My Review of UnWelcome, by MJE Clubb

 (link to Goodreads page)

This was a fun and quick read. A troubled teen boy. A mother still reeling from the kidnapping of her daughter, a divorce, and the death of her ex, and now cancer. And then they bring in a demon-haunted mirror. All hell breaks loose.

My Review of The Fragile Blue Dot, by Ross West

(link to Goodreads review)

FIVE STARS

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of stories. All stories, in one way or another, use climate change as a plot driver, yet most do not actually dwell on the issue. Instead, the lives of the protagonists are influenced by it. Often the stories are set in the near future.

There's the documentarian who examines overpopulation and its effects on climate change, but has to deal with out of control fame and getting wrapped up into politics. There's the lifeguard who works in a domed, artificial beach and has a thing for a fellow lifeguard, but watches in despair as the theme park is turned into a museum about climate change and pollution. There's the climate change denier who can't seem to sell his gas-guzzling boat and takes things to an extreme. The out-of-touch dad who can't seem to understand why his teen daughter is staging a solo protest against the forces causing climate change, but is trying to understand her motivations. Or the academic who is pursuing her studies in climate change so much that her own marriage is falling into shambles. And so much more.

West tells all of these stories with excellent storytelling and well-edited. This is a must read for anyone curious about the effects of climate change on everyday lives.

Cheers and happy reading!

My Review of The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet, by Becky Chambers

 

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was longing for a good space opera scifi, and this story didn't let me down in that regard. The greatest strength of this book is the immersive way the reader is pulled into the characters and their interactions. This is, more than any other book I've recent in recent years, a fully character-driven novel. Chambers does an amazing job of describing the many different alien species, the interactions between crew members, and the differing ways they see the world through their respective lenses. She does so without being heavy-handed or info-dumping. It is done naturally, and you get to know the crewmembers in a very personal way despite them being very different alien species.

Do not expect a book full of action. In fact, there's almost no competition of any sort between characters, civilizations, or species. It's sort of nice, frankly. There are three or four points in story where there is tension, but it is over quickly. No one is shooting anyone else. No blaster fights or punching or anything. It's just a NICE read, which is refreshing. This is not a book for hard scifi or military scifi enthusiasts.

What the book lacks is a cohesive plot. It's basically a long series of character vignettes, with the loose thread of making a journey to a distant planet to "tunnel" a wormhole for the rest of space to travel there. [Slight spoiler] When they finally reach their destination, though, the end comes quickly and you are left realizing that the destination and the trip there were really just a macguffin. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I wasn't set up for that by anything in the description of the book or the initial "hook" (which had suggested the story was primarily around Rosemary faking her background and going on a long and dangerous journey, which turns out was only a small part of the book).

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My Review of The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles

 

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book wasn’t what I expected, and that’s a good thing. I like surprises. The characters are very individualized and three-dimensional. The story had twists and turns, and by the end you realize there are deeper meanings to it. I found myself relating to the characters in different ways. 18-year old Emmett has lost his father, his mother, and then his father’s farm, all while dealing with having just been released from a juvenile work farm for unintentionally killing another boy in a fight. Now he has to make a plan for himself and his 10-year old brother, Billy, to make a new life together. But Emmett’s well-laid plans to travel the Lincoln Highway from Nebraska to San Francisco to start that new life are thrown into chaos by the unexpected appearance of two other boys his age, Duchess and Wooly, both of whom had been at the work farm with him and escaped. Duchess is mercurial and chaotic, though often well-meaning, and Wooly is intellectually challenged, but kind. Along the way, the four boys come to meet some other notable characters who sometimes help them and sometimes challenge them.

There are some almost-spoilers below, so stop here if you worry about it….

The name of the book is a bit misleading. The Lincoln Highway is really a “McGuffin” in that it triggers the plot but isn’t actually the planned route they ultimately follow. I didn’t mind that, but it did break the “contract with the reader” if you will, from the initial plan that was laid out early in the book. Really, the plot is driven by Duchess, a troubled boy who has his own motivations, which he justifies in different ways, that throws everyone else’s plans asunder. Frankly, all of the characters have tragic histories, which makes them very interesting. Another oddity about this book is that it starts sort of in the middle of the story (which is actually a plot point stated by Billy, who is obsessed with a book about heroes and their journeys), and at the end of the book you realize that the story hasn’t really ended for some of the characters yet. None of these things really take away from the quality of the story, it’s just something to note that sets this book apart from others and makes it unique. I will say, though, that Duchess was so much the driver of the story that all the other characters were a little weaker for it, where they were mostly reacting to Duchess in one way or another.

One thing I definitely did not like, though, was that the dialogue is written without quotation marks. Rather, Towles uses a dash to signify when a speaker has started dialogue, but nothing to signify when they stop the dialogue. Thus, it was occasionally confusing when they stopped and the prose began. Towles also needed more dialogue tags, as sometimes I was confused who was speaking which sentences.

Be prepared that this has a bit of a tragic ending that left me concerned for the motives of some of the characters I’d come to like. But overall, it was a worthy read.

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My Review of Anathema, by Keri Lake

 

Anathema by Keri Lake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The good part about Anathema is that Lake has done a great job of worldbuilding. The magic system is reasonably unique, the land and civilizations are interesting, and there are unique and interesting monsters and supernatural creatures.

The story is told from the POV of two characters: Zevander, who is an assassin, and Maevyth, who is a waifish and innocent young woman. Zevander is a complex character with an interesting background, powerful in magic, and very dark and brooding, haunted by his past and his curse. Definitely an anti-hero. I enjoyed his part of the story. Zevander's part, and the worldbuilding, are the only reasons I bumped up to 3 stars.

Maevyth, on the other hand, is a very two-dimensional character and very weak. She (and to a slightly lesser degree, her sister) is constantly victimized. In fact, her entire community victimizes her, including her (stereotypical) evil stepmother and her lascivious uncles. So much so that nearly every page of her part of the story involves some sort of in-you-face disrespect or outright torment. Everyone is out to get her, and every man is lustful and rapey. It's so heavy-handed that it is nearly unreadable. It isn't entertaining. And just when you think she's finally escaped her repressive situation by fleeing to the other world through a portal, she is immediately captured, threatened with rape, and thrown in a cell. And then she is rescued... only to be thrown in a cell again. She doesn't drive her story, she just reacts to the constant victimization, pulled along by the winds of torment. Not fun. And then, in the midst of this victimization, somehow we are supposed to buy that she is getting attracted to and aroused by the other protagonist? It's the worst sort of forced romance.

The book then ends on a cliffhanger which is not satisfying in any way. I also didn't like the editing of this book, as there are frequent sentence fragments and modern allusions that bump me out of the story and setting. I don't recommend.

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My Review of "The Maid's Diary" by Loreth Anne White

 

The Maid's Diary by Loreth Anne White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story definitely has some twists in it. No spoilers, but it was getting to be near the end when a gigantic twist is revealed. Normally I see things coming, but this twist caught me by surprise. There is someone pulling all the strings, and they did it with panache. Another thing I liked about this book is that all of the characters in it are very three-dimensional, with complex backgrounds and skeletons in their closets. It leads the reader to wonder just who the bad guy is, and maybe the worst aren't actually the murderer.

White tells the tale from five points of view, which actually worked out okay. Stories with too many POVs can sometimes get a bit lost, but she held it together. But one thing that I found less than ideal was that there were two chronological storylines going at once: the "before the murder" storyline, told from the points of view of the three main protagonists involved in the crime, and the "after the murder" storyline, which is told from the POV of one of the detectives. I don't much care for jumping back and forth between chronologies like this, but I can see why the author did it: to put the reader into the mindsets of those involved in the crime, and the the other to piece the crime together afterward. Then it all comes together in the end. But not really my thing. The other thing that I didn't exactly love was how White uses "third person present tense" for everything other than the maid's (Kit's) diary entries. Again, I can see why she did it -- to put the reader in the moment -- but it doesn't lend itself to emotional storytelling, and sometimes the text read more like a police report and less like something I could get emotionally attached to.

Another thing that REALLY bothered me was that the author threw the reader a red herring at the end, which is typical for mystery stories (where there are many), but the one at the end was WAY too convenient to have me believe it. I can't say more without spoiling, but it involved the snooping old lady next door to the murder scene, and it had me rolling my eyes in annoyance. For this reason I wish I could drop from a rating of 4 to a 3.5, but half-stars aren't something I can put here.

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My review of Molting of A Queen by Peter J. Foote

 

Molting of a Queen: A sci-fi novella by Peter J. Foote
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nina, along with her boss and a helicopter pilot, flies through a portal during a oceanic storm and winds up crash-landed on an alternate world. They have to navigate an alien landscape to find a way back to Earth. Nina also navigates her own internal "landscape" and angst over her dead twin, as well as come to grips with her boss, a man who is standoffish and difficult to interact with. And then they meet the natives....

This was a quick and enjoyable read. A definite "alternate worlds" feel without the usual scifi tropes. Don't expect spaceships, militant violence, or damsels in distress. Foote tells the story while maintaining a strong female protagonist and a satisfying conclusion that, without giving too much away, doesn't resort to violent conquest.

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Cheers and happy reading!

My review of The Ship in the Hill by William L. Sullivan

 

The Ship in the Hill by William L. Sullivan


I was familiar with Bill Sullivan's hiking Oregon books, so it was a surprise to me that he writes historical fiction. I bought the book from him at one of his table events. I don't normally read historical fiction, so it took me a while to get round to it. Once I finally cracked it open, though, I was immediately hooked. His writing style is excellent, and well-edited.

The story bounces between ancient Viking era and early 1900s, weaving together the two stories in a very intriguing way with mysteries along the way that keep you turning pages. It is told from the standpoint of three different, strong female point of view characters. Really engaging. Highly recommended. I've already purchased the second book and will be reading it soon.

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Cheers and happy reading!

My review of The Gordon Place by Isaac Thorne

 

The Gordon Place by Isaac Thorne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very original horror!

Two news reporters come to a small town to make a puff piece about spooky tales. Little do they realize that they will witness, and become part of, a supernatural horror involving possession and a spirit dog. One of those reporters grew up there and must face her fears about her murdered parents. Meanwhile, the town constable returns to his childhood home, remembering his abusive father and his mother who disappeared, only to be possessed by his father's spirit.

The Gordon Place is unique in a number of ways: you get the perspective of what it's like to be possessed and seeing through the possessive spirits eyes and you experience a one-of-a-kind supernatural spirit beast. This story doesn't shy away from themes of bigotry, racism, and murder, so be prepared.

And stay out of the cellar!

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Cheers and happy reading!

My Review of "The Fallen Banner: Part I of the Chronicles of Aerothos" by Rob F. Nugent

The Fallen Banner: Part I of the Chronicles of Aerothos by Robert F. Nugent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Fallen Banner is sweeping in design. Fans of George R. R. Martin to the front! Like Martin's Song of Ice and Fire, the Fallen Banner tells the story of a vast continent through many point of view characters: a common soldier, a prince, a queen, a princess, others. As the continent fractures between multiple nations and war unfolds, each character is seen in their struggles to come to grips with the results, whether they fight or flee.

This isn't a book with elves or dragons. Rather, it is medieval warfare come to life in gritty detail and strategy. The author demonstrates a firm grasp of swordsmanship and armor. And yet, it isn't all in broad strokes. The characterizations are distinct and interesting, and you are swept along their personal stories.

It is a very long novel, but it is worth sticking with it. The tale continues into the sequel, and I am definitely purchasing the next one to see how the story progresses.

Cheers and happy reading!  

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Review of The Disappearance by Lisa Hodorovych

 

The Disappearance by Lisa Hodorovych
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ashlynn goes on a yearly retreat to a reclusive cabin in the woods of the Northwest with her brother, Glen, and two best friends, Roman and Kaden. But then they act odd and disappear without explanation, leaving her alone. Horrifying beasts stalk the woods around the cabin, but she can't just leave her loved ones behind. The help of an old friend, Jack, who happens to be a paranormal investigator, sheds light on the nature of these beasts and sparks more than a paranormal investigation...

The Disappearance is a quick read and a short novel, barely longer than novella length. It's a "gentle" paranormal story, something all too rare, in that it isn't focused on gore or gothic descriptions. Hodorovych leaves you feeling fulfilled with a sense of relationship, as the story is centered around the female protagonist and her devotion to the characters around her.

My main critiques are that I would have liked more scenic descriptions in the book (for instance, it takes place in the woods of the Northwest, but there's nary a description of ferns or fir trees), and I saw the plot twist coming long before the protagonist did. But Hodorovych demonstrates a mastery of writing craft and you feel the genuine emotions of the character as she navigates the challenges and searches for her missing loved ones against the threat of these cryptid creatures.

Cheers and happy reading!

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Review of Edge of the Breach by Halo Scot

Edge of the Breach by Halo Scot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Edge of the Breach is a deep and fascinating delve into darkness. Behold the birth of monsters and the redemption of the unredeemable.

Set far into the future in a cross-genre sci-fi/fantasy, after civilization has fallen and humanity has fled to the now-hot Antarctica, people struggle to keep society together by utilizing a brutal underbelly. At some point in the past, an interdimensional breach appeared in the heavens, introducing new gods and granting people magical powers based on the season.

The story is told from the point of view of a boy, Kyder, and a girl, Rune, who each fight their own demons and manage to survive at their wits end, both powerful in their respective magic, and both growing to adulthood and surviving on the streets to command their own groups. This is no story for the fainthearted! It is a "grimdark" story, and Halo Scot doesn't flinch from showing us the details of torture, pain, S&M, and forbidden sex. The gritty details lend a dark and realistic bent until, drawn along the current, you are pulled through the rapids of the streams of their lives until, at last, they join into a raging river.

The story is the beginning of a series that revolves around an interdimensional war. But that war only really comes into play at the end of this volume. That didn't matter to me. I was enthralled with story of the two characters and how the darkness and violence of their lives shaped them into terrifying yet relatable people just trying to climb to the top of the dogpile. Highly recommended.

Cheers and happy reading!

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Review of Edge of the Flame by James Aichinger

Edge of The Flame by James Aichinger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Edge of the Flame is a scifi re-telling of the "chosen one" sort of story. Aichinger has a good writing method and an imaginitive worldbuilding, spanning three worlds. The characters have complex backstories and stand out well from one another. The main villain is fairly unique with a power that is awe-striking and seemingly un-defeatable, and you find yourself wondering how they can manage to overcome him.

A young man who lacks memory of his childhood, Adanis, realizes his home town is in flames and all are destroyed, the result of an attack by powerful creatures (ironically) called "angels" at the behest of a villain named Arek, but he is quickly rescued by two brothers and arms experts, a techie named Rascelot and his powerful "malachi" brother Raphael. A malachi is like a mutant with superpowers. Adanis learns he isn't just a malachi, but a "valkiran" who is the fated chosen one to destroy Arek. But Adanis is naive and must quickly learn all he needs from the brothers in order to fulfill his role. What follows is a chase between worlds as they run from Arek and his minions to Earth, then try to be recognized as the valkiran in the coming battle for Earth. But all is not what it seems, and who can Adanis trust?

Personally, I'm not a fan of "chosen one" stories, and this story follows the (tired) traditional "Hero with a thousand faces" story progression... *but* there is a significant twist at the very end of the book, which has to do with his lack of memory and identity crisis. Unfortunately you have to read nearly all of the 160K words to get to it. Part of the reason for the length is that there are no less than 20 major characters, most of whom have point-of-view sections and side plots of their own, not all of which really seemed to be necessary for the main storyline, such as diplomats and their personal relationships to other diplomats, or an arms dealer and his shady history. I found the story got bogged down in these side plots by around 2/3 the way through the book. Also, despite the length of the book, the ending wraps up very quickly and I found myself a bit confused by the convenient manner in which it ended. Plus, some of those many side plots were not wrapped up at all. But it's not all bad. The side plots ARE interesting on their own, even if they don't lend much to the central storyline.

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Cheers and happy reading!

My Review of The Unstrung Harp by Edward Gorey

The Unstrung Harp by Edward Gorey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Poor Mr. Earbrass, facing the eccentricities and foibles of the creative process that all of us writers must endure, the endless editing, and the excruciating process of getting published!

This little book is a delight and a must-read for anyone who loves books or, particularly, is involved in making them. Gorey's illustrations are delightful, and though this is a quick read and an old-style writing (as is the setting), his wit is spot-on. Perhaps my favorite part is when he is nearing the end of his creation, where "the characters have one and all become thoroughly tiresome, as though he had been trapped at the same party with them since the day before; neglected sections of the plot loom on every hand, waiting to be disposed of; his verbs seem to have withered away and his adjectives to be proliferating past control."

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Cheers and happy reading!

A fantastic review of my horror collection, Around the Corner from Sanity

Quoth the Writer Book Reviews has regular reviews of books, author interviews (stay tuned for one with me!), and more.

Now they've just released an in-depth review of my collection of 14

The reviewer, Lisa Hodorovych, with her copy.

horror and paranormal humor stories, Around the Corner from Sanity. Some quotes from the review:

• "one of the main reasons I loved these stories was because you legitimately felt shivers coursing through your body, your heart skipping a beat, your eyes widening in fear, and just felt a real reaction to these stories."
• "He does a fantastic job of making you feel what the character’s feeling, of making you feel scared, of making you scream “Oh my gosh, run!” at the book. I was truly amazed."
• "The stories in it will shock you and horrify you, but some will also make you laugh. Jason does an excellent job of tying in different emotions or behaviors, like laughter, to make it more real."

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE.

You can also go to the book's Amazon page, where you can read all seven of the 5-star reviews that readers have left.

Cheers and happy reading!

Review of Mad Max: Fury Road (graphic novel prelude to the movie)

Mad Max: Fury Road by George Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't be more pleased with this graphic novel. The artistry is first-rate. The stories are compelling. and it has all of the post-apocalyptic nihilism and road-roaring rage of the movies, as well as the tough heart of the movie protagonists and heartlessness of the bad guys.

The movie started with some clear gaps that needed answering, and this book answers those. For instance, what was the story behind the "brides" and how Furiosa came to protect them? Or what's the backstory on Immortan Joe? The graphic novel also tells us the background for Nux, a couple novel stories for Max before he came to the movie, and even a chapter on the history of the War Rig!

Not only does it have the movie director, George Miller, at the helm, but veteran Mad Max storyboarder and artist Mark Sexton contributing to the art. Any fan of Mad Max should purchase and read this at once!

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BONUS! Click HERE to go to my YouTube Channel review of this graphic novel!

Cheers and happy reading!

My review of The Soft Fall by Marissa Byfield

The Soft Fall by Marissa Byfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dianna lost her mother at a young age and has been raised in a puritanical, patriarchal village of Awl-Feth by a loving but overbearing father who wants her not to make waves. He hunts the "demons" of the woods of Silbarren, massive werewolves, to keep her safe and avenge the death of his wife, and her brother, Liam, does his best to educate her and shelter her from the oppressive culture the best he can. But Dianna's sheltered life changes when one of those "demons" infects her to become one of them. Can she hide this curse? Or can she learn to embrace it?

For me this book was about change. The protagonist, a strong female character, changed not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. Yes, there's a change to that of a werewolf, but don't expect this to be like other werewolf stories. In the story things are not what they seem. And the protagonist realizes this as she goes on her journey of discovery of herself and of others. She fights a patriarchal and blind belief to open our eyes to what it really means to survive and to become part of a found-family. There is battle and blood, but there is also redemption. I highly recommend this fantasy novel.

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Cheers and happy reading!

My review of Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden

Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This graphic novel had a lot of unexpected turns. It was surprisingly moving, as it touched on important emotions.

Two young women unexpectedly come together as they seek to escape their lives and problems back home. Through beautiful graphics and dialogue, Walden portrays their emotional fragility as they travel through Texas, but through strange terrain and sometimes spooky moments. They also come across a lost cat, which turns out to have unexpected powers, and attempt to take it back to its home. There were times when I was a little lost about what the story was trying to tell me, such as by unexplained panels, or dialogue that wasn't fully fleshed out. But in a way I think Walden wants us to be a little lost, like the characters, so it worked. Be aware that there are a couple moments of "tough" content related to sexual identity and sexual assault. Though it isn't in any way graphic and is presented in a meaningful and thoughtful way, just be aware that this book may not be for the youngest readers or those who are easily triggered by such content. In the end, I think both characters come out of the experience a bit wiser about themselves and each other, though you are left with a bit of longing and worry for them.

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Cheers and happy reading!

My review of Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was a thrill to revisit Danny, all grown up and full of problems, and to watch as he finally overcame his demons and use his powers to help others. Then he mentors a child who is even more powerful than him and winds up helping defend her against the True Knot, a group of shining-eating entities that once were people.

There's a lot of great stuff in there. It's not a rehash of The Shining, but it certainly evokes memories of it. Doctor Sleep started a little slowly, and it definitely doesn't have the creepy feel that The Shining did. But Doctor Sleep is a more expansive story with a bigger picture. The character of Abra - the little girl that Dan helps - is very compelling and well-imagined. Her powers are incredible and, frankly, scary to imagine when hitched to the mind of a 12 year old.

No one can tell a story like King does, particularly when it comes to all the little stuff along the way and the dialogue that makes King so loved by the everyday reader. The tidbits of blue collar dialogue. The details of AA meetings and quotes. Snippets of well-placed lyrics and poetry. Little recurring visions.

From a writer's perspective, King had quite a few "point of view shifts", where the story suddenly jumps from one character's POV to another's. These annoyed me, but it's something King has always done. I prefer to stay in one character's POV until changing to another chapter. But this wasn't a big issue. The ending was satisfying to me, something I can't say about all of King's books.

One last comment: the book of Doctor Sleep follows the storyline of the book of The Shining. The movie does not. The movie for Doctor Sleep follows the storyline of the Kubrick movie for The Shining. And there are some HUGE differences between the book and the movie, like the ENTIRE ending. Both are equally satisfying, but in very different ways. Be sure to keep that in mind as you watch or read them back-to-back.

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Cheers and happy reading!

My review of "Diggum" by Isaac Thorne

Diggum by Isaac Thorne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a dark humor sort of paranormal short story available on Amazon for a dollar.

From Amazon: "Meet Diggum, the local graveyard caretaker, who lives in a small cottage at the edge of the lot. Diggum has spent most of his life angry with God, whom he blames for the devastating house fire that cost Diggum his family. But Diggum has a secret. It is a secret he will carry to his own grave. It is a secret that he hopes will finally get him his ultimate revenge on God."

My review:
I got a chuckle out of Diggum's dark humor. The main character had a very consistent, folksy voice. He was twisted in his logic, and his goal of burning remains so they didn't go to God was intriguing. Told in first person, it was a little window into the crazy old, murderous, cemetery caretaker's head. I won't give it away, but the ending is a paranormal treat. And I got some good laughs. Worth a dollar or a pound to purchase this quick read!

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Cheers and happy reading!