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.

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: Goodreads, https://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 Tynion, Jordie 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

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.