July 2020 – Looking For a Good Book

July 31, 2020

DRACUL – Dacre Stoker & J. D. Barker

In this prequel to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, co-written by Bram Stoker’s great-grand-nephew, Dacre Stoker, and J.D. Barker, the authors not only give us a little background on Dracula the vampire, but they make Bram Stoker a major character along the way. And according to the advertising copy, this is “inspired by notes and texts left Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Literature, Mythology/Legend, Reviews

July 30, 2020

DEVOLUTION – Max Brooks

Can Max Brooks, author of the bestseller World War Z, hit it big again? Can he step away from the zombie apocalypse and terrorize us with another mythological/supernatural(?) creature – one that we haven’t read much about? Yeah, he probably can. A group of environmentalists move in to a small, isolated community (called ‘Greenloop’) in Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, Uncategorized

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

July 28, 2020

MURDER ON THE SILVER SCREEN – Margaret Dumas

Nora Paige is the manager of The Palace movie theater in San Francisco. She left her beloved Hollywood when her lying, cheating, no-good, movie star husband had an affair with a co-star. As a huge fan of classic movies, Nora is a perfect fit for The Palace, playing some of her favorite classic films on Continue reading

MYSTERY, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews

July 27, 2020

VALLEY FORGE – Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

I am finding that the older I get the more I have started to enjoy reading non-fiction, specifically biographies and histories. And if you had ever suggested to my younger self that I would ever enjoy history, I would have laughed in your face. Ah, how we change. Admittedly, part of my interest in this Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, History, non-fiction, Reviews

July 24, 2020

THE WRITER’S PRACTICE – John Warner

It takes a certain amount of courage for a teacher, who was taught in a certain way, and who in turn has taught in the same manner, to rethink his methods and to change the way he teaches a craft (or art). And this is precisely what John Warner has done. After a decade of Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, non-fiction, Reviews

July 23, 2020

SPY X FAMILY, VOL. 1- graphic novel

While it’s not uncommon for me to read a graphic novel now and again, it is uncommon for me to read manga. I generally don’t like the art and layout style that I associate with manga. But the description of this book appealed to me, so I requested a review copy. And not being much Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

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

July 21, 2020

BIX – graphic novel

Wow. If you’ve ever wondered at how important the artwork in a graphic novel is to telling a story, you should definitely give Scott Chantler’s Bix a read. If you’ve heard of Bix Beiderbecke but don’t know much about him and want to know more, then you should give Scott Chantler’s Bix a read. If Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Biography, Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews

July 20, 2020

RED NOISE – John P. Murphy

An asteroid miner, looking to refuel and stock up on necessities such as food and, water, and oxygen, heads to the nearest space station (Station #35) with a cargo of ore to sell, which should get her enough to purchase her supplies. The Miner (as she is named throughout the book) is met be the Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

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

July 17, 2020

TERMINUS – Tristan Palmgren

I don’t do this too often, but I’m going to use the publisher’s descriptions as posted on Goodreads, to sum up this book: Operatives from an alien culture struggle to survive in medieval Italy, in the SF sequel to the astonishing Quietus. The transdimensional empire, the Unity, has dissolved, its ruling powers forced into exile Continue reading

SF/FANTASY

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

July 16, 2020

WILLFUL CHILD: THE SEARCH FOR SPARK – Steven Erikson

Captain Hadrian Sawbuck and his rag-tag crew of the Starship Willful Child continue their unusual adventures, bringing chaos and disrepute to the galaxy around them. Sawbuck isn’t the brightest LED on the console but he’s full of confidence and he’s forever trying to laid. And maybe they are trying to accomplish a goal, but the Continue reading

HUMOR, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

2 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Humor, Reviews, SF/Fantasy

July 14, 2020

THE COMPLETE AND ORIGINAL NORWEGIAN FOLKTALES OF ASBJORNSEN AND MOE

This book holds so much appeal to me on so many different levels. First of all, I’m fascinated by fairy tales, folk tales, and mythology. The creating of myths and legends to explain the unexplained, or to teach lessons, or simply to pass along stories to new generations is so remarkable. We get caught up Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, OTHER, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Literature, Mythology/Legend, Reviews, Young Adult

July 13, 2020

WILD JUSTICE – Loren D. Estleman

This was my first Loren D. Estleman book, and it most definitely will not be my last. It is 1896 and Judge Harlan Blackthorne of Montana has passed away. He’d had a long career serving out justice in the Montana territory. His ‘go-to’ person at the Marshall’s office has been Page Murdock, who was working Continue reading

Uncategorized, WESTERN

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, Western