All posts by skyebjenner

Bloodlist by P.N. Elrod

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Bloodlist

Title: Bloodlist
Author: P.N. Elrod
Series: Vampire Files #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Gangsters, Paranormal fantasy, Vampire noir
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 1990
5th sentence, 74th page: Escott was standing on the fender of the Nash, craning to get a better view of things.

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Synopsis

I’ve always had a weak spot for strange ladies. One very beautiful girl had even warned me that she was get this a vampire. But did I listen? No. Before you know it, I m being chased by an ugly thug with a gun, and a bullet blasts its way through my back, and believe it or not nothing happened. I survived! How? You guessed it. I, Jack Fleming, ace reporter, have been transformed into a vampire. Which has its advantages. You never die, you never grow old, you sleep all day…and best of all, you can hunt down your own murderer. This is the first book in the exciting vampire adventure series, The Vampire Files.

Thoughts

I am mildly obsessed with this story. It was a beautiful tale of the noir persuasion, set in Chicago in the 1930s. It was fiddled with mobsters and gangsters. Beautiful club singers and tough private detectives. And, also, a vampire. It worked just beautifully.

Jack Fleming is one of my favourite characters – he strikes me as gangly and a little odd. Somebody that doesn’t quite fit in, but still has found his own way in the world. Yet, for all of this, he is incredibly fun and not self-conscious at all. He just has this fun, gumptious way of living, that, even though he is undead, carries throughout the tale. His characterisation provides a great, fun counterpoint to the rest of the tale which is quite dark and convoluted.

I haven’t read many books that feature the 1930s. Or Chicago gangsters for that matter. So this was a fun, new world to step into. And there is something about this genre, this time in history, this style, that makes the story kind of fun and nostalgic. It almost makes you think of a “simpler time” as jack battles to unravel the mysteries of his own death.

Unlike most vampire tales, this one left me with some amazing dreams – dreams of the 1930s and prohibition and the romanticism of crime. Alright, this might not have all been realistically within the same time period, but in my brain they work seamlessly and now I can’t wait to see how the next of Jack’s adventures goes.

<- Dark LadyLifeblood ->

Image source: Urban Fantasy Wiki

Ode to Edvard Munch by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance

Title: Ode to Edvard Munch
Author: Caitlin R. Kiernan
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep) & By Blood We Live (John Joseph Adams)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Vampires
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: But if she is Indian, the girl on Cherry Hill, she has no trace of an accent when she talks to me about the fountain or her favourite paintings in the Met or the exhibits she likes best at the Museum of Natural History.

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Synopsis

A lyrical waxing and waning of a man’s relationship with his vampire and the dreams that she brings with her.

Thoughts

I loved the lyricism in this short story. It gave the tale a sense of the old classics, written in the times when you didn’t just use one word to describe “tired” but an entire paragraph. And there was the same sense of multi-layered meanings. The idea that if I read this a hundred more times, I would find something else hidden amongst the intense symbolism.

Whilst the storyline is convoluted and dark, I love the symbolism and the descriptive language used throughout this story. It made every moment of convoluted story telling so much more vivid and intense. Something that makes me want to find more of Kiernan’s tales.

 <- Fade to Black ReviewFangs for Hire Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

The Elephant WhispererTitle: The Elephant Whisperer
Author: Lawrence Anthony
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Conservation, Inspiration, Non-fiction
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Pan Books
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: If he was shaking, it was with anger – not an overdose of electrons.

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Synopsis

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of ‘rogue’ wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd’s last chance of survival – dangerous and unpredictable, they would be killed if Anthony wouldn’t take them in.

As Anthony risked his life to create a bond with the troubled elephants and persuade them to stay on his reserve, he came to realise what a special family they were, from the wise matriarch nana, who guided the herd, to her warrior sister Frankie, always ready to see off any threat, and their children who fought so hard to survive.

With unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, this is an enthralling look that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.

Thoughts

No matter how many times I read this book, I will still be in awe. Inspired. And wishing that I could return to South Africa. I actually originally bought this (and read it) on the way back to Australia from Johannesburg. And it was glorious. Impossible to put down, and one of the most inspiring conservation stories that I have ever read. Reading it the second time, well, my response really hasn’t changed in the slightest…

Lawrence Anthony is both an engaging storyteller and passionate conservationist. His maverick approach to problem solving and incredible gumption mean that you are on the edge of your seat the entire time you read of his exploits. And the fact that his life and exploits feature an amazing herd of elephants, and some incredibly picturesque scenery. After all, Africa has some of the most iconic animals in the world, and it is impossible not to imagine yourself going on game rides right alongside Anthony and his staff.

I love no-hold way in which this story is told. There is no sugar coating the difficulties of life in the bush and the horrors which it can entail. Nature takes its course, and rather than trying to redirect the ebbs and flows of life, Anthony partakes in all of its mystery. It reminds me why I love being out in the bush and just enjoying what our countryside has to offer, even if my countryside has far smaller animals than his…

 <- Babylon’s Ark Review The Last Rhinos Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Eat Pray Love

Title: Eat Pray Love
Author: Elizabeth Gilbert
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Inspiration, Memoirs
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: But Luca and his friends didn’t go out to a bar to cheer themselves up.

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Synopsis

Elizabeth is in her thirties, settled in a large house with a husband who wants to start a family. But she doesn’t want any of it. A bitter divorce and a rebound fling later, Elizabeth emerges battered yet determined to find what she’s been missing.

So begins her quest. In Rome, she indulges herself and gains nearly two stone. In India, she finds enlightenment through scrubbing temple floors. Finally, in Bali, a toothless medicine man reveals a new path to peace, leaving her ready to love again.

Thoughts

I’ve seen the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I thought that maybe the book would be mildly interesting since the movie was something I very much enjoyed. Especially since it’s supposed to be a great book about discovering yourself and finding your path in life. And, honestly, it was. The part that really shocked me though was the fact that it was so amazingly well and engagingly written.

Gilbert’s voice is one of those that you can see lingering throughout the next few generations. She discusses issues and realities that face every woman at some point in their lives. And she does so in a starkly honest manner. I love that in a world where we are constantly bombarded with the idea of women wanting to have children, and be the perfect housewives, this is a woman who wants to travel and has no interest in having children. And it’s a great reminder that it is COMPLETELY okay to feel this way. And it’s okay to go on a massive adventure to find yourself.

I loved how this novel was broken up – 109 small stories that all worked together but could also be read as somewhat separate tales. It made it very difficult to put down, but also gave great pausing moments when I actually had to be a responsible adult. It was so incredibly nice to have a small moment in which to disappear to Italy, India or Indonesia. A great moment in which to forget all about lives problems and travel on the wings of a woman who has truly experienced life at its fullest. And now I have to wait for the next few books I’ve order to arrive on my shelf…

 <- Committed ReviewEat Pray Love Made Me Do It Review ->
Image source: Book Cover Archive

The Eternal Warrior by Jenna Maclaine

Book Review, , , , , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Irish RomanceTitle: The Eternal Warrior

Author: Jenna Maclaine

Series: Cin Craven #0.1

In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)

Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)

My Bookshelves: Celtic, Dark fantasy, Strong women, Vampires

Pace: Slow

Format: Short story

Publisher: Running Press

Year: 2011

5th sentence, 74th page: But I will never forgive you.

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Synopsis

In the dawn of a new millennium, the goddess Morrigan must forge a new race of warriors to protect both Faerie and the human world from an unimaginable evil. This short story is a prequel to the Cin Craven series, first published in The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance.

Thoughts

I had no idea what to expect from this short story – I just know that I bought The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance because this tale was in it. It is a prequel to the Cin Craven series, and I’ve been hanging out to read the rest of the tales in the series. And I really wasn’t disappointed. This was thoroughly enjoyable, kind of cute and had just the right amount of sass.

Cullen and Morrigan feel like they are setting the scene for a massive battle. But, The Eternal Warrior also just tells their own personal story and highlights the intricacies of all that (I’m assuming) comes before. There is this weird push and pull between the two that I find kind of intriguing – it is obvious how much they care for one another, but there is so much bitterness there, and the extra spice made me kind of sad that the story ended so soon. Now I need to pick up the next Mammoth Book and read The Righteous.

 <- Daughter of the Sea Review Eternal Strife Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Dreams From My Father

Title: Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
Author: Barack Obama
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: History, Politics, Race
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: The Canons
Year: 1995
5th sentence, 74th page: I seen you tear ’em up on the playground, no contest.

Synopsis

Dreams From My Father is a refreshing, revealing portrait of a young man asking big questions about identity and belonging.

The son of a black African father and a white American mother, President Obama recounts an emotional odyssey. He retraces the migration of his mother’s family from Kansas to Hawaii, then to his childhood home in Indonesia. Finally he travels to Kenya, where he confronts the bitter truth of his father’s life and at last reconciles his divided inheritance.

Thoughts

I had no idea what to expect from this book. I simply bought it because I needed a political memoir to complete the Popsugar reading challenge. I don’t like politics. I have no interest in conspiracies. And I’m an Aussie. So most of our politicians… well, lately, I don’t even know who’s in power anymore (but that’s a whole OTHER conversation). And, really, Barack Obama was one of the few politicians who doesn’t make me mad or annoyed. And, man am I glad that I picked this up.

I am fascinated with discourses on race and racism. Especially in countries and places that I haven’t seen. Australia has many issues of racism, and I know that it is something that is prevalent across the world. So reading the words of a man who has experienced displacement and prejudice due to his skin colour. It touched me and hit me in a way that nothing else ever has. Maybe just the fact that it is so far removed from my everyday life that there is both a morbid fascination, and a feeling of horror at my white privilege.

Before reading this book, I knew next to nothing about Obama, other than the fact that he was America’s first black president. Now I can understand just how he was so compelling. In fact, I want to read more of his books. You can hear the politicians’ voice coming through the words, but you can also feel the genuine meaning and the greater picture that he paints as you go on a journey with him.

<- Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible ThingThe Jane Austen Writers’ Club ->

Image source: Bookworm

New Blanket!!!

Blog, ,

On Friday I finally got my weighted blanket! I’ve been hanging out for it for 2 weeks. And it arrived!!! And I slept!! And it might be my favourite thing ever…

I’ve always suffered from anxiety. But over the last 2 months I’ve also had slight insomnia. Which explains the not posting and blogging. The disappearing into a hole and generally being pretty away from everything…

But. First time I got my blanket… I had a solid 3 hour nap. And I woke up feeling refreshed! That in and of itself was absolutely freaking amazing.

The first night I slept with it… I still didn’t sleep solidly. But the moments when I slept were good, deep sleeps. Not light tossing and turning like I’ve been used to. It sounds insane, but just that has made me feel like a new person.

Now all I can hope is that I can get my feet back under me and start thriving again…

Steampunk: Looking to the Future Through the Lens of the Past by Ekaterina Sedia

Book Review, , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of SteampunkTitle: Steampunk: Looking to the Future Through the Lens of the Past
Author: Ekaterina Sedia
In: The Mammoth Book of Steampunk (Sean Wallace)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Non-fiction, Steampunk
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: And if it is, can we have progress without the horror that accompanies it?

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Synopsis

An insightful look into the development of the steampunk genre.

Thoughts

I wasn’t expecting this as the beginning to an anthology of steampunk short stories. I thought that the collection would start with, well… an actual short story. Instead it started with a great insight into how the genre of steampunk has grown and expanded over the years. Mentions of some of the famous large names in the genre and just a great insight into some of the themes and messages that are carried throughout.

Although I’ve read a few steampunk stories throughout the last year (when I first discovered a steampunk novel), I didn’t really know much about the genre as a whole. I know that I enjoy it. It generally involves clockwork. And Victorian England. But that doesn’t really touch upon the rest of the themes that are present, and now that Sedia has given me a greater insight into this, I can’t wait to read the rest of this collection!

 <- The Mammoth Book of Steampunk Review Fixing Hanover Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Assassin Study by Maria V. Snyder

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

Assassin StudyTitle: Assassin Study
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Series: The Chronicles of Ixia #1.5, The Study Series #1.5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Assassins, Magic, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Novel, Novella
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: Children had been tormented.

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Synopsis

Yelena, the heroine of Maria V. Snyder’s stunning debut novel Poison Study, is on her way to her ancestral homeland of Sitia to be reunited with her family and to learn more about her magical powers. An order of execution hangs over her head should she ever return to Ixia. But her true love, Valek, quickly learns that an assassin has taken it upon himself to make sure Yelena doesn’t reach her destination.

As Ixia’s chief of security, and a highly skilled assassin himself, can Valek track down the killer in time to save Yelena’s life?

Thoughts

I didn’t love the way that Poison Study left Valek and Yelena’s relationship. So this did a lot to heal that frustration. It was a great short story that followed Valek as he tries to make sure that she survives yet another threat to her life.

The part that I enjoyed the most about Assassin Study was that it showed the depth of Valek’s emotions for Yelena. Poison Study is all written from her point of view, and whilst it’s obvious that there is a connection, I wasn’t entirely confident in Valek’s emotions. After all, he’s a scary, scary assassin. So, it was great to read a tale in which he risks everything and throws caution to the winds, just to rescue the woman he loves.

 <- Poison Study Review Magic Study Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Fade to Black by Sherri Erwin

Book Review, , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Vampire RomanceTitle: Fade to Black
Author: Sherri Erwin
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: Wait, how was I watching?

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Kelly has a boring, mediocre life and Connor Black wants to help her change her stars. But now that she’s agreed, she finds herself in a complex web of history, jealousy and a confusing future.

Thoughts

I feel like there needs to be more to this story. It is short, sweet and multilayered in its world construction. The fact that vampirism is treated as a virus and there is an ancient rivalry between the two male leads creates an engaging world. Yet, it ends so quickly when she hasn’t actually quite chosen which male she wants to try for. Mostly the lead makes a decision about herself, and kind of rides off into the sunset. With a lot of questions unanswered. This is generally why I didn’t give this tale as large a rating as I normally would have. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and the world construction, but it just felt… open.

I like the fact that although this is a vampire romance story (in a vampire romance collection, who’da’thunk’it?), it’s a slightly different take on the idea. There is still the same slightly raunchy feel. There is still the same idea that the male is the aggressor and turns (rescues in this case?) tale. But it treats vampirism differently and in a way that I found to be incredibly unique. A fantastic start to a new anthology, I can’t wait to see where it’s going to go.

 <- The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance Review Ode to Edvard Munch Review ->
Image source: Goodreads