As She Lay Sleeping: A Shadowy Figure, a Brutal Murder, an Anonymous Tip. Will Justice Prevail?

 

Today's post is on As She Lay Sleeping: A Shadowy Figure, a Brutal Murder, an Anonymous Tip. Will Justice Prevail? by Mark Pryor. It is 341 pages long and is published by New Horizon Press. The cover is brown with a bloody hand print on the lower right corner. The intended reader is someone who is interested in true crime and memoirs. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and some violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Savagely attacked as she was asleep on her sofa, Natalie Antonetti's skull was shattered. Bizarrely, she was able to move about her apartment, changed clothes and tried to speak to her son but words never came. Two weeks later she died.
The only lead was a neighbor who described seeing a shadowy figure wielding a child's baseball bat an hour prior to the attack. Despite a wide search and questioning suspects, police were unable to find anyone who matched the description and the trail grew cold. 
Then, out o f the blue, a tip revived the case. With no eyewitness, no DNA, no fingerprints and witnesses who refused to testify, former journalist and rookie prosecutor Mark Pryor committed to delivering justice for Natalie's family. This, his first homicide case, would require him to be a sleuth, investigator and prosecutor. 

Review- An interesting cold case and an in-depth look into the process of prosecuting of a murder case, a must read for true crime fans who want to get a behind the scenes look at a prosecutors office. This book starts that the beginning of the case long before Pryor came to be involved in it. The reader sees what happened from eyewitness, police reports, and newspapers. Pryor walks the reader through the case, then through the prosecution, and to the verdict. At times this can be a bit of a slog to get through when the reader gets to the trail part because Pryor did not skip any part of it but it does give the reader insight into what a real court case with a judge and jury is like, slow and methodical. The case itself is very interesting and twisty to follow, I would like Pryor to write more about his time as a prosecutor and what other forgotten cases he worked on. 

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.

Spy x Family, vol. 4

Today’s post is on Spy x Family, vol. 4 by Tatsuya Endo. It is 192 pages long and is published by Viz Media. The cover is gray with a white dog in a chair in the center. As it is the fourth volume in the series you need to have read the first three volumes of the series to understand the story. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main characters, moving as the story needs. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The Forgers look into adding a dog to their family, but this is no easy task—especially when Twilight has to simultaneously foil an assassination plot against a foreign minister! The perpetrators plan to use trained dogs for the attack, but Twilight gets some unexpected help to stop these terrorists.

Review- We get a volume long story in this one with a plot to assassinate a minister and the whole family gets involved. Loid is working to stop it, Yor is trying to manage Anya, who just wants to find a dog and she finds a great one. The dog, Bond can see the future and Anya can read his mind when he does that and together they secretly save the day. There is so much going on in this volume plot wise but I had a really good time reading it. I liked seeing Loid doing his thing, Anya getting into trouble and saving the day, and Yor kicking people in the face.  I look forward to seeing Anya and Bond get into trouble together. 

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.

Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase

 

Today's post is on Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase by Hideyuki Kikychi. It is 178 pages long and is published by Dark Horse. As it is the third novel in the series, it would be helpful to have read the first two novels for the worldbuilding. The cover is an illustration of Mayerling and his lady love. The intended reader is someone who likes dystopian, horror stories. There is mild foul language, discussion of rape, and violence in this novel. The story is told from third person god perspective, moving as the story does from one character to the next. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- When a desperate village elder learns that his daughter has been abducted by vampire Noble Mayerling, he turns to the mysterious Vampire Hunter D to save her. However, with not just his daughter's life but her very soul in peril, her father also enlists the aid of the notorious Marcus clan, a dangerous and renegade family of Hunters as infamous for killing off the competition as they are for getting their man.
D's task becomes ever-more daunting as the fleeing Mayerling bends an entire village to his will, enlisting a horrific cadre of human/monster half-breeds. Powerful as D is, can he prevail against the force of sheer numbers of such diabolical adversaries?

Review- An interesting third novel in this series. D is hired to save a young woman who was 'taken' by the local Noble vampire, Mayerling. But the woman was not taken, they are in love, and she ran away with him. But once D takes a job, he will see it through, he also has some competition in a clan of hunters called the Marcus'. They are brutal group that mistreats their own and they do worse to those in their way. Plus Mayerling pays for supernatural bodyguards. This is novel has a lot going on with a large cast of characters but with the narration style it is easy to keep track of who is who and what is going on. D is more like he was in the first novel, just a hunter doing a job, but again there is a feeling of a time shift towards the future, not just in how D is, but how the world is. The reader sees so much of the world and from the strange being that live in it now. This is a very good novel and I enjoyed it. 

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

Goering's Man in Paris: The Story of a Nazi Plunderer and His World

 

Today's post is on Goering's Man in Paris: The Story of a Nazi Art Plunderer and His World by Jonathan Petropoulos. It is 408 including notes and it is published by Yale University Press. The cover is a picture of a living room with a red picture in a frame on the wall. The intended reader is someone who is interested in Nazi art plundering, those who did it, and what happened to them after the war. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Bruno Lohse (1911-2007) was one of the most notorious art plunderers in history. Appointed by Herman Goering to Hitler's art looting agency in Paris, he went on to help supervise the systematic theft and distribution of more than thirty thousand artworks, taken largely from French Jews, and to assists Goering in amassing an enormous private collection. By the 1950s Lohse was officially denazified but was back in the art dealing world, offering masterpieces of dubious origin to American museums. After his death , dozens of painting by Renoir, Monet, and Pissarro, among others, were found in his Zurich bank vault and adorning the walls of Munich home. Jonathan Petropoulos spent nearly a decade interviewing Lohse and continues to serve as an expert witness for Holocaust restitution cases. Here he tells the story of Lohse's life, offering a critical examination of the postwar art world. 

Review- This a in depth look into one man's life and the people around him after World War 2. Bruno Lohse was a Nazi, who worked for Herman Goering, to help identify important works of art and get them to Hitler or Goering. Lohse was small time art dealer who became a very important man in Paris and a very mysterious one after the war. Lohse knew everyone who was involved in the art theft, hiding the art post-war, and in general still being a Nazi but in a silent way. The thing to remember when reading in this book, know that the reader is going to meet more than just Lohse, Petropoulos brings a lot of characters from the art plundering into the world, as they revolve around Lohse. So there are many different people and many different stories going on in this book. It gives a very full look into the art plunderers and their lives before, during, and after the war but at times it can be too much and I just wanted to get back to Lohse and what he was doing. If you are looking for a unique way to example the Nazi art plunder and those involved, then you should read this book.

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.

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, Vol 1

Today’s post is on Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, Vol 1 by Fujita. The cover has the two main characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes josei manga and comedy manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this series. The story is told from third person close of the main characters, Narumi and Hirotaka. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The awkward, romantic comedy manga about geeks in love that inspired the new anime! Can a professional man who's secretly a hardcore gamer and a woman who's secretly a fujoshi date without their hobbies getting in the way, or revealing each other's secrets?
Extra-long book includes 2 Japanese volumes!
Narumi and Hirotaka are, by all appearances, a power couple. They're young, good-looking professionals. But they have secrets from everyone but each other: They're serious geeks! Narumi is a fujoshi, and Hirotaka's a hardcore gamer. Their sweet, awkward love story started life as a webcomic before becoming a full-blown manga series by popular demand, and is about to become a major anime series in the work. 

Review- A great josei manga about being a nerd and how hard that can make dating and your love life. Narumi and Hirotaka have been friends for years and one day out of the blue, he asks if she wants to date him. This is a very funny manga with some interesting characters. The main characters are both hard core nerds or otakus in different ways but they accept each other as they are. There are silly misunderstandings played for laughs, the best friends are great, and as a hard core nerd myself the humor was on point. One neat little extra in the manga is at the bottom of the pages there are little author's notes about what is going on, on the page, and they just make everything even funnier to me. I look forward to the next volume. 

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.

Minority Report

 

Today's post is on Minority Report by Philip K. Dick. It is 38 pages long and is published by Patheon Books. The intended reader is someone who is interesting in classic sci-fi and classic dystopian fiction. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this story. The story is told from third person perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb- In the world of The Minority Report, Commissioner John Anderton is the one to thank for the lack of crime. He is the originator of the Precrime System, which uses precogs—people with the power to see into the future—to identify criminals before they can do any harm. Unfortunately for Anderton, his precogs perceive him as the next criminal.

Review- An interesting short story about what a world where you could stop a crime from even happening and what if there was a chance that the crime would never have happened anyway. John Anderton has stopped all murders by using precogs, mutant children who can see the future in parts, and boom no more murders. But then his name comes down as a murderer and he has to prove that he would do that. Then the story becomes very political but still interesting. I don't feel that there is any real answers about weather the precogs are right or not. But don't let that stop you from reading this story, it is a classic for a reason. 

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

Revolutionary Girl Utena, Vol. 1: To Till

Today’s post is on Revolutionary Girl Utena, Vol. 1: To Till by Chiho Saitō and Be-Papas. The cover has Utena on it with a sword. The intended reader is someone who likes classic manga, shojo manga, and very deep plots. There is no foul language, no sex, and some violence in this series. The story is told from third person close of the main character, Utena. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- In the first adventure in the historic series, Utena faces a sword duel, an unwelcome engagement, and a mandate to revolutionize the world!

Review- This is a classic shojo manga that set a standard for the genre. The story starts with Utena dealing with the loss of her parents and being rescued by a mystery man who tells her to never lose her noble heart and gives her a ring. Fast forward Utena discovers that a private school has the same crest as her ring and  she knows that she has to go to that school. From there everything goes very fast and the plot just gets bigger and more complicated. There are secret duels, a girl who can magically produce a real sword and she belongs to the winner of the duels. Utena is in over her head but she just keeps going forward. There is so much to like about this manga from the art to the intense story, I cannot recommend this series enough. I look forward to unrevealing the story and discovering all the secrets of this world. 

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.

A Conjuring of Light

 

Today's post is on A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab. The cover is white with a red throne and a black figure sitting on the throne. It is 624 pages long and is published by Tor. As it is the third novel in her A Darker Shade of Magic trilogy, you need to have read the first two novels to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes fantasy novels, unique magic systems, and interesting characters.  There is mild foul language, mild sex, and violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the characters, moving as the story needs. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Witness the fate of beloved heroes- and enemies.
The balance of power has finally tipped...
The precarious equilibrium among the four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.
Who will crumble?
Kell- once assumed to be the last surviving Antari- begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?
Who will rise?
Lila Bard, once a commonplace- but never common- thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trails. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting to race against time to acquire the impossible.
Who will take control?
And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.

Review- A wonderful conclusion to a great series. All the threads come together in this novel and it is a beautiful picture and a great adventure. All the character come together to stop Osaron, a piece of corrupt magic, from destroying Red London, just like he did Black London once. Getting them to work together is hard with Lila wanting to kill Holland for being Osaron into Red London and Kell just trying to stay alive for Rhy. We learn more about Holland and what his life was like as an Antari in White London and all the blood his has spilled, his own and others. We get to see more of the world outside of Red London and how life is outside of the capital city. The last battle is good and quick, which I liked because there was just no need to draw it out. The ending was satisfying and I like where the story left the characters. I highly recommend this series. 

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

Murder at Teal's Pond: Hazel Drew and the Mystery that Inspired Twin Peaks

 

Today's post is on Murder at Teal's Pond: Hazel Drew and the Mystery that Inspired Twin Peaks by David Bushman and Mark T, Givens. It is 326 pages long and is published by Thomas & Mercer. The cover is a picture of Teal's pond with the mountains in the distance. The intended reader is someone who is interested in historical true crime. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and discussion of violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In 1908, Hazel Drew was found floating in a pond in Sand Lake, New York, beaten to death. The unsolved murder inspired rumors, speculation, ghost stories, and, almost a century later, the phenomenon of  Twin Peaks. Who killed Hazel Drew? Like Laura Palmer, she was a paradox of personalities- a young beautiful puzzle with secrets. Perhaps the even tricker questions, is was was Hazel Drew?
Seeking escape from her poor country roots, Hazel found work as a domestic servant in the notoriously corrupt metropolis of Troy, New York. Fate derailed her plans for reinvention. But the investigation that followed her brutal murder was fraught with red herrings, wild-goose chases, and unreliable witnesses. Did officials really follow the leads? Or did they bury them to protect the guilty?
The likely answer is revealed in an absorbing true mystery that's ingeniously reconstructed and every bit as haunting as the cultural obsession it inspired.

Review- A well researched and interesting true crime that inspired one of the best TV shows ever. The mystery of who killed Hazel Drew is over a century old but it still haunts the place where she died. So the authors wanted to do research and try to discover the truth about what happened to Hazel Drew and maybe who could have killed her. The authors take the reader from the night Hazel died and the chaos happened when her body was found to a in-depth research into Hazel, her family, her employers, the local politics, and the people who knew Hazel. It was a very interesting way to try and recreate the world that Hazel lived in and maybe was trying to escape. Of course, the authors did not discover new evidence, that reveals who the killer but they do have some good theories and some evidence to back them up. If you like true crime or are curious about what inspired the writers of Twin Peaks, then you should check this book out. 

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. 

Spy x Family, vol. 3

Today’s Nonfiction post is Spy x Family, vol. 3 by Tatsuya Endo. The cover has Yor on it with her knife. As it is the third in the series you need to have read the first two volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes humorous spy shonen manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the three main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Twilight has overcome many challenges in putting together the Forger family, but now all his hard work might come undone when Yor’s younger brother Yuri pops in for a surprise visit! Can Twilight outsmart Yuri, who actually works for the Ostanian secret service?! 

Review- In the third volume we see more of Yor’s younger brother and learn a little about Yor’s past. She’s worked very hard to raise Yuri and they have a very strong bond. Most of the volume is about Anya trying to get a star to aid in Loid’s mission and she does in a wonderfully heroic way. Then we meet some data dogs and that is where the next volume is going to start. I liked spending more time with Ayna and the trouble she gets into in the school and out of it. This series is just so much fun, I look forward to reading every volume. 

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