Category: Reviews

/rɪˈvjuː/ noun. a report in a newspaper or magazine, or on the internet, television or radio, in which somebody gives their opinion of a book, play, film, product, etc.; the act of writing this kind of report

Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings by The Harvard Lampoon

Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings by The Harvard Lampoon

The clever parts of this so-so parody of The Lord of the Rings trilogy were the character names and the map on the first two pages. The rest was repetitive and silly nonsense, but the map especially was inspired.

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At the front of most science fiction or fantasy novels, the author provides a map, usually hand-drawn, of their world, the different countries, the rivers, mountains, dragon hoards, what-have-you from the story. Tolkien’s was particularly detailed and it was clear that he put a lot of time, effort and emotion into the creation of it.

The skewered version in this book of the LoTR map is hysterical. Mordor became Fordor which is, of course, right next to Tudor. Isengard becomes Eisentower and so on. Even Tolkien’s ornate compass receives a makeover with the directions north, south, east, west becoming up, down, left, right. I saw the map and I had high hopes for some big laughs.

Sadly, that never really came about. But oh, the name changes. Sam becomes Spam. Frodo becomes Frito. By far, my favorite was Legolas which was turned into Legolamb.

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Listen to what happens if you bear the Great Ring for too long: “For as surely as the Ring gives power, just as surely it becomes the master! The wearer slowly changes, and never to the good. He grows mistrustful and jealous of his power as his heart hardens. He loves overmuch his strengths and develops stomach ulcers. He becomes logy and irritable, prone to neuritis, neuralgia, nagging backache, and frequent colds. Soon no one invites him to parties anymore.” pg 11. The horror!

This parody also tackles Tolkien’s frequent use of inset song lyrics. Here is one of my favorite characters Tom Bombadil, in this book, Tim Benzedrino singing: “Toke-a-lid! Smoke-a-lid! Pop the mescalino! Stash the hash! Gonna crash! Make mine methedrino! Hop a hill! Pop a pill! For Old Tim Benzedrino!” pg 21.

And actually, making one of the most curious and unexplained characters into a drugged-out hippie was kind of funny. The gag lost its charm though after the first couple lines.

If forced to pick a favorite scene, I’d have to go with when the party was attacked by a “Thesaurus” outside of the Mines of “Andrea Doria”: “The creature was about fifty feet tall, with wide lapels, long dangling participles, and a pronounced gazetteer. “Aiyee!” shouted Legolam. “A Thesaurus!” “Maim!” roared the monster. “Mutilate, mangle, crush. See HARM.” pg 68.

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Anyway, rather than garnering a lot of laughs, this parody succeeded in making me want to re-read the original books. Recommended only for the super fans who must read everything that has to do with the LoTR. Otherwise, I’d give it a pass.

Thanks for reading!

The Witches of Dark Root (The Daughters of Dark Root #1) by April Aasheim

The Witches of Dark Root (The Daughters of Dark Root #1) by April Aasheim

thewitchesofdarkrootI am Maggie Maddock. Some call me a wilder – a woman with untamed magical powers. Others just call me a witch. -Goodreads

Minor spoilers ahead. Beware!

I enjoyed this magical tale of four sisters who are coming to terms with their mother’s aging, their own powers, and their hometown’s demise. It was a good introduction to what could be an interesting series.

I wish there could have been more “magic in action” sequences in this book. My favorite parts were the house exorcism and Maggie’s brief vision journey with her aunt. The day to day action was interesting in a soap opera kind of way, but I inhaled the magic/fantastical scenes.

The character interactions were believable except the part where the sisters were fighting over the same guy. Coming from a family of four sisters myself, there are unwritten codes to dating and men. There are over a billion men in the world, but you only will ever have the same sisters. If the sister wants the guy, you bow out. Period. Yes, sibling rivalry does exist, but fight over the same guy? I think not.

Also, one other complaint, the fourth sister was introduced in almost the last chapter. I know the author will probably put her in the next books in the series, but I wanted more Ruth Anne!

I would recommend this novel to people who enjoyed reading The Witch’s Daughter.

I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Read program. Thanks for reading!

The Book of Afformations: Discovering the Missing Piece to Abundant Health, Wealth, Love, and Happiness by Noah St. John

The Book of Afformations: Discovering the Missing Piece to Abundant Health, Wealth, Love, and Happiness by Noah St. John
afformations

The Book of Afformations isn’t just another self help book putting forth the same old ideas of positive thinking, visualizations, and affirmations. Noah St. John has created a four part system to literally change the way you think, then act, and as a result, your life.

Step One: Ask yourself what you want, in all areas of your life. (A part of this stage is writing down all of the negative questions that you ask yourself like “Why am I never enough?”. That section was difficult to get through but eye opening.)

Step Two: Form empowering questions to help you achieve the priorities that you wrote down in Step One.

Step Three: Accept. Accept these new ways of looking at your life situation. Repeat the afformations. Create new beliefs and internal dialogue. Repetition is key here.

Step Four: Act. Here is where St. John steps away from other New Age authors that I’ve read. He suggests writing down three actions to take for each Afformation that you want to incorporate into your life. Do one a day. Keep going.

It seems really simple and the author peppers the text with success stories of people who have created amazing change in their life with this system. Another part of his book is a short biographical section about the author, how he came up with the system, and the extraordinary changes that he has made in his own life using it. The last couple pages are ads selling St. John’s other books, success workshops, online audio programs, and applications. They all seem to be quite popular, so it seems that at least some folks are having success with this.

I enjoyed the read and the author gave me some really interesting new techniques to try in my own life. I’d suggest this book to anyone who has tried affirmations and failed or is just looking to try something new for their negative thought patterns.

I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program. Thanks for reading!

Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2) by Jim Butcher

Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2) by Jim Butcher

foolmoonBusiness has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn’t been able to dredge up any kind of work–magical or mundane.

But just when it looks like he can’t afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise.-Goodreads

Minor spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the book. Proceed with caution.

Back into the world of Harry Dresden through another excellent audio book presentation. Between Fool Moon and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, I’ve been reading about werewolves a lot. Not that I’m complaining.

The interesting premise of this book is that there are multiple ways to become a werewolf and it explores the problems associated with each. I enjoyed the juxtaposition and creativity the author showed in developing the different types. I always assumed a werewolf was just an unfortunate who received a nasty bite. Silly me.

My favorite part was the dream when Harry’s subconscious came out of the shadows to talk to himself. I wish that my own dreams were that straight forward. They’re usually so cloaked in symbolism as to be nonsensical.

Harry is still snarky and dour and I loved this. On to the next book!

Thanks for reading!

Get Me Skinny by Tony Arreola

Get Me Skinny by Tony Arreola

Why is Getting Skinny So Hard?

Or so, Aubrey thought. Healthy hopes habitually crumbled into misery. Empty promise after empty promise, the fitness industry routinely burned her. Destined for another failed attempt, a disillusioned Aubrey hears of the talented Mr. Skinny. He holds the secret to her success. He’s smart, fit, charming and…too busy for her. She needs to get in shape, she needs to find a man, and she needs to make this year, her year.

-Goodreads

I liked the way that this book was written. It seemed overly simplistic at first, but I think that’s just because I’ve conditioned myself to think that eating healthy and becoming/remaining fit is a difficult thing to do. Tony Arreola breaks it down and drums it into your head that taking care of yourself is something that everyone can do and you can start, RIGHT NOW.

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He clearly outlines the path to success with a narrative involving a girl named Aubrey who meets Tony and says “Get me skinny!”. She learns the proper way to eat, move, and retrain her inner voice for success- not just today but for the rest of her life.

If the reader didn’t pick it up through the story, Tony conveniently outlines all of the important points of his plan, coping mechanisms, exercise ideas, water/food intake information at the back of his book. That way, you don’t have to reread everything if you forget a point or two.

I wish that Tony had included more about his own personal background story and his motivation for getting into fitness. I feel that would be extra motivational for folks reading his book. A brief summary of it is included in “About the Author” in the back of the book and there is a short interlude in the story where Mr. Skinny talks about what drove him to a lifetime of health and fitness. More of that would be great. He has a lot of heart and the experiences that made him into what he is are really interesting.

Overall, this is an excellent resource for someone looking to make a major change in their life. I would recommend it for anyone who has tried and failed at diets, exercise programs, or just wants the motivation to do better. Tony/Mr. Skinny will take you to your goals and beyond.

Also recommended: This is Why You’re Sick and Tired by Jackie Warner or Making the Cut by Jillian Michaels.

I won a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program. Thanks for reading!

The End of Self-Help: Discovering Peace and Happiness Right at the Heart of Your Messy, Scary, Brilliant Life by Gail Brenner

The End of Self-Help: Discovering Peace and Happiness Right at the Heart of Your Messy, Scary, Brilliant Life by Gail Brenner

Dr. Gail Brenner, from a completely Western point of view, presents a method of self realization that feels quite Eastern in its premise. To escape from troubling thoughts or life situations, go within and stay in awareness of your own consciousness.

From this new way of existence, external problems will either change or cease to exist in your new perspective of non-being. In fact, this book read a lot like Eckhart Tolle but was, I felt, a lot more understandable with some easy exercises thrown in.

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I think sometimes it helps to read the same type of material from different people because maybe something that they say will finally penetrate the fog in your mind. It can be a frustrating slog through buzz words and generalities. Or, perhaps, this author’s life experience is closer to yours and you are more able to figure out what the heck they’re saying- the finger pointing at the moon and all that.

I try to have an open and empathetic mind when I read self-help because you run into a lot of authors who want you to jump through the exact same hoops that they did even though your life experiences or difficulties aren’t the same. Yes, you may find some techniques that work for you but it’s never quite the extraordinary break through that they’re claiming.

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I run into the same messages again and again in self-help, but, I’m always thinking, maybe THIS time it’ll stick and I won’t have to try, yet another, author. Dr. Brenner has written a message that resonated with me even though it wasn’t the first time I’d run into it and it’s almost universally applicable in its technique.

She wrote this book so that, theoretically, the reader would never have to delve into self help again out of feelings of lack, loneliness, fear, etc. I’m certain that I will go there again, the self help shelf, out of a sense of curiosity which Dr. Brenner doesn’t discourage. She doesn’t ask readers to check out of their lives, but she wants to make sure that you’re going into self help for the right reasons.

This is a great read. If you like Eckhart Tolle, but he feels too far or you don’t dig his teachings about the “pain body”, The End of Self-Help might be just what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for more of this type of teaching, listen to the audio lecture, In the Presence of a Great Mystery by Eckhart Tolle or Resist Nothing: Guided Meditations to Heal the Pain-Body by Kim Eng.

I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads program. Thanks for reading!

Inspired!: True Stories Behind Famous Art, Literature, Music, and Film by Maria Bukhonina

Inspired!: True Stories Behind Famous Art, Literature, Music, and Film by Maria Bukhonina
inspired

Artists are so interesting. Inspired! is a compilation of anecdotes about famous artists, writers, singers, actors, and a few of their muses. From scandals to ménage à trois, drug addictions, and kangaroo consumption (really!), this book has so many interesting little tidbits covering a variety of topics. I may be biased in that I love reading books that teach trivia, but seriously, this was excellent.

For example, did you know that the artist Suzanne Valadon was ground-breaking in the scandalous content of her paintings? She also fell passionately in love with a guy who was twenty years younger than her: “The relationship inspired Valadon to create Adam and Eve (1909), one of her best-known works. The painting was the first publicly exhibited depiction of a nude man and woman together by a female artist. The concept was daring- Adam and Eve unabashedly nude and running toward the viewer. The figure of Eve was a self-portrait, with Utter (her young lover) as Adam.” loc 317, ebook. Yay, Valadon!

Or did you know that Mata Hari was eventually executed as a traitor? I didn’t! “She refused to make her last confession to a priest, saying that the only thing she ever did was love men. “Harlot, yes, but traitor, never!” she said.” loc 458, ebook. Hard core.

How about the fact that Arthur Conan Doyle made even his mom mad when he killed off Sherlock Holmes? It didn’t sit well with the public. Doyle’s mother was furious with him. An avalanche of hate letters came in the mail. Rabid fans hounded Doyle on the streets of London, and an angry woman attacked him with an umbrella in broad daylight.” loc 507.

Reminds me of what happened to George Lucas when he messed with the sequences in Episodes IV, V, and VI. People get mad when you do things to beloved characters of the page and screen. Still true.

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The chapters are short so Bukhonina doesn’t get bogged down in the details of each story. I suppose a criticism of this book could be that she covers so many different artists, but I love short and sweet.

I highly recommend this one for trivia hounds and non-fiction devotees. Inspired! is a treat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Museyon Publishing for a free digital copy of this book. And thank you for reading!

The Paranormal Caught on Film: Amazing Photographs of Ghosts, Poltergeists and Other Strange Phenomena (Caught on Film) by Melvyn Willin

The Paranormal Caught on Film: Amazing Photographs of Ghosts, Poltergeists and Other Strange Phenomena (Caught on Film) by Melvyn Willin
paranormal-caught

The Paranormal Caught on Film is descriptive of what this book is — a collection of photos claiming to show the paranormal.

The short blurbs accompanying the photos were intriguing, but for the most part the photos themselves appeared to be either fancy light reflections or film corruptions. I was disappointed.

Page 91 of The Paranormal Caught on Film captured my feelings about the book as a whole: “I am always one to advocate keeping an open mind, but on the other hand we should be careful not to remain so open-minded that our brains fall out!”

If forced to pick favorite photos, I’d go with ‘Yogic Flying’ on page 101, which, after some investigating into the phenomena, doesn’t seem much like flying to me- more like enthusiastic rocking, which the picture doesn’t show.

I’d also go with ‘The Grey Lady’ on pg 133 which is allegedly a ghost caught on film in the Reading Room of the Willard Library in Indiana. Again, the lady looks more like a light reflection, but since it took place in a library, it made my list.

I can’t really recommend this one other than to say: borrow it from your local library.

Thanks for reading!

IA: Initiate (IA #1) by John Darryl Winston

IA: Initiate (IA #1) by John Darryl Winston

A seemingly random act of gang violence sends “Naz” Andersen on a quest to find answers surrounding his dead parents that lead to a series of discoveries about his supernatural abilities. Naz tries to stay out of the way at his foster parent’s home, but he walks in his sleep, and he is unable to keep the fact that he hears voices from his therapist. He attempts to go unnoticed at school and in the streets of the Exclave, but attracts the attention of friends and bullies alike, and his efforts to protect his little sister make him the target of malicious bullying by the notorious street gang, Incubus Apostles. Naz is an ordinary thirteen-year-old, or so he thinks. He harbors a secret that even he is oblivious to, and a series of ill-fated events reveal to him telekinetic and telepathic abilities. Now he must navigate newly found friendship and gang violence, and face the full force of the world around him. The only way he can survive is to discover the supernatural world within. -Goodreads description

IA: Initiate wasn’t what I expected it to be, but I mean that in a good way. This coming of age novel has a classic hero archetype (mysterious circumstances surrounding birth, orphaned, hidden talents, a quest- of sorts) but Naz is also very real and not removed from life or sitting on a pedestal. Naz is brought down to earth through his relationship with his little sister, Meri. Their interactions are believable, enjoyable, and reveal a gentle side to his character that the reader may not have been able to see otherwise.

We also get a special glimpse into his brain and the workings of his mind through his psychiatrist appointments, which were vaguely reminiscent of Good Will Hunting (abused child with extraordinary abilities) though just what those abilities may be are yet to be fully explained.

I was intrigued by the mystery of his background, drawn in by the real dangers on the streets that he inhabited, and fascinated when his talents began to slowly reveal themselves. The author maintained an excellent pace for this story at all times. It never dragged nor was it rushed. Great writing is a skill and John Darryl Winston clearly has it.

Honestly, I was disappointed when this book ended- I wanted more! What a relief that this is a series.

Fans of Divergent may enjoy this (Chicago-ish setting, coming of age, more action than romance). I highly recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program. Thank you for reading!