Looking For a Good Book

October 23, 2020

WOVEN – Michael Jensen & David Powers King

The literary world, especially YA, is filled with romantic fantasies – I assume it’s what the publishers see the readers wanting. It means that in order to stand out, the story needs to be unique and engaging, and Woven, by Michael Jensen and David Powers King does just that. Nels is a knight in all… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult
October 21, 2020

ACROSS THE GREEN GRASS FIELDS – Seanan McGuire

It’s not a secret that I’m a tremendous fan of Seanan McGuire’s work and no matter what kind of fantasy fiction you might like to read, McGuire probably writes it … and very well. Her Wayward Children series came on the scene in 2016 and everyone of them has been a really great read. And… Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SF/FANTASY, YA

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult
October 19, 2020

RUNNING WITH RHINOS – Ed Warner

Have you ever gone to a friend’s house to see photos and hear stories about their recent vacation? You reel with laughter at their exploits and gasp at their near-death experiences and at the end of the telling someone says, “You should write that down. It would make a great book!” This is that book.… Continue reading

MEMOIR, NON-FICTION

2 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Nature, non-fiction, Reviews
October 16, 2020

ALIVE IN SHAPE AND COLOR – anthology

Stories inspired by paintings? That makes a lot of sense. Stories, many by noted and respected authors, of classic, respected works of art? This should be really fantastic. Should be, but isn’t. In his foreword, editor Lawrence Block notes that this was to be a follow-up to his previous collection (In Sunlight or in Shadow)… Continue reading

SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, SF/Fantasy, Short Stories
October 14, 2020

SMOKE AND SUMMONS – Charlie N. Holmberg

Sandis does not have a lot of control over her own life. She can be turned into a horrible monster and forced to the bidding of an ancient entity that controls her. Unlike other ‘vessels’ controlled by spirits, Sandis can be inhabited by different spirits – all of them powerful and all of the evil… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

3 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy
October 12, 2020

DEJA VU – Ian Hocking

Saskia Brandt is a detective in the year 2023. She has returned from a vacation to find that her receptionist is dead and she is a leading suspect in the murder. In another part of the city, university professor David Proctor is informed that the very special computer he has on loan from the university… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

1 Star, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy
October 9, 2020

THE NATURALS – Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I am really sorry it took me so long to read this because this was wonderful. Cassie is a teen who is a natural at reading people. She’s never really thought of this as an exceptional talent other than how it has served her (winning big at poker, for instance). But others have noticed, and… Continue reading

MYSTERY, Uncategorized, YA

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews, Young Adult
October 7, 2020

FROM THE GRAVE – David Housewright

Rushmore ‘Mac’ McKenzie is a private investigator, a former police officer, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He left the force in order to accept the reward money from a case he had solved. Police officers can’t accept reward money. Now a case from his police days has come back to haunt him. Literally. One of Mac’s… Continue reading

MYSTERY, Uncategorized

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews
October 5, 2020

THE CAMBODIAN CURSE AND OTHER STORIES – Gigi Pandian

Gigi Pandian’s Jaya Jones Mysteries were a pleasant surprise for me. I’d discovered her Accidental Alchemist series by … well … by accident, and found them really unique and great fun to read. I sought out her other works and came across the Jaya Jones series. Think, female Indiana Jones, but cleverer. This book is… Continue reading

MYSTERY, SHORT FICTION

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Mystery, Reviews, Short Stories
October 2, 2020

SHADOWBLADE – Anna Kashina

Just as there are times when I go into a book, really looking forward to it and I end up disappointed, there are also times when I start a book with a bit of trepidation and wind up really liking it. The latter is the experience I had with Anna Kashina’s Shadowblade. Naia is a… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

4 stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult
September 30, 2020

THE INVASION – graphic novel

No. No, no, no. I absolutely loved The Animorphs book series by K.A. Applegate. I worked in a book store when they first started coming out and I was constantly recommending the series. The story in a nutshell: a group of young kids (Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias, and Marco) witness an alien spacecraft coming down… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

2 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews
September 28, 2020

A STAR-WHEELED SKY – Brad R. Torgersen

Based on a number of Brad R. Torgersen’s shorter works, I felt that Torgersen was one of the best sci-fi writers currently writing and I told him so in a Facebook message (to which he very kindly replied). But I have been less enthusiastic about his most recent novels, including this, A Star-Wheeled Sky. A… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

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