Claymore volume 10: The Battle of the North

Today's post is on Claymore volume 10: The Battle of the North by Norihiro Yagi. It is the tenth the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the first nine volumes to understand the story. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has Clare with her sword drawn in a snowy scene. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Review- Clare and a group of Claymores are sent to the north to battle a group of Yoma that have banded together under the command of Isley, a powerful Awakened Being. When the warriors arrive, they find their new enemies to be unusually dangerous. They are incredibly strong, well organized, and seem to have a plan to dominate the entire region. Will the Claymores be able to stop this monstrous army? 

Review- The volume starts with the action getting started and Yoma attack the city before anyone can truly prepare anyway. The Claymores do hold the Yoma back with no losses but we get some character development from the new Claymores. Clare does get outed as more powerful than her number but the leader does not push the matter.  We do see Raki in this volume and he with the bad guys, unknowingly. Priscilla is heading towards Clare but something has changed in Priscilla, she is just a child again and she does not speak much. But the volume ends with twenty-four Yoma heading towards them and another big battle for the next volume.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Magic Steals

Today’s post is on Magic Steals by Ilona Andrews. It is 83 pages long and is published by InterMix. It is 6.5 in the Kate Daniels series. The cover is dark with the main character in both her forms on it. The intended reader is someone who has read up the sixth book in series, likes urban fantasy, and fast plots. There is mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this short story. The story is told from first person perspective of Dali, the main character for this story. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Shapeshifting tigress Dali Harimau may be a powerful healer and magic user, but she’s far from what might be called “normal”. She dislikes the violence and bloodshed that are a way of life for most of her kind, even going so far as to become a vegetarian. The last thing she wants is trouble...
Jim Shrapshire is an original, hardcore badass. A jaguar shifter, he’s been tasked with keeping Atlanta’s Cat Clan in line, which he does with swift and lethal force when necessary. His only soft spot is for the petite Dali, whose kindness he calls upon when he is injured.
When Dali is approached by a desperate woman whose grandmother has vanished, Jim is concerned enough to help investigate. But what they find may just be the end of them—an enemy whose skill in the dark arts is matched only by their willingness to kill anyone in their way...
Magic Steals was originally published in the anthology Night Shift

Review- Another great story from Andrews and this one follows a favorite side character. Dali is a white tiger and an intelligential, she does not do fighting or blood at all. But if you need something done with brain power, then she is your tiger. Jim is Curran’s right-hand man and he is very good with blood and not bad with brains. They have just really started getting serious and Jim wants more but Dali is being held back by her fears that she is not enough. But then the plot happens and everything gets serious with missing grandmothers and angry spirits. I felt sorry for the villain at the beginning of the story but at the end, she has been consumed by her hate and is nothing more than an evil spirit. Dali is great and I love watching her and Jim work their way to each other.

I give this short story a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Today’s post is on Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. It is 386 pages long and is published by Random House. The cover is dark green with statue of young woman with two bowls in her hands. The intended reader is someone who is interested in true crime and Savannah, Georgia. There is foul language, sex, sexuality, and violence in this book. The story is told from the first person close of the author. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A sublime and seductive reading experience. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, this enormously engaging portrait of a most beguiling Southern city has become a modern classic.
Shots rang out in Savannah's grandest mansion in the misty, early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. John Berendt's sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative reads like a thoroughly engrossing novel, and yet it is a work of nonfiction. Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case.
It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman's Card Club; the turbulent young redneck gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill every man, woman, and child in Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the "soul of pampered self-absorption"; the uproariously funny black drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young blacks dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else.

Review- It is really an interesting and seductive reading experience. I was charmed by the author, the other players, and Savannah itself. The story starts very slowly, with Berendt talking about New York culture and what drove him to start traveling around the country. He discovers Savannah and is taken in by the city. He meets the very different kinds of people that call Savannah home and we get to see some of them too through Berendt’s eyes. When the crime happens, Berendt does his best to give the reader the best view of what happened. Then we get into the Four trails for the crime and at the end of everything, I still do not know if it was murder or self-defense. I think that is very accurate to the crime itself, no one is really sure what happened. If you are interested in true crime, then you should give this book a try.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Queen's Quality volume 1

Today's post is on Queen's Quality volume 1 by Kyousuke Motomi. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. It is the first in Kyousuke's new series, Queen's Quality. The cover has the main female character on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who has read QQ Sweeper, likes shojo manga, and supernatural love stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters moving as the story goes on. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The adventures of mind Sweepers continue in this supernatural romance!
Fumi Nishioka lives with Kyutaro Horikita and his family of Sweepers, people who specialize in cleaning the minds of those overcome by negative energy and harmful spirits. Fumi has always displayed mysterious abilities, but will those powers be used for evil when she begins to truly awake as a Queen?
Fumi has never shown much romantic interest in Kyutaro, the quiet but formidable Sweeper who may be the only one who can keep Fumi's power under control. But when Kyutaro tells her that he'll never leave his side, she unexpectedly starts to fall for him.

Review- An excellent start to the new series. We pick up days after the ending of QQ Sweeper with Fumi still reeling from discovering that she is a Queen. But Kyutaro is on her side and he can help her when the Queen tries to come out of Fumi's subconscious.  With friends and enemies watching her closely, Fumi has much to learn and far to go. I like where the volume goes with seeing how powerful the Queen is really is and how evil the villains are. Kyousuke is starting to build up what is really going on in this world. With Fumi going to get more training, Kyutaro fighting his feelings for her, and whatever is going on with villains I am very excited for this series and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next volume.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

My New Crush Gave to Me

Today's post is on My New Crush Gave to Me by Shani Petroff. It is 264 pages long and is published by Swoon Reads. The cover is red and the words are stitched like a sweater. The intended reader is someone who likes cute love stories and Christmas stories. There is mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character Charlie. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Charlotte 'Charlie' Donovan knows exactly what she wants for Christmas: Teo Ortiz. He's the school's star athlete, in the National Honor Society, invited to every party, contributes to the school paper (where Charlie is co-editor), and is about to be featured as One to Watch in a teen magazine basically, he's exactly the type of guy Charlie s meant to be with. The only problem he barely knows she exists.
But Charlie is determined to be Teo's date to the Christmas ball. And she has a plan: To rig the paper's Secret Santa so that she can win his heart with five perfect gifts. But to do that she needs help. Enter J.D. Ortiz Teo s cousin, and possibly the most annoying person on the planet. He's easy going, laid back, unorganized, spontaneous, and makes a joke out of everything the exact opposite of Charlie (and Teo). But he's willing to provide insight into what Teo wants, so she s stuck with him.
Yet, the more time Charlie spends with J.D., the more she starts to wonder: Does she really know what, or rather who, she wants for Christmas?

Review- This was  just the cutest story to read over the holidays. Charlie is so cute, I just loved her. J.D. I had to warm up to, he is always late and he never listens to Charlie, so I understood how annoyed Charlie could get with him. But of course he has a pure heart and a terrible crush on Charlie. The writing is good, with good world building and lots of little details to make Charlie and her friends feel very real. The characters were the strongest part of the story with Charlie at the center but J.D. and her other friends being so believable and the Christmas tone of the story just adding sweetness to the plot. I really enjoyed in this novel and I look forward to reading more by Petroff.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Charles Darwin: Victorian Mythmaker

I was given a copy of this book by Harper Collins exchange for an honest review.

Today's Nonfiction post is on Charles Darwin: Victorian Mythmaker by A. N. Wilson. It is 448 pages long including notes. The cover is black with a picture of Darwin and the title next to him. The intended reader is someone who is interested in Darwin and how he helped to build his image. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of teh book- With the publication of On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin—hailed as the man who "discovered evolution"—was propelled into the pantheon of great scientific thinkers, alongside Galileo, Copernicus, and Newton. Eminent writer A. N. Wilson challenges this long-held assumption. Contextualizing Darwin and his ideas, he offers a groundbreaking critical look at this revered figure in modern science.In this beautifully written, deeply erudite portrait, Wilson argues that Darwin was not an original scientific thinker, but a ruthless and determined self-promoter who did not credit the many great sages whose ideas he advanced in his book. Furthermore, Wilson contends that religion and Darwinism have much more in common than it would seem, for the acceptance of Darwin's theory involves a pretty significant leap of faith.Armed with an extraordinary breadth of knowledge, Wilson explores how Darwin and his theory were very much a product of their place and time. The "Survival of the Fittest" was really the Survival of Middle Class families like the Darwins—members of a relatively new economic strata who benefited from the rising Industrial Revolution at the expense of the working classes. Following Darwin’s theory, the wretched state of the poor was an outcome of nature, not the greed and neglect of the moneyed classes. In a paradigm-shifting conclusion, Wilson suggests that it remains to be seen, as this class dies out, whether the Darwinian idea will survive, or whether it, like other Victorian fads, will become a footnote in our intellectual history.Brilliant, daring, and ambitious, Charles Darwin explores this legendary man as never before, and challenges us to reconsider our understanding of both Darwin and modern science itself.

Review- In this book Wilson wants to try and find the real Charles Darwin and discuss why it is so hard to just discover him for yourself. Wilson gets his hands on many first hand resources and he does his best to help make sense of Darwin's life and his times. Darwin was a man of his times and his scientific thinking is very much of it. But Wilson cannot help that much of what makes up this book is not very interesting. The book drags at many points as we move through Darwin's life and I was glad to be done with this book. If you are very interested in Darwin's life then you should read this book. If not then pass on it.

I give this book a Three out of Five stars.

Claymore volume 9: The Deep Abyss of Purgatory

Today's post is on Claymore volume 9: The Deep Abyss of Purgatory by Norihiro Yagi. It is the ninth the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the first eight volumes to understand the story. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has Clare and Galatea on the cover with swords drawn facing some unseen enemy. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Clare and her fellow Claymores Galatea and Jean must battle the Awakened Beings that are holding them captive. In the process, they find their captors' true motive: by torturing the warriors, they want to force them to awaken, and join them in a gathering of Yoma. Will Clare and her comrades be able to defeat the Awakened Beings without becoming one themselves?

Review- Clare and company finish the battle with the Great Awakened Being and Clare learns where she can find Priscilla. Clare picks up another follower in Jean, number 9, when Clare helps her stop from Awakening. Now Yoma and Awakened Ones are gathering for some reason so the Organization sends twenty-four Claymores north to deal with or really to die. The Organization wants either end because are good for them but the Claymores who have been send to die are not only powerful, they are the ones asking questions and that makes the Organization nervous. I am curious about what the Organization really wants; they create Claymores to battle Yoma because normal humans cannot do that but I am sure that there is more going on here than just Yoma, Claymores, and Awakened Ones. But Yagi is still building the world and I look forward to seeing the battle that is coming and I am very curious about the bigger plot at play.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Wicked Autumn

Today’s post is on Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet. It is 297 pages long and is published by St. Martin’s Press. It is the first in her Max Tudor series. The cover is dark blue with a tree in the foreground and the village behind it. The intended reader is someone who likes mysteries a little harder than the average cozy. There is mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- What could be more dangerous than cozy village life in the English countryside?
Max Tudor has adapted well to his post as vicar of St. Edwold's in the idyllic village of Nether Monkslip. The quiet village seems the perfect home for Max, who has fled a harrowing past as an MI5 agent. Now he has found a measure of peace among urban escapees and yoga practitioners, artists and crafters and New Agers. But this new-found serenity is quickly shattered when the highly vocal and unpopular president of the Women's Institute turns up dead at the Harvest Fayre. The death looks like an accident, but Max's training as a former agent kicks in, and before long he suspects foul play.
Max has ministered to the community long enough to be familiar with the tangled alliances and animosities among the residents, but this tragedy surprises and confounds him. It is impossible to believe anyone in his lovely village capable of the crime, and yet given the victim, he must acknowledge that almost everyone had probably fantasized about killing Wanda Batton-Smythe.
As the investigation unfolds, Max becomes more intricately involved. Memories he'd rather not revisit are stirred, evoking the demons from the past which led him to Nether Monkslip.

Review- A good start to a different kind of want-to-be cozy mystery. This book wants to appeal to the readers of cozy mysteries so it has some of the highlights of one: a country village, Max Tudor is a vicar, and the murders are not gruesomely described. But it is not a cozy mystery. It is more main stream than that with Tudor having an edgy past as a MI5 agent, while the murders are not heavily described there is more detail than any other cozy I have read, and the villain is grayer. I did enjoy the mystery and the setting but I was expecting a cozy and that is not what I got. I think that this series would be better if it would stop trying to be a cozy and just be a ‘normal’ mystery. The mystery itself was fine and the how the plot unfolded was interesting but whenever anything non-cozy would happen I would be taken aback. It is a fine mystery but it is not a cozy mystery.

I give this a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library

Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History

Today’s Nonfiction post is on Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History by Tori Telfer. It is 366 pages long and is published by Harper Perennial. The cover is white with different objects like knives, bottles of poison, and drawings of some of the lady killers. The intended reader is someone who is interested in serial killers, true crime, untold history, and women’s history. There is foul language, talk of sex, and violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- When you think of serial killers throughout history, the names that come to mind are ones like Jack the Ripper, John Wayne Gacy, and Ted Bundy. But what about Tillie Klimek, Moulay Hassan, Kate Bender? The narrative we’re comfortable with is the one where women are the victims of violent crime, not the perpetrators. In fact, serial killers are thought to be so universally, overwhelmingly male that in 1998, FBI profiler Roy Hazelwood infamously declared in a homicide conference, “There are no female serial killers.”
Lady Killers, based on the popular online series that appeared on Jezebel and The Hairpin, disputes that claim and offers fourteen gruesome examples as evidence. Though largely forgotten by history, female serial killers such as Erzsébet Báthory, Nannie Doss, Mary Ann Cotton, and Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova rival their male counterparts in cunning, cruelty, and appetite for destruction.
Each chapter explores the crimes and history of a different subject and then proceeds to unpack her legacy and her portrayal in the media, as well as the stereotypes and sexist clichés that inevitably surround her. The first book to examine female serial killers through a feminist lens with a witty and dryly humorous tone, Lady Killers dismisses easy explanations (she was hormonal, she did it for love, a man made her do it) and tired tropes (she was a femme fatale, a black widow, a witch), delving into the complex reality of female aggression and predation. Featuring 14 illustrations from Dame Darcy, Lady Killers is a bloodcurdling, insightful, and irresistible journey into the heart of darkness.

Review- An interesting read about macabre subject. Telfer loves her subject and it shows in this book, it makes the topic so much fun to have someone who loves serial killers to write about them. I love true crime, murder, and other dark morbid things so this book was a win for me. We travel all over the world, in different times, and explore the different reasons for the crimes that these lady killers committed. Telfer does not make the women more sympathetic because most of them are definitely killers; but she makes them more understandable. Some of the women had no hope or were trapped in impossible situations but then we have the ones that did just like to kill. Killing made their life goals easier and so they killed and killed again and again. I hope that Telfer comes back to this subject because she has the right touch for this material and a good writing style. I enjoyed this book and I would love to read more from Telfer.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Water Dragon's Bride volume 3

Today's post is on The Water Dragon's Bride volume 3 by Rei Toma. It is the first in her Suijin no Hanayome series. It is 184 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has The Water Dragon God and Asahi on it looking at each other. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo and historical fantasy. There is no foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person god with characters thoughts added in for character and plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Unable to return home, Asahi grows into a lovely young woman. As a priestess, she must spend time with the water dragon god for a ritual every year, but because of her connection to the water dragon god’s power, someone kidnaps her! Will Asahi be able to escape unscathed?

Review- We get a time skip in this volume of some ten years, it is not very clear but all the children from the first two volumes are grown into young adults. But Asahi's reputation has grown and now people are fighting over her. Of course that makes her mad but without her voice she cannot commutate too much. The Water Dragon decides to give it back to her. So Asahi can talk again and the Water Dragon has decided to live near Asahi. Subaru still has anger towards  the Water Dragon so we will see how that is going to play out. I do not know who is to be Asahi's romantic lead the Water Dragon or Subaru. But I liked the volume and I look forward to reading the next one.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Magic Dreams

Today’s post is on Magic Dreams by Ilona Andrews. It is 86 pages long and is published by ACE. It is 4.5 in the Kate Daniels series. The cover is dark with the main character in her tiger form. The intended reader is someone who has read up the fourth book in series, likes urban fantasy, and fast plots. There is mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this short story. The story is told from first person perspective of Dali, the main character for this story. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book-  Alpha Pack leader Jim Shrapshire has always been the strong, silent type. But something has come over him--a magic force currently residing in one of the Pack's headquarters. Were-tigress Dali Harimau has always wished she could get Jim's attention--but now he needs her help.
Stricken with a magic-sickness, Jim needs Dali's flair for magic. And to save him, she must challenge a powerful, dark being to a battle of wits.
Includes an excerpt of Ilona Andrews's upcoming novel in the world of Kate Daniels, Gunmetal Magic
Magic Dreams originally appeared in the anthology Hexed.

Review- The first short story in the Kate Daniels series is a great one. I loved what I got to see of Dali in previous books and having her be front and center for this story was great. She is so much fun and smart and she has emotions and she is fine with feeling feelings and everything I want from a heroine. Jim does not know what to make of Dali, other that he wants her. But he is afraid to make the first move because he is her alpha. He wants her to want him not to be afraid to tell him no because of who he is. So when he needs to her help with the dangerous magic Dali jumps at the chance to prove herself and Jim finds the courage to say something to her. With all the action of a full length Kate Daniels but in a shorter format, I was very pleased with this short story.

I give this short story a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy - The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein

Today’s post is on Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy - The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein by James Patterson, John Connolly, and Tim Malloy. It is 400 pages long and is published by Century. The cover is a picture of Epstein with his arm around someone whose face has been blacked out. The intended reader is someone who likes true crime, can handle sex crimes, and wants a fast read. There is some foul language, sex, rape, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person with first hand documents to add depth to the story.

From the dust jacket- A shocking true crime tale of money, power, and sex from the world's most popular thriller writer.
Jeffrey Epstein rose from humble origins to the rarefied heights of New York City's financial elite. A college dropout with an instinct for numbers--and for people--Epstein amassed his wealth through a combination of access and skill. But even after he had it all, Epstein wanted more. And that unceasing desire--especially a taste for young girls--resulted in his stunning fall from grace. From Epstein himself, to the girls he employed as masseuses at his home, to the cops investigating the appalling charges against him, FILTHY RICH examines all sides of a case that scandalized one of America's richest communities. An explosive true story, FILTHY RICH is a riveting account of wealth, power and the influence they bring to bear on the American justice system.

Review- An tough but interesting read about a rich man who beat the system at the cost of his victims. The writing is not great and at times I wondered where Patterson and co. were getting their opinions from but overall the story itself solid. Patterson and co. start in the middle of the story with one of his later victims, a thirteen-year-old girl who just want to make a little extra money. Instead she got more than she ever imagined. Patterson and co. follow the story about how Epstein was caught by his own carelessness and his victims coming forward. The details about their assaults are very hard to read and it turned my stomach over than once but that it just the first part of the book. The rest of the book is about Epstein, his friends, and how he made his money. We never forget he did but we are more removed from the crimes for most of the book and I needed that. Reading about what he did to those girls was almost more than I could handle but I did finish this book and it was an interesting read. If you like Law and Order: SVU then you should like this book.

I give this book a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Claymore volume 8: The Witch's Maw

Today's post is on Claymore volume 8: The Witch's Maw by Norihiro Yagi. It is the eighth in the long running Claymore series, you need to have read the first seven volumes to understand the story. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover has Clare looking up at some unseen monster as it leaps upon her. The intended reader is someone who likes dark plots, high action, and strong female characters. There is mild foul language, no sexuality, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Clare's battle with the awakened Ophelia ends with a surprising request from Ophelia. Ominous signs begin to emerge as Clare searches for Raki. Not only are the usually solitary Yoma joining forces, they appear to be preparing for battle. More mysteriously, Clare is taken captive by a male Awakened Being and held in a dungeon with other Claymores. Who are her captors, and what do they want? 

Review- Most of this volume is Clare getting pulled into a battle with a mysterious monster that is killing other Claymores but it does start with her battle with Ophelia. Her final battle with Ophelia is interesting because it make Ophelia more human than she had been when she was a Claymore. She does not want to live as an Awakened Being but she is not going to just die, Ophelia wants Clare to prove that Clare as what it will take to get to Priscilla and kill the One Horned Monster. The rest of the manga is a big mystery about what is going on with the Awakened Being who is trying to make Claymore become Awakened Beings. I like where the series is going with more Claymores and Clare interacted and growing in character and power. A solid volume that promises more of all the things I am enjoying in this series.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.