Looking For a Good Book

September 23, 2016

RED RISING – Pierce Brown

One of the problems with doing book reviews as much and as often as I do, is that I often have to pick and choose which of the plethora of books I will read next. And even with five books a week, I can’t get to them all. Not reading Pierce Brown’s Red Rising until… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult
September 22, 2016

CROWDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE – Dr. Bo Brock

It definitely takes a special sort of person to go in to the business of helping and caring for animals. Maintaining a sense of humor definitely helps as animals can often be even more unpredictable than humans as patients. Veterinarian Dr. Bo Brock not only maintains his sense of humor, but shares it through a… Continue reading

MEMOIR, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Memoir, non-fiction, Reviews
September 21, 2016

THE YEAR’S BEST MILITARY & ADVENTURE SF 2015 – David Afsharirad, editor

I have been a fan of the short story for a very long time and there were years when I read more short story collections than novels. But if you had asked me, even a year ago, if I would have been interested in reading a collection of “military and adventure science fiction” stories I… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, SHORT FICTION

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Short Stories
September 20, 2016

MONSTRESS #1 & #2 – comic book

This first issue of Monstress from Image Comics has everything I love about the ‘indy’ comics companies (if Image can still be considered ‘indy’). Absolutely stunning art and a story that is dark, dangerous, and so sooo compelling. Humans, mutants, and monsters live together in a world where the humans have enslaved the mutants and… Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

4 stars, 5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, comic book superheroes, Graphic Novels, Reviews
September 19, 2016

THE BLACKHOUSE – Peter May

Fin Macleod was raised on the Isle of Lewis and is now being sent back to investigate a harsh murder that bears a remarkable similarity to a murder that occurred in Edinburgh. Fin is trying to determine if there is a connection. But returning to the island brings back memories and recollections from the locals… Continue reading

MYSTERY, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews
September 17, 2016

URBAN WATERCOLOR SKETCHING – Felix Scheinberger

I’ve read a number of art how-to books over the years and consider myself a talented amateur (I began my university studies as an art student) and I can say, unequivocally, that this is one of the best how-to books I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. Author/artist Felix Scheinberger writes in a very natural,… Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, non-fiction, Reviews
September 16, 2016

THE JOLLY CORONER – Quentin Canterel

This was certainly one of the most interesting books I’ve read in quite some time. I’m not sure how one would define this. Quirky romance? Bizarre-o horror? Oddball thriller? I also don’t think I’ve ever gone through as much of a pendulum swing in liking/disliking a book, while reading it, as I did with this.… Continue reading

HUMOR, OTHER, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Literature, Reviews
September 15, 2016

THE ZOMBIE STORIES OF H.P. LOVECRAFT – H.P. Lovecraft

THROWBACK THURSDAY: REVIEWING A REISSUE Does anyone write psychological horror better than Howard Phillips Lovecraft? I first started reading Lovecraft when I was a teen and much of his work was a little more than I could understand. But thanks to many publishers re-issuing his works (such as this collection), I’ve been fortunate to re-familiarize… Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Short Stories
September 14, 2016

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE – Ian Fleming

Of course I am familiar with the James Bond films, and while I own a number of the books, I hadn’t gotten around to reading any of them (still haven’t). When I saw this audio book available at my local library, I decided my commute to work would be a great time to finally experience… Continue reading

MYSTERY, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Audio Book, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews, Thriller
September 13, 2016

THE MUNCHKIN BOOK – James Lowder, editor

If you are any kind of geek at all, you already know about the card game Munchkin and many of its variants. But what do you really know about the game, the creators and many of its bizarre rules? This collection of (mostly) humorous essays gives the reader and game player a peek of the Munchkin… Continue reading

MEMOIR, NON-FICTION, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, Games, Humor, Memoir, non-fiction, Reviews
September 12, 2016

PLAYING TYLER – T. L. Costa

**WARNING! — THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!** This was an interesting read and a difficult book to rate and review. First off, this is YA. The category of YA is pretty wide open, but it follows a couple of YA tropes. First off, the protagonists are teens. That a requirement for YA. Secondly, the parents are… Continue reading

Uncategorized, YA

3 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, Thriller, Young Adult
September 9, 2016

HIDDEN THUNDER: ROCK ART OF THE UPPER MIDWEST – Geri Schrab & Robert F. Boszhardt

I’m not sure when I first saw a petroglyph, but over the last twenty years or so, my wife and I have done a great deal of traveling to state and national parks and at so many of them we’ve noted and photographed petroglyphs. I am fascinated by visual arts in general, and when I… Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

4 stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, History, history book, non-fiction, Reviews