Nope, just nope. The Unworthy tries to be great literature within a torture porn plot. It implies that even in a newly created society, humans are, and will always be, inherently cruel to one another to advance their own agenda. The problem is that the torture is the entire plot.Continue Reading
First of all, I love reality television. And I love a good parody. I thought The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey would be like Unreal, a parody of The Bachelor type shows, but about the catty the real housewives shows instead. This book was attempting that feat but, unfortunately,Continue Reading
I love the idea of myths. Greek and Roman gods! They’re just like us! After reading (for pleasure, really) Robert Graves’ The Greek Myths in elementary school and taking an equally dry college mythology course, I’m ready to have some fun with mythical tales. Mythos: The Illustrated Edition fulfills thatContinue Reading
In Tiger Chair, a Chinese platoon leader writes a very long letter home to his best friend from the front. It is not a cheerful letter. Ten long years ago, China declared a world war after a squabble in Taiwan. The letter writer has been stationed in Los Angeles forContinue Reading
A totally unique take on a novel. Schizotopia is no John Dies at the End. However, it does offer an unusual look at schizophrenia from the inside of a character’s mind. Unfortunately, a schizophrenic narrator does not structure their ideas in a coherent manner. I would call this book moreContinue Reading
Hound GN is a classically illustrated graphic novel about war and what it does to its combatants. Private Barrow is a tosher, who hunts for sellable goods within the London sewers. He is the newest recruit in The Hounds, a special unit in the British army during World War I.Continue Reading
Silver Nitrate is the latest book by the author of the excellent Mexican Gothic and the so-so The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. I was hoping this book was more like the first book. Unfortunately, it was not. My issue with Daughter was the slow pacing and the unoriginal subject matter.Continue Reading
Do you remember reading your favorite childhood book for the first time? It felt like the author had written the book solely for you. For me, that book was Alice in Wonderland. The Wishing Game gave me that same feeling. Thirtysomething Lucy has a favorite childhood book series called theContinue Reading
Everyone’s office has a Brian. He’s smart but obnoxious as well as the office suck up. One day, Brian gets a chain letter. You know, the kind you answer a question and forward to ten other people. This letter is an actual email from Hell. It asks the recipient whoContinue Reading
Forget everything you think you know about vampires. They can’t fly and sucking blood is just too much work when blood donation centers do all the work for you. A typical Vampire Weekend might be cleaning your house and running errands. Of course, you are a night owl, but otherContinue Reading
In London, Lucy and Henry are siblings who share a horrible childhood. But they are now grown up and recently received trust funds from their deceased parents. When a man from their troubled past resurfaces, the siblings are forced to dissect The Family Remains. Meanwhile, Lucy’s abusive ex is foundContinue Reading
Gangland is a standard story of the Chicago mob in its waning days beginning in the 1970s. While some of the characters are real people, others have been created for this book. I spent a lot of time on Wikipedia trying to separate the truth from the fiction. Overall, IContinue Reading
What did I just read? Aliens, cults, ghosts, hackers and a serial killer are all key players under The Big Dark Sky of Montana. A group of people are called to the Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana. Wyatt Ryder, a private detective, is paid by the ranch’s owner to investigateContinue Reading
You are anticipating the best steak dinner you have ever had. Your mouth is watering picturing your first bite. Then, the server puts a large cheeseburger in front of you with an explanation of how the restaurant is out of steak. Sure, the burger looks juicy—but it is no steak.Continue Reading
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is the story of two childhood friends, Sam and Sadie. After being estranged for six years, they meet again when both are enrolled in nearby colleges. They decide to make a video game one summer that changes their lives. The plot, as stated above, doesn’tContinue Reading
The premise of the Trouble with Lichen is great. A modern fountain of youth is found. How will it be shared with the public? How will it impact human society overall? I had some serious problems with the prose. It has long wordy sentences throughout. Clearly, the author never metContinue Reading