Bookin' It Reviews - #1

Master Houdini couldn't resist putting in his two whiskers worth of opinions for my latest book review. As you can see, he highly approves of my reading selections as a headrest for scholarly cats with creative leanings.

I also changed my book review post title. I got bored. It happens. *grins*

Here are three fantastic selections for all you bookworms out there.

1) A Choir of Ill Children by Tom Piccirilli. The book is riveting. I read it so fast I couldn't believe it. This is a southern gothic novel -- very twisted. In the town of Kingdom Come, a backwards southern swampland with a habit towards floods of biblical proportions, live Thomas and his brothers, three conjoined triplets fond of deviant behavior with no qualms about hiding a dark family secret from Thomas. The cast of characters is as bizarre as the ones from the 90s hit T.V. drama, Twin Peaks. If you love weird, this one is for you. Superbly written and darkly damning, you can't miss it.

2) A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of fall and the Halloween season. This novel is the first book in the All Souls Trilogy. The next is expected out in 2012. Deborah Harkness combines historical fact with fantastical fiction in this tale of a witch with an exceptional family lineage -- the Bishops of Salem witch trial fame. Diana Bishop is a scholar studying alchemy manuscripts at Oxford in England, when she meets a mysterious vampire, Matthew Clairmont. After researching an intriguing and long-lost alchemy manuscript with a spell attached to it, Diana alerts all the demons and vampires to its location. The manuscript supposedly holds the key to the origin of vampires and demons. Matthew Clairmont falls in love with the beautiful and bewitching Diana Bishop while protecting her from the supernatural forces hell-bent on getting the manuscript's location, but there is an ancient covenant the two have broken. Two different kinds of supernatural beings cannot be romantically involved. Now, fighting for their lives and the precious alchemical book, Diana and Matthew must face even greater supernatural forces than expected. This book is a delight and I cannot wait for the second. And never fear -- this is nothing like an Anne Rice novel. It's waaaay better.

3) Welcome to Bordertown: New Stories and Poems of the Borderlands, edited by Holly Black and Ellen Kushner, returns Bordertown fans to the urban fantasy setting they love. Carrying on the Bordertown tradition, authors such as Neil Gaiman, Patricia McKillip, Charles de Lint, Jane Yolen, and Emma Bull give you a whole new set of tales set in the city bordering our world and the world of the Fae. This book will not disappoint. It is as lovely as the original Bordertown tales and a real treat for urban fantasy lovers. All of the stories are great. It is hard for me to pick a favorite to mention here, but let's just say that there are spell-boxed motorcycles, talented Celtic musicians, Green Men, and more in  this collection guaranteed to satisfy. I highly recommend it.

As always, happy writing and happy reading!


What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #22

It's time for another book review. Since I've still been recovering from my leg injury, my library card's gotten a killer workout. I have four fab selections for you.

The first is A Walk on the Darkside: Visions of Horror.  This was a solid collection from editor and author John Pelan.  Three stories stole the show for me. Parting Jane by Mehitobel Wilson told the sad story of a young girl trapped in a hospital bed by her parents to harvest her body for her ailing sister. Tom Piccirilli wrote a disturbing tale called These Strange Lays about a man who encounters a crazed sex kitten while visiting his father's grave; he follows her back to the asylum and soon discovers just how depraved the insane really are. And Brian Hodge wrote An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Flesh, which while  first published in this collection in 2004, still deals with the relevant topic of school bullying and how some seek revenge. I recommend this for a little light horror reading before bedtime.

My second pick is The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. This YA novel is also for adults. I haven't had writer's envy in a bit, but this one stoked the green-eyed dragon with its wonderful heroic journey of young twelve-year old David. David mourns the death of his mother and soon discovers the fables and stories they loved are more than just stories. The books are alive at his stepmother's house. David hears his mother's voice calling to him one night and enters the mysterious abandoned sunken garden. He soon realizes he is not at home anymore and has stepped into the world of his stories. David completes a quest to return his mother to the land of the living and soon discovers all the dark secrets of The Crooked Man, a sinister, shady character who wants David to reign as King and give him his brother, Georgie, so he can live another lifetime. If you are a fan of Neil Gaiman or the movie, Labyrinth, this book is for you. Beautiful prose, a unique story, and great characters make this one shine.

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull is my third pick. This YA debut novel from 2007 is a joy to read. I picked it up on someone's recommendation. If you like Terry Pratchett, Delia Sherman, Kelly Link, Midori Snyder, and Charles de Lint, you will enjoy this fast-paced story. Seth and Kendra are dumped off at their grandparents' for two weeks. Prepared for boredom and awkwardness with the family they don't know, they soon discover there's something magical about Fablehaven.  Fablehaven is a sanctuary for the fantastical world and Grandpa Sorenson is their caretaker. When Grandpa Sorenson and Grandma Sorenson disappear on Midsummer's Eve, the children soon discover the world of the Fae can be dangerous. Seth and Kendra race to save their family and the preserve they love from the clutches of an evil witch determined to release a demon from his prison, so he can rule Fablehaven once again. And there are more books out in the series to read after this one! Can't wait...

My last pick is Horns by Joe Hill. Joe Hill hits another home run with his second novel. Iggy Perrish used to have the perfect life -- family, friends, money, and a girl who loved him. Then one morning he wakes up to find he's grown horns. Iggy attempts to have the horns removed, but discovers this is not an easy task. His horns influence people to focus on their deepest, darkest desires and are not helping him get back to his old life. Iggy struggles with his new identity as the devil while still reeling from the loss of his girlfriend, Merrin, who was raped and brutally murdered. Worse yet, now that Iggy is the devil, he is privilege to what everyone truly thinks of him. And everyone thinks he killed Merrin, but he knows differently. Iggy discovers the truth about Merrin's murder with his super devil powers and takes matters into his own hands. Raw and darkly humorous, this story keeps your interest until the last page. Don't miss it.

As always, happy writing and happy reading!

What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #21

It's time for another book review installment, brought to you this week by the former Baby Tatsu. I've been laid up with a leg injury and have been plowing through my stash of library books like a crack fiend, and bring you four selections today.

Karen Russell wrote this phenomenal book, Swamplandia! The book follows a family of alligator wrestlers who live and work in their theme park. The theme park is in danger of going bankrupt after Ava, Kiwi's, and Osceola's mother dies of cancer. Their parents' unconventional lifestyle has left them with an interesting education in all things alligator-related, but not much about the world around them or how to interact with other people.

The story chronicles the journeys of the Bigtrees as they learn to cope with the passing of their mother/wife and how to survive in a world without her. Their father, Chief Bigtree, has problems coping with his own grief and the bills that are piling up; he heads to the mainland to find work, leaving behind his children to fend for themselves. Ava Bigtree is the youngest sister. She looks up to Osceola, who becomes fascinated with séances and the afterlife after her mother's passing. Osceola falls in love with a ghost she communicates with and elopes, but Ava discovers she's missing and follows her into the treacherous swamp to The Underworld with a creepy guide, The Bird Man. Kiwi, their older brother, moves to the mainland and goes to work for a competing theme park putting his family out of business. It is poignant, beautifully written, and a real treat to read. This is Karen Russell's first novel and I look forward to reading many more.

My second pick is a dud. Beware of For Edgar by Sheldon Rusch. It pains me to have to give a book bad review because I love reading, but I have to do it. This murder mystery held such promise; there's a serial killer on the loose that's a fan of Edgar Allan Poe. All of his victims end up creatively killed like characters in Poe's short stories. Sounds great, right? Until you are introduced to the killer for the first time in the book; about twenty pages after you meet him, you are positive he is the whodunit because we meet no one else in town with the knowledge to commit the crimes. Okay, so I let that one slide. I could handle solving the murders in the first third of the book because I wanted to read about them, but I couldn't overlook the male author's treatment of sex in the novel. I found it totally unrealistic. All the female characters were portrayed as sexual objects and none of the male characters were. Even worse, the females' fantasies/sexual thoughts seemed to be the author's and not their own. This unfortunately held true for every female in the book; I don't mind a little sex in a story, but I feel if your main character is the opposite sex of the author, I shouldn't be able to tell that from their writing. There is a slightly redeeming and very brief plot twist at the end, but overall, this book left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't recommend it.

My third pick is much, much better. Have you ever wanted to teach your frisky feline how to do tricks? Well, now you can with Cat Training in 10 Minutes by Miriam Fields-Babineau. Miriam is a renowned animal trainer. I was a skeptic when I purchased this one, but now I'm a believer. I have three felines -- one cranky, old girl who doesn't want to do any tricks and two energetic felines who have been greatly entertained by this book so far. The instructions are easy to understand and the training is effective. You really can teach your cat to do tricks in ten minutes. I recommend this book for any cat lover. Your cat can learn to come, stay, jump, shake paws, twirl, and stand up in no time! And there's more. Who wouldn't love a cat that could play dead and roll over or go for a walk on a leash? You have to get this book.

I end on a high note, with my fourth pick, Steampunk, edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer. This book is a great introduction to the variety of steampunk literature available. The introduction is one of the better I have read on explaining the origins of steampunk and the collection of authors includes greats such as Michael Moorcock, Michael Chabon, James Blaylock, and Joe R. Landsdale. I particularly like the blurbs at the beginning of each story detailing where this tale fits into the steampunk genre. There are two essays included at the end of the collection, as well; one deals with steampunk in comics and the other deals with a quick pop culture lesson in steampunk. The stories were varied in the collection. There is something for everyone, from your favorite steampunk golem to Queen Victoria's newt double and beyond. My favorites include a steampunk western with the evil vampire H.G. Wells and a more traditional Hebrew golem story. Enjoy!

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #20

Wow! Summer is almost gone, my stepson is back in school, and I haven't posted a book review all month. It's been busy here, though in the last half-week I've had more than enough time to catch up on a few books. I bring you four picks today -- all fiction.

The first is by Charles de Lint, The Blue Girl. This YA novel takes place in the fictional town of Newford where many of his stories are set. I personally wouldn't mind living there with all the fae and wood folk and interesting characters. Imogene doesn't fit in with anyone at her new high school; she's punk with an attitude, smart, and confident. She befriends a mousy girl named Maxine. Maxine longs to express herself, but since her parents' divorce has fallen prey to her mother's bad wardrobe choice of girly, prim skirts, blouses and frilly dolls in pink. Together the two of them set out to discover the mystery of the ghost haunting the halls of their high school. Enter Imogene's childhood imaginary friend, Pelly. Pelly turns out to be real and so are the brownies -- those mythical fae that like to clean up for you, but they aren't as nice as they seem to be. Did they cause the death of the boy? Did they put Imogene's life in danger? Read and find out.

I liked this book because it deals with the current topic of bullying, a topic we need to take seriously in our schools. It also deals with the question of finding yourself in those troubled teen years. The cast of characters are colorful and fresh and the plot moves along quickly. I highly recommend this for adults and teens alike.

My second pick is Miyuki Miyabe's Brave Story. Miyuki Miyabe is a popular contemporary Japanese author. This YA novel is a long read, but worth it. Wataru, the main character, comes from a newly broken home with a suicidal mother. To save the family he loves so dearly, he ventures into the fantastical land of Vision, which is created from his own imagination. He must face his own demons and gain the knowledge he needs to get his wish from the Goddess. On his travels, he makes some loyal friends, including a kitkin and a dragon. Wataru learns the importance of integrity and friendship as he rushes to complete his five quests before another traveler, so he can get his wish. But what does he wish for in the end? This book is a great read for teens and adults. I especially recommend it for any young adults coping with divorce or suicide in their family. Miyabe handles these topics creatively.

My third pick is a collection of vampire shorts edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, Vampire Slayers: Stories of Those Who Dare to Take Back the Night. This collection of stories is not for the lovers of Anne Rice and Stephenie Meyer. There are no Lestats or Edwards lying between these pages -- no sparkling vampires and no vampires looking for love or redemption or questioning their own creation. Nope. The vampires lurking between these pages are raw, gritty, and vicious. They are blood-hungry and will stop at nothing to sake their thirst, and they need to be hunted down. The stories in this collection are all previously published, but they represent a wide variety of authors spanning decades from the pulp fiction of the 1950s to the present. This is an enjoyable read and quite refreshing.

My fourth and last pick for you, is the eleventh Sookie Stackhouse novel by Charlaine Harris, Dead Reckoning. Now, I am a fan of Sookie Stackhouse's and I love my True Blood series as well, but by the latest book, I seriously hoped Sookie would have left Eric and Bill in the dark and gotten herself a new boyfriend. Sadly, such is not the case. While this book is enjoyable, it predictably showcases Sookie as the damsel in distress, AGAIN. Someone is out to kill Sookie. Surprise, surprise. *eye roll* Like we haven't seen this plot before. However, we do learn more about her interesting fae history and there's a promising hint that her fae cousin is not staying with her just to be nice. Disappointingly, at the end of the book she is still with Eric, though they aren't really speaking and Bill has AGAIN, proclaimed his love for Sookie. Again, what a surprise. *eye roll* Not! Maybe, next time around she'll get to date a Were again and Eric and Bill can go suck a dry one. And Sookie, girl, do you really need all those men to save you in every book? Why not save yourself?A girl can dream, can't she?

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #19

Ridiculous! I woke up at 5AM and here I sit wide-awake at my computer. I guess I'll do my blogging for today.

I've been doing a fair amount of reading, but this week got back into a heavier writing schedule, so I only have two books to discuss, but they are really, really good.

I like to browse the new section every time I go to my library. This time I found this cool little collection of  short stories, Creature Cozies, edited by Jill M. Morgan. It's a selection of mystery pet tales written by mystery authors about their own pets. Included on the back cover, which is a nice detail, is a photo of each author with their pets featured in the stories. Now I am a total animal lover, but I don't read many mainstream mysteries. I usually like my mysteries to involve the supernatural or paranormal, but these proved to be just as entertaining. I expected the book to read like The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert, which I do enjoy immensely, but to my surprise, the book offered more than that. It's hard to pick a favorite from this book because they were all so good. I simply can't. They all won my heart.

The second book I read this week featured horror shorts for young adults, Be Afraid!: Tales of Horror selected by Edo van Belkom. Wow! Again, I loved every story in this collection, which rarely happens for me, but I seem to be having good success lately. All of the stories dealt with relevant issues for young adults today in a creative way; the topics included adjusting to puberty, teen gun violence, popularity, and other issues. I was impressed with how the authors addressed everyday issues in the horror genre, something Mr. Belkom discussed in the introduction where he mentions that horror is what happens around us in everyday life. This prompted me to think even more about my own personal experiences I could write about, something I have been doing a lot of lately anyway. It's been a weird week for me. Usually, I find I love half and think the rest are just okay. Sometimes I actually dislike a few or am indifferent, but I never am psyched about all the stories in a collection. That's twice this week!

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #18

Well, this post is long overdue. With all the pet emergencies and then me going on vacation, I haven't had time to blog about my latest reads. My humble apologies to my readers. You can flog me with a thousand wet pages of type, if you'd like. I have four selections for you today.

The first is Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor. This story is thick enough to use as a doorstop and thoroughly researched. For those of you who don't know the horrors of Andersonville, it was the Confederate prison where many Union soldiers suffered and died needlessly due to lack of food, medical care, and basic shelter, etc. The stories from this prison camp are infamous and will make your stomach turn. This tale does a fine job detailing the atrocities of Andersonville and follows a few families in Georgia as they struggle to live in the war-torn state. It is highly moving and emotional, but at times, a tad long. I do recommend it, though.

I switched gears then and read my first book from Permuted Press, a collection of four zombie novellas. The Undead: Headshot Quartet rocked! From H.P. Lovecraft and zombies to a boy who can imagine anything he wants into existence -- phenomenal. Highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good zombie story. I couldn't put this one down. It even inspired me to dust off and spruce up my own zombie novella. I will be reading more from Permuted Press in the future.

If you aren't a fan of zombies, then maybe, you've heard of a very popular book by Emma Donoghue, Room.  This book dealt with dark subject matter, but I didn't find it to be as dark as many of my friends suggested it was. It is great writing, though. The story is told by Jack, a child born of rape. His mother is held captive in one room and this is the only reality he has known until she decides they need to escape. The novel follows them out into the world where Jack learns that there is more to life than the one room he lived in. The author gives us a unique perspective on what we perceive as reality vs. what others see. How Jack and his mother cope is quite interesting. This book was a quick read. I almost finished it in a day. I recommend this one as well.

The next book I finished on vacation this week. It is Urban Gothic by Brian Keene. This book is so sick; it's beautiful. It's Texas Chainsaw Massacre meets The Hills Have Eyes meets the raw grittiness of Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door. If you're faint of stomach, leave your lunch at the door. This story is why I love to write. A must read for any serious horror enthusiast.  You'll find yourself asking why people are disappearing in the rundown house. Will your favorite characters get out alive or become the next meal for the cannibals? Can't miss this one!

Hope you enjoyed my picks. Check back soon for more reviews.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!   

How Do You Pick Your Books? Do You Judge a Book by Its Cover?

How do you pick your books? I have seven ways to find a good book that work for me.

1) The cover art.

We've all heard the saying: Never judge a book by its cover. However, does this apply to you as a reader? For me it doesn't. I admit sometimes when I am in a bookstore or at the library, I will pick up a book because the artwork intrigues me. I have found many good books this way that led me in a completely new reading direction and inspired some of my own stories.

2) The title.

A good title will reel me in every time and make me read the book jacket. I don't really hunt for a particular genre most of the time when I'm looking for a new book. I just wander aimlessly down the rows until I find one that catches my eye.

3) Hardcover vs. paperback and the quality of the ink and paper.

As writers generally, we don't always have much say in the cover art or our print type or the paper a story is printed on, but all those things do matter to readers. For instance, I know I am more likely to buy hardcover for my own personal reading collection and gifts, but I like paperbacks for how light they are and easy to travel with. (Of course, with eBooks so popular, this is not an issue for people any more). 

And I know I especially love heavy papers; the way they feel and smell is intoxicating and makes for a more pleasurable read. Thin, less-quality papers rip and smudge ink easily. If the book feels cheap in my hand, it's not going home with me from a bookstore, unless I really love the author/book and this is the only edition available. However, if it's a library copy, I will check it out because it's not going on my shelves.

4) Reviews from other authors on the back of the book.

Not only do I judge a book by the cover art, but I will also judge it by the blurbs from other authors on the back, if I am not familiar with an author's writing. I can gauge how much think I will enjoy reading the book in question, if I recognize a reviewing author's comment. Sometimes, I even take stock of these quotes, if I am not familiar with the author reviewing the book.

5) The first sentence rule.

This is one of my favorites. If I open a book and the first sentence doesn't immediately grab me, I am less likely to buy it or check it out. However, if I am feeling particularly kind that day, I will open the book to the middle to see if it holds my interest, if the first sentence didn't. If it's not any good, then it goes back on the shelf.

6) Recommendations from other people or the author/editor of the book I'm currently reading.

I recently joined Goodreads and am enjoying chatting with other bibliophiles online. I've already come up with a few books to add to my reading list. It's been an enjoyable experience and I highly recommend it.

I also find that close friend and family recommendations are pretty solid. They usually know what I like.

But I love it even more if I find that an author/editor has included a "further reading list" at the back of the book I just finished. In fact, I make a copy of those lists from books I have liked and returned to the library. I keep those lists around forever. More than once, they helped me out of a funk when I couldn't find anything I wanted to read.

7) Discovering new authors through anthologies.

This is a craze I've been on for the past three years. It's a great way to take a new author for a test run. If I find one I liked, I go online for a works published list. Many a good author has found a home on my bookshelves this way or been recommended to a friend.

So how do you decide which books to read? Do you use my techniques or have others I might like to try? I'd love to hear from you.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!