Book Review - The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney

 

The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney is about how one murder had a chain effect on other people. Maureen accidentally bludgeoned a man in her kitchen. Not knowing the man nor who to trust, Maureen turns to Jimmy, the son she had given up years before. Jimmy has turned into one of the most fearsome and prolific gangsters in the city. Maureen seeks atonement for the murder and past sins, and she is willing to risk everything that Jimmy has worked hard for by bringing the Irish underworld into the spotlight.

The book seemed like an interesting read. However, I had a hard time getting into it. I found the slang confusing, and I felt like I didn’t understand what was going on. I can see some people enjoying this book, but it wasn’t for me, and I stopped reading the novel.

Book Review - Half a Cup of Sand and Sky by Nadine Bjursten

 

 

Half a Cup of Sand and Sky by Nadine Bjursten is about a young woman, Amineh, finding a place to belong. In Iran 1977, people are becoming restless with the current political regime.  The anti-shah protests at Tehran University are increasing in intensity with more people joining in. Unlike her fellow country people, Amineh isn’t focused on the future of her country. 

Amineh is focused on writing and reading beautiful literature. She wants to document her parents’ rose harvests and their familial history. Her parents tragically passed away when she was very young. Amineh is trying to keep her parents alive through her story but she is having a hard time putting her thoughts to paper.

While accompanying a friend to a protest meeting, Amineh crosses paths with Farzad. Farzad is leading the opposition against the shah and is an nuclear disarmament activist.  The pair finds themselves drawn to each other, even though they are from different backgrounds. Amineh struggles when Farzad's ambitions start to overshadow and overwhelm their lives together.

I was excited to read the book because I didn’t know much about Iran’s history. However, my interest started to wane when I got towards the middle of the book and nothing was happening. For more than 200 pages, we see Amineh struggle to have a place in her husband’s life with very little  story advancement. I was disappointed that we didn’t get much history about Iran. I also didn’t understand why the book would jump years during the narration because it didn’t add much to the story. I did like reading about the ethnic dishes Amineh prepared for her family. I felt like the entire book was a fluff and moved very slowly. I stopped reading halfway through because I couldn’t keep my eyes open while reading.

 

Book Review - Devil Is Fine: A Novel by John Vercher

 

 Devil Is Fine: A Novel by John Vercher is about a biracial Black man who inherits property from his estranged grandfather.

The narrator is still coping with the sudden death of his son, Malcolm, when he receives an unexpected letter. He has inherited land from his grandfather who he hasn’t spoken to in years.  He decides to travel several hours away to a small beach town to sell the land and come back home. However, what was supposed to be a quick sale, turned into a headache when something was discovered on the land.

The book was an interesting read. It had a few supernatural elements that I wasn’t sure if it happened in the story or if the narrator imagined it because he was grieving. I also wasn’t sure why these elements were included in the book. The book started very slow and took a bit to get into. At times, I struggled to understand what the point of the novel was. Was it about the narrator coming to terms with identity or dealing with his grief? It didn’t help that the book jumped around timewise without any warning. The book kept me interested until the end, so I would be open to reading more books by the author.

 

Book Review - The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

 

The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness by Susannah Cahalan is about the author’s journey of getting a mental diagnosis, and the history of mental illness. When Susannah was experiencing debilitating symptoms that caused erratic behavior, she sought out medical help. Susannah didn’t realize how overwhelming and stressful the process would be. She thought she would be able to get a straightforward diagnosis. Instead, doctors questioned her mental wellbeing, downgrading her pain, along with a host of other issues. 

After years and countless doctor visits, Susannah finally reached a doctor who gave her a diagnosis and a treatment plan. She felt relieved to finally reach the light at  the end of the tunnel, after numerous failed attempts. Susannah then wondered if other people had the same issue with getting diagnosed. 

As Susannah delved deeper into her research, she wondered how insanity is defined? How is it treated and what is it?  She decides to look into the 1970s research study that was performed by a Stanford psychologist, David Rosenhan. He and seven other people went undercover into asylums across America to test and discover how patients were being diagnosed, the conditions the patients were in, and the all around atmosphere of the asylum. David and his colleagues were all well regarded, healthy, and sane people who were curious about the insane asylums. They wanted to see if they could get themselves committed and how it felt to be a patient. As she read through documentation from the experiment, she realized that the study was a cornerstone for how the field of psychiatry is viewed and shaped today.

The book was an interesting read. The book first starts off describing the author’s experience on getting a diagnosis and her struggles with finding a correct treatment plan. I enjoyed reading about her experience because it was similar to experiences I or people close to me have had. I am not sure if our experience can be lumped together as a “female problem” or not having the proper medical care. However, it was disheartening to read about her complaints falling on deaf ears or being told that she is imagining things or exaggerating her pain, and as a result not getting the proper care. I feel like it is very easy to discount someone's experiences or disagree when they are not similar to yours or what you expect. It was inspiring seeing the author experience something similar to my own medical journey and that it ended with a diagnosis and treatment plan that worked for her.

The book then talks about a revolutionary study in mental health and how it came about. I liked reading about the participants' experiences and why the researchers decided to run the experiment and the aftermath. The later part of the book was a bit confusing at times because the author did jump back and forth between the topics often or it was very repetitive. At times, it was also hard to see what the correlation was between the two topics. 

Towards the end, the author starts to pull apart Rosenhan’s study. She believes that the Rosenhan study was a farce and lists out the reason why she believes that to be true. We weren’t given a definite answer but the reader is left to their own devices to decide whether or not it is true. I learned a lot about the field after reading the book but my favorite part was reading about the patients’ experiences.

Book Review - Honey: A Novel by Isabel Banta

 

 Honey: A Novel by Isabel Banta is about a young woman, Amber Young, following her passion for singing. In 1997, Amber received a call that thousands of other girls would have killed for. She was allowed to join the girl group called Cloud9, in Los Angeles. Amber is desperate to join the group and leave her small town behind. As the newest member of Cloud9, she crosses paths with other young rising stars, such as Gwen Morris, an ambitious singer and dancer, and Wes Kingston, a member of a famous boy band, ETA.

Amber befriends Gwen when she leaves Cloud9 to pursue her solo career. After seeing Gwen prospering with her solo career, Amber decides to follow in Gwen’s footsteps. As Amber’s career skyrockets and her fame increases, she realizes that her personal life comes under more scrutiny as she gains popularity. She struggles to find people who want to be with her without wanting something in return.

The book started out interesting and then slowly went downhill. I found the characters to be boring, selfish, and one-dimensional. I felt like the novel had the same repetitive drama over and over, and I didn’t like when a character would move on from a relationship without any closure. For example, Amber was in two relationships; in one, she was obsessed with the other person. The other seemed to be a fling, that she was just using them for intimacy but we never know as readers because the author didn’t give much detail other than a few sex scene details.  I felt like there wasn’t much going on story wise nor was there much character growth or development.  This book felt like a cheap rip-off of “Daisy Jones and the Six”. This novel left me feeling disappointed as it had none of the nostalgia of my youth.

 

July 2024 Empties!

 

I can't believe it is already July! I was trying to make an effort to post my empties more often but the months just got past me. It's okay because I eventually got around to doing it! There were a few things I finished I loved this month and a few that I was expecting more from. 

I love Hempz. Their products smell so good. I got their Limited Edition Yuzu and Starfruit Body Cream and I get so many compliments when I wear it. People ask me what perfume I am using and I am always confused since I wasn't wearing any. It took me a bit to realize they were referring to this body cream. I am going to keep an eye out for any other future limited edition launches.

I tried the Youn Beauty Retinol Moisturizer. I didn't realize it was by that famous IG doctor. I like his internet personality but I am on the fence about his product.The moisturizer was creamy and I liked that it didn't irritate my skin but I didn't really notice a difference.  I would be open to trying more of their products if it was on sale. I also felt the same about the  Farm RX Bakuchiol Cream. There wasn't anything wrong with it either but I didn't get any noticeable results. 

If you are looking for heavily and heavenly scented hand creams, I would recommend these two hand creams. Rebrown Shea Butter Woody Hand  Cream and Espace Mirage Reget Bombshell Solid Perfume. The first one had a nice subdue woodsy floral while the second one had a fresh bouquet scent. Both had a pleasant scent and I received so many comments  and compliments when I was wearing them. They are both Korean brands and are a bit  on expensive side for a hand cream but I would recommend because they smell nice and are very hydrating.

What are some things you finished this month?

Book Review - The Morningside by Téa Obreht

 

The Morningside by Téa Obreht is about a young girl, Silvia, and her mother moving to a new country to start over. Silvia and her mother came to live at the Morningside, an aging luxury tower located on Island City after fleeing from their ancestral home. At the Morningside, Silvia’s aunt Ena serves as the superintendent. 

Silvia is excited to spend time with her aunt Ena since her mother has always been secretive about their past and family. Silvia wishes her mother would tell her more, including why they had to leave their home. The only thing Silvia knows is that her new home is sinking. Silvia feels that her aunt would be receptive to her curiosity and questions.

Ena is excited to have her niece living with her and fills Silvia’s mind with stories from her past, her homeland, and folktales. Silvia is entranced by the stories and begins to see magic in her everyday life. She believes the older woman, Bezi Duras, who lives in the penthouse is a witch. No one knows anything about Bezi other than she only goes out at night and takes her three massive dogs with her and returns early in the morning. Silvia is determined to find out the truth about Bezi and her own past. 

I was torn on this novel. It had an interesting premise but I didn’t quite understand where the author was trying to go with this book. Was it a coming of age story? Was it a fantasy novel? Or was it to warn people about the dangers of global warming? I felt like it was all over the place.

There were times that the author went into a lot of details for certain things, but then for other things there was nothing given. For example, the author never explains why eating meat is frowned upon and why it’s something done in secret. The book also hints at magical elements but the author nor the characters never explain more details about it.  It made the story feel odd and disjointed. The novel moved very slowly and I found the writing confusing. The ending felt like it didn’t resolve anything and that I was left with more questions than answers.

Book Review - Honor Bound by Hallee Bridgeman

 

Honor Bound by Hallee Bridgeman is about a woman, Dr. Cynthia Myers, who flees across the world to heal her broken heart after her fiancé publicly dumped her. Cynthia is on a medical mission in a remote village in Katangela, Africa. She works as an OBGYN and helps women take care of their children. Everything is going to plan until a warlord’s dying son is brought to her doorstep. Before Cynthia can attempt to save him, she knows it’s a lost cause because the man is beyond saving.

Captain Rick Norton and his Army Special Forces are on a special top secret mission in the jungles of Katangela. He and his troops are tasked with finding and subduing the local warlord that’s been terrorizing and burning other local villages. However, Rick’s mission takes an unexpected turn when he receives word that the daughter of America’s Vice President is nearby and her life might be in danger.

Rick and his men have to use deadly force to subdue the warlord and his soldiers. It is the only way they can protect Cynthia and the local villages. Cynthia is upset that Rick is using violence to solve the problem and feels guilty that more people are being hurt because of her. 

Cynthia tries to keep her feelings about him to herself but she feels herself attracted to Rick. While Cynthia tries to work through her feelings for Rick, two members of Rick’s team are badly injured and they are being pursued by the warlord's soldiers. Will Cynthia be able to put aside what Rick does for a living and be true to her feelings?

I thought the book was an okay read. It had a lot of action but no unexpected twists or turns. The book was filled with action in the beginning but tapered down towards the middle and picked up slightly towards the end. I like that the author included a lot of details about the jungle and the animals. It made us feel like we were a part of their journey. 

The book had a lot of characters and it was hard to keep track of but I did like the friendly banter between Rick and his team. I liked Cynthia in the beginning because I thought her mission of helping the less fortunate to be admirable. However, when she kept pushing and needling Rick to be nonviolent, it got to be annoying. She witnessed the destruction and carnage the local warlord created but she didn’t want to use violence. It would be amazing if they could get the warlord to stop without violence but that didn’t seem like an option. Cynthia complaining and harping about something without offering another solution got annoying very quickly. At times, I was wondering how the two of them liked each other based on their interactions with each other and their conflicting personalities. This was my first book by the author and I would be open to reading more books by her.

Book Review - The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up by Andy Cohen

 

 The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up by Andy Cohen is a diary with the day to day life events of larger than life celebrity, Andy Cohen. The book starts off on January 1st, 2022, the day after his infamous New Year’s Eve broadcast. Andy wakes up with a hangover and that pretty much sums up how the rest of his year goes.

I am familiar with Andy Cohen but I am not a fan. Not that I have anything against him but I haven’t seen anything he was in or produced. The book was written like a diary and some entries were filled with useless and pointless details. Fans of Andy Cohen and Desperate Housewives might enjoy the details from  the shows and gossip. However, since I am not familiar with either, most of the details went over my head. I did like the fun details about the different restaurants he ate at.

 

Book Review - The Nasty: The Complete Series by John Lees + Giveaway

The Nasty: The Complete Series by John Lees is about a group of horror movie-obsessed friends who try to create their own horror movie. In Scotland in 1994, eighteen-year-old Graeme “Thumper” Connell loves horror movies and is obsessed with them. He loves them so much that his imaginary friend is the masked killer from his favorite slasher film. His imaginary friend from childhood is still with him as an adult. He and his friends enjoy spending time watching new horror movies and they created a club, The Murder Club, to showcase their love for it. When one of the club members gets their hands on an elusive and notorious film known locally as a “video nasties”, everything begins to change.  The movie is so scary that it was a target of the British Moral Decency League’s crusade to ban and burn the videotape. However, that’s not the only thing that makes the film notorious. When the Murder Club watches the film, weird things begin to happen.

The graphic novel was an easy straightforward read. There was some blood and gore but nothing scary to get nightmares over. The plot was easy to guess and there weren’t any twists or turns. The artwork was well done and fun. The graphic novel would be a fun read for any horror fans.

**Disclosure I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion**

 

About The Book:

Title: THE NASTY: The Complete Series

Authors: John Lees & Adam Cahoon (Illustrator)

Pub. Date: May 28, 2024

Publisher: Vault Comics

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 200

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-NASTY-The-Complete-Series

The Ring meets Empire Records in THE NASTY, a coming-of-age horror story splattered with dark comedy, as a group of horror movie-loving teens bites off more than they can handle when the most sought-after video nasty ever slips through their fingers, and they are forced to film their own video nasty slasher movie – where evil, screams, and nightmares bleed into reality

Keep telling yourself: “IT’S ONLY A MOVIE!!!
Isn't it?

Scotland, 1994.
Eighteen-year-old Graeme “Thumper” Connell still has an imaginary friend: the masked killer from his favorite slasher film. Thumper is obsessed with horror and always has been. He fills his time with scary VHS rentals and hanging out with his friends and fellow fans, The Murder Club. But everything changes when his local video shop acquires one of the notorious films known as “video nasties” — films so scary they’re the target of the British Moral Decency League’s crusade to ban and burn.
But it’s only a movie, right?
It’s all just imaginary, isn’t it?

The Nasty is a story about the perception of evil, the power of genre, the love of fandom, the need to create art, oh, and crap-your-pants TERROR! Become a bonafide member of The Murder Club: pick up this book!

For fans of Stranger Things, Stand By Me, IT, The Monster Squad, Donnie Darko,Empire Records, My Best Friend’s Exorcism and other books by Grady Hendrix, fans of Stephen King and Neil Gaiman, Little Monsters (Jeff Lemire & Dustin Nguyen), The Closet (James Tynion IV), The Me You Love in the Dark (Skottie Young & Jorge Corona), Giant Days, Afterlife With Archie, Killadelphia (Rodney Barnes & Jason Shawn Alexander), and Proctor Valley Road.

PRAISE FOR THE NASTY:
Horror Comics To Watch For in 2023 - Fangoria

“There is no other title I have been more excited about than this because it is a love letter to horror while tackling the conservatism we are seeing rise in pop culture today..." - Fangoria

“The Nasty is a bloody valentine to slashers and the outsiders who love them.”– AIPT

“The Nasty is a love letter to slasher flicks and a generation of kids who loved them. Tender, funny, surprising, endearing, with an emerging horrific twist. We had Faces of Death as the taboo underground horror tape that was whispered about but it wasn't cursed. The Nasty takes a fun nostalgic trip down memory lane and elevates it to a new level of horror. – Lotusland Comics

 

INSERT YOUR POST OR REVIEW HERE!

 

About John Lees:

John Lees is an award-winning comic book writer from Glasgow, Scotland. He is best known for his work on acclaimed horror series AND THEN EMILY WAS GONE, with artist Iain Laurie, and hard-boiled Glasgow crime saga SINK, drawn by frequent collaborator Alex Cormack. Currently, Lees is the co-creator and writer of THE NASTY from Vault Comics. John's other credits include superhero drama THE STANDARD, serial killer thriller OXYMORON: THE LOVELIEST NIGHTMARE, psychedelic nightmare quest QUILTE, and a story for TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES UNIVERSE. His latest projects are MOUNTAINHEAD, a snow-
swept thriller from IDW Publishing, working with artist Ryan Lee, and HOTELL, a horror anthology series from AWA Upshot, featuring artist Dalibor Talajic.

Newsletter subscription: www.deep-ender.johnleescomics.com.
Patreon: www.patreon.com/johnlees

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram

 

About Adam Cahoon:

Tuffs, Origin House: Spa and Retreat, and Anomaly, as well as his design work with Second Rocket Comics. His other credits include the fan comic Silver Surfer Grey, and the forth-coming I Was A Teenage Ghost Rider. He has design work as well as short comics in the forthcoming books Everything Is Different Now from Justin Richards, Morsels by J Donahue, and Dead Blood by DB Andry.

Website | Twitter | Instagram

 

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive finished copies of THE NASTY: The Complete Series, US Only.

Ends June25th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/27/2024	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
5/28/2024	The Momma Spot	Excerpt
5/29/2024	@darkfantasyreviews	Excerpt
5/30/2024	Fire and Ice Reads	Excerpt/IG Post
5/31/2024	Sadie's Spotlight	Interview Adam Cahoon/IG Post
6/1/2024	Writer of Wrongs	Excerpt

Week Two:

6/2/2024	@thepagelady	IG Review
6/3/2024	GryffindorBookishnerd	IG Review
6/4/2024	Comic Book Yeti	Interview John Lees/X Post
6/5/2024	Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer	Review/IG Post
6/6/2024	@evergirl200	IG Review
6/7/2024	@stargirls.magical.tale	IG Review
6/8/2024	@sparks_books	IG Review

Week Three:

6/9/2024	Books and Zebras	IG Review
6/10/2024	The Book Critic	Review/IG Post
6/11/2024	FUONLYKNEW	Review
6/12/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
6/13/2024	nerdophiles	Review
6/14/2024	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Review/TikTok Post
6/15/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

Week Four:

6/16/2024	@enthuse_reader	IG Review/TikTok Post
6/17/2024	@dana.loves.books	IG Review/TikTok Post
6/18/2024	@jaimes_mystical_library	IG Review
6/19/2024	jlreadstoperpetuity	IG Review/TikTok Post
6/20/2024	Two Points of Interest	Review/IG Post
6/21/2024	Lifestyle of Me	Review

Book Review - Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

 

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli is about a closeted teenager, Simon Spier, who is being blackmailed about his sexuality. Sixteen year old Simon prefers to keep his sexuality under wraps and to focus on other things at school, such as the school musical. However, drama soon follows Simon when a secret email falls into the wrong hands.

Simon was corresponding with a fellow student, Blue, through email. The two things that Simon knows about them is that they go to his school and that they are also a closeted gay male like Simon who wants to keep his life private. Simon finds himself drawn to and liking Blue but that's all jeopardized when another student finds Simon’s private emails to Blue.

Simon finds himself forced to leave his comfort zone if he wants to keep his secret. He tries to navigate his life while meeting the blackmailer's demands. However, Simon will need to choose whether he will stand up for himself or will he ruin his chances with Blue and lose his friends.

I thought the book was a fun and cute read. I liked reading about how Simon was navigating staying true to himself and his beliefs but while trying to figure out who he is. There were times where I was yelling, “you know better, Simon” and then rejoiced in the moments where he got his life in order. 

There were parts I had felt iffy about. Such as when Simon thought the blackmailer wasn’t so bad and that they could be friends and then the fallout and aftermath between the two of them. I also thought at times that there were too many minor characters to keep up with and it was difficult to remember how they related to Simon. I did think that Simon could have treated his friends better and been more open with them, especially the ones he’d known for years. My favorite parts were the email snippets between Blue and Simon.  Readers who like high school drama and books about finding yourself, would enjoy this fun read.

Book Review - The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

 

 The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton is about a woman named Wanda Lowe who tries to survive in the world while everything is changing around her. Kirby Lowe is an electrical line worker in Florida. It is his job to prepare for the worst and then help others recover from the aftermath. When news hit of a pending hurricane, he thought he and his family would be prepared for the worst.

He left his two sons, Flip and Lucas, with his pregnant wife, Frida, as he prepared for the storm. As the storm starts picking up in momentum on its path, his two sons escape to the outside to enjoy some fresh air before the storm reaches them. A few minutes later, the hurricane picks up and the boys are nowhere to be found. 

Kirby leaves Frida at home while he searches for his kids as the storm ravishes the town. Frida goes into an unexpected premature labor and gives birth to a girl with an unusual innate power that she names after the horrifying storm that brings the town to its knees. 

As storms and environmental change continue to destroy Florida, Wanda grows from a child into an adult learning how to deal with the rapidly changing environment.

I was a bit torn on liking the novel and not loving it. It was an interesting read and I thought it was thought provoking. It was a bit scary to read about the world basically collapsing and mankind barely holding on to existence. However, I think it causes us to think about our current landscape and what we can do to improve the environment so we can avoid going extinct. 

At times, I found the novel to be boring and moved at a snail’s pace. I would read pages after pages and nothing would happen plot wise. The author would spend a lot of time explaining some of the nitty gritty but I wish she spent more time explaining why Wanda was so unusual. I wish the author included a note on why she gave Wanda her ability and if there are others. I also wondered what the point of this book was and what genre of book it was supposed to be. If you like reading books about the effect of climate change and the slow demise of civilization, then you might enjoy this book.