A Very Scalzi Christmas | John Scalzi

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

Summary:

 A collection of holiday themed stories, some new, some old, written by John Scalzi.

Review:

This book is a collection of Scalzi's writing. They have several formats including interviews, prayer, Top Ten lists and script notes. Each chapter is delightfully different from the others. All of the chapters show off Scalzi's talent. 

I'm always drawn to Scalzi's books because of his strong sense of humor, but I get invested in them because of his ability with the full range of emotions. This book is no exception. The cover, the title, they book evoke humorous responses. But the stories in here are not limited to laughs. There are still plenty of laughs, good laughs, that I really needed. But there are also some really, really good tears.

I also appreciate Scalzi's preface where he talks about how important Christmas is to him. I can empathize, and not just because it reminds me of the ending monologue in "Scrooged". Christmas has traditions that get us to think about others. Yeah, things suck, but Christmas is when we take the time to be more generous, more caring, and can make things better for someone else. Scalzi covers a lot of attitudes towards holidays in these chapters, but I love that the predominant emotion is hope.

This book made me laugh until I cried and it also just made me cry. I cannot recommend it enough (though if you do look for it, search via ebook. The print is $40, ebook is $6). I've already per-ordered the book and am looking to forward to sharing the joy of A Very Scalzi Christmas with loved ones. 5 hoots!

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Girls and Ghosts | Anne Michaud

*Image and book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

 

 Five stories of five very different girls and their very different experiences with very different ghosts. Michaud takes the reader on a journey with each story.

Review:

 

Holy Wah!!! I am not exaggerating when I say that all five stories in this book were a delight to read. Each story was its own world with depth and well thought-out characters. 

 

I sometimes have problems with collections of themed short stories because some of them end up being similar and with the same author for all of them, you'd think this would happen. Nope! Each story felt incredibly different. Each main character is their own person. Each story treats ghosts differently. Each story's world is very different. This collection was amazingly different from one story to the next. What you learned about ghosts in one story, wouldn't help you in the others.

Each story was a journey. The first story showed the interpretation of ghost sightings as mental illness. The second focused on generational ghost fighting to keep family safe. The third story (holy wah, I'd love an entire series based on this) was about the lengths people go to for the souls of their loved ones. The fourth was about how family isn't based on blood. The fifth story, that one was just, amazing and had me in tears (in a good way). And, at the core of each of these stories, you had strength, empathy and love. It was an amazing journey.

This was an amazing journey and I absolutely recommend picking up a copy. I'm going to be looking into more of Michaud's books because she is a very talented author. The ebook is only about $4 (price listed in £) and is very well worth the cost. I absolutely loved this book and cannot recommend it enough. I happily give 5 hoots!

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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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Killer Librarian | Mary Lou Kirwin

Summary:

Karen Nash is packed and ready to go to England with her boyfriend, Dave, when he calls her up and dumps her. Literally hours before she's supposed to finally visit England, he says it's over. She decides she'll pay the extra expense of a last minute ticket and goes anyways. She's been looking forward to this trip and has been planning it for a long time. What she didn't plan for was waking up from a hangover at the B&B and finding a dead man holding an upside down book. What she also didn't plan was finding Dave in England with his new, much younger, girlfriend. She also didn't plan on having feelings for the owner of the B&B who has a motive for murder.

Review:

This was such a delightful book. I'll admit, if you're a mystery fan, you'll probably be disappointed. This is so much more slice-of-life than it is murder mystery and that's probably why I enjoyed it so much! 

That and the main character, Karen, is a middle-aged librarian who's lived in the American Mid-West for many years. How could I not relate to that demographic? I adored Karen and her determination to move on and have fun. She and I don't share tastes in literature, but that "thrill of the hunt" she gets when visiting Hay-on-Wye and its many, many stores is something I understand. Her feeling stunned when she sees herself in a shawl for the first time? I felt similar the first time I realized I look good in cardigans (and that they're comfortable). I hope that I can be son independent when I'm her age.

The vast majority of the story is her wandering London. She only thinks about the death here and there. As a result, we get to experience more of the city from her than if she were hard-set on solving the mystery. I rather appreciate that. I also learned, from her mistakes, that an English pint is way more than an American pint. Something I'll have to remember should I ever get to visit. 

The other characters are only so-so in terms of depth and entertainment. Caldwell, the owner of the Bed & Breakfast was well thought out, but he was also the main love interest so that was kind of needed. I did love her depictions of him while he was at work in the kitchen. And the kindling romance between two book worms is so much fun to read.

If you're looking for a slice-of-life about a woman who's determined not to let being dumped stop her, I do recommend this book. It's probably not one for the die-hard mystery fans, but it's a lot of fun for others. 4 hoots!

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Fool if You Think It's Over | Jo Thomas

Summary:

Elkie seems to have everything she's been wanting. She got Ben out of the Institute and Dave locked in. She got the girls to a safe place with their father. She's even been getting along better with her mother. Unfortunately, other people's plans for her keep getting in the way. Roar, the head of the Valemon company, believes her to be sent from Odin to answer his prayers. Ben and the Greywolves believe her to be an obstacle to their happiness. David believes her to be a traitor to her species and their friendship. Yeah, she's gonna have a rough time.

Review:

I'm not gonna lie, this book gave me a serious emotional hangover. I couldn't pick up another book for a long time because of how this one ended. And I mean that in a good way.

When we got introduced to Roar and his beliefs about the magic provided by faith in the old Norse gods, I was worried that this world was going to go over the top with the fantastical elements. Fortunately, this does not happen. Yes, we get a lot more magic, but it is world developing instead of world changing, if that makes sense. Because we only get Elkie's perspective, and she is more of a skeptic, we get a more controlled inclusion of these elements.

What surprised me was Elkie's strong return to violence. Yes, self-defense was the primary reason, but with the new elements of the world it ended up taking a bit more of a sinister turn. Fortunately Elkie is still the kind of person who doesn't forget she is human and she is affected by this as much as I was, if not more. She's not a mindless killing machine. She's a human who's reaching her breaking point. It ended up making me feel even more sorry for her.

While this wasn't as humorous as the previous books, I still found it to be a fitting end to the trilogy. The kind of ending that makes you realize just how much you enjoyed having a character in your life and how much you wanted to keep reading about them. This trilogy as a whole was a wonderful adventure and a testament to one's ability to find contentment with their lot and the strength to keep moving. I am so glad to have read this trilogy and this book helped me realize that even more. 5 hoots.

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25 Ways to Kill a Werewolf | Jo Thomas

Summary:

Elkie Bernstein and her childhood best friend Dave Williams are play fighting in the woods when they suddenly get attacked by a giant mongrel. When the mongrel accidentally gets impaled on one of their spears, they see the mongrel form turn human. After that, more and more show up ready, willing and able to kill her.

Review:

I really enjoyed this book. It's kinda simple in nature, there's no global conspiracy or league of werewolf hunters or anything like that. It's just Elkie, trying to live her life while under constant threat of werewolf attack. No one besides her and two friends seem to know that werewolves exist and since the bodies revert back to human at death, who'd believe her? 

Each chapter is titled after a different method of death and it became interesting to try to figure out how some of them would work. Don't get me wrong, Method 3: Train was pretty obvious. But Method 8: Chocolate Spread had me wondering. I found the story and methods of death to be very creative. While it got old for Elkie pretty quick, it didn't get old for me!

And I am so glad we get to read the story from Elkie's perspective. She is such a good character. She has times where she gets frustrated because she has no idea why she's the one being targeted, but she always moves forward. It takes her a while to move sometimes, but she's able to prioritize. She didn't get the chance to leave the tiny village out in Wales, but she's still able to grow and find happiness in her life. She didn't get to be an academic like Dave, but maybe that's for the best. 

I did worry that there was gonna be a love triangle, but it ended up being more of a "she's mine" kind of scenario with the guys while Elkie stopped wanting to have anything to do with them ages ago. I really do feel bad about what Dave does, and I was seriously hoping he would die from being maimed by a werewolf. Seriously. I told friends and family I'd be upset if he didn't die by the end of the book. While I didn't get what I wanted, I did end up getting a much better, and more fitting, ending. 

There is no question that this was a good book for me to pick up. It's a bit of a new adult book (a lot of talk of sex, but it's only in passing) and there is a lot of death (but nothing's ever graphically depicted). So if you're sensitive to those things maybe not the best book for you. 

However, if you're interested in a strong female lead who is able to survive 25+ encounters with werewolves while still making her life what she wants it to be, pick this up. I think you'll like it. 4.5 hoots!

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Pride and Prometheus | John Kessel

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

Summary:

Shelly meets Austen in this retelling of Frankenstein where Victor Frankenstein meets with Mary Bennett 13 years after the events of Pride and Prejudice and soon after his agreement to make a mate for his monster. Combining the styles of Austen and Shelly, Kessel tells the story of Mary's interactions with Frankenstein and his monster and their search to end their loneliness. 

Review:

I have to admit, between this book and Under the Pendulum Sun, I may have to start reading more gothic fantasy/sci-fi. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was a big fan of the original books as well as several of their adaptations (seriously, Pride, Prejudice & Zombies was awesome!) so I happily requested a copy of this book. I was not disappointed in any way.

I greatly appreciate Kessel's ability to combine these very different styles in such a way that they still worked with the story. The chapters focused on Mary are told from a third-person perspective while Frankenstein and the Creature's chapters are told from a first-person perspective. Additionally, Kessel retains the personalities of these characters. When I read Frankenstein I was appalled to find out what a whiny, self-absorbed personality Victor Frankenstein possessed. While reading Pride and Prometheus I again felt myself wanting to smack Frankenstein upside the head a few times. By the last few chapters my heart went out to Mary and the Creature.

Additionally, I really liked Kessel bringing in some modern takes of the times into the thought processes of the characters. Many times Mary brought up to the Creature that his bride should be well enough and know enough that she could genuinely choose him, rather than being forced into being his bride. Mary's status as a spinster in the world of 1800's England High Society brought more perspective of women's choices and treatment at the times.

This was truly an engaging, well written, well researched book and I happily give it 4.5 hoots. I will be looking for more books by Kessel as well!

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Where the Stars Rise | Edited by Lucas K. Law and Derwin Mak

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

Summary:

An anthology of sci-fi and fantasy stories written about, to borrow from the publisher's description, identity, belonging and choice.

Review:

If you've followed my blog for a while, you've heard me say that there's always one story in every anthology that I didn't like or I liked every story, but only because I skimmed through the ones I didn't like as much. This book a very rare anthology where I genuinely enjoyed every story and every story kept my full attention. I'm not gonna say I it was a completely fun ride because there were several stories that felt like a gut-punch of emotion. But such was the diverse array of story styles, settings and themes that these emotional stories were well balanced with the lighter-hearted ones. 

At no point did I want to put this book down. I actually finished the book and thought "I wish I had been able to read this in one go." It is such an amazing collection that it has introduced me to so many things I didn't know I didn't know, you know? I now need to look up books about King Sejong. I need to find recipes for idlis and onigiri. I need to know more about spider-jinn. Spider-jinn! I wanted to learn Chinese because, as beautiful as "Back to Myan" was in English, how much more beautiful is it in its original language?

This book was such a welcome change of pace and scenery for me. The authors are so very creative and engaging. Though my copy of this book was free, I will be purchasing it [Update: I have bought an E-book copy]. Where the Stars Rise has raise the bar for all future anthologies that I read. And has also greatly expanded my "Want to Read" list on Goodreads. I happily give 5 hoots and encourage you to pick up a copy!

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*Note: A portion of the book's revenue will go to support Kids Help Phone which is a Canadian counseling service for kids and teens in need. This fact does not affect my review.

Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge | Paul Krueger

Summary:

Bailey Chen had her life all figured out in high school. Then, after college, real life kicked in. She has to move back home and get a job as a bar back at the Nightshade Lounge, a bar owned by her friend's uncle. When she makes herself a screwdriver using some secret vodka, she discovers the literal magic of cocktails. Then she discovers that bartenders don't just mix drinks for people, they also use these magical cocktails to protect patrons from creatures that feed off a human's life force. She now needs to survive the creatures, the in-fighting of the bartenders and her family's insistence that she get a "real job".

Review:

I do so love when a book almost makes me laugh out loud on the bus. That is the sign that I'm having a great time with a fun read. This book made me do this not once. Not twice. But three times! I absolutely loved this book and the world it takes place in. I want to more books like this! I also want to know what magical abilities my favorite drink, a Scurvy Medic, would grant me! 

It's not often that I read a New Adult book, but I was interested in this one by some of the book trailers from QuirkBooks YouTube page and decided to give the book a try (seriously, look them up. They're really cool!) There were so many good characters, too. Bucket and Vincent were, hands down, the best two characters in this book! I kinda wish they were main characters, but then, that might take away some of their charm. Seriously, Vincent almost had me crying and Bucket almost had me crying tears of laughter. You gotta love it!

And the story was not predictable to me. It was very well thought out and well paced. There were plenty of non-forced or plot-hole-driven twists that kept me guessing about the outcome. This story and this world are wonderful to read and I really want more!

So, here's why it only gets 4 hoots, not 5. Relationship drama. Every time the main character did something stupid, it was because of relationship drama. She wasn't even that interested in Zane until she found out he had moved from his crush on her high school and gotten a girlfriend. This aspect of the story literally had me putting the book down a few times and completely kicked me out of the book. If it weren't for the other characters and the interesting world, I may have not liked the book at all.

That being said, I did enjoy the book. A lot. That's how awesome the rest of the cast of characters are. That's how interesting the world is. I absolutely love that bartenders are protecting their patrons and baristas are healers to the bartenders. Coffee really does cure all that ails you. So, if you can get past the relationship drama, I highly recommend this book. Be forewarned, though, it may make you want a drink or two. 4 hoots!

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Jam | Yahtzee Croshaw

Summary:

In Brisbane, Australia, Travis and one of his flatmates, Henry, start to head out of the apartment. As soon as they open the building door, however, Henry gets eaten by a flood of jam. Not covered in jam, literally dissolved into it. The week goes downhill from there. Travis, his other flatmate Tim, the and their neighbors Don and Angela, are faced with an apocalypse. Then they're faced with the other survivors, broken into two camps: the ironic Plastic People and the cubicle workers from Hibatsu. 

Review:

There were a lot of enjoyable elements to this book. An amiable main character. Realistic, and therefore hilarious, dialogue and character actions. A goliath birdeater spider. What's not to enjoy? 

Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me. I'm used to Croshaw giving a different but better ending than the one I think I want, but in this case, the ending was disappointing. I get that, in apocalyptic situations people are going to break in different ways, but I did not like Tim's break. I was genuinely disappointed by that development. I also wasn't a fan of the Plastic People and their constant need to be ironic without fully comprehending what that meant. Then again, that could be a testament to Croshaw's writing that he made them so easy to dislike. 

I did get a number of laughs throughout the book. I found it absolutely hilarious that a character who said he had no fear doing something immediately responded to the situation with "OH JESUS MONSTER TRUCK DRIVING CHRIST THIS WAS A TERRIBLE IDEAAAAAAAAAAA". I also appreciated the references to Mogworld, Croshaw's previous book. Even Travis not being the brightest bulb in the box was kinda funny (though that did get old after a while). 

Overall it's an okay book. It had a lot of good moments, but it ended up leaving me feeling like there could've been more. Maybe it's just me. I still give 3 hoots for all the laughs.

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The Deaths of Tao | Wesley Chu

Summary:

In the second book of the Lives of Tao series, Roen has been following Tao's instructions, getting essential information on Genjix projects. Unfortunately, these missions are completely off the books and he is seen as a deserter and conspiracy nut by the Prophus. Worst of all, his constant being away has caused his wife, Jill, to kick him out of the house and he is unable to spend time with his son, Cam. Meanwhile, Jill is working in Washington DC to push the Prophus agenda despite the overwhelming Genjix influence. Naturally, where Tao is involved, things turn violent and desperate.

Review:

Because I started reading this series with Rise of Io, the 4th or 5th book, I already kinda knew who was going to live and who was going to die. That being said, HOLY WAH! I still ended up completely emotionally engaged with this book to the point where I was upset with where it ended. You can't help but get sucked into the lives of these characters. Except, maybe, the bad guys. Every time the narrative switched to Enzo's perspective it just made me dislike him even more.

Chu has a wonderful ability to blend action and suspense with humor and sweetness. From Enzo's perspective, we read about the painful deaths of Prophus agents and Quasings at his hands. Meanwhile, from Jill's perspective we read about how all of Roen's passwords and codes are based on his relationship with her. Then, from Roen's perspective, we get to hear his and Tao's witticisms. Seriously, how can you not smile at some of their dialogue?

"There has to be something else we can save on other than transportation."

"Taco Wednesdays at the office were already cut."

"I miss tacos."

I enjoyed this book so much that I've already made significant progress in the next book of the series, just a day after finishing this one. Tao's world is full of interesting characters. Even those whose perspective we don't get to hear from are interesting to see in action. Stephen and his Quasling Camr had me almost crying. Master Lin had me laughing my butt off. Jacob scared me on a few occasions. Every character contributes something. Every character is engaging. 

This is, hands down, a great book to read. I highly recommend you read the first book, The Lives of Tao, first.This whole series has proven to be highly entertaining of 5 hoots!

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Grace of Kings | Ken Liu

Summary:

The islands of Dara have recently come under the rule of one Emperor for the first time since the people's ancestors first landed. Unfortunately, the Emperor's rule is tyrannical and inspires several uprisings. The only successful uprisings are led by Mata Zyndu, who looks and fights like a hero of legend, and Kuni Garu, a former gangster who never had any direction in life. Unfortunately, though their campaigns are successful, there can only be one winner and friendship and the bonds of brothers-in-arms cannot survive.

Review:

This book was an enjoyable distraction from reality. It drew me in so well that, when I had to put it down for a spell, it felt like I was waking up into a different world. The characters are fully developed and feel very real and human, even the gods of Dara. I'll admit, I had some problems warming up to Kuni Garu as he reminded me of some people that I don't like, but his genuine kindness and concern over the well being of his people brought me around.

I do wish that the technology of this world was better explained. The islands of Daru boast many engineers as well as magic, though magic is usually reserved for the gods. But there was one scene where a metal detector was used and it caught me off guard. I had thought the technology was rather Renaissance Age(ish) so a metal detector really threw me off.

There is a lot of drama throughout this story, as one would expect. A few times I wanted to smack a character or two for causing or succumbing to said drama. Yet, this seems to fit with the overall theme of the book; the flawed hero. While Mata Zyndu embodies the heroes of old with his build, manner, and belief in might makes right, this sends his lands into a kind of chaos of their own. At the same time, while Kuni Garu's style keeps as many alive as possible, his character is far from perfect or honorable.

While I wish the ending was different, I respect Liu's choice to end it the way he did. Especially since it really seems like it's the only way it could end without feeling cheap. Liu sets up for a sequel quite well, though I'm not sure I'll be reading it. This book held my interest throughout, was quite endearing, and threw me a few surprises. But, I'm not really one for court level drama and politics and, from what I could determine with the ending of this first book, that's what the next book is going to be.

I happily give Grace of Kings 3.5 hoots and encourage anyone interested in fantasy, war, drama, etc. to pick up a copy.

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City of Miracles | Robert Jackson Bennett

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

Summary:

It has been many years since the events in Voortyashtan that left Sigrud a wanted man by the Saypuri army. He's been in hiding, taking odd jobs and keeping a low profile, waiting for word from Shara Komayd. When Sigrud hears that she has been killed, it send him into a hidden war between the children of the divine and the shadows. 

Review:

I absolutely loved City of Blades, the second book in this series (still need to read City of Stairs) so I was very excited to pick up this third book. Sigrud was such an incredible character in "Blades" that I was eager to see what he would do as a main character. Let me just say, it was awesome.

This book is such a wonderful blend of action, intrigue, magic and intelligent characters. The main characters have been doing what they've been doing for many years. They are old(er) people and it shows in their perspectives, their choices, their sheer common sense!

Once again, I find myself appreciating Bennett's ability to combine drama and action with  a healthy dose of humor. He makes every character decision and all the dialogue seem so natural. Not only that, but I actually didn't see the big twist coming! I kinda pride myself on being able to predict the flow of books, but there was one, really big twist that I just did not predict, even though all the pieces were there! I swear I was paying attention, but it still surprised me!

For the most part, I don't think you need to have read the full series to enjoy this book. Reading either of the previous books will help with understanding a lot of what's going on in the world overall. However, if you were to "walk into" this book without any knowledge of the world, I think you'd still be able to enjoy it! However, if you're not a fan of a lot of blood in your books, you will want to pick up something else. There is a lot of blood. 4 hoots!

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Dr. Potter's Medicine Show | Eric Scott Fischl

*I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

This book follows three stories that tie together. The first is the story of the travelling show whose participants are tortured, sometimes literally, by Lyman, their illusionist. The second is the story of Ag and Sol, two brothers trying to prove they don't need their mother. Third is the story of Dr. Hedwith, a man trying to find the secret to immortality by any means.

Review:

I'll start with a warning that this book is not for the faint of heart or stomach. More than once I wished I wasn't eating while reading. It starts out innocently enough but there are some scenes that made me think of Red Dragon. So, fair warning, not a book for everyone.

That being said, I actually did enjoy this book a lot more than I thought I would. Yes, the book is full of dark and depressing scenes, but, thankfully, Fischl has a good number of scenes with Ag and Sol. Yes, they're pretty much comic relief, but they're are so well balanced with the darker stories that you never feel like the book is taking itself too seriously or not seriously enough. Fischl has a really good sense of balance with his characters and their stories. 

I also enjoyed how Fischl wrapped things up at the end of the book. There was enough mystery that you didn't know exactly what had happened, but enough loose ends had been tied up that you didn't feel like you were missing out. Not everyone got the ending I wanted for them but I wasn't unpleasantly surprised by the endings they received. It was a really well done book.

If you're in the mood for a darker story where alchemical studies are real, taking place in the post-civil war era, I highly recommend Dr. Potter's Medicine Show. It's a good story with great characters. 

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The Exorcism of Little Billy Wagner | Francis J. Flynn

*This book provided by the author for an honest review.

Summary:

This satirical novel tells the story of the events before, during and immediately after Billy Wagner's exorcism. We read about how responsibility gets passed from the archbishop to his underlings and then to their underlings, ending in the hands of Father Leo, a nice guy who just wants to go back to preaching in Bolivia. 

Review:

The thing that I love most about this story is that, if you're paying attention to the details, you can see what is really going on. You may think you know, but all of the facts aren't brought in to play until the final few chapters. While reading this book, I missed one or two things, but overall, it was pleasant to really see the puzzle come together. It did get me to sidetrack once or twice, as Father Leo sidetracked, regarding whether or not Billy is actually possessed or if it's something else.

I really enjoyed Flynn's establishment of character personalities. There was a lot of exposition about them, but they were, generally, entertaining side stories. Each person who thought themselves "perfect" or at least "beyond reproach" was clearly overlooking something others would find objectionable. Really the only people in this book I felt got worse than they deserved at any point were Father Leo and Bishop Waller.

I am very glad this book was listed as a satire because, if I thought this author was serious, it'd be a disappointing book. Knowing it was satire made it a lot of fun to read. I'll admit, anything non-fantasy, non-sci-fi or non-science isn't my usual genre, but I was happy to read this. If you like more realistic fiction with a good sense of humor, you'll enjoy this book. This really was a fun read. 4 hoots!

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                Hoot! Hoot!

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!

Sword of Deaths | Christopher Mannino

*This book was free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

In book two of The Scythe Wielder's Secret series Susan's adventures continue through the new school year. Unfortunately, joining the Boskery team isn't the biggest challenge she has to face. The dragons have begun attacking ships carrying mortamant, the vital material used to create scythes, disrupting the Deaths ability to do their job.

Review:

What engaged me about the first book was the potential the world held. I expressed a desire to learn more about the world of Deaths. Mannino has more than given me what I asked for! This book has new locations to read about, more history about the 'Mentals and actual interactions and history of the dragons!

Of course, in a book about the only female death, there are romantic considerations. Fortunately for the readers more interested in the goings on in the world, this is taken care of relatively quickly and then takes a backseat to the more important aspects of the story; the mortament shortage and the impending war with the dragons.

What was really fun for me was that I did not see the plot twist coming. Yet, upon reviewing the story, all the clues were there! This does not often happen to me. Usually I'm really good at picking up on what's going on. But I missed this!

This was a wonderful continuation of the series. I read it in just a few days because it's fully engaging. The world is immersive and there's so much to it. 4.5 hoots!

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                      Hoo

Rarity from the Hollow | Robert Eggleton

*This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

Summary:

This book is told mainly from the perspective of Lacey Dawn, an 11-year-old girl who lives in The Hollow, a hamlet hit hard, economically and socially, by the closing of the coal mine. Physical abuse is the norm in just about every household. Fortunately for Lacey Dawn, she has a friend, DotCom who tells her that she is destined to save the universe and he has been helping her become intelligent enough to help her family and do the job she's been born to do. 

Review:

I have to admit, the first few chapters of this book were tough to read. Eggleton served as a Child Advocate for many years so he knows, almost too well, the realities of domestic abuse. If you can make it past those chapters, however, the rest of the story is an interesting adventure where the adults are childish and the child has to be the responsible one. 

Naturally, a book like this isn't for everyone. There's a lot of inappropriate humor, but it really works for this book. No other type of humor could come from this situation. I found it interesting that the humor even spread to some of the alien races encountered. I also appreciated how easily humans from a poor town were able to negotiate the best in the universe using techniques unknown to advanced alien races. 

So, while I wouldn't normally read this kind of book, I do appreciate Eggleton's style and how organically the story moves along. Again, yes, a lot of the humor is sex based, but it works for the characters involved. If you can get through the first few chapters, you'll likely enjoy this book. Also, all author proceeds are donated to child abuse prevention. 4 hoots!

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Mars One: Humanity's Next Great Adventure | Norbert Kraft, MD

*Image and ebook provided by NetGalley

Summary:

A collection of essays answering vital questions about the Mars One project. Namely how the chosen astronauts will survive, physically and mentally. What kinds of technology we still need to develop. Where the funding for the project will come from. It also includes a short story about an average day of the first four colonists.

Review:

Like many people, I am skeptical about a one-way trip to Mars However, I would be very happy to have my skepticism be proven wrong. The world needs something to look forward to, something for all of us to be proud of and be a unifying thing. If this works out, the colonization of Mars could have one of the strongest impacts on our world. 

My favorite thing about this book is that it shows that this venture was not taken up lightly. Research has been done and is still being done, to make sure that everyone who goes to Mars survives it. There has also been considerable work in weeding out personalities that just wouldn't make it or would be difficult for a team to work/live with. 

As far as readability, there were a couple of things here and there that were of less interest to me (one essay specifically addresses legal issues). But if you have any interest in space travel, technology, survival, or even psychology, you will find this book interesting. At the very least, I learned that, while I'd love to support this project, I am not candidate material. I think I'm okay with that.

For a non-fiction book, I found it to be a pretty easy read and one that I'd like to see revised as the project moves forward and more understanding of practicalities develops and new technologies become publicly available. Who knows how much of the content of these essays will need to be updated in the next 10 years? I happily give Mars One 4 hoots and would love to read any and all revised editions.

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Dataclysm | Christian Rudder

*Book provided by Blogging for Books.

Summary:

Christian Rudder, one of co-founders of OkCupid, uses data from OkCupid, Google, Twitter, and others to show patterns of behavior. Some of these patterns relate to romantic interests, but there are also chapters on stereotypes, prejudices, privacy concerns and other information related to living in the digital age.

Review:

I initially requested this book because I actually met my husband on OkCupid and was interested in seeing if our relationship had fit the norms gathered from the OkCupid data. When I started reading it, however, I was happy to be shown a lot of data with Rudder's interpretations. Statistics was one of my favorite subjects and a good portion of the book plays to that. If you have trouble with statistics, this book will show you what kind of practical applications the subject can have.

The majority of the book, however, reads like a set of personal opinion essays. I know that's not what they are; Rudder has a lot of data and has done his research. The subjects he covered were certainly interesting and relevant. For some reason, though, the second half of the book (give or take) just kinda fell flat for me. I lost interest quickly and had a hard time getting through it. I almost think I'd have had more fun just reading a book of statistics. Then again, I've always had problems reading about anything that involves contemporary politics, social life, etc. 

I do encourage you to pick up a copy if you're interested in what the raw data from the Internet says about the United States culture. It's just not for me. 

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