wants to fill his boots.

Punch-Girl is skilled and ready, but she is unknown. So she hires a marketing firm to position her among the big names. Just when her campaign takes off, a rising supervillain steals her thunder.

The Minister, a charismatic and mysterious criminal, divides the city and makes Punch-Girl look foolish and unworthy. But Punch-Girl’s troubles are just beginning.

The Minister came here for a reason. He has a terrible secret, which will alter Punch-Girl’s life forever. Worse, as Punch-Girl battles, losing ground to The Minister, their fight attracts a new evil with deadly plans for both of them.

Punch-Girl has her shot at the big time. If she can’t rise to the challenge, her failure will end her career. And her. If Batman and Wonder Woman had a daughter, she would be Punch-Girl. Equal parts sci-fi, crime thriller, and detective novel, the first book in the Punch-Girl series sets layered, endearing characters against impossible odds.

Punch-Girl will have you rooting for her through every battle and keep your pages turning long after bedtime.

This was right up my alley!

This fast-paced and humorous story blends superheroes, villains, high-tech gadgets, impactful social media, wealth, marriage, and gruesome deaths. While mixed feelings linger, anticipation for book two remains high. The focus on the supervillain rather than Punch Girl adds a unique twist, leaving readers curious about how the sequel will develop Punch Girl's character. Eagerly awaiting more Punch Girl adventures, the sky is the limit for what's to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

I love the play this story takes with superhero tropes. It’s enjoyable and kept me interested as someone whose been a comics fan for decades.

Hello Fellow Readers,

To be honest I have mixed feelings about this book, I was expecting more Punch-Girl but we didn't get that (and considering this is titled Punch-Girl, I thought it would be more focused on her). I do love the reality that Reilly has painted with the superhero genre, this sort of mix of reality/fantasy with how a superhero can't just fly into a scene rescue innocents and suddenly become loved by all, no they need marketing and PR. Jess was fantastic, and I felt she knew her marketing stuff, which made her really badass in my book.

This does keep me wondering how the next book will go and if we can get to know the titular character better. As of right now I feel like a bystander rather than an immersive reader.

Overall, interesting and gritty start.

I have a soft spot for super heroes, J.M. Reilly satisfies that need with a tale of Punch-Girl (ebook from BooksGoSocial), a high-tech batman who captures normal criminals. The Minister shows up, torturing a corrupt rich business man on and streaming the result. Alec Baum is a normal CPA whose wife, Jessica is running with Punch-Girl’s publicity, He has a terrible secret that gets worse when a truly psychotic super-villain, the Slayer, shows up. This is an edge-of-your-seat read thriller with lots of twists. I couldn’t put it down.

I loved this book! A superhero and her nemesis with a “Jekyll and Hyde” aspect. Most of the story is told from the perspective of Alec Baum. Alec’s wife, Jess, works for a PR firm who just started representing up-and-coming hero Punch-Girl. This is huge for Jess. Alec obviously wants his wife to be successful and will do whatever he can to help…including become a rival to Punch-Girl to help her image.
Honestly, until the last quarter of the book, I was sure who I was supposed to be rooting for and I loved it!

Punch-Girl was a fantastic take on the superhero genre, feeling like a breath of fresh air. The author paints a well thought out story that makes me wish there was a sequel in the works.

I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining novel, a mix of urban fantasy and mystery. Well plotted, fleshed out characters, fast paced.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

pretty fun, though i felt kinda on the outside with the characteres and as such at points it was hard to sympathise with them. thanks for the arc.

Super-heroes/villains, gizmos, gruesome deaths, money, social media impact and marriage all feature in this fast paced humorous story. Mixed feelings about this book, but am still really looking forward to book two. Because this is a story more about the supervillain nemesis of Punch Girl than Punch Girl herself. But maybe book two rectifies that. Time, and future reading, will tell. In the meantime I’m staring at the sky hoping for a glimpse of Punch Girl herself! Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given,

A very interesting book that plays out like a television drama in your head, with lots of unexpected twists and increasingly questioning who the various characters are and the roles they play.

That being said, while I was so hopeful starting the store, the writing fell flat, for me. It’s very dry, with few descriptions or narrative/emotional insight into the characters— and therefore emotional connection to the characters. The story is written in dialogue, physical movement, and internal thought process.

This writing style may not bother other readers, but it made the book hard to enjoy when I was having to fill in some many blanks.

I very much enjoyed this book. I was in for a surprise, having never had heard of this book or the author. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It was such a nice surprise though.

I really wanted to like this book. The description sounded super interesting. It was by no means the worst book I have ever read, I just couldn't get into it. Made to page 120 before I stopped. I did, however, really enjoy the humor between Jess and Alec. That was extremely relatable and genuinely funny. Other than that, everything just felt super flat. The character of Punch Girl was a little bland and The Minister's God complex was a little too literal for my liking.

The punch girl by j.m Reilly is a good read. If you’re into crime thriller, sci-fi fiction and novels then this is for you. Personally, wasn’t the big fan of this book, was confused most of the time. It’s not the best but definitely not the worst either.

I tried to get into this, I really did. I’m usually a sucker for a good mystery. I’m sure this is something someone else would but it’s not for me. It was too hard for me to get into. I didn’t feel as if I could get taken away with the story. I unfortunately have to DNF this one. I can always try again later on down the road but as of right now, this isn’t for me.