Mini Review: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies by Michael P. Spradlin

Title: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies: A Book of Zombie Christmas Carols
Author: Michael P. Spradlin
Format: Paperback, 96 pages
Pub. Date: October 27th 2009
Source: Gift


Book Description:

The snow is falling, the holidays are approaching and…It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies! This delightfully depraved book of classic Zombie Christmas carols by Michael P. Spradlin is guaranteed to spread Yuletide cheer to all those good boys and ghouls who devoured the monster New York Times bestsellers Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and World War Z, as well as fans of 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead. With an introduction by the inimitable Christopher Moore—bestselling author of Bloodsucking Fiends, You Suck, and the classic “heartwarming tale of Christmas terror” The Stupidest Angel—It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies is a great gift for stuffing into a Christmas stocking…provided you remove the bloody severed foot first!

Review:

★★

This is an okay little read. As the title suggests, this is a caroling book in which classic Christmas carols that we all know and love are given a twist so that they're about zombies instead.

They're super gory, full of images of rotting flesh and extremities ripping off and words like "ooze" and "goo".

They're not particularly well done- there's a few individual lines of lyrics that are pretty funny or clever. But there's a lot of shoving extra syllables into places where they don't fit, so it's kind of hard to sing along with the lyrics even if you wanted to.

This seems to me like a book fair book, or maybe a bargain book that you see on those last-minute shelves as you are in line to check out at Barnes and Noble.

If you're a 12 year old boys who thinks that blood is cool and farts and boogers are hilarious, then godspeed. This book is for you. It's cute to read through once, but it's not something I'll remember next year, nor will I have an urge to flip through it again.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN! Mini College Review: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Title: The Road
Author: Cormac McCarthy
Format: Paperback, 287 pages
Pub. Date: April 7th 2009
Source: Amazon


Book Description:

A searing, post apocalyptic novel destined to become Cormac McCarthy’s masterpiece.

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, an when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. they have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food--and each other.

The Road is the profoundly moving story fo a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, "each the other's world entire," are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, The Road is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.

Review:

★★★

This is a novel that I had to read for my apocalyptic fiction course in college.

Okay, so I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't like this book. Well, it's not that I didn't like it. It's that I'm utterly indifferent, one way or the other. Which is why I settled on three stars- eh.

It's boring. There's no character connection or growth. There's a lot of moments where I was left thinking "Oh something's going to happen!" but that thing never came. It's dry and vague and I don't feel like I took anything away from this book at all. I know I read it, but I can't even highlight any things that happen, because it's just not memorable.

I'm the outlier here and I know that. If you like post-apocalyptic fiction, by all means, read it. But I wouldn't have finished it, if I didn't have to for the course.

Mini College Review: The Whipping Man by Samuel French

Title: The Whipping Man
Author: Samuel French
Format: Paperback, 84 pages
Pub. Date: November 3rd 2009
Source: SIU Bookstore


Book Description:

Drama / Characters: 3 male It is April, 1865. The Civil War is over and throughout the south, slaves are being freed, soldiers are returning home and in Jewish homes, the annual celebration of Passover is being celebrated. Into the chaos of war-torn Richmond comes Caleb DeLeon, a young Confederate officer who has been severely wounded. He finds his family's home in ruins and abandoned, save for two former slaves, Simon and John, who wait in the empty house for the family's return. As the three men wait for signs of life to return to the city, they wrestle with their shared past, the bitter irony of Jewish slave-owning and the reality of the new world in which they find themselves. The sun sets on the last night of Passover and Simon - having adopted the religion of his masters - prepares a humble Seder to observe the ancient celebration of the freeing of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt, noting with particular satisfaction the parallels to their current situation. But the pain of their enslavement will not be soothed by this tradition, and deep-buried secrets from the past refuse to be hidden forever as the play comes to its shocking climax. The Whipping Man is a play about redemption and forgiveness, about the lasting scars of slavery, and the responsibility that comes with freedom. "A mesmerizing drama." - Peter Filichia, Newark Star-Ledger "A cause for celebration. Mathew Lopez has come as close as any author could to producing a microcosm of the genesis of a wide range of today's Black American males." - Bob Rendell, Talkin' Broadway "I can see why director Lou Bellamy chose this play for Penumbra, whose most famous alumnus is playwright August Wilson. In its complex welter of issues, in its interior explorations...The Whipping Man is Wilsonian." - Rohan Preston, Minneapolis Star-Ledger "Succeeds with an uncanny maturity in using sharply drawn characters and rich metaphor to wrestle Wilson-like with epic American issues of race, religion, and responsibility. Someone must succeed Wilson; it might as well be Lopez" - Tim Gihring, Minnesota Monthly

Review:

★★★★★

I had to read "The Whipping Man" in my American literature course in college. It is the best piece of fiction that I got to read the whole semester.

This play is absolutely fantastic. I can honestly say that I've never read a story like this one.

The characters are a mix of Jewish home owners and slaves during the Civil War era. I can honestly say in all my years of education (and reading for fun) I've never read a story that weaves these two points of view together. But the incredible way that French has written this story, it seems like a common sense pairing. It works so well.

The characters are well developed. They're distinct, and they feel real. I had feelings toward them all. Not all of those feelings were positive, but I was emotionally invested in the way these characters developed and grew, the way their backgrounds are teased to the surface, the way each of them struggle and have faith in their own way.

It's rugged. It's gritty. It's real. It feels almost like you could be watching this unfold from through the window. There's a particularly gnarly leg amputation that is very well detailed, that sets the tone of dirt and blood and alcohol and grit that gives this play a distinct tone. That said, it's not all drama and heartbreak. It's rather comedic, which I did not anticipate even a little. I was pleasantly surprised, and it keeps you reading and connects you to particular characters.

It's a short play, but there's so much packed into these 90 pages.

I sincerely hope I get the chance to see this on stage. It's fantastic, and I can't recommend it enough.

Review: Secrets in the Cellar by John Glatt

Title: Secrets in the Cellar

Author: John Glatt

Format: Hardcover, 248 pages

Pub. Date: January 1st 2009

Source: Purchased from Goodwill.



Book Description via Goodreads:

Josef Fritzl was a 73-year-old retired engineer in Austria. He seemed to be living a normal life with his wife, Rosemarie, and their family--though one daughter, Elisabeth, had decades earlier been "lost" to a religious cult. Throughout the years, three of Elisabeth's children mysteriously appeared on the Fritzls' doorstep; Josef and Rosemarie raised them as their own. But only Josef knew the truth about Elisabeth's disappearance…

For twenty-seven years, Josef had imprisoned and molested Elisabeth in his man-made basement dungeon, complete with sound-proof paneling and code-protected electric locks. There, she would eventually give birth to a total of seven of Josef's children. One died in infancy--and the other three were raised alongside Elisabeth, never to see the light of day.

Then, in 2008, one of Elisabeth's children became seriously ill, and was taken to the hospital. It was the first time the nineteen-year-old girl had ever gone outside--and soon, the truth about her background, her family's captivity, and Josef's unspeakable crimes would come to light.

John Glatt's Secrets in the Cellar is the true story of a crime that shocked the world.

Review:

★★

So, I'll be the first to confess that I was swept up in this case when it was first brought to the public eye. It's morbid, yes, but it's also fascinating. I had done research online to find out all that had happened, and learned that there were some books on the subject. Coincidentally, I stumbled upon this one at a thrift store and I couldn't resist picking it up. Unfortunately, it wasn't that great of a book.

This is a part of the True Crime book series, that is, a series of factual books that examine real life crime cases. True crime. So it really bothered me that the author used fictionalizations on the people in this book who are real people, and not characters. More than once, things like this were said: "He must have known he was evil" or "she must have been scared". The author doesn't know that. Stick to the facts, and quit trying to make an already horrible story more dramatic. This extends to the passages about Josef's personal life, where the prostitutes talked about how rough and violent he was, so that only a few of them would let him be a client anymore. He makes himself look evil- we don't need to look at his BDSM lifestyle to make him even more villainous. The prostitutes did take him as a client, and did their job. While it might be morally wrong since he had a wife, this seemed like an unnecessary add on to a guy who could already be a Batman villain. He doesn't need puffing up, he's horrid on his own.

The book as a whole also wasn't written very well. It was really repetitive. You could tell when the author was really proud of a phrase or a thought, because it would show up multiple times throughout the book. There were sentences that were awkward and ended with prepositions. There's also misuse of the word "irony". It feels rushed and it probably was, as everyone was quick to make a buck off of someone else's tragedy.

Personally, I also didn't really learn that much more from this book. I knew most of this from previously reading articles online. If you've never heard of this case or only know the rough story of what happened, I'm sure that you'd find it more interesting and engrossing than I did.

That said, the case is fascinating, so the book isn't a total loss. I appreciated the fact that in the middle of the hardcover edition, there's a few pages of photographs. I did think it weird though that the author vividly describes some photographs that are not included in these pages. I thought for sure it would be included, since he was so detailed, but nope.

I'm not sorry I read this book, but I'm not holding onto it either. It's the kind of book you only need once. If you're interested in crimes, nonfiction, or this case in particular, I'd recommend at least flipping through it, but maybe get it from a library instead of running out to the store to buy it.

Review: A Jewish Baker's Pastry Secrets by George Greenstein

Title: The Jewish Baker's Pastry Secrets: The Art of Baking Your Own Babka, Danish, Sticky Buns, Strudels and More

Author: George Greenstein

Format: egalley

Pub. Date: April 1st 2009

Source: Ten Speen Press



Book Description via Goodreads:

Draws out master dough recipes for bundt, babka, strudel, gugelhopf, stollen, pressburger, puff pastry, and Danish into more than 200 recipes and variations for pastries (Napoleons), coffee cakes, sweet buns (Cinnamon Babka, Sticky Buns), and miniature pastries (Triple Chocolate Rugelach). This title features step-by-step line illustrations.

Review:

★★

I was really excited to get this book, because I love baking and I especially love some of the dishes most associated with Jewish cuisine, like babka. Unfortunately, this book let me down and isn't what I look for in a cook book.

It starts off with an introduction, a list of ingredients and tools, and a section for basic pastry components such as different kinds of fillings and doughs. These are pretty well thought out and useful, especially if one isn't a big baker in their usual kitchen.

The book includes sections like bundt, babka, bread, and Danish pastries, making it a bit difficult to navigate at times if a pastry could be listed on more than one section. There is a nice history throughout the text, and the author makes nice personal connections to the recipes that are included, which makes it a bit nicer to read. The recipes leave a lot of room for varieties and substitutions. There are long, detailed paragraph instructions that get muddled and a bit hard to follow, as they could be a bit more concise.

The ultimate downfall for me is that there are no pictures. None. Not even a little bit. For some of these techniques that aren't necessarily common for every day baking, pictures are crucial for me. It brought down the entire ease and tone of the book because without pictures, it seems more like an instruction manual and less like a cookbook. Had I known this fact, I wouldn't have gotten the book at all.

That being said, there are still some recipes from this book that I would like to try in the future. Some of them include Babka with Three Chocolates, Cherry Strudel, and Raspberry Bow Ties.

All in all, I think this isn't for beginners. You need confidence and skill to not depend on pictures in order to try new things. The recipes are pretty standard, and the instructions could be broken down a bit more. It's an okay book, but I don't plan to keep it in my kitchen.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Format: Paperback, 485 pages
Pub. Date: April 14th 2009
Source: Purchased

★★★★

Four befuddled stars.

Clary never suspects that when she goes out to the club with her best friend Simon that she will see a murder- let alone a murder that only she could see. Clary finds herself in a whirlwind of paranormal creatures such as vampires, demons, and werewolves, deceptions, betrayals, and shocking revelations as to who she really is, and what she's really capable of. Together with Simon, and the sexy murderer/Shadowhunter named Jace, she must decide what side she's on, and what she will fight for.

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This review is going to contain a few spoilers. If that bothers you, scroll on.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but it came with its fair share of annoyances and plot issues.

+Jace and Simon are very vividly described characters. Each boy is loveable for different reasons, but along with the rest of the cast of this story, are narrated perfectly.

+The imagery that this book conjures is gorgeous. Cities that look like glass, flowers that glow into bloom only at midnight... This book is full of scenery that will make any fantasy lover swoon.

But in my very humble opinion, I feel like City of Bones is a patchwork of things that I've already read or watched. Don't get me wrong, I know that all books are inspired by something, and that several books will contain similar story lines. That being said, it still irritates me when the similarities are so strong that it deters me from the book at hand.

-A very certain character has a light up saber. He realizes that his father is the bad guy after being lied to. He falls in love with a beautiful girl. A beautiful girl who also realizes that her father is Darth Vader the bad guy. Luke and Leia much?

-There's also a pale haired guy named Voldemort who after experiencing a hardship starts a cult-like following called Death Eaters The Circle. He needs to find horcrux Mortal Cup to achieve his master plan. Of course, there are three deathly hallows Mortal Instruments, but only one is known to exist. Some of these Death Eaters Circle members turned away from Voldemort Valentine and now leave the reader unsure if they side with him, or Dumbledore the good.

With that little rant out of the way.... I enjoy both StarWars and Harry Potter, so I still somehow managed to like this book beyond all logic. I intend on reading the rest of the series and look forward to seeing this portrayed on screen coming soon.

Fans of Harry Potter and werewolf/vampire fiction will like this book. If YA fantasy is passe to you, skip it.

Codes and Roses by Julia Talbot

Title: Codes and Roses (Bloodrose #1-3)
Author: Julia Talbot
Format: Paperback, 226 pages
Pub. Date: September 1st 2009
Source: Ramblings From This Chick blog

★★

A weak two stars.

Codes and Roses is a set of three short stories about the customers of a sex club called the Bloodrose. Willing paranormal participants are partnered up according to taste for an optimum time, based on an application and experience. It's sort of an in-real-life eharmony or Fetlife for werewolves and vampires. The stories circle around a werewolf, naked Deacon, who gets off on the bite of vampires. He is paired up with a vampire named Kasey, who wants nothing more than to drink from and ravish the sexy werewolf that he has just obtained. The other stories include a rouge shapeshifter, a weird scientist, and a douchebag werecat.

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First, let me just say, I don't mind reading erotica. I don't mind reading MM erotica. So anything I say about this review should be read with that in mind.

-This is one of the few times that I would judge a book by its cover. It's not well done, in my opinion, and it would never get my attention on a shelf.

-Dare I say- there is too much sex. I like erotica just as much as the next girl, but I would actually like a plot. I was only fifty pages into this collection and I found myself thinking, "Oh, we're doing this again?" And when it did happen, it was rather short and anticlimactic.

-On that note, I didn't feel that the sex was varied. There was a very limited vocabulary that made it seem as though I was reading the same scene over and over again. There are a LOT of words out there to use, other than the "c word". It made the book seem a bit trashy and not all too original.

-On top of that, there was some very poor grammar. There were sentence fragments that irked me, but what bothered me the most was the vampires. It's acknowledged in the mythology of vampires (as well as specifically in this book) that they are old, and come from different times. They should speak eloquently, while these vampires seemed like truckers.

-I'm a bit confused on the chronicling of these stories. This novel is supposed to contain books 1, 2, and 3. But when I clicked on the series page, I saw that the "third" story in this is marked as number four, and that there's another in front of it. I have no idea what that's about.

+That being said, I really do like the concept of this club. Enough so that it bumped this rating to a two star review, instead of one. If properly written, it would have been a delightful setting to read about.

If you're into M/M or paranormal erotica, or like when there's constant, short lived sex scenes, great. Maybe you'll like this better than me. If you prefer detailed, slower moving types of stories, give this a pass. I don't really recommend it to anyone.

Thanks to Danielle of Ramblings From This Chick blog for my copy.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Format: Hardcover, 392 pages
Pub. Date: August 1st 2009
Source: Purchased.

★★★★★

Five stars.

It's been a long time since I've read a werewolf book without vampires. It was a much needed break.

Grace is a girl who has an obsession with wolves. Well, one wolf in particular, one that hangs around the woods in her yard, the one with yellow eyes. He only comes around in the winter, & she lives for those cold days where she can see him. But then she meets a boy with the same familiar, sad eyes. Grace will have to face the truth about this boy, Sam, his past, her fascination with wolves, herself, & a wolf attack on a jock from her school that mirrors a memory from her own past.

I loved this book. It's an easy to read young adult novel that tells an enjoyable story. I fell in love with Sam as Grace did, though I related more to him than I did to her. I'm glad I gave this a try, & I'm definitely going to be reading the next in the series.

I recommend it for young adults & fans of the YA genre. If you're looking for a violent, horror-like wolf story, this is not for you.