Shadow of Night

Shadow of Night
By: Deborah Harkness
Hardcover: 584 Pages
Publisher: Viking Adult (2012)
ISBN: 978-0670023486
Genre: Alternate History, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Vampire, Witchcraft
Series: All Souls Trilogy
1. A Discovery of Witches
2. Shadow of Night

Summary via Amazon:
"Together we lifted our feet and stepped into the unknown"—the thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestseller A Discovery of Witches

Deborah Harkness exploded onto the literary scene with her debut novel,A Discovery of Witches, Book One of the magical All Souls Trilogy and an international publishing phenomenon. The novel introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and the handsome geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont; together they found themselves at the center of a supernatural battle over an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782.

Now, picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.

Deborah Harkness has crafted a gripping journey through a world of alchemy, time travel, and magical discoveries, delivering one of the most hotly anticipated novels of the season.

Review:
This book is fantastic! It has everything; Elizabethan intrigue, science, romance, and so much more. A Discovery of Witches pulled me in right away but Shadow of Night kept me enthralled. Alchemy, history and a witch trying so hard to not be a witch made a very dynamic and explosive character in Diana Bishop. She is so real at times while reading that it seems as if you could have met her in the dusty corners of a library.

The historical content is wonderfully spot on. One of the conflicts that I loved was, how even though she is a historian, she struggles with fitting in Elizabeth's England. That really shows how little we know, even though we know so much. As she goes along Diana really grows exponentially and Ms. Harkness really takes on some very serious perils that we all face but we never talk about. Some examples is the adjustment to married life, the idea of children (whether you can have them or not), the loss of a child, the loss of parents, etc. All these major conflicts and many more are covered in clear detail. The most difficult at times for many writers is the intimate emotional content which Ms. Harkness reveals like a master storyteller. You really feel for all the characters, so much so that I definitely cried for them and cheered for them at many times.

The characters in this and its predecessor are just so different, complicated, dynamic and yet still fun. My favorite new character is definitely Gallowglass. He is definitely my kind of vampire! Every time he showed up I felt like a crushing thirteen year old girl mooning over him. One of the best parts that made me crack up was this scene:

A two-foot tall, gold and silver statue of the goddess Diana sat between us, naked except for her quiver, riding sidesaddle on the back of a stag with her ankles demurely crossed. A pair of hunting dogs sat at her feet...
...A small key was embedded in the base. I gave it a turn, and the stag took off across the floor....
..."Is it a toy? Is it for me? Why is that lady not wearing any clothes? Isn't she cold?" The questions poured out of Jack in an unbroken torrent...
...Gallowglass peered at the statue's breasts "Aye, Jack. I'd say she's cold."

That scene had me cracking up so hard I could barely breathe. It was at a point in the story that really needed a bit of comic relief and was pulled off so brilliantly. I can easily say that if Deborah Harkness wanted to, she can easily turn this trilogy into quite the amazing series. I would be thrilled to read about the each and every one of the De Clermont clan and their adventures.

Honestly, there is no way you will not enjoy this book. There is just so much within this book that I can't even begin to cover it all. Diana travels through time and across Europe where she meets with queens and emperors to ladies and street urchins. You really get a very realistic trek through her and Matthew's world that it is just stunning and stimulating. Ms. Harkness even goes so far as to describe the smell of Elizabethan England and the feel of their clothes, while never losing the story's thread. This book has a very firm and well deserved five. Definitely get yourself the hardcover of this one and A Discovery of Witches because I can guarantee that not only will you want to read this one over and over but you will want to share it with everyone!

The Zombie Tarot: An Oracle of the Undead

The Zombie Tarot: An Oracle of the Undead
Instructions By: Stacey Graham
Illustrated By: Paul Kepple & Ralph Geroni of Headcase Design
Set includes: Instruction Booklet, Illustrated Box and 78 Cards (no jokers)
Publisher: Quirk Books (2012)
ISBN: 978-1594745690
Genre: Zombie, Divination

Summary via Amazon:
You’ve never seen tarot cards quite like these. Imagine the celebrated “Rider Deck” infused with the horrors of Night of the Living Dead, and the result is The Zombie Tarot—a crazy, campy interpretation of a classic divination system.

In this zombified parallel universe, wands become limbs, pentacles are biohazard symbols, and the Major Arcana is full of shambling corpses. Along with the 78-card deck, readers will receive instructions in a 96-page full-color book; its contents explain how to survive the zombie apocalypse and forecast your future using one of three different card layouts.

The secrets of The Zombie Tarot await you!

Review:
This deck is very 1950's but with zombies, which is very reminiscent of Fido. Like Fido it is hysterical, weird, but all around great. The illustrations are a very well done photo montage of Americana meeting the terrible tragedy that is the zombie apocalypse. Each card contains a great deal of symbolism that is common to that era with it's use of cold war imagery and technology. I also particularly want to note the Magician and the High Priestess cards. These were very well done because depending on your zombie story, zombies are usually created by science, or magic and these two cards recognize that.

I enjoyed the very idea of this deck as it ties in the idea of mortality, quick exchange of information, with a  very in your face attitude. It has a great tone that you will not find in a more serious tarot deck. The Zombie Tarot is also commendable for not de-fanging the monsters. There is always that undercurrent of danger when there are zombies about in this deck even in the more cutesy cards.

When it comes to tarot the cards must contain all the symbolism it can so that the reader and the client can understand the meanings of the cards to give a good reading. As a tarot reader, I must point out that the symbolism in the cards doesn't always at times relate to its meaning that has been established for centuries. This could makes things quite difficult for a tarot reader who is established and knows his/her cards backwards and forwards. This discrepancy with the symbolism may cause misunderstanding in the card's meaning for a client. For those that don't read cards for others, many clients jump to conclusions based on the card's image until the reader either agree or clears up the meaning for them. For instance many people get scared if the Death card appears. The Death card is not a bad card and actually represents change. However it has a bad reputation due to Franciscan monks a few centuries ago misunderstanding that the card.

As a zombie fiction lover and a tarot lover I couldn't wait for this deck to come out! I had it on hold way before release date and then Quirk Books contacted me and I couldn't have been happier! I am so glad that I was able to see this deck up close, have fun with it and work with it. I gladly give this deck a three rating. As a zombie fan I would highly recommend this deck! It has all the wonderful and terrifying things that make up the zombie genre. As a tarot reader this set was great fun and a definite must-see but I wouldn't recommend it for serious use. 

Pictures of some of my favorite cards:

Dreadfully Ever After

Dreadfully Ever After
By: Steve Hockensmith
Paperback: 320 Pages
Publisher: Quirk Books (2011)
ISBN: 978-1594745027
Genre: Classic With A Twist, Zombie
Series: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Trilogy
1. Dawn of the Dreadfuls
2. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
3. Dreadfully Ever After

Summary:
When we last saw Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy—at the end of the New York Times best seller Pride and Prejudice and Zombies—they were preparing for a lifetime of wedded bliss. Yet the honeymoon has barely begun when poor Mr. Darcy is nipped by a rampaging dreadful. Elizabeth knows the only acceptable course of action is to promptly behead her husband (and then burn the corpse, just to be safe). But when she learns of a miracle antidote being developed in London, she realizes there may be one last chance to save her true love—and for everyone to live happily ever after.

Complete with romance, heartbreak, martial arts, cannibalism, and an army of shambling corpses, Dreadfully Ever After brings the story of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to a thrilling conclusion.

Review:
Dreadfully Ever After out shines the others completely as far as I am concerned. (Not Jane Austen, of course, but still great.) The reason this one is so amazing is that it is so well thought out, so clear and multi-leveled, you can read it over and over again, and every time gleam something new from its pages. What also put this book on the map is that even without the zombies, it could stand on its own. Each and every character grew in a way that made sense while at the same time still being surprising. We are even privy to some of the Elizabeth's thoughts regarding her now much calmer married life and how her skills have influenced her new life as Mrs. Darcy.


We finally have answers to all of the hanging questions from the previous books, of which I felt there were many. The level of complexity in this story that we just didn't see in the previous books is astounding. There are themes we recognize but at the same time they are given a very different type of spin. You have a love story, unrequited love, lost love, etc. all of which we have come to expect from this type of story. The conflicts are just mind boggling and you really feel for Elizabeth as she tries to make sense of the world. What I didn't expect is the science fiction, the politics, the subterfuge, the twisted family history and so much more.


The Elizabeth Bennet we have known is an amazingly spunky woman but as she blossoms here in Mrs. Darcy, she becomes so much more. She becomes a hero I have been hoping for since the beginning. She defends her love, her family, and her life even as it goes so far beyond anything she could have ever imagined. We are even so fortunate as to have the whole Bennet family involved throughout the story in brand new ways. There are so many things with this book that just make it a joy to read. My darling readers you really just need to pick up a copy for yourselves. I just had to give this book a five because ladies and gentlemen, this story will knock your boots off. One second you think you know what is going on and the next its not even close.

Happy Reading and here's the book trailer for Dreadfully Ever After to enjoy!

How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew

How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew

By: Erin Bried
Paperback: 304 Pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books(2010)
ISBN: 978-0345525093
Genre: How-To, Survival
Series:
1. How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
2. How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew
3. How to Rock Your Baby: And Other Timeless Tips for Modern Moms

Summary via Amazon:
A handy guide full of How-To tips and Sage Advice from Grandfathers.

As members of the Greatest Generation, our grandfathers were not only defined by the Depression but also by their heroic service to the country in World War II. Courageous, responsible, and involved, they understand sacrifice, hard work, and how to do whatever is necessary to take care of their loved ones. They also know how to have a rollicking good time.

Sensible, fun, and inspiring, How to Build a Fire offers a rare glimpse into the hearts and minds of grandfathers near and far by sharing their practical skills and sweet stories on how to be stronger, smarter, richer, and happier. Inside are more than one hundred essential step-by-step tips for fixing, leading, prospering, playing, and hosting, including how to

• buck up and be brave in the face of adversity
• play hard and break in a baseball mitt
• bait a hook and catch a big fish
• look dapper and tie a perfect tie
• get a raise and earn more
• write a love letter and kindle romance
• change a flat tire and save the day
• stand up and give a sparkling toast
• play the harmonica and make your own music

Loaded with charming illustrations, good humor, and warm nostalgia, How to Build a Fire is the perfect handbook for guys or gals of any age. The first of its kind, this collection of our grandfathers’ hard-earned wisdom will help you build confidence and get back to what’s really important in life.

Review:
In my review of this book's mate, How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew I stated all my thoughts on how important a series like this is. These books aren't just about our connection with our predecessors, or survival. They are about living and being better through respecting what has come before so that we are ready for the future.

What this book brings to the table what the other book didn't is the voice of the grandfathers. Grandfathers for many people are these amazing patriarchs who have seen everything but don't talk about the ugly aspects, which unfortunately for them, has been a good portion of their lives. (From experience, I find grandmothers are more willing to talk about everything.) The grandmothers showed us how to live and keep the home alive regardless of the trials and tribulations. Our grandfathers now show us what it was like to provide and protect the home in a different way. (I'm all for girl power but the times were different so no one jump on me.) These men show you not only how to keep the home provided for with food and shelter but also how to be a gentleman and a good friend. All these things at some point got lost along the way and too many men and women out there are wishing for these ideas to come back. (I count myself and my new husband among these). I think this is a great book to help!

The greatest thing about these books is that their voices are so clear that it almost seems like the person is talking right to you. Their is so much heart in these pages that the book just about glows. Erin Bried did it again and secured another five rating. Not just for her ability to evoke the grandfathers' voice but also with the selection of how-to's and sense of fun.

My Top Ten for zombie survival tips are:
Aim True: How To Split Firewood
     -This is important because you can't have a fire without wood and axes don't run out of bullets
Stay Afloat: How to Paddle a Canoe
     -I live on an island (that if it became zombie ridden we are all screwed) which means canoeing is a really good way to get our of dodge.
Know Your Kingdom: How To Read Animal Tracks
     -Delicious, delicious venison. You need to eat and at the same time avoid zombies.
Soldier On: How to be Brave
     -Let's be honest the walking dead is a terrifying concept. I don't care who you are your balls aren't that big.
Switch Hats: How to Leave Work at Work
     -You need to know when its time to stop obsessing about what is going on. Sometimes obsessing about a negative thing will just get you killed and annoy the crap out of everyone around you.
Cope Well: How to Handle Bad News
     -Zombie are all around... If you can't find a way to cope well... good luck!
Command A Room: How to Give a Speech
     -We all need someone to give the believable pep talk now and again. Or at the very least a good 80's montage
Circle Up: How to Ask for Help
     -Knowing when to ask for help in a group trying to survive is probably a good idea because one bad apple can get everyone killed.
Smoke It: How to Make Beef Jerky
     -You will want to eat in the winter or can't have a fire right?
Pump Iron: How to Season a Cast-Iron Skillet
     -Whoever invented this amazing device deserves a metal. The classic cast-iron skillet can do just about anything and its a great weapon if needed (though I would thoroughly clean and re-season in that case)

Happy trails!

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
By: Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith
Paperback: 320 Pages
Publisher: Quirk Books (2009)
ISBN: 978-1594743344
Genre: Classic With A Twist, Zombie
Series: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Trilogy

1. Dawn of the Dreadfuls
2. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
3. Dreadfully Ever After

Summary via Amazon:
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”

So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield. Can Elizabeth vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you’d actually want to read.

Review:
When Seth Grahame-Smith brought zombies to the Jane Austen world, I knew just had to read it. Not so surprisingly, I loved it and not just because Jane Austen is amazing but because Seth Grahame-Smith melded this story in such a fun way. As we have all read Jane Austen (or at least I hope so) I won't spend too much time on the base story line and her complex characters. What I believe Seth Grahame-Smith brought to this story was the unveiling of the subtleties and a large dose of action. This is great for modern audiences whom at times don't always understand the quips and nuances of the Georgian era (unless of course, you read The Jane Austen Handbook). Mostly what made this book a success in my eyes is how true to the original it kept while still bringing in the new view of their world. The characters, as we saw in the prelude Dawn of the Dreadfuls, have a ton more spunk and are not ladies to be trifled with. This makes the Bennet ladies more understandable and easier to relate to for modern girls and women as we are more used to a direct approach rather than a more light approach. I also enjoyed their new reactions to the situations they were put in. Most notably is the scene in which Mr. Darcy insults Elizabeth. She feels she must avenge her honor by putting Mr. Darcy through the ringer but this is quickly squashed by an attack of the "unmentionables". These new takes on age old scenes always made me giggle. The original scene though not as "fun" as there were no "unmentionables" mentioned was quite clever all on its own.


What I didn't like about this was that, all though the bringing together of the wonderful world of Austen and zombies was a brilliant idea, the language gets warped. Austen was so well spoken and stylish in her use of language that once the modern tongue joins the party, well its kind of like ice cream and pickles. Unless your pregnant or weird, not such an amazing idea as a whole and it creates a disjointed kind of read. While I mentioned this as a strength earlier, the clearing of the subtleties also takes a little of the old magic out. Which means that if you are looking for the classic characters of the original story you won't find them here. If you are okay with that (and I am as this is a new take on the classic), then you will grow to love our new Bennets (with the except of Mrs. Bennet, hell and high water couldn't change that woman).

I gladly give this book at rating of four for its fun and terrifying zombies. I would recommend it to any Austen lover who wants a new approach on an old favorite as well as those trying to bring a little class to the end of the world as we know it. I particularly found Mrs. Bennet hysterical (both old and new) as she tries so hard to cling to her view of the world even though the world has most assuredly changed.

How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew

How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
By: Erin Bried
Paperback: 304 Pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books(2009)
ISBN: 978-0345518750
Genre: How-To, Survival
Series:
1. How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
2. How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew
3. How to Rock Your Baby: And Other Timeless Tips for Modern Moms

Summary via Amazon:
“Waste not, want not” with this guide to saving money, taking heart, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

Nowadays, many of us “outsource” basic tasks. Food is instant, ready-made, and processed with unhealthy additives. Dry cleaners press shirts, delivery guys bring pizza, gardeners tend flowers, and, yes, tailors sew on those pesky buttons. But life can be much simpler, sweeter, and richer–and a lot more fun, too! As your grandmother might say, now is not the time to be careless with your money, and it actually pays to learn how to do things yourself!

Practical and empowering, How to Sew a Button collects the treasured wisdom of nanas, bubbies, and grandmas from all across the country–as well as modern-day experts–and shares more than one hundred step-by-step essential tips for cooking, cleaning, gardening, and entertaining, including how to
 • polish your image by shining your own shoes
• grow your own vegetables (and stash your bounty for the winter)
• sweeten your day by making your own jam
• use baking soda and vinegar to clean your house without toxic chemicals
• feel beautiful by perfecting your posture
• roll your own piecrust and find a slice of heaven
• fold a fitted sheet to crisp perfection
• waltz without stepping on any toes

Complete with helpful illustrations and brimming with nostalgic charm, How to Sew a Button provides calm and comfort in uncertain times. By doing things yourself, with care and attention, you and your loved ones will feel the pleasing rewards of a job well done.

Review:
One may question why I have included this book in zombie week, but one of the most important things about a zombie apocalypse is... survival! Some of the best survivalists in the world are our grandparents and great grandparents as they have lived through some of the most tumultuous times our country has seen. They have seen the Great Depression, World Wars, etc. and have always made it through (otherwise we wouldn't be here). That is how this book first caught my attention.

What kept me reading though was the spunky banter and clear directions! Erin Bried included wonderful quotes that really brought the time and the feel for how our mother's mothers lived and how different it was. I personally felt how warm and family oriented their time was and how today is so focused on work/school and technology. Overall, Erin did such a wonderful job not only with her choice of how-to's but also in her tone and respect to those who came before us and that's why she gets a rating of 5 for How to Sew a Button!

I fully recommend this book to anyone first moving out or even for anyone wanting to see a new/old way of doing things. And most definitely if your neighbors start too look at you more like a chicken nugget than a friend.

In regards to our zombie related how-to's, my Top Ten I would pay close attention to are:
• Be A Good Catch: How to Fillet a Fish
     -Most zombie books say large animals can also zombify but I have never heard of a zombie fish
• Stay Sharp: How to Hone a Knife
     -Knives never run out of bullets and the sharper the better
• Grow Your Own: How to Plant a Vegetable Garden
     -We all need to eat and its not like the supermarket is going to be getting a new shipment
• Stash Your Bounty: How to Can Your Own Fruits & Veggies
     -Once again we all need to eat especially in the winter
• Harness The Wind: How to Install a Clothesline
     -Mostly cause the smellier the human the more likely a zombie will find you as you smell meaty
• Get Stoked: How to Build a Fire
     -Fire is good for all kinds of things but remember a zombie on fire is just that a ravenous zombie on fire still trying to eat you.
• Shoulder Up: How to Be a Strong Partner
     -I don't know how anyone can survive without finding a serious backbone and survival instincts
• Drive A Bargain: How to Negotiate a Better Price
     -Great for if you meet people and need to trade for supplies (think Oregon Trail, hopefully without the dysentery)
• Get Heard: How to Speak Your Mind at a Town Hall Meeting
     -Group dynamics are always hard but once you add flesh eating zombies I am sure tempers fly even higher
• Quench Your Thirst: How to Brew Your Own Beer
     -Beer because at some point you will need to relax but only while there is someone watching your back.

Good luck with your survival and enjoy!

Dawn of the Dreadfuls

Dawn of the Dreadfuls
By: Steve Hockensmith
Paperback: 287 Pages
Publisher: Quirk Books (2010)
ISBN: 978-1-59474-454-9
Genre: Classic With A Twist, Zombie
Series: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Trilogy
1. Dawn of the Dreadfuls
2. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
3. Dreadfully Ever After

Summary via Amazon:
Readers will witness the birth of a heroine in Dawn of the Dreadfuls—a thrilling prequel set four years before the horrific events of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. As our story opens, the Bennet sisters are enjoying a peaceful life in the English countryside. They idle away the days reading, gardening, and daydreaming about future husbands—until a funeral at the local parish goes strangely and horribly awry.

Suddenly corpses are springing from the soft earth—and only one family can stop them. As the bodies pile up, we watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naive young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. Along the way, two men vie for her affections: Master Hawksworth is the powerful warrior who trains her to kill, while thoughtful Dr. Keckilpenny seeks to conquer the walking dead using science instead of strength. Will either man win the prize of Elizabeth’s heart? Or will their hearts be feasted upon by hordes of marauding zombies? Complete with romance, action, comedy, and an army of shambling corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls will have Jane Austen rolling in her grave—and just might inspire her to crawl out of it!

Review:
First off, when I started reading this series in the order of publication, I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as when I read them in story line order. I think this had a lot to do with the story jump from book to book as well as character development. Plus there is the added bonus of seeing how the stories really fit together.

Dawn of the Dreadfuls starts with a funeral and just keeps running. As we are first introduced to all of our favorite characters as we all know and love them, they are sent on their way by a sound none have heard in the longest time... the sound of the undead. What I particularly enjoyed about this book in particular is that the "dreadful" epidemic isn't something new. It is something they have seen and survived before and Mr. Bennet, in particular, has faced them head on. I really fancied how Mr. Bennet's character really shines in this book. He was always such a gem in the original Pride and Prejudice but didn't get enough play time and here he just about jumps off the pages. My other favorite (and to be honest who doesn't love her) Elizabeth Bennet is younger and even spunkier than the original. The battle cry scene really brings out their amazing qualities and it is within the first 50 pages.

"Mr. Bennet assumed the Spread Eagle Stance, scowled, and bellowed,
"HAA-IEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
It was a very good battle cry indeed. So much so that Kitty instantly burst into tears. Once her father had her calmed, he asked Jane to try a cry of her own.
"Haiee," she said.
"Did you hear that, girls?" Mr Bennet cupped a hand to his right ear. "I do believe a mouse just coughed."

Jane tried again.
"Haiee!"
"A consumptive mouse," Mr Bennet said.

"Haa-ieeeee!"
"Which has stubbed his toe."

Mr. Bennet held up a hand and shook his head before Jane could unleash another of her half-hearted squeals.

"Your battle cry does more than announce you presence," he said. "It prepares you for combat by shattering the shackles of good manners and gentility. It is not a sound a gentleman or lady would choose to make. It is an animal sound-the roar of a killer stalking the jungle. As Master Liu used to say, a good battle cry 'unchains the tiger within.'"

"Perhaps I don't have a tiger inside me," Jane said.
"Everyone does, daughter. Everyone." Mr. Bennet turned to Lizzy. "You try it."

Elizabeth spread her legs, turned her feet outward, bent her knees, and took a deep breath, closed her eyes-and split the world in two.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
When she opened her eyes again, Elizabeth found her four sisters gawping at her, slack-jawed.
"She certainly has a tiger," Lydia muttered. "and it's rabid."
"No," Mr Bennet said, "It is hungry."...

There are so many amazing things in this book! It shows such an amazing new perspective on the time and the characters. I really loved the training and battle scenes were not only stimulating but also illuminating. These scenes bring a new perspective you just don't get from the original Pride & Prejudice. The animalistic side of the characters brought all their traits into sharp focus where there used to be a great amount of subtlety. As far as the new characters, you will just have to discover them for yourself but they are certainly an interesting lot. The reason being that its difficult to not give away the story line when speaking about the characters in depth as these books are definitely character driven and rely heavily on the decisions and reactions of the characters rather than conflict and battles.

This book was so much fun and excellently written but it does have a couple of negatives. Continuity and Time Period. This book and the third book are obviously written by a different person and I am not talking about Jane Austen. I don't expect anyone to completely meld with the great Jane Austen but I did expect there to be a little more synergy with Seth Grahame-Smith. Also the way the story is done in regard to reactions and the syntax comes off as a little more modern than period appropriate. Both of these discrepancies are minor but are still noticeable.  That was my same view as with Jane Slayre so maybe that's just my view of this style.


All in all, Steve Hockensmith really told the story wonderfully because he managed to make the characters sweet but raw, delicate but also savage. He kept true to form as well as fitting the growth of the characters with Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. However since this prelude was written after Pride & Prejudice & Zombies there is some disjointedness but it quickly finds pace. The rating on this beauty is a 4 because it was well written but lost points due to the above. I would definitely consider this a must read especially for a zombie or Jane Austen fan. Happy Reading!

Dawn of the Dreadfuls Trailer!

Welcome Back Ladies & Gentlemen

Flying Off The Shelves is back!

We had all kinds of craziness but now we are back and better than ever.

For the curious lot: your reviewer Beth has recently gotten married and has definitely had a few run-ins with the zombies of the New York DMV which has inspired....

a Zombie Marathon!

Image owned by Rob Sacchetto on Zombie Daily

No matter where zombies come from they are all terrifying and you must defend against them!

We will be featuring:
Dawn of the Dreadfuls (Steve Hockensmith)
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies (Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith)
Dreadfully Ever After (Steve Hockensmith)
The Zombie Combat Manual (Roger Ma)
How To Sew A Button (Erin Bried)
How To Build A Fire (Erin Bried)
And the doomsayer Zombie Tarot (Stacy Graham & Headcase Design)!

This will all be starting on Monday July 23rd!

So stay tuned and maybe you will survive...

The Eighth Scroll

The Eighth Scroll
By:  Dr. Laurence B. Brown
Paperback:  309 Pages
Publisher: Self Published (?)
ISBN: 9781419673238
Genre: Religious Murder Mystery

Summary:
Nineteen hundred years after the Essene Jews hi their most precious scrolls in the caves at Qumran, a Catholic priest working on the Dead Sea Scrolls Project discovers a text that describes the final edict of the Dead Sea Scrolls, but hides it in fear of the heresy it contains.  When prominent archaeologist Frank Tones unearths a reference to the hidden scroll, he wonders if this scroll could be the long-lost Gospel of James, or even of Jesus himself.  But before he can act, those who know the scroll's existence become mysteriously silent or dead, leaving only a father and son team to find the scroll and tell its secrets to the world.  In an epic, multi-generational story that spans the globe, they must outwit the Mossad, the CIA, and the Vatican's secret weapon-the Italian Mafia-to bring the truth to light.  No matter the cost.

Review:
Upon first glance one may notice many similarities between The Eighth Scroll and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.  Truthfully there is not much of a difference between the two, hey! even both author's last names are Brown-but that is besides the fact.  Dr. Brown's novel is filled with many of the same plot concepts and same enemies as The Da Vinci Code but makes up for it in historically rich and accurate details that give life to the novel.  This novel might even be movie material, for all of those who do not read too often!

While the text has an enlightening tone about it, it tends to follow a predictable plot line-one we all know all to well.  The story of some innocent lives come into contact with some forbidden knowledge or artifact, then by trying to understand it they meet opposition and risk their lives to expose the secret to the world either purposeful or inadvertently. Either way, the text makes up for what it lacks with supreme imagery and interesting facts.  If you are a fan of murder mysteries then this book is a must read.

"What if we knew the truth about Jesus?" asks the back cover of The Eighth Scroll.  I answer with another question, do we want to know Jesus and all his mystery?  Humans should not actively seek out the person of Jesus but instead let him come to you, let him reach out to you and let him come out of his mystery by his own will.  Regardless of personal belief, this novel captivates the reader and begs him to reconsider popular religion.

The Eighth Scroll is rated as a three by Flying Off the Shelves Reviews.  In many aspects this novel is the next Da Vinci Code  although less fantastically stimulating but more intellectually inviting, this is a novel that begs its readers to think about their religious beliefs.


About the Author:
A graduate of Cornell University, Brown Medical School, and George Washington University Hospital residency program, Laurence B. Brown is an ophthalmic surgeon, specialized in cataract and refractive surgery. A retired Air Force officer, he is the medical director of a major eye center in Saudi Arabia. For the past decade, he has divided his time between America, England, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The author of two books of comparative religion, MisGod’ed and God’ed, Dr. Brown's immediate family consists of his wife, three daughters, and an ever changing assortment of hamsters and parrots.

------------------
Questions to Consider:

Are you religious or spiritual?

What religion do you follow, and why?

Did you find your path on your own or did you adopt your parent's religion?

Do you practice often?

Do you  believe that one should actively seek out their path or let their spiritual/religious path find them?

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay

By Robert Frost

Analysis:
Robert Frost to me is a poet who brings about truth in a veiled way. Many of his poems talk about decisions people have made, how we see the world and how we see each other but he never actually refers to the issue he discusses. I think that's what makes him special. He brings these things to light and instead of pulling us into the seriousness he keeps it light. For instance (because who can talk about Frost without mentioning his most well known poem) The Road Not Taken is a story about making major life decisions that once made, you can not turn back and change your mind.

I picked this poem because it reminds us that nothing lasts forever and that the only constant in life is change. I think this is a very important message because change is so hard for many of us and holding onto something that has passed is impossible. I love the imagery he uses through out because it is linked to nature like many of his other poems. You can even extrapolate this idea of change can be linked to ideas of wealth, today's millionaire is tomorrow's pauper and vice versa.

If this makes you pause for a second today and consider how you handle change and all the different cycles in life, I think Mr. Frost will be very pleased.

The Meowmorphosis

The Meowmorphosis
by Franz Kafka and Coleridge Cook
Print. 190 pages plus an appendix
Quirk Books (2011)
978-1-59474-503-4
Genre: Novella; Literary Re-mix

Summary:

Thus begins The Meowmorphosis-a bold, startling, and fuzzy-wuzzy new edition of Franz Kafka's classic nightmare tale, from the publishers of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies! Meet Gregor Samsa, a humble young man who works as a fabric salesman to support his parents and sister. His life goes strangely awry when he wakes up late for work and finds that, inexplicably, he is now a man-sized baby kitten. His family freaks out: Yes, their son is OMG so cute, but what good is cute when there are bills piling up? And how can he expect them to serve him meals every day? If Gregor is to survive this bizarre, bewhiskered ordeal, he'll have to achieve what he never could before-escape form his parents' house. Complete with haunting illustrations and a provocative biographical expose of Kafka's own secret feline life, The Meowmorphosis will take you on a journey deep into the tortured soul of the domestic tabby.

Review:

"Coleridge Cook took what Kafka wrote, made it furry, cute and a hundred times more cynical-as only a cat could do!"

The Meowmorphosis is a cute and cuddly new take on the Jewish-boy-lost-in-Germany's-tyranny-story by Franz Kafka. There are many symbols and motifs that were erased when Gregor Samsa awoke as a kitten instead of a cockroach but Coleridge Cook makes up for it in a whole new fabrication with kitten Samsa. I highly recommend new readers to read Kafka's original The Metamorphosis first before tearing into The Meowmorphosis.

Generally speaking, Cook does an excellent job with keeping up with Kafka's plot line and even introducing his own plot twist! **Spoiler** In order to make up for Gregor not morphing into the bug of Kafka's story, Cook takes his feline creation on a new trip to meet the Academy of Cats. The dark tale of Gregor Samsa just got even darker. Kitten Samsa is tried for an accusation he knows nothing about and by all circumstances innocent of. Who cares if Samsa never stood up for himself? He was selflessly acting for the benefit of his family! What does it mean to have pride?  How does this relate to the Jews that were taken away during the war time era?  Although, as the reader soon finds out, the members of the Samsa household have never really been his family members-save for his mother. Originally, Gregor's family is meant to represent the German oppressors of World War Two but Cook's Academy of Cats take that part and take it to a whole new level. **End Spoiler** While Cook amends Kafka's original tale, more than just the meaning is emphasized.  What would you do in Gregor's situation?

A major stylistic shift is seen between where Kafka leaves off and Cook picks up. The variation between style, diction and syntax is almost to the point that the reader is taken out of the story's context, transposed for just a moment in a new world then, thrusted back for another dose of Kafka-esque writing. Another issue is with the text itself, there are many distinguished typos all throughout the text. While these errors do not subtract from the overall story they can be a nuisance to the reader that finds the errors. Perhaps a revision is in order?

Coleridge Cook took what Kafka wrote, made it furry, cute and a hundred times more cynical- as only a cat could do! I am still amazed as to how Cook kept Kafka's meaning and yet pushed the boundaries of the envelope so much that, I'd say better than Kafka himself could do! The story stands to describe the atrocities of Germans to the Jews during World War Two but also begs the question of the human condition. Cook asks his readers, well, what makes a man? What is his nature- to lay down on his belly when he is distraught or overcome by grief or weakness? Does he fight back or slink away into the shadows leaving his pride and person injured?


Overall The Meowmorphosis is a strong three, weak four. As much as Kafka's original intent is brought to a higher level the changes in style, diction and syntax affect the text. Kafka and Cook's The Meowmorphosis receives a four from Flying Off the Shelves Reviews.

About the Author:
Franz Kafka is one of the 20th century's most influential authors. His novella The Metamorphosis and his novels The Trial and The Castle are regarded among the most original works of modern Western literature. Coleridge Cook, writing under a different name, is a beloved fantasy novelist and blogger as well as the winner of several prestigious literary awards.

Todd The Dreamer

Todd The Dreamer
By: Bonnie Rozanski
Publisher: Amazon (2010)
ASIN: B004BLK9WI
Genre: Psychological Fiction

Summary via Amazon:
Lucid dreaming (def): The rare state in which a dreamer knows it’s a dream.

In lucid dreams, you can change the storyline to whatever you want.
- Like to fly over the rooftops? Go right ahead.
- Kill off your demanding boss? Do so with impunity.
- Enjoy awe-inspiring sex with a gorgeous someone who in real life doesn’t even know you exist? Do I even need to ask?

Todd Goldman is an ordinary young man. He has tried his hand at various low-level jobs and succeeded at nothing. All his life, he has let life lead him, not the other way around…until the day he answers an advertisement for a sleep lab, and enrolls in a study of lucid dreams.

Todd finds he is a quick study at lucidity, and increasingly learns to control the content of his dreams. In contrast, unfortunately, his life is an uncontrollable mess. He fights with his girlfriend and struggles to gain some independence from his parents. He loses his day job. The beautiful technician at the sleep lab thinks he’s a jerk.

However, in his lucid dreams, and in the out-of-body experiences that follow, Todd is able to create the life he wants, a situation so seductive that his dreams begin to take over his life.

But then, of course, what is the reader to believe? Is Todd indeed out-of-body despite the doctors’ insistence it is just an unusual dream? Is the chief researcher truly willing to forfeit Todd’s life if it means getting good pictures of his brain? And do the sleep doctors in fact plan to lock him away in a psychiatric ward?

Review:
In this story we follow Todd who is unbearably boring and ordinary. In a main character this is terrible but I understand what the author was trying to point out, Todd's life is run by what the world throws at him not by any drive on his part. Todd in this story doesn't make any decisions of any kind until the sleep clinic is involved and then its as if he is addicted.

As a psychological book it was very interesting because it makes you ask many questions and brings to light many different psychological issues. What is real? What is the dream? Is it paranoia if they are really out to get you? Are they actually trying? etc. I also enjoyed the medical ethics portion of this book. Is there a point when a study goes too far? Shouldn't the doctors know when the patient is taking something too far and know to stop it?


Overall, I give this book a one because it was dry at too many parts and the characters are one dimensional. What kept me reading to the end was the psychological aspects not the actual story. This book is similar to a case study but with some flights of fancy thrown in. In the future I would love to see this author round out her characters and make their situations/decisions more complex.

The Soul Selects Her Own Society

The Soul selects her own Society-
Then-shuts the Door-
To her divine Majority-
Present no more-

Unmoved-she notes the Chariots pausing-
At her low Gate-
Unmoved-an Emperor be kneeling
Upon her Mat-

I've known her-from an ample nation-
Choose One-
Then-close the Valves of her attention-
Like Stone-
By Emily Dickinson

Anaylsis:
First off, Emily Dickinson is a crazy bat. Her unique way of playing with capitalization and grammatical symbols, aka the hyphen, is just phenomenal. There is no other poet like Emily Dickinson in American history that dares to toy with the topics and themes she does in quite the same way. Dickinson writes with such grace and tact that even when she seems blunt there is so much to say yet. "The Soul Selects Her Own Society" was published in 1890, four years after her death.

This weeks Dickinson poem is "The Soul Selects Her Own Society", it is not as well known as some of her other works such as "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" or "Because I Could not Stop for Death" or even "I Heard a Fly Buzz-When I Died-". Although this poem has an overall topic of feminism I will take it to a different level tonight. "The Soul Selects Her Own Society" is indicative of the poet herself, she "selects her own Society" and "shuts the Door-". Locking herself in her room, behind her closed door, she chose to be a recluse. Her society is herself and those who were in her house. On the other side of her door is the "divine Majority-", the folk who are so sure of their beliefs but they are "Present no more-". Dickinson fought with her beliefs every day of her life, although she did not frequent a church she still believed very much in God. In her isolation she carves out her own world, her own beliefs and her own form of poetry. Behind her closed door she struggles to find her beliefs, the divinity within and without her. In her solitude she finds peace enough to search for herself and religion. The reader gets the sense that the speaker is separated from the world "Unmoved-" until "she notes the Chariots pausing-". Overall, she does not seem impressed by the "Chariots", they bother her not but she also notices that they arrive at her "low Gate-". Why have they stopped at her residence? These "Chariots" are coming for her, they wish to have her accompany them or be in her presence. Yet, she is "Unmoved-" even as an "Emperor be kneeling" in front of her gate. A powerful figure is kneeling at her gate yet she is apathetic to his arrival. What can be so important that she must make an emperor wait on her? We must remember, this "Emperor" is part of the other side, the "divine Majority". Everything beyond her closed door is a participant of the majority. A good ruler embodies the qualities of the religion that is spread across the land. She views this "Emperor" as a threat to her existence as he is "Upon her Mat-". He has come to change her, to take her away perhaps. Here I will hit a bit upon the feminist reading. During the 19th century, long before women are considered equals in America (about thirty years before women receive suffrage), men ruled. The "Emperor" is a masculine figure that comes knocking upon her door to do what rulers do best. Govern. She will not have any of it! She remains "Unmoved" by his presence but yet she must "choose one-". Which "one"? What is this "one" that must be chosen? Is it a suitor? All we know is that she must choose "one" from the "Chariots" that await her outside. After she chooses her "one" she is neglected, the "Valves of her attention-" shut "Like Stone-". Why must she choose only to be neglected? If this "one" is a suitor, then why should she be married? If this "one" is God, why must she be neglected? This poem raises a lot of questions that do not have universal answers but instead can be answered by the individual reader.

We would like to hear what you have to think about "The Soul Selects Her Own Society". Read through the poem a couple more times, what do you think the poem is about? What do you think the speaker chose? What is the "one"? What does Dickinson mean when she says "close the Valves of her attention- / Like Stone-"?

Tell All The Truth But Tell It Slant

Tell all the Truth but tell it slant --
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise

As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind --
          By: Emily Dickinson

Analysis:
This is probably one of my favorite poems of all time. I really enjoy Emily Dickinson because she writes about every day things rather than the fantastical. In this particular poem she relates truth to lightning and how people handle the truth. Some people can take the whole truth and some people can only take it piece by piece.

I am often reminded of two movies when I read this poem,  A Few Good Men and The Dead Poets Society. In A Few Good Men the quote "You can't handle the truth" is very reminiscent of this poem because many people think they want the truth but in reality they want only the truth they were looking for, not the complete picture. In The Dead Poets Society you have a similar idea only in reference to personal truths. Who are we as people? Who are we expected to be? Who will we be? And will we let popular consensus overpower what we know is right?

Emily Dickinson probably had no idea the ripple effect she had created when she wrote this poem but it really is quite amazing to see how it relates to how we handle ourselves and how we handle each other. Would you want the whole truth regardless of the fallout? Or would you like it piece by piece so you can mull it over and not be startled?

Personally, I am a whole truth kind of gal. The truth can be messy and sometimes painful but it's kind of like taking off a band aid, the longer it takes the more you are irritated by it.

Yo Momma so Extraordinary

Yo Momma So Extraordinary: A Treasury of Yo Momma Compliments
By: Zachary Reese and Ethan McCreadie
Paperback
Publisher: Quirk Books
ISBN: 978159474490
Genre: Tabletop

To buy links:
Quirk Books
Amazon

Summary:
"If it wasn't for yo mother, you wouldn't be here. So you remember, when you put down one mother, you put down mothers all over the world." ~Mr. T

[A few negative yo momma jokes later...]

Hold your horses right there, pal. You should be ashamed of yourself! Your mother did the best she could to raise you right, and here you are sitting around laughing at her expense. She doesn't deserve this kind of smack talk.
Didn't she monogram all of your underpants with permanent marker?
Didn't she make naptime super snuggly?
Didn't she cut the crusts off your sandwiches because your tummy was so sensitive?
Enough with the cruel jokes and the inconsiderate put-downs. We're taking that trash talk out with the garbage. We've written Yo Momma so Extraordinary because it's time to show mommas everywhere the love and respect they deserve.
All the moms we know are stylish, smart, beautiful, funny, thoughtful, and talented in so many ways, and they give the best hugs in the world. Plus they smell really good.

Review:
If you are looking for a counter pop tome of jokes then look no further, Yo Momma so Extraordinary: A Treasure of Yo Momma Compliments is the perfect book. Absolutely did Reese and McCreadie found the antidote for the overplayed and over used term "your mother". Perhaps their next step is to create a 365 day calender (what other calender is there?) of yo momma jokes, a new one each day!

Yo momma so extraordinary that I couldn't stop laughing the entire time I was reading Reese and McCreadie's work. This is truly a dedication to all the amazing mothers out there who did their best to raise their children; a treasury of quotations for all those lovely ladies out there that are lovingly called "mom" also makes a great gift. This text was written to "show mommas everywhere the love and respect they deserve" but seriously, where are the "yo pappa" jokes?

There are many laughs to be had whilst reading and I know any reader will find an absolute favorite. My favorite yo momma compliment is "Yo momma so kind, she always hugs me tightly and apologizes that she has to let me go 'back to that woman' when my mother comes to pick me up". Absolutely hilarious!

While there were many quirky and fun yo momma compliments there were some that just didn't make the bar, which is reasonable. I also would have placed the picture of the momma herself second, considering she was the most photogenic of the bunch. Otherwise this was a great tome of motherly compliments and I would like to congratulate the authors on an excellent job well done! Yo Momma so Extraordinary: A Treasure of yo Momma Compliments deserves a solid five out of five!


About the Author(s):

Authors Zachary Reese and Ethan McCreadie enjoy video games, snacks, and long walks with yo momma. They pay respect to mothers everywhere at their website, LoveYoMomma.com

A New Birth of Freedom: The Visitor

A New Birth of Freedom
By Robert G. Pielke
E-book & Paperback: 226 pages
Publisher: Altered Dimensions (2010)
ISBN: 978-1936021239 (1936021234)
Genre: Historical & Science Fiction

To buy links:
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes and Noble.com
Altered Dimensions Press

Summary:
It has taken centuries to recognize that all humans possess certain unalienable rights. There will come a time when we have to consider whether others deserve those rights as well.

That time will come on July 3, 1863.

When a stranger carrying a shiny, metallic valise steps aboard a train carrying Abraham Lincoln home from a two year stint in Congress, everyone stares, wondering about the stranger's odd clothing and strange footwear with the word Nike emblazoned on them.

When the strange man shows up in Lincoln's office at the White house 14 years later, still wearing the same clothes, carrying the same valise and looking not a day older, the president and his staff know something is odd.

But when Edwin Blair opens his valise and projects a 3D image of the Earth on Lincoln's wall, then proceeds to tell a fanciful tale about time traveling aliens preparing to land at Gettysburg on July 3rd, they are sure they've met a lunatic.

Unfortunately for them, they're wrong.

Review:
A New Birth of Freedom is a science fiction that throws history through a loop. We follow Edwin Blair back in time to the Civil War era where he meets some of history's leading gentlemen of the day. What is unique about our Mr. Blair is that he isn't an adventurer or a scientist, he is a history professor on a mission to save the world in his time.

In Mr. Blair's time aliens have descended on the planet and have wiped out our resources. These Pests (the aliens) are almost impossible to beat because they can travel in time and have devastating weapons. Their only recourse was to send them back in time to a place they are unfamiliar with and thus they came to the Civil War era.

This adventure through time is extremely interesting and exciting. I love the historical anecdotes that we get through out the story which really brought the historical characters to life. I love how Lincoln's character is displayed as an extremely clever and humorous man who is also down-to-earth. General Lee is also seen as the perfect southern gentleman who is also very sharp witted. The story itself is very intriguing and I couldn't stop reading it, one thing after another kept happening and adding another layer to the story. This is definitely one of the better historical fictions out there. One of the ways I judge a book is whether or not I would add it to my permanent collection which in this case is a resounding yes. I happily give this book a five and look forward to the next chapter for like most good books this one ended our characters in quite a predicament.

Robert G. Pielke's Bio:
Robert G. Pielke, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, now lives in Claremont, California. He earned a B.A. in History at the University of Maryland, an M. Div. in Systematic Theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and a Ph.D. in Social Ethics from the Claremont Graduate School.

He taught on ground and online for countless years at George Mason University in Virginia, El Camino College in California and online for the University of Phoenix. Now happily retired from “the job,” he is doing what he always wanted to do since he wrote his first novel at ten in elementary school. It was one paragraph, three pages long and, although he didn’t know it at the time, it was alternate history.

His academic writings have been in the area of ethics, including a boring academic treatise called Critiquing Moral Arguments, logic, and popular culture. Included in the latter is an analysis of rock music entitled You Say You Want a Revolution: Rock Music in American Culture. He has also published short stories, feature articles, film and restaurant reviews. His novels include a savagely satirical novel on America and its foibles, proclivities and propensities, Hitler the Cat Goes West, and an alternate history, science fiction novel, The Mission.

Most recently, he has updated and revised his book on rock music, which is being republished by McFarland & Co.

He swims daily, skis occasionally, cooks as an avocation, watches innumerable movies, collects rock and roll concert films, is an avid devotee of Maryland crabs and maintains a rarely visited blog filled with his social and political ravings. His favorite film is the original Hairspray; his favorite song is “A Day in the Life”; his favorite pizza is from the original Ledo Restaurant in College Park, MD; and he is a firm believer in the efficacy of “sex, drugs and rock and roll.” Somehow his family and friends put up with him.

A Blood Moon

A Blood Moon
By: Bitten Twice (Website)
E-book: 452 KB approximately
ASIN: B0047T7D96
Series: Macedo Inc Series

Summary via Author's Website:
Hiding his private life in the public eye, vampire Alexander Macedo, goes to hell and back in a race against time to save the one woman he would die again for and the other he could spend an eternity with. A rogue vampire threatens the balance of power. Bred for strategy but torn between his want for love and his need for companionship, Alex battles to save all he holds dear.

Review:
A Blood Moon constantly pushes and pulls through out the entire book which is interesting and keeps us on our toes. Most of the characters are facing life threatening situations or major changes which is both believable and yet almost too fantastic at times.

I really enjoyed the main characters because of the unique way the author melded history into their backgrounds. However, due to the turbulent nature of this book many times the characters turned out to be one dimensional when they could have been so much better.

The best part of this book is the second half when we really start to see what is really going on with the first half. You see in the first section of this book we have many different stories and points of view that it makes this book almost like a short story book. When they finally all come together its quite beautiful.

She has the beginnings of a great book but the constant motion which is enjoyable but at the same time chops the story up so it seems like you have three books in one. I would have liked a little more solidarity in the story but that didn't take away my enjoyment. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys paranormal or urban fantasy and likes a little twist in the history department. The book gets a high two and I look forward to the next book.

The Secret Life Of Emily Dickinson

The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson
By: Jerome Charyn
Hardcover, Paperback, & E-book: 352 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (2011)
ISBN: 9780393339178 (1453785132)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Memoir

To Buy:
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)

Summary via GoodReads:
What if the old maid of Amherst wasn’t an old maid at all? Her older brother, Austin, spoke of Emily as his “wild sister.” Jerome Charyn, continuing his exploration of American history through fiction, has written a startling novel about Emily Dickinson in her own voice, with all its characteristic modulations that he learned from her letters and poems. The poet dons a hundred veils, alternately playing wounded lover, penitent, and female devil. We meet the significant characters of her life, including her tempestuous sister-in-law, Susan Gilbert; her brooding father, Edward; and the Reverend Charles Wadsworth, who may have inspired some of her greatest letters and poems. Charyn has also invented characters, including an impoverished fellow student at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, who will betray her; and a handyman named Tom, who will obsess Emily throughout her life. Charyn has written an extraordinary adventure that will disturb and delight.

Review:
I simply adored this book almost as much as I adore Emily Dickinson's poems. Jerome Charyn really did a wonderful job capturing Ms. Dickinson as a bearer of many masks as her poems often suggest she was. This is not a fast paced book but at the same time its has a cadence that is steady and nice. I like how he went over her whole life and didn't try to paint her as a saint. Many times writers try to saintify classic writers rather than appreciate them with all their faults, for their faults are often how they came by their best work.

My only major dislike in this book is that included none of her works. Which I suppose was because he wanted to focus on her life not her work but still having that additional connection would have been lovely. Overall, I give this book a four due to the above reason. His seperation of her life from her work was a poor choice because as the book says many times her work was a large part of her life and identity.



Jerome Charyn's Bio:
Jerome Charyn (born May 13, 1937) is an award-winning American author. With nearly 50 published works, Charyn has earned a long-standing reputation as an inventive and prolific chronicler of real and imagined American life. Michael Chabon calls him “one of the most important writers in American literature.”

New York Newsday hailed Charyn as “a contemporary American Balzac,” and the Los Angeles Times described him as “absolutely unique among American writers.”

Since the 1964 release of Charyn’s first novel, Once Upon a Droshky, he has published 30 novels, three memoirs, eight graphic novels, two books about film, short stories, plays and works of non-fiction. Two of his memoirs were named New York Times Book of the Year. Charyn has been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has been named Commander of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture.

Charyn was Distinguished Professor of Film Studies at the American University of Paris until he left teaching in 2009.

In addition to his writing and teaching, Charyn is a tournament table tennis player, once ranked in the top 10 percent of players in France. Noted novelist Don DeLillo called Charyn’s book on table tennis, Sizzling Chops and Devilish Spins, "The Sun Also Rises of ping-pong."

Charyn lives in Paris and New York City.

Awards: BookReporter.com's Top Books of 2010 (#52)

The Shifters of 2040

The Shifters of 2040
By: Ami Rebecca Blackwelder (Website)
E-book & Paperback: 326 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 978-1453785133 (1453785132)
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance

Summary via the e-book:
Set in Alaska in 2040, Melissa Marn and Bruce Wilder must work under the iron fist of the SCM, while still trying to maintain humanity. Discovering a world of shifters and hybrids, the scientists must struggle with human prejudice and betrayal. With the original ancestors, dubbed shifters, still living on earth, humans are in the midst of a fifteen year old war. As the eldest hybrids, Unseen and Diamond, learn about humans the hard way, with the loss of loved ones and sacrifices, love on planet earth proves challenging. With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages.

Review:
Shifters of 2040 raises many questions that often are over looked. What does it means to be human? What rights are to be afforded to every living thing, regardless of their species classification? Are we willing to fight for our freedoms or will we bend to the will of another for our "safety"?

Shifters of 2040 is a wake up call in the guise of a piece of science fiction. This type of book I would say is most similar to George Orwell's Animal Farm which raised many similar questions in a different time. Ami Blackwelder manages to show this universe from various points of view through her variety of characters. Her main character is military scientist, Melissa Marn, whom has her world shaken by an encounter with a shifter (Brenden) and her interactions with her colleague, Bruce Wilder. This motley group of characters alone are but a mere piece of the complexity of this story.

All the conflicts faced within this book are shown through all the different sides of the characters: the scientist, the experiment, the soldier, the general, the hunter, the hunted, the lovers, etc. That Ami Blackwelder was able to show these characters and conflicts in such a way that it makes it real for any reader is a great feat. I for one, during reading much of this book my heart was in my throat every time the characters on both sides of the conflict were threatened with the exception of a certain general (who I would happily have seen killed).

This book is a solid three because the beginning of the book felt a little disconnected from the rest of the book due to the many, many descriptions that could have been left in the glossary. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to see the best and the worst in people as well as enjoy a little romance.


The Series by Timeline (not publishing date):
The Invasion of 2020
The SCM of 2030
The Shifters of 2040
The Hybrids of 2050
The Hunted of 2060
The Revolution of 2060

Purgatory Inn

Summary
In the Purgatory Inn, a group of immigrants strive to survive in an old Lost Angeles tenement while trying to understand their surroundings and the challenges of a new and demanding life. In their minds and souls, the land of opportunity becomes a landscape that instead of offering a welcome, turns into a threat and the place where they live is the only solace they can count on.

Review
Purgatory Inn does it's best to shed light on the immigration issue in America told through the eyes of the immigrants. This is not a unique idea but is a rising genre in contemporary fiction and non fiction. I can respect Purgatory Inn for what it is trying to do but the novel could do with a lot more exposition and pathos, as if the novel expects it's reader to feel for the characters simply because they are immigrants. The author places his very lively, dynamic characters in a story and setting that is decent at best. These characters lack the effects of the trials and tribulations that humans go through as they move from a heavily dangerous area to a new environment completely unfamiliar to them. They seemed to comfortably rest where they had landed. Although, personally, I can not distinguish the difference between Herrera's characters and the typical middle class American citizen, except of course they are mostly Latinos. Because of the lack of conflict, his characters seemingly undergo the average livelihood of many middle class citizens in the United States. How do I behave with my partner? What to feed my children? Where can I find work?

Also I was lost as to how the title of the novel, Purgatory Inn, meshes with the conflict and resolution. The title does not lend itself to the overall concept of the novel. Either the novel should have another title or the author can add more constraints to his characters. Mythically, purgatory is a place where a soul is sent to burn off its sins or await eternity. Metaphorically, the only time La Posada del Sol, the tenement in which the immigrant characters lived, was a place of purgatory was for the American character Julia MacCormick because...

SPOILER ALERT
...her husband Mr. Garcilaso had cheated on her and left her for some prissy rising star. The tenement stood as a memory of her pain but not much of anyone else's.
END SPOILER

Along the line of characters, one character revelation that bothered me very much was when Adalberto first arrived to America, illegally but as a refugee, comments on how America is drastically worse than his beloved warring country. Although I do agree with the character that American can clean up Her act, he should not compare the country he snuck into with his country back home. America is offering him shelter and life, how could he expect the country to welcome him with open arms?

There were a few textual problems with the novel too. The font was too small for my eyes, after a while I found myself squinting to see the text but this can be easily fixed. Furthermore, throughout the novel, the language contained many grammatical and spelling errors which, if fixed, will create a smoother reading experience and flow of story. There is also too much untranslated Spanish quotations in the novel that does not necessarily pause the already shaky flow but leaves the English speaking intended reader lost to the nuances that the author tries to convey. The Spanish does add to the reality of the story so removing it completely would not make sense but just a translation would greatly benefit the fiction.

Purgatory Inn by Ernesto Jose Herrera receives a rating of two because of the grammatical errors, lack of Spanish translations, font and lack of cohesion. Overall the story was decent and the novel's themes are critical to it's contemporary readers but could be so much greater.