Looking For a Good Book

November 7, 2014

THE CUTTING ROOM – Ellen Datlow, editor

Editor Ellen Datlow puts together some really good books and this might be one of my favorite to date. Dark fantasy/horror stories strung along a theme of films and filmmaking. What a brilliant concept. There are some well-known authors included here (such as Dennis Etchison, F. Paul Wilson, Peter Straub, and Laird Barron) as well… Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Reviews, Short Stories
November 6, 2014

THE LAST TEMPTATION (20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION) – Neil Gaiman graphic novel

Neil Gaiman has the Midas touch when it comes to anything in the publishing industry, graphic novels in particular. Of course he’s earned that through hard work and awesome writing. But even Midas had his early years. I really respect Gaiman’s work, though I wouldn’t count myself among his most ardent fans (perhaps because I… Continue reading

ENTERTAINMENT, GRAPHIC NOVEL

Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, Graphic Novels, Reviews
November 5, 2014

ALL ABOUT MARVELOUS ME! – Becky J. Radtke

What a great book. I wish my children were of the appropriate age for this, though I was thinking how much fun it might be to have some high school students complete an activity book like this and then share the results with the younger elementary students. This is, as I say, an activity book,… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Reviews
November 4, 2014

SHADOW OF DOUBT – Nancy Cole Silverman

A Hollywood agent is found dead in her bathtub and the initial report is that it’s accidental. But when Carol Childs, a reporter for a local radio station, learns that there was another death under very similar circumstances, she grows suspicious. When the death is ruled a homicide and Carol’s friend and neighbor is the prime… Continue reading

MYSTERY

Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews
November 3, 2014

ARTFUL – Peter David

If Charles Dickens wrote horror fiction today, he would have written something very much like this. I must admit that when I requested and downloaded this book, I did so first because I recognize author Peter David as being a fine writer, and second because I thought that this might be a novel focussing more… Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Reviews
October 31, 2014

THE WHISPERS – Lisa Unger

Publishers will resort to a lot of ‘gimmicks’ in order to sell books. I’ve worked in bookstores and libraries and with publishers, and I understand the marketing desire to one-up the competition. And so, when I received notice of advanced short stories as a prelude to a novel, I was just a little skeptical. But… Continue reading

SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, Short Fiction
October 30, 2014

A CHRISTMAS TREASURY – collection

THROWBACK THURSDAY: REVIEWING A REISSUE Ah, sweet nostalgia! This book is a throwback to a simpler and often more elegant time. Dover Publications has put together a collection (or ‘treasury’) of stories, poems, and illustrations from the turn of the century. Clement Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas” is a perennial classic and would be obvious… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, OTHER, Uncategorized, YA

Art, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Holiday, Reviews
October 29, 2014

THE FLASH, VOL. 4: REVERSE – graphic novel

I am not a regular reader of any comic book or graphic novel title, though there was a time when I was. I say this because maybe it’s important to know that I am not up to speed (pun intended) on the three previous volumes of the “New 52” Flash books. And…that might be important.… Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews
October 28, 2014

4 TO 16 CHARACTERS – Kelly Hourihan

**WARNING — POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD!** Well…this makes me feel old. I liked the idea of writing a YA book in a way that YA readers could relate to it. This book is written as though its main characters were communicating through various social media sources (though oddly enough NOT through a Twitter-type account which would… Continue reading

Uncategorized, YA

Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, Young Adult
October 27, 2014

ETIQUETTE & ESPIONAGE – Gail Carriger

Who hasn’t imagined themselves as a spy? Spy books are great escapist fiction because most of us, at one time or another, have secretly fantasized about how much fun it would be to be a spy. Here in Etiquette & Espionage, the first book in the “Finishing School” series by Gail Carriger, Carriger combines spy… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult
October 24, 2014

BEST TO LAUGH – Lorna Landvik

I recognize Lorna Landvik’s name as an author whom many people I know really enjoy reading. I had never read any of her work, so when this ARC was available to me, I was delighted to give it a read. Best to Laugh is almost autobiographical and at the very least, an homage to Landvik’s early… Continue reading

ENTERTAINMENT, OTHER, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, Literature, Reviews
October 23, 2014

STORM FRONT – Jim Butcher

THROWBACK THURSDAY: REVIEWING A BOOK FROM MY LIBRARY I’m very familiar with The Dresden Files, having seen episodes of the series on the SciFi Network; read some of the graphic novels; and read short stories of the series in various anthologies, but I’d yet to read the actual book series. And while I’ve been fortunate… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy