Story and Structure is a master class in how literature is structured. It is best for the academically minded. It definitely reads like a university textbook. It has a lot of interesting information buried in its over five hundred pages. I can see why it won an award for bestContinue Reading
Draw with Art for Kids Hub Animals is the perfect book to teach kids, and truly beginners of all ages, how to draw. The easy step-by-step approach will make anyone feel great about their art. It may also lead to an artistic approach where all objects are seen as simpleContinue Reading
Happy Chinese New Year! In Peking Duck and Cover, it’s that time of year again for Chinese restaurant manager, Lana Lee. She is coordinating an Asian Village, her restaurant’s outdoor mall, party complete with a dance troop and fireworks. Little does she suspect, though regular series readers will be anticipating,Continue Reading
Trouble Is Brewing is tea slinger Lily’s latest cozy mystery. Her cafe, Tea by the Sea, is closed for a bridal shower. Though the couple seem blissfully happy, their parents are less enchanted with each other. When the groom’s father is murdered, Lily must investigate to clear her tea houseContinue Reading
With ten eerie tales, Alley is a fascinating look into Japanese fears. With serial killers, ghosts and demons, most horror sub-genres are represented. My favorite story, Blessing, even has a mystery to solve within it. Many of the stories are unique enough to be remembered long after the story isContinue Reading
A plethora of adjectives. A dearth of full stops. The prose in The Book of Elsewhere reminds me of college literature courses. Here’s looking at you, James Joyce. This book contains run-on sentences that quickly emerge as run-on paragraphs. I’ll admit that it took me almost 20% of the bookContinue Reading
I read books for plots and comics/graphic novels/manga for the artwork. BRZRKR: Bloodlines contains great vibrant western style artwork. The bright red of blood is splashed throughout this comic. The fact that the main character, B, has the face of Keanu is just an added plus. Unfortunately, the plot, ofContinue Reading
I am attending the first annual virtual Camp NetGalley! What fun! There are bingo cards, a scavenger hunt, and a talent show, where you only need to submit a book review. No off-key singing attempts to sit through. Plus, at the end, all attendees get a NetGalley badge for theirContinue Reading
With nods to The Chronicles of Narnia and even Alice in Wonderland, The Lost Story begins with an intriguing premise. Two fifteen-year-old boys are lost in the woods for months. When they return, one cannot remember anything and the other refuses to talk about it. Fifteen years later, they meetContinue Reading
Shades of Mercy is perfect for fans of Longmire and Joe Pickett, while they wait for the next book to be released in those series. Sheriff Beck is investigating a hacked military drone in rural Nevada. His county has a whole lot of land and a dearth of people, includingContinue Reading
Dog Day Afternoon is another pleasant mystery with reluctant attorney Andy Carpenter and a myriad of supporting players. Marcus is Andy’s muscle, who keeps his personal life, well, personal. Until now. He brings a defendant, Nick, to Andy who seems to have the deck stacked against him. Most of Nick’sContinue Reading
Made for You is a twisty little tale told from the viewpoint of a “synth” (synthetic human or android) created to win the heart of the main character on a Batchelor type show. I love the concept of this book. It is nice to see AI portrayed in a goodContinue Reading
The Eyes Are the Best Part begins as a family memoir. Ji-won is devastated by her father leaving their family for his mistress. Ji-won’s mother is alternately despondent and hopeful of a reunion. One day, the mother makes fish and insists that Ji-won eat the fisheyes for luck. Ji-won thenContinue Reading