Thursday, July 25, 2024

Book Review - Westside Saints by W.M. Akers


Westside Saints by W.M. Akers is about a private detective, Gilda Carr, who specializes in finding tiny treasures and solving tiny mysteries. In 1922, six months ago from the start of our story, there was a civil war that ruined the Westside of Manhattan. The residents are still facing the aftermath from the war. In the Lower West, the area is frozen, and life is hard. Gilda Carr nearly died during the war after she tried to protect her city. Now, she wanders the streets and is cold and weary. She hopes for something better even though life seems bleak.


While spending her days drinking, she comes across a friend whose family wants to hire Gilda to solve a mystery for them. They want her to find a biblical relic, a saint’s finger, that was stolen from their church. The church needs to find the relic because the church leaders believe it’s the cornerstone of their promise of an “electric resurrection” when the dead will return to life. Gilda is hesitant to believe that can happen. However, that all changes when her mother, Mary Fall, who has been dead for years, walks through the parlor door. Mary doesn’t remember anything of her daughter or how she died. Gilda wants to keep Mary’s resurrection a secret so they can work together to investigate what brought her back to life. 


When I spotted this book, I didn’t realize it was a part of a series. It wasn’t made very clear when I picked up the novel, that it was the second book in the series. Unlike other serialized books, this series needs to be read in order. I found the story to be confusing and the writing wasn’t the easiest for me to get into. I had to re-read the same sentence several times. I didn’t find myself connecting with any of the characters so, I was not motivated to keep reading. I quickly abandoned this novel a few chapters in as it wasn’t worth my time anymore.

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Book Review - Unnatural Order Vol. 1: The Prisoner by Chris Yost + Giveaway


 

 


 

Unnatural Order Vol. 1: The Prisoner by Chris Yost is about a group of warriors trying to save the planet from a great evil, the Druid. The Druid wishes to bring change, but doing so will cause the world to end and be reborn into something different. A group of warriors is trying to exact revenge on the Druid for killing their respective families, and they are hunting for its weakness. They heard of a rumor that there is a prisoner from a different time who knows the Druid’s secrets and weaknesses. Will the warriors be able to save the prisoner and put a stop to the Druid’s plans?

The graphic novel was an okay read. It did take a bit for me to get into it as there were many characters. The story got interesting as it progressed, albeit a bit predictable. I thought it was an entertaining read and I would be open to read more chapters from the author. I did enjoy the graphics and thought they were well done.

 

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

About The Book:

Title: UNNATURAL ORDER Vol. 1: The Prisoner

Authors: Christopher Yost & Val Rodrigues (Illustrator)

Pub. Date: June 18, 2024

Publisher: Vault Comics

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 144

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/UNNATURAL-ORDER-Vol-1-The-Prisoner 

ZERO DARK THIRTY meets LORD OF THE RINGS and GAME OF THRONES in UNNATURAL ORDER Vol. 1: The Prisoner, a genre-blending tale of dark fantasy, science fiction, and action adventure by writer/creator Chris Yost (co-creator of Marvel's X-23 and writer of films (THOR: Ragnarok) and series STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN) and artist Val Rodrigues where the world is not how it's supposed to be.

EVERYONE WANTS TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

One will transform it.
One will save it.
One will destroy it.

After the fall of the Britons and the Roman invasion of Hibernia, the captive known only as the Druid is released, sending a darkness across the world…an age of horrors, of fire, and entrails. As the innocent burn in the Wicker fields, those who would resist learn of the existence of a man who even the Druid fears. For it is this prisoner, a soldier from a different time, who alone knows the Druid’s secret: this is not how the world is supposed to be.

Collects issue #1- 4 of the gripping, genre-bending, action-packed sci-fi dark fantasy series!

For fans and readers of: Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Rainbow Six (Tom Clancy), Rainbow Six: SIEGE (video game); Timeline (Michael Crichton), The Man in the High Castle (Philip K. Dick), The Castaways in Time series (Robert Adams)Seven to Eternity(Rick Remender / Image Comics)Black Science(Rick Remender & Matteo Scalera / Image Comics), Vanish (Donny Cates /Image Comics), Barbaric(Michael Moreci & Nathan C. Gooden / Vault), Brandon Sanderson’s Dark One (Vault)Monstress (Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda / Image Comics),The Sacrificers (Rick Remender / Image Comics), Briar (Christopher Cantwell & German Garcia / BOOM!)Coda (Simon Spurrier & Mattias Bergara / BOOM!)Once Upon A Time at the End of the World (Jason Aaron & Alexandre Tefenkgi / BOOM!), Something is Killing the Children (James Tynion and Werther Dell'Edera /Image),Grim, W0rldtr33 (James TynionJordie Bellaire, Fernando Blanco / Image),Conan the Barbarian, and Hellboy

From writer Chris Yost ,(co-creator of X-23, writer ofX-men, Amazing Spider-man, Batman, Avengers, and more!), films (Thor: Ragnarok and Secret Headquarters), and television/streaming (Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Cowboy Bebop) and in-demand artist Val Rodrigues!

 

INSERT YOUR POST OR REVIEW HERE!

 

About Christopher Yost:

CHRISTOPHER YOST (he/his) has written for films (THOR: RAGNAROK, SECRET HEADQUARTERS), television (STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN, COWBOY BEBOP) and animation (the upcoming TIGER’S APPRENTICE and Seth Rogen’s TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES), but his first love has always been comic books, where he’s written for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, X-MEN, BATMAN, AVENGERS and his own original series KILLER OF DEMONS.

Yost lives and works in Los Angeles, California and he can be found on X/Twitter @Yost and Instagram @versus_yost

Unnatural Order from Vault Comics has been cooking in his head for about 10 years, representing his desire to find a modern day take on the sword and sorcery genre after years of sci-fi and superheroes. It’s a mash up of military and fantasy stories, and the idea of a group of dungeon crawlers in a helicopter gunning down a dragon so they can go fight a wizard who’s taken over a nuclear power facility felt like a tale that needed to be told. 

Twitter | Instagram

 

About Val Rodrigues:

VAL RODRIGUES is a Brazilian comic book artist.
He lives in São Paulo with his wife Miriam and their two cats Chico and Frida.
Val is the artist for UNNATURAL ORDER with writer Christopher Yost for Vault Comics. His previous published work includes Deep Roots (Vault Comics) and MEZO (A Wave Blue World).

 

Twitter | Instagram | TikTok

 

 


Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive finished copies of UNNATURAL ORDER Vol. 1: The Prisoner, US Only.

Ends July 20th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/17/2024

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt/IG Post

6/18/2024

MoonShineArtSpot

Review or Excerpt

6/19/2024

Fire and Ice Reads

Excerpt/IG Post

6/20/2024

Sadie's Spotlight

Excerpt/IG Post

6/21/2024

Writer of Wrongs

Excerpt

6/22/2024

Comic Book Yeti

Val Rodrigues Interview/IG Post

Week Two:

6/23/2024

Daily Waffle

Excerpt

6/24/2024

The Momma Spot

Excerpt

6/25/2024

GryffindorBookishnerd

IG Review

6/26/2024

@dana.loves.books

IG Review/TikTok Post

6/27/2024

@blueeez_away

IG Review

6/28/2024

@evergirl200

IG Review

6/29/2024

Lifestyle of Me

Review 

Week Three:

6/30/2024

@enthuse_reader

IG Review/TikTok Post

7/1/2024

Edith's Little Free Library

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

7/2/2024

kaylyn_s_booknook

IG Review/TikTok Post

7/3/2024

@sparks_books

IG Review

7/4/2024

jlreadstoperpetuity

IG Review/TikTok Post

7/5/2024

Socrates is Downstairs

Review/IG Post

7/6/2024

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

Week Four:

7/7/2024

Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's

Review/IG Post

7/8/2024

nerdophiles

Review

7/9/2024

@thepagelady

IG Review

7/10/2024

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

7/11/2024

Brandi Danielle Davis

IG Review/TikTok Post

7/12/2024

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

Review/IG Post

7/13/2024

@stargirls.magical.tale

IG Review

Week Five:

7/14/2024

Books and Zebras

IG Review

7/15/2024

The Book Critic

Review/IG Post

7/16/2024

@jaimes_mystical_library

IG Review

7/17/2024

Two Points of Interest

Review/IG Post


Monday, July 15, 2024

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.

Friday, July 12, 2024

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.

 

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

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.