April 2018 – Looking For a Good Book

April 30, 2018

THE LEAVERS – Lisa Ko

I too often find that books that win major literary awards are not worth reading as they tend to focus on form over story. That is not the case with Lisa Ko’s The Leavers. Deming Guo, later named Daniel Wilkinson, is searching for his mother. Polly Guo was an undocumented Chinese immigrant who left for Continue reading

OTHER, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Literature, Reviews

April 27, 2018

THE SEX TOURIST – Olivia Wild

Lilian Biro is an ambitious young Hungarian woman with dreams of a storybook life, and when she meets a kind, handsome British man she hopes she’s on the right path. Finally. Lilian meets the man of her dreams when his friends pay for her to perform a lap-dance at the local strip club where she Continue reading

MYSTERY, ROMANCE, Uncategorized

2 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Erotica, Mystery, Reviews, Romance, Sex

April 26, 2018

THE ASYLUM OF DR. CALIGARI – James Morrow

I don’t think there is anyone writing today like James Morrow. I’ve seen him compared to Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and to Harlan Ellison, but Ellison is too pedestrian compared to Morrow, and Vonnegut not quite risky enough. In The Asylum of Dr. Caligari, Morrow mixes art, war, and madness – which, when you think about Continue reading

HUMOR, OTHER

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Humor, Literature, Reviews

April 25, 2018

CHILDREN OF FIRE – Drew Karpyshyn

A long time ago, when the gods toyed with mankind as if they were simple chess pieces, one special warrior, Daemron, was selected by those gods to lead the charge against the Chaos spawn. But Daemron turns his power against the gods, which is never a good thing to do, and the gods banish him Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

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

April 23, 2018

THE CHILD – Fiona Barton

When an old house in London is being torn down, the skeletal remains of an infant are found. Reporter Kate Waters sees a story and is bent on investigating what is clearly a crime. When the story of the infant remains appears in the local paper it captures some interest beyond the average ‘human interest Continue reading

MYSTERY, OTHER, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Literature, Mystery, Reviews

April 20, 2018

IRVING BERLIN, THE IMMIGRANT BOY WHO MADE AMERICA SING – Nancy Churnin

This children’s picture book about one of America’s greatest songwriters – who wasn’t actually born in the United States of America – is an absolutely marvelous biographical tribute. Author Nancy Churnin somehow manages to tell the entire Irving Berlin life story in thirty-two gorgeously illustrated pages, hitting the highlights, catching the struggles and the passions Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, MEMOIR, NON-FICTION

5 Stars, Biography, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, History, non-fiction, Picture books, Reviews

April 19, 2018

THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS – Lewis Carroll

THROWBACK THURSDAY: REVIEWING A REISSUE How many people think that they know a number of classic books when what they really know is the popular movie (or television) version of said books. For instance, who thinks that they know The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, or Peter Pan? And who thinks that they know Alice in Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult

April 17, 2018

RUSTY THE SQUEAKY ROBOT – Neil Clark

Robots, friendship, music, uniqueness, and eye-catching art. This little thirty-two page book by Neil Clark, Rusty the Squeaky Robot, has everything you need to capture a child’s attention and imagination and to help it soar. Rusty doesn’t like that he squeaks all the time. ALL the time. And his squeaking has him feeling down. But Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, Uncategorized

4 stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Reviews

April 16, 2018

THE PROMETHEUS MAN – Scott Readon

CIA agent Tom Blake hustles in on the French police when a pile of bodies are discovered in Paris. Blake has a lot of inside knowledge and works swiftly and deliberately, impressing the French. But there is just one problem. CIA Agent Blake is actually on assignment in Africa and the man in Paris using Continue reading

MYSTERY, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

2 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews, Thriller

April 13, 2018

SOUTH POLE STATION – Ashley Shelby

Who, in their right mind, would want to spend significant time in a place that has an average temperature of -54°F and where there is no sunlight for half the year? No one … in their right mind. That’s the basic premise behind Ashley Shelby’s comic novel (comic in the way Catch-22 or M*A*S*H is Continue reading

HUMOR

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Humor, Literature, Reviews

April 11, 2018

LEAR – Harold Bloom

Anyone who’s read much Shakespeare apologia has certainly encountered the works of Harold Bloom. Lear: The Great Image of Authority is the third book in Bloom’s “Shakespeare’s Personalities” series. I had quite enjoyed the second volume on Cleopatra and looked forward to this volume. Unfortunately this one did not work quite so well for me. Continue reading

ENTERTAINMENT, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

2 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, non-fiction, Plays, Reviews, Theatre

April 9, 2018

JIM BUTCHER’S THE DRESDEN FILES: DOG MEN – graphic novel

I’ve only read a handful of the original Dresden Files books/stories, and a slightly larger handful of these Dresden Files graphic novels, but I’m really enjoying this graphic novel series much more than I would have expected to like them. In this latest edition, Harry Dresden … wizard detective … has been called to rural Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

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