January 2018 – Looking For a Good Book

January 31, 2018

DARK SCREAMS VOLUME SEVEN – Brian James Freeman & Richard Chizmar, editors

This is the seventh volume in the Dark Screams anthology series and I believe I’ve read them all, so far. As with most anthologies, there were some strong showings here and some that didn’t quite stand up to the others. Like the previous edition, this volume features six short stories – or more accurately, five Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Reviews, Short Stories

January 29, 2018

DEAD COLD BREW – Cleo Coyle

I had gotten on the band wagon for a different mystery series that revolved around coffee and I thought it only fair to check out this series, which has clearly been around for a lot longer as this book, Dead Cold Brew, is the sixteenth in the series. Clare Cosi is the owner of a Continue reading

MYSTERY, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews

January 26, 2018

IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING – Austin Ratner

Just as there are books that one might call “Chick Lit,” so too are there books best described as “Bro Books.” This is a “Bro Book.” Isidore Auberon lost his mother when he was very young. His father was fortunately absent a lot, but was abusive when present. Isidore works hard to over-come these early Continue reading

OTHER, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Literature

January 24, 2018

THE WITCHER ADULT COLORING BOOK

So how do you review a coloring book? I’ve been kind of fascinated by the coloring book phenomenon going on in the publishing world. It would appear that an awful lot of people who grew up having spent some time coloring with crayons in coloring books have missed that relaxing exercise. Coloring books for adults Continue reading

ENTERTAINMENT, GRAPHIC NOVEL, OTHER, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

4 stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, Graphic Novels, SF/Fantasy

January 22, 2018

EAST OF WEST, THE APOCALYPSE: YEAR TWO – graphic novel

Just … wow. If there is such a thing as the perfect graphic novel, this would be it for me. Set in a present-day dystopian alternate United States, this ambitious epic presumes that the U.S. Civil War never really ended and there was constant contention between various factions – until a comet hit the center Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, MYTHOLOGY, SF/FANTASY

5 Stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Mythology/Legend, Reviews, SF/Fantasy

January 18, 2018

ARCHIE ARCHIVES: THE DOUBLE DATE – graphic novel

THROWBACK THURSDAY: REVIEWING A REISSUE My earliest memory of reading Archie comics was in the 1960’s when I would go to visit my grandparents. They didn’t have much to entertain a child except for five old comic books, three of them Archie‘s (the other two were Disney characters). It was those same comics every time Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews

January 16, 2018

INTO THE DROWNING DEEP – Mira Grant

It should come as no surprise that I really loved this book. I’ve pretty much raved about the books by Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire in the past and she’s definitely still at the top of her game. As Mira Grant, the author is best known for her Newsflesh Trilogy books – a series set in a Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SF/FANTASY

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

January 15, 2018

I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM – Harlan Ellison

I first read this book in 1976 and became an immediate fan of Harlan Ellison’s work. Shortly after reading the book I attended my first convention, met Mr. Ellison, and had him sign that book. Since that time I think I’ve read every collection the irascible writer has published. But I recently decided to go Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SF/FANTASY, SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Short Stories

January 12, 2018

FALLEN GODS – James A. Moore

So… I read and reviewed the first book in this series not too long ago and enjoyed it enough to jump right in to this volume. Author James A. Moore picks up where he left off, which is helpful to those of us who’ve read the first book (but will it be confusing to those Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy

January 10, 2018

A PERFECT MACHINE – Brett Savory

Huh. I really liked this one … and then I didn’t. Henry Kyllo is a Runner … a member of a secret society that runs information to and from different locations. But Runners have to pass through a city filled with Hunters. The Hunters shoot the Runners. The Runners fill up with the lead from Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

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

January 8, 2018

BENEATH THE SUGAR SKY – Seanan McGuire

Seanan McGuire is easily one of the best fantasy authors writing today. Her world-building is tremendous and her characters are first-rate. In Beneath the Sugar Sky we return to McGuire’s ‘Wayward Children’ series. This time we are introduced to Cora who, due largely to her weight, has been bullied when on earth. Cora wanders the Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Young Adult

January 5, 2018

ART COLLECTING TODAY – Doug Woodham

As someone who has a relatively decent collection of original art and limited edition prints, and as someone who has been ‘collecting’ (casually, for certain) for probably three or even four decades by now, I am certainly interested in learning more about what I should or should not be doing. I am clearly the intended Continue reading

NON-FICTION

2 Stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, non-fiction, Reviews