A Prayer for the Crown-Shy

By- Becky Chamber

    After finishing the previous book, A Psalm for the Wild-Built, I learned of this book the sequel. I enjoyed the first so I figured this book would be just as enjoyable. Luckily enough it was on the self at my local library right next to the previous one. 

    The story starts where the first book left off. The main characters Dex and Mosscap have finished their journey into the wilds as they previously agreed upon. The other half of their agreement was for Dex to escort Mosscap to different towns and the city so Mosscap can interact with people and find out what they need and how they are doing. Together they travel to different towns and we see peoples reaction to Mosscap and the opposite Mosscap's reaction to people and towns. Just like the first book while they are on their travels they have many thought provoking conversations about the world and the purpose of their own lives. 

    This book is just like the first with a interest and simple story but immersed in philosophical conversations and ideas that will test your own beliefs or ideas. If you enjoyed the first book then you have to read this as well and continue on the journey with Dex and Mosscap. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for more than a simple story, but instead seeks to push the boundaries of your own thoughts. 

A Psalm for the Wild-Built

By- Becky Chambers

    I found this book while reading articles about books about robots, not a particular interest of mine but these books stood out to me. I was not going to go out of my way to read it but I thought if it was at the library I would check it out, and I was not disappointed. 

    The story is based on the future, humanity built robots as the main labor force and nearly destroyed the earth. Robots become self aware and humanity recognizes this. Instead of enslaving the robots to continue their work they asked them what they would like to do with their lives . The robots choose to leave humanity and live in the wild and humanity was to not contact them unless they first initiated contact. Jump a long time forward in time and the world has changed. Robots are a distant memory and humanity has changed. Our main character, Dex, is a monk that is unhappy with their life and looking for a change. They decide to become a tea monk traveling from town to town on their unique vehicle that is a combination of a bicycle and wagon with their enclosed living space in the wagon. They are not prepared but excited over the change in scenery and purpose. Along the way he encounters a robot named Mosscap, together they learn about each other and travel. 

    This was a fantastic book, I was pleasantly surprised by the plot as well as the underlying philosophical topics and ideas. The two main characters both have deep conversations that will have readers possibly examining ideas from their own lives. I highly recommend this book especially for those looking for a book to challenge themselves personally and philosophically.

Amphibious Soul

By- Craig Foster

    I have recently decided that I need to read a better variety of books, I have decided to mix some non fiction books in. Whether they are biographies or others do not matter but maybe too much fiction is not always the best, sometimes you need to eat a salad. I found this book on the shelf at the library and saw a review at the top of the book by Sheley Van Pelt the author of Remarkable Bright Creatures, a book I absolutely loved. I figured if she like it than it may be a great book for me. 

    Non fiction books are so different than fiction, not only are they based on facts but the format is not always a story. I prefer them in a story format, but this author was a bit different. He shares a great many stories from his personal experience from visiting indigenous people, tracking land animals, and many stories from diving in water. He has a personal message and goal that he is sharing in this book and he breaks down the book into different messages and points he wants to make. He starts the book off sharing of an experience when he dove with friends and colleagues hoping to follow a crocodile into its water den or lair where it lives and eats. Photos and footage of this kind is extremely rare and very few have ever seen them. They are successful and follow a large crocodile into its under water lair. The book goes on in this fashion and shares amazing stories just like this while also sharing the authors perspective that we need to get in better touch with out wild side and be more in touch with our ancestors.    

    A very interesting read, the stories the author shares are truly incredible, he has lived an interesting and exciting life with experiences that we could only dream of. The author is very passionate about the environment and wild life, you can feel that passion in his writing and honestly it makes you want to go for a walk or swim with the hope that you could have some of these same experiences. I can agree with most of his points of view and the destruction of wildlife and nature by humanity, however I am not sure if I agree with us having to get in touch with our wild and untamed sides to fix the issue. Maybe I just missed what he was saying, the format of the book is a little different and at times it felt like he kept repeating himself. Regardless I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in wildlife specifically what he shares about from his diving experiences, they are remarkable and unique. 

Shawshank Redemption

 

By- Stephen King 

    I was scrolling through an article for books to read for the Halloween season and there were a bunch written by Stephen King, of course, which gave me the idea to scroll through books he has written. I have only read one, Misery, and was thinking I should read more. While scrolling, on my phone, a list of all his books I saw this book, I am quite familiar with the movie but had no idea it was actually a book. Needless to say I had to read it and see if it is anything like the book, so I found it in my local library and read it, I was not disappointed. 

    The book is very much like the movie, it starts with the narrator Red telling the story of how he got imprisoned, cutting the brakes on his wife's car killing her, her friend and child. The narrator expresses that he is not sure if he is rehabilitated or even understands what that means but he does say that given the choice again he would not repeat the heinous crime. Red goes on to narrate the story of Andy Dufresne, whose wife was cheating on him with the local golf pro. He got drunk one night and stood outside the golf pro's house while his wife was in there with him, from his own story he had no plans to kill them. However the next day they were found murdered and blame was laid at his feet, the hearing did not go his way and honestly there was a lot of evidence against him and none was found that could absolve him of the murder. He was sentenced to life in prison at Shawshank the same prison as Red. He had a rough go at prison life, being attack by other inmates but never gives up always fighting back. While in prison Andy did a lot, you will have to read the book and find out the whole story, the legendary story of the prisoner from Shawshank.

    Like I said this book was written before the well known movie was ever made, and as far as I can tell the movie did a fabulous job keeping in line with the book. Sometimes when a movie is made they cut out sections or mix up important events to make a better movie, from my opinion I did not find any differences. The filmmakers did a really good job, but like usual I prefer the book and it did not disappoint. I highly recommend this book to everyone, it is not the usual Stephen King book, there is not a dark horror story but instead it is a story of hope and redemption. 

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying

By- Django Wexler

    Once again I was on my weekly quest at the local library and checking out new books and just new to me books when I noticed this book with the  weird cover and ridiculous title. I read the reviews and the synopsis and I have never heard of a book like it and it just sounded hilarious so I checked it out and was not disappointed.

    The book starts in a the middle of Davi, the man character being tied up and getting tortured. She has a vulgar sense of humor and cultural references that make absolutely no sense to the other characters but as a reader I was cracking up. Davi is stuck in this medieval world filled with humans, orcs, wizards, and other species of non humans, she is currently the ruler of the Kingdom and trying to save it from the Dark Lord and her army of minions. Every time she dies she respawns at the beginning of her story and she has died over and over, always failing to save the Kingdom in the end and dying over and over has driven her a little insane. After once again being captured and tortured she has decided enough is enough, if she can not save the Kingdom from the Dark Lord she will become the Dark Lord herself and finally win. She kills herself and starts a new life with a new plan, she will not only join the winning side but she will lead it and take us on her journey. 

    Absolutely fantastic book, a combination of World of Warcraft, Deadpool, and Ready Player One. If books got rated based on content this novel would defiantly get rated R with mature scenes, language, gore, nudity, and sexual content. It only took me two days to read because the story and humor had me wanted to know what was coming next, and literally laughing out loud. I can not really think of anything wrong with the novel unless you say it is overly sexual and inappropriate, but honestly it fits the culture now and really gives a Deadpool feel and vibe. I highly recommend this book to adults over eighteen that do not shy away from adult content and are not easily offended, and want to know if choosing the bad side is the answer to Davi's problems. 

What Moves the Dead

By- T. Kingfisher

    This book is the first in the series by an author whose work I really enjoy, I previously read the second in the series without knowing it was part of a series. The second book is called What Feast At Night, and I thought it was a standalone book. After learning it was not I had to read the first, but my local library did not have it so they used their interlibrary system and they located the book several states away in Maine. I personally think there had to be a closer copy, it is not really a rare book. But my quest was successful and I was able to read the start of the series. 

    The main character is Easton, a sworn soldier, traveling to a friends manor, Madeline and Roderick Usher, who are brother and sister. Madeline is sick and her brother believes that she is dying, and after talking with her and seeing her Easton agrees with the statement. There is a doctor there named Denton, who is unsure of what is wrong with her but she is thin and seems to be wasting away. The entire property seems to be rotting with mold all throughout the manor, algae covering the pond, and mushrooms and fungus all over the countryside around the manor. Easton and the rest are doing their best to solve the mystery of her illness and try to save her however, there may be something more going on.

    I did not enjoy this book very much and it was surprising to me, I normally love the authors work. I think if I would have read this book first it would be better, however, the second book ruined some things for me. The author gives information and introduces characters as though it is the first time and I am already familiar with them, it effects how the story reads to me and takes something away from my read. I do not think it is a bad book, it is a dark fairytale story written by a great author. If you are familiar with the authors work than I highly recommend it, or if you are looking for a dark fairy tale that is a shorter novel this book is for you. 

Heavenbreaker

By- Sara Wolf

    I was on vacation with my family in Delaware, there is a local bookstore near the boardwalk I love. I do not always buy something. Sometimes I just browse to get ideas for books to read, however, this particular visit I was going to buy something, I just did not know what. As soon as I walked in there was a table with new releases and this book instantly caught my attention. I had never heard of it or read anything about it. They say to not judge a book by its cover but I sure did buy it because of the cover and painted edges, an absolutely beautiful book. I did not even read what the book was about I just knew I wanted it and I was not disappointed. 

   The main character is Synali, who is raised by her mother in the low class. Her birth father is a noble man and head of a major family, however she is an unrecognized bastard and stain on his name. They live on a space station far away from earth which has been destroyed, there are other stations however they are out of contact with them. The stations are all that's left after being at war with an alien species. At the start of the story Synali has survived an assassin that killed her mother and tried to kill her. Her father sent the assassin to dispose of her and her mother to clear his name as he ran for higher status and office. After her mothers death her only purpose in life is to kill her father and destroy his families honor and she will do whatever it takes. After killing her father she is going to end her own life by taking her fathers steed, a mechanical robot, and entering in a dangerous competition meant for only nobles. The competition is best described as mechanical robots performing jousting in space. Having no experience or training she expects to die, and hopes that when they find her body it will destroy her father's house's honor. Defying all odds and her own expectations she survives and is thrust into a new life with a partner, together they set out to completely destroy her fathers family. 

    This book was absolutely amazing, I found myself reading page after page wanting to see what happens next. The book is full of violence, drama, mystery, and forbidden love. I was surprised after reading the end has a cliffhanger setting it up for another book, I can not wait. There was not anything about the book that I disliked, although each chapter had a word and definition that I am assuming is an alien language, however there is no clear reason for it. Maybe it will be explained or in use in the following book. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys fantasy or stories about finding revenge, I had no expectations when I read it but if I had, this novel would have blown them away. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

By- Stephen Chbosky

    I watched the movie years ago and to be honest had no idea it was a book. Recently I became aware it was a book but have no idea how, and so I had to search out the book having no idea what to expect. I know the movie was great with a star studded cast of Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller, but you never know what to expect when comparing books and movies. 

    The book is written in a unique format, as letters from the main character Charlie to an unknown person. Charlie is dealing with the loss of his best friend Michael, who killed himself. Charlie is lost and it is evident in the letters that he is depressed and lonely, as he observes the people around him going through their lives. He is very perceptive and is drawn to two seniors Patrick and Sam at the local high school football game. He approaches them at the game and they befriend him and he folds into their social circle. Patrick is outgoing and boisterous and is openly gay in a secret relationship with Brad the starting quarterback. Sam is a pretty and smart girl that Charlie falls in love with, however, she tells him that they cannot be together and he needs to not think of her in that way. Charlie also is befriended by a teacher, Bill, who gives him books to read and assigns him essays for each book as extra credit. The letters go from the beginning of his freshman year until the end when his friends all leave for college. It follows his journey of dealing with his depression, his first girlfriend, and the relationships of his family. 

    A great book, well written by the author and written in the perspective of a smart, perceptive, and sad teenage boy. This book is truly written way ahead of its time, it was written in 1999 when life was very different when it came to the acceptance of the LGBTQ community and mental health in teens. There is also letters that the main character discusses using drugs and alcohol which while we do not want teens engaging in it is a reality that they experiment with them and the author does a great job not glorifying them but speaks about them knowing they are a part of the teenage experience.  In my opinion it has aged very well and is still relevant today. I highly recommend this book to any teens struggling, or even parents that are struggling to understand their own teenage children. 

The Familiar

By- Leigh Bardugo

    I have seen this book on different lists for new books for the fall and Halloween season. I never really read any synopsis or reviews on the book I just kept seeing it. The title made me think it had something to do with vampires or witches because I have heard of the term familiar in books and movies with those themes. However, I was mostly wrong but it was still a solid book.

    The story is based on the 16th century and the country of Spain. The church is hunting and persecuting women for witch craft whether they are witches or just independent free thinkers. The main character is Luzia, she is a young orphan who works as a scullery maid for a lower class family. A scullery maid is a lower class maid that does the crap work, her room is in the larder room in the families home. If she served a more wealthy family she may have a better life, unfortunately circumstances of her life do not allow that. She has magic abilities that she keeps hidden to prevent the church from finding her, she is also Jewish which is something else the church would persecute her for. Even though she is smart and powerful, she keeps her head down and plays dumb to not draw attention to herself. She keeps herself invisible to the world and out of the eyes of the church. However, one day she slips up after a loaf of bread is burned she fixes it with magic not knowing her employer already saw it burnt. After, finding the loaf unburnt her employer becomes suspicious of her and makes a plan to trick her into revealing herself and powers. Valentina is the woman who employs her, and she is ambitious to improve her own station and life, seeking a life with more luxury and power. She starts making Luzia perform at dinner, performing miracles for her guests. Rumors begin spreading as more and more people see her miracles and Luzia is thrust out into the open and must compete in a contest of others with abilities like herself. The winner will hopefully have the opportunity to serve the King of Spain. Every one is walking on a tight rope trying to win the contest while avoiding looking evil to the church. Will everyone's ambition destroy them or propel them into a life of power and luxury for the most powerful man in Spain?

    This book was not what I expected, but I enjoyed the novel. It was unique based in a time and place of history that I have not read much about. There are a lot of books based on the 16th century but I have not read many from Spain. The author does a great job building the different characters and showing each of their own struggles to gain more power and improve their station in life. In some books you read, you can feel the vibe of the book and know that it will end good or bad, but the author kept me guessing until the very end. My one complaint, if you would even call it that, the names were a little difficult to pronounce, even in my head. I do not have any background with Spanish which may have made it easier, however, I would not change it because it added to the authenticity of the story. Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in magic, strong female characters struggling in a world of powerful men, and a darker vibe perfect for the fall season.  

Just Add Water

 By- Katie Ledecky

    I do not always watch the Olympics but if I have the opportunity, I do what I can to watch the swimming. I am not much of a swimmer however, the USA swim team has been intriguing for the last several Olympics. Ever since Michael Phelps stepped on the blocks, but I have always been a bigger fan of Katie Ledecky. I was watching live for her very first swim in 2012 and the announcers were talking going on and on about the other swimmers and how excited they were to see which one wins. The announcers only vaguely mentioned her in the finals because of her age, but I asked myself, boy wouldn't that be something if she shocked the world and won. Needless to say I saw this book at my local book store and was going to purchase it if only I remembered my wallet. I returned a few weeks later and it was no longer on the shelf, so my search continued.  A few months later I found it at my local target and had to pick it up.

    The book is obviously about her life and aspects of her training and career that she wanted to share with the world. It is always interesting to read autobiographies, you never know what to expect. There is so much about famous and notable people that we do not know, as well as the stuff we do know. We get to hear their perspective of events and feelings straight from the horses mouth. In Katie's book we get to hear about her drive, even from a young age. We learn that not only did she want to beat everyone she raced but she always sought to improve and beat her own achievements. She also shares the relationships in her life that are important to her and the effect they had on her personally and the effect on her career. The relationships vary from family, friends, coaches, and teammates. We especially get a look at how she handled stress, victory, defeat, fame, and also how she handled the pandemic. 

    An absolutely fantastic book, you never know when you read autobiographies whether it is written by the actual person or a ghost writer. While I do not have proof, as I was reading it felt genuine, as though it was written by Katie, herself. Katie is a college educated and smart individual and it is definitely within her capabilities to write this book and the connection to her story was evident in the writing. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Olympics, swimming, female athletes, or athletes in general. Even if you are not interested in any of those things you should still read about this remarkable woman.

The Stardust Grail

 

By- Yume Kitasei

  ⭐⭐⭐ / 5

     I found this book in the giveaways for the Goodreads app, I entered to win but like usually I did not win. Regardless, the cover intrigued me, the beautiful colors and what looks like an octopus in space had me interested. I do not recall finding an octopus in the novel, but it was still an interesting read. 

    The story starts on earth, I say it starts on earth because humanity can successfully interstellar travel. However, it is not by their own technology but from the technology from other alien species and civilizations. There are several aliens in the book from Frenro, Belzoar, Quietling, and more. They are very different from humans in culture, biology, and philosophically. The main character, Maya, was born on a settlement far from earth and raised in a way where she experienced other alien cultures. She is currently enrolled in  Princeton university and studying and working toward her PHD in comparative cultures. Before enrolling in her undergrad classes she travels the stars with her Frenro best friend Auncle. They traveled together stealing artifacts and selling them, all the while searching for the mysterious and legendary Grail. An object wanted by many civilizations, for the ability to create nodes. Nodes are by my understanding a doorway to other parts of the galaxy, created by the Frenro long ago. They no longer have the knowledge or ability to build these nodes and without them the galaxy cannot travel to each other they could be cut off from everyone. Maya has since left that life and is doing her best to be a good student and ignore the call of adventure. While going through a collection donated to the university, Maya discovered a rare and sought after journal of a great earth explorer and last known person to see the Grail. Auncle some how knows of her discovery and shows up for one last job, but the earth government also know and tries to recruit her to find the grail for them. Maya is conflicted but her loyalty and trust sit with Auncle, together they set off on an adventure.

    Overall, pretty good novel I rated it three out of five stars. I cannot figure out what was missing for me to make it a five out of five. The story is complex and unique, the author does a great job introducing us to alien cultures and gives us enough information without making the book overly long. The characters are developed as the story goes on with some humor mixed in that made me laugh out loud a couple of times. The beginning of the book sucked me in making me excited to turn the page and see what is happening next, but as I read the story lost momentum. I still wanted to know how it ends, the excitement and suspense was gone for me personally. I definitely recommend this book to fans of science fiction and space travel, it is worth the time to read. 

How to Read a Book

 

By- Monica Wood

    I found this book while browsing on the Goodreads app, I did not read anything more than the title and decided I was going to read it. However, reality had different plans for me because I did not see the book in person anywhere. It wasn't in any local bookstores, Walmart, Target, it was not even in my faithful library. I gave up looking and months later it showed up at the library, checked it out right away and it became the next book for me to read. I was surprised however, by the actual content of the novel, it was far from what I expected. 

    Harriet Larson is a retired teacher and widow, she runs a book club for inmates at the local women's prison. Harriet loves reading, however there is a certain way to read a book. She does her best to help these women on how to properly read a book, as well as find books that connect with these women stuck in prison. Violet Powell is a young woman in prison for driving drunk and causing an accident that killed a beloved teacher. Violet is getting out of prison and trying to find her way through the world after causing such a tragedy. Spending years imagining getting out of prison and what that would mean, do not prepare her for the actuality of reality. Frank Daigle is a retired machinist plagued by past, memories of his marriage and wife that he lost. He finds peace and purpose at the local bookstore doing maintenance and handywork, loved and admired by workers and patrons with his gentle demeaner and hard work ethic. Three separate lives all with their own struggles and stories have more in common than we know. 

    A wonderfully surprising book, the cover and title did not prepare me for what I was going to read. I believe it improved my reading experience, with every page I went with the characters and felt and saw things for the first time just as it would have happened for the main characters. I am not sure if I would have chosen to read the book if I knew what it was about, however, after reading the book I am really glad I did. The author does a great job building the characters, world build is not relevant because it is based on our own time and reality. The three main characters are beautifully written, so much so that I wish they were real. The author does a great job making us feel the complicated emotions of women in prison or recently released from prison. I highly recommend this book to everyone, there is something for everyone in this book, forgiveness, humor, pain, grief, and more. If I had to voice anything that might be a flaw it would be the book is relativity simple, the world is small and simple. However, I do not believe it takes away from the value of the book and I highly recommend to any reader. 

The Surviving Sky

 By- Kritika H. Rao

    This book was another library find, when perusing the shelves I found a paperback book and took a look at the beautiful cover. A floating island with trees, wildlife, and structures on and around the island all floating above the ground that looks to be having horrible storms. While I was intrigued by the cover I thought it was strange that I have never heard of it, so I took a picture of it on my phone and decided I would do some research. I never did do any research however, it felt as though the book was stalking me when the staff put it on a display case. After a few weeks I decided to check it out. 

    The author has built a truly unique world based on the future of earth where most of civilization has been destroyed by storms on the earth they call earthrages. I am not sure if I truly completely understand earthrages, when described in the book it seems that the earth shakes and plants become hostile all the while wind, lightning, and rain rage around you. It is true chaos and devastation to the earth itself and anyone on the ground. Humanity has evolved and built cities build out of trees and plant life, that fly above the earth away from the earthrages below. Humanity themselves have separated into two classes those that are born with the ability of trajection, known as architects, and the rest who have normal abilities. Trajection is the ability to connect to the conscience of plants and affect their growth and changed them to suit your needs, even to shape them into rooms and stairs. As you can imagine there is some social issues because of the two classes, one that feels superior and the other that resents their reliance on architects. The main characters are Ahilya and Iravan who are married to each other however they are currently in the middle of a fight at the beginning of the story and haven't spoken in a while. Not only are they having issues in their marriage but there are also issues with their city who is filled with architects that are struggling with trajection and the fact that there are not enough of them. 

    I enjoyed this book, the author has built a amazing world that is complex and unique. The author is an artist with the details of how the world works and allows you to almost put yourself in the world that is unlike anything you have ever seen or experienced. The characters are equally complicated and show depth in their inner thoughts and relationships to other characters. Overall, I would recommend this book however not to everyone the level of detail, complexity of story, and philosophical thoughts of the book do not make for a light read. However, if you are looking to dive into a new world and looking for something less superficial I would highly recommend this book to you. 

The Unrelenting Earth

By- Kritika H. Rao

    This book is the sequel to The Surviving Sky that I previously read. I found it right next to it in the library however, the cover is less appealing and title had me even less excited. Nevertheless, I wanted to see how the story ends. 

    The book picks up right where the other one left off. Ahilya and Iravan go their separate ways, leaving each other for there own purposes. There are a lot of unresolved issues and feelings left unsaid about the future of their relationship but the needs of the present are too important to ignore. Ahilya goes back home with the plan to share what she had learned about humanities past and to try and help them rebuild. She is elected to the council, however there is a lot of turmoil caused by her revelations that do not coincide with their culture and previously known history. Ahilya finds herself in a position she has sought after for years but the circumstances around it are much different than she hoped or expected, how can she decide what is the best way for her and her people to proceed. Iravan stays behind in the jungle in the home that they built together. He is trying to learn and understand his new life and abilities since reuniting with his counterpart, the falcon. The falcon is unpredictable and full of rage and fury and Iravan must find a way to control him before he can reunite with his people and free other estactics. Iravan finally decides to go home with a plan to move forward and help more people like him however, things do not go as planned as more people are brought into our world and with it more chaos as the world seems to be falling apart all around them. Will Iravan help his people or destroy them and the world?

    Once again the author does a great job building on the world they already built adding new cities and characters that are unique and complex. We witness the inner struggle of both the main characters, struggles that are easy to relate to even though the world they live in is vastly different from our own. Once again there is a lot going on in this book, the level of detail of the world is almost overwhelming. I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first. My biggest issue with the second book is there are too many moments that after the character learns new information they have some huge realization that changes everything for themselves and have a plan to save everyone. In each moment the characters are so convinced that they finally figured everything out and you as a reader feel a part of that experience only to find out they were wrong. It was not having this in the plot that bothered me but instead only that it happened more than once. Overall if you read the first you have to finish the story the author does not disappoint. 

I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons

By- Peter S. Beagle

    I found this book while perusing at my local bookstore, I had an itch to purchase a new book, a common feeling for me. They say to not judge a book by its cover but with one look at the cover and I said its got dragons, and after reading the title I had to laugh. I am a huge fan of dragon books and between the cover and title I had to buy it without ever reading what the book was about and hope to not be disappointed.

    Robert is a dragon exterminator, a profession he inherited from his deceased father. The job is not as prestigious as it sounds, in this world  there are not many large dragons but there are small dragons that infest homes and barns, like rats. His job is considered very low and looked down on by people. Robert is very good at his job however he despises it because he loves dragons and keeps a few as pets in his own home. He has a great relationship with them and is able to talk and communicate with them and they listen to him. The local princess, Cerise, is in the process of being courted by a large company of princes for her hand in marriage. A process that she is becoming very frustrated with, being that none of them stick out as a contender for her hand in marriage. Crown Prince Reginald from a neighboring kingdom is on a quest from his father who is disappointed in what kind of man he is. The prince and his valet, Mortmain, decide to take a break on their quest and find the Princess teaching herself to read in secret by a tree. Cerise immediately falls head over heels for the prince who looks like a perfect prince, and invites him to the castle. Cerise arrives at the castle to tell her parents, the king and queen, that the prince is coming and realizes the condition of their castle. The castle is overrun with dragons in an attempt to impress the prince they hire Robert to help them exterminate the dragons, Robert performs his duty with a heavy heart as he kills thousands. Robert impresses Mortmain and is hired to go on a quest with them that will change everyone's life as well as both kingdoms.

    I enjoyed reading this book, an adult fairy tale that I can share with my own children and not worry about anything being too graphic or adult. There is no bad language or love scenes, it was a very clean story. The story itself in some parts fell in line with popular fairy tales with details that made it unique, such as the dragons being small and infesting like rats. I am not familiar with the work of Petter S. Beagle but after reading his work I plan on checking out other books he has written. I did have one issue with his novel toward the end of the story there are some twists and turns in the story which in most cases make the story better however, there are too many in short time. In real life if you take too many turns you find yourself going in circles and that was the feeling I had when reading toward the end. If I was to change the stories I would keep them in the story but spread them out and put some plot in the story to separate them. Overall I recommend this novel to anyone and may even be a great family read.

    

What Feast at Night

By- T. Kingfisher

  This book is another library find, although I am a Fan of T. Kingfisher books and usually grab any book I find that she has written. I recently looked her up and I was surprised that T Kingfisher is a pen name for her adult books, she also writes children books. If I had to describe her adult books they are dark fairy tales. The cover for this book meets my expectations for her stories with a graphic and haunting looking horse with the skin and flesh peeling off its skeleton. I was a little disappointed after reading this, I discovered it was the second in a series and now I need to find the first book.

    The book starts with Alex and Angus both retired soldiers in the employ of Miss Porter, traveling to Alex's family cabin in the land of Gallacia. Gallacia is described by Alex as less civilized as the modern London, the local people believe in superstitions and have weird customs. Upon arriving at the cabin it appears abandoned and they are unable to locate Corbin who was hired to care for the property in Alex's absence. There is an eerie feeling as they search for him expecting to find his deceased body, as it turns out he became ill and died at his family home. They reach out to the family to find out what the cause was however, they can not get a clear answer they were just told he was sick. Alex hires a local woman and her son to help them get the property cleaned and repaired as well as prepare meals for everyone. Rumors from the local town begin stirring saying that Corbin's death was cause by a moroi, a dark creature in the form of a woman that sucks the breath from your body until you die. Miss porter arrives and is excited to spend time in the area researching and seeking mushrooms all the while enjoying the diverse and rich culture of the area. Things take a turn when the housekeeper's son falls ill and Alex starts to dream of the moroi stealing his breath. Is the creature real or is the power of suggestion causing bad dreams, you will have to read and find out.

    Another fantastic book by T Kingfisher, her short stories always do a great job building a whole world for you to immerse yourself in without having to make the book longer. Her dark fairy tales are unique and entertaining, making me wonder where she gets her inspiration. Are her stories based off real fairy tales or folklore or are they entirely her own creations. I highly recommend all of her books, whether you read a lot or very little, the shorter stories may be good for those that read less.  

Jackpot

     A new release from Amazon, heard my wife chuckling away watching this movie and told me I had to watch it too. Absolutely hilarious movie starring Awkwafina as Katie and John Cena as Noel. Simu Liu is also in the movie playing the Role of Louis with cameos from Sean Williams Scott and Machine Gun Kelly. 

    The movie is based in the future, Katie moves from Michigan to California after the death of her mother who she took care of for years. Katie has come to California to reignite her career of acting, she was a small time child actor, and promised her mother that she would pursue a career in acting after her death. Noel is an ex soldier trying to do penance for his morally questioning time as a solider, he is currently a freelance protection agent. The Californian government has decided to start a mega lotto in which the person that has the winning ticket must survive to sundown, while everyone else that has a losing ticket is trying to kill them. If somebody with a losing ticket manages to kill the person with the winning ticket before sundown they can claim the prize as their own. Katie unknowingly and accidently activates a ticket and after a disastrous audition the lotto draws her name, and everyone around her starts to try to kill her. Noel swoops in to the rescue and offers his services as a protection agent while hilariously beating people up without breaking a sweat. Together they try to survive and make it to sundown with everyone trying to kill her. 

    Great movie with action and comedy mixed together perfectly by John Cena who we expect nothing less from. Awkwafina has an amazing repeat performance in comedy action movie that I think is even better than the movie Ten Rings that was her first performance in the genre. The pair of actors worked great together feeding off each others energy in the action scene as well as the comedy. The movie is a mix of The Purge and The Hangover, hopefully this is not in the future of our country. I highly recommend this to any who like hilarious fight scenes and some vulgar humor, definitely not recommended for children or young teens. 

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

 By- Gabrielle Zevin

    If you are obsessed with books as much as me than you probably read articles about new books or books you should read. On one such occasion I was reading an article about the top one hundred modern novels you must read. I added the book to my to be read list however it stayed there for quite a while nothing about it stood out to me as interesting, but eventually it made its way to my home and in my hands.

    The novel  is about a group of friends Sam, Sadie, and Marx, how they met and became friends, the tragedies of their lives, and how they maintain their relationships with each other. Sam and Sadie meet in a hospital, Sam as a patient and Sadie as a visitor. Sadie was visiting her sister who has cancer and met Sam in a room where he was playing video games. They became friends by simple spending time together and playing video games, their relationship was simple but they both shared and talked to each other. Unfortunately they have a falling out and the next time we see them they go from teens to college students, they reconnect and decide to make a game together. Marx is Sam's college roommate, while Sam and Sadie create their game Marx becomes their helper or producer. Together they create an incredible game and start their own gaming company. Their relationships with each other have their ups and down, their connections and falling outs, but they are true friends to each other. 

    When I started to read this book it instantly got me hooked, I did not want to put it down. It took reading the entire book for me to figure out what the book was about, whether it is a love story, a mystery, action tale, tragedy, or a comedy? It turns out it is a normal story about friendship and hardship, based in my own generation or era. That is what pulled me into the story it is not excitement but the ability to put myself in the story, with the authenticity and relatable references. Everything that happens feels like something that could have or maybe did happen in my own life. This book is great for everyone and I highly recommend it. The author did a fantastic job writing this novel that should be on every millennials to be read list. 

A Family Affair

     A new hilarious movie released on Netflix, with a trio of amazing actors and actresses. A romantic comedy that my wife and I decided to watch together, it did take several sessions to finish the movie with our busy lives. Zach Efron plays a self centered actor named Chris Cole who stars in a series of films as an action movie star. He has an assistant Zara, played by Joey King, who is equally self centered. Her mother Brooke Harwood is played by the iconic Nicole Kidman. 

    Chris Cole is working on his latest film an action film based in the north pole, however there are issues with the script. The film starts showing the abusive relationship between Chris and his assistant, Zara. Abusive not verbally or physically but with crazy demands and boundary crossing in his personal relationships with women that he discards regularly. Zara is ambitious and aspires to push her career to the next level but she needs Chris to open doors for her, therefore she puts up with his ridiculous demands and expectations. After a falling out between Chris and Zara, Chris goes to Zara's house where she lives with her mom. Brooke and Chris sit and talk while drinking tequila and enjoy talking to each other. They decided to go on a date together and one thing leads to another and they pursue a relationship with each other. Zara catches them in the act and is extremally upset that her boss is sleeping with her mother and visa versa. Things get messy between Zara and her mother as well as Zara and Chris, she does not approve of this relationship whether it be a fling or maybe something more. 

    Absolutely loved this movie, it was a light hearted romantic comedy that I could watch with my wife. These actors did a great job, showing their talent and ability to entertain us. A complicated love story that had you agreeing with Zara one moment and the next rooting for the improbable relationship between Chris and Brooke. Recommend you to watch this movie with a friend or loved one

The Echo of Old Books

 By- Barbara Davis

    I found this book while scrolling through the Goodreads app, it took a while for my local library to get it but once it came in I added it to my list of books to read. I love novels about books and book store owners.

    Ashlyn Greer is a book store and bindery owner, not a chain store but a local store with used books. Ashlyn has had a tragic childhood her mom died when she was young, after refusing treatment of her cancer diagnosis. Shortly after her mothers death, her father took his own life in their attic. She was raised by family however, her favorite place to be was a local bookstore and the owner was a surrogate father. The owner had no children or family so after his death he left the store to Ashlyn. Ashlyn has a rare gift that she can sense the echo of previous owners of books. She can feel the feelings of the previous owner whether it be joy, betrayal, or depression. Out of fear of judgment, she keeps this gift to herself only sharing with her surrogate father.  Ashlyn was invited to sort through the effects of a local man that died. While going through the belongings she found a book with no author named or publication page. She felt strong feelings from the previous owner and she suspects it was the author, himself. Faced with a mystery she is compelled to find out more, she tracked down who donated it. Ethan was the son of the deceased man who owned the book, however the story was not about him. Together they find another book that was written by the lover of the first book. This pair of books are the same story written in the perspective of the authors. A love story that is inevitably leading to a bad ending that is based in the 1940's before the second World War. Ethan and Ashlyn read through the stories and track down the real people from the story all the while having complicated feelings for each other.

    The book was well written by the author and in a unique format. A love story and mystery written within a love story, filled with tragedy and betrayal. Your find yourself feeling just as the characters in the story knowing the story will end badly but you still want to know what happens and hope it turns out better. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good love story and mystery. I especially recommend this to book lovers that enjoy stories about books.