Tag: book reviews

Book Review: Moonlight Beach: Murder and Magic

January 20, 2023

Title: Moonlight Beach: Murder and Magic
Author: Yuri Kiri
Genre: Murder Mystery; fantasy
Year Published: May 14, 2019

Date Started:January 2, 2023
Date finished: January 6, 2023

This story opens up with a murder and the detective is having a difficult time finding who did it. Alongside this murder story is a story about a few women and men who are into doing special drugs and calling on spiritual beings. The two stories eventually converge with all the pieces coming together cohesively.

What intrigued me most about this story was the fantasy aspect of it. Even though I don’t often read murder mysteries, I’ve often enjoyed them. This one was no doubt a great murder mystery. I also found humor in the writing which I enjoyed as well. Adding the fantasy element to it was like the cherry on top. I personally have never read anything like this, or if I did, it must have been ages go. I love fantasy and this one didn’t disappoint.

Overall, this book was well written with strong characters and a pretty good plot. I think a little more focus/depth on just a couple of characters would also make the story even better. The pacing was on-point for this genre. There were things about this story that I felt was not believable, like the doctor simply accepting the lung donation from the father of the child needing it. I had to really think about that. I have no idea how organ donation is done in real life (the actual process), but I have the feeling it’s probably a little more complex than showing up to the doctor with an organ. But you know, I did enjoy the idea of just being able to do that. The overall theme and conflict were nicely done. This is definitely a fun read and would be well worth your time.

Who should read this book: If you enjoy murder mystery with a bit of dark humor and fantasy, you’ll like this one.

Book Review: Dear Edward (Feb. 2020)

January 19, 2023

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano is about Edward. He is the youngest of a family of four who survived a plane crash. The story touches on a few of the passengers on the plan who died in the crash. At first it may not seem important but at the end, the relatives and friends of these people come forward to share their stories with him with a few asking for his help.

Edward befriends a neighbor girl and they grow together with the girl helping him through tough times.

This was a happy ending story. Napolitano said it’s based on facts from a real-life situation. I’m glad that the story turned out to be a happy one.

Note: I read this book for the Barnes and Noble Book Club in February 2020, just before COVID hit. I don’t know why I didn’t post it here, but wanted to share it because a T.V. show has been made about this story. It will air on February 3rd on Apple TV+. I don’t have Apple TV+ so I won’t be able to watch it, but it does look like it’d be a good show. Here’s the trailer.

Year in Books On Goodreads and Top 5 Favorites

December 31, 2022

I’m not ready for 2022 to end yet, but it is coming to an end, and it’s time to share my list of books read and favorite books of the year. I didn’t do this last year or the year before but figured I should start doing this just as a way to keep track of what I’ve read as well as to share with you in hopes that you might find something that interests you.

You can read all my reviews on Goodreads by going here.

Here are my top favorites by genre:

Sci-fi:

Anthem by Ayn Rand

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Fantasy:

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

General Fiction:

Bartholomew by Mark Lages

Nonfiction:

The Combat Diaries by Mike Guardia

My all-time favorite was Anthem by Ayn Rand. It wasn’t a very long read yet was able to tell a well-rounded dystopian story about power struggle and self-identity. My least favorite read was probably Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica. I’ve reviewed it on Goodreads but didn’t get a chance to post it here. I hope to post all the books I read this year here within the first part of 2023.

Cheers, and have a wonderful New Year!

A Free Book from Author Mark Lages

October 1, 2021

If you enjoy literary fiction with strong moral themes and a bit of satire and dark humor, Mark Lages is the guy for you. He also writes science fiction, so if you’re like me, you’ll probably be tempted to choose Mr. Booker’s Summer Vacation. I received this book for free as a subscriber to his newsletter. If you’d like to receive a free book from Lages, sign up for his newsletter and he’ll ship one out to you—of your choice. And he’s got quite a list! The images are only of those books that I have. He’s not paying me to share this information. I just think he’s a great writer with beautiful pros and thought provoking messages. You can drop by his website at https://marklages.com/ to subscribe. His offer ends October 15, 2021. Let me know how you like his stories. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

Book Review: The Phantom of Faerie Mountain

April 10, 2021

Title: The Phantom of Faerie Mountain
Author: E.M. McIntyre
Genre: Fantasy, YA, Middle-grade
Year Published: 2015

Date finished: April 9, 2021

The Phantom of Faerie Mountain, by E.M. McIntyre is a young adult/middle-grade fantasy story about a fourteen-year-old girl named Abby who finds herself in a world of magic and mystery.

This was a really fun read! Abby is a curious girl with a big heart. She’s not afraid of danger and will do whatever it takes to find out the truth. She also learns some secrets about her own family and herself.

This is a great story for young readers. It would also be a great bed-time story to read to the little ones. The dangers, the friendships, the talking dog, etc. all play an important role in Abby’s journey. I really liked Rory’s character. I loved his accent.  

Who should read this: Everyone. It’s the kind of book that takes you away from reality and into a fun magical world. There’s no gore or deadly violence so all can enjoy it.

Book Review: Jonathan’s Vows

March 31, 2021

Title: Jonathan’s Vows
Author: Mark Lages
Genre: Literary fiction
Year Published: 2021

Date finished: March 30, 2021

Jonathan’s Vows by Mark Lages is a literary fiction novel about a young man who is about to get married and is writing his vows. In the process he reflects on his life. The story begins with the wedding and leads to the honeymoon, to buying his first house, to having his first child, and so on. There is sort of a chronological order to this story yet includes stories that are out of order. And, it’s written like a memoir yet includes a second person point-of-view: his wife. This is uniquely done.

I loved this book! The style is very different from anything I’ve read. Lages took something so simple and created this beautiful story about a man’s journey through life—through ups and downs. In the end, you’re left feeling like life is okay. If you’re ever too hard on yourself, read this book. It will make you see yourself in a much kinder way. It put a smile on my face. I laughed at times and sympathized other times. It’s wonderfully written.

Who should read this book: Everyone. It’s a book that we can all learn from. There are no lessons to teach and there are no end goals. It’s a simple story about one man’s life, yet there is so much to get out of.

Book Review: Gideon the Ninth

March 31, 2021

Title: Gideon the Ninth
Author: Tamsyn Muir
Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian, Grimdark
Year Published: 2019

Date finished: March 25, 2021

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir is a dark fantasy about a sort of princess, known as the Reverend Daughter, and her guard/soldier/protector. They were invited to an event where the game was about who wins and who dies. The soldier, Gideon, initially had no interest in being a part of this. She had her own plans to escape the House, but the Reverend Daughter found a way to keep her from leaving. The event was super brutal and extremely gory.

A couple of things I really enjoyed about this book:

  1. The writing is beautiful. The prose is very unique and left me completely amazed.
  2. The relationship between Gideon and the Reverend Daughter was superb. It starts out with both women detesting each other. One would not give in to the other. With the Reverend Daughter having most of the control, she was able to force Gideon to do as she says. The two eventually began to understand each other and eventually got on good terms. I thought this was nicely done.

One thing I want to point out is that the style of writing can be difficult to understand. I found myself looking up quite a few words. The story style reminds me of Dune by Frank Herbert. It’s a very complex storyline with layers and a lot of characters to remember. The world was fascinating. It’s got swords, magic, skeletons, trains, futuristic things.

I really enjoyed this book. I believe the relationship leaned toward LGBT, but it wasn’t in-your-face. I didn’t get that impression at all. It was subtle. You knew, but it wasn’t forced.

Who should read this: All lovers of fantasy, magic, future worlds, and horror and gore. The worldbuilding is extravagant. It’s a really amazing book.

Book Review: Dark Lover

March 29, 2021

Title: Dark Lover      
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Erotica
Year Published: 2018

Date finished: March 10, 2021

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward is an urban fantasy erotica romance about a vampire named Wrath who was asked to turn a half human half vampire woman into full vampire. Before he even considered doing the job, he’d already fallen in love with her. There’s more to the story but this is basically what I got out of it.

The romance came on quickly. There was no doubt between Wrath and the woman. The erotica was subtle. I’ve read erotica where the erotica was the focal point. Not so in this story. There’s a relationship.

Overall, I enjoyed it. This was my first urban fantasy vampire romance novel. The only other vampire story I read was I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, but it was in a totally different genre (sci-fi apocalyptic dystopian) so the two can’t be compared. Dark Lover was a fun and fast paced read. What I liked most about it was the relationship. It was refreshing to read something in the romance area where the couple didn’t fight with each other. Wrath was very protective and a gentleman—something I haven’t read in a long time where romance is part of the plot.

Who should read this: If you’re into romance/erotica romance, hot and steamy guy, and a world where vampires are the norm, this is for you. The writing is excellent and easy to read. It’s the kind of book you want to escape into.

Book Review: The Mask Falling

March 19, 2021

Title: The Mask Falling (Book 4 of The Bone Season Series)
Author: Samantha Shannon
Genre: Paranormal Sci-fi
Year Published: 2021

Date finished: February 7, 2021

The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon is the fourth book in the paranormal sci-fi, The Bone Season Series. After her recovery, Paige Mahoney finds herself working for a new group of people in what is known as the Domino Program. In her quest to learn more about the events to come, she takes the chance and goes against the group’s directives. Chaos ensues both in her choices and events she wasn’t aware of. The story ends in a cliffhanger.

I enjoyed this book. I also really liked that Warden was in the background. Initially, I wanted more of him, but I think Ms. Shannon sprinkled enough of him that it didn’t feel too overpowering or not enough. It was perfectly done. There were quite a few new characters thrown in that really helped move the story along. There were also characters from the previous books that I was happy to see again.

Who should read this book: Anyone who’s into paranormal sci-fi/fantasy, romance, action, dystopian societies. It’s a great book to escape to with excellent world building and unique characters. Even if you’re not into paranormal, I think you’ll find this book enjoyable.