January 2021 – Looking For a Good Book

January 29, 2021

THE HEART OF THE CIRCLE – Keren Landsman

The Sons of Simeon are religious extremists in Israel. Their focus is finding and persecuting sorcerers. This not exactly in line with government law, but the government tends to look the other way. When a demonstration ends with a brutal murder, the empath Reed becomes the next target for the extremist groups. Reed has sorcerer Continue reading

ROMANCE, SF/FANTASY

2 Stars, Romance, SF/Fantasy

January 27, 2021

THE FEAR INSTITUTE – Jonathan L. Howard

This is book #3 (which of course means it’s the fifth book in the series, because there’s a #.5 and a #.75 before #1) and I’ve never read any of the other books. Certainly I’ve missed out on some character history and character-building, having not read the other books, but generally I didn’t feel I Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, Uncategorized

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

January 25, 2021

A TEST OF COURAGE – Justina Ireland

I am all in favor of anything that will get school-aged kids to read. Books based on a popular television or movie franchise are a great way to get kids reading, and is there any better franchise out there right now than the Disney-owned Star Wars series? There’s a new space station about to be Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, SF/FANTASY, YA

Children’s Books, Entertainment, science fiction, YA

January 22, 2021

MADE IN CHINA – Amelia Pang

Most of us in the Western world know that out of respect for the United States we shouldn’t but products made in China. But our reasons probably differ slightly. We’ve likely heard that Chinese workers earn a substantially low wage and they work long hours, which is how China can undercut other countries and their Continue reading

NON-FICTION

5 Stars, non-fiction

January 20, 2021

A DEATH IN SWEDEN – Kevin Wignall

Dan Hendricks is a former CIA agent, now an agent-for-hire. He’ll work for anyone or any country willing to pay his fee. Being a mercenary like this, usually tracking down criminals and working for those who may not trust him, has Dan constantly looking over his shoulder and fearing he’s not long for the world Continue reading

MYSTERY

2 Stars, Thriller

January 18, 2021

SHROUDED LOYALTIES – Reese Hogan

Mila Blackwood is a Naval officer with a secret … she, and others of her country, know how to ‘shroud.’ Shrouding is the ability to travel around the planet in a matter of seconds by using alternate realities. This is useful because Mila and her countrymen are currently at war and there are enemies everywhere. Continue reading

SF/FANTASY

3 Stars, SF/Fantasy

January 15, 2021

THE ECHO WIFE – Sarah Gailey

Evelyn Caldwell is an award-winning genetics researcher. A strong, motivated women, she is surprised when one morning she receives a phone call from a woman named Martine asking for Evelyn’s help. Evelyn’s husband, Nathan, is bleeding out in Martine’s kitchen. Martine, Evelyn learns, is Nathan’s mistress. So why would she call Evelyn for help? Martine Continue reading

SF/FANTASY

4 stars, SF/Fantasy, Thriller

January 13, 2021

MULTIPLE LISTINGS – Tracy McMillan

Nikki Daniels is a single mother of a teenage boy, Cody. She owns her own business (home appraisal) and she’s got a younger boyfriend (Jake) with whom she’s hoping to start a new business. It’s an ideal life, right? Except it’s not as ideal as it might appear on the surface. Nikki wants to Continue reading

OTHER, Uncategorized

4 stars, ChickLit

January 11, 2021

THE DAMNATION GAME – Clive Barker

I’ll repeat this every time I read a horror novel … novel-length horror is difficult sustain. There are very few names that stand out in this field because so few can doo this well. Clive Barker is among those few. Poland at the end of World War II. Our protagonist, unnamed, a thief, is looking Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror

Horror/Dark Fantasy

January 8, 2021

CHASING DRAGONFLIES – Cindy Crosby

I know next to nothing about dragonflies and damselflies but I’ve been very interested in learning more, and when I saw this book available, I was eager to request a copy. The title, Chasing Dragonflies, really spoke to me, and I love the painted rather than photo cover. Chasing Dragonflies is an apt title as author Cindy Continue reading

MEMOIR, NON-FICTION

4 stars, Memoir, Nature, non-fiction

January 6, 2021

SOLOMON THE PEACEMAKER – Hunter Welles

Vincent Alan Chell has a lot to say. He talks about his wife, Yael, who committed suicide. He talks about a cult group that meets in a church basement. And he talks about the robots serving mankind and how the Peacemaker – an artificial intelligence – has been controlling the peace for decades. Vincent Alan Continue reading

SF/FANTASY

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

January 4, 2021

STARSHIP REPO – Patrick S. Tomlinson

What happens if you don’t make your payments on the starship you’re flying? It gets repossessed, of course. But what does it take to repossess a starship? Firstname Lastname is about to find out. Firstname Lastname is a young woman (and yes, that’s really her legal name, due to a clerical error, but she goes Continue reading

HUMOR, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Humor, science fiction