The Imaginary Corpse | Tyler Hayes

*Image and book provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

 

Detective Tippy is a Friend in the StillReal. That means he's an Idea, created by a real Person, that was loved enough to become Real himself, but then was rejected by his Person. Every Friend and Idea in the StillReal has their own reasons for being there. Some were TV show ideas that never got green-lighted. Some were forcibly rejected by their Person because they became connected with bad memories. It happens. But there's one Friend the citizens of the StillReal can turn to when they need help and that's the triceratops detective himself, Detective Tippy. What started as a simple case of a lost nightmare Friend needing a home becomes the most dangerous, taxing, world-breaking case of Tippy's career and could mean the end of the StillReal.

Review:

 

This book ran me through the full gamut of emotions. For a while I thought it might be like "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" but for adults. Nope. Don't get me wrong, it's not for kids, but it's also not NSFW levels of "for adults". Hayes does an incredible job of blending all the different levels of depth that go into the Ideas and making it possible for the reader to seamlessly go from Playtime Land to Big Business without any real disorientation. Probably because Tippy, the narrator, is so used to this stuff by now and does a wonderful job of describing the process.

 

You still get a lot of stuff that's just flat out adorable. Tippy's drink of choice is root beer because his Person, who watched all the detective shows as a kid, thought that's what beer was. And Tippy's favorite way to relax? Going for a spin in the dryer! And the Friends that were created by kids have a lot of kid-like qualities. Even a nightmare like Spindleman talks like a little kid and it's freaking cute as heck! But it's also that reasoning and mentality that can really pull at your heartstrings. And Hayes does not hold back. 

 

There were times when I was in tears because, yes, this isn't a book for kids. The primary villain of the story is so monstrous and able to break so many rules of the StillReal, (and I gotta be careful here because I don't want to give any spoilers) because he is based on a real world monster. He's faster, stronger and more dangerous than any Friend has ever thought possible. He's genuinely very, very scary! Especially when you get glimpses into what he is in the real world. It's heartbreaking. 

 

I felt everything a book could ever put me through. Fear, laughter, horror, intrigue, anxiety, relief, and then-some. This book was such a full experience.  I've been out of blogging for a couple of months now because I just couldn't really bring myself to write more. Then I read this book and I HAVE to share it with the world. I HAVE to spread the word about this book. The world, the characters, the emotions, the storytelling, it's all so engaging and amazing. This book is worth 5 hoots and all the love. I'm looking forward to more from Hayes.

 

 

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Ash Kickers | Sean Grigsby

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:
In this sequel to Smoke Eaters, Tamerica Williams is bored with how things have changed. Instead of slaying dragons, the Smoke Eaters are just capturing them so their blood can be used as medicine. Unfortunately, her wish for "action" gets granted and she learns to be careful what you wish for. Now Tamerica has to deal with a never-before-seen phoenix that burns hotter than any dragon. Not to mention the legal trouble and civil unrest that she now has to incorporate into her daily WTF List.

Review:

I was a beta reader for this book so I was very curious to see what changes, if any had been made. I can't tell you what changed from that read to this one, but I can say, both readings put me through the emotional wringer, and I mean that in the best possible way. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book, especially after the second reading.

Though this is a sequel, I don't think you have to have read the first one to understand what's going on. It would certainly help, but this book almost feels like a world of its own. Almost all of the main characters we meet are ones from the last book so it would explain some of the relationships and stories.

My favorite part about this book is that we get to see so many new types of dragons and hear about so many more. Grigsby gets really creative with his dragons and their abilities. They range in size from a few feet to two-stories tall and everything in between. They range in their elements as well. We get to see an ice, water, fire, acid, flammable oil and more. Each one presents their own challenges and I loved finding out there's so many types!

Grigsby also does a nice job of incorporating contemporary concerns into this book set in the future. Since the dragonblood curate, Pantheon City's been getting an influx of people hoping for access to it for themselves and their families. Rather than embrace these fellow Americans, fellow humans, the PC First people decide to call them "rats" and demand they be removed from the city. They are very easy to hate and Grigsby does a wonderful job of making sure they are unsympathetic in every way and that every character we like knows that PC First are Nazi wannabes.

Then there's Tamerica (T), herself. She is an amazing character who goes through so much in such a short amount of time. She not only goes through the sudden responsibility of managing her own team, but she also has to take care of parents. On top of that, she endures the emotional pain of Survivor's Guilt while also enduring repeated physical pains of literally being burned by the hottest fire she's ever experienced. I was actually grateful when we got to see her break down once in a while because it really helped to empathize with her. She is human, an incredibly strong human, and Grigsby writes her as such.

This book was an incredible read into an ever expanding world. This series has been a wonderful adventure full of endearing characters that you want to see win the day. I happily give 5 hoots and encourage you to pick up a copy!

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Mensch Marks | Joshua Hammerman

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

A collection of essays reprinted and updated where needed about Rabbi Hammerman's career and life trying to be a mensch, a good person. These essays are also his attempt to bring mensch into the common vernacular, much like chutzpah and schmuck. These essays cover a range of topics from personal failing and forgiveness to interfaith support to importance of just being human in today's seemingly inhuman world.

Review:

I'm buying this book. I'm not Jewish, I don't go to any church, but I am buying this book. It's a great help for anyone who just wants to try to do some good in the world but doesn't know where to begin. This book really helped me out when I was going through a really tough time. I'm buying this book.

It doesn't take much to be a good person and this book takes you through several steps towards becoming a real mensch. Hammerman repeatedly discusses why such things are needed in today's world. Yes, it can be difficult but it can also be very rewarding. Hammerman doesn't just discuss the times he succeeded. He owns up to his failures but, most importantly, he discusses the lessons learned from these failures.

Hammerman also delves into his past throughout the book. The essays don't follow a particular timeline, opting for a thematic organization. We see how Hammerman has dealt with the consequences of being the son of clergy to trying to help his own children keep from living the "life in a fishbowl" he had to. We see his own physical, spiritual and mental struggles from the beginning and middle of his career as a Rabbi. Most importantly, we see how human he is and how being human is important to our everyday lives.

I was very happy to read this book. I look forward to its release when I can purchase it. You don't even have to be spiritual to enjoy this book. Yes, there are a lot of Biblical and Talmudic references, but Hammerman's book is about how you can be both human and a mensch at the same time. I highly recommend this book for those who are tired of all the hate but don't know where to begin on changing that hate. 5 hoots!

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Book of Ill Deeds | Phaedra Weldon

Summary:

Ginger Blackstone comes from a family of witches. She'd tried to do something else with her life, but ended up back home with her grandmother, Mama D, just in time for Mama D to be arrested on suspicion of murder. Over the next week or so, Ginger works to clear her grandmother and sister's names while trying to get a hold on the crush she has for the new doctor in town, and learning about this new black cat trying to become her familiar. 

Review:

This book was a lot of fun to read. It's got a lot of laughs. It's a short book so everything is straight to the point. Any and all history or world building is built into the plot. The reveal of who the murderer is isn't much of a surprise, but it was still a fun trip to follow.

I absolutely loved Ginger. She is a delightful main character whom I identified with on a few levels. I enjoyed the fact that she didn't have a full handle on her life but still knew how to be a competent adult. And Mama D! What a wonderful character to have in the mix! She is probably one of my favorite witch characters ever just because she is so good at what she does. David, the love interest, was a good guy, though his character presented a few more questions than answered. That being said, the chemistry between all the characters made for a fun read.

And let us not forget the familiars. Ginger starts out as a witch who's never had a familiar but through her initial interactions with Max and through Mama D's interactions with Bert, we learn a lot of what it is a familiar can do and does for their witch. And the importance of having a witch is something I've never thought of before but Max is very adamant about.

I think I may have to admit, I like Chick Lit. Specifically I seem to like Chick Lit with supernatural characters and a strong sense of humor. This is probably the third or fourth book I've read with the whole modern witch thing and I've enjoyed them all. So, yes. This is the book that gets me to admit, I like Chick Lit. As someone who regularly gives 5/5 ratings to books with giant robots and that are action heavy, hopefully that'll give you a good idea of how good this book is.

The world of Castle Falls is a very interesting one and, I'll admit, I'm interested in the other books in this series. As of writing this review the book itself is free on Kindle. The next book is $3 but I'm still very tempted. I happily give 4 hoots and encourage you to pick up a copy.

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Batman: No Man's Land | Greg Rucka

Summary:

The novelization of the graphic novel story line by the same name, Batman: No Man's Land takes us through Gotham's fall and attempted survival. After a massive earthquake leaves Gotham in shambles, the United States Government decides Gotham isn't worth the many millions, if not billions, of dollars it would take to restore it. They officially cut off Gotham from all government aide and declare it No Man's Land. The only people left are those who are either forced to stay, due to economic situations, or who choose to stay for the sake of power, chaos or to try to help those left behind. But when Batman is a no show for three months, people begin to think he, too, has abandoned them.

Review:

I was introduced to this book because I expressed a love of novelizations of comic books (seriously, Hellboy novels are the best!!!) I am happy to say that this book did not disappoint. I'm not much of a DC fan, I'm more of a Dark Horse Comics person, but Batman is almost always the exception. And, in this case, I am happy to have made that exception and give this book a try. 

Because it's a Batman book, one shouldn't be surprised at how much death, blood, fighting, etc. there is. It isn't gory, by any means, but it's definitely not meant for a younger or particularly squeamish audience. Rucka does a wonderful job of keeping the darkness and grit of a true Batman story without going into extensive, unnecessary levels of detail. 

As someone who only occasionally reads Batman, there were a lot of characters I didn't know. That being said, I had no problems getting into the story. There were occasions when I wanted to look up characters, some of which I ended up remembering from the cartoon series, but for the most part, it's very easy to "get" the characters. You learn who they are through their interactions with others and when the story is told from their viewpoint. You don't have to be an avid Batman reader to enjoy the story or understand the characters' motivations. 

And there are a LOT of characters in this book. So many classic Batman villains, a character or two from another comic series (no spoilers beyond that), as well as the multiple iterations of Batgirl and Robin, and the Gotham City Police Department too. Because the novelization is based on an already written comic story, I'm not sure how much credit goes to Rucka for balancing the characters and how much goes to Jordan B. Gorfinkel, who wrote the original story. I may have to end up reading the comics to find out. As it is, though, we get several view points from several characters, but it never feels disjointed or convoluted.

I really did enjoy this book and was happy I picked it up. It's a dark and gritty tale that is fitting of a Batman story. If you're more of a fan of thrillers, this might be a good crossover book to get you interested in comics. If you're a comic fan, this might be a good book to get you interested in novels. Overall, I happily give 3.5 hoots.

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Old Man's War | Jon Scalzi

Summary:

John Perry is 75 years old, a widower with only an okay relationship with his only son, when he decides to join the Colonial Defense Force and fight to protect Earth's colonies from alien races. CDF is only interested in people his age, people with decades of experience in life. By the time he gets to boot camp, his entire world view has changed. Now he fights every day to save his life and the lives of his squad mates.

Review:

This book definitely wasn't what I expected. I was told I'd have a lot of laughs, and I did, but I didn't think I'd have so many other powerful emotions. This book didn't just make me laugh, it scared me, it mad me sad, it made me think, it made me wonder. This book was an experience that I was glad to have.

Because our main character is 75 when the book starts, we don't have to put up with a painfully naive, idiotic character. Don't get me wrong, he is naive when it comes to the alien menace he's going to go up against, but he's not naive enough to think of himself as invulnerable, unlike some of the other new soldiers. I did love the fact that all the new soldiers went completely nuts when they got their new bodies, but only one person was dumb enough to think they could fly. That's the kind of common sense that I like in my characters.

As well as Perry's sense of common decency. There were some diplomatic missions where he could've gone against orders and made a scene, but he knew it wouldn't be in everyone's best interests to do so. As much fun as it is to read characters who speak their minds, it's so much better when they have the wisdom to know when to keep their mouths shut. He didn't do so well with his first conscious encounter with the Ghost Brigades, but that was actually story essential.

And Perry isn't the only good character to read, either. Every member of Perry's initial group were so ingratiating that, at the reports of some of their deaths, I was genuinely saddened. It makes sense that not everyone would make it through, this is an interstellar war. But they were written so well and with so much gravitas that each loss was really felt. I was invested in the well-being of almost every character (the former politician, not so much).

Some of the scenes were kinda gruesome, but this is war. Fortunately there were only one or two scenes that went into full, gross detail. Those were usually scenes meant to instill fear in the new cadets or to let the reader know the extent of Perry's injuries. But it's these scenes that make the lighter moments all the lighter, more jovial moments more important and impactful. 

I can definitely see why this book has gotten so many accolades. They are truly well deserved and I will be picking up the next book. 4.5 hoots!

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It's A Question of Space | Clayton C. Anderson

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

Former astronaut Clayton C. Anderson has been answering questions about space since he Earth for a long stay on the ISS. This book is a compilation of questions he's been asked over the years with answers from his perspective.

Review:

If you have ever had questions, or have kids with questions, about some of the more routine tasks in space, Anderson has an answer. This book covers a lot of areas from how to become an astronaut to how to keep yourself clean on the ISS. A lot of the questions were things I would never think to ask, but once they were I thought "oh yeah, how does that work?" Fortunately Anderson is really good about answering them.

Admittedly, there are times when Anderson just doesn't know the answer, but he's very good about directing you to resources or people who would know. Some of the answers required a lot more technical expertise than he had, so he called in his friend Robert Frost who actually worked on those sides of the missions. Anderson also keeps a good sense of humor in a lot of his answers. There were some, to me, ridiculous questions, like what if an astronaut murdered all of his fellow astronauts on the ISS. Anderson actually went through a bit of a scenario of what would be required for the killer to do. All the while he made it clear that, given the rigorous psychological testing astronauts have to go through, he didn't think this would ever actually happen.

I think my biggest issue with this book is the editing. He says that the book is from his writings on Quora and it shows. There are a lot of repeat questions and answers spread throughout the book under different topics. Admittedly some of the questions had multiple questions in them so I can see why they were under different categories and thought to be different questions. I just think it would have been more readable had he consolidated the questions and answers instead of just repeating what was on Quora.

Other than that, though, I did like this book and it did answer a lot of questions I didn't even know I had about space and being an astronaut. 3.5 hoots!

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Robots vs. Fairies | Edited by Dominik Parisien & Navah Wolfe

Summary:

An anthology of stories alternating between robots and fairies as the main characters. The stories run the gamut from comedy to slice-of-life to thriller. The settings vary between past, present and future.

Review:

This collection was delightful, engaging, and I wish it were longer. The stories were so wonderfully different from each other in terms of tone and use of the themes. Some of the authors I'd read before, others are new to me and I'm actively looking for more of their books to read.

My favorite stories, hands down, were the ones that mixed elements of both robots and fairies, clearly an attempt to appease whichever group ends up as our overlords. "The Blue Fairy's Manifesto" was an encouragement of the robot uprising, but it used a familiar fairy tale for it. "Build Me a Wonderland" was an excellent choice for the first story as it shows Fair Folk creating robots that work lie magic.

There were a couple stories that weren't for me. "Bread and Milk and Salt" was a bit too dark for me (as the Fair Folk can get) and "To a Cloven Pine" was too abstract for me (but I can't logic like a  Robot can). Two stories out of a collection 18, though, definitely keeps this a good book. And if you like the darker or more abstract stories, you may like the entire collection more than me.

Some of the stories are fun adventures. Some are moving pieces about how magic and robots can't always give us what we really need. One story is just plain silly, and had me struggling to hold in the laughter while I was on the bus. Each of the stories are quality writing in and of themselves. The juxtaposition of the stories is well thought out and you never find yourself in the same world twice. The closest these get to overlapping is two stories involving both Fae and music, but they still ended up being incredibly different stories. Plus, one had a murder ballad, you gotta love it.

I really do recommend this collection for Sci-Fi/Fantasy fans. The back and forth and intermingling of the genres makes for an interesting, enjoyable read. I'm very glad to have this book in my collection and I will be looking for more books by the authors. 4 hoots!

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*Unrelated note: This is my 300th blog post on Purple Owl Reviews!

The Green Unknown | Patrick Rogers

*Book provided by the author for an honest review.

Summary:

Patrick Rogers recounts his travels to the Khasi Hills in the Northeast Indian state of Meghalaya in search of living root bridges.

Review:

This book was a very fun and informative read. In the preface, Rogers says that the read may feel a little disorienting since it parallels his own adventures, but I was never lost. It was easier to follow along than he made it sound. Because the book is written from his perspective, with him including his mistakes and troubles, it actually makes learning about the area a lot more interesting and fun. It's one thing to be told about kwai and its potential side effects. It's another to read about the author going through those effects after a bad dose. Not to mention the massive storm he, Morningstar and Cena went through was made way more scary when written from his perspective.

Before reading this book, I had no idea what a living root bridge was. There is a noticeable lack of verified information on the subject.. After I learned what they are, I was hopeful that there would be a lot of myth-like stories about them to inspire the imagination. Turns out, the locals look at them the same way we do a sidewalk. Nothing too special about it. I do wish there were more pictures of them, but the author didn't find many of them as the practice is dying out.

I greatly enjoyed this excursion to a new world where the safest paths are still some of the most difficult to access. Where the struggle to get somewhere makes the destination all the more beautiful. Where almost every TV that has a satellite signal is watching WWE. I absolutely loved Rogers' depiction of the local children.

If you're interested in a non-fiction about a little-known place in India with beautiful photography and funny stories, I highly recommend this book. It's a short book, but for only $1 on Amazon, it's definitely worth taking a look. 4 hoots!

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ActivAmerica | Meagan Cass

*Image and book received via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary (From Publisher):

Drawing from fairy tales, ghost stories, and science-fiction, the stories in ActivAmerica explore how we confront (and exert) power and re-imagine ourselves through sports and athletic activities. A group of girls starts an illicit hockey league in a conservative suburb. A recently separated woman must run a mile a day in order to maintain her new corporate health insurance. Children impacted by environmental disaster create a “mutant soccer team.” Two sisters are visited by an Olympic gymnast who demands increasingly dangerous moves from them. Sports allow the characters to form communities on soccer fields and hidden lakes, in overgrown backyards and across Ping-Pong tables. Throughout the collection, however, athletic risk also comes with unexpected, often unsettling results.

Review:

Let me start by saying, each of these stories were good. They were well written, interesting and I can see why they were included. There were a few stories where I sincerely hope the authors are continuing to practice their writing and honing their skills."Night Games" was an interesting story of learning to take control and learning your limits. "ActivAmerica" showed how getting even just one thing going right in your life can help the rest.

The problem I have with this book is that, after a while, the stories all kinda start sounding the same. Don't get me wrong, they're all different stories, clearly. Stories are told from different perspectives, have different main characters, take place in different dimensions. But the vast majority of the stories had a lot of common themes that were not part of the description. So many of the stories had parents divorced or on the brink of it. Families that would smile and pretend nothing was wrong. An alcoholic mother. A cheating spouse. A parent who genuinely tries to connect with their child and fails. Daughters becoming their mothers despite all attempts otherwise. Hawthorne, NY. I know, you'd think with this many different themes there'd be enough diversity of stories, but when so many of them have one or more of these elements, it gets kinda boring.

This is one of those situations where the contents are genuinely good, but you have to read something in between the stories. This gives each one the opportunity to be fresh and new to you so it can be the great story that it is. If you try to read it all at once, it'll get boring, depressing or both. And I'm not saying I need all stories to have happy endings. I'm just saying, in this anthology, with this many different voices and styles, I was able to predict just about every short story's progression.

So, I'm gonna give this book 3 hoots, but also warn you to read with caution.

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Future War | Robert H. Latiff

*Image and book provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

Retired U.S. Air Force major general Robert H. Latiff has written this book to inform the public about current, pending and future technologies used in war. He has also written a plea to the American public to pay attention to these technologies, their uses and users and to debate the possible consequences.

Review:

The first part of this book showed me just how close we are to the military Sci-Fi books I love becoming a lot less Sci-Fi. This both thrilled and terrified me. In the Sci-Fi books, the technologies are already common place and the errors minimized. We're still in the testing phases and the full ramifications are not yet thought through. 

The technologies that we are looking at are amazing developments, if they can be perfected. We've seen videos of amputees controlling robot actions with their mind. There are news stories about technological advances allowing for faster healing. We're even getting closer to being able to delete bad memories. These technologies are amazing. But they're not always good. What are the psychological side effects of knowing that a lost limb can be regrown or replaced? If you don't remember the bad things, even horrors, that you've done, are you still responsible for them? 

There are even questions to consider about robots being brought into war zones. We've already seen in real life how algorithms do not always go as we think they will, as we plan they will. Artificial intelligence is still in rough stages. Being able to beat humans at games is one thing. Being able to make the right call on the battlefield is another. And what about the soldiers who serve alongside these robots? How will it affect their behavior? Their calls?

This book does a wonderful job of presenting the technology, presenting the questions that need to be asked, and giving the common citizen a good place to start their own research and education on the topic. Latiff laments the chasm that's been steadily forming between US Troops and US citizens and pleads for citizens to educate themselves and start closing that gap. After reading this book, I have expanded my daily news topics and will be looking up a number of the books he lists in his notes. 

If you have any interest in the future of technology, the current or future state of warfare, how to support our troops more effectively, this is the book for you. If you have any interest in joining the US Armed Forces, you will want to read this book as well. I highly encourage any and all US citizens to pick this up and learn more about what is involved when politicians talk about sending out our troops.

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An Oath of Dogs | Wendy N. Wagner

*Book received from NetGalley for an Honest Review

Summary:

Standish has been hired to help out the Communications at Canaan Lake on the moon (not planet, moon) Huginn. When she wakes up from the cryo sleep she was in to make the trip from Earth, she is told that Duncan, the man who hired her, has died. Went missing the forests of Huginn and hasn't been found since. So, she's now head of Communications. When she gets to Canaan Lake with her service dog, Hattie, she finds out the hard way that there are wild dogs in Canaan Lake that dig up corpses and kill those that try to stop them. When she starts asking questions about Duncan's disappearance, however, she finds there's another layer to this small town that she may not like.

Review:

I'm not generally one for mystery novels. All the ones I read just don't surprise me anymore. They're kinda predictable. The overall mystery of this book wasn't too mysterious after a bit, I'll admit. That being said, I didn't put the book down. I happily kept reading more because I found the characters and, more importantly, the world of Huginn to be incredibly interesting. I really think there's a lot more that Wagner can do with this world and I'll be happy to see it.

I greatly enjoyed reading and trying to picture the various flora of Huginn. Seriously, if you are at all interested in botany or ecology, this is a great Sci-Fi book for you. One of the main characters is a botanist who knows what he's talking about. But there are so many parts of the descriptions of the forests and the insects that made me really wish this book had come with illustrations. The naturally multi-colored wood of the coveted, but literally explosive, horsetail trees are something that I really want to see! And Bajowski's (the botanist) observations about the terran insects' adaptations to and with Huginn's insects were fascinating to me.

And I haven't even talked about the religious sect The Believers yet! Think Amish, but way in the future. They were the first colonists in Canaan Lake and we get to find out that their journey was far from easy when Songhauser, the company that practically rules all of space travel, misplaced their main food supply boxes. Yeah, Huginn is not friendly to outsiders and no one knows that better than the Believers. 

Overall, this was an entertaining book. The mysterious parts weren't too difficult to figure out after a while, but it was still a good read. There is certainly plenty room for more stories from Huginn and I do look forward to them! 3.5 hoots!

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Open Season | Daren Worcester

*Image and book provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

A collection of true short stories from Maine Warden Service from around the 1960's and 1970's.

Review:

My hometown was the kind of place where schools were closed for the first day of deer hunting season. I practically grew up on stories about hunters and fishers. So when I found a book that told those stories from the perspective of law enforcement I had to pick it up. A lot of these stories had me laughing as much as a Patrcik F. McManus collection. The sheer stupidity of some poachers. Other times it was the dumb luck of the wardens that had me chuckling. Fair warning, though, not all the stories have happy endings, there are a handful of sad stories. Fortunately Worcester does a wonderful job of balancing the sad with the happy and the silly, making this a very good book to pick up for anyone you know who considers themselves hunters, fishers or woodsmen. 

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Moonstroke | Blaine C. Readler

*Image and book provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

On the US moon base, on the side of the moon that never faces Earth, there is a group of survivors. Years previous, a giant sun-flare killed almost all of the adults. The survivors are their children, all grown up, and the few adults that were lucky enough to be inside. To keep the kids productive and free from idleness, they are taught all the skills they need to continue their parents work and mine all of the platinum they can find and that's all they're given. When Van accidentally gets access to the blueprints for the radio/comms room, things begin to change and change quickly.

Review:

Despite having a relatively full cast of characters, the theme of this book is isolation. Whether it is the physical isolation of the moon base from Earth and the other moon bases or the social isolation of the science and engineering groups from the mining groups. Heck, in a way they've even isolated an entire generation from the memories of their parents. The key challenge in all of this is isolation and its effects on individuals and the populace. 

I really liked how Readler used this theme to shape his characters. I feel that there weren't any overplayed character tropes as a result. Yes, there were a couple of typical things, it can't be a space-isolation story without someone going insane, but I felt there was enough differentiation in cause to keep them from being boring. I found his characters to be intelligent, highly optimistic, but not so lacking in common sense that it was irritating. 

Probably the only thing I wish the book had done differently was how rushed the ending felt. The majority of this book is spent getting the nexgens to start learning how much they don't know they don't know. When it comes time for the main conflict, it feels like everything happens in just a few quick chapters. It's quite the abrupt change in pace. I don't blame Reader for doing this, though, you don't want a book to be too slow and without the slower pace of this first part of the plot, world and character building would be almost impossible.

In all, this was an enjoyable book. There were even some surprises in it. One or two things near the end felt a little forced, but there was little to no something-out-of-nothing surprises. If that makes any sense. I recommend this for anyone looking for an easy read, space adventure with young adult protagonists. 3.5 hoots!

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Spaceman | Mike Massimino

*Image and book provided by NetGalley

Summary:

This book is an autobiography of Mike Massimino and his journey to become an astronaut.

Review:

While most people's introduction to  Mike Massimino (Mass) was The Big Bang Theory, I was first introduced to him via StarTalk Radio. Every episode that he has participated in I enjoyed immensely. His humor, intelligence and even just the sound of his voice are engaging when he speaks. So, when I found this book available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. I was not disappointed! 

From beginning to end this story is incredible. Whenever you think about the journey to become an astronaut you have ideas about what it's like. While some of Mass's experiences are what we'd consider typical (competing with the best of the best to make the cut) there are several that I never would have thought of. Truth be told, it sounds like Mass never would have thought of them either. 

One of my favorite messages in this book is that, some of the things in our lives that we think are mistakes, may end up being what we actually need to live our dreams. Had any one thing in his life gone differently, Mass may never have made it to the Hubble telescope for his first space walk. And I can speak from my own experience that, when you reach a plateau of happiness, you can look back and see how your mistakes got you there. Something to keep in mind when you're mind is filled with regrets; It's not over. 

I don't read autobiographies often. In fact...I think this may be the only autobiography I've read outside of a literature or history class. I am so glad I made the exception for Spaceman! This is a book that almost had me crying. Twice. In public. For beautiful reasons! The camaraderie of NASA, not just the astronauts, but everyone involved is amazing and heartwarming. 

I'm not sure I've ever said this before but, I feel that this is a good read for anyone. Mass is so relatable, even for those of us not dreaming of going into space. This is one of those books that's going to be at the forefront of my recommendations list for a LONG time! 5 Hoots!

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The Command Is Forward | Alexander Woollcott

*Book and Image provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

A reprint of the Stars and Stripes newsletter written during World War II to build the morale of the AEF (American Expeditionary Forces) in 1918. 

Review:

I knew I was reading a different kind of book when I saw the copyright date, 1918. That's the beauty of books and their ability to time travel. The Stars and Stripes was created with purpose of unifying American soldiers spread throughout the battlefront in Europe. It was considered to be a rounding success. After reading these stories, I can see why.

Every story recorded is incredibly inspiring, even those that are less than jovial. There are stories about the different roles that soldiers perform and how each one supports the other. From runners risking life and limb to pass messages to observation pilots getting shot in the air. From engineers building makeshift bridges to gunners forcing the enemy to flee. Almost every story in this collection is about the camaraderie. There are stories about men giving up their rations for the wounded. Stories about men in charge doing dangerous jobs because they wouldn't ask their men to risk their lives.

At the same time, there are also stories about French refugees returning home and rebuilding. About the reception they gave the soldiers who pushed back the German Army. The personal stories were just as moving as the group stories.

This book is not just for fans of history or World War II buffs. This is a book that people of almost all walks of life can be inspired by. Not necessarily inspired to join the armed forces, but inspired to view America in a new way. The way the final installment of The Stars and Stripes says the soldiers did when they were finally able to return home.

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Rift | Lieke Arends

Summary:

Naran Stalwart is a Swedish born, Minnesota resident, scientist who gets invited to live among the Didelians, a nomadic group that performs shows throughout Europe and the United States and accomplish feats that make people question reality. No one has ever been invited to join the Didelians. In fact, very little is known about their culture or how they accomplish such incredible feats. Naran goes on a journey to learn about Didelians and herself.

Review:

There is a lot to like about this book. The characters and the Didelian culture in general are quite interesting. The guided meditations Naran is taken on are effective for readers as well. There is plenty of good natured humor and some cute animals. Most of all, there is a sense of wonder throughout almost every single chapter, especially those describing the Didelian shows. 

I always appreciate when magic and science can work together. While the Didelians use what we would call magic, Naran's training requires science terminology that the Didelians are able to expand on for her. 

My biggest problem with this book is that so much of it felt like an exposition dump. This is not a short book and I get that a lot of the concepts the author wants to discuss are not quickly or easily done. There were so many times, unfortunately, that I found myself skipping ahead a bit because it was just so much exposition., Honestly, there was enough of it that, by the time I had finished the first few chapters of the book, I had figured the two or three "surprises" revealed in the last few chapters. 

If you're interested in a fiction that creates an entire race dedicate to helping people expand their minds using physics-breaking techniques, this is a good story. For me, I won't be picking up more books in the series. I appreciate what the author was trying to do and the Didelians had so much charm about them, but for me, it fell a little flat. 3 hoots!

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Children of the Different | S. C. Flynn

*Book provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

It's been 20 years since a plague called The Madness spread throughout the world. Many were killed by the plague, others were actually cured by it. Unfortunately, another group turned Feral, so filled with rage that all they could do, or think to do, was kill all those around them. Children born in the post-Madness world all go through The Change when they reach their teens. They go into a coma and wake up either with powers or as Ferals. This book follows the stories of Narrah and Arika, twins born in post-Madness Australia, as they are kidnapped, hunted, and go on dangerous journeys in the real world, and in the Changelands.

Review:

I'll admit, at first glance, this book seemed like it was going to be just another YA Dystopia novel that was just gonna be "okay" at best. What I found, however, was an interesting world with intelligent characters, always an enjoyable combination for me. I appreciate when I never feel the urge to yell at a character for being stupid. Couple that with "super powers" in the real world, and I was hooked.

Overall I found the story to be well written and easy to follow. No part of this book felt out of place, but not everything was predictable. As the book progressed, the world opened up and became more interesting. I appreciated that Flynn included all kinds of survivor mentalities. There were those that felt technology caused all the problems, so all instances of it should be destroyed. Others felt that technology was the only way to save the world. And, of course, there were also the religious fanatics. Each view point was well thought out and fully believed by the characters.

There were also little things that made me enjoy the book. The entire book takes place in Australia, so when the twins encounter an American for the first time, one of them makes note of how the guy was clearly speaking English, but there was something off about how he was speaking it. There was also how Arika used her abilities, getting into the right mindset required a very different kind of thought process.

This book ended up being a much more engaging read than I thought it would. Good characters, good world, good story. I happily give 4 hoots!

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Shaken But Not Stirred | Alexander Reed and Dirma Van Toorn

*This book was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

A compilation of real-life humorous stories about living with Parkinson's disease written by people with Parkinson's. Each story shows individuals affected by Parkinson's (whether being diagnosed with it or living with someone diagnosed) can learn to see the humor in some of their daily situations. Half of the profits from this book will go to European Parkinson Therapy Centre. 

Review:

I requested this book from NetGalley mainly because my father suffers from Parkinson's disease. He actually had Early Onset Parkinson's before it was an official diagnosis. It wasn't until Michael J. Fox admitted he had Early Onset that my dad was properly diagnosed. Now he is in end stage Parkinson's and, after over 20 years, it's getting difficult to see the humor in his situation. So, when I saw this book, which focused on helping combat the depression and anxiety so strongly associated Parkinson's, I jumped at the opportunity to read it. I was not disappointed. 

Each story not only had me chuckling, but it also had me taking copious notes about life with Parkinson's. It can be difficult to find the humor in a situation where your neurologist gives you a diagnosis and, instead of explaining anything gives you booklets and pills. The first short-story author, Dirma Van Toorn, describes a couple of situations where authority figures/security guards thought she was drunk, high, or acting strange because she was shoplifting. Life with Parkinson's is full of troubles. But it can still be a full life. 

There are so many funny stories in this compilation. Stories about situations that, in that moment, must have seemed like the end of the world, but in retrospect are funny. One of the authors talked about trying to go to the bathroom while conducting a phone interview and he ended up urinating in his pants. He chose to use this story as an anecdote in a speech and was later told by a woman in the audience "thank you!" Because she needed to know she wasn't alone. 

And, really, that's what's at the heart of these stories. If you have Parkinson's or someone you love has Parkinson's, you are not alone. There are groups of people out there who can help you. Parkinson's doesn't mean you can't live a full life. It just means you gotta work a little harder for it. And this book is a good resource for the darker times, when you can't find the light.

If you have Parkinson's, a family history of Parkinson's or are a caregiver for someone with the disease, I highly recommend the book. It's a bit shorter than I would like, but each story is poignant and well placed. There were some minor typos, but I received an advanced copy, so those should be cleaned up by the time the book is published later this year. Shaken But Not Stirred is a heartwarming, informative read and highly recommend it. 5 hoots!