November 2020 – Looking For a Good Book

November 30, 2020

DRACULAS – Blake Crouch, Jack Kilborn, Jeff Strand, & F. Paul Wilson

I’m often on the look-out for a good horror novel to read, and when I saw this, with a couple of author names I recognized, I thought this would be a good read and satisfy my hunger for something dark. But I was wrong. The horror genre can come in different forms and my least… Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, Uncategorized

1 Star, Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Reviews

November 27, 2020

THE LEGEND OF HOLLY CLAUS – Brittney Ryan

If you see or hear about this book, don’t be like me … don’t wait seven years before you read it! If you’ve picked up this book, you’re already pretty familiar with Santa Claus. He’s the King of Forever in the Land of Immortals. You knew that, right? The story here begins when a little… Continue reading

YA

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Holiday, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult

November 26, 2020

PROJECT HAIL MARY – Andy Weir

According to a 2003 article on the NASA website, “NASA-funded scientists have recently learned that cloud-to-ground lightning frequently strikes the ground in two or more places …” and that the third and fourth strokes of a lightning flash will follow the same path as the second stroke. In other words, lightning DOES strike the same… Continue reading

OTHER, SF/FANTASY

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

November 24, 2020

TEENAGE WASTELAND – Anne Tyler

Back sometime in the late 1980′ or early 1990’s, when I was working in a bookstore, I remember publishers trying out a ‘new’ trend, releasing very thin paperback books – novelettes and novellas really – usually older works by noted authors. The idea was that with the quickly rising costs of printing books, this was… Continue reading

SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Literature, Reviews, Short Stories

November 23, 2020

THE YOUNGER GODS – Michael R. Underwood

Jacob Greene is a child of cultists – extremists with a deep connection to powerful gods. To stay in good favor and receive great powers from these gods Jacob’s family (both biological family and cult group family) must occasion a sacrifice now then. Jacob doesn’t seem to question this (it’s how he’s been raised, after… Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

2 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Reviews

November 20, 2020

UNDER THE CAPE – anthology

Superheroes and sex – two big topics in today’s market. I’ve read a number of superhero-related books in the past couple of years, but never one specifically one looking at erotic/sometimes-graphic sexual scenarios, but, why not? I would think this is the perfect time for a book like this. This particular book is a collection… Continue reading

ROMANCE, SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, Romance, Sex, Short Stories, superheroes

November 19, 2020

ANXIOUS PEOPLE – Fredrik Backman

A small town is rocked by a bank robbery when the robber runs to a nearby apartment viewing and holds the group of people gathered hostage and then disappears in thin air even as the police and media vans surround the apartment. The local police department brings all those who had been in the apartment… Continue reading

OTHER

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Literature, Reviews

November 17, 2020

OLAV AUDUNSSON: I. VOWS – Sigrid Undset

It is interesting for me that I just purchased a set of Sigrid Undet’s Kristin Lavransdatter series because it looked very interesting to me. And shortly after doing so, I find out that translator extraordinaire Tiina Nunnally has translated a different series by Undest. My ancestors are Scandinavian (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish) and I’ve been doing… Continue reading

HISTORICAL FICTION, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Historical Fiction, Literature, Reviews

November 16, 2020

THE REMARKABLE INVENTIONS OF WALTER MORTINSON – Quinn Sosna-Spear

Young Walter Mortinson is an inventor. Perhaps more mad-scientist than genius inventor when you consider that some of his inventions include animating a dead rabbit. Needless to say, Walter Mortinson doesn’t have a lot of friends at school. No one else seems interested in what he is able to invent. And to add to what… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, YA

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

November 13, 2020

THE OUTSIDE – Ada Hoffman

Yasira Shien, an autistic scientist, has developed a new energy drive that is very unconventional, but she’s confident in her abilities and has no worries about whether or not it will work. When she starts the prototype, her engine creates a warp in reality and the space station where they are departing from – and… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

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

November 12, 2020

THE FIVE – Hallie Rubenhold

By today’s standards, sadly, a mass murderer or serial killer who kills five women is hardly even worthy of front page news. But mention the name Jack the Ripper and most people will have at the very least heard the name and many will know he was a notorious killer from the late 1800’s, and… Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Biography, Book Reviews, Books, History, non-fiction, Reviews

November 10, 2020

NEXT TO LAST STAND – Craig Johnson

Sheriff Walt Longmire is still taking it kind of slow after his ordeal in Mexico (book #14 in the series) but as long as he’s still sheriff, he’s got some work to do. Walt pays visits periodically to the folks over at the Wyoming Home for Soldiers & Sailors, so he’s familiar with resident Charley… Continue reading

MYSTERY, Uncategorized, WESTERN

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews, Western