April 2015 – Looking For a Good Book

April 29, 2015

WONDERLAND, VOL. 5 – graphic novel

Why am I getting this book? Well…okay, I know why … 1) I’ve always been quite a fan of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland books, and typically, anything related to those books will immediately catch my interest. 2) Look at that cover! It’s a gorgeous painting, and very sexy! This is the sort of wonderland you Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews

April 27, 2015

THE URBAN PLAYS OF THE ABBEY THEATRE – Elizabeth Mannion

If you know me personally, you’ll know that my passion (and my profession) is theatre. So, when I find a review copy of a theatre-related book in one of the catalogs that I get my books from, I am immediately interested. In this case I was doubly interested as I would have to admit to Continue reading

ENTERTAINMENT, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, non-fiction, Reviews, Theatre

April 24, 2015

THE BRILLIANT HISTORY OF COLOR IN ART – Victoria Finlay

This is, hands down, one of the best art books I have ever read. From the stunning cover photo to the end of the acknowledgements, this book informs and entertains and is rich with illustrations. Author Victoria Finlay explores (and shares with us the results of her research) the history behind a variety of colors Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

Art, Book Reviews, Books, History, non-fiction, Reviews

April 22, 2015

EINSTEIN’S BEACH HOUSE – Jacob M. Appel

I love short stories … I say it every time I review a collection, and it’s true. I also love ‘discovering’ a new voice that appeals to me. Recently, here on my blog, I ‘discovered’ Tessa Mellas, and R. Narvaez, both writing some very powerful short stories. And now, enter Jacob M Appel. The title Continue reading

SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Literature, Reviews, Short Stories

April 20, 2015

STEAMPUNK SOLDIERS – Philip Smith & Joseph A. McCullough

Imagine a coffee-table style book of weapons and uniforms (I don’t have to imagine too hard, I recently reviewed a book on weapons). Now imagine an art book of steampunk paintings. And now … put the two together and you have this book. The idea is really interesting. Author Philip Smith has created a strong Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

Art, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy

April 17, 2015

STAR TREK: SHADOW OF THE MACHINE – Scott Harrison

Star Trek fiction is my comfort blanket. This is what I read when I’m looking to read something that I don’t have to think too hard about but will typically satisfy. I think most people have something they like to turn to for comfort reading, whether it is religious or romance or scientific journals. I’ve thought Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Star Trek

April 15, 2015

DREAM STALKERS – Tim Waggoner

I love this world! Author Tim Waggoner continues the antics of his Shadow Watch series with this second installment, Dream Stalkers. I really enjoyed the first book, Night Terrors, and wondered if Waggoner could follow it up with something equally crazy/intriguing/scary/funny. The answer is – he did. In this book, Shadow Watch agents Audra and Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Humor, Reviews, SF/Fantasy

April 13, 2015

GUNS OF OUTLAWS – Gerry and Janet Souter

This coffee-table styled book is rich with history, excitement, and chock-full of enough photos to please any historian or gun-lover. What is it about the outlaw, the criminal, that we are intrigued by the weapons that they favored? Is it simply that they made a name for themselves, using weapons and so those weapons identify Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized, WESTERN

Book Reviews, Books, History, history book, non-fiction, Reviews, Western

April 10, 2015

STAR TREK: ONGOING, VOL. 9: THE Q GAMBIT – graphic novel

Let me start off by saying that I am NOT a fan of the character “Q.” Not only not a fan, but I get seriously annoyed by the character and have yet to watch any rerun of the series that has this character in it. I’m not quite sure where this distaste for the character Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, SF/FANTASY

Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews, SF/Fantasy

April 8, 2015

ENCHANTMENT LAKE – Margi Preus

The hardest reviews to write are for those books that do not stand out as either particularly bad or tremendously good. Enchantment Lake, by Margi Preus is a difficult book to assess. By all accounts, this book should be perfect for me. It’s a YA book, which I tend to love. It’s a mystery, which Continue reading

MYSTERY, Uncategorized, YA

Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews, Young Adult

April 6, 2015

FIRESHIP NASCENCE – James M. Robinson

I think that there’s an intriguing, rather complicated plot in here, but the style of writing is so dull and bland that it’s hard to get excited. This is supposed to be a thriller of epic proportions, with world-wide terrorists and the threat of global destruction via nuclear explosions. Thrilling, right? I wish it Continue reading

MYSTERY, OTHER, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, Thriller

April 3, 2015

WALKING THE LABYRINTH – Lisa Goldstein

Walking a labyrinth is intended as a spiritual journey to center one’s self, to right what is out of balance internally, or a means of rediscovery. In Lisa Goldstein’s book, Walking the Labyrinth, the labyrinthine journey is made by Molly Travers, a private investigator who is slowly revealing some truths about her family history. The Continue reading

MAGIC, MYSTERY, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Magic, Mystery, Reviews, SF/Fantasy