Bunny Review

Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead

2010-04-27T16:27:00.001-07:00

To my precious readers:

I will reiterate that Richelle Mead is still my favorite urban fantasy writer to date. It does make me biased, I have come to realize this and am not ashamed to admit it. I will give a true opinion on what I thought of the novel. Thorn Queen is the second installment of the Dark Swan series with the first novel called Storm Born. The first was magnificent, which is nothing new with Mead, and I highly recommend it.

Author: Richelle Mead
Title: Thorn Queen
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Zebra Books published by Kensington Publishing Corp., New York, NY 2009
Page Count, List Price: Paperback 383pp, $6.99
ISBN-10: 1420100971
ISBN-13: 978-1420100976

Thorn Queen is the second installment of the Dark Swan series.

Book jacket excerpt:

Eugenie Markham is a shaman for hire, paid to bind and banish creatures from the Otherworld. But after her last battle, she's also become queen of the Thorn Land. It's hardly an enviable life, not with her kingdom in tatters, her love life in chaos, and Eugenie eager to avoid the prophecy about her firstborn destroying mankind. And now young girls are disappearing from the Otherworld, and no one-except Eugenie-seems willing to find out why.

Reluctant queen or not, Eugenie has sworn to do her duty-even if it means facing the darkest-and deadliest- side of her nature...

Richelle Mead... where do I begin? I've reviewed later books in her Succubus series and now a second in her Dark Swan series. This woman knows how to make a sequel that doesn't lose steam (lets take out of consideration her YA series Vampire Academy, which I also love but it can't be put in the same category as her adult series). Not only is it a sequel, but it's a sequel that can stand alone and *that* my friends is hard to do.

I was scared of fantasy before Mead, I really was, but she is flawless with urban fantasy. It eased me into the fantasy world and opened my eyes to a new genre that I was afraid to try. Thorn Queen picks up where the last book ended, adding new and interesting ways of revealing a world that can only come from the depths of Mead's imagination. The story is awesome, the sex scenes steamy, the battle scenes nail-biting, and you really get a feel for what the main character is going through having to live in two different worlds. I felt what Eugenie felt, her anger, her love, her heartache, her conflict with her human side and her Otherworldly side. Just marvelous and fantastic, Mead didn't skip a beat.

Again, flawless. I have even had the pleasure of meeting Richelle Mead. On the outside, she's just like you and me, with an imagination that rivals anything in her genre. If you haven't tried any of Richelle Mead's work I highly recommend them all.

You can learn more about the author here [and pic via...]: Richelle Mead Buy any of her books here and here.

Hoppy Reading!

Fresh Kills by Bill Loehfelm (Guest post by Megan Bostic)

2009-07-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

To my precious readers:

This is a guest post by a very dear friend of mine, an aspiring writer and a fantastic reviewer, the always lovely Megan Bostic. She has graciously allowed me to share her reviews video which is masterfully crafted for the interest of her readers. Take a moment and watch her review for Fresh Kills by Bill Loehfelm.

Author: Bill Loehfelm
Title: Fresh Kills
Genre: Fiction/ Suspense
Publisher: Berkley Trade, 2009
Page Count, List Price: Paperback 352pp, $15.00
ISBN-10: 0425228746
ISBN-13: 978-0425228746

You can learn more about Bill Loehfelm on his site here.

You can learn more about Megan Bostic here and here.

Hoppy reading!

Succubus Heat by Richelle Mead

2009-07-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

To my precious readers:

I must first note that Richelle Mead is my favorite urban fantasy writer to date. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I am biased (okay maybe a little), but I will still give a true opinion on her new novel. Succubus Heat is the fourth installment of the Georgia Kincaid series by Mead. The first three are: Succubus Blues, Succubus On Top, and Succubus Dreams. All wonderful and highly regarded as one of my favorite novel series.

Author: Richelle Mead
Title: Succubus Heat
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp. New York, NY, 2009
Page Count, List Price: Paperback 320pp, $15.00
ISBN-10: 0758231997
ISBN-13: 978-0758231994

Succubus Heat is the fourth installment of the Georgina Kincaid series.

Book jacket excerpt:

Georgina Kincaid has been a bad, bad succubus …

…which should be a good thing. But lately, thanks to her foul mood over breaking up with bestselling writer Seth Mortensen, she’s been so wicked that Seattle’s über-demon Jerome, decides to “outsource” Georgina to a rival-and have her spy for him in the process.

Honestly, you would think after three in the series that she would run out of ideas, but Mead does it, she pulls it off and the storyline was way better than anticipated.

In Succubus Heat, Georgina’s bitching about her ex-boyfriend gets her a one way ticket to Vancouver. Her boss, the Arch Demon of Seattle, is kidnapped and of course, just like everything else, it is left to Georgina to solve the mysteries of the immortal world, and have lots of sex in the process.

Richelle Mead creates this urban fantasy world that is so genius, so intricate, so sensible, that it’s almost fathomable to believe it is happening in our ‘real’ existence. Georgina is a soul sucking succubus damned to serve Satan for all eternity but she doesn’t have to like it and you can feel the compassion and angst she has when doing her job. She plays the part and tries to keep her cushy lifestyle in the mortal world intact.

There is nothing like a good shape shifting succubus story, and with Georgina - you get a little bit of nice mixed with a lot of naughty. I love this character, I love all the characters in this series. The dialog is sassy, sarcastic and witty, the characters well formed and fitting, the storyline keeping pace with the rest of the series. If you haven’t read anything by Mead, the Georgina Kincaid series is highly suggested, especially to urban fantasy fans.

You can learn more about Richelle Mead here.

You can buy Succubus Heat, or any of Mead's books here.

Keep sharing your brilliance with the world Richelle!

Hoppy reading!

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark (Guest post by Cathy Case)

2009-07-13T06:13:00.000-07:00

Author: Mary Higgins Clark
Title: Just Take My Heart
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2009
Page Count, List Price: Hard Cover 336pp, $25.95
ISBN-10: 1416570861
ISBN-13: 978-1416570868

Book Description (from her author site here):

In her new thriller, America's #1 bestselling Queen of Suspense delves into a legal battle over the guilt or innocence of a man accused of murdering his wife. Woven into her plot is an eerie, little-understood but documented medical phenomenon -- the emergence of a donor's traits and memories in the recipient of a heart transplant.

We find assistant prosecutor Emily Wallace charging Greg Aldrich for the alleged murder of his wife Natalie Raines, a Broadway star. Considered the trial of her career, Emily spends countless hours on the case. While she sets out to prove guilt or innocence of Greg Aldrich, she is unaware until it is almost too late - someone is trying to kill her.

As a long time reader of her mysteries, Just Take My Heart is not as overtly exciting as others. The courtroom drama is tedious and intertwined requiring effort to stay on top; with little in the way of a pulse quickening, heart in your throat, edge of your seat pay-off. In fact, the book was a bit of a chore up to this point. However, once past the trial of Greg Aldrich, I was disappointed no longer as the story returned to the more familiar writings of the Queen of Suspense. She draws you in to the mystery and when you think you have figured out who “done it” there is an unexpected, but proverbial twist. The casual reader may even be able to figure out who the killer is - served as a side of heart transplant gene transmutation - rather quickly.

While it is not my favorite, this mystery makes for a nice Sunday afternoon laying in the sun kind of read. Enjoy!

Cathy Case

You can find out more about the author and read a lovely excerpt here.

Hoppy reading!

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (Guest post by author George LaCas)

2009-07-09T05:19:00.000-07:00

Note to my precious readers:

This is a guest post by a dear literary friend, George LaCas. His words speak volumes, and the world listens.

Author: Infinite Jest
Title: David Foster Wallace
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Bay Back Books, 2006
Page count, List price: Paperback 1104 pp, $17.99
ISBN-10: 0316066524
ISBN-13: 978-0316066525

Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace's 1996 novel, is a Work of Genius. There. I've said it. No doubt others have as well. And I've said it about a handful of other novels I've read, that special breed of novel that, for want of a better term, I've dubbed Major Major Novels. I have read reviews of Infinite Jest in the New York Times, the New Yorker, the New York Review of Books, Rolling Stone and elsewhere, and I agree with a lot of it, disagree with some, though of course I will not second-guess reviewers here. I have come to praise Wallace, not to bury his critics.

I guess the easiest way to describe Infinite Jest for the potential reader would be to say that it takes place in Metro Boston, and its two main narrative lines concern, respectively, the doings at an upscale junior tennis academy called E.T.A., and the denizens of a nearby halfway house for hardcore addicts and alcoholics called Enfield House. I lost count of the number of characters. The adventures, and stories-within-stories and instant anecdotes that often lead straight into nightmare scenarios, or into the funniest territory imaginable in fiction.

What joins all the characters together (and they range from a Québec-separatist double agent who may be a triple- or even quadruple agent, to a recovering addict named Don Gately who used to be an enforcer for a bookie, to a dwarfish deformed young man named Mario whose innate peace and wisdom make him an unlikely Buddha figure, to his younger brother Hal - one of the book's "heroes" - who is an overachiever and in many ways a cipher or lost soul; etc etc etc), what glues the figures together in the same book when they, shall we say, come from different parts of town, as in different sides of the tracks, is their various connections to a mysterious, all-consuming film called Infinite Jest.

What is Infinite Jest ABOUT, though, in terms of theme and meaning? That's a tough one, because there are many different themes. One of the themes you'll likely hear about, if you've read any of the articles about this book that followed Wallace's suicide last year, is Entertainment, and its place in modern society. Since I'd heard that from many different reviewers, I guess I took it for granted going in. Infinite Jest contains a parallel between addiction to drugs and entertainments like television, and how in the end we may as individuals be isolated and destroyed by our obsessions.

To me (and this was something I thought of very early this morning as I got up from my reading, having finished the book, and went downstairs to make a bowl of peanut butter oatmeal), some of the major Statements put forth in Infinite Jest are: Art and its relationship to reality, Redemption of the individual through excruciating effort, and Dehumanization through regimentation, victimization, brutality, and isolation. Ultimate beauty (and the fatal pursuit of it, as if beauty itself were a drug) in sharp contrast to disease and deformity. Other issues touched upon are the environment, American politics and foreign relations, obsession, and last but not least the primacy of family (or lack thereof) in defining us.

This is not an easy book, however swiftly it hurtles forward. Sometimes it’s like fingernails across a blackboard, but then you have to ask yourself “Why is this bothering me?” It rewards patience with laughter (not little reading-to-self chuckles, but real LOL rattle-the-windowpanes laughter that the neighbors might hear), and though at times it seems like an ocean of text, with sentences that often go on for more than 500 words, you will never for an instant have any doubt that you are in the middle of something grand and important.

But this is the powerful image I got from Infinite Jest, as I spooned peanut butter onto hot thick oatmeal: great works of art (be they books, paintings, films) floating amongst us like little black holes, free-floating singularities that suck reality into the undeniable gravities of Art, churning our world and spewing it back out anew, refreshed and very strange. Over and over and over. Which, perhaps, can be seen as a kind of immortality.

I told my followers on Twitter that Infinite Jest is in my All-Time Top 5, and I mean it. Right up there with Finnegans Wake, Ulysses, Blood Meridian and 2666. This is no little skim-and-forget beach read. This is the real deal, folks. This is the kind of fiction that I aspire to write -- something this huge and important -- and I say to Hell with those who would tell me different.

David Foster Wallace ... Rest in Peace, Brother. You are not forgotten.

George LaCas

You can purchase Infinite Jest here.

George LaCas is the author of The Legend of Jimmy Gollihue.

Hoppy Reading!

Cry Mercy by Toni Andrews (Guest post by Cathy Case)

2009-07-08T06:44:00.001-07:00

Note to my precious readers:

Cry Mercy by Toni Andrews is the third and most recent novel in the Mercy Hollings series. The first, Beg For Mercy, I reviewed back in May here. The second, Angel of Mercy, Cathy reviewed here. Toni Andrew's fan base has been patiently waiting for Cry Mercy, and it was apparently worth the wait.

This is a guest post by my dear friend Cathy. My regular readers already know she is one of my head minions and her opinion is highly respected. As always, I am truly jealous she got to read something before I did.

Book jacket excerpt:

I just want a normal life...even if I'm not entirely sure I'm human.

Tino has inadvertently led me into the dark world of gang violence, and Sukey has pushed me into searching for my biological parents, the only people who can finally tell me who-or what-I am.

Cry Mercy, the third, and latest, book in the Mercy Hollings series, finds Mercy diving into the gang world to help Tino step down as jefe and get his little brother Gus out as well. Mercy also makes some startling discoveries when she confronts her adoptive mother Bobbie, and Sukey has discovered more leads into Mercy's biological parents. Mercy also realizes that her power isn't as "under wraps" as she thought.

Although this was a good book, I didn't find it as gripping as the other two books. Toni Andrews keeps with the adventure and drama that is Mercy's life. She once again makes you feel as though you are right there with the characters as the events unfold. That being said, the gang part of the book just wasn't as exciting for me. I didn’t find I had to sit down and just read till I was done. Does that mean you shouldn't read it? No. You definitely need to read it. There are many important things discovered in the third book as well as some intriguing new characters, such as Teresa and her whole family. Toni Andrews has created an exciting series and I hope that she plans to continue writing about Mercy Hollings.

Cathy Case

You can find out more about the author and her books here.

Cry Mercy is available for purchase here.

Hoppy Reading!

Angel of Mercy by Toni Andrews (Guest post by Cathy Case)

2009-07-07T04:52:00.000-07:00

Note to my precious readers:

Angel of Mercy by Toni Andrews is the second in the Mercy Hollings trilogy. The first novel, Beg For Mercy, I reviewed back in May here. The third, Cry Mercy, is the newest of the series, and I will have the review out tomorrow. But today is Angel of Mercy's day, and it shall have its review.

This is a guest post by one of my head minions, editors, my designer of great cover art, the artist that always makes me look fabulous, and a very dear friend. I do not bow to just anyone, but I do hold this woman's opinion with great respect and am pleased that she decided to share with the world her review. As always, I am truly jealous she got to read something before I did.

Author: Toni Andrews
Title: Angel of Mercy
Genre: Fiction, Paranormal
Publisher: Don Mills, Ontanrio: MIRA Books, 2008
Page Count, Price: Paperback 320pp, $6.99
IBSN 10: 0778325474
IBSN 13: 978-0778325475
Second in the Mercy Hollings Trilogy

Excerpt Back Cover:

Last month I killed a man...and now I'm afraid for what I might do next.

Having enjoyed the first book in the Mercy Hollings series, Beg for Mercy, I eagerly wanted to read the second. Angel of Mercy finds Mercy one month later dealing with her new hypnotherapist business, her sometimes boyfriend Sam, finding out more about who or what she is, and now being recruited into helping at a battered woman’s shelter. Through there, she meets Anna, a woman who has been mentally destroyed from her abuse, and that of her daughter Grace, who's been violated by her own father and used in child pornography. With the help of her recently discovered group of friends, Mercy must once again try to help those around her and keep her emotions in check in order to control her "pressing" ability.

I must admit I was cautious about the second book do to the sensitive nature of the subject that Toni Andrew's has chosen to write about. However, I was thrilled to find she had written about it with great sensitivity. I found this to be an incredible page turner I ended up reading in one afternoon. The writing made me experience the characters pain and struggles and in some parts brought me to tears. Toni Andrews once again brings the action, adventure, and romance that is Mercy Hollings life. I must admit that I am eagerly anticipate reading the third book, Cry Mercy.

Cathy Case

You can find out more about the author and her books here.

Angel of Mercy is available for purchase here.

Hoppy reading!

Vacations! Changes coming soon too!

2009-06-26T03:19:00.000-07:00

A note to my precious readers:

I sadly could not finish Pride and Prejudice and Zombies before my vacation. It is a wonderful read (merging two of my favorite things; Jane Austen and zombies!) but these last two weeks it has been impossible to get another review done. I will definitely finish it when I come back and let you know just how awesome it really is. Truly amazing, and if you can't wait for my review, I am highly recommending it, only being about half way through at this time.

I will be on vacation starting now (6/26) and will resume bunny reviewing the first week of July (7/6). Now, when I come back, one of my uber computer geek friends has decided to help me move to a new website. We are promising a new format, a ranking system, more readership interaction, more firepower, and an all around ass kicking good time. (Okay, the explosions might be an exaggeration, but I'm sure she will help me find a way to do it. She's just awesome that way.) I have also recruited more reviewers, so now we should have a steady stream of reviews coming in so you don't have to wait so long in between review posts. Yes, we are going to be new and improved. You have been warned.

With that, I am taking applications for a graphic novel reviewer at this time. I am a novice on the genre, I have only read one series and even though it was recently I could barely call myself a critic in this department. I do wish I could indulge more often in a good graphic novel, but feel my lack of experience wouldn't make my reviews worth much. (And some of the graphic novels I really want to review look so amazing I wish I could review them just for the hell of it, but seriously, it wouldn't feel right for me to critique in a department I know so little about.)

When I say taking applications, I do not pay with monetary compensation. It's all in the fine print of my minion, I mean reviewer, contract. I do this because I love doing it, for the love of reading and recommendations. It is my creative outlet when I cannot write. My fellow critics do it for the love of it as well, and I have carefully selected the reviews to have such qualities.

I am constructing my new review list and accepting reviews for posting while I am gone. My email is posted, and I take any and all recommendations or reviews. Of course, I have the final say, but I am open to anything. I read any and all fiction (even if my level of experience is lacking) and am honest with my reviews. Yes, my reviews seem 'fluffy', but if you know me at all I have a hard time not liking anything. I enjoy a good read and will always let the good qualities of a piece shine through. Call it what you will, but it's just my nature.

Just for the record, I have actually had David Wellington and Christoper Moore email me thanking me for the reviews on my site. Just name dropping, because I am shameless that way, and because these two authors are beyond awesome and knowing they read my reviews helps keep me motivated to keep doing what I love. That and my fans that thank me for recommending books that they now love.

Thank you, to all of you, for everything. For your inspiration, for your dedicated readership, to your generosity in recommending me to others. It is you that helps keep me doing what I love. Thank you.

And on that note, I am going on a long and much needed vacation. Mexico for a week, then off to blow shit up for three day straight during the 4th of July. Yes, 4th of July is bigger than Christmas around here, maybe even the opposite since it is an Armageddon of epic proportions.

Hugs and Kisses to you all

Amanda

PS On my vacation, I will be doing casual reading on books that have recently come out that I have been itching to read, and might come back with a review or two on some series additions. Stay tuned.

Hoppy reading!

The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore (Guest post by Chris Clement)

2009-06-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

Note from Amanda:

Yes, this is a second review of a Christopher Moore novel. What can I say, he is getting quite popular among my readership. This is a guest post by a great friend, Chris, who has decided to read this book because, and I quote 'this is the best title ever'. Although his passion for reading is not quite par with mine, his sense of humor is almost as delightfully twisted, and he can definitely share his opinion ... about anything.

Author: Christopher Moore
Title: The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror
Genre: Humorous Fiction
Publisher: William Morrow, 2004
Page Count, List Price: Hardcover, 288p $14.95

Book jacket excerpt:

'Christmas crept into Pine Cove like a creeping Christmas thing: dragging garland, ribbon, and sleigh bells, oozing eggnog, reeking of pine, and threatening festive doom like a cold sore under the mistletoe.'

The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror is my first venture into the hilariously demented mind of Christopher Moore. To identify with the individuals and the story woven here is to border on insanity. However, Mr. Moore’s character, Tucker Case, provides the most compelling reason why I am comforted by this thought:

“…you’re insane?”

“Sure, everyone is. If you think anyone is sane you just don’t know enough about them. The key – and this is very relevant in our case – is to find someone whose insanity dovetails with your own.”

My 'insanity' seems to dovetail very nicely with Mr. Moore’s writing style. I found the various individual’s depth and authenticity, refreshing and provocative (this includes, Roberto, the Giant Micronesian Fruit bat). Each character could be mistaken for human and their idiosyncrasies are outrageous. Christopher Moore’s subjects say and do all the things we have always wanted to do, but tend to internalize due to social (or legal) ramifications. The pace is so frantic, yet consistent and descriptive; at times it feels like watching a movie. The story twists and turns so brilliantly that you’re left clamoring to move to the next page. A Christmas story in the truest traditions, Mr. Moore weaves a tale of friendship, family, religion, love, lust and just a little sadomasochism.

The best recommendation and compliment I can give to this novel is that I will devote my foreseeable future to reading every single volume in the collected works from the brilliant (and twisted) mind of Christopher Moore.

Chris

You can learn more about the author here.

You can purchase The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror here.

Hoppy reading!

Hunger: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant (Guest post by Cathy Case)

2009-06-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

Note from Amanda:

Hunger is the second novel in this series. Gone by Michael Grant is the first, and if you have not read it I highly recommend it, a fantastic read.

This is a guest post by one of my head minions, editors, my designer of great cover art, the artist that always makes me look fabulous, and a very dear friend. I do not bow to just anyone, but I do hold this woman's opinion with great respect and am pleased that she decided to share with the world her review on a recent young adult read that I have not gotten my hands on yet. As always, I am truly jealous she got to read something before I did.

Author: Michael Grant
Title: Hunger: A Gone Novel
Genre: Young Adult/ Supernatural
Publisher: New York, NY; Harperteen 2009
Page Count, List Price: Hardcover 608pp, $17.99
ISBN-10: 0061449067
ISBN-13: 978-0061449062

From the book jacket excerpt:

Food ran out weeks ago. Everyone is starving, but no one wants to figure out a solution.

Tension rises and chaos is descending upon the town. It's normal kids against the mutants.

But a larger problem looms.

The Darkness has awakened. And it is hungry.

Michael Grant delivers yet again. Hunger: A Gone Novel is the second book in the Gone series. The kids are starving, the Darkness is calling those it's touched, and more and more kids are discovering powers. The reader is thrown into a world where there are no adults and everyone is looking up to Sam Temple the oldest as a leader. He also has one of the most powerful mutant abilities only rivaled by his enemy and aptly named twin brother, Caine. Sam, along with his friends, must keep the kids from starving, find away to stop Caine, and deal with the Darkness. All of which takes its toll both mentally and physically.

I enjoyed reading this novel. It started off a bit slow for me and felt a lot like the beginning was just the kids complaining with no food. However once I got past the first few chapters, I couldn't put it down. Michael Grant keeps the reader guessing on what will happen next, from who is going to develop what powers, to what will Caine and his group destroy next. The reader will wonder where will the kids find food, and most importantly, what is this darkness, what is it hungry for, and what is its evil plan. After much action, suspense, and sadly death, the book ends in such away that you can't help but anticipate the next book if only to answer the questions the reader is left with at the end. If you haven't read the first book, Gone, go out and get it, then you must read Hunger.

Cathy Case

You can purchase Hunger: A Gone Novel (and there is quite a tasty extended excerpt) here.

Hoppy reading!

The Ninth Avatar by Todd Newton

2009-06-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

I've taken great care in the reading and reviewing of The Ninth Avatar. It richly deserved my undivided attention, which is no small task here in the rabbit hole. Thank you to Mr. Newton and my review readers for waiting patiently for this - has arrived.

Author: Todd Newton

Title: The Ninth Avatar

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Createspace, 2008

Page Count, List Price: Paperback, 452pp, $13.95

ISBN-10: 1441403620

ISBN-13: 978-1441403629

Book jacket excerpt:

Nine Pillars, Eight Avatars

For Starka, an outcast accused of incest, life is about as simple as one could hope. A prophecy of the ascension of the Avatar of Darkness changed that. Starka, protected by the mysterious warrior DaVille, tries desperately to prevent the disturbing prophecy from becoming a reality.

The world is thrown into chaos as the Carrion Army comes to power, destroying the rival nations of Brong and Rochelle. Wan Du and Mayrah are drawn into the conflict when their homes are destroyed and Cairos, a wizard from the betrayed city of Illiadora, likewise seeks revenge for his fallen comrades.

As the leader of the Carrion army seeks to cover the world in death and darkness to become a living embodiment of magic, these uncertain allies battle against an inevitable conclusion.

The Ninth Avatar is coming.

***

'As he hurdled corpses, most not even starting to decay, their frozen screams punctuated the point that many had already tried and failed.'

'Avenge the fallen. Fear nothing; seek and find your revenge.'

"We will let the world know of our love for it and our acceptance of its differences while still maintaining our own beliefs and mission ... the Age of Acceptance."

Wow (interj.)- an expression of strong feeling or surprise

Although this word is small in nature, I felt compelled to define it to denote it's impact. When I finished The Ninth Avatar, this was the one word whispered through my lips. It took me a great while to collect myself, sift through notes, and simmer in thought so that I could truly write a worthy review.

Todd Newton has created this world beyond the human realm, surpassing anything I have ever read, a fantasy of epic proportions. His attention to detail is boundless, and being that The Ninth Avatar is in this particular genre, it is almost a necessity to elucidate such elements. The language and dialogue are respectful of the fantasy world while still maintaining a certain finesse Newton can call his own. The writing is exquisite, his settings realistic, and his characters astonishingly multidimensional . This novel has nine character perspectives, and although this jumping is slightly distracting it still doesn't draw away from the greatness of the story itself; much like a jig saw puzzle has interesting parts that take some work to piece together, yet the wholly formed conclusion is worth the effort. The plot ascends, with jaw dropping twists and turns, to an eventual ending that could only spawn from Todd Newton himself. His words so powerful and intensely emotional, tears welled in my eyes. The speeches so reminiscent of great leaders, chills ran over my skin. I am breathless by how well written this piece is.

I am proud to endorse to you the reader, The Ninth Avatar, each and every word of it.

To learn more about the author, please click here.

This book is available for purchase here, here, and here.

Hoppy reading!

Fool by Christopher Moore (Guest post by Jason)

2009-06-03T06:40:00.000-07:00

Note from Amanda:

This is a guest post by my dear friend Jason, a brilliant mind that shares the same passion for reading, writing, and administering his opinions to the world that I do. That and he is just awesome.

Thank you Jason.

Author: Christopher Moore
Title: Fool
Genre: Humerous Fiction
Publisher: New York, NY: HarperCollins 2009
Page Count, List Price: Hardback 336pp, $26.99
ISBN-13: 978-0060590314

The warning appears before the Table of Contents in Christopher Moore’s latest novel, Fool:

Warning:

“This is a bawdy tale. Herein you will find gratuitous shagging, murder, spanking, maiming, treason, and heretofore unexplored heights of vulgarity and profanity, as well as non-traditional grammar, split infinitives, and the odd wank. If that sort of thing bothers you, then gentle reader pass by, for we endeavor only to entertain, not to offend. That said, if that’s the sort of thing you think you might enjoy, then you have happened upon the perfect story!”

All who are entertaining the idea to read this novel should heed this warning for it is the essence of Moore’s fantastic retelling of King Lear. Yes, THAT King Lear. One additional sentence should be included that warning that proclaims:

“To any and all persons who hitherto elevate William Shakespeare upon the literary pedestal of most high with no hope of ever reaching that summit, lacking of humor (unlike our dear Willy) and puts ketchup on a bloody hot dog, need to, with all due respect, to piss off!”

That addition may be harsh to some, but necessary because those unfamiliar with Christopher Moore’s writing style may find Fool an unholy sacrifice of King Lear upon the altar of British literature. However, this reviewer finds Christopher Moore’s rendition of King Lear rewarding, witty, and down right deviant (in a good way).

Moore gives the reader a different viewpoint in Fool than Shakespeare’s original work. He uses the King’s fool, Pocket as a narrator and oh what a narrator. As in all of Moore’s books, his characters instantly pull the reader in and Fool is no exception. The reader becomes entranced and is smitten with the characters from the first chapters and Moore cements this relationship as the novel progresses. No matter what character the reader sympathizes with, the reader will definitely relate to one or the other.

Moore’s writing style is contagious. His method of weaving Shakespeare’s King Lear into Fool is seamless. It is as if Shakespeare himself wrote it, albeit after a number of pints of ale or a few drams of absinthe. Nonetheless, Moore’s knack of placing ordinary people in “unusual” circumstances is his trademark. His method of taking the original characters from King Lear and distorting them just a bit brings a whole new life to the piece of classic British literature.

Fool is a book that has it all, drama; sorrow, comedy and of course shagging that would make all the gods in the Pantheon blush. Fool is entertaining and once, dear reader you finish Fool, Mr. Moore will have you. Hook, line, and sinker.

Jason

You can find out more about Christopher Moore on web page here.

You can buy Fool here.

Hoppy reading!

Monster Island: A Zombie Novel by David Wellington

2009-05-24T05:33:00.000-07:00

Author: David Wellington
Title: Monster Island: A Zombie Novel
Genre: Fiction/ Horror
Publisher: Philadelphia, PA : Running Press
Page Count, Price: Paperback 282pp, $13.95
ISBN-10: 1560258500
ISBN-13: 978-1560258506

WARNING: I must first warn my blog readers that I am lured by all things zombie related, since my curiosity on the subject is so compelling. But, I will tell you if a zombie novel is good, bad, or the same old regurgitated story line everyone is used to. There, I said it, now on to what I thought.

Book jacket excerpt:

It's a month after a global disaster. The most "developed" nations of the world have fallen to the shambling zombie masses. Only a few pockets of humanity survive...

Just that excerpt alone, those three sentences, should get you thinking. "Developed" nations have fallen. So what does that leave us? Does a world without America stand a chance? Is humanity's only hope third-world-country warlords with enough munitions to try and annihilate this massive Epidemic? That's a debate for a whole other blog site I know, but this premise is fascinating and a hook worthy of my attention.

Book jacket excerpt:

In New York City, the dead walk the streets, driven by an insatiable hunger for all things living. From the other side of the planet, a small but heavily armed group of schoolgirls-turned-soldiers comes in search of desperately needed medicine, with a former UN weapons inspector as their local guide. They think they are prepared for anything. On Monster Island they will find that there is something worse even than undeath.

I have seen, and read, some pretty messed up zombie stuff, and Wellington doesn't disappoint. He seems to flow effortlessly from 1st to 3rd person, a stunt not easily pulled. His settings, characters, descriptions, are as revolting and realistic as you can get. David's literary voice is wonderful for a genre he so perfectly fits into. His take on a zombie tale is unique, surprises you cannot even begin to fathom, and twists so incredible they should be beyond the realm of human imagination.

Monster Island is not good, is not bad, is not the same regurgitated zombie crap. It is quite simply the best take on zombie entertainment that I have come across. That, my friends, is the highest compliment I can give. I am forced to succumb to David Wellington's cult fan base, foam at the mouth, and mindlessly roam the planet in search for more of his brains. Mr. Wellington, please grace the living competent masses with more of your horrific brilliance.

You can find out more about the author on his fan site here: David Wellington

You can pick up Monster Island here or here.

Hoppy Reading!

A Body At Rest by Susan Petrone (Guest post by Maxwell Cynn)

2009-05-18T04:58:00.000-07:00

Author: Susan Petrone

Title: A Body At Rest

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Drinian Press, 2009

Page Count, Price: Paperback 268pp, $14.50

ISBN-10: 0982060912

ISBN-13: 978-0982060919

The book jacket announces : Martha and Nina are underemployed, overeducated slackers who are wasting their twenty-something lives while serving drinks at a dive bar in Cleveland. Martha's escapes are smoking too much, drinking, and reading classic literature. Nina's distractions come in the form of married men. In a shared moment of self-realization, they quit their jobs and set out on a road trip.

As a forty-eight year old slightly conservative southern male, that doesn't really sound like something I'd be interested in. It goes on to say : Their journey in time takes a literary turn that blurs fantasy and reality. Nina's destiny is guided by Cervantes' Don Quixote while Martha, with less grandiose aspirations, finds herself in the footsteps of Jane Austen's Emma Woodhouse.

Okay, I think to myself, the characters are a radical liberal – joisting at windmills – and a self absorbed girlie-girl. A bit of an odd couple, could be fun, but still not something I'd like. I'm really not into chick-lit, even if I do write romance. I like things a little more edgy, thought provoking, even dark.

So why did I buy the book? And why should you, dear reader? Because the book is not being compared to those two classic works, it is their literary equal. A Body at Rest is one of the best examples of Literary Fiction I have read in years. What did I say before? a little more edgy, thought provoking, even dark? A Body at Rest is all that and more.

Ms. Petrone took me on the ride of my middle-aged life. I couldn't put it down. I was so absorbed by these two young women, and their trip into a literary Twilight Zone, that I had to keep turning pages until I ran out of pages to turn. I was shocked, dismayed, enraptured, overjoyed, and saddened along the way as I pulled for these two amazing heroines.

The writing itself shows the author's true mastery of the literary arts - the light, subtle, even feminine, air of the narrative gently wielding the stark power of the story. Ms. Petrone made me laugh, and indeed she made me cry - not a small feat.

I heartily recommend A Body at Rest to anyone who loves literature, no matter what your favorite genre may be. On a ten point scale, I'm giving this one a twelve. Well done Susan. I'm definitely a fan now.

max

You can find A Body at Rest here and here.

You can follow Maxwell Cynn's blog here.

Hoppy Reading!

Beg For Mercy by Toni Andrews

2009-05-14T18:46:00.001-07:00

Author: Toni Andrews
Title: Beg For Mercy
Genre: Fiction, Paranormal
Publisher: Don Mills, Ontanrio: MIRA Books, 2007
Page Count, Price: Paperback 315pp, $6.99
IBSN 10: 077832365X
IBSN 13: 9780778323655
First in the Mercy Hollings Trilogy (Angel of Mercy is out and Cry Mercy is out in June)

Jacket excerpt: "I've never been certain I'm human. Oh, the X-rays and blood tests are normal, and most people have no reason to suspect I'm more than I appear to be. But if I tell you to do something? You do it-no ifs, ands, or buts."

Toni Andrews had me with the opening sentence, "I've never been certain I'm human."

Mercy Hollings is a loner, who feels this lifestyle is necessary for the safety of the people around her. Why you ask? Because she has a very powerful psychological ability, an ability that can be used and abused greatly, and if she's not careful, can be translated into something more literal and hurt people she cares about. So she is subject to be a recluse, and has to be choosy about who she lets into her life, and dares not to even think about getting romantically involved with anyone. A solemn oath to herself: never use "the press". Simple, right?

Wrong.

Beg For Mercy is a compelling tale of a woman trying to find the a balance between life and the promises she made to herself, promises sworn to keep the people around her safe and out of harms way. When outside forces threaten the very things she cares about most in this world, Mercy has to make a choice. And when Mercy makes that heart wrenching, gut churning, inner vow breaking choice, you will be begging for mercy.

I have always had a soft spot for the dark, tenacious, self loathing, and loyal female characters not afraid to give a little ass kicking when deemed necessary. This is a page turner, complete with action, adventure, suspense, and even a little romance thrown in. While the writing and setting are par for this genre, I still felt the characters were believable and the plot intriguing. Mercy is a character all her own, and to feel her pain and inner struggles and to really understand why she does the things she does, that is simply amazing. Andrews has a hit with Mercy, and I now understand why her fans are drooling for Cry Mercy, the third book in trilogy coming out this June.

Well done Andrews, well done.

You can find out more about the author and her books here.

Hoppy reading!

ArchAngelxx by Maxwell Cynn

2009-05-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

ArchAngelxx.net

If they control your computer, they control your mind.

"You have a virus on your computer. Its tracking everything you do. If you have a microphone it can hear you. If you have a web cam, they are even watching you. It can not be detected by any anti-virus scan, or blocked by any firewall, they make sure of that. It's not just watching you, it's communicating to you subliminally. Messages from them, flashing on your screen, just beyond your conscious perception. But your sub-conscious sees them: you are being brainwashed." CG

Maxwell Cynn had me at, "Trust no one."

Okay, let's forget for a moment that he quoted more than once my all time favorite television show, just so I can tone down my excitement.

Cynn shows us the world of a man on the run. Where paranoia is just another word for longevity, and he dances a fine line with what is meant to be real and what is pure fabrication of the human psyche. Or is none of it real, and just an elaborate brainwashing movement meant to lock constraints on humans as a race? When humans, as a whole, are stripped of our abilities to act 'human', what is left? Mindless drones that succumb to higher powers beyond their control?

Oh, I don't think so.

CG is on a mission, to destroy the very thing that is destroying what makes us human. This refreshingly unpredictable piece had me turning pages faster and faster, having no idea what was going to happen next. Cynn makes you feel exactly what the character feels, which is a remarkable feat. It has everything; romance, mystery, suspence, murder. The characters were vibrant and well played. Maxwell's literary voice is like hard candy; Cynn-fully sweet, and rolls on the tongue quite nicely. Even with the jargon, Cynn was sure it made sense to the technically challanged readers (such as myself). Everything was beautifully written and I am proud to back this and give it my seal of approval.

Do you dare download ArchAngelxx to rise with the resistance? Are you human enough to rage against the machine?

The online version of "Archangel" is up and running. You can read the book, and join the ArchAngel network free. Just visit http://archangelxx.net/ and the complete unabridged text is available online. When you sign up (at a certain point in the story CG, the main character, will ask you to join ArchAngel) make sure you give your correct e-mail address because you can expect an email from CG.