A Couple of Things.

If you noticed a different name at the bottom of the posts, rest assured that it's still me. I just added my "professional" e-mail because it's easier this way than to have to switch accounts on my phone. Now that I managed this segue, I now have a much smarter phone than my BlackBerry. I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S III. It's pretty bad ass. So book hunts (when I go on book hunts) can be updated live!!!!

And as if to make my day, the ever awesome Alison Tyler mentioned me(!!!) in a tweet and linked my blog on hers!!! SWOON!!! Damnit, Ennui! Get a hold of yourself. You don't want to act a fool in front of her. You'll ruin your chances.

Snapshot #4

From the pages of Ruby Redfort by Lauren Child.

Cuffed by Alison Tyler, Sommer Marsden & Sophia Valenti

It shouldn't come to anyone as a surprise, but I think I'm in love with Alison Tyler. I'm not sure when that happened. But as I read "Cubed," her short story featured in Cuffed: Three Tales of Erotic Bondage, my heart swelled (no, that's not some sort of innuendo). Her character has a choice between going home with a cowboy, or taking a chance with a shop teacher - spoiler alert, he's not a really a shop teacher. On the one hand, she can have casual, boring sex with someone closer to her age. While on the other, she can ignite her loins. (That sentence reads funny, but oh well.)

In "Hardcore," Corina learns that poking fun at her former hardcore boyfriend has its consequences, and its benefits. Sommer Marsden is semi-new to me, but her writing leaves me wanting more (in the good way). And Sophia Valenti brings us "Cuffed and Breathless," a tale about a police officer's wife who gets a lesson about the perks of impersonating a cop.

And as much as it may break my heart to admit this, I have to concede. Even though I am madly in love with Alison Tyler, Sommer Marsden might have won me over with her story.

You can pick up Cuffed for your Kindle, of pick up the paperback edition at Amazon. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield

I suppose it's nostalgia. Or maybe it's the fact that my son will never possess a mix tape the way technology is changing the way we listen to music – as I type this, I'm currently using my Pandora One account. Whatever the reason, however, there's something that tugs on the heartstrings between the lines of Rob Sheffield's writing.

Much like Sheffield, I spent the better part of my youth making mix tapes. Mix tapes for the girls I had crushes on. Mix tapes for my friends. Mix tapes for people I was getting to know. Mix tapes for my friends' sexual activities. Mix tapes to play while I was writing bad poetry and shitty short stories. Christmas jams 1999. Summer of Love '97. Songs to Kill Yourself To. Songs to be Reborn To. Life's soundtrack on tiny spools of magnetic tape. When CDRs came about, I segued in that direction. The latest shared playlists I made were on Second Life, back when I DJ'ed as Blaspheme Baxton. Nothing, however, can amount to the sweat and blood poured into the mix cassette tape.

And every mix tape tells a story, or part of one. It maps the path of good times and bad ones. It shows us that everything has its time, everything will pass. And isn't that what Sheffield is telling us? Each song brings him closer to his wife, while aiding him through the world without her.

One can only wish to possess Sheffield's musical insights, and his ability to write about experiences so beautifully. If not for responsibilities, I would have allowed the book to suck me in and not resurface until it was finished with me. If you haven't read it, I suggest you put down that current bestseller and pick up a copy of this baby.

Extra thanks to Angela, who loaned it to me. She's lucky that I'm willing to give it back to her.

Pick up your copy at Amazon, or for your Kindle. Until next time, happy huntin'.

The Good Lion adapted by Don Brown

A few days ago, a co-worker handed this book over, asking if I ever read it. It's pretty dark, he said. "I don't know how this is in [the easy] section." I grabbed it out of his hand and vanished to my cart. A quick read, obviously. In the end, however, I'm still confused. How can we shelve this in the easy section?

Reading levels found in the easy section range from beginner to third grade, so it's not too surprising that this ended up on those shelves. However, our fiction section ranges from third and up. Things that are a little more "mature" are usually shelved there when it comes to third grade books. Why not The Good Lion? Autobiographical, Beryl Markham talks about an incident in her childhood when she was attacked by a seemingly tamed lion. Tragic? Yes. Dark? Most definitely.

The English major in me wants to over-analyze the deeper meaning. That maybe we're all good lions on the inside and our primal tendencies lie in wait. Waiting for that moment when we can let loose and allow them to spring forward. Maybe we're all just dying inside our cages.

The Good Lion can be purchased used at Better World Books. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Savages by Don Winslow

We got it, Don Winslow. Loud and clear, actually. In the drug trade, there are no good guys - no matter where you moral compass may point. And Oliver Stone? What did you see in this? Potential? We'll have to see how you vamped up the film later. I'm not going to spend more money on Savages, not yet anyway. Let's just hope Netflix picks up when its released for home viewing. Besides, my money is for The Dark Knight Rises. Sorry.

Savages follows the fall of Ben and Chonny - a potent strain of marijuana that blends indica and sativa in perfect harmony (it's stoner science, I suppose). The growers and distributors of the strain are Ben - a pacifist and humanitarian who majored in business and botany - and Chon - formerly John, a SEAL who uses his skills to "negotiate" with people who get in their business. Coupled with the living-in-the-material-world girl, O, the threesome is a sexually charged epitome of what wrong with the world. In a word, they are savages.

Enter the Baja Cartel. After a viral video of a beheading is sent to Chon, he knows the days of running the game solo have come to an end. But will they go down without a fight?

Don Winslow presents to us - poorly, but still - a tragic tale of emotionally (not just sexually, by the way) charged characters. But isn't that the definition of a savage? One who follows emotion rather than logic and ration?

The story itself is great. Winslow's execution of it leaves a sour taste. His character development is unfavorable - there are just things that didn't need to exist (so what if Lado is having an affair?). 

Savages is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and is available for Kindle and Nook. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Glue by Irvine Welsh

I did thing backwards – sorta. Back when Barnes & Noble placed Irvine Welsh's Porno out on the discount table, I bought it not knowing it was a sequel-of-sorts to Trainspotting. Okay, fine. I bought Trainspotting at Hastings back when McAllen, Texas housed a location. After reading that book - this must've been on the old book blog (the one that I never really paid any attention to, so I won't link my review, if I wrote one, that is) - I surfed Amazon to read some customer reviews on the book (don't ask why I did this because it's a bad habit I broke long ago). That's when I realized that some of the characters featured in the sequel had their own book entitled Glue. Great, another book I have to buy. That being said, it took me nearly a decade before I started reading it. And nearly three weeks before I finished it.

From childhood to adulthood, Glue follows the story of four friends coming from the schemes of Edinburgh. There's Carl Ewart, whose passion for music is destined for greatness; "Juice" Terry Lawson, whose only concern in life is getting his hole; Billy Birrell, whose dedication to his sport makes him into a local celebrity; and doomed Andrew Galloway, whose run with bad luck helps steer the course of his friends' lives. Mixing in humor that he used in Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh manages to keep the reader engaged in this slice of life novel told in four separate decades of the characters' lives.

The novel also features some of the beloved characters of Trainspotting, which is why – I guess – that reviewer stated that Porno acted as a sequel-of-sorts for both novels. Renton makes an appearance as does Begbie and Spud. Some of the events of the novel are mentioned in Glue, as well.

Glue is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Also, keep an eye out for the Trainspotting boys in Welsh's upcoming novel, Skagboys. Until next time, happy huntin'.

And Now a Word from Our Sponsor

Stop 'em in their tracks with a heart-fluttering alluring look with these FREE HEARTS OF BEAUTY EARRINGS! Natural meets playful in this sweet earring look. Style it boho-chic by pairing with neutral Earth Goddess looks, or make them your go-to casual earrings for weddings, anniversaries and other romantic occasions. A FREE PAIR OF HEARTS OF BEAUTY EARRINGS ($49) just for checking out sneakpeeq!

Unique jewelry is IN this Summer! Get Snash jewelry at 75% off! You and your friends will love Snash jewelry’s Lucky Pennies (Heads & Tails), Safety Pins, and Horseshoe Earrings. These pieces retail for $52, but your price is only $14! SHIPS FREE!

Kick-Ass 2 by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.

Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl are back and their tooling the f@#k up and taking to the streets to face against Red Mist (now known as The Mother Fucker) and his army of bad-ass villains.

Only a few months have passed since the first book's ending. While Dave Lizewski trains to better himself as a superhero, Mindy Macready struggles with a normal life. Inspired by the events in Kick-Ass, several citizens are inspired to don the mask and fight alongside the hero. But a world of superheroes is nothing without a challenging nemesis. Embittered by the slaying of his father, Red Mist organizes his own team by gathering people from all over the world to take down Kick-Ass, Hit-Girl, and their superhero brethren. How far will each side go to live up their comic book fantasies? Who stands in the way? And will Mindy have to break a promise she made in order to save the city?

Maybe it's the fact that Kick Ass 2: The Movie hasn't even begun pre-production - I'm only assuming here - but this book is way better than the first one. Way better than anything I ever read by Mark Millar. If I could, I'd marry this book. That is, if I didn't know there was a third book on its way. A go-between that occurs after Kick-Ass but occurs before Kick-Ass 2 entitled Hit-Girl. That's right. Our favorite preteen slaughtering superhero is getting her own book!

I'm await it eagerly. I might not even want to wait for the hardcover.

You can pick up your copy of Kick-Ass 2 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Until next time, happy huntin'.

Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.

So I purchased Kick-Ass on BluRay the other day. It was at discount. Included digital download and the DVD. Awesome, right? Right. As I watched it for the seventeenth time, I came to a shocking realization. I've never read the comic book. Egads! What sort of fan boy am I? A terrible one, that's what! I hopped on Amazon and saw that Kick-Ass 2 was available for pre-order (it's on sale now, by the way) so I picked up that, too. I don't know where this money is coming from because I have a two-month-old and I'm not supposed to do this impromptu shopping anymore. Damnit! I still managed to hit checkout.

Remember when I read Wanted after being convinced to after watching the movie? Remember how I said that when it came down to it, you're better off watching the movie? Remember how much I hated myself for saying that? Well, get ready for take two of that. Yes. With Kick-Ass, you're probably better off watching the movie instead. That is, unless, you like the gritty realism the book contains.

Mark Millar's not about the Hollywood ending. Not about the whole Hollywood beginning, either. In Kick-Ass he presents something in-your-face, and is not afraid to hold the sugarcoating. Sure, there are times when I felt the story just dragged - which is a feat as it only contains seven chapters - but it has something the movie doesn't have - realism. Wait, I said that already.

And if Millar's realistic take of a bored teenager turned superhero doesn't appeal to you, then the blood and grit of John Romita, Jr. is - for lack of a better phrase - to die for.

So okay, it might not be the best graphic novel you'll ever read. But goddamn, is it one worth reading.

Kick-Ass is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. While you're at it, pick up a copy of Kick-Ass 2.

Until next time, keep on huntin'.

The Breast by Philip Roth

I first met David Kepesh a few years back - way back when I was still in college. My creative writing professor, Rene Saldana, Jr. turned on to reading a John Gardner collection of essays on writers and writing. He discusses Philip Roth's novel, in which David Kepesh wakes up one day to learn he has become a giant breast. I jumped onto the internet and bought the first copy I found that was inexpensive. Hardback. Good price. Moving on.

I read it then continued on to reading The Professor of Desire and The Dying Animal. Both equally wonderful reads.Nothing, however, compares my first experience reading The Breast.

Last week, I reread the novella for the second time. And like Kepesh states, when you read a favorite novel later in life, you find things you didn't see before. I never questioned Kepesh's transformation. I read the novel rather literal. Here was a man who followed his lustful instincts in life who gets transformed into a breast. No big deal. 

The question I find myself asking, was Kepesh just crazy?

I won't go into too much detail because it's such a short book, but it's a must read for fans of The Metamorphosis.

The Breast is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Two Children's Books

Taken during peace time

For those of you not following the blog, I work in the Children's Department of the local library. Because I'm also the father of a two-month-old, colicky son, I don't have much time to read big boy books anymore. This blog has suffered greatly because of my job and my new role in life. It's worth it, believe you me.  When I do get a sliver of chance to read, it's usually when I'm shelving books at work. So if this morphs into a children's book blog, well, so be it.

I've read a few books already, come to think of it. None of them seemed worth mentioning outside of I Want My Hat Back, but I still haven't figured out a way to review that book and give it justice without giving away too much. Because I've never reviewed children's books before, I sought advice from Cover to Cover. The irony, of course, is that I have not time to read that book.

Well, here goes nothing.

The Boy Who Cried Ninja by Alex Latimer

Alex Latimer delivers a comical spin to the classic "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," all the while keeping its intended moral. In it, Time has a problem. He's telling the truth but his his parents still punish him for all the things going wrong. Is it his fault the truth is so fantastical? Why is it so hard for them to accept that a ninja finished the last of the cake? Or that a sunburned crocodile broke the TV antenna?

Let's be honest, the title drove me to the book. I couldn't help it. If a children's book contains the "ninja" or "zombie" in the title, I'm picking it up. 99.9% (thus far) I put it right down. But Latimer offers us something great. Something that parents would have fun reading to their little ones and readers as old as third-grade (possibly older, but I'm winging the age recommendation here) can relate to. On the plus side, children will adhere to the message of telling the truth no matter what. I think that's something we can all relate to, no?

I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll

Think Monsters, Inc. Got that image? Well, this is better than that. The fact that it's a book sends it over the wall.

When Ethan checks under his bed, he learns that Gabe - his monster - has gone fishing. Ethan grows worried. How will ever fall asleep knowing a monster - his monster - isn't hiding underneath the bed?

Amanda Noll shows us a camaraderie between a boy and his monster that charms the  heart. It's funny and an enjoyable read. And it just might be the proper medicine for the boogieman blues for the little one. Let's not forget the message of excepting no substitutes when it comes to one's best friend (or in this case, best monster).

You can purchase both books at Amazon and Barnes and Noble using their respective links below:

• The Boy Who Cried Ninja by Alex Latimer (Amazon) (Barnes)
• I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll (Amazon) (Barnes)

Until next time, happy huntin'.