Subhuman
A non-stop roller-coaster of a read! Subhuman begins by showing the seemingly disparate specialties of five scientists. Dr. Cade Evans is an archaeologist, who has just discovered a mass grave underneath an existing excavated Egyptian tomb. Within it, Evans finds a mass of animal and human bodies, one with anContinue Reading
Hidden in Plain Sight: America’s Slaves of the New Millennium
Intriguing look at modern human trafficking victims, their abusers and customers. Hidden in Plain Sight addresses the many ways to exploit humans to make money. It includes those forced into prostitution, paid little for domestic work or to work on produce and cocoa farms, and coerced into solicitation crews. SexualContinue Reading
The Stories of Edgar Allen Poe: Manga Classics
Great manga version of the most famous of Poe’s tales. This volume of Edgar Allen Poe tales includes The Raven, The Tell Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, The Fall of the House of Usher and The Mask of the Red Death. All are famous as Poe’s best work. TheContinue Reading
Streak of Chalk
With beautiful artwork and a plot that can be interpreted many ways, this is a perfect book club read. Streak of Chalk tells the story of two strangers on a mysterious island where the only residents are the proprietor of an inn/general store and her silent adult son. There isContinue Reading
Y is for Yesterday
Good penultimate addition to the series. Y is for Yesterday is the 25th book in Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone private detective series. Y is set in late 1989 and details two mysteries. The first involves Kinsey’s attempted murderer from the previous book in the series, X. Ned Lowe is onceContinue Reading
Big Book of Rogues and Villains
Another great anthology from Otto Penzler, this time investigating crime. Focusing on criminals from the Victorian era to modern day fiction, the Big Book of Rogues and Villains has something for everyone. Some of the bad guys are mostly good like Donald Westlake’s Dortmunder, who is more of a bunglerContinue Reading
How the Finch Stole Christmas
Great mystery but missing usual comedic family subplots. In How the Finch Stole Christmas, it’s Christmastime in Caerphilly. Michael’s college has decided to bring in a has-been actor named Malcolm Haver to increase tourist attendance for its annual play, A Christmas Carol. Unfortunately, Haver has a drinking problem, which meansContinue Reading
Literally Me
Interesting dip into the head of someone who isn’t me. Literally Me is a hodgepodge of cute illustrations and seemingly random life observations by a slightly famous Instagrammer. Four Horsewomen of the apocalypse is the best story as it has a plot with a surprisingly religious twist on fame. AnotherContinue Reading
Picture Perfect Murder
Humorous cozy mystery with a touch of romance. Ryli Jo Sinclair is a reporter for her small hometown newspaper and moonlights as the town’s forensic photographer. Ryli is intrigued by the new police chief, Garrett Kimble, who appears not to reciprocate her attention. She is called in to photograph theContinue Reading
Spot 12: Five Months in the Neonatal ICU
Heartfelt graphic memoir shares interesting insights about the trauma of having a sick child. Spot 12 shares the author’s story of a child, Asa, who is born with trachea issues. It especially addresses the parents’ conflicting feelings when surgery may cause immediate pain to their child while only possibly providingContinue Reading
Telling Stories
Practical ideas for improving your writing. Telling Stories covers most areas of writing short fiction, novels and memoirs. It has sections on structure, characterization, detail, point of view, language and revision. It also has a short section on the writing life, which includes how to start writing and defeat writer’sContinue Reading
Nightmare Before Christmas
The only thing manga in this graphic novel is reading right to left. Disappointing manga adaptation of the Tim Burton movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas. I love the movie and I love manga. I thought this would be a perfect fit for me. However, this is an exact retelling ofContinue Reading
Uncle John’s Old Faithful Bathroom Reader
Not just for bathrooms anymore! I’ve read many previous Bathroom Readers in paperback format in, of course, the bathroom. This is my first Kindle version of the long-running series. It opens up the reading possibilities substantially. The varying lengths make this a good choice for grocery store checkout lines, doctor’sContinue Reading
Murder for Christmas (Mordecai Tremaine Mystery)
Splendid British Golden Age murder mystery. For several years, Benedict Grame, a rich eccentric billionaire, has invited his friends to celebrate a traditional Christmas celebration in his mansion in a remote British village. However, this year he has also invited celebrated amateur detective Mordecai Tramaine. On Christmas Eve, a woman’sContinue Reading
Batman: Detective Comics Vol 3-League of Shadows (Rebirth)
Telling a story of regret and redemption, Batman: Detective Comics Vol 3-League of Shadows (Rebirth) is haunting. Orphan, aka Cassandra Cain, is a former killer for hire trying to overcome her and her family’s past and become a superhero. Despite a friendship with Batman, she still feels desperately alone. MayorContinue Reading
Mary Jane’s Ghost: The Legacy of a Murder in Small Town America
Scattershot book about a real 1948 double murder. Supposedly about a double murder in 1948 in a small town in Illinois, this book diverges from its topic about 2/3 of the time. The author is obviously trying to make the fourteen newspaper articles that he wrote in the Chicago TribuneContinue Reading