Sunday, January 31, 2016

Bad Luck (The Bad Books) by Pseudonymous Bosch

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked up this book. It actually turned out to be a funny and interesting read even though I have not read the first book in the series.
Clay is spending his summer vacation at Earth Camp on Prince Island. It seems ho-hum but it just so happens that this is a secret camp for kids with magical talents. Clay finds a mysterious cave, encounters a boy who was thrown off of a ship by his father, and finds something very magical in the cave. It turns out that the castaway boy's father has evil plans for what is in the cave and it is up to Clay and his friends to save the day.
I think it would be a wonderful read for children around late elementary school and up who love magic, adventure and mystery. My son who is 7 actually started reading this when I wasn't looking and is interested in the book. Even though I am an adult, I am planning to read the first book because I really enjoyed the author's humor which shined all through the book.

Four out of Five Stars

Thursday, January 28, 2016

The New Indian Slow Cooker: Recipes for Curries, Dals, Chutneys, Masalas, Biryani, and More by Neela Paniz

I love Indian food especially curry. I adapted one of the recipes a bit for butter chicken and it was delicious. I would never have thought that you could cook a curry in a slow cooker but yes you can! Next I will try a jhalfreze my personal favorite.

Four out of Five Stars

Supernatural Serial Killers: What Makes Them Murder? by Samantha Lyon, Dr Daphne Tan

I have always been interested in true crime and what makes serial killers tick so as a result I am a huge fan of Ann Rule because she wrote about true crime cases clinically but with compassion and without a trace of sensationalism (unlike a book I ended up putting down because the crimes were described with such glee and enjoyment). Supernatural Serial Killers by Samantha Lyon is definitely not like the book I put down in disgust. This book discusses in detail selected cases of serial killers who in some way have a connection with the supernatural. Each killer is examined in detail (as much as possible with available information). There is a focus on their childhoods with particular emphasis on abusive childhoods and head injuries. At the end of each chapter, the author examines the psychology of each killer and what "class" of killer they are. There are comparisons concerning the childhoods, early psychology, and the effect head injuries possibly had with the serial killers examined. The cases are discussed quite graphically sometimes but in such a way that it adds to the understanding of the killers character and is not sensational in any way. In short, I found this book to be well written and well researched and was quite informative. I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

Four out of Five Stars

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Trudeau: La Vie En Rose by George A Walker

I was very impressed by the talent shown in this book on Pierre Trudeau. The engravings show much of Trudeau's legacy and is a fitting homage to a man who helped shape Canada into the beautiful country it is today. Each engraving is paired (near the end of the book) with a brief description detailing what the engraving represents.

Four out of Five Stars

Friday, January 22, 2016

At Hell's Gates by Devan Sagliani

There is so much to like about this anthology. You have some great writers creating interesting worlds. You have zombies and a few other beasties galore. The best part is that all proceeds from the sale of the anthology is going to go to a very good cause: The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to serve wounded soldiers and their families. 
I loved the stories in At Hell's Gates so much that I ended up reading it as slow as I could reading one short story per night to make it last longer. I also took notes of some author's names as I was so impressed by the stories they contributed. If you love horror and zombies don't miss this one plus it goes to a wonderful cause. Highly recommended.

Four out of Five Stars

Life After Dane by Edward Lorn

This is the first book I have read by Edward Lorn and I have to say he has gained a fan. I love his descriptive style of writing and how he slowly builds the sense of horror. It is also the first book I have read where I wish I could jump in the pages and give a few people a smack or two. The only persons I actually did like were a little boy who had no one who would protect him, and another little boy who seems to be heading towards the same fate as the first boy. No, it doesn't make sense but then I am not going to give anything away about this book. The book is quite misleading the way it starts.
A mother has to watch the execution of her only son who happens to be a serial killer known as the Rest Stop Dentist Killer. After she is back home trying to restart her life, she is haunted by what she thinks are hallucinations of her dead son visiting her. To her growing horror, she realizes that Dane Peters is haunting her and has a quest for her to complete. What follows is an increase in Dane's otherworldly powers and an ever growing level of horror. 
I will be honest. This was a VERY tough book for me to read. Edward Lorn artfully flips from the present horror to the past where we learn how and why Dane Peters became what he was. I am a mother and it was very difficult to read what Dane went through as a child and how his own mother refused to protect him. Yes, Ella Peters is one of the main characters I wish I could really have a "talk" with. Overall, the book is a fantastic read and I absolutely loved the twist at the end. 

Four out of Five Stars

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Dark Matter: A Novel by Blake Crouch

Blake Crouch has outdone himself with this one. It is a science fiction thriller that ended up keeping me up way past my bedtime. Jason Dessen is walking home through the streets of Chicago and looking forward to a family evening with his wife and teenage son when he is kidnapped at gunpoint. What follows is an incredible and exciting journey through parallel worlds and the age old question: Who am I and what makes me unique. Highly recommended. I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

Four out of Five Stars

A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry

All I can say is "wow"! I was intrigued but a little dubious at first about this book but wanted to give it a shot. I am glad that I did because it turned out to be a very original and lyrical story that is different from anything I have read before. I had assumed it would be a fantasy novel with magic galore but it is much more than that. There is the sense of fables and myths but also a murder mystery. I like the fact that the main protagonist is male and also that the book takes place in Puerto Rico about which I knew next to nothing. 
Young girls are disappearing and it is up to seventeen year old Lucas to find out how the legend of a cursed girl with green skin and grass for hair fits into the mystery.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley (thank you so much!) for free in exchange for an honest review.

Four out of Five Stars

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Liar: A Memoir by Rob Roberge

This was really a tough book to read. I had to keep putting it down to compose myself and then go back to reading it. It is a very blunt and vivid account of bipolar illness combined with alcohol/drug addiction. I also felt that the author was very self destructive (passive death wish) as well. Some other reviewers commented about the way the book is formatted. It jumps from present to past and back again and yes it took a bit of getting used to but it made me feel like I was sitting across from the author reminiscing about his life experiences rather than an arranged chronological autobiography. It made me sad but also amazed at the author's strength and courage in relating something so personal. Mental illness is not often talked about in the open so I appreciate the opportunity to try to understand how it feels and affects someone who does have it. Well worth reading if you don't mind taking the time to understand why the book was written the way it was. I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

Three out of Five Stars

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Weird Edmonton by Mark Kozub

This book was so much fun to read. It turns out that there is much I didn't know about Edmonton. It covers everything from Bigfoot to Festivals to Eccentric Edmonton characters. Well worth reading!

Four out of Five Stars

Demonic County Durham: Axe Murder in Ferry-Hill near Durham 1682: An In-Depth Investigation by Darrell Nixon

I think most people are aware of the "Indian Wars" of the west but not many know about the War in the Deep South. I found this book to be very interesting, well researched, and very well written. It is a short discussion of this lesser known subject but covers so much. Highly recommended.

Three out of Five Stars

The Wild Wild West in the Deep South: The Second Seminole War (Native American History Book 2) by Dwayne Walker

I think most people are aware of the "Indian Wars" of the west but not many know about the War in the Deep South. I found this book to be very interesting, well researched, and very well written. It is a short discussion of this lesser known subject but covers so much. Highly recommended.


Five out of Five Stars

Security by Gina Wohlsdorf

Security is an unusual novel in the sense of the way it was written. It jumps from killer to future victim without warning and I found it a bit disconcerting. That being said, I stayed with the novel and ended up staying up late to finish it. Tessa and her employees are getting ready for the Manderley Resort to open in 24 hours and there is so much to do. What they don't know is that they are being stalked and picked off one by one by a killer. While I found the sudden rekindling of a romance detracted from the novel a bit, it was redeemed by the addition of a "hero" who oversees the entire tragedy. In the end, I was glad I stuck with the novel especially since I ended up really feeling for the "hero". I don't like spoilers so I won't say more about that lol. In any case, this is a book worth reading if you don't mind an unusual style of writing (you do get used to it) and is an exciting read. I also agree that I like the original read cover rather than the cover shown here. I received a copy of this novel for free from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Four out of Five Stars

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Dissension (Chronicles of the Uprising Book 1) by K.A. Salidas

I am actually reading a Supernatural series of books of which this is one. Dissension is by far my favorite of the ones I have read so far. After a cataclysm nearly wipes out all life on Earth, the survivors reemerge to discover that not all of them are human anymore. Some are now vampires. Humans enslave the vampires and force them to act as gladiators much like the Romans of long ago. One vampire named Mira is legendary and rebellious. This story has a great story line and is well written. I didn't want it to end and can't wait to read the second in the series. Highly recommended.

Four out of Five Stars

Enslaved (The Last Orphans #3) by N.W. Harris

Enslaved is the third novel in a fantastic YA science fiction post-apocalyptic series by N.W. Harris. This book continues the story of what happens when all the adults in the world die and only children are left. I really don't want to give anything away in case anyone wants to start reading the first one (highly recommended by the way) so all I will say is that Enslaved is a smooth transition from the second novel which is not easy to do sometimes. I love the story line which keeps getting better and better and I also really like how the author is slowly developing the main characters. This is a series not to miss.

Five out of Five Stars