The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

The Tao of Poohby: Benjamin Hoff

Review:

Hoff tries to introduce key concepts of the Taoist philosophy/religion in this short book by using selected stories from the Winnie The Pooh book series. I say tries because some of it is comes off rather hard to understand and grasp because they are not explained in terms that most people would clearly understand because the elements of incorporation with Winnie the Pooh almost makes the concepts more of a challenge to fully grasp as a reader or non-follower of the religion. While I am saying it is a rather hard book to follow for us not in the know it is also an easy book to read in short spurts and get through regardless of how you are feeling about it. This makes it a book I would recommend for others to read that are interested in another way of looking at live, but I would recommend that you also check out other books on the subject matter to fully understand what Hoff is trying to explain. I decided that this may be the only book that I end up re-reviewing at a later date after I have read some other books on the subject matter because I believe that I may rate this higher upon a second reading where I understand the concepts more fully.

I would recommend this to people that enjoy authors that take creative chances in their writing, since Hoff does take a huge one in utilizing a childrens book series to explain rather complex ideologies. It would also be recommend to those that are interested in studying religious principles that steer away from the typical way of thinking in American society.

Until next time... stay OPTIMISTIC!!!!

DC Entertainment Essential Graphic Novels and Chronology 2014 (Comic Book Read)

DC Entertainment Essential Graphic Novels 

and Chronology 2014

Review:

I have always preferred the DC Comics library over the Marvel library because I am more engaged with the characters that DC owns. Now being a fan boy and all that business is why I have to rate this particular collection of the chronology of the DC Essential reads pretty low. This collected work of their trades showcases an ongoing issue that I have with DC as a publisher. I agreed with their stance on the 25 essential graphic novels that should be read from their choices. That didn't bother me in the slightest, but it does bother me when you get into the section with each individual character. The "Batman" (21 titles) and "Superman" (20 titles) sections that are published and recommended are enormous in nature when compared to other characters. Their sections are much shorter. The most startling, but maybe it shouldn't have been based on the fact they won't even give her a movie, is that Wonder Woman included exactly 6 titles. This low number was similar for most of the other sections, except for Green Lantern which clocked in at around 16 titles.

Now I understand that was only a particular section of the most important books to read for the characters right now, but it was not alleviated in the slightest by the DC Comics Reading Order section either! In the DC Comics Read Order section for Batman there was an inclusion of 107 titles and for Superman 76 titles. Wonder Woman included exactly 10 titles. The Flash included 18 titles just to give some perspective on that I am not just harping on a character that I am a fan of. Another important example in my mind is that "Teen Titans" included only 8 suggested titles from their library to read.

Now I can grasp that "Superman" and "Batman" put more bread and butter on the DC Comics table, but when it is a challenge to read collected works of characters outside of these two characters it can start to explain the issue that DC has with creating key characters others are invested in. You have to have actual works with them in it in order to gain new followers. Also you have to make your characters that are not the big two stand out more as important. Maybe not putting Batman and Superman right after each other so that readers can stop reading after they get through their sections would be beneficial. Sandwich characters you want to be seen in between because at least then you know that the person had to turn the pages to get to their section meaning they may have seen something from another less popular character in the meantime. Something may catch out of the corner of the readers eye and suddenly they may become invested in a character they were not originally intending to read from. DC you need to get creative on how to showcase these other characters if you want to build a stronger house because right now this collection showcased how easily it could all tumble without putting out more trades for lesser known characters and keeping some of them in PRINT!

Until next time... stay OPTIMISTIC!!!!

The Thief of Always by Clive Barker

The Thief of Alwaysby: Clive Barker

Amazon|HPB|B&N

“Evil, however powerful it seemed,could be undone by its own appetite”

Review:

A friend of mine has been trying to get me to branch out from my normal reading habits, since they are primarily sappy or murder mysteries. I tend to only currently read one of the two, so he recommended this book and upon my sighing of approval he loaned me a copy of the book. While I went into the book rather reluctantly I have to say that I found it to be a truly entertaining and subtly creepy read.

I respect and admire an author that does not resort to blatant gore and blood in a horror story, which this book definitely is. Barker appears to recognize that there is horror in some of the most mundane things as well as some of the truly horrific and he mixes both elements together in a way that leaves neither feeling that they overpower the other. This mixture of true horror with more subtle horror provides a backbone for a story that is about a young boy named Harvey that is taken to a place called Holiday House. While at Holiday House Harvey gets to live out every child's fantasy of receiving toys and playing with friends that were already at the house. While this sounds great and wonderful Harvey eventually recognizes that he is a prisoner! From there Harvey must learn how to escape from what he has quickly realized is not a dream come true.

I was rather enthralled with this story because so much of it was seamlessly woven together. We were introduced early on to some of the subplots of the story-line and where they go one would not have instantly recognized or came to the conclusions that are drawn. The little surprises that Barker is able to give his readers upon approaching the climax is what makes this book one of my favorites. If you can be surprised in a book that is epic since many have become fairly predictable in nature.

I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a book that is horrific but in a way that is more skin-crawling than truly gory and gross. It would also make an excellent approachable horror story for a young adult that would like to break into this genre of storytelling. It showcases excellently what one can do in this particular genre without having to go to the places that many popular horror movies have decided to go. Lastly, this would be a great read for those fans of Barker's Hellraiser series or other movies that he has participated in making. This is on that same caliber of greatness and will leave you thinking about the evils of the world days after finishing it.

Until next time... stay OPTIMISTIC!!!!

Countdown by Greg Cox

Countdownby:Greg Cox

Amazon|HPB|B&N

Review:

For anyone that knows me they know that my favorite comic book character ever in the history of all comic book characters is DONNA TROY! The original and only Wonder Girl for me. The comic book series "Countdown" heavily featured her as a starring character, so you can just naturally assume that I read the crap out of that series. I discovered many moons later that they had also released a novelization based on the comic book series, so again you can just naturally assume that I wanted to read the crap out of it. I finally got around to it!

One of the largest issues with the weekly series that this is based on is that it felt like a bit of a discombobulated mess that the writers threw together. It feels like they were told "these are the characters you have to work with. Have fun doing whatever the heck it is you do with them for this series." The reason that I state this is because it does not feel like there was any real "point" to the overall story arcs contained within, especially when given in a context of what directly spun out from this series is Final Crisis. Final Crisis had no connection to anything that happened here. As a result of the mess I did not have a lot of hope for enjoying this book. I felt that it was an obvious one faerie point review, but it gained two stars which is a feat unto itself with such a hateful heart that I had for this series. Yes, I Mr. Optimistic had a hateful heart! Oh how I loathe this series and everything to do with it.

The book, and I think largely thanks to the writing of Mr. Cox, made the mess somewhat more manageable. All of the elements of the mess were still there but they made a lot more sense in his world because he described out the original intentions in a manner that was not available in a single panel of the ongoing series. One was unable to assume certain things, such as Donna, Jason, and Solomon being "The Challengers of the Unknown". Here though he just puts it right out there and calls them this throughout the entire book. It helped to make it feel like they had a larger point in the overall context of the series instead of just being thrown together for the sake of sells. Also Cox helped to make the pieces of the Amazons and Mary Marvel storyline fit better into the overall arch of "Countdown" as well. I believe that the Mary Marvel scenes were easier to swallow because we had access to her thoughts in a way that was not as easily accessible in the original. These little tidbits to how she was feeling helped me to understand that while she had become a spoiled brat that there was a hurt little girl inside of the shell as well. It made it an easier pill to swallow to see one of the nicest characters in DC history to become a bad-ass villain! I wish they had done this in the comic because I would have enjoyed it!

I would recommend this series to those that want to have a better understanding of what DC was trying to do with the original comic book series. I would also recommend it to those that enjoy reading comic book relate novelizations. The story does have a beginning, middle, and end so even though it leads into the "Final Crisis" series one that just simply want to read a comic book novelization would also be able to enjoy this as a singular book instead of having to go out and purchase the next novelization as well. I also recommend this to anyone that has had the pleasure of reading Greg Cox's other books in the series, such as "Infinite Crisis" or "52". The nice thing is you do not have to read these other two books to enjoy this book. I will always love my Donna Troy, but the original source material for this had to be hard for Cox to pull from and I am sure he counted down all the hairs he lost in the process. (Yeah, so a comedian I am not)

Until next time... stay OPTIMISTIC!!!!

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolfe

Mrs. Dallowayby: Virginia Woolfe

Amazon|HPB|B&N

Review:

My philosophy has always been to try to find the good in a book, even when you feel that there is none or that the book is an utter piece of garbage. Usually when I think of an utter piece of garbage I think of the trash that I enjoy reading that most other people would not have any inkling of loving in any respect, such as many of my murder mysteries. I recognize my love for a trash novel or not a well-written novel, so I try to be less harsh when I finally get around to reading a classic work because I am aware that I am probably not the intended audience. That was hard to do with Mrs. Dalloway for me though as it was a book that I was looking forward to finally reading after all these years (The Hours by Michael Cunningham had lead me to believe I would devour this book in one sitting and feel the heavens open to me). Unfortunately the heavens did not open to me while I nearly pulled out my hair as I read this novel.

The reasons that I did not enjoy this book probably are some of the very reasons that others have fallen in love with this book over the years. There, in my opinion, is little to no ongoing plot besides that there is going to be a party and that lives of several people have intersected together over the years. It showcases wonderfully that people often are not true to their own inner selves instead fabricating parts of themselves for general societal consumption. In other stories I have enjoyed this basic telling of the human condition, but this was when it was underscored with an overall plot that felt was driving at some larger point. "Mrs. Dalloway" does not have a plot that drives it forward instead it feels like several vignettes of characters lives forced together to try to create a full-length work. It was not enjoyable for me to read as a result.

The other issue that I had was that there were no characters that one could root for in the entire series of presented personalities because each of them were so flawed. As I previously stated each seemed to be unable to stay true to their own real feelings of who they were. This made it hard to latch onto a character that one could feel for. The nearest that one could feel attached to is the war veteran and even that character you feel like he is forcing himself to be at a loss for enjoyment in life. It feels like each character "dug their own grave" to be a bit cliched. The characters though have a strong sense of the time that the novel was written, which was apparent in the main character being highly concerned with her societal party that was being thrown at her manor and also in the context of the christian female character being overly pious. Knowing that the characters served a point in the original context helps to make the book move along, but it is a small favor in a book where a bigger favor was needed from the writer to enjoy her work.

I would recommend this book to those individuals that are English majors at a university because they would be examining it from a standpoint of the time period. Also individuals that enjoy slow stories involving tidbits of people's lives would find this one to be right up their alley. They can see how each character's world has come to pass because Woolfe describes it eloquently. Woolfe is a great writer, but this particular work was lacking for me in the grand scheme of what I wanted in a novel. I will have to give her other works a chance to see how I interact with them. I will give her another chance because there is no way that I am afraid of Virginia Woolfe. ;-)

Until next time... stay OPTIMISTIC!!!!

Legends of Red Sonja (Comic Book Read)

Legends of Red Sonja(Collected Edition)Collects issues 1-5 of Legends of Red Sonja mini-seriesWritten by Various (Gail Simone, Marjorie M. Liu, Mercedes Lackey, and more)Art by Various (Jack Jadson, Cassandra James, Doug Holgate, and more)Netgalley Review

Available for Purchase on September 9, 2014Pre-Order: Amazon|B&N
Review:
This collected edition of the "Legends of Red Sonja" mini-series is a great place for a newbie, like myself, to jump into when they are unaware of who the character of Red Sonja is. It provides that needed jumping on point without needing to figure out what all the previous stories have been related to her, which can be a common flaw with many comic book characters even after some of the big houses have rebooted their characters. Red Sonja is presented here as a female bad-ass with ties to being a warrior and a thief, which helps us to respect that she is a strong female character with a lot of potential.

In this mini-series the focus is on one linchpin story that is interwoven with other side characters telling stories of their interactions with the main title character. They are telling these tales to a group that are hunting down Red Sonja because she has killed their prince for believing that she was his property. To understand the rest of this series you do not need to know much outside of that basic premise to enjoy it. The stories are seamlessly woven in and are not jarring, which because the linchpin story is written by one writer (Gail Simone) and the others are written by various other female writers (for example Mercedes Lackey) could have easily taken place.

The art for the most part is seamless. It isn't until much later into the collection that any issues with art came to the forefront. This was in the singular story of when Red Sonja received her armour. The style shift at this point was drastic, but considering that this is one story in a 150+ page collection it is a minor error on the original editors part. It is easily forgiven as the overall art is done in a stylistic fashion that befits each singular story and does not take away from the overall works as a singular unit. It is apparent that attention to how this would be collected was carefully considered, which as a fan of reading books in their collected form I greatly appreciate.

Another fine point of this collected edition is that there are two bonuses contained within it. The first bonus is a script of the number one issue of the series. It contains several notes to the artists and other several key aspects to the writing of a famous comic book writer (Gail Simone), which will be fascinating to see for those that are fans of this particular writer. The other bonus added within is some of the concept art for various characters that will be seen throughout the series. For those that are not familiar with this it is often in a comic book series that a writer and an artist will work together to make sure that their ideas for what a character will look like during the run that they work together. This often is done in the form of drawings, which is what is contained here in the concept art bonus section.

I would recommend this collected edition to those people looking for strongly written female comic book characters outside of the two big comic book companies. It also is a great collection for those that enjoy stories of how history is passed down in a world, since the entire series is about people sharing their experiences with her. Some of the stories are true and some are not. Some are mixed in with their own subtle flavors to make them better while others are direct and to the point. It makes it easily enjoyable for those that enjoy stories of myth-making and as the title states "legends".

Until next time... stay OPTIMISTIC!!!!

Returning Soon!!!

You may have noticed that there have been some minor changes to the blog along the side, which is your first indication that I am finally working on regularly reviewing again. I am pleased to announce that:Returns onAugust 4, 2014with new posts WEEKLY!!!

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

The Virgin Suicides

by 

Jeffrey Eugenides

“She held herself very straight, like Audrey Hepburn, whom all women idolize and men never think about.” 

For much of this book it felt like we were just muddling through a story that had little to no real plot points. In some lesser books that I have read this would have caused me to end the novel prematurely and think that it was the worst book I have ever read, but for some reason this book enticed me enough to stay. It never really, in my opinion, got a point to it overall. This being said though the book is still a worthwhile read. 

The book heavily showcases what it is like to grow up in a family that is best described as dysfunctional. The seclusion that is placed on these young girls is similar to what numerous parents put their children through when they are severely abused. I was shocked that this aspect did not come up more within the confine of the pages, but it would have detracted from the overall story so I understand the author's choice not to include it as an element. The boys do little to pinpoint that the girls are suffering from a form of abuse either, since they are our primary source of information in this book as the narrator.

One element of this book that went right over my head was the fact that there is supposedly dark humor contained within it, but this element never seemed to present itself to me. The book instead seemed to be about a group of young girls forced to live away from the world and what can happen as a result. There was nothing contained within the pages that made me laugh in any context (dark or not), but this could be due to my previous history studying the field of social work. 

The book was sad and depressing, but sometimes we need a book like this. I appreciated it for what Eugenides was creating here because the overall story has a very "Stand by Me" or also what I like to call the "growing up" type of storyline where a group of kids from a neighborhood have a moment in time or a summer that they always will remember. He weaves this aspect into the story seamlessly even when it is not really about a group of kids like others in this type of genre. He creates an underlying feeling though of this and it creates a masterfully woven tale because of it. 

I did enjoy the book, but I would not place it in my top ten favorite reads ever. I give it a solid three faerie points and would say spend time reading it for yourself. You may get the humor that was allegedly contained within because all people view the world differently.

Until Next Time... Stay OPTIMISTIC!!!

For One More Day by Mitch Albom

If you could have one more day with someone you loved would you take it? What would that day look like? For "Chick" Benetto that wish has been granted with one more day with his mother. The story tells us about how his life went from one of promised grandeur to one of desperation at the end of a neck of a bottle.

Albom creates a story filled with hope even in the darkest of times and how we as humans can return from that darkness to live fulfilled lives. He is one of the masters of this type of uplifting story, another master is Coelho for another example of this particular type of story. Albom creates realistic and believable characters here because he roots them some firmly in reality, while allowing for the mystical elements to shine through as well. He lets the otherworldly elements not be so boldly shockable that they feel organic in the context of the story. He never makes a bigger deal of them than he should, which provides the right touch for such an enjoyable read.

If you have ever felt down and out in your life this is a book that you need to read. There are millions of people similar to "Chick" out there and to have someone tell such a story will help you connect with others that have shared similar experiences. For a brief moment it does help to recognize that we are not the only ones that go through struggles in this life. People can become overwhelmed by their own individual struggles that they feel they are alone, but we are not. There are those of us out there that have struggled and Albom taps into that. So if you are struggling read this and recognize you are not alone, but afterwards take the first steps like "Chick" does to recuperate that lost life you want back. It just takes one single step forward because unlike "Chick" most of us will never get "One More Day" to make the things right, so do what you can today. It is a powerful book with a strong message that will engage a reader that understands it. Share that message with the world.  

 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Morganville Vampires Series Book 1: Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

I haven't been much for Young Adult novels of this particular type for awhile now, but I thought what the heck it has to be better than the other mainstream vampire series that will go unnamed here. I devoured this book in one sitting while I was on the greyhound bus going from Indiana to California (the bus trip was multiple days the book however was finished in one day of that trip).

Caine, whose real name is Roxanne Longstreet Conrad, creates a new world of vampires that is engaging in a way that I haven't seen from the genre in awhile. She makes the vampires in charge of this singular town and creates a mystery as to why others cannot remember aspects of the town upon their exit. This made for a rather fun first read of the multiple book series.

We are introduced to the main characters relatively quickly in the book, which is always nice since sometimes it can feel like an author takes their sweet time to make you aware of the big names. Someone may get introduced in chapter twelve in another series book, but here it is like "these are the big names for at least a few books", which was nice. You could also tell that it was a series because there are several moments where you go "I bet that comes back later". It made it feel like I was part of an ongoing world instead of just reading a one and done novel. Often I don't like feeling like I have to read more books than the one currently in my hands, but here it felt natural and right. I reached the final page of this book WANTING there to be more instead of being thankful I reached the ending and that it was enjoyable. I was saying, "Okay more and what happens to such and such character next..." I don't normally say that. I didn't even say that in the Sookie Stackhouse book that I read.

This was engaging on an important fun level that many books have lost touch with. Often, as readers it appears we want to have really deep meaningful books to read. We want it to be literary masterpieces, but I state right now I find I enjoy the books that are not considered masterpieces so much better because they provide enjoyment over substance. I would rather leave a book feeling that I have went on a journey with characters I like and want to see again than to read a book where I feel like I am dragged through the coals to get to the ending. Glass Houses never felt like I was dragged along, but felt like an enjoyable ride! What if other writers understood that a book should be enjoyable like Caine does? I think we would all have better reading experiences.

All of her characters are richly layered with secrets. You can tell from the first moment any character is introduced that something is not being said about them regardless of their importance in the series. To naturally have that with each character is rare. While this is a multiple book series commitment it is one that I am going to be taking on over the next several months between other reading I am doing as well because I feel that it will be well worth it based on this first book of the series.

 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (KINDLE)

When you recognize that you love a good mystery book it is hard to say that you hate the king of the mystery/detective story, so I won't because this was legitimately an excellent book. It held my interest from the first few pages until the very end, which is rare for a book to do for me. In most instances I find myself not wanting to come back for at least a day and then pushing myself to read the rest of a book, but this one I read every single day since I started it for at least an hour a day.

Doyle came back to Holmes for this great story that infused supernatural and reality together nicely. He made you believe that it was possible the supernatural was occurring, but then revealed all when appropriate. I enjoy a writer that can turn the plot around quickly to reveal the truth of what is happening to characters.

The characters are believable for the time period. The motives are sound and reasonable as well. Some mysteries I have felt that the author is grasping at straws, but here everything adds nicely. It may just be that Doyle has had enough experience filling in every plot hole imaginable that one doesn't feel that he is lacking. He even goes as far to explain how an animal was fed while its master was away. These things showcase a brilliant writer who thinks about the aspects that a reader may notice or question.

This story made me desire to devour more Doyle in the future. I believe that reading some more Sherlock Holmes stories may be in my near future!

 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister

"You know," Marion said, "I met a woman once when I was a teenager. I knew she had gone through a lot, but she was so strong, so compassionate. I asked her how she could be the way she was, and you know what she told me?"

Hadley shook her head

"She said, you can be broken, or broken open. That choice is yours."

- Page 146

For many this would be classified as chick-lit because it involves a story focused primarily on the friendship between a group of women that make a promise to one of the other characters to meet certain tasks that she places before them, due to deciding to go white water rafting after she beats cancer. For me this wasn't chick-lit, but human-lit. It weaved stories of hopes, dreams, loves, and loss all within its mere 260-some pages.

Bauermeister alternates the chapters by being the complete story of one of the women in the group of friends. We are told somewhere within the chapter their task that was presented to them and we discover throughout why this task was such a burden to accomplish for them to that particular date and why Kate, the cancer survivor, has chosen it for them. In some cases it seems rather mundane the tasks given, but when you understand that in life the simple things are sometimes the hardest for us to accomplish it rings so much truer than if they were being told to do bigger tasks. Sometimes with the stories bigger tasks are revealed to the character and it changes their lives. That is why I call this human-lit because it is about how we must take these small moments/small steps sometimes to see what our full potential is. If you never take that first step you never know what you are capable of and sometimes you will falter, but most of the time it results in learning that would never have occurred otherwise.

Bauermeister isn't the next Hemingway by any means, but who needs every single story they read to be a classic, sometimes a lighter story is more desirable. Sometimes a simpler read can touch you in more ways than a classic can ever do. "Joy for Beginners" is that, a simpler read, that will teach you a lesson about life, if you allow it to and do not get caught up on other things, like macho pride for you male readers out there. So nothing technically blows up in this story and there is little to no violence within its pages, but this book is about humanity and the lives that are touched by one singular event. How friendships grow organically and how people can do big things if they just try. Oh we may not be the best all the time, but we humans can do such beautiful and wonderful things! This book reminded me of that!

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

Based on the premise presented in the jacket cover of this book I was looking forward to an atypical story of the rapture and while I got that it was lacking an overall point to the story itself or at least one that felt worth reading. It felt like a disjointed story that was raising towards something that never came.

While characters were well-developed it felt that some were forced into the story in order to add more pages to what could have been a shorter novel, in particular the character of Aimee. As I was reading the parts with Tom were probably the ones I found myself devouring the quickest, until the last few times he appeared which felt organic for the character, but also a bit lackluster in where you wanted the overall story to end up. The rest of the characters meandered around to the point you wondered if they were going to achieve much of anything at all throughout the story. I feel like I understand that Perrotta was not trying to write a "why did the rapture happen" story, but it feels like he was trying to tell a story of people moving on after a great tragedy. I am not sure how successfully he does that here. While all the characters do indeed move on in some context it feels that many of them stay trapped in their old lives in some capacity. I enjoy a book, personally, where characters move forward or learn something over the course of the pages I read and unfortunately it does not feel like they did here.

If I am giving this thus far a negative review why did I give it three stars? It is well-written. Perrotta obviously knows how to craft a story, but knowing how to craft a story does not always make it a success. What this story lacks is a backbone or something to move it forward towards being more than just a group of people that no one cares to read about. Characters do not even intermingle in a meaningful way for the great majority of the book.

I was left with a bad taste in my mouth for huge chunks of the book, wishing that it would all be over soon. When I finally started to like it I neared the climax of the story. As it neared again the story went to a horrible place for me with the plot, characters, and overall theme of the book. I wanted so much to like this book that I randomly picked up in the bookstore on sale, but unfortunately sometimes there is a reason that a book is marked down and this was one of them. I recommend this for people that are okay reading about everyday life and the changes people can go through after a catastrophic event. I will give Perrotta another chance by reading one of his other works, such as Election or Little Children because you should never judge an author by one singular book that you have read by them but multiple works because an author may be trying a new formula or any number of things with a book, so I say if you don't like this one try another maybe one will click with you or even me in this particular case.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

Collins work is heralded as the beginning of the "Detective Mystery Genre" by many critics. This is because it is the first of its kind that involves heavily the uncovering of a great mystery as part of the plot. Here it is the gem called The Moonstone, which the book is obviously named for. The Moonstone is stolen and we are left wondering who in the tale took the precious gem.

We are taken on a journey toward discovering the culprit by various narrators that share their perspective or part of the greater mystery of what occurred. Each narrator has their own individual bias, such as the first narrator that is a servant that wishes to keep the family safe or the second narrator who has a deep seeded religious perspective. This makes each narrator feel somewhat flawed in their telling, but adds the needed human element that a work of fiction needs to keep it above the water of sinking into the ocean of utter crap or implausibility.  

For most of the story it feels like a great Victorian era book, but it is when the added element of the Indian characters are added that this story begins to feel forced or taken off course. It feels that at times that Collins himself was not sure of the direction that he would eventually take in some moments and then forced it to go in a particular direction. Each narrator is strong, but one wishes that the ultimate destiny of the Moonstone will be revealed a lot sooner than it is. There are numerous places that the story drags on and you wonder if you will reach the conclusion. When I personally reached the conclusion I felt that it was rather forced and that there had been no clear indication that it could have been the person it ends up being. I had wished there had been more little hints along the way towards the destination, but Collins didn't write it in this manner. He had us instead jump from person to person only receiving bits of information for way too many pages.

The largest redeeming quality of the work is the fact that we know that this book has had a great place in literary history due to it being one of the first books of its kind. If it wasn't for this simple fact I may have judged this particular book much harsher because it left much to be desired. I did have to  question though if I would have enjoyed it to a different caliber if I had never had previously read a mystery novel, which would have been the context for this book, which is another reason it was judged less harshly then I originally intended it to be. Overall though it left a lot to be desired from this reader and felt my time would have been better spent on a more enjoyable read, such as any other mystery novel like the next Sookie Stackhouse or Stephanie Plum books.

 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion

This is a nonfiction work composed of essays. Each piece has its own individualized theme and some pieces are longer than others. This is great for this particular book because if a particular essay does not speak to you it will be over in mere pages and you will be onto the next one. This makes it a easier read than some other books that you wonder if it will ever be over.

Didion has many themes throughout the book, but many of them focus on places that she has visited or lived in, such as San Francisco, Hawaii, and New York. Never do you feel like she is rubbing these experiences in your face, which could have happened with a less skilled writer. You simply feel like a friend is sharing a story with you over coffee.

If you are unsure of Didion because you are not a fan of nonfiction work I would suggest reading the essays that are contained within entitled "Goodbye to All That" which focuses on her realizing she no longer belonged in New York and the title piece "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" which is about a visit to San Francisco. Both pieces are classic Didion and will showcase her writing style for you.

What can I say about this author that hasn't already been said by more prestigious individuals? Not much. She is a well-respected author for a reason and I say hats off to her for writing about the American experience even if it is told through her lens.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

Simon creates an almost hauntingly accurate portrayal of the history of mental health in America from institutions to self-determination. If you are an individual that is interested in acquiring more knowledge of mental health this is a good book to read because it does not have the bland nature of a non-fiction read.

It is easy to become immersed with the characters and be drawn into their world because Simon creates unique voices for each of the main characters. The story is told from various viewpoints, so you need to be able to keep a few main characters straight as you are reading, but Simon makes each setting unique so you are not questioning who you are with at any one time or where they are at. She knows how to fully put you inside of the scenes that she creates. Also this book would be considered an inspirational book in my opinion on how one should never give up hope, even in the darkest of situations. If you like this type of book then you will love this one!

I cannot recommend this book enough. While it may feel it drags in parts, especially when reading the parts for the character named Homan, when you reach the final page you understand the choices Simon made and  recognize you have been safely guided to the correct destination.

Until next time... Stay OPTIMISTIC!!

Janet Evanovich's "How I Write"

When I read "One for the Money" by Evanovich I have to be honest I was not a huge fan. I could not get behind the story at all, but I decided to give her book on writing a shot cause well she is successful for some reason after all.


She has written numerous novels at this point not only in her successful Stephanie Plum series, but also in the newer side series and also several books in the Metro series. This collection of work made me believe she would have much to say on the process of writing. I was right and she does it well. In this collection of answers from her official website she clearly showcases her process and how it can work for others coming into the field.

The best thing about this particular book is its simplistic nature. I was able to read the entire book in the matter of a couple of hours because she uses an easy-to-read q&a style. This choice makes it more accessible than other more in-depth writing books. It is one I would suggest for a beginner, like myself, that wishes to write. It will help you gain some confidence in yourself and understand that your first step in this process is to start writing!

Evanovich also recommends that you learn the basics of grammar before trying your hand at writing. She, however, clearly feels this can be done from research in books like "The Elements of Style." She speaks on this in her own journey of becoming a writer. She had to do the leg work required to become an author but it obviously is paying off nicely for her. This gem of a book showcases that you can do the same with putting in the energy she has and that nothing comes over night (she had to wait ten years)

Graphic Novel Reviews: Teen Titans Games

Teen Titans Games

"The game is afoot"

Written by Marv Wolfman

Art by George Perez

Published by DC Comics

My love for comic books has waned greatly from the days when I was devouring almost anything published by the big two. I have found myself reading less mainstream graphic novels than before, but when I discovered this book at the library I quickly decided to check it out. I finished this in one sitting because it brought back those childhood memories of what a great superhero comic can be when done properly. It also brought back a team that I have loved since I was a wee lad. This book had been sitting around on the shelves for twenty years, but finally Wolfman and Perez decided to finish it. I am glad they did since it was published only shortly before the New 52 was launched. 

This original graphic novel brings the fan favorite team of Titans together for an adventure against an adversary named "The Game Master". Each character feels like they serve a purpose on this team instead of feeling forced together like some lesser team books. Wolfman knows how to write this grouping perfectly focusing just enough on each character, but also making certain characters feel like they have more of a place in this particular book. Nightwing uses his detective skills masterfully here, which showcases how well Wolfman understands that character and what he should be doing on a team. Starfire is using her sexuality and also being the muscle that is needed. Each individual character serves a function. Why isn't Wolfman writing more team books? Heck if I know, but he is obviously very good at them. (If you can't tell I do not want to give away details of the plot) 

The artwork is done by the awesome George Perez. I can't say one negative thing about this master of comic book art. He knows how to draw and he does it will. He never slacks off either. Some artists get swelled heads and as a result let certain elements of their art go, but in every single panel Perez creates the images exactly as they should be. You never have to question which character is which. You never have to try to look past distorted images of characters faces or bodies. Perez truly seamlessly creates the DC Universe here. It feels like you are watching a television program instead of reading a comic book. 

The last thing I want to say about this volume is that it contains several pages of original script, which adds a certain fun element to this book since it was put on the backburner for so many years. The only thing I disliked as a Donna Troy fan Wolfman states in his synopsis "whatever-her-new-name-is"for her code name. This depressed me to read right now since Donna has still not appeared in the New 52. I hope that this is remedied one day, but if you are trying to get a Donna Troy fix this would be a great volume to read. Be aware though that she is in her Troia outfit. I know some fans do not like that version of her, but I love it. She serves her purpose here and I think Wolfman did her justice overall, even though I get that he doesn't necessarily like her himself. It is great when a writer can still work with a character that they may not like, so thank you Wolfman for creating one last adventure for a character dear to my heart. 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Graphic Novel Reviews: Courtney Crumrin Volume 2: The Coven of Mystics

Courtney Crumrin Volume 2: The Coven of Mystics

(Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley.com)

"Even the teachers have a bit of magic!"

available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, and Half Price Books.

Written and Art by Ted Naifeh

Published by Oni Press

I was drawn to reading this second volume based on my first impressions of the first volume. It deserved a shot at reading the second volume. I was as pleased with this volume as I was the first volume, which you can find my review for that volume at this link. 

This volume steers a little clearer of dealing with Courtney learning magic (the magic is there, but she doesn't seem to be teaching herself it as much) and focuses more on the relationships that she has developed, specifically it deals more heavily with her relationship with her uncle. In this volume it feels important to note that I do not recall seeing her parents on a single page, which adds to the overall story since their appearances kinda slowed down the last volume. Also this volume helps develop Courtney's personality better than the previous volume. We can see that she has a heart deep down instead of appearing emo as she did in volume 1. One of the ways that we see that she has heart is who desperately she wants to save a friend in this volume. This desire to help gives a lift to her as a character. I was pleasantly pleased with what this volume fixed with her. She seemed more like a well-rounded character here than she did. 

The artwork always feels right on the money. The people still are a bit less completed than the backgrounds, which I feel adds to the story because of the dark and grittiness it is trying to achieve. I do have to say though that a lot of the incidental characters in this volume appeared to be more completed though than in the previous volume, which was awesome since some of these characters appear to probably be important in the next several volumes. Courtney appeared to be the one character that never looked completed in this volume, which overall doesn't feel like Naifeh is getting it wrong at this point. In a future volume (after more adventures) I hope she looks more completed because at that point I will probably feel that she should be because she will have done so much more with her life and her magic. 

There is one scene in this book that if you are squeamish you may not want to pick this up, but overall this book felt a little less dark. It felt more like a mystery that you were trying to figure out before the final page and less like you were trying to hide under the blankets. Now do not get me wrong there is still some of that hiding under the blanket feeling that makes the Crumrin books enjoyable as scary stories as well, but it better assimilated into the overall story. If you love comic books/graphic novels this is definitely a series you should give a chance because it is not only an interesting read, but one that adds greatly to the library of wonderfully written comic books currently published. If you only read the big two I would say step out of your comfort zone!! You will not be disappointed.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Graphic Novel Reviews: Play Ball by Nunzio Defilippis & Christina Weird Published by Oni Press

Play Ball 

(advance reader copy from NetGalley.com)

available for purchase from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Half Price Books.

Written by Nunzio Defilippis & Christina Weir

Artist: Jackie Lewis

Published by Oni Press

I am not regularly interested in reading anything related to sports. It is just not my particular cup of tea. I decided to step outside of my comfortable reading box though and give this a chance. I did this primarily because it was about a female trying to get on a sports team. I find it interesting when people work on going outside of what the world deems appropriate for their gender. This book did not disappoint in that sense either.

The story of "Play Ball" is about Dashiell Brody who has just recently moved to a new school. She hears that the school has a baseball team and immediately is interested in trying out for it. The book shows the struggles that she has to overcome in a male-dominated field, even if it is set in a high school. She has to fight stereotypes that women are simply not as able to play baseball because they are weaker. She has to prove herself at every chance, which isn't easy when even your teammates are telling you that you shouldn't be there. It is an uphill battle that she takes on, but I won't spoil how it ends because this isn't one of those happily ever after tales. This story actually had a rather nice ending that fit for the story. I loved that Defilippis and Weir did not just give us a cookie cutter "she did it" ending. Their ending had depth, which made me enjoy the sports story more than I thought I could. 

The artwork by Jackie Lewis was what one would expect from this type of story. It wasn't breathe-taking in the way that some other more prestigious graphic novels are done (think any marvel or dc book), but the style fits perfectly for the world that Dashiell lives in. It lends a softer tone overall to the feeling of the book, which I think is needed due to the discrimination she faces at the beginning of the story. If the artwork had been harsher it would not have worked on any level. Instead we are able to feel secure that things are going to get better because the artwork isn't making us feel dark or mysterious.

The fun of this book is also in the development of the relationships between people. We see Dashiell's family develop over the entire story. Her sister goes from hater to supporter. Her mother deals with a lot because of what appears to be her ex-husband. The background characters do not remain static, but push Dashiell's story forward in ways that added so many needed layers. Those layers make her so approachable because we feel her emotions. Those emotions are universal, so we can relate our own experiences somewhere to hers. Other characters, like some of her teammates, develop in surprising ways. One in particular moves from a deep hatred of Dashiell to something significantly more meaningful. The way these progressions are presented in the writing makes them feel natural and not out of place, which could have been the place in a less writers hand. I would love to pat these two writers on the back for presenting a story for even the non-sports fan enthusiast. 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!!