5 Stars – Page 5 – Looking For a Good Book

July 22, 2024

DUNGEONS AND DRAMA – Kristy Boyce

Riley loves musical theatre. After high school she plans to study theatre and ultimately become a director on Broadway. But how is any of that going to happen if she doesn’t get experience now? And when the school board, in all its uneducated wisdom, decides to ‘save money’ by cancelling the annual musical production, Rile… Continue reading

Uncategorized, YA

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, Young Adult

June 24, 2024

BLUE RUIN – Hari Kunzru

At one time, Jay was a working artist in London. A graduate of a prominent London art school, he was heading toward greatness and everyone he knew seemed to have his path as a celebrated artist already paved for him. But now Jay is living out of a car in upstate New York, an undocumented… Continue reading

OTHER, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Literature, Reviews

June 7, 2024

GREATEST HITS – Harlan Ellison

Harlan Ellison was a prominent literary, sci-fi (but don’t use that term! call it speculative fiction!) figure in my formative reading years. I met him at conventions and book signings many times (the first time in 1976) and always enjoyed his wit, intelligence, and fervor when he railed against something … and he always railed… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

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

March 15, 2024

CONAN THE BARBARIAN: BOUND IN BLACK STONE – graphic novel

I have not been this excited about a Conan graphic novel or comic book since the 1970’s! The story is set early in Conan’s life (it’s his first encounter with Thulsa Doom) but it is not (thankfully) an ‘origin’ story. Even so, those not familiar with the character will get a good understanding of who… Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized

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

March 11, 2024

BLACK RIVER ORCHARD – Chuck Wendig

In the rural town of Harrow there is an orchard. An unusual orchard with seven unusual trees. The trees produce an apple that is such a deep red as to be almost black. The taste of the apple is incredibly sweet and eating an apple from one of these trees will have you wanting another.… Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

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

February 16, 2024

GENTLE WRITING ADVICE – Chuck Wendig

If you walk into a bookstore you can hardly turn around without seeing a “How to Write” type of book. For a time, I enjoyed reading a lot of them and noting what they had in common (the advice that was always there) and what was unique to that particular author. But that was decades… Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, non-fiction, Reviews, writing

January 25, 2024

THE HUNGER AND THE DUSK – graphic novel

I really liked this book. I’ve been interested in reading more graphic novels lately, but have been somewhat disappointed by the offerings. This looked interesting, but I know that graphic novel covers are often not what the interior art looks like. Not so in this case. The artwork inside is just as nice as this… Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

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

December 29, 2023

OLIVER TWIST – Charles Dickens

CLASSICS WEEK I remember reading Oliver Twist back in high school (oh, the snickering over the name of the character of Master Bates) but that was a long time ago and so, since I had a free copy from Open Road Media on my Kindle, I thought I’d give it another read. This book definitely… Continue reading

OTHER, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Classic, Reviews

December 7, 2023

OF TIME AND TURTLES – Sy Montgomery

Sy Montgomery will probably always be best known as the author of The Soul of an Octopus but the fact is that all of her books are beautiful testaments to nature and the animal kingdom. Of Time and Turtles, Montgomery’s newest work, is another powerful book in her body of work. While The Soul of an Octopus really brought an… Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Nature, non-fiction, Reviews

December 5, 2023

THE TAINTED CUP – Robert Jackson Bennett

Robert Jackson Bennett is easily one of my favorite authors currently writing in the sf/f field. His world-building is strong, detailed, and comes across so very real. His stories are complex and while not always described, there is clearly history and future to the current events. And his characters are unique and admirable for their… Continue reading

MYSTERY, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

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

December 1, 2023

THE CLIMATE BOOK – Greta Thunberg

About a year ago I watched a documentary about Greta Thunberg (she would be disheartened to know I watched it while on a flight) and my impression of the young lady was very positive. Now, having read this book, I have to say that she is an incredibly impressive, very well-spoken, intelligent young woman. Her… Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Environment, non-fiction, Reviews

November 16, 2023

THE WINE-DARK SEA – Robert Aickman

I don’t remember when I first read a Robert Aickman story, but I think it was sometime in the mid-to-late 1970’s. My reaction then was the same as now … wow. Robert Aickman’s work is some of the best horror/dark fantasy fiction I’ve read. These stories are so tightly written – no word or thought… Continue reading

Dark Fantasy/Horror, SHORT FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Reviews, Short Stories