Book Review: Brides & Brothers by Anneka R. Walker

Brides & Brothers by Anneka R. Walker is a contemporary romance. Camille Kelly is in real danger of becoming an old maid—at least by Cherish, Montana, standards. She has all but given up on finding Mr. Right—until her broken laptop leads her to Aiden Peterson, a tall, dark, and handsome computer genius. Camille would never have believed her magic moment was right around the corner, but after two whirlwind weeks, she has a ring on her finger and has happily ever after in sight. However, she soon discovers Aiden is part of a daunting package deal. As the eldest of seven brothers, Aiden has never had a problem living under the same roof as his rambunctious siblings. When he falls for Camille, he is confident she’ll fit right into his family’s already bursting home. He thought wrong. Aiden and Camille’s storybook romance comes to a screeching halt when she discovers her new living situation. Not willing to submit to a life mothering a bunch of grown men, Camille has only one option: she embarks on a campaign to improve her new brothers-in-law and marry them off. And what better candidates for wives than her own best friends?

Brides & Brothers is a book I had a really hard time with, although I do recognize that fans of Christian romance and the musical 7 Brides for 7 Brothers will enjoy it much more than I. I did like that the attempt was made to deal with depression, anxiety, and some mental health issues. I thought most oft he characters were a little flat, only described enough to fit their necessary role. Furthermore, everything was tinted with the fundamentalist's idealized version of marriage with the wife as the caregiver, cleaner, cook, and pretty much everything else and with things very clearly along traditional gender lines. The idea that no one can be independent and happy alone or is incomplete without marriage was floated on the very first page and was pretty much a regular theme through the book. Look, I go to church every week and am happily married. However, I do not buy into the subservient wife or two halves of a whole ideology, and it often rubs me the wrong way.  This was certainly the case here. I just could not get past that to enjoy the read.Those that like those ideas and are looking for a book that does as well, will really enjoy this book.

Brides & Brothers is a book that will appeal to some fans of Christian romance, but it was very much not my cup of tea. 

Early Book Review: Weekend Arrangement by Sophie Penhaligon

Weekend Arrangement by Sophie Penhaligon is a contemporary romance currently scheduled for release on August 1 2021. When opposites attract, sparks fly … Aspiring travel writer Olivia Jefferson has a penchant for tequila and an interesting dress code. When she discovers her live-in boyfriend in a compromising situation, she realizes she will either have to face poverty or buckle down and get a proper job. A call from a prestigious publishing house interested in her travel guides appears to be the golden opportunity she’s been waiting for, along with a proposition she wasn’t expecting. Suave & sophisticated businessman Daniel Lane has been living his life on autopilot. When circumstances force him to take over the family publishing business, he finds himself living a life that lacks the adventure he so desperately craves. That is until Olivia walks into his life and turns it on its head. He finds himself drawn to this rather unconventional girl, but can he have his cake and eat it too, or will he have to sacrifice his well-ordered lifestyle in order to live the life of his dreams?

Weekend Arrangement is a book that left me with mixed feelings. In fact, there were moments when I almost put it aside and marked it as DNF. I thought Daniel came off a bit creepy on the beginning, verging on stalker and more than a little arrogant. The creepy, stalker vibe got worse rather than better as the story continued. He was sneaky and controlling- and things that should have come off as caring or thoughtful only made him feel more manipulative to me. On the other hand, I liked Olivia but then she was framed as the sterotype of the perfectly imperfect girl that everyone wants but does not recognize her own worth.  I love an honestly quirky character, but I felt that that's not what she turned out to be. The innocent but crazy drunk and seductive dichotomy just did nothing for me. I thought the set up and story line really could have worked, I liked the secondary characters for the most part, and the occasional commentary from their thoughts that came into the story worked fairly well.   However, I felt so weary of Daniel through the whole book- like it was an instruction guide for falling into an emotional and financially abusive relationship rather than a romance. 

Weekend Arrangement is a romance I found to be a bit problematic, but others might enjoy it.

Book Review: Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie, Volume 1, by Keigo Maki

Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie, Volume 1, by Keigo Maki is a manga style graphic novel. Shikimori seems like the perfect girlfriend: cute, fun to be around, sweet when she wants to be... but she has a cool dark side that comes out under the right circumstances. And her boyfriend Izumi loves to be around when that happens! 

Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie is av graphic novel that is well done, but left me wanting something more. It is a well drawn and written story of high school sweethearts. They are both nice, attractive, and generally well liked by their peers. Izumi is a bit of a klutz, and bad things tend to happen to him, but Shikimori is usually there to save the day with quick reflexes and a steely eyed look. Both think they like the other more, and spend a good deal of time trying to say or do the right thing to make the other happy, without going overboard. However, the description and a few moments in the story had me expecting some great reveal that she is really a spy or superhero, or something and that just did not pan out. So Shikimori is special because she is a girl that can be cute and cool, strong and nice. Hate to tell you, most girls, most people are more than one thing and the fact that a girl is more than cute should not be earth shattering, it should be fairly expected. Had the story just been described as a day in the life, high school sweetheart story, then it would have been a sweet, fun read about two teens trying to find their way together. Hinting that there is more and then failing to deliver or waiting for the second (or later) volume to give more than super subtle hints simply leaves readers frustrated. 

Book Review: Celtic Mythology for Kids: Tales of Selkies, Giants, and the Sea by Chris Pinard

Celtic Mythology for Kids: Tales of Selkies, Giants, and the Sea by Chris Pinard features twenty famous and lesser-known myths from places like Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany, this is your introduction to a faraway world of wonder. Colorful illustrations begin every myth. There is a glossary of Celtic mythology terms to better understand words like banshee, brownie, and selkie.

Celtic Mythology for Kids is not an introduction to Celtic mythology, which is what I was hoping for from the title. It is a selection of stories from the region, with questions at the end of each story, basically asking about the moral of the story. I know that fairy tales and oral tradition often are morality tales, or at least started that way, but I was rather hoping for more information about the creatures unique to the Celtic mythos than stories and questions that seem pointed at making readers behave. I wanted to learn more about a mythology and was disappointed with what I found.

Early Book Review: The Ninjabread Man (Twisted Fairy Tales) by Stewart Ross

The Ninjabread Man is a part of the Twisted Fairy Tales series of children's books by Stewart Ross.  It is currently scheduled for release on February 15 2020. Long ago, in ancient Japan, two ninja warriors had everything they wanted in life, except for a child. So they decided to bake one! Out of the oven leaped a speedy, sneaky, and brave Ninjabread Man who went on to cause absolute chaos! 

The Ninjabread Man is exactly what you expect from the title of the book, a twist on the classic Gingerbread Man story. This is not the first, or I expect the last, version of the tale that uses the Ninja twist. I did like the illustrations, they were fun and bright, adding some humor and color to the pages. However, there were some grammar issues in the text and it just did not strike me is twisting the tale or making it fresh enough. It was a good idea, but not one that excited me or had me eager to recommend it to anyone.  

Early Book Review: Unplugged and Unpopular by Mat Heagerty Tintin Pantoja, Mike Amante

Unplugged and Unpopular is a graphic novel written by Mat Heagerty and illustrated by Tintin Pantoja and Mike Amante. It is currently scheduled for release on October 15 2019.  

Erin Song lives in a digital world. Everyone has a phone, a tablet, a computer—more screens than you can count. Even with a world of information at her fingertips, Erin can’t figure out the secret to popularity at her clique-y junior high school. So when uber-popular Wendy asks for help cheating on a test, Erin jumps at the opportunity. This could be her big break! Unfortunately, she gets caught, and her parents ban her from all her devices. Suddenly, Erin Song is the only girl in the world who’s not allowed to look at a screen. And that’s when Erin notices something funny: small, furry aliens making humans disappear with a weird device Erin’s never seen before. No one else notices them, though—except Erin’s grandmother and two old men who run the local library. They’ve discovered that the aliens are using screens to control the human race, tricking them into thinking they aren’t really there—and that anyone who’s been abducted never existed. Now it’s up to Erin and her grandmother to save the day! But without technology on their side, do they stand a chance?

Unplugged and Unpopular is a graphic novel for the tween set. Let's start with what I thought were the best aspects of the story. I thought the story was fun, and many readers will enjoy it. The desire popularity and discovering what is really important is a big part of Erin's story, andI thought that aspect was handle very well. Also, the way many people treat children and older adults was sadly a little too close to the truth for my peace of mind.  I liked the art style a great deal, it capture the intent and mood of the story well and frankly was the high point of the story for me.  It was similar in style to some of my favorite graphic novels, so it was familiar and comfortable to me. If I were reviewing only on the art the book would have gotten more stars.

Now, for the things that bothered me as I read. While I do think the dependence on technology is a good starting point, because it is clearly a large part of society right now, I thought it was a little heavy handed and frankly wrong on some aspects. I feel like the author has not been in a library for many years, because librarians tend to be on the forefront of tech- because patrons will have questions on how to use it and they need access to the more accurate and current information possible to do their jobs. Yes, there are librarians that are not well versed in tech, but I have yet to see a library with no computer screens or tech available for staff or patrons. Also, I found the no-screen thing extremely ironic as I was reading a digital galley rather than a paper one. 

Unplugged and Unpopular is a well drawn graphic novel with a fun story. I did not love it, but think some readers will enjoy it more than I. 

Early Book Review: When a Lady Kisses a Scot (Her Majesty's Most Secret Service) by Tara Kingston

When a Lady Kisses a Scot is the fourth book in the Her Majesty's Most Secret Service series by Tara Kingston. This is the first book I have read in the series, and while there are clearly some carried over characters and relationships this book can be read as a stand alone. 

Rose Fleming has been presumed dead for the last decade. It required leaving everything—and everyone—she loved behind, including MacAllister Campbell. But faking her death allowed her to stay safe until the threat posed by a mysterious villain had passed. Believing it’s finally safe again, she returns...and runs smack into the only man she ever loved. But Rose was wrong and the stalker she escaped years ago still has her in his sights. Ten years ago, Mac mourned the death of the woman he loved. It’s taken years to heal his heart only to discover that not only is Rose still alive, but still in grave danger. Mac can forgive Rose’s deception, but he’d never be able to forgive himself if he didn’t protect her from the evil still stalking her. The only thing worse than losing her once would be losing her again... and he won’t let that happen.

When a Lady Kisses a Scot is a romance that had a great deal happening, but somehow felt like it was missing something. Rose ran for her life as a teen- with little understanding of what she was running from. MacAllister has been working hard and making a difference. Neither of them had forgotten each other from when they met in their youth and only met again by chance as Rose's life is in danger again. I rather liked both characters, and I liked getting to see the story from both of their perspectives.  I thought their personalities, reactions, and banter were all good. I thought that the inner dialogues were good for the most part, but there was just so much mooning about the other that I got to the point where I was skimming some of it waiting for conversations or action to begin again. The mystery and danger surrounding Rose was mixed- some parts were very well done and intriguing while other things just were left vague and with few answers. When the action was happening I was invested and curious about what might be happening next, but I felt like there was too much of some of the unimportant pondered over and over while the critical information was often glossed over or included in passing. It was just such a missed bag for me- what I enjoyed was fantastic, while other moments had me looking to see how much of the book was left.

When a Lady Kisses a Scot is a good historical romance with a lot going on. I think fans of the series will want to pick it up but I would recommend other first time readers check out from the library to see if you enjoy the writing style.

Early Book Review: Blind Date Bet by Nicole Flockton

Blind Date Bet is the first book in a new romance series by Nicole Flockton. It is currently scheduled for release on January 22 2019.

Never say never… After loving and losing a soldier once, Isabella Knowles made a vow: No more military men. She’s rebuilt her life and has a classroom full of fifth graders to love, which is more than enough even though her father doesn’t agree. When he sets her up on a blind date, she only goes to humor him — never dreaming that the man she meets will tempt her to break her one rule. In theory, Ethan Masters is not opposed to the wife, kids and house with a white picket fence. But he loves his career as a K-9 handler in the Air Force, and a dream promotion dangles before him like dog tags. While contemplating his future, he accepts a drunken bet for a blind date, never dreaming that the captivating woman fits perfectly into his ideal, all-American dream. Only one problem. She’s gun-shy about all things military. Can Ethan prove to Isabella love is worth the risk?

Blind Date Bet started off strong, I liked the initial set up and thought I was really going to love the story and the characters. I did like Isabella, but I never really felt like I got into her head. As things were revealed I could understand her reservations, but I just never connected with her. Unfortunately the same holds true for Ethan and most of the secondary characters. Oddly enough the one character I want to know more about and the one scene I would have like to have seen never really has a presence in the story. As for the relationship between Ethan and Izzy, moments of it fit and worked, and others felt either too easy or that one or both of them gave up too easy. Adding in the surprise at the end just felt unnecessary and a little cheap. Maybe I was just not in the mood for this writing style or story, but it fell flat for me and too close to telling me rather than showing me the depths of the story. There was just so much promise here and some really good moment,but I was disappointed that it did not like up to the expectations I had for it.

Blind Date Bet is a book I really wanted to like, and had many of the element that I adore. However, I never really connected with the characters or their story. It just did not work for me.

Book Review: Sharky Malarkey: A Sketchbook Collection by Megan Nicole Dong

Sharky Malarkey: A Sketchbook Collection by Megan Nicole Dong follows the adventures of Bruce, a washed-up shark actor, and a colorful assortment of dysfunctional people, animals, and inanimate objects. Bruce is vain but insecure; hotheaded but cowardly; craves attention but fears intimacy—his over-the-top antics are all too human. Based on Megan Nicole Dong’s popular webcomic, Sketchshark, her debut print collection mines the absurd in everyday life. 

Sharky Malarkey: A Sketchbook Collection is not what I was expecting, but I have never seen the webcomic from the artist so I was coming in fresh. The description says the book is about Bruce, a Hollywood shark, with some moments about the artist. However, the book is the opposite- mostly about the artist and everyday life with just a sprinkle of Bruce.  There were plenty of relatable moments, but I was distracted by the art style which felt a little sloppy and undetailed. I think those that already are fans, and know they enjoy the artists work will want to take a look at the collection. Unfortunately it just did nothing for me.

Book Review: Firestorm by Caitlin Ricci

Firestorm by Caitlin Ricci is an urban fantasy romance. For thousands of years the Elementals have chosen people to be their vessels as they help control the natural world and protect the people in it. Dante, Elijah, Stephen, and Christian are the latest generation of vessels. Stephen and Christian are destined to be together as Wind and Earth; Dante and Elijah as Water and Fire. Then Elijah dies abruptly, tearing Dante apart. Fire is reborn in Nicholai, and destined to be Dante's new mate—but Dante doesn't want someone new, and Nicholai is far too young to understand his new role and all his future will hold. As the years pass and Nicholai grows, Dante's constant refusals harden Nicholai against their bond, straining the relationship between all the vessels. But if they're going to protect the world and ensure a future—for themselves and everyone else—they'll have to find a way to get beyond their pasts and let old wounds heal.

Firestorm is labeled romance, and while it is about two people slowly, ever so slowly finding their way to each other. I had read one novella from the author in the past, and that had my thinking I would find something with similarly deep characters and romance. To be honest, I felt like this story fell into the trap of telling rather than showing and of having a character that I just could not like. Dante lost his partner- in work and love- and when the Elemental his partner housed is reborn in a new baby he shut down. I get grief, and I get not looking for a relationship with someone so much younger, but he was just a jerk. He could not even be nice to a kid tossed into a role he had no choice in. Nicholai is seems like a good kid- but as he grows the only thing I feel like I knew about him is his horrible childhood and suicidal tendencies. I just never connected or was able to care about either one of them, I cared more about the secondary characters- and frankly I did not think about them much at all. 

Firestorm is a book that disappointment me. I had high hopes for and was left with those hopes dashed and wondering just what I had read. I will try another book from the author, at some point, but I will not be rushing at this point. 

Book Review: The Undercover Billionaire (Tate Brothers) by Jackie Ashenden

The Undercover Billionaire is the third book in the Tate Brothers series by Jackie Ashenden. I have not read any of the previous books. While those that have will have a better understanding of some of the characters and family dynamics, newcomers will be about to understand the couple focused on in the story.

 

Navy SEAL Wolf Tate is on a mission of vengeance. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to infiltrate the lair of his arms-dealing enemy—and rescue the mother he never knew. To do this, he’ll need more than his father’s fortunes or his brothers-in-arms. He must find a way to kidnap his enemy’s daughter for leverage. There’s just one problem: She is also one of Wolf’s closest friends—and the only person that ever really listened. For years, Olivia de Santis has been waiting for Wolf to take her in his arms and make her dreams come true. But she never imagined that he’d sneak into her bedroom one night, or take her as his hostage. Olivia knows she should resist him—and stay loyal to her own family. But how can she deny the burning justice of Wolf’s mission, and the blazing desire in his eyes—even if giving into the heat of the moment can put her in grave danger? 

The Undercover Billionaire is a book with a decent set up, but one that fell flat for me. Wolf has been told for years that he is just muscle, and despite knowing how cruel and manipulative his father and de Santis can be- he thinks he is somehow not being used by either. Olivia is sweet, and while smart with computers and books seems to be completely lacking common sense and self preservation. She is twenty eight, never been kissed and never suspecting that her father is a weapon dealing nightmare willing to force her to marry a man that she does not want- but she is almost willing to do so. I really wanted her to have a little backbone and stand up for herself. She does, for about three seconds, but is way too willing to trust her father and Wolf way more than a person should in her circumstances. Wolf is just stubborn and while at times caring, other times he is just as willfully blind as Olivia. The sex is steamy, but the characters were too lost in their own versions of the world for me to like or care about them. 

The Undercover Billionaire left me disappointed. If you are reading for steam, then you got that here. If you are reading for characters and love, not so much.

Book Review: Rescued by a Highlander (Grant Clan) by Keira Montclair

Rescued by a Highlander is the first book in the Grant Clan series of historical romances by Keira Montclair. While it was originally published in 2013, it has been newly revised and updated with a new editor.

Madeline MacDonald has been a victim of her stepbrother's cruelty ever since her parents' death in a fire two years ago. Forced into a betrothal to a man she hates, her only way out is to escape to a convent. Laird Alexander Grant is honor bound to rescue Maddie after seeing the bruises on her face. What he doesn't realize is that once he holds the beaten lass in his arms, his heart will never be the same. He vows revenge for the abuse she was forced to endure and yearns to make the sweet woman with an iron will his, but can he help her fight the demons in her mind left behind by her abusers' horrid treatment?

Rescued by a Highlander is a book that I thought I would love, but it never really worked for me. Let's start with the good. I love books that have a abuse survive finding peace, love, and a happy ever after. I really do. I adore books were the other half of that couple is working towards understanding and helping, and while they make mistakes (like yelling at them when worried about their safety) they work on it. I was thrilled with Alex's patience with Maddie, and willingness to take things super slow and to always check in with consent rather than forging ahead and assuming at any point. What I did not like was Maddie. While her ability to survive abuse stoically and deal with everything dealt to her was likely intended to show her as strong, I was left wondering why this woman that is strong, caring, and very pain tolerant would stay rather than trying to make an escape? She came off as a doormat rather than a survivor. Otherwise she was painted as perfect, sweet and so patient and kind that she did not even want her tormentors hurt. The characters felt a little flat, there was no real motivation for the bad guys, other than just being evil. In fact I read another historical with an abuse survive shortly after this, and I had trouble remembering much about this book other than what bothered me about Maddie. I had several other little things that irked me- but my biggest issue is that I was fully expecting to love this story and the characters. The disappointment of the heroine being a too perfect but passive, and a dig at homosexuality really left me less than happy with my read. 

Rescued by a Highlander is not for everyone. The characters are lacking depth but the idea of the story and the patience and thoughts of Alex in helping Maddie deal with her past might make it worth the read for some.

Early Book Review: Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick, Thomas Taylor

Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick and Thomas Taylor is a graphic novel for middle grade readers which is currently scheduled for release on April 3 2018. Scarlett Hart, orphaned daughter of two legendary monster hunters, is determined to carry on in her parents’ footsteps—even if the Royal Academy for the Pursuit and Eradication of Zoological Eccentricities says she’s too young to fight perilous horrors. But whether it's creepy mummies or a horrid hound, Scarlett won’t back down, and with the help of her loyal butler and a lot of monster-mashing gadgets, she’s on the case. With her parent’s arch-rival, Count Stankovic, ratting her out to T.R.A.P.E.Z.E. and taking all the monster-catching rewards for himself, it’s getting hard for Scarlett to do what she was born to do. And when more monsters start mysteriously manifesting than ever before, Scarlett knows she has to get to the bottom of it and save the city whatever the danger!

Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter had great potential, but I feel like it missed its mark. I was completely unimpressed by the art, but since i had a digital arc I am willing to give it a pass for the most part, because this sort of file never looks as good as the real thing. However, even with the allowances I give for galleys, I found the art to be a little lazy and sadly this carried through the character development. I found Scarlett to be very one dimensional and unlikable, and the big bad to be even less developed. The adventure part was okay, but I thought the character work was poor enough that I really could not care about what happened to anyone. The poor butler that does the majority of the work is not even given a name. I had so much hope for this, and really wanted to like it. Unfortunately I was not given the Buffy-eske heroine I wanted, rather I got a girl that more resembled her winy, incompetent sister. 

Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter is not all I had hoped, but I can still see a market for it. 

Book Review: The Capybara Conspiracy by Erica S. Perl

The Capybara Conspiracy is a middle grade novel by Erica S. Perl.  Seventh-grade playwright Olive Henry is frustrated by her middle school’s lack of appreciation for anything but sports. While the principal drones on and on during morning announcements about the sports teams’ victories, all non-athletic club meetings are relegated to the school basement, never to be mentioned on the loudspeaker. So Olive and her best friend, Reynaldo, hatch a plan to kidnap the school’s capybara mascot, planning to return it, heroically, just in time for the school’s pep rally and claim a reward: permission for their drama club to practice in the auditorium. And, hopefully, some overdue respect for the school’s non-athletes. But when an animal-rights student activist and an undercover athlete with murky motivations join in the conspiracy, their plans—along with Cappy the capybara—veer wildly out of Olive’s control.

The Capybara Conspiracy is written in play format, which is not my favorite, and took me a while to get used to. I liked the idea of kids being creative, and liked the amount of humor and twists involved in kidnapping a capybara. I also liked the information in the back of the book, which gives ideas for kids group reading the book because of the format. I enjoy the idea, and think many reader would find it to be fun and satisfying to do so. However, I think many of the characters were either underdeveloped or based off of less than flattering stereotypes. I get that it was part of the gag, but with the current state of the country with immigration, and the amount of girls that still think dumb and pretty is the way to go, I was not amused. Although, I was not the target audience either- so maybe I was just not in the right headspace to enjoy the read.

The Capybara Conspiracy is  a book with humor, and wacky escapades. However, it also has some standard stereotypes (some of which are proven untrue about the specific characters) that I just did not enjoy. I think there are some readers that will enjoy it, but between the stereotypes and the format I was not one of them. 

Book Review: Bonnie and the Beast by Alexa Black

Bonnie and the Beast by Alexa Black is very short, I would call it a short story rather than even a novella. The Beast's castle has been lonely since an angry sorceress cursed her years ago, and resigned herself to it a long time ago. But now a woman has promised to brave the curse, and for the first time in too many years the Beast has someone to talk to—and perhaps even break the curse. But tricking people into visiting your castle isn't how you find a soulmate. And looking stranger than a werewolf doesn't help.

Bonnie and the Beast is at a bit of short erotica. The Beast is waiting for a promised girl to come to her castle and make the attempt to break a curse. I still have no idea what the beast looks like and could not even hazard a guess because five eyes and some serious claws and teeth? I felt like there was room for a bit of character growth, or at least some insight into them. There was a little bit of information on each through the story, but not enough to let me care about either. It seemed like it was an excuse to write a sex scene between a curvy girl and a female something rather than a story. I was annoyed at the length, and at the lack of character depth. A bit more story would have been appreciated but this might just be what someone else is looking for. 

Book Review: The Circle by Damon Clark, Alyzia Zherno, Sami Makkonen

The Circle written by Damon Clark, with artwork from Alyzia Zherno and Sami Makkonen is a graphic novel. It follows  Christian, a teenage boy, who moves moves to Shell bay with his single father after his mother dies only to be bullied as the new kid at school. He finds friendship with the "Weird" kids and unknowingly joins them in an occult ritual that allows a darkness to possess each of them. Through the help of his gypsy neighbor, Christian will learn that the only way he can reverse the ritual is by killing off his circle of friends before they kill him, or before the darkness takes over his soul. One by one he will face them all, and in the end he will have to make the hardest decision of his young life.

The Circle takes the typically hard time of moving and starting a new school with more specific issues like grief, loss, and bullying. It takes the non-unexpected route of the occult- and continues with some loosely explained motivations and reactions that did not quite resonate with me. Sadly, like the story, I found the majority of the artwork to fall short of my expectations. The cover art was nicely done, and is most of what had me request the title from Netgalley. However, the bulk of the book did not have the same appeal. It felt a little unpolished, but not in the dark Burton way that would have enhanced the read. There is a decent amount of action, significant gore, and more cursing that I have heard from any teenagers ( even when I was one). I was hoping for something more original and visually stunning based on the cover, but was disappointed. Perhaps readers that are a little younger, and not ones that have seen The Craft and read a large variety of books and graphic novels that have already covered similar ground will enjoy the read more than I.

Book Review: Red Right Hand (Mythos War) by Levi Black

Red Right Hand is the first book in the Mythos War series by Levi Black. Charlie Tristan Moore isn't a hero. She's a survivor. On a night when her demons from the past are triggered, she arrives home to something even more harrowing-an attack by three monstrous skinhounds, creatures straight out of nightmares. She fights but is outmatched. Just as hope seems lost, in sweeps The Man In Black, a rescuer even more monstrous and unlikely, dressed in a long, dark coat that seems to have a life of its own and with a black-bladed sword held in his terrible, red right hand. Her rescue comes at a cost. She must become his new Acolyte and embrace a dark magick she never knew she had inside her. To ensure she gives it her all, he takes her friend and possible love, Daniel, in thrall as a hostage to her obedience. The Man in Black, a Lovecraftian chaos god, claims to be battling his brethren gods, other horrors who are staging an incipient apocalypse. But is he truly the lesser of all evils or merely killing off the competition? Either way, will Charlie be strong enough to save herself, Daniel, and possibly the entire world?

Red Right Hand is a gory horror/ urban fantasy that is darker than my normal fare. I think it started off slow, and it took more than half the book for me to feel like I was fully part of the story rather than just along for the ride. As I am not a fan or the more gory aspects of this genre, it was particularly hard getting lost in the story. Part of that was because part of the Lovecraftian style to to mark people as unimportant- and I never really came to care about any of the characters because of this. REaders know that something bad happened to Charlie- but it is hinted it so often that it became annoying rather than compelling making it hard to care about her. There are plenty of people that will love this series, and will be eager to explore this series- but it just is not me. The cover and description had me thinking this was more urban fantasy than horror- but it is much more horror and gore than fantasy. 

Red Right Hand is an unnerving and gory urban fantasy. It was a little too much for my personal tastes, but I think that Lovecraft fans and those that like the idea of being a Lovecraft fan will enjoy the book, and likely the series. New adult readers that were fan of Darren Shan's horror series as tweens and teens (or adults) will find this right up their alley. I had trouble getting into the book, because while I know and enjoy some Lovecraftian lore- I am not a huge fan of the gore that generally comes with it.