My daughter has recently been in the mood to read "spooky books" something that as a horror fan I encourage, but I also don't want to terrify her. CreMy daughter has recently been in the mood to read "spooky books" something that as a horror fan I encourage, but I also don't want to terrify her. Creepy Carrots is the perfect read for a kid who wants something along those lines as it plays up horror tropes, it uses shadows in the art to create menace� but let's face it, the creepy things are carrots torments a bunny rabbit and that's pretty funny.
The artwork for this book is fantastic, especially as it uses a lot of black, white and grays to look like a classic Universal Monster movie (though with orange for the carrots). The humor is effective and overall this is a nice little read. Slight warning though, some of the images may be a tiny bit scary to little ones, so in my case I had to play up how silly it was on the first read. 4/5 stars ...more
Gerald is having a very bad time. He's been working from home, but his productivity is up so his boss isn't real[image]
What the hell did I just read?
Gerald is having a very bad time. He's been working from home, but his productivity is up so his boss isn't really bothered. Some of the staff is annoyed that he keeps sending them messages asking them to check on his body at home, due to him somehow being uploaded into the companies internal Slack channel. I mean he's taking this joke a bit too far, what with always being online, keeping the joke going for way too long and even somehow having his body lying at home unconscious as he's still typing away� oh, wait, he's serious.
"Several People Are Typing" is an extremely bizarre little book. It's an office comedy, it's a horror story and it's all written in the form of group chats from the various work channels. While Gerald's story is the focus, there's a lot more weird supernatural goings on in these chats, including a possible office worker who doesn't exist, people being infected by some sort of emoticon virus where they have trouble speaking in anything else (and that the hell is a "dusty-stick" emoticon? FINE OUT HERE!) and various other less dangerous shenanigans.
This is an extremely amusing little book, though it probably helps that I work with a program like Slack on a regular basis, so both the humor and supernatural aspects worked well for me. I'm sure some will be frustrated by it being written like a chat log, but I personally found that part of the fun. My biggest issue is some of the unexplained bits (view spoiler)[specifically I wanted to know more after the Amulet conversation and it just kind of dropped off (hide spoiler)] still, all in all a very fun read. Not one I can suggest for everyone, but I had a blast with it. 4/5 stars
"I can help by answering simple questions about how Slack works. I'm just a bot, though!"...more
Every year for her birthday, I always review one of my daughter's books of her choice. This year she has become slightly obsessed with mermaids and thEvery year for her birthday, I always review one of my daughter's books of her choice. This year she has become slightly obsessed with mermaids and this was her immediate choice without any thought.
The book shows you the daily life of mermaids. Some of the things they like to do, how they have fun and how kids can play with them in their dreams. The art is charming and it's all very good natured. That said, there's really not much too this one, and it's not as unique as some of the other Little Golden Books about mythical creatures.
This is something of a sister story to another Little Golden Book I'm a Unicorn. It even features a cameo from one of the unicorns from the other book. Of the two I think the unicorn book is the more charming. It managed to do the same thing, but was a bit more fun. This isn't a bad little read, and if a child loves mermaids than they are almost guaranteed to love it. 3/5 stars....more
The first book I read this year was "A Spindle Splintered" which was also the first book by Harrow I've read. I picked it up not based on her reputatiThe first book I read this year was "A Spindle Splintered" which was also the first book by Harrow I've read. I picked it up not based on her reputation (which I gather her work is fairly well received) but because of the idea of a fairy tale multiverse. I have a weakness for retellings of fairy tales having put a great deal of study into pre-Grimm variations on many tales. The book delighted me with its humor and very clearly well researched knowledge of variations of the Sleeping Beauty story.
I didn't honestly even know there was going to be a sequel until I stumbled upon it in a bookstore� there was no hesitation there, bought it immediately and read it in two sittings.
I loved it. I mean, I expected that as I loved the first, but honestly, I liked this one better. This time it takes on the Snow White story, but instead of focusing on the classic protagonist, Zinnia is pulled in by the Wicked Queen hoping to escape her fate.
This is a wonderful spin on what the first presented as the queen's story and Zinnia's parallels each other so well, despite their very different statuses in their own tales. Harrow plays with these narratives (and several familiar tropes) in such clever and playful ways. Also, the fact that Zinnia views herself as a "cross between Doctor Who and a good editor" just delights the hell out of me.
Will there be a third installment? I honestly don't know (again, I didn't even know there would be a second). The story feels properly closed though there is a hint that more could happen. That said, it ends in a fitting way that if this is the end, it's been a wonderful time. A solid 4/5 stars....more
Happy father's day everyone! I decided to review this as my daughter gave it to me (most likely chosen by my wife, but still) today.
The book is less oHappy father's day everyone! I decided to review this as my daughter gave it to me (most likely chosen by my wife, but still) today.
The book is less of a "why" as the title proposes and more of fatherly advice for little girls. The pictures in it are sweet, with a daddy animal and a daughter animal interacting in some way. The book unfortunately falls in a category of children's literature that I'm not particularly a fan of: the book that is written obviously to make the parent emotional. This is the sort of book that I'm the obvious target audience and the child is the excuse to read it. I'm not particularly a fan of the style as there's a disingenuous aspect to it in my mind. That said, the gesture was nice and to my daughter I told her it was the perfect book.
All in all though, the book is cute enough and there's some solid lessons for a child here. 3/5 stars....more
While not the most talked about author, Pascal Garnier has a wonderful reputation amongst noir fans for writing short, fast paced and rather comedic wWhile not the most talked about author, Pascal Garnier has a wonderful reputation amongst noir fans for writing short, fast paced and rather comedic works. I've been meaning to try him for some time now and happened upon this one.
Plot description from the publisher: "Writer Jeff Colombier is not accustomed to success. Twice divorced with a grown-up son he barely sees, he drinks too much and his books don’t sell.
Then he wins a big literary prize and his life changes for ever. Overwhelmed by his newfound wealth and happiness, he feels the need to escape and recapture his lost youth, taking his son, Damien, with him. And if strange encounters lead them down dangerous paths � well, c’est la vie."
I put the full description there because I want to stress this: if you though you were going to get into some dark noir roadtrip, you're looking for the wrong book. In fact, the plot description is both highly accurate and misleading all at once. Those aspects all happen, but most of them are very minor in terms of page count� and this is already a short book at 115 pages.
The first 2/3 of the book one may feel confused if they bought the wrong book. After all, it's said to be a noir! What we instead get is something of a philosophical comedy of errors in which an author finally makes it big (winning a prize for his writing), gets married and promptly goes through a midlife crisis because of his newfound success.
It's done in a very silly way at times and isn't bad, but far from a noir.
Then the last third of the book downs a whisky, watches a David Lynch marathon and decides to go all out on you.
Maybe this is just a me problem, but the genre shift feels too abrupt and too tonally different. Yes, things are introduced early on which become important later, so it was obviously thought out before hand, but the jarring nature of the change just feels awkward to me. Neither portion is bad, but I feel had it been done in a more tonally consistent way it would have made for a much better book. As things stand I'm going with a 3/5 stars. Not bad, but I don't quite get the praise. That said, I'll likely give the author another shot....more
My daughter loves these "How to Catch a�" books, but I find it rather annoying based on the titles that one never actually catches these creatures. ThMy daughter loves these "How to Catch a�" books, but I find it rather annoying based on the titles that one never actually catches these creatures. They always escape and we follow the same formula.
Slight annoyance aside, this is one of my daughter's favorites in the series. It's technically the Chinese New Year one (it's clearly one of those books that was intended to be read during the holiday), but it's definitely one of the more fun books in the series. It's got a lovely nod to Dragons Love Tacos as well, which is one of the greatest children's books ever written so that's nice.
Those of you wanting to use it for educational purposes may like that it has several Chinese words in the back with definition and that it explains some of the holiday. While we've read this, we tend to skip it now in favor of just the story section.
All around a fun little read especially if you like the series. 3/5 stars....more
A little golden book with the purpose of introducing Wonder Woman to young readers. My daughter has recently become a fan of Wonder Woman in thanks toA little golden book with the purpose of introducing Wonder Woman to young readers. My daughter has recently become a fan of Wonder Woman in thanks to the DC Super Hero Girls show on Cartoon Network and wanted to see more of her adventures. Sadly there is not much of a plot here; the book really is just an introduction to the character (explaining quickly who she is, where she came from and what she does).
The art is nice, the "fight scenes" in it are not intimidatingly or violent for young readers, yet still get across the idea the Wonder Woman stops the "bad guys. Overall it seems like the sort of thing comic fans could use to introduce a character, but don't go into it expecting an actual story proper. It's alright for what it is, but not particularly a must buy. 3/5 stars...more
It's rare to see a children's picture book that receives a sequel with continuity. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if one hasn't read The GrIt's rare to see a children's picture book that receives a sequel with continuity. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if one hasn't read The Gruffalo, one would not get anywhere near as much out of this one. So, congratulations to the creators as that is fairly unique. I also give points as (much like the other two books I've read by them) the rhymes are fun and the art is charming.
Sadly I'm not much of a fan of this one. Don't get me wrong, it's cute, but it's so much of a rehash of the first book (just with a baby Gruffalo) that it feels repetitive and slightly unnecessary.
Now my daughter, who is a far more lenient critic than myself, did enjoy it and she loved seeing the child Gruffalo as the main character. In fact she liked the little Gruffalo so much that instead of cheering for the mouse's cleverness as she did in the first book, she kept hoping the little one would see through his lies. So yes, while she liked it, it does not reach the level of the first even for her. 3/5 stars ...more
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
If I was to sum up thi"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill
If I was to sum up this book in one quote, it would undoubtedly be the above. This is a book that tries to teach children that with every problem, there is an opportunity to go along with it. Facing problems can be hard, or scary� but there's potential beyond them.
This concept is explained in story form and with beautiful illustrations� and when I say beautiful, I mean it.
[image]
Interesting use of darkness and grays, until a solution starts to change the style. Very nice.
Overall I liked this book, but I think it is one that will be hard for a child to fully grasp. My daughter enjoyed it, but it really feels like one of those children's books written more for the adults than the kids. Still, a nice read, and one that hopefully will linger in a child's mind when a problem does arise. 4/5 stars...more
Started this, almost didn't finish the first volume and overall am glad I stuck with it. The first chapter was a bit rough around the edges in my opinStarted this, almost didn't finish the first volume and overall am glad I stuck with it. The first chapter was a bit rough around the edges in my opinion. While it presented its premise (fairly normal girl dating androgynous guy, what shenanigans will ensue?), I was honestly a bit afraid it was going to turn into pandering/cringe manga where the comedy comes from "haha, she's normal looking" or possibly even worse, the sort of thing where he's just constant fanservice and the manga becomes a "look at him, he's so pretty" sort of thing. Much to my surprise, the series is actually a fairly good relationship based comedy with the two of them in a healthy and supportive relationship. There are moments of the title character being too "perfect" if you will, but for the most part the relationship seems built on two people supporting each other and helping the other achieve their goals through support. They both have flaws, and they are occasionally shown, but also shows them working through said flaws. So many manga show what frankly are uncomfortable or toxic relationships that it's refreshing to see ones like this sometimes.
Is it perfect? No far from it. As I said, the first chapter led me to really fear it would fall into one of those styles mentioned above (before showing that it actually is a rather harming series). Also, and while this is always a your "mileage may vary" situation, I found much of the humor very hit or miss.
Art is attractive though, the characters are pleasant, and some of the jokes really do work. Well worth a look. Overall a pleasant surprise. 4/5 stars....more
An elderly yakuza is murdered and wakes up in the body of a princess in a fantasy world� well, that sure has to be one of the more original Isekai ploAn elderly yakuza is murdered and wakes up in the body of a princess in a fantasy world� well, that sure has to be one of the more original Isekai plot-lines I've ever heard.
I wish I was more of a fan of this one. I actually kind of like the idea as it's not the same generic young adult protagonist found in this genre of manga. I honestly usually find Isekais to be annoying because they are all so similar and don’t usually come up with something new to really make it worth my time. This is at least interesting enough for a read, but frankly I wasn't a big fan of the artstyle and again the fantasy world isn't overly interesting.
I give it points for the protagonist who is an old school yakuza who still believes in honor (and how he resolves everything in a still very yakuza fashion), but overall still not super impressed. Worth a look, fairly entertaining but not sure if I will continue. 3/5 stars...more
"In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, teenaged Laura leads a solitary life with only her father, attendant and tutor for company. Until "In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, teenaged Laura leads a solitary life with only her father, attendant and tutor for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest -- the beautiful Carmilla." - Description taken from the Pushkin Press edition of the novel.
[image]
Carmilla was published more than twenty years before Dracula. I feel like I should stress that as everyone tries to treat the good count as if he was the proper introduction to vampires (let's not even get into The Vampyre by John Polidori which is another conversation entirely).
If I'm to be completely honest, the fact that Dracula gets all the love over Carmilla is more than slightly frustrating, as in my opinion, Carmilla is actually a better vampire story and manages to pull it off in almost 1/4 the page count. That's not to discredit Dracula as I gave it five stars as well. Both are excellent stories, I just feel Carmilla is the more exciting of the two.
Carmilla is just such an interesting little tale. While Dracula had moments of homoerotic subtext, Carmilla is flat out blatant with it. Zero subtlety here, Carmilla is obviously trying to seduce our lead. Carmilla also uses a rather interesting tactic to get close to her victims which makes for and interesting tale� it's also rather fascinating that she's very much featured throughout the book whereas Dracula has very few pages in his own book.
This is such a delightful little book. One I can see myself revisiting again in the future. Well worth a read to all fans of classics and/or horror. 5/5 stars....more
Last week I finished "The Easy Life in Kamusari" and coincidentally (because I sure didn't realize it while I was reading) the second book came out inLast week I finished "The Easy Life in Kamusari" and coincidentally (because I sure didn't realize it while I was reading) the second book came out in English the day before I finished it. As I have a trial of Kindle Unlimited I decided to go ahead and give the second one a shot. After all, the first was a nice slow paced relaxing read. That said, it wasn't exactly a book that called for a sequel, so I still had some reservations.
Well, much to my surprise I find the sequel superior to the first in almost every way. This one has a different structure, with a theme to each chapters (save one) being not only a continuation of Yuki's life, but also about him hearing a story about the Kamusari in some way. In one chapter it may be a myth, in another a story about how a couple got together, but all of theme stick with the theme of Kamusari and how the village functions. I said in my review of the first book that the village was just as much the main character as Yuki was and I'd say even more so here.
It's an enjoyable read altogether and my complaints are very minor. The only one that really bugged me was the constant repetition of the same joke every chapter where Yuki starts off thanking his imaginary readers (he doesn't intend to show it to anyone but writes better if he pretends there is an audience) and then says something along the lines of "� but you don't exist!" It was amusing the first time� it got old fast.
While I didn't initially thing the story needed a continuation, I found this to be a pleasant second visit to Kamusari. Much like the first book, it's not a great read, but it's overall fun and as said, I personally prefer this one due to my interest in the village over our lead. A solid 4/5 stars....more
“Silly old fox, doesn’t he know? There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
A clever mouse travels through the woods, encountering many animals that would n“Silly old fox, doesn’t he know? There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
A clever mouse travels through the woods, encountering many animals that would normally prey upon it, but keeps them all at bay by threat of a scary monster known as the gruffalo. This is all well and good, but what will the mouse do when he actually encounters a gruffalo for real?
This is another charming kid's book from the duo behind Room on the Broom (another excellent kid's read). It's filled with fun rhymes, funny moments and delightful artwork. Again, had this been around when I was a kid, this would no doubt have been one of my favorites. Instead, it is wonderful to share it with my daughter, hear her laughs and pointing out how clever the mouse is every time. Another 4/5 stars from the Donaldson/Scheffler duo. I have the feeling we will end up adding most of their books to our home library soon enough�...more
That's right, and Mr. Wolf is sick of being a bad guy. He's through with it, and he's taking you, along with a few of his buddies (Mr. Snake, [image]
That's right, and Mr. Wolf is sick of being a bad guy. He's through with it, and he's taking you, along with a few of his buddies (Mr. Snake, Mr. Shark and Mr. Piranha) along with him on the path of goodness. Sure, they may be scary, but they'll be nice guys whether you like it or not.
[image]
I recently took my daughter to see the movie The Bad Guys and she absolutely loved it. Now, my daughter is four and as anyone who has ever interacted with a child of that age can vouch for me, if they love something, they obsess over it. They'll randomly start talking about it, pretend to be one of the characters at random and expect you to follow along and overall just want more of it.
Seeing a copy of the first book I decided to give it a shot and see if this helped ease some of the desire to watch the movie every five minutes.
Now the book is a little different from the film as it has less of the characters (possibly introduced in a latter book?), different designs and starts with them already on the path to goodness. Still, many of the jokes are the same and it very much has the same sense of humor. The book is cute and a great read for younger children, seeing these obvious "bad guys" trying so hard to be good.
Plus, the book/movie have some obvious nods to things like Reservoir Dogs and heist movies, and as someone who loves the crime genre in cinema, I personally find that great. 4/5 stars...more
Years ago I read the author's book translated into English, The Great Passage, and loved it. It somehow made the seemingly mundane job of writing a diYears ago I read the author's book translated into English, The Great Passage, and loved it. It somehow made the seemingly mundane job of writing a dictionary fascinating. I loved the main characters and seeing their dynamics evolve. All around that book was a major success. Here she takes another less glamorous job (forestry) and makes a charming slice of life novel about it (though this time with a touch of magical realism).
The novel follows Yuki who leaves (more like kicked out) of his family's home and takes a job in forestry (Somewhat taken hostage? Whose to say�). He chronicles his year of training and the various going ons of the village of Kamusari.
While Yuki is clearly our lead character, I would argue that the book is really more about the Kamusari itself than him, and that he is just our eyes to this strange little village. Kamusari uses modern technology (well, somewhat) but seems very stuck in the past. Some of its traditions are honestly a bit� well, unpleasant, but for the most part the book plays in a very relaxed and, well, easy going pace.
Overall I found this an enjoyable read. It's not a truly great read, but it's rather comedic, relaxing and fun. Fun, but not quite as good as The Great Passage. I debated between three and four stars, but decided to go the higher rating as fun wins me over quite frequently. 4/5 stars...more
A witch and her cat are traveling one night on her broom when the wind picks up and blows away her hat, then her bow and then her wand. Some little anA witch and her cat are traveling one night on her broom when the wind picks up and blows away her hat, then her bow and then her wand. Some little animal friends will help her retrieve them along the way, but will there be enough room on her broom for them all to fly together after helping?
This is a charming children's book, filled with fun rhymes, funny pictures and an overall charming atmosphere. Had it been around when I was a kid, it would have no doubt been one of my favorites. As things stand it is a blast to read with my daughter and much to my delight she really enjoys it as well.
4/5 star and fully recommended. I will certainly look for the author/artist duo's other books. ...more
"There once was a prince as kind as can be, who often went sitting 'neath a green willow tree, by a dark pool with cool water that led out to the sea."There once was a prince as kind as can be, who often went sitting 'neath a green willow tree, by a dark pool with cool water that led out to the sea."
Oh! It's a fairy tale comic!
Oh! It's a romance!
Oh! It's a horror story!
This is a charmingly illustrated short comic that tells of a prince who meets a mermaid. They want to be together of course, as is the case in all fairy tales, but it takes a decidedly dark turn. To say more would ruin the story.
4/5 stars for the feel terrible romance fairy tale I'm sure we all wanted.
You can read it for free on the author's website� maybe don't read if easily disturbed, but hey, I enjoyed it.
I find tor.com as a publisher ridiculously consistent. They publish some of the best science fiction, fantasy and horror on the market right now and cI find tor.com as a publisher ridiculously consistent. They publish some of the best science fiction, fantasy and horror on the market right now and certainly some of my favorite books in recent years. I can honestly could the number of their books I've read and disliked on one hand. As a whole I trust them to find good authors, interesting stories and something worth my time.
Thus is great disappointment to report back that I didn't care for this one much. I was taken in by the unique setting (fantasy Vietnam? Awesome! Need immediately) but the story simply feels unfinished. It's a book that at its heart is our lead's relationship with two characters. Eldris, a princess of a foreign nation that she was held captive in for years and Giang who I won't say much about as it is potentially a spoiler. The Eldris relationship makes sense for the most part� the Giang relationship seems very underdeveloped for the path the story goes.
Here's the problem with both relationships; they are simply told to you and never properly shown. The dynamic with Eldris works better because there are at least hints of her full personality throughout, but so much of it is essentially the narrator saying "this must be the case" while explaining actions rather than letting us process the actions and I don't feel like the relationships were ever genuine.
Honestly I think there was a good book in here. Had it been a novel rather than a novella, had the relationships been given more time and the world expanded upon with more details of the stakes not just for the main country but its neighbors, I think this could have been excellent. Now though it feels like an unfinished rough draft that was sold instead of shelved. Overall its okay, but very disappointing. 2/5 stars...more
Loading...
