February 2017 – Looking For a Good Book

February 28, 2017

THE EXECUTIONER #2: DEATH SQUAD – Don Pendleton

I continue to be surprised by this series. I had expected that each book in the Executioner series would be a unique story of Mack Bolan taking on the mod. It is, sort of, but it’s also a much more sequential book, meaning it’s very helpful to have read the first in the series to Continue reading

MYSTERY, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews, Thriller

February 27, 2017

DEMON VOLUME 3 – graphic novel

This is definitely one of the odder graphic novel series’ I’ve come across but the first two books really took my by surprise (read the review for Volume 1 here and the review for Volume 2 here). I’ve been completely sucked into this short-run series (four volumes) and was really delighted to see the third volume Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

2 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews

February 24, 2017

THE BIG BOOK OF JACK THE RIPPER – Otto Penzler, editor

Why do we have such a fascination with Jack the Ripper? I’ve been enthralled by the murderer since reading what I know understand to be one of the many, many books suggesting the identity of the mysterious killer. But when I told my wife about some of the things I was reading in this, she Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, HISTORICAL FICTION, MYSTERY, NON-FICTION, SHORT FICTION

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Historical Fiction, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Mystery, non-fiction, Reviews, Short Stories

February 23, 2017

THE EXECUTIONER #1: WAR AGAINST THE MAFIA – Don Pendleton

THROWBACK THURSDAY: REVIEWING A REISSUE As a teen, I used to spend a lot of time on bookshops … okay, I still do, but back in the 1970’s I was trolling the bookshelves, looking for anything that I could get excited for. I would ALWAYS pick up one of The Executioner titles, stare at the Continue reading

OTHER, Uncategorized

4 stars, Action/Adventure, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, Thriller

February 22, 2017

CALL FORTH THE WAVES – L. J. Hatton

Ah…book two in a series. I’ve somehow done it again and jumped into the middle of a series. This does not appear to be a series that it is easy to jump into right in the middle. The biggest problem is understanding who the characters are and their relationships. It was clear that I was Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

2 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult

February 21, 2017

INFINITE TUESDAY – Michael Nesmith

“Anecdotes and riffs are true things, even though they seem loose and unscientific. In music, the definition of a riff is essentially broad. … A riff by definition is not written or defined before it is played or sung or said. It is of the moment. … It might even be a wisecrack, if it’s Continue reading

MEMOIR, NON-FICTION

5 Stars, Biography, Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, Memoir, non-fiction, Reviews, Television

February 20, 2017

WHEN PARIS SIZZLED – Mary McAuliffe

I have found that my reading tastes have changed quite a bit over the past few years and that I have come to really enjoy a good non-fiction book. I’m fascinated by history (my high school teachers would have told you that this was to be an unlikely scenario) and history of subjects dear to me Continue reading

ENTERTAINMENT, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Biography, Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, History, history book, non-fiction, Reviews

February 17, 2017

ANYTHING GOES – Ethan Mordden

I’m pretty much a sucker for any book about musical theatre. Who doesn’t love, singing, dancing, colorful costumes and lights, fantastic sets, and a rousing good story? Of course, musical theatre hasn’t always been just that, and author Ethan Mordden explores the history of this American institution in this book, Anything Goes. I definitely learned Continue reading

ENTERTAINMENT, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

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

February 16, 2017

NECROTECH – K. C. Alexander

I’ve written before how much I am enjoying the Angry Robot (publisher) titles. It’s a great publisher putting out stunning titles by some relatively new names in the science fiction/fantasy genre. They are taking some risks and most of them seem to be paying off. One of the general themes I’m detecting among the more Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Thriller

February 15, 2017

FUTURE QUEST, VOLUME 1 – graphic novel

GEEK OUT! THIS IS AWESOME! It is great to be in a time when it’s fashionable to admit to being a geek. In my youth I often tried to hide the fact that I was ‘into’ geeky things, but the geeks have taken charge (thanks Steve Jobs and Bill Gates) and we can cop to Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, comic book superheroes, Entertainment, Graphic Novels, Reviews, superheroes, Television

February 14, 2017

THE CANDYMAKER’S AND THE GREAT CHOCOLATE CHASE – Wendy Mass

This is a sequel to a book (The Candymakers) that I have not read. For the most part it seems that we get everything we need to know about the first adventure told to us in this book, making this a stand-alone. On the other hand, there’s enough of the referring to the previous adventure Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, YA

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Reviews, Young Adult

February 13, 2017

WINTERWORLD BOOK 1: THE MECHANIC’S SONG – Chuck Dixon

Gut-wrenching and tough. This post-apocalyptic novel is probably the only one I’ve read that I feel has gotten it ‘right.’ A young man matures in the tough environment of an Earth that is now in an eternal winter. Food might be found in cans, on shelves, that was over-looked by other scavengers, or it might Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy