Wither

Today’s post is on Wither by Lauren DeStefano. It is the first book in her Chemical Garden trilogy. The cover has a young woman not looking at the camera on it. It is 358 pages long and is published by Simon & Schuster. The intended reader is someone who likes YA fiction and dystopian stories. There is mild foul language, discussion of sex and sexuality, and mild violence in this novel.  The story is told from first person close of the main character, Rhine. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can't bring herself to hate him as much as she'd like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband's strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

Review- This is a very dark young adult story. Rhine only has twenty years to live before something will destroy her body from the inside out. Humanity thought that they had beaten death but that is not the case. The story starts with Rhine being kidnapped to be a bride of a young man, who does not know that is what happened to her. He thinks that she chose to be his bride. Rhine just wants to get back to her twin brother. Add in her ‘husband’s creepy father and you have a tense story. The reader is pulled through this volume by wanting to see how Rhine is going to get out of the house. I did enjoy this novel, it is not the best version of this story that I have read but I am curious about where the plot is going next. 

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

The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze

Today’s post is on The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze by George Solt. It is 222 pages long and is published by University of California Press. The cover is a picture of a man standing at a ramen stand and eating. The intended reader is someone who is interested in the history of ramen and how it became the national food of Japan. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A rich, salty, and steaming bowl of noodle soup, ramen has become an international symbol of the cultural prowess of Japanese cuisine. In this highly original account of geopolitics and industrialization in Japan, George Solt traces the meteoric rise of ramen from humble fuel for the working poor to international icon of Japanese culture.

Ramen’s popularity can be attributed to political and economic change on a global scale. Using declassified U.S. government documents and an array of Japanese sources, Solt reveals how the creation of a black market for American wheat imports during the U.S. occupation of Japan (1945–1952), the reindustrialization of Japan’s labor force during the Cold War, and the elevation of working-class foods in redefining national identity during the past two decades of economic stagnation (1990s–2000s), all contributed to the establishment of ramen as a national dish.

This book is essential reading for scholars, students of Japanese history and food studies, and anyone interested in gaining greater perspective on how international policy can influence everyday foods around the world.

Review- An interesting, if technical, history of ramen in Japan. Solt does good research in this book to give the reader an excellent understanding of ramen and its evolving place in Japanese cuisine. Starting with the earliest recorded in the 1600’s to the modern national food that ramen has become, Solt gets into all the legends and real records around ramen. At times, this is a very dense book with lots of details about population, income, and other important statistics but it can make your eyes glaze over after a while. That said, if you are interested in food history, then you will love all the details. I did enjoy this book, I learned a lot about ramen and about Japanese food history. I would recommend this book if you like food history. 

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. 

Rasetsu, Vol. 6

Today’s post is on Rasetsu, Vol. 6 by Chika Shiomi. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Yako and Kuyru on it with bones and roses around them. As it is the sixth in the series you need to have read the first five volumes to understand the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The intended reader is someone who likes horror flavored love stories. The story is told from third person close of mostly Rasetsu but sometimes other characters for plot development. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The past comes knocking when Yako runs into his old rival Mei Tendo. And the trip down memory lane doesn't stop there--when Yako gets attacked by a horde of ancient ghosts, it seems that his old love Yurara is connected to the onslaught!

Review- The plot is moving quicker and quicker as Rasetsu’s time is starting to run out. There are multiple stories in this volume from a curse that was trying to get Yako because of the original Yurara to Mei making Yako think about his real feelings towards Rasetsu. Rasetsu and Yako are moving closer together and that is annoying Kuryu who is trying to press his pursuit of Rasetsu and she doesn't know what to think about him.  But she is doing her best to handle everything. I am enjoying where the story is going and I hope that soon we will get more information about the spirit that cursed her and maybe what she can really to do fight back. Only three volumes left in this series, so things are getting tight.

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 Other Emily

Today’s post is on The Other Emily by Dean Koontz. It is 362 pages long and is published by Thomas and Mercer. The cover is an illustration of white lilies. The intended reader is someone who likes mystery fiction with a surprising science fiction twist at the end. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and some violence in this novel. The story is told from first person close of David , the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the dust jacket- A decade ago, Emily Carlino vanished after her car broke down on a California highway. She was presumed to be one of serial killer Ronny Lee Jessup’s victims whose remains were never found.

Writer David Thorne still hasn’t recovered from losing the love of his life, or from the guilt of not being there to save her. Since then, he’s sought closure any way he can. He even visits regularly with Jessup in prison, desperate for answers about Emily’s final hours so he may finally lay her body to rest. Then David meets Maddison Sutton, beguiling, playful, and keenly aware of all David has lost. But what really takes his breath away is that everything about Maddison, down to her kisses, is just like Emily. As the fantastic becomes credible, David’s obsession grows, Maddison’s mysterious past deepens—and terror escalates.

Is she Emily? Or an irresistible dead ringer? Either way, the ultimate question is the same: What game is she playing? Whatever the risk in finding out, David’s willing to take it for this precious second chance. It’s been ten years since he’s felt this inspired, this hopeful, this much in love…and he’s afraid.

Review- This novel sounds like a horror novel with maybe a fantasy twist but it is not. This is a  mystery novel with a very surprising sci-fi twist at the end, that in my opinion totally jumps the shark and almost ruins the whole novel for me. David is looking for his lost fiancée, who is thought to be a victim of a serial killer living in the area. So for ten years David has been trying to discover what happened to Emily. Then he meets a woman who looks just like her, down to her birthmark. But who is she really and what does she want? Very promising start and for most of the novel, it is very compelling but then Koontz pulls out one heck of a twist at the very end. It was from so far out of left field that it changed how I interacted with the novel. Good novel until the end but the ending is just very odd, I would cautiously recommend with the knowledge that everything will change when you get to the ending. 

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

Frau Faust, Vol. 2

Today’s post is on Frau Faust, Vol. 2 by Kore Yamazaki. 160 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Faust, Marion, and Mephisto on it. As it is the second volume in the series you need to have read the first volume to understand the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The intended reader is someone who likes fairy tale retellings and adventure manga. The story is told from third person close of mostly Faust but other characters as needed. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Personal Demons

After narrowly escaping a battle with Lorenzo, Johanna falls unconscious. In her wounded state, the century- old memories of her first contract with Mephistopheles runs through her head. In these memories are answers Marion is beginning to understand: what is the nature of his master’s immortality, and how is her curse inextricably tied to the body of her demon? Faust, Marion, and Nico’s immediate aim is to find Mephisto’s right led, a mission that becomes more urgent when evidence of a young girl using demonic power comes to light. To find the next piece of her precious demon, Johanna may even need to form a tenuous deal with Lorenzo…

Review- A good second volume. Faust dreams about her past when she met Mephistopheles for the first time and all the times after until they made a contract. We get to see what drives her and how that has changed her. There is much we don't know yet but the journey is great and I like the characters. The world is becoming more complicated than the church characters would like but it is good to see them confront what lies they have been told and to see Faust overcome what stands before her. The child eating the demon blood is not the one who is the bad guy but it will be interesting to see how everything comes to light. 

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.

Her Dark Lies

Today’s post is on Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison. It is 410 pages long and is published by MIRA. The cover is a picture of a beautiful house on the cliff overlooking a blue sea. The intended reader is someone interested in twisty mysteries. There is some foul language, discussion of sex and sexuality, and violence. The story is told from different points of view moving from first person to third as the story flows. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Jutting from sparkling turquoise waters off the Italian coast, Isle Isola is an idyllic setting for a wedding. In the majestic cliff-top villa owned by the wealthy Compton family, up-and-coming artist Claire Hunter will marry handsome, charming Jack Compton, surrounded by close family, intimate friends…and a host of dark secrets.

From the moment Claire sets foot on the island, something seems amiss. Skeletal remains have just been found. There are other, newer disturbances, too. Menacing texts. A ruined wedding dress. And one troubling shadow hanging over Claire’s otherwise blissful relationship—the strange mystery surrounding Jack’s first wife.

Then a raging storm descends, the power goes out—and the real terror begins…

Review- A fascinating, fast-paced mystery that kept me guessing about who was who and who killed whom the whole way. Claire is going to marry the man of her dreams in his family home on an island off of Italy. But before they can even get there, their home is broken into and a man dies. That’s when the real games begin. This is a very twisty family drama-mystery with lots of plot happening. The characters are interesting, the plot is very tight, and the setting is very atmospheric. You don’t know who to trust, for a while you don’t know the full extent of the villain’s network, and some plot details are not explained but that is okay but the main character does not know them either. I had a very good time with this novel, Ellison does a great job with this novel and I would like to read more by her.  

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

Subpar Parks: America's Most Extraordinary National Parks and Their Least Impressed Visitors

Today’s post is on Subpar Parks: America's Most Extraordinary National Parks and Their Least Impressed Visitors by Amber Share. The cover is an  illustration  of a person standing in front of the Grand Canyon. The intended reader is someone who likes humorous informational books. There is some very mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Based on the wildly popular Instagram account, Subpar Parks features both the greatest hits and brand-new content, all celebrating the incredible beauty and variety of America's national parks juxtaposed with the clueless and hilarious one-star reviews posted by visitors.

Subpar Parks, both on the popular Instagram page and in this humorous, informative, and collectible book, combines two things that seem like they might not work together yet somehow harmonize perfectly: beautiful illustrations and informative, amusing text celebrating each national park paired with the one-star reviews disappointed tourists have left online. Millions of visitors each year enjoy Glacier National Park, but for one visitor, it was simply Too cold for me! Another saw the mind-boggling vistas of Bryce Canyon as Too spiky! Never mind the person who visited the thermal pools at Yellowstone National Park and left thinking, "Save yourself some money, boil some water at home."

Featuring more than 50 percent new material, the book will include more depth and insight into the most popular parks, such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, and Acadia National Parks; anecdotes and tips from rangers; and much more about author Amber Share's personal love and connection to the outdoors. Equal parts humor and love for the national parks and the great outdoors, it's the perfect gift for anyone who loves to spend time outside as well as have a good read (and laugh) once they come indoors.

Review- A very funny and informative book about the national parks of the United States. Share loves the national parks in the USA and when she discovered that people were google rating the different national parks and giving them one stars for being wet or just a big hole, she felt that something must be done. So she decided to read them all and then write a book about the parks and how wonderful they really are. This book is so funny, starting with the best one star review and a beautiful illustration of the park in question by Share herself. Share is an  illustrator and hand letter artist, so she pours her talent into the  illustrations of the parks. This was a very fun book and I do recommend this book. 

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. 

Knight of the Ice, Vol. 3

Today’s post Knight of the Ice, Vol. 3 by Yayoi Ogawa. It is 176 pages long and is published by Kodansha Comics. The cover has Kokoro on it. As it is the third volume in the series you need to have read the first two volumes in the series to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes sports manga with a dash of romance. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told third person close of Chitose. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A NEW KIND OF MAGIC

After an injury forces Kokoro to withdraw from the Four Continents Championships and sends him spiraling into another slump, Chitose wants to do whatever it takes to convince him to get back on the ice. But to her surprise, Kokoro offers her a shocking proposition: If he places first in the World Championships, he wants to ask Chitose to be his girlfriend! The feeling is mutual, so Chitose wants nothing more than for Kokoro to win. But when Chitose's spell-casting pen goes missing, she'll have to come up with a new kind of magic to motivate Kokoro…

Review- A good volume that moves the plot forward nicely. Kokoro has decided to tell Chitose about his feelings for her and he wants to date her. Of course there are problems with that like one of his managers thinking that dating would ruin his chances to win and all but nothing too out of the ordinary. But the ending I think will have more to do with moving the plot forward as a girl gets into his apartment claiming to be his girlfriend. Also his family is thinking about marrying him off to an heiress as he comes from a wealthy family. Drama ahead but I’m looking forward to reading it. 

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.

Our Last Echoes

Today’s post is on Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall. It is 394 pages long and published by Viking Books. The cover is a picture of a rowboat in fog. The intended reader is someone who likes horror in the found footage style. It is a follow up to her previous novel Rules for Vanishing in that it takes place in the same world and has some returning characters. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told in different ways from first person narration to transcript of footage. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Sophia's first memory is of drowning. She remembers the darkness of the water and the briny taste as it fills her throat. She remembers the cold shock of going under. She remembers her mother pulling her to safety before disappearing forever. But Sophia has never been in the ocean. And her mother died years ago in a hospital. Or so she has been told her whole life.

A series of clues have led Sophia to the island of Bitter Rock, Alaska, where she talked her way into a summer internship at the Landon Avian Research Center, the same center her mother worked at right before she died. There, she meets the disarmingly clever Liam, whose own mother runs the LARC, as well as Abby, who's following a mystery of her own: a series of unexplained disappearances. People have been vanishing from Bitter Rock for decades, leaving only their ghostly echoes behind. When it looks like their two mysteries might be one and the same, Sophia vows to dig up the truth, no matter how many lies she has to tell along the way. Even if it leads her to a truth she may not want to face.

Review- Another great horror story from Marshall. Sophia is searching for herself and her past, she thought she knew what happened to her and her mother but one phone call from a stranger changes everything. She lies her way into an internship on Bitter Rock, an island with a mysterious past. This is a continuation from Rules for Vanishing exploring more in this world that has so many supernatural issues. Marshall is settling into her world and creating bigger scope for her characters to work in. I liked Rules for Vanishing more but this novel has some great moments with the Six Wing and it’s world and getting to see that there is so much more than what we see in Rules for Vanishing. I am looking forward to the next novel in this world. 

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

Couple Found Slain: After a Family Murder

Today’s post is on Couple Found Slain: After a Family Murder by Mikita Brottman. It is 243 pages long and is published by Henry Holt and Company. The cover is a picture of the family home of the Bechtold’s. There is some foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who is interested in true crime. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the duct jacket- Critically acclaimed author and psychoanalyst Mikita Brottman offers literary true crime writing at its best, taking us into the life of a murderer after his conviction—when most stories end but the defendant's life goes on.

On February 21, 1992, 22-year-old Brian Bechtold walked into a police station in Port St. Joe, Florida and confessed that he’d shot and killed his parents in their family home in Silver Spring, Maryland. He said he’d been possessed by the devil. He was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia and ruled “not criminally responsible” for the murders on grounds of insanity.

But after the trial, where do the "criminally insane" go? Brottman reveals Brian's inner life leading up to the murder, as well as his complicated afterlife in a maximum security psychiatric hospital, where he is neither imprisoned nor free. During his 27 years at the hospital, Brian has tried to escape and been shot by police, and has witnessed three patient-on-patient murders. He’s experienced the drugging of patients beyond recognition, a sadistic system of rewards and punishments, and the short-lived reign of a crazed psychiatrist-turned-stalker.

In the tradition of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Couple Found Slain is an insider’s account of life in the underworld of forensic psych wards in America and the forgotten lives of those held there, often indefinitely. 

Review- An interesting but flawed nonfiction book about a murder and the life after for the killer. Brian Bechtold, after struggling for years with an undiagnosed mental illness, killed both of his parents then fled to their second home in Florida before turning himself in. He was judged to be not criminally responsible because of a mental break due to the untreated mental illness. Brottman met Bechtold when she was doing a book club in the hospital he was living in. She gets to know him, his crime, and his struggle to get answers about his life and why he is still in this hospital. Brottman gets pulled into his world and sees things from his perspective but I feel that we, the reader, lose some insight into the greater picture of mental hospitals and their patients. She wants the reader to see some of the problems with mental hospitals and how impossible it is to get out of one once you are in. I read and would recommend to read this book with the knowledge that Brottman is on Bechtold’s side, so she is coming from a very particular place and presents the story in that way. With that knowledge, if you are interested in this book, you should read it, it was very interesting. 

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. 

Yakuza Lover, Vol. 1

Today’s post is on Yakuza Lover, Vol. 1 by Nozomi Mino. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it locked in a passionate embrace. There is mild foul language, sex and sexuality, and some violence in this volume. The intended reader is someone who likes bad boy romances and sexy plots. The story is told from third person close of the female lead, Yuri. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- When a feisty college girl falls for a yakuza boss, she gets swept into a steamy and dangerous love affair.

When drug dealers attack feisty college student Yuri at a party, she’s saved by Toshiomi Oya, the young boss of a yakuza syndicate. Despite her obvious attraction to him, she convinces herself that she’s not in the market for a bad-boy type. But when they meet again, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him—kicking off a steamy and dangerous love affair that threatens to consume her, body and soul.

After the attack at the party, Yuri goes to see Oya to personally thank him for saving her. When she meets him, as much as she hates to admit it, she can’t deny there’s an attraction. Then, when a sudden tragedy occurs, Yuri knows she should turn her back on Oya and his dangerous lifestyle, but will the allure prove too great?

Review- Yuri is a college aged young woman who is looking for her first serious adult relationship and Oya is a man who lives on the edge as he is the sub boss of a yakuza syndicate, and they are drawn to each other irresistibly. The plot is just that. He is a bad guy, she is headstrong, and they can’t keep their hands over each other. The art is the best part of this series, as it is very good and detailed. I also like that Yuri is beautiful and is treated as such by the  other characters. If you are looing for a in depth plot this is not the manga for you, but if you are looking for some escapism, the you should try this manga. I am interested in what is going to happen next.

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. 

If I Disappear

Today’s post is on If I Disappear by Eliza Jane Brazier. It is 293 pages long and is published by Penguin Random House. The cover is an illustration of a woman with her face in pieces and flowers on the inside. The intended reader is someone who is interested in a twisty, female led mystery. There is foul language, mild sex and mild violence in this novel. The story is from first person close of the main character, Sera. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- When her favorite true crime podcast host goes missing, an adrift young woman plunges headfirst into the wild backcountry of Northern California and her own dangerous obsession.

Sera loves true crime podcasts. They make her feel empowered in a world where women just like her disappear daily. She's sure they are preparing her for something. So when Rachel, her favorite podcast host, goes missing, Sera knows it's time to act. Rachel has always taught her to trust her instincts.

Sera follows the clues hidden in the episodes to an isolated ranch outside Rachel's small hometown to begin her search. She's convinced her investigation will make Rachel so proud. But the more Sera digs into this unfamiliar world, the more off things start to feel. Because Rachel is not the first woman to vanish from the ranch, and she won't be the last...

Rachel did try to warn her.

Review- This is an interesting mystery that fumbles at the end. Sera is a woman whose life is falling apart. She is recently divorced, she lost her baby, her job, and she is going to get kicked out of her apartment. But she has an obsession, a true crime podcast by a woman named Rachel, then one day Rachel stops. Sera must know what happened to Rachel, so Sera moves to where Rachel lived, got a job at her family ranch, and begins to discover what could have happened. I mostly enjoyed this novel but the ending was not great. The last second twist was odd and I felt it was just to be shocking without having much to back it up in the story. But until the end I enjoyed the novel and I would like to read more by the author. 

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