The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick

The fates kept me from finishing this novel in a timely matter and writer's block has kept me from writing this review. What curse follows your literary works, Robert V.S. Redick? More importantly, are all your readers afflicted with it?

Fading words on page 188 and a doubt of self doubt about my writing abilities later, I'm sitting here at my laptop writing this "review." I'm still finding myself at a loss for words because it's been a long while since I've read anything in the fantasy genre. The last thing I read was The Lord of the Rings and that was ages ago. My coworker turned me onto this book when he was searching for something to read. He mentioned talking animals and miniature warriors and I never looked back. I ordered my copy from Barnes & Noble--membership FTW!--and later returned that order and received another copy with the same flaw.

This book is jammed packed with fantasy fodder. Aside from the two mentioned, there's pirates, glowing child-snatchers, warlocks (called mages), a wizard that appears as a mink, a kick-ass warrior, a hero-destined lowly boy, a beautiful girl being traded into a marriage for peace, war conspiracy, mermaid-like creatures, and betrayal. With an air of a who-dunnit, Robert V.S. Redick captures the reader's imagination and holds onto it. He plunges us through every situation possible without making it feel overly packed. It's a book well worth the read, even if you're not that into the genre.

You can buy The Red Wolf Conspiracy at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, for Kindle and Nook respectively.

Sol by Lana Fox

I want to start off this post by thanking Go Deeper Press for mentioning my little old blog on theirs. While visiting their link, I learned that they were giving a free read when you subscribed to their newsletter. It's book hunter etiquette 101 to never pass up a free read.

I'm going to go off on a limb here and say I've never heard of Lana Fox before reading her short story (flash fiction, almost), "Sol." In those six short pages (according to my Nook app), the reader receives a rather steamy forbidden love affair. Oh. And coffee. Erotica and coffee. It's a wonder why I never thought about putting my two favorite subjects together into one idea. Thank you, Lana Fox. I've made a mental note of this for a later affair.

There's no way to go into detail about a short story, so I won't. I'll just link the page where you can subscribe to Go Deeper Press's newsletter and receive your free copy.

In unrelated-to-review news, I'm currently gathering my thoughts on book piracy and my stance on the whole DRM mess. I'm also planning on compiling a list of my all time favorite books and perhaps do one of them 30-day challenges. I need to make this blog equal parts book-related posts and reviews, not just the latter.

Until next time, happy huntin'.

P.S. I'm also thinking of replacing my Kindle with a Nook, or just going the tablet route. This has a lot to do with my hypothetical post on book piracy and DRM. I'm still on the fence, though. However, Barnes & Noble is giving you $50 dollars to use when you purchase a Nook HD. That's fifty bucks you can use for your Nook, buying movies and e-books! What a deal! Those of you not on the fence about purchasing a new e-reader/tablet, I highly consider taking them on this deal. Just click the banner below.

Those Girls by Alison Tyler

It's become quite ad nauseum on this blog, my declarations of love lust love for Alison Tyler. I'm just one post away from dedicating this blog to fanfic about the writer. You laugh, but am I joking?

I started reading The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick, but the fates were against me (or in favor of me reading something else) because upon turning the page to 188, I noticed a publisher error. A nice chuck of words near the left hand margin are partially or completely missing, making it difficult to read. No fear, Alison Tyler tweeted that she has copies available of her new "novelette" to pass out to readers willing to review it. I shot her an email. She shot one back. We did our little dance, and she forwarded my address to her publisher and this morning I receive a download link. That made my morning, after having to stand by for Barnes and Noble's response--they got to me shortly after, but it would still be days before I could pick up The Red Wolf Conspiracy again.

My first mistake was downloading the book at work. It'd been so long since my last Alison Tyler naughty read that I forgot how steamy her prose is. So I hunkered down at the puppet stage with Judy (a puppet), a chicken (also a puppet), and my coworker (not a puppet). Ms. Tyler's imagery blows out of the page (e-page?), filling her readers' heads with all sorts of decadent scenes that not only leave them yearning for more, but yearning for more sex. Not to mention the in depth description of the BDSM scene arouses a question--how much of this is fantasy and how much is first hand knowledge, and can I come with next time around (pun so not intended). This short book is a much more powerful read than Fifty Shades of Grey that it makes that terrible excuse for erotica look like a dorm room sex tape--shaky with a premature delivery.

If you haven't read anything by Alison Tyler, make this book the first one you read. Because they're all this good. The characters are well chiseled and the writing carries an air of expertise. You can purchase Those Girls for your Nook (to be linked later) or Kindle for only five bucks (really, $4.99 but let's not get technical). You won't regret it. Until next time, happy huntin'.

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

I had this book sitting on my shelf for several years already. I remember I purchased it as part of my banned-book-week hunt. Flipped through it a couple of times, but never really fully embracing the book. Because of my recent book ADD (the grey area between reading books where nothing seems to capture my attention), I randomly just picked it up. Next thing I knew, I was already half way through.

Written in verse, the book chronicles high school student, Sophie, through her misadventures of being a teenage girl who falls in and out of love at a whim. Sonya Sones mixes the universal teenage problems--depression, bullying, seeking acceptance, parental disagreements, love, issues in cyberspace, etc. It's well written, just not my cup of tea.

Why it landed on my banned-book list that year is quite obvious, though I find it silly.

While Sones illustrates a vapid teenage girl in the eyes of some of the younger readers--i.e. the target audience--it's obvious that there's nothing exaggerated about Sophie.

What My Mother Doesn't Know is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Thrift Books (cheapest, free shipping). An e-book edition is available for Kindle and Nook. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

A Brighter Read for a Lighter Price. The NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight now just $199

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

I finally picked up book two of the five-part trilogy, and I wondered why it took me so long to read it. It's just as funny as the first (and who wouldn't have guessed that? I mean, it's obvious that Douglas Adams was a genius), and leaves me longing for the third (which I have, but I won't read it for a while).

If you haven't heard of the Holy Trilogy in Five Parts (better known as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series), then you live under a bigger rock than I did (I heard of it, just dragged my knuckles to read it).

Picking up where the first ended, Arthur Dent, Ford, Trillion, Zaphod, and Marvin are back. But their trek to the restaurant at the end of the galaxy - a time, not a place - is interrupted by the same Vogons responsible for blowing up Earth. The tackles paranormal, time travel, and the origin of man in a fun way. Well, the latter's a little depressing, but in a funny way.

You can purchase the omnibus at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, for your Kindle or Nook.

Cuts Like A Knife by Darlene Ryan

I took a chance with a slim, Young Adult novel by a writer I've never heard of before. Usually, this sort of thing ends with me throwing the damn thing at the wall. Not with Darlene Ryan's slender novella. Instead, I found myself sucked into it quickly and couldn't put it down (might have finished it last night had it not been for the responsible decision to sleep).

The story follows Daniel - Danny Boy - as he searches the night for Mac, his friend and love interest, after he learns that she has been saying goodbye to all her friends and giving her prized possessions away. Fearing the worse, he's determined to find her before its too late.

Where there were cliches I could live without, the story packs so much in its hundred-and-nine pages. From pain to bullying to suicide, Darlene Ryan invokes teenage problems that are so universal it's hard for an older reader (such as myself) not to see a reflection of a past long forgotten. If there's one book to purchase for your teenager son, daughter, niece, or nephew, let it be this one.

Cuts Like A Knife is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Thrift Books. An e-book copy available for Kindle and Nook.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Well, they've gone and done it. They Twilight-ified zombies. At least Isaac Marion had the decency to not sparkle the true undead up. Instead, he does something a little more bold–he gives them thoughts! Gasp! Oh my! What a novel idea! Like that has never occurred to any other writer before.

Still, Isaac Marion's writing capabilities out does his Mormon vampire counterpart. He also flexes his literary muscle by making allusions to Romeo & Juliet. And by allusions, I mean he's drilling hammering the tragedy like an eighth grade English teacher. Don't believe me? Well, the stories about R, a zombie who falls in love with a living girl named Julie. His best friend's name is M. He knows the consequences about falling in love with Julie, and that no one in his family or hers will accept them as a couple. Not enough? I kid you not, there's a balcony scene in which Julie states the following: "I mean, isn't "zombie" just a silly name we came up with for a state of being we don't understand? What's in a name, right? If we were...If there was some kind of..." Seriously, Isaac? Couldn't you just state what's in a zombie? and get it over with?

I will give it the benefit of the doubt. The book isn't horrible. I just hope that Issac Marion doesn't get the bright idea and turn it into a series. Goddamnit! He does have a way with words when he isn't paraphrasing Shakespeare. And his story structure is thought out. He doesn't ignore the importance of character development, at least.

So pick up Warm Bodies before the movie hits theaters this February. Copies are available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, for Kindle and Nook. Until next time, happy huntin'.

2012: A Year in Books

1. Breathers: A Zombie Lament by S. G. Browne
2. Best Sex Writing 2012: The State of Today's Sexual Culture edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, selected & introduced by Susie Bright
3. American Vampire by Scoot Snyder & Stephen King (writers), with Rafael Albuquerque (artist)
4. X-Men: Magneto Testament by Greg Pak (writer) & Carmine  Di Giandomenico (artist)
5. Zap: A Play by Paul Fleischman
6. Binky Under Pressure by Ashley Spires
7. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
8. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
9. Boudoir Books by Summer Ellis
10. Doofus and Valiant by English Teacher X
11. Crack in the Glass by Jonathan Carter
12. The Darkness by Tony Cusumano
13. How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
14. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
15. The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine by Peter Straub
16. Star Wars: Red Harvest by Joe Schreiber
17. Zombie in the Library by Michael Dahl 
18. Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires
19. Binky to the Rescue by Ashley Spires
20. Adam Canfield of the Slash by Michael Winerip
21. G.I. Joe: Hearts & Minds by Max Brooks (writer) & Howard Chaykin and Antonio Fuso (artists)
22. Batman: Long Shadows by Judd Winick (writer) & Mark Bagley and Ed Benes (artists)
23. Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson
24. The Boy Who Cried Ninja by Alex Latimer
25. I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll
26. The Breast by Philip Roth
27. Kick-Ass by Mark Millar (writer) and John Romita, Jr. (artist)
28. Kick-Ass 2 by Mark Millar (writer) and John Romita, Jr. (artist)
29. Glue by Irvine Welsh
30. Savages by Don Winslow
31. The Good Lion adapted by Don Brown
32. The Last Children's Book by Jesse Garza
33. Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield
34. Cuffed by Alison Tyler, Sommer Marsden, and Sophia Valenti
35. The Visible Man by Chuck Klosterman
36. American Gangbang: A Love Story by Sam Benjamin
37. Migrant by Maxine Trottier
38. Magritte's Marvelous Hat by D.B. Johnson
39. Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen
40. Flanimals Pop-Up by Ricky Gervais
41. Mortality by Christopher Hitchens
42. "Let's Get a Pup!" Said Kate by Bob Graham
43. Chick 'n' Pug by Jennifer Sattler
44. What Pete Ate from A-Z by Maira Kalman
45. Tied Up & Twisted by Alison Tyler
46. Wolf at the Back Door by Marilyn More
47. Fifty Shades of Red Riding Hood by R.R. Hood
48. Batman: The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder (writer), Jock and Francesco Francavilla (artists)
49. Batman: Earth One by Geoff Johns (writer) and Gary Frank (artist)
50. The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy
51. Batman: Eye of the Beholder by Tony S. Daniel (writer & artist), & Steve Scott, et al.
52. Explorer: The Mystery Boxes edited by Kazu Kibuishi
53. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks (writer) and Ibraim Roberson (artist)
54. Zom-B by Darren Shan

Zom-B by Darren Shan

Having read a part of Darren Shan's Cirque Du Freak series in the past, all I have to say about Zom-B is...HOLY SHIT! I know, it's a bit much, but seriously. HOLY SHIT!

I'm not going to stand here and state it's the best zombie book I've ever read–it's not even the best YA book I've read–but I will state that if you actually want to venture into reading it, you will probably not expect the twist toward the end–even though, it's pretty much obvious throughout the book after you find out.

Shan writes about two sorts of zombies–the Hollywood type and the metaphorical ones. Zombies are alive–or undead?–and students in London are skeptical. B's family thinks it's all charades, some sort of big publicity stunt. But B has to deal with more than just zombies. Dad is a total racist, whose influence is seen heavily in B's vocabulary and actions. B doesn't mean to be racist, it's just beginning to be difficult to see where the act ends and the truth begins. And while B knows that being racist is wrong and that seeing Mom beaten whenever she crosses Dad makes life unbearable, B doesn't budge. Instead, acceptance is granted and going with the flow is so much easier. And safer.

Now there's little I can praise the book for. It's hammered pretty quickly that racism is the key plot, and a lot is left unanswered. Like what's the point of B's nightmare? Whose that man at the beginning who's also an associate of B's racist dad, and what does he have to do with the zombies? And who will be the narrator for the second book? And will I even bother to read the second book?

Giving credit where credit is due, I stuck to my word and saw this short (yet long) book to the end. Though, I can't imagine wanting to read more. I've accepted the ending. I've accepted a lot of things. But yeah.

Zom-B is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble (to be linked later), as well as, for Nook (to be linked later) and Kindle. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Let's Talk About... The Walking Dead, Season 3

So unless you've been living under a rock, or just have no sense of entertainment, you have to agree that The Walking Dead is one of the best shows on television. And that's even despite the fact that the comic series is horrendous (okay, that's just my opinion, some of you might actually like the redundancy of Robert Kirkman's writing). And since it's already two days since the mid-season finale aired (so, if you haven't watched that, you may want to avoid this post due to possible spoilers that will more likely ruin your experience).

At the end of season two, the rest of the motley crew of zombie apocalypse survivors learn the terrible truth (and we finally got to understand the series title)–they are the walking dead, not the zombies. It doesn't matter how you die, as long as your brain is intact, you will come back. Rick not only drops that bomb, he admits that he killed Shane for the group–though I suspect he was just talking to Lori at that moment–and states that their party is no longer a democracy, but a–dare I say it?–Rick-ocracy.

Season three opens some months later, with the remainder of the group doing what they can to make it into the next day. Lori is full-blown pregnant, Carl is forced to grow up–no more get back in the house, Carl--and the men seem to be sporting some awesome facial hair–though somehow Daryl and Rick keep it at a bare minimum, and that goes for their hair, too. Andrea and Michonne are on their own–unless you include her two zombie pets–and everyone thinks that the former is dead (so it doesn't make them assholes).

Because I'm pressed for time, and you attention, I won't get into the entire series. So let's just dissect the finale and talk about a few things I'm glad about this season. The latter first. I'm happy that Lori's finally gone, and I'm also happy she had a more respective death than what happened in the comic. I'm also happy that Judith gets to live for a little bit longer (that's assuming that the show runners really want to keep a baby in the series). Carl's metamorphosis from the little shit (sorry for the lack of a better word) to the man he  is in this season is something to smile upon. The introduction of the prisoners actually goes a lot better than it did in the comic, though that will become redundant if I keep comparing the series to the comic. I like how we see the Governor's descent to pure insanity, starting with the asshole stage. And, of course, Michonne's now in the series, and how can you not like that?

Now, for the former. Season three has been a whirl wind of events. We lost a lot of good people this season. But I get the feeling that the show runners only like having one black male character in the series. T-Dogg died during the season, and Oscar–one of the prisoners–took his spot as token black guy. He was killed off before the end of the finale, the same episode that Tyreese is introduced. And Morgan? Well, he wasn't ever going to be a main black character. He only appeared in one episode--though it's rumored he will return to the cast in the next half. The Governor betraying Merle is something I anticipated since I saw the look in Merle's eye when he wasn't allowed to go searching for Daryl. Pitting the two brothers against each other was also an inevitable move–if not the Governor, Rick would surely have pushed for it. Shane appearing at the end–well, Rick thought it was Shane–shows us that Rick is becoming emotionally compromised, just as the Governor is becoming the true monster we all knew he was. Andrea not trusting Michonne (though letting her go) has pretty much sealed the deal that I can't stand her and want walkers to rip her apart. The man had his zombie daughter locked up in a room full of zombie heads, how can she not see what he really is?! Michonne realizing that she needs the team more than they need her–emotionally, anyway–shows there is some humanity inside her computeristic personality. And I'm sure there's going to be some business with Axel next half season, so that's something to keep an eye out for.

The mid-season finale's cliff hanger wasn't as exciting as I anticipated–season two's mid-finale ended with a zombified Sophia emerging from the barn, though we all knew in our hearts she was there all along. So what do we have to look forward to next season? More Tyreese, that's for sure. And the possibility that we finally learn what happened to Morgan and Duane. And Merle's redemption and Andrea's inevitable fate of being Lilly Caul or dying brutally at the hands of the Governor and/or walkers. That's about it. We'll just have to wait and see.

The Walking Dead returns to AMC on February 10th. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks

With the World War Z adaptation poster and trailer release, I thought I'd celebrate by reading this book. Okay, fine, I'll admit this just happened to be in our department this morning for reasons unknown. I just happened to find it and check it out today. And I devoured it in one sitting. Which isn't saying much considering it's such a thin graphic novel.

Still, for something so thin, it packs quite the punch. Max Brooks has a way with words, and Ibriam Roberson's art is reminiscent of the Tales of the Black Freighter comic-within-a-comic found within the pages of Watchmen. For those just entering the Zombie literary scene, it's quite a useful tool. For those of us who have been among the hordes for years, it's a nifty run down of Zombie history, namely Solanum's history. 

Found within the covers are twelve tales ranging from 60,000 BC to AD 1992. Using historical twists and turns in zombie favor, Max Brooks presents us the perfect companion to his survival guide and World War Z. 

You can pick up the Recorded Attacks at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. It is also available for Nook. In the meanwhile, here's the trailer for World War Z, starring Brad Pitt.

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes edited by Kazu Kibuishi

The other day, someone on Tumblr shared the Emily Carroll graphic story, "His Face All Red." If you haven't read, I urge you to check it out. I shared the story with my coworkers, and they loved it. So yesterday, I see this book as I'm shelving the graphic novels and put it aside. I looked through it when we first got it in June, but I didn't give it much attention because of the Summer Program. I cracked it open and scanned the first few pages, realizing the art looked familiar. This was Emily Carroll's story, her art. "Under the Floorboards" follows the tale of a girl who takes advantage of a wax figure's kindness. When it is not returned, the doll becomes enraged. Dark. Unsettling, but it's no "His Face All Red," I can tell you that much. Intrigued, I continued onward.

The collection tells tales about boxes. Some contain good things, others bad. Some of the stories are lighthearted, while others take a darker tone. Still, it's appropriate for kids.

In "Spring Cleaning," Oliver discovers a box within his messy closet. A valuable box, indeed, that wizards are after. "The Keeper's Treasure," follows a young man as he uncovers a treasure and a new friend who has never stepped foot outside into the world. "The Butter Thief" reminds us that it's better to keep our word than to be dishonorable, whereas, "The Solider's Daughter" tells us to seek solace rather than vengeance. "Whatzit" is a humorous tale that reminds us curiosity, while great for our development, can bring us some trouble. And Kazu Kibuishi's "The Escape Option," reminds us that we cannot escape our fates.

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes is highly entertaining, and provides a vast amount of morals in such a short book. A must read for children and their parents.

You can pick up a copy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.