Review: Lucretia and the Kroons

Lucretia and the Kroons by Victor LaValle

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I was sent an invite from Random House to download a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.

This book is fairly fast-paced and drew me right in. I sped through reading it, and it's a quick-read due to writing style, intrigue, and novella length.

I found it to be enjoyable, and perfect for something quick and easy to read. The story isn't very graphic, and I'm not sure what the age group is for it, but I'm guessing perhaps a teen book.

The main character is 12 years old, and is attempting to cope with her best friend who is dying from cancer. It is an interesting look into a middle-schooler's life in Queens NY. It's not written too seriously, so you can tell it's going to be a bit odd, once you get going with it. All in all, it's a rather bizarre tale, that makes sense at the end once you realize that her trip down the rabbit hole is due to Lucretia's mental illness.

I felt that the ending describing her mental illness as the cause of this weird journey to an alternate world from apartment 6A, could have been much longer, and told much more of a story. I got a little distracted by all the action happening once Lucretia entered the alternate world park. Some parts were hard for me to visualize, and it seemed long in comparison to the more interesting part of WHY she was having this journey. A bigger focus on her mental illness would have been more intriguing to me, but it wasn't the focus of this story. Lucretia meeting these mysterious Kroons was the focus.

After getting to the end, I was happy to find out that there was a reason for her suddenly screaming "Whores!" at her friends and sending them away, her dressing up like a 6 year old at her 12 year old birthday party, and her general oddity. Exploring this aspect in more detail, even in a short story, would have been awesome, in my opinion.

Something that bothered me, besides the too-quick wrap-up at the end of the story, was her alternate world imaginings being explained as being bipolar. It sounds more like schizophrenia to me, but I'm not an expert. I just think it sounds a little off as a reason for her behavior, and it's always hard for me to buy into a story that seems like it has facts that don't match up.

Overall, it was a good read. The author has a great imagination, and it was well-written. I could see this as an episode of Twilight Zone or some odd mini-series. Kind of gave me that early Stephen King feeling.




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Review: Witch Child

Witch Child by Celia Rees

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I really appreciated this from a historical viewpoint, since the story behind this novel was what drew me in. It was taken from a quilt that was found, with pages, folded up, inside each square of this quilt. It was an amazing find, and no known record of the author of this journal, Mary Newberry, can be found. She came from England, where her grandmother was hanged for witchcraft, to the New World, to start a new life. A life that would be free from persecution. Well, that would have been the nice way it could have happened.

She instead found herself aboard ship with a very puritanical group that was following their leader and the first settlers that had come to this New World. Overtly strict, absolutely unforgiving, and yet, she needed to attempt to fit in with them so she could make her way somehow, in this new place.

I really did end up liking this story. It was a bit slow at first, but I realized it was the story of a girl of 14 that was actually just going through this life. Daily. I have always loved reading old journals, diaries, from people. They are getting harder and harder to come by also, so any novel of actual regular old life is quite wonderful. It gets much more interesting as she comes to the New World and settles in Beulah.

This story is so easy to relate to, and so typical in what we know of these religious zealots that found the devil in every spot they wanted to find it, persecuting and killing anyone that didn't fit their impossible and mad rules. What a frightening world. Not much of refuge for those that sought freedom, but it is the history of America's founding. Her story, speaks out and tells us of one girls simple journey. From England to Beulah, New England. A very easy and enjoyable read. I would rate it as one for middle-school aged kids, but can be appreciated by all that are interested.



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Review: A Storm of Swords

A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Oh.... where do I begin? I'm trying to write down my thoughts before starting on the next book, because honestly, I've been reading them consecutively and it's far too easy to lose track of where one ends and one begins. Especially with also watching Game of Thrones on TV which is nearly like a parallel universe to Song of Fire & Ice in many ways. That said, I'm going to write down my thoughts now, after finishing Storm of Swords before I get any further into Feast for Crows.

I love these stories, I will say that. There is some odd and magical quality that Martin has with writing, that makes them so enticing, yet so normal and honestly simple as well. His characters come to life in my head and I WANT to read to see what happens next. I didn't want to put this book down. Book 1 was a little dull at first when I read it, for reasons of how he writes, he just jumps right into it with one character and then promptly closes that chapter and moves to another character, on and on until the end. This made book 1 hard to get into, but about halfway down, I was. Into it. Book 2 I loved. Love it, it was beautifully written, and I could wait for book 3. Here is where we are right now then.

I feel a difference in the manner in which book 3 moves, from the first two. I feel it's transitional from the years of time between them. Authors grow, concepts adapt, and yet it flows completely still. Damn magic. Largest difference right off hand is the utter lack of the words "cock" and "fuck". You could hardly go a chapter without the characters saying them a dozen times. Seems silly maybe, but the language of the characters even evolved, which shows the authors evolution as changing as well. This story gets even deeper and more involved than they have before. Some chapters were very dark, and much of a downer in contrast to the euphoria of triumph other chapters inspired. So, so, much happens in this book, in relation to the movement of these characters lives. It's all very unexpected and that is what makes it great.

There are parts to this story that made me nearly whoop out loud, like a chapter with Daenerys in which I was enthralled with her. This was an important part of coming to appreciate her as before, I wasn't too into her in book 2. Martin does not spare any character death. They could seem as though the main character, sure to live on, and always come through, and before you know it, they get killed off in the most unceremonious manner. This might piss off a few people, but I'm learning to roll with it. What makes Martin's writing lovable is that he is not predictable. You never know what's going to happen. When you have read scores of the fantasy genre and generally know there will be strife, there will be battle, then the hero/heroine will surely come through and live to get it all in the end, even through the struggle.... well, you won't really find it here. Not exactly like that. What you will find is a masterful story, well-written characters (even when he barely sketches them out you absolutely can be shocked they die, they seemed so full yet..) and a plot that is so windy and full of intrigue that even the jaded reader should find something of interest here.

I find myself not being very happy with how some characters roles play out, because as a reader, I suppose I have to admit I've been trained by fiction writers to EXPECT certain outcomes in the story. I haven't found them here, the bad guys win, the good guys die, the bad guys lose, the good guys win. It's all a guess to me as a reader. THAT'S what makes me pick the book up again. Just like life, I realize that it's not always what I expected, and it may seem blunt or unexpected at first, but then, that's what makes it such a good ride. Not knowing and learning a new story, with new plots, new twists, and entrancing writing to keep me picking it up. In the end, I'm more pleased with the outcome as it were than if it was how I might have thought it might happen. And because it's a Song of Fire & Ice, you do never know which character might be decidedly mortal, and which might be completely immortal for no known reason (as of yet exactly) to be sure. Never have I read an author who mixes the slightly magical with the down-to-earth story so that I never have to suspend my disbelief at all, it's just there. I already do believe. Besides that, his prose is wonderful to read, and he written an epic saga worth enjoying. Highly recommended for fantasy fans.



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Review: Deadlocked

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Wow, there is a lot to process in this story... the direction of the characters is drastically different from what they were doing, say 7 book ago. You can say that's life though, and this is completely normal to evolve and change.

I feel like so many people are disappointed in the direction of the story because it's no longer that happy little light and sassy book you could pick up and read, expecting laughter, tons of sex, lots of blood and crazy shit every chapter. In many regards it reminds me of some of her other series in the mood of the book. Although....

Be prepared that this story is moodier and sadder than any of the other Sookie Stackhouse mysteries. It's grown up a lot, well, Sookie has grown up. She's been through an amazing number of outlandish adventures, and has had some very tough relationship issues. Heartbreak, friends & family dying, and it's bound to affect a person.

I just finished this story, and I'm left feeling really sad. Sookie's got such relationship troubles, not the usual funny kind she used to have. Just... it's sad how her and Eric aren't even really talking anymore. To show how different these stories are from before, there was not one time that Sookie or anyone that I can think of had sex in this book. Now, from the other stories, that's practically shocking. I can see how some of the fans are disappointed. This more serious and meaningful story maybe wasn't what they were anticipating. Some people read to escape, and to dream of what they wish they could do or have in life, not to see the struggles and pain others go through. This book may not end up being for everyone who was a longtime fan in that regard.

I can't wait to read the next installment. I'm happy with the direction that Charlaine Harris has taken her characters. I want to know what happens after Sam and Sookie got home, and what's going on with the Queen of Oklahoma and what the hell is going to happen to all of these people. I've been reading about them for so long, I care about what they're going through, and where they are going to end up. One thing I always like is that I can relate to what Sookie goes through or feels. There's a brevity to her pain this time, it used to be more of a joke in the sarcastic way it was portrayed. Now you actually really can feel more of her pain, and that might just not feel funny anymore, but it's a great way to bring a character to life and make you see how things affect people instead of just laughing and assuming they can just keep amusing you.

There are major steps in the characters lives, but I don't want to go into it and reveal parts of the story in a spoiler. But there is a lot happening, and I feel like this book is a bit of a transition to the next aspect of the residents of Bon Temps.

I'll be honest though, when I first started reading, I was feeling a little drab mood from the book. I was waiting for all the excitement that always used to jump out of a Sookie book. Then I started to think about how many books there are, this is book #12. How long can one character believably just have crazy shit happen and never move onto something else? Without the series just becoming an entire joke? Look as what the HBO series did to the story. They took it and made it outlandish with absurd shit that didn't even happen anywhere in the books.

As an author, would I want to keep writing stories that just end up being taken so lightly? Maybe it was time for the characters to evolve, grow up, and move on? Maybe it was time for me to reset my thinking to neutral for this story. So I could enjoy it, stop judging it and trying to compare it to what Sookie books used to be. I decided to evolve with it. I ended up really really liking it. The writing is great, she's even improved upon not repeating everything the characters used to do and reminding readers about it. That was a little peeve of mine in some of the books around book #8. Her writing is tight, the story and plot are there, and I'm looking forward to book #13.





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Review: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor

The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Review posted at: The Owl Review, Amazon, & Goodreads.

I was looking forward to starting this book, since I've read all of the graphic novels/comics up until this point. I was eager to learn the backstory to the Governor; the horrible, twisted ruler of the dystopian establishment of Woodbury.

Getting started in reading this, the pace moved slowly. I was hoping it would pick up, but it's a very slow-reading book the entire way through. This is part of why it only gains 3 stars in my review. I just couldn't find myself being drawn into the story, except for a few instances where it started to get a lot of action going on and become interesting.

The build-up to the big end reveal is slow. You will find out how the Governor was born at the very end, and there really isn't much I can say at this point without giving away the entire point of the story. I will say that all of the way through the book I kept thinking to myself, "This isn't the kind of trauma that would give rise to creating such a monster like Philip Blake became." If you look at the people directly around him, you see they are going through all the same things and yet aren't driven to the same end. Is this difference of personality? Difference of ability to cope and adapt instead of harden and crack. It absolutely is, however, just not exactly in the way that you would initially think.

I don't like to recap the story and type out a synapsis for my reviews. That's what the back of the book, or the description on the online pages are for. I like to share with others how the book made me feel; what I liked about it, or what I didn't like. I don't think readers want to read 50 different recaps of the same story, since that doesn't give them insight into how it moves you, or how it read. I will say this, the story is good if you are invested in The Walking Dead story line already. As a standalone story, this would probably be pretty boring and not mean much to you if you aren't interested in learning what made the Governor become the person he is.

I'm not sure the author is skilled at writing novels. As a graphic novel, this would probably work fine, as most of the story is bogged down with unnecessary descriptions and information that doesn't push the plot forward, it just stalls. At times I wasn't sure if the author knew what he wanted the story to do or he was just writing as he tried to figure it out. It read a bit like trying to come up with a story when you didn't have the concept to begin with, you just knew maybe where you wanted it to end up, or the readers wanted to know the backstory and now you have to make one up. This would have worked excellent as a short story under 100 pages instead of 300 pages. I had to slog through it, and push myself forward.

I am a fan of the AMC show, The Walking Dead, as well as a reader of the graphic novels/comics. I am unsure at this point if I'd want to read the next book in this series, but for informational purposes I possibly will. We'll just have to see.

One final note: I know there's been much talk about how this should've been more aptly titled "The Birth of the Governor", but come on, it's a zombie book... even though "birth" would have been more fitting, "rise" is definitely more in tune with the zombie lingo.




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Review: The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1

The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1 by Robert Kirkman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Review also posted at The Owl Review

This book contains issues 1-48. As of this review (4/2012), issue #96 was just released.

Oh wow, was this fun and fast reading! I've never been much of a fan of graphic novels per se (with a brief obsession with reading Spawn years ago), but this one hooked me in.

My husband and I are fans of the AMC show, The Walking Dead. Little did I know that there was a graphic novel, until my husband picked it up. This tome must have weighed at least 15 lbs, and was not the most comfortable book to read in bed, mind you... but nonetheless, I persevered and instead tried to spend most of my time sitting comfortably on the couch to read through this.

This was pure reading candy for me. It's not the happiest of tales. Not by any means. However, zombie tales which emerged out of Haitian culture, our slave culture, and our early Voodoo days down south, are always so easy to immerse ourselves in aren't they? Well, I can at least speak for myself and say they are.

This one doesn't disappoint. It's a well-woven, and so easy to believe story of our anti-hero Rick, who wakes up out of a coma, in his hospital bed. After visions of his best friend and fellow police officer, Shane, visiting him, he realizes that time has elapsed. He's weak with a not-quite-healed gunshot wound, and the hospital is disturbingly deserted, trashed, and soon he finds rows and rows of the dead, after escaping a room full of decaying people...which he learns are zombies. Roamers they are later coined in the book by Ricks group.

Rick meets up with his wife Lori, son Carl, friend Shane, and some other members that decided to stick together as they camp out nearby Atlanta. Each one is forced to come head-to-head with their current reality, and wonder if there will be any rescue attempts, and who else is still alive in the world. Roamers are everywhere, and no one feels safe. Gunshots to the head kill them, but noise draws their attention to your location.

You never know which character, no matter how important they seem, will be killed off, tragically, or just randomly. No one is safe in The Walking Dead, and characters are constantly battling for their lives, some semblance of civility, and often times their sanity.



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Review: Sh*t My Dad Says

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I had forgotten I picked this up and read it last month, since it's not a typical book. It's comprised of twitter snips and expansions of those twitter snips into tiny chapters that give more background to the punch line involved.

The premise of this book comes from our amazing age where you can easily publish thoughts on media sites like Twitter, and accidentally, you get a signing for a book contract. The book itself is readable in about a couple of hours max - get it from the library unless you want to keep it on the coffee table to amuse your company (depends on your company). It's easy to flip through, and skim to the main "jokes". Justin's Dad, whom all the quotes are based upon was smart, blunt, and funny, even if his mindset is antiquated, and a little sexist.

I started reading this on the way to McMenamin's Grand Lodge and made it through all of the Twitter feed snippets and a couple of the chapters, which would have been no more than maybe 30 minutes? Reading this aloud, I admit I had tears of laughter as I tried not to ruin the point of the sh*t Justins dad said. I had all my kids in the car with me, so I had to either skip a few, or change some words to make it PG. My older boys thought this book was hilarious, yes, lots of dumb-guy-bad-language-bathroom-humor going on in this book, and I had to stop them from trying to read it themselves lest they come across the completely inappropriate sexual content (for kids).

So, it's a simple and funny book. I got it originally because I thought my husband might enjoy it, but after our read-aloud in the car, it had pretty much covered the majority of the book and that, was all they wrote. There are some slightly profound theories in there that his father had, hidden underneath all that sarcasm and bad language though. There are even a couple of heartfelt, rare, moment he shared with his son, passing on life lessons he hoped his son could avoid. You can tell, that beneath his fathers blunt exterior, he really did want the best for his kids, and wanted them to be happy, and just make good choices.





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