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Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom Vol. 4 by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodríguez

December 1, 2015 by

Source: Public Library
Hardcover, 152 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom Vol. 4 by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodríguez, is a crazy mishmash of events that flash forward and back, which is less effective than the narration in previous books.  It’s almost as though the author wanted to tell too many events in one graphic novel.  The graphics in this one also are all over the place, transforming from a cartoonish quality at the beginning to the normal style and then to a more gritty military style found in comic books.

The Locke family is about to meet the threats of the dark lady head on in this book, and there are lasting consequences for this segment of the battle.  The keys to the kingdom are at stake, and while the family may feel like they are making progress, she’s always a few steps ahead of them.  Kinsey is still without fear, and some of her decision-making becomes very skewed as a result, while Tyler is battling his own guilt and the betrayal of two people he trusted.  Bode, meanwhile, continues to play with objects he doesn’t fully understand.

Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom Vol. 4 by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodríguez, has some great battles in it, and the characters are forced to face not only the dark lady’s advances, but the effects of the keys.  These keys were hidden for a reason, and uncovering them and using them may not have been the best idea.

Other Reviews:

About the Author:

Joseph Hillstrom King is an American writer of fiction, writing under the pen name of Joe Hill.  Hill is the the second child of authors Stephen King and Tabitha King. His younger brother Owen King is also a writer. He has three children.

Hill’s first book, the limited edition collection 20th Century Ghosts published in 2005 by PS Publishing, showcases fourteen of his short stories and won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction Collection, together with the British Fantasy Award for Best Collection and Best Short Story for “Best New Horror”. In October 2007, Hill’s mainstream US and UK publishers reprinted 20th Century Ghosts, without the extras published in the 2005 slipcased versions, but including one new story.

About the Illustrator:

Architect, artist and illustrator. He started his career with myth based illustrations for card games, and then jumped into the world of professional comics working with IDW Publishing. In addition to his current work in Locke & Key, his collaborations with IDW include Clive Barker’s The Great and Secret Show, Beowulf, George Romero’s Land Of The Dead, as well as several CSI comics and some covers for Angel and Transformers.

Filed Under: borrowed copy, fiction, graphic novel, Read in 2015, reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Mailbox Monday #351

November 30, 2015 by

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog.

To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links.  Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Vicki, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what I received:

Nine Coins/Nueve Monedas by Carlos Pintado, translated by Hilary Vaughn Dobel, introduction by Richard Blanco for review from Akashic Books.

Nine Coins/Nueve monedas is a palimpsest of love, fears, dreams, and the intimate landscapes where the author seeks refuge. These poems appear like small islands of salvation, covered with the brief splendor of the coins people sometimes grab hold of, taking the form of a very personal and often devastating map. Each poem is a song at the edge of an abyss; an illusory gold coin obtained as a revelation; a song of hope and understanding. The volume’s dreamlike geography prompts the reader to revisit the thread, the labyrinth, and the Minotaur’s legends. The night streets of South Beach, Alexandria, and many other cities, lit by the fading torches, seem to guide us in conversation with characters who are long dead.

The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and more for review from Penguin for review.

1945: When the critically wounded Captain Cooper Ravenal is brought to a private hospital on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, young Dr. Kate Schuyler is drawn into a complex mystery that connects three generations of women in her family to a single extraordinary room in a Gilded Age mansion.

Who is the woman in Captain Ravenel’s portrait miniature who looks so much like Kate?  And why is she wearing the ruby pendant handed down to Kate by her mother?  In their pursuit of answers, they find themselves drawn into the turbulent stories of Gilded Age Olive Van Alen, driven from riches to rags, who hired out as a servant in the very house her father designed, and Jazz Age Lucy Young, who came from Brooklyn to Manhattan in pursuit of the father she had never known.  But are Kate and Cooper ready for the secrets that will be revealed in the Forgotten Room? 

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King from my mom as an early Christmas present.

Since his first collection, Nightshift, published thirty-five years ago, Stephen King has dazzled readers with his genius as a writer of short fiction. In this new collection he assembles, for the first time, recent stories that have never been published in a book. He introduces each with a passage about its origins or his motivations for writing it.

There are thrilling connections between stories; themes of morality, the afterlife, guilt, what we would do differently if we could see into the future or correct the mistakes of the past. “Afterlife” is about a man who died of colon cancer and keeps reliving the same life, repeating his mistakes over and over again. Several stories feature characters at the end of life, revisiting their crimes and misdemeanors. Other stories address what happens when someone discovers that he has supernatural powers—the columnist who kills people by writing their obituaries in “Obits;” the old judge in “The Dune” who, as a boy, canoed to a deserted island and saw names written in the sand, the names of people who then died in freak accidents. In “Morality,” King looks at how a marriage and two lives fall apart after the wife and husband enter into what seems, at first, a devil’s pact they can win.

What did you receive?

Filed Under: mailbox monday, meme Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

333rd Virtual Poetry Circle

November 28, 2015 by

Welcome to the 333rd Virtual Poetry Circle!

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Keep in mind what Molly Peacock’s book suggested.

Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don’t like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.

This poem is from H.L. Mencken:

Thanksgiving Day

Let us give thanks,
Because---
The men that owe us five don't owe us ten,
The girls we loved have married other men.
Let us give thanks,
For why?---
The trains we missed were telescoped and wrecked,
The books we didn't buy were dialect.
Let us give thanks,
Because---
The grafts we haven't worked will never pay,
The days we laid abed were dark and gray,
The things we haven't said we didn't say,
Let us give thanks
Upon
Thanksgiving Day.

What do you think?

Filed Under: virtual poetry circle Tagged With:

Tough Cookie by Kate Louise, illustrated by Grace Sandford

November 27, 2015 by

Source: Sky Pony Press
Hardcover, 32 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Tough Cookie by Kate Louise, illustrated by Grace Sandford, is a great little book for the holidays, especially if your family does any baking or holiday preparations.  We love making Gingerbread men in this house, or should I say Gingerbread snowmen.  But in this tale, if you forget the ginger, you’re in big trouble.

This gingerbread man is upset that he cannot be sold on the bakery shelves with his other friends — he’s missing the most important ingredient, ginger.  He feels left out, and what happens when you feel left out as a kid?  You often act out to get attention.  He teases the other cookies, makes messes, chases cats, and generally wreaks havoc in the bakery.  He has a good time while he makes messes, but what he’s missing is companionship.  When the baker tells him that he has to leave, the gingerbread man has to make a big decision about his behavior.  My daughter’s favorite parts were with the sprinkles and the gumdrops.

Tough Cookie by Kate Louise, illustrated by Grace Sandford, is adorable, and the illustrations are brightly colored, like candy, and have fun expressions ranging from surprise to dismay.  The illustrator and author work well together in this book to create a fun, messy, lesson about good behavior, learning to fit in, and being a good helper in the kitchen.

About the Author:

Kate Louise is picture book author of THE UPSIDE-DOWN FISH, PIERRE THE FRENCH BULLDOG RECYCLES, and TOUGH COOKIE. She lives in the UK with her family, her partner, and a cocker spaniel called Freddie. She graduated from university with a first class degree in Fine Art Painting. It was during this course that Kate rediscovered her love of reading, prompting her to try a new creative angle and experiment with writing. Kate is also member and co-creator of an online group of published writers and illustrators called Author Allsorts. And she writes YA as Kate Ormand. Kate is represented by Isabel Atherton at Creative Authors Ltd.

Filed Under: children's fiction, New Authors Challenge, Read in 2015, review copy, reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 26, 2015 by

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We’ve spent some time making crafts with our daughter and making preparations for our dinner with family and friends.  Thanksgiving is one holiday I look forward to for the food and the fun.  I hope that you have a warm holiday with your family and friends.

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The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling (audio)

November 25, 2015 by

Source: Audible
Audiobook, 14+ hours
I am an Amazon Affiliate

The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, narrated by Simon Vance, was our November book club selection and is a steampunk alternate history set in 1855 in England.  Vance is a wonderful narrator as always, so there were no issues in that regard.  The novel seeks to explore the political and societal implications of when Charles Babbage succeeds in building an analytical computer, the Difference Engine, creating a barely recognizable world in which technological advancements are ubiquitous and enabling Britain to become more powerful and the United States to become more fragmented than unified.  However, as the water and the air become more polluted, the wealthy are able to flee outside of London, while the laborers are stuck in the city with the soot and pollution.  The anger this engenders, causes the laborers to become revolutionaries, rising up and calling for anarchy.

Intelligence agencies, difference engines (computers) and secrecy abound in this topsy-turvy world, but on audio, some of the intricacies are lost.  A lot of the narration is spent on describing clothes, surroundings, some of the machines, and mundane actions, like opening containers and whether people are wearing gloves.

Among the minutiae, a mystery about computer punch cards emerges, and everyone seems to want them.  Paleontologist Mallory is the only interesting character, but his segment in the plot ends and the final third of the novel plods along once again.  At least he lasted longer than the other interesting character, Sybil Gerard.  While some believe the cards can be used to place bets and win big, it is clear that’s a red herring.  The tug-of-war between the luddites and the ruling class that espouses the benefits of technology and advancement is often lost in the narration, which takes on several iterations — the only clue that the narrator is an outside observer.

The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, narrated by Simon Vance, is convoluted  and mysterious to its own detriment.  Overall, while readers may enjoy Vance as a narrator, this book might get a better reception in print.  However, this particular novel also has a number of confusing plot lines that intersect haphazardly, almost as if the writers were trying to confuse the reader.  Unfortunately, at some point readers may give up caring about uncovering it.  This is an overly stylized novel aimed at a sliver of readers, with a very masculine tone and vaunted scientific jargon and theories.

What the Book Club Thought:

We all agreed that the plot didn’t take up much of the book, and that the mystery reveal at the end was kind of a let down, especially given all that had happened to obtain the punch cards.  Some of the characters were disliked, the choice of a paleontologist was an odd one for some, and a few of us skimmed or did not finish the book.  Those of us who did finish the book thought that it had been more of a world-building exercise.  Moreover, some of the things that happened in the background are things that some of us would have rather had in the main parts of the story.  Overall, none of us really cared for any of the characters too much and thought that the book was wordy at best.

About the Authors:

William Ford Gibson is an American-Canadian speculative fiction novelist and essayist who has been called the “noir prophet” of the cyberpunk subgenre.

Bruce Sterling is an American science fiction author who is best known for his novels and his work on the Mirrorshades anthology. This work helped to define the cyberpunk genre.

Filed Under: audiobooks, borrowed copy, challenges, fiction, New Authors Challenge, Publishers/Publicists, random house, Read in 2015, reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (audio)

November 24, 2015 by

Source: Public Library
Audiobook, 10 CDs
I am an Amazon Affiliate

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, narrated by Will Patton, is a dark tale of supernatural forces, love, sacrifice, and transformation.  Blue Sargent cannot “see” like her mother and aunts can, but she can help them in their work.  She’s lived a cloistered life under the dark cloud of a premonition that her kiss would lead to the death of her true love, whom she has yet to meet.  The Raven Boys are considered the bad boys of the town, and Blue is expected to steer clear of them, but with all things forbidden, destiny cannot be avoided.

Gansey, Noah, Adam, and Ronan have been thrust together by a mission, but this mission has long-term consequences for them all, and Blue and her family.  Blue struggles to understand these boys and their role in the supernatural happenings that have happened in their town.  Her presence among the boys increases the tension between them, as Gansey represents privelege — a privilege that Adam resents.  Ronan is the wild card who never follows rules, and Noah is the sounding board, the quiet observer, whose secret is only going to break them emotionally.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, narrated by Will Patton, is thrilling opening book to this series.  While readers are introduced to a surreal and strange world, it quickly becomes addictive.  The Raven Boys are mostly sympathetic, but they also have dark edges, and Blue is likely in for a long ride with them — one that will be dangerous.

Other Reviews:

About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author of The Shiver Trilogy, The Raven Cycle, and The Scorpio Races. Artist. Driver of things with wheels. Avid reader.  All of Maggie Stiefvater’s life decisions have been based around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you’re a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she’s tried), but are highly prized traits in novelists and artists. She’s made her living as one or the other since she was 22. She now lives an eccentric life in the middle of nowhere, Virginia with her charmingly straight-la

Filed Under: audiobooks, borrowed copy, fiction, Publishers/Publicists, Read in 2015, reviews, Scholastic, young adult fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Mailbox Monday #350

November 23, 2015 by

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog.

To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links.  Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Vicki, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what I received:

Knights of the Third Millennium by Allan A. Arel, which I received from my aunt and it is written by her cousin.

The six knights serve a secret order of the Catholic Church know as the Knights of the Third Millennium. They work in secret because the world for the most part is completely unaware of the evil that roams the night. Evil such as vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches and demons of various kind. They spend their nights hunting evil, and their days when not sleeping are spent in the company of each other and whatever local prostitutes happen to be around. They drink, party, gamble, and continuously pick on each other, which makes them like most of us, very human; or sinners if you will. These men will go to their deaths to rid evil of this world, so to them having a good time is usually a bit more extreme then most people live, but at the same time understandable. After all if you might die tomorrow wouldn’t you want to have as much pleasure as you possibly could tonight? While after a werewolf the knights find themselves smack dab in the middle of a town designated to be the place where hell comes to earth. Now they aren’t just chasing a werewolf but they’re having to deal with all kinds of evil creatures as well as an ancient evil sorcerer. They get help from a most unlikely wizard, who has the power of God working through him all coming to a climatic and surprising end.

The Runaway Santa: A Christmas Adventure Story by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Aaron Zenz for review from Sky Pony Press.

Once there was a jolly Santa who wanted to leave the North Pole on a worldwide vacation! He decides he wants to visit Mount Rushmore and see the stone faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Then he’ll ski the silky slopes of the Swiss Alps. And after that, he’ll ride an elephant in South Africa on a safari. Santa is eager for a new adventure, but Mrs. Claus isn’t so sure he’s ready just yet. Before he takes off, she’s going to make sure he’s got his rock climbing gear. And his skis, and his hat. He must be ready!

It isn’t long before Santa realizes that maybe his adventure would be more fun with a friend. Mrs. Claus is clearly an expert adventurer herself, and so the two take off together on a runaway adventure. They have a little time before Christmas, after all, and everybody needs a break sometimes!

The Night Before Christmas: A Brick Story by Clement C Moore, illustrated by Amanda Brack for review from Sky Pony Press.

Spread the Christmas cheer with this whimsical retelling of Clement C. Moore’s cherished poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” This new edition of the classic features the text of Moore’s original poem, illustrated with beautifully detailed LEGO brick scenes and characters.

See the colorful stockings hung by the chimney in the fanciful brick house, and look on at the visions of dancing brick sugarplums. Turn the pages to reveal Saint Nicholas with his bundle of toys and his eight trusty reindeer, and watch as he magically slides down the chimney to bring presents to the good little girls and boys before shouting, “Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!” This treasured Christmas poem in brick will quickly become the highlight of your holiday storybooks and a great new tradition for the whole family!

Tough Cookie by Kate Louise, illustrated by Grace Sandford for review from Sky Pony Press.

When this gingerbread man was baked, someone forgot to put in the ginger. He’s made of eggs and cinnamon and flour and butter and sugar, but he’s missing a key ingredient! Without ginger, the gingerbread man feels like he’s not really a gingerbread man at all! He can’t be sold in the bakery, so he lives at the back of the store. And there he causes all kinds of trouble.

The Five-Minute Brain Workout for Kids: 365 Amazing Fabulous and Fun Word Puzzles by Kim Chamberlain, illustrated by Jon Chamberlain for review from Sky Pony Press.

Our brains are an amazing organ! And just like our bodies, our brain functions best when it’s put to work. So get ready to give your brain a full workout each day with The Five-Minute Brain Workout for Kids! Inside, you’ll find 365 word puzzles and games to keep your mind active and in great shape! Have fun with your family and friends as you learn about acronyms, anagrams, definitions, parts of speech, rhyming words, syllables, word structure, and more with these fun puzzles. From Alphabet Teasers and Mini Word Sudoku puzzles, to Speed Words and Word Store games, even doing one puzzle a day will help you to learn new words, spell better, problem solve with ease, and have better concentration.

What did you receive?

Filed Under: mailbox monday, meme Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

332nd Virtual Poetry Circle

November 21, 2015 by

Welcome to the 332nd Virtual Poetry Circle!

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Keep in mind what Molly Peacock’s book suggested.

Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don’t like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.

This poem is from Joy Harjo:

Perhaps the World Ends Here

The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.

The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.

We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.

It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.

At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.

Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.

This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.

Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.

We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.

At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.

Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.

What do you think?

Filed Under: virtual poetry circle Tagged With:

Happy Birthday, Cupcake! by Terry Border

November 20, 2015 by

Source: I’d Rather Be at the Beach
Hardcover, 32 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Happy Birthday, Cupcake! by Terry Border, which is for ages 5-8 and which my daughter received from Vicki, is a cute little picture book.  Kids have cupcakes for their own birthday parties, but what kind of birthday party would a cupcake have?  Cupcakes, muffins, and other food stuffs would have a tough time in certain party situations, and the photos are amusing.  Cupcakes and others with little bendable metal arms, and during a limbo, a cupcake could lose her frosting.

Cupcake and her friend muffin are contemplating carious birthday party adventures, and each time muffin brings up the reasons why certain parties might not be a good idea.   The puns are entertaining for adults as well, but its the visual fun that will keep younger readers engaged, along with the rhymes.  These photos are fantastic little art pieces that are whimsical and endearing.

Happy Birthday, Cupcake! by Terry Border was a great little book for my daughter to practice the sight words she’s learning in preschool.  My daughter loved the end of the book, but I loved the limbo party best.  We had a great time giggling and pointing out some great party fun and silly moments.

About the Author:

Terry Border has spent the vast majority of his life in the Indianapolis, Indiana area. He graduated from Ball State University with a B.S. in Fine Art Photography in 1988. Then, because he wanted to be practical and not be an artist (he is from Indiana after all), he worked as a commercial photographer for many years.  In 2006 he started what he calls his Bent Objects project, mainly because all the other blog names were already taken. Basically, the project concerns adding wire to ordinary objects to help pose them as living characters, usually telling a story, and then photographing them.

Mr. Border has two books containing collections of his Bent Objects published by Running Press, and is now working on a children’s book for Philomel (a footprint of Penguin Publishing). He has a contract with Universal Publishing to make 2013, and 2014 wall calendars, and supplies American Greetings with various greeting card images. There are also, supposedly,  several Bent Objects jigsaw puzzles for sale somewhere in the world, but he has never actually seen one in person.

Filed Under: borrowed copy, challenges, children's fiction, New Authors Challenge, Read in 2015, reviews Tagged With: , ,