Review: Rebel Fire

Rebel Fire by Ann Sei Lin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kurara is a Shikigami and a crafter. Something that has never been seen before or since as far as anyone knows. Now that she knows this fundamental truth about herself, she will stop at nothing until she is able to free all Shikigami from the blood bonds to crafters that keep them captive.

Kurara is a complicated protagonist, who freely admits she has no idea what she is doing and only hopes she is making the right choices along the way. Rather than being a chosen one plotline, Rebel Fire is a tale of trying like hell to follow your own moral compass to do good.

This book was just as brilliant and fast-paced as the first one. I really enjoyed the deepening of the lore around Shikigami, and crafters. The introduction of celestial magic adds a new layer of complexity. The world building is just as rich as in the first book. Ann Sei Lin is a master at weaving complex fantasy worlds with a glimmer of reality to keep it grounded.

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Review: I Am a Feminist: Claiming the F-Word in Turbulent Times

I Am a Feminist: Claiming the F-Word in Turbulent Times by Monique Polak
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was a great starting primer on early waves of feminism. Ideal for youth and adolescents seeking to get started on their knowledge base. There is much more depth to be gleaned from further reading on the subject than can fit in this book.

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Review: Where Kindness Lives: A Women's Fiction Anthology

Where Kindness Lives: A Women's Fiction Anthology by Janet Koops
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This anthology series may be fairly broad in terms of included genres, however the themes are eerily identical in many of the tales.

The standout piece for me is The Irish Library in Kilkenny by Christy Matheson. It follows an often overlooked character of Irish folklore. Fionn mac Cumhaill's (Finn McCool) first Queen Sadhbh (Saba). The rich history behind it gives this particular story a vibrancy, and urgency, that make it seem full of life. I can't wait to explore more of Matheson's fiction.

The subjects covered in this anthology are rather focused; on women's agency in their own lives. This is explored through themes of others' attempts at control and how the characters respond to it. My only gripe is that they didn't include more author's from outside the US.

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Review: There Will Come Soft Rains

There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Definite overtones of the veldt, or the other way round depending on which was published first. Highly disturbing that the house doesn't realize that it is either abandoned or the residents are dead. Further proof we should not outsource our lives to machines and algorithms.

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Review: The Lady of Shalott

The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Tennyson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Ehh. This one still doesn't do it for me. I read two versions. the original and the revised edition. I personally preferred the original as it kept the focus on the Lady and how isolating her court position as tapestry weaver is.

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Review: Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World

Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World by Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is full of factoids and tidbits on everything from soil to space. a very enjoyable read. The foreword alone is worth it.

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Review: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I first read this one in high school. under extreme duress. AKA as an assignment. having it read to me by the likes of Jeremy Irons made it far more enjoyable. Listening to it in small doses also helped me to pick up on subtleties I missed before. i highly recommend the Rime Big Read.

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Review: The Yellow Wallpaper

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I only read this to better understand a comment made by us administration regarding choosing wallpaper for some purpose or other. This gets a one star rating from me because I am not into either of horror or stories that just end abruptly. Especially when they are horror. I need resolution.

That being said this is very well written. So well written, if horror is your jam give it a read.

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Review: Nettle

Nettle by Bex Hogan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Nettle has always been different. How different, she will not learn until a chance encounter with a faery king goes hideously awry. In exchange for saving her grandmother she must complete three tasks for the king.

One part Hunter's Moon, One part Rumpelstiltskin, Throw in a dash of Iron Fey. 100% original thought. For a story where a lot happens, it simultaneously feels as though nothing is happening at all. The layers of the world building and the slow, methodical unfurling of the secrets aided this feeling. Information is such a valued commodity in faery lore. This oft unspoken rule was extremely well honored in this tale.

As the reader, information is received as it is discovered by, or provided to, Nettle. We learn about this new world and Nettle's place in it as she does. Why is it that she alone can handle the nettles? Why does she not need as much sleep as the other trapped humans? Why do enchantments not work quite right? Reading this book is the only way to find out.

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Review: The Honjin Murders

The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was absolutely a product of it's time. attitudes towards women are blatant in that most female characters are either window dressing or just there to provide exposition. It is also very obvious in the attitudes towards virginity and purity being one and the same.

The Honjin Murders is the debut Detective Kosuke Kindaichi novel, Translated by Louise Heal Kawai. The story follows the brutal slaying of a couple on their wedding night. In a room locked from the inside. With mysterious music being played the entire time. There's family drama, bumbling local police, an outsider young upstart detective, and secrets best left buried.

Due to this story being a translation and my woeful lack of Japanese language skills, I don't know how faithful a translation this is. Based on what I read this was an entirely predictable story, and easy read. figuring out how the author felt about the attitudes of his time was much more murky.

all in all a decently enjoyable read.

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Review: Hot Wax

Hot Wax by M.L. Rio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, okay. I waited a tad to marshal my thoughts. They are: Holy Shit. Damn. Read This book. Pterodactyl screech.

The plot and pacing of this novel builds so slowly that you almost miss it as it speeds up. The layering and nuance provided by the decision to bounce back and forth through time was impeccable. Revealing details of the past at the exact right moment for them to become relevant to the present *chef's kiss*.

I already knew going in that I would love the writing style, having read other works by this author. The characters are so deliciously complicated and human. Suzanne is a raw nerve still processing her father's recent passing. She embarks on a bat out of hell journey that can only be described as running. But, what, dear reader, is she really running from. A by all accounts flaccid marriage, her grief, or that one thing she witnessed when she was eleven.

Full disclosure, there is a moderately graphic scene or two featuring drug use, and violence. What this book is emphatically not, however, is horror. It just isn't. What it is, is a beautiful coming of age story presented in a way that is raw, and human, and messy. This book will rip your heart out in the best way possible.

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Review: Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy: Advice from Rock's Ultimate Survivor

Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy: Advice from Rock's Ultimate Survivor by Ozzy Osbourne
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This one had its' good moments. Mostly it was a major head scratcher as to why anyone would want to get advice from him. In this book you will find topics spanning from ball care to dyslexia and everything else besides. Some of these questions are quite disgusting, and some are quite disturbing. You have been warned. 

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Review: Of Jade and Dragons

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thought this book was going to be so predictable until the last 40-5o pages. Then it veered so hard I'm still digesting it.

This book is part (Hua) Mulan, and part Cinder, with a heaping helping of original flair. I think Silkpunk may be my new favorite genre. Our intrepid main character is Ying...

When her father has his life brutally cut short in front of her, Ying embarks on a quest of revenge. Infiltrating elite organisations and falling for forbidden souls are just some of the things awaiting anyone who choses to read this fantastic novel.

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Review: As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is for anyone who loves The Princess Bride in particular or Cary Elwes in general. Rob Reiner also read his own parts of this memoir.

The Passion it takes to get a project like this made, has increased exponentially since the movie first came out. Against all odds it prevailed. A very enjoyable listen.

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Review: The Third Gilmore Girl

The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don't cry because you think your best days are gone. Smile because you had them in the first place. - Kelly Bishop

Words to live by, truly. In her memoir Kelly Bishop take you through her professional career, her love life, her home life, and her faith. From the Radio City Music Hall to The Watchful Eye, and, hopefully, beyond. Enduring through numerous red eye flights, bad relationships, good relationships, cancers (Lee) and blood clots (Kelly).

I've always known she is a force of nature. Since the first moment she drew breath as Emily Gilmore, I have loved her work. This book is no exception. Even if you have never, ever, seen Gilmore girls this book is worth the read.

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Review: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future...

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future... by Michael J. Fox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Michael J. Fox is inarguably in my top 5 favorite actors.

In this book, which he reads, Fox takes us through what it was like getting Marty Mcfly, being diagnosed with Parkinson's, and the process of grieving the life he would never have, and the realization he could still have an amazing one.

I found this book to be illuminating, sad, and, uplifting. Illuminating because he shares information about his life and career that was news to me. Sad because his disease is known to shorten lifespans, a fact he does not shy away from. Uplifting because he actively chooses life, which is evident in this book. Definitely worth the listen.

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Review: Rebel Skies

Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rebel Skies dives into a world of the future, and of magic. Kurara is a Crafter, an ancient race that can control creatures made of paper. She has wants and needs, she breathes and eats, she feels pain and joy. In all the ways that matter she is human.

Kurara, together with Haru, will journey from a life of drudgery as a scullery maid to an airship full of bandits. These bandits have something she needs, and she can help them too. 

This story initially felt very slow-paced. It needed to be that slow to expertly craft the world these characters live in. I was entranced by this story within the first chapter. The imagery and aesthetic were vividly communicated, allowing me to settle right in. I highly recommend this series to anyone who ever enjoyed the magic and sense of wonder that Avatar: The Last Airbender and Lord of The Rings brought upon their debuts.

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Review: Playing with Myself

Playing with Myself by Randy Rainbow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this book Randy Rainbow shares how he became so culturally relevant. Through various anecdotes he lets the reader explore what it is like to go viral. In particular, Randy shares how people have tried to cancel him as antisemitic. Randy Rainbow is Jewish and a comedian.

He freely admits that some of his earliest material isn't the best out there. People seemed to forget that one of the core functions of comedy is to hold a mirror up to society. Many comedians adopt a persona, or shtick, as it was once called to garner some laughs. It doesn't always mean they agree with what they portray.

This book is about growth, the incomparable Babs, Bernadette Peters, and what happens when people are allowed to redeem themselves.

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Review: The Night Auction

The Night Auction by Lila Mary
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

I was provided with an ARC PDF for review by the author. This book is currently a dnf for me. I will reconsider reading it after it's been published. I found there were some Grammar and syntax issues.

There is potential for a great story in here. It needs some heavy editing. I had a glance through the rest and found that the bulk of the story seems written in first person with third person use of names. Lots of telling, I tend to prefer more showing. I hope the author has a trusted editor.

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Review: Graveyard Shift

Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

If we were villains remains one of my favorite reads of the last several years. This novella, however, not my speed at all. I found the multiple POV a bit exhausting to deal with in such a short story.

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