Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre

Today’s review is on Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks. It is 286 pages long and is published by Del Rey Books. The cover is white with a red giant footprint and a human footprint inside it. The intended reader is someone who likes horror novels, monster novels, and Bigfoot. There is mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this novel. The story is from first person close of Kate, the main character, and other first hand interviews about the Rainier massacre. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- As the ash and chaos from Mount Rainier's eruption swirled and finally settled, the story of the Greenloop massacre has passed unnoticed, unexamined . . . until now.
But the journals of resident Kate Holland, recovered from the town's bloody wreckage, capture a tale too harrowing--and too earth-shattering in its implications--to be forgotten.
In these pages, Max Brooks brings Kate's extraordinary account to light for the first time, faithfully reproducing her words alongside his own extensive investigations into the massacre and the legendary beasts behind it.
Kate's is a tale of unexpected strength and resilience, of humanity's defiance in the face of a terrible predator's gaze, and inevitably, of savagery and death.
Yet it is also far more than that.
Because if what Kate Holland saw in those days is real, then we must accept the impossible. We must accept that the creature known as Bigfoot walks among us--and that it is a beast of terrible strength and ferocity.
Part survival narrative, part bloody horror tale, part scientific journey into the boundaries between truth and fiction, this is a Bigfoot story as only Max Brooks could chronicle it--and like none you've ever read before. 

Review- A wonderful horror novel by Brooks, that brings Sasquatch and classic monster Killer movies into the modern-day. Brooks frames this novel as an investigation that he gets involved in when he's contacted by the main character's older brother as he continues to search for her. The story is told in first-person narrative of the journals left behind by Kate and of the interviews done by Brooks. The writing style is absolutely fantastic, The narrative is compelling, and at times the plot had me very anxious about how everything was going to turn out. Brooks managed to get around the main problem with monster attack stories, which is caring about the characters when you know they're all going to die. He does this very successfully and you care about the people who die, some more than others of course, and in the end you're left with questions and wanting to know what exactly happened up there. There is no doubt that the Bigfoot killed everyone but did they kill everyone or where enough left behind to start killing the Bigfoot? It's not clear but it is a good ending to a surprisingly well-written horror novel.

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

Backstage Prince, Vol. 1

Today’s post is on Backstage Prince, Vol. 1 by Kanoko Sakurakouji. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Ryusei and Mr. Ken on it. The intended reader is someone who likes romance manga, is interested in Kabuki, and shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Akari. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Drawn into the exciting world of kabuki theatre, young Akari spends her time after school assisting the internationally famous actor, Shonosuke Ichimura. In the real world, however, this prince of kabuki is actually a high school cutie by the name of Ryusei.
Akari is totally clueless about kabuki--and boys--but she's eager to learn about both. Her first encounter with Ryusei doesn't go very well, but with the help of a cat named Mr. Ken, the two teenagers quickly become prince AND princesses of kabuki. Love was never so dramatic!

Review- A cute story about first love and kabuki theater. Akari does not know anything about kabuki but she hits Ryusei with her bag and agrees to help him until his injuries heal, she hit him really hard and bruised his ribs. Ryusei is shy but mostly just does not know how to talk to people about other things than kabuki. The reader gets some general knowledge about kabuki and I really enjoyed it. The story is very sweet, the characters are interesting and they grow, and the art is very good. It is only two volumes long and I am curious about what is going to happen.

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

The Cruel Prince

Today’s review is on The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. It is 370 pages long and is published by Little, Brown, and Company. The cover is white with a golden branch with a crown and a green beetle on it. The intended reader is someone who likes dark YA novels, faerie stories, and great writing. There in mild foul language, implied sex and sexuality, and voilence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the main character Jude. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

Review- Holly Black is a master of dark fairy tales and she returns to the form with Cruel Prince. We start with Jude’s earliest memory which is her mother and father being murdered by her older sister's father, who happens to be a fairy known as a redcap. We then fast forward to about 10 years later and Jude is wholly devoted to stepfather and wants to become a knight in one of the fairy courts. But then a very surprising betrayal happens in Jude is forced to reconsider what she is willing to do to make a place for herself in her adopted home. The writing as always the strong point with Black, she is a master of craft, and understands traditional Fearie tales better than most modern writers. None of the plot twists with the exception of the big one were surprising to me, but don't let that put you off, the overall story itself is absolutely fantastic. I will say that Jude is as dense as a bag of rocks, but that's because she is taking things at face value, because most of the time when dealing with a Fae she can. I'm curious about where she is going to go now that she has made the cruel Prince the King, even though he certainly did not bargain for that. If you were looking for a more traditional style of Faerie tale I highly recommend this and everything else written by Holly Black. 

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

Uzumaki: Deluxe Edition

Today’s post is on Uzumaki: Deluxe Edition by Junji Ito. It is 656 pages long and is published by Viz Media. The cover is black with two scenes from the story on the front and back in grey on it. The intended reader is someone who likes horror manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and some violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Kirie. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Kurouzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or a being but a pattern: Uzumaki, the spiral - the hypnotic secret shape of the world. This bizarre masterpiece of horror manga is now available in a single volume. Fall into a whirlpool of terror!

Review- A fantastic, incredible horror story of the most unusual type. Kurouzu-cho is a town that is cursed and haunted by not people but by a shape, the spiral. The story starts with Kirie inviting the reader to learn the story of what happened to Kurouzu-cho. Then we travel with her and her boyfriend Shuichi as the whole town is transformed by the spiral and everyone in it too. At times very disturbing but always compelling, this manga has so much going for it. Kirie is a wonderful narrator, she doesn't know how to react to what is happening around her but she tried to help others. Of course as this a horror story the end is inevitable but it is the only end that can be. Some people may find the lack of answers about the spiral frustrating but I was not bothered by this. I highly recommend this manga.

I give this manga a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I was given manga as a gift.

The Worst Best Man

Today’s review is on The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa. It is a 356 pages and is published by Avon. The cover is a teal green with a wedding cake on it with a bride shoving the best man off of it and the groom looking confused. The intended reader is someone who is interested in romance, strong female leads, and a humorous premise. There is mild foul language, sex and sexuality, and no violence in this novel. The story is told from first-person close of the two main characters Lina and Max. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book-  You are cordially invited to witness the worst best man get what he deserves.

A wedding planner left at the altar? Yeah, the irony isn't lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blood from her past, Lina’s offered an opportunity that could change her life. There's just one hitch... she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials.

Marketing expert Max Hartley is determined to make his Mark with a coveted hotel client looking to expand its brand. But then he learns he'll be working with his brother's whip-smart, stunning -absolutely off-limits- ex-fiance. And she  loathes him.

If they can nail their presentation without killing each other, they'll both come out ahead. Except Max has been public enemy number one ever since he encouraged his brother to jilt the bride, and Lina's ready to dish out a little payback of her own.

Soon Lina and Max discover animosity may not be the only emotion creating sparks between them. Still, this star-crossed couple can never be more than temporary playmates because Lina isn't interested in falling in love, and Max refuses to play runner-up to his brother ever again …

Review- A cute rom-com about fun characters who are not looking for anything but find it anyway. The novel starts three years in the past with the wedding jilting of our heroine Lina and how she handles being left at the altar, which is surprisingly well. We pick up in the future where Lina impresses an important woman who has been given an important job at her hotel, which is to branch out into offering wedding services. Seeing an opportunity to move up in her career Lina takes the chance but she has to work with a marketing manager who happens to be her former fiancé's brother. From there we get very normal rom-com, one-upping each other and playing pranks that kind of thing but they eventually work past that to really speaking to each other and moving into a friendly professional relationship and then into more. At the climax we find out that Max was not as involved in his brother jilting Lina at the altar and that is my one dissatisfaction with this novel. We never discover why Lina’s  former fiancé left her. But it is a nice popcorn romance and if that's what you're looking for to read I do recommend this. 

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

Murder Thy Neighbor

Today’s post is on Murder Thy Neighbor by James Patterson. It is 308 pages long and was published by Grand Central Publishing. The cover is a picture from up a hole with a man holding a shovel on it. The intended reader is someone who is interested in true crime. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Murder Thy Neighbor: Ann Hoover is a nice woman, but she’s come to hate her neighbor. Roy Kirk moved in next door with plans to renovate. But as the weeks go by, his DIY construction turns to shambles and Roy himself becomes sullen and hostile. When Ann takes him to court, Roy’s retaliation will be shockingly gruesome.

Murder IRL: Jenelle Potter has always been better at connecting through social media than in person. With overprotective parents, she hasn’t had many options to meet people until she links up with Billy. But her feelings for Billy are unreciprocated, causing Jenelle to start a virtual war- a war that enters the real world.

Review- These are two very disturbing stories. The first story about two neighbors and the house they share was very chilling as it is so very easy to have a dispute with a neighbor. Patterson is respectful to the victim and the reader as he tones down the worse of the violence Hoover endured from her killer, Roy Kirk. It was a very frightening story. We get to see into what was going with Kirk and what may have driven him to kill. 

The second story is so wild that I had to google it to make sure that I was getting everything. Jenelle and her family were odd and she was never allowed to experience life on her own and people died because of that. Janelle pulled all their strings from her family to the victims themselves were being controlled by her but in the end, Jenelle was caught. When the full scope of Janelle’s web of lies, it was truly impressive and very troubling. We see just how troubled Jenelle herself is. 

I really enjoyed this new duology of true crime from Patterson. If you liked the previous ones he has written, then you should read this one.

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. 

 

The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 5

Today’s post is on The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 5 by Kore Yamazaki. It is 184 pages long and published by Seven Seas. The cover has Chise and Elias on it with some fey on it. As it is the fifth in the series you need to have read the first four volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes urban fantasy and manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of Chise. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- A Fairy In Need
Chise has taken great strides in overcoming her dark past, and is ready for a brighter future by Elias' side. As for the magus himself, he is finally able to put a name to the strange emotion he's been feeling for Chise. Meanwhile, a deadly threat looms. When a panicked fairy appears at Chise's bedside, begging for help, is there anything the young, novice mage can do...?

Review- We get a lot of fey lore and Chise magic in this volume. Chise is woken up by the flower fairy because the human man she loves is dying and she does not know what to do. So Chise works herself to the door of death to help her and him say goodbye. Elias is growing as a person by his interactions with Chise and that concerns him but he is torn about it. This series is growing in ways that I am enjoying and I cannot guess where we are going. I look forward to where we go next with Chise and Elias.

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

 

TEN

Today's book review is on TEN by Gretchen McNeil.  It is 294 pages long and is published by Balzer + Bray. The cover is a picture of an isolated island in the Pacific Northwest. The intended reader is someone who likes young adult mysteries, thrillers, and retelling of classic mystery novels.  There is mild foul language, discussions of sex and sexuality, and violence in this novel. The story is told in the first person of the main character Meg. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book-  It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives-  three days on Henry Island at an exclusive house party. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their own reasons for wanting to be there, which involved are schools most eligible bachelor, T.J. Fletcher, and look forward to three glorious days of boys, bonding, and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get. Suddenly, people are dying, and with a storm raging outside, the teens are cut off from the rest of the world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn't scheduled to return the days. Aa the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on one another, can Meg find the killer before more people die? or is the killer closer to her than she ever imagined? 

Review-  A masterful retelling of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None updated for modern tastes.  Meg is trying to handle just the last few months before she can get away and go to college at UCLA  but her best friend Minnie is not handling their soon-to-be separation very well. So this was supposed to be a last big hurrah for the two of them to spend time together and have a little fun. But soon accidents start to happen, and then a suicide or at least it looks like one and Meg knows something has gone terribly wrong. The story kept me guessing, I wasn't sure exactly who was the one behind it but when the reveal happened I wasn't surprised necessarily by who the person was but who they were pretending to be. Of course if you have read the Agatha Christie classic novel you will enjoy this novel more but if you're just looking for a teen thriller, who done it; I would recommend it. It is well written, the characters are interesting and complex, and it's just in general a good teen slasher novel.

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

Miss America: A Pageant’s 100-Year Quest to Define Womanhood

Today’s post is in Looking for Miss America: A Pageant’s 100-Year Quest to Define Womanhood by Margot Mifflin. It is 310 pages long and is published by Counterpoint. The cover is a picture of a historical Miss America. There is very mild foul language, discussion of sex, sexuality, and sexual abuse, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- From an author praised for writing “delicious social history” (Dwight Garner, The New York Times) comes a lively account of memorable Miss America contestants, protests, and scandals―and how the pageant, nearing its one hundredth anniversary, serves as an unintended indicator of feminist progress.
Looking for Miss America is a fast-paced narrative history of a curious and contradictory institution. From its start in 1921 as an Atlantic City tourist draw to its current incarnation as a scholarship competition, the pageant has indexed women’s status during periods of social change―the post-suffrage 1920s, the Eisenhower 1950s, the #MeToo era. This ever-changing institution has been shaped by war, evangelism, the rise of television and reality TV, and, significantly, by contestants who confounded expectations.
Spotlighting individuals, from Yolande Betbeze, whose refusal to pose in swimsuits led an angry sponsor to launch the rival Miss USA contest, to the first black winner, Vanessa Williams, who received death threats and was protected by sharpshooters in her hometown parade, Margot Mifflin shows how women made hard bargains even as they used the pageant for economic advancement. The pageant’s history includes, crucially, those it excluded; the notorious Rule Seven, which required contestants to be “of the white race,” was retired in the 1950s, but no women of color were crowned until the 1980s.
In rigorously researched, vibrant chapters that unpack each decade of the pageant, Looking for Miss America examines the heady blend of capitalism, patriotism, class anxiety, and cultural mythology that has fueled this American ritual.

Review- This is a fascinating historical overview of the Miss America contest from its history to its present and what the future may look like. Mifflin does excellent research, she interviews the still living older Miss America’s, and anyone else who was involved in the contest willing to speak to her. She gives an interesting overview of a beauty pageant that does not know what it wants to be. At times it has been both boycotted by the left and the right, sometimes at the same time; the contest has continued. It has both been a step forward for women and a way to hold them back. Winners were just seen as pretty faces and not taken seriously in their careers but it has also helped women to go college without worrying about student debt. Mifflin gives the reader all the sides and the women who were caught in them. I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it. 

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. 

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 12

Today’s post is on Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 12 by Mizuho Kusanagi. I tis 200 pages long and is published by SHojo Beat. The cover has Yona dressed in her fire festival costume with a sword. As it is the  twelve in the long running series you need to have read the first eleven to understand the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and very mild violence in this manga. The story is from third person close of the different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book -Yona returns to her homeland when the Hazara Clan, a powerful family in the nation of Kai, invades the Kingdom of Kohka! How will the Fire Tribe defend against this audacious attack, and what will Yona resort to in order to protect Saika?!

Review- Yona and company have learned a great deal in their time in the Kingdom Kai but when they see soldiers heading for Kohka and Yona gets a bad feeling they head back home. One of the generals for Kohka has decided to attack to try and kill Su-Won to take the kingdom for himself. One much in plot or character development in this volume more setting the stage for the next big arc which I guess is going to be a battle. We spend a lot of time with other characters like the general so that we know things that Yona doesn’t. I am curious about what is going to happen. 

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

The Good Demon

Today's book review is on The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas.  it is 306 pages long and is published by amulet books. The cover is an illustration of a tree with a paper Cardinal cut in pieces in between the title. There is mild foul language, discussion of sex and sexuality and mild violence in this novel. The intended reader is someone who is interested in an unusual demonic possession. The story is told from the first-person close of the main character Clare. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- “She was my only.”

It wasn't technically an exorcism, what they did to Clare. When the reverend and his son ripped her demon from her, they called it a ‘deliverance’. They didn't understand that Claire and her demon- simply known as Her- were like sisters. She comforted Clare, made her feel brave, helped to ease her loneliness. They were each other's only.
Now, Clare’s only comfort are the three clues that she left behind:

Be nice to him

June 20th
Remember the stories
Clare will do anything to get her back, even if it means teaming up with the Reverend sun and scouring every inch of her small, southern town for answers. But what if she sacrifices everything to bring her demon back, what will be left of Clare?

Review- This is an excellent ya, intro horror novel.  The novel starts after the exorcism happened, we pick up with Claire some weeks afterwards. She is deeply depressed, feels betrayed by her stepfather, who's the one who called the reverend, and is just trying to find a reason to keep on living. When she goes to the local junk shop and finds one of her books there, that she knows she didn't take to be sold there, she realizes that her demon has left her a message. Clare goes on a deep exploration in her small town and realizes that there's more going on there than she ever imagined and she's not the first child to have a demon for a best friend. A wonderful coming-of-age, if a bit darker than normal, about a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world after she loses the only thing that she felt she always would have. Relationships are fairly complex and well-thought-out, demons are suitably both creepy and charismatic at the same time, and Clare is an interesting and engaging protagonist. If you're a fan of demonic possession novels or just looking for an interesting horror ya novel I would recommend you give this one a try. 

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