Book Review: Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1: Power and Responsibility by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1: Power and Responsibility by Brian Michael Bendis is a new way of telling Spiderman’s origin story with a lot of teenage angst. If you know the Spiderman origin you will appreciate the changes, if you don’t know the origin by heart then you might not notice the changes since they are slight. One big change is Uncle Ben stays around longer and you get a feel for Uncle Ben and Aunt May’s relationship. Another change is about Norman Osborn who doesn’t have to figure out who Spiderman’s secret identity is but knows it from the start. In this version seeing how the spider bite has affected Peter Parker inspires him to do what eventually leads him to be the Green Goblin. The Green Goblin is the biggest change so far, where it is not just a man in a mask but a serum that changes Norman Osborn’s physical makeup and turns him into a goblin-like creature. Norman Osborn hates his son Harry Osborn there is no tough love in this version he tries to kill and hates him from the start. This volume is all about Spiderman’s origin and about him choosing to be good instead of not caring. The power and responsibility speech was done well, it is very close to the way it is portrayed in the first Spiderman film with Toby Maguire. The Mary Jane relationship starts from the beginning in this version she is more of a combo of Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy from The Amazing Spiderman comics. Mary Jane is more smart and studious than the party girl actress from The Amazing Spiderman. Flash Thompson is still a jackass but so far he hasn’t developed a love of Spiderman. Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1: Power and Responsibility collected issues 1-7 of Ultimate Spider-Man. Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1: Power and Responsibility was first published on January 1, 2001, by Marvel.

Plot Summary: Peter Parker is bullied badly at school for being smart and a nerd. He goes on a field trip to Osborn labs where he is bitten by an experimental spider that Norman Osborn has been gearing up for human testing but all the animals that are infected have died. Norman Osborn as Peter follows and plans to kill him and make it look like an accident so they don’t look at the bite. When Norman Osborn orders the hit by a hit and run Parker jumps over the car and from then on Osborn follows him for research, and wants to inject himself with the drug. When Osborn injects himself it is pure so the same thing that happens to Peter doesn’t happen Osborn turns into a Goblin. He kills his wife and attempts to kill Harry, his son, and he remembers Peter Parker is Spiderman and wants to fight him.

What I Liked: The teenage angst and bravado were a little much but it felt very real and how a kid that was bullied constantly would react if he got special powers. I like that it also showed his frustration and anger at constantly getting bullied. I liked the Mary Jane and Peter Parker relationship that even if he did not get the powers they could have dated if Peter only had the confidence. I liked the more we got of Uncle Ben and how when he gets robbed he’s making a joke trying to defuse the situation saying, you probably have more money than I do. The Green Goblin and Spiderman fight is pretty intense. I liked that we got cameos from J. Jonah Jamison, Liz Allen, Captain Stacy, and Matt Murdock (Daredevil) gets mentioned.

What I Disliked: I had some issues with the art, I felt the Spiderman body was too thin and lanky, also there is one drawing where Peter is in a cutoff t-shirt and designer underwear, I’m pretty sure Aunt May is not buying him that, and the art made him look too effeminate and have female characteristics it did not fit. I’m pretty sure Peter Parker would be a tighty whitey man.

Recommendation: I had a good time with Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1. It was nice that Peter Parker’s origin had an update. I like where the volume left off where Spiderman is a wanted man by the police. Are Spiderman and the Green Goblin working together? I recommend you check out Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1: Power and Responsibility if you are a fan of Spiderman the character. This is a great intro for the character if you are unsure where to start.

Rating: I rated Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1: Power and Responsibility by Brian Michael Bendis 4.0 stars out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Parasite by Darcy Coates

Parasite by Darcy Coates is a science fiction horror that takes place on different space stations. Each time the reader goes to a different space station the reader and the people aboard the space station know a little bit more about the enemy which is a plant-based lifeform that can borrow the skin and mimic the human they have just killed. This leads to a lot of mistrust and suspicion just amongst regular humans not infected. This novel is intense as each station is a fight for human life thrill ride. The premise reminds me of John Carpenter’s The Thing mixed with Aliens, where the thing is a threat but the biggest threat is paranoia from humans. The novel works as a series of vignettes since each station is its own story but also works as a larger story by way of knowledge. We follow 5 different women on space stations with different job titles one is a captain while another is the lowest person on the space station. The women portrayed all have inner strength even if they don’t realize it. The characters are different and each own individual. The stories are all paced very well, there was only one story that took me a while to get into as the lead character is an asshole (self-admitted) and takes a bit to warm up to but by the end, I was very invested in the story. I will say it was pretty bold of Darcy Coates to tell a completely different story with a whole new set of characters each time, but every time by the end of the story I was invested. The fourth story was my favorite and I could argue that that story should have been last. This is a fun novel that reads very quickly. I would have liked one chapter where all the survivors from the stations meet up and kick some alien butt but Coates stuck to each story being self-contained where no characters from other stories meet. The stories were originally written as short stories and put together as an omnibus. I would like to think Netgalley and Poisoned Press Books for a free copy in exchange for a review. I read this as part of the rerelease. Parasite was first published on August 6, 2016.

Plot Summary: While outside of Space Station 331, a crew member spots something large and black wrapped around the satellite. The crew member attempts to dislodge it but it attacks. The crew member comes back to the airlock without their helmet seeming fine. do they let them in or not? this starts the nightmare of a parasite that can mimic the way we think and talk. how can humans defeat such a thing? As the story unfolds and humans interact with this deadly new species they learn their strengths and weaknesses giving humanity a chance to defeat them.

What I Liked: How intense and sometimes gory the stories got. I love kick-ass women and this book is full of them. I loved the paranoia aspect of the book and how far that went sometimes. I loved when space madness is involved in the story and how chaotic that is mixed with aliens that can mimic people. Story 4 was my absolute favorite it was intense, had many twists and turns, was a love story, was funny, and had the best ending. The first story is short but kind of jarring before you realize the story is completely new. I liked the weakness of the Cymic when not in the human body can not see only hear.

What I Disliked: The survivors never meet up or there is any connection at all. Smart women kept making too dumb of mistakes not thinking of the enemy at all times.

Recommendations: Parasite is a really fun easy read that is intense in all the right places. The book has kick-ass female leads that are all written differently and for the most part, rise to the challenge. Despite the book’s dark subject, it finds ways to inject humor throughout. This is my first Darcy Coates novel and I’m charmed. I recommend you read Parasite.

Rating: I rated Parasite by Darcy Coates 4.1 stars out of 5.

TBR: May 2024

May 2024 TBR list: last month I read five out of six books from my monthly TBR. I added the book that I did not finish last month and 5 more books. I plan on reading 1 extra which will probably be A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles if it becomes available at the library.  I set my reading goal at 75 books for this year and have so far read 24 books. Last month I caught up on Netgalley books some ARC’s (Advanced Readers Copies) and some books I’m behind on.  This month will be a mix of books from the library and some NetGalley advanced reader’s copies.

City of Dreams by Don Winslow is the follow-up to City of Fire about a low-level Irish mobster that gets in over his head as feuding families fight over a girl City of Dreams is book 2 in the Danny Ryan trilogy. Danny Ryan is on the run from cops and the FBI he runs to Hollywood and finds more crooks. The Feds want him to do a favor that could kill or make him a fortune. Danny learns that a movie is being made about his past life and wants some action.

Last House by Jessica Shattuck is a historical fiction that spans 80 years looking at family choices through a new perspective with each generation. I’m excited to read this family saga. Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the free copy in exchange for a review. Last House will be published on May 14, 2024.

Spitting Gold by Carmella Lowkis is a debut historical fiction with some magic. The novel takes place in Paris in 1866 and involves two sisters who are spirit mediums but con women. They are paid to rid a house of a spirit who died in the French Revolution, but what they want is the family’s gold.  The sisters are confronted with a real ghost that they need to send away before it is too late.  Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the free copy in exchange for a review. Spitting Gold is to be published on May 14, 2024.

Goosebumps: Beware, the Snowman by R. L. Stine is Goosebumps book 51 in the original series order. There’s a village of Snowman worshippers I’m in. 

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1: Power and Responsibility by Brian Michael Bendis is a new version of Peter Parker/ Spiderman for a new generation. I’m not going to lie I bought this thinking it was a Miles Morales/Spiderman, but it is not. We get a very teenage Peter Parker with hormones and a lot of angst.

Parasite by Darcy Coates is the book I started but could not finish before the month ended. I like it so far. Parasite is horror/science fiction about an alien that wears its victim’s skin and adopts its personality. I’ve never read a Darcy Coates novel but she has been recommended a few times. This is another book on my Netgalley Backlogs. Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free book.

Wrap Up: April 2024 Book Reviews

Dear Readers, April was a good month for reading. I read almost all the books on my TBR for the month. I read 5 out of 6. I read 2 horror, 1 mystery, 1 dark romance, and 1 historical fiction. I Read 3 books from a book series Goosebumps Calling All Creeps! book 50 in the original series only 12 left in the series, One Good Turn is Jackson Brodie book 2, and Butcher & Blackbird book 1 in the Ruinous Love Trilogy. I read one 5-star book, two 4-star books, and two 2-star books. 

Five Star Reviews:

One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson is a mix of literature and mystery. The story is full of deeply flawed, quirky characters which are very memorable. The writing is very good in this atypical mystery. The mystery is a slow burn, as it takes a while for you, the reader, to know what the mystery is all about. This story revolves around 7 characters who we all get perspectives from. This can sometimes be too much as I prefer 3 to 4 perspectives, but Kate Atkinson is such a good character writer that I was never confused with whose perspective was in charge. As the story unfolds those 7 characters will be connected through happenstance and murder plots. The story reminded me a lot of Fargo the TV series since all the characters are so quirky and could each lead their own story. One Good Turn is book two in the Jackson Brodie series. The first book is the excellent Case Histories, where the character of Jackson Brodie is introduced

Four Star Reviews:

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is a dark romance involving two serial killers who hunt other serial killers. The Butcher and Blackbird is the first book in The Ruinous Love trilogy. This is the first dark romance book and it was a bit eye-opening. I was expecting a little more sex, but when it does happen it is long and intense. It takes over half the book for the characters to have sex, which felt a little long. When the sex occurs it is fierce, dirty, and degrading. There was some kinky stuff some stuff I felt like need some consent first or a conversation about what you’re into before anal and snowballing. This book is about two psychopaths so maybe no consent is needed. I did find it funny that both characters admitted to not having sex in three years, yet one of them carried lube for anal, oh yeah they’re crazy. This book knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to be anything more which I found refreshing. The story doesn’t go too heavy into the trauma of what made them monsters or the people they hunt, but it gives the reader enough to go on. The pacing is a little slow at the beginning but when the sex starts happening the pages start to fly. 

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles is a historical fiction that takes place in New York City between 1937 and 1938. The Great Depression was still plaguing America, as World War II was on the horizon, and people were defined by their class system. The Rules of Civility is about a group of characters who will not be defined by society’s class structure and try to change their station in it. Some characters hate where they are in society and openly mock the class that they are in, whereas other characters will fake it until they make it. The underlying theme of the book is everyone is a whore for somebody, the only way to get ahead is to prostitute oneself through money, influence, and jobs. Some of the characters do not realize that are controlled by someone else until the end. It’s powerful and still very relevant in today’s society by this phase: it is not what you know, but who you know. I love that the title is based off of George Washington’s writing a long set of rules called the Rules of Civility. The Rules of Civility are a set of rules for how one must subject one’s self in society, there are 110 rules that one character lives by and thankfully at the end of the book Amor Towles posts them all. The pacing moves along a little bit slowly but the history, the characters, and the conversations are all interesting. There are a couple of turns the book takes that I was not expecting. I did struggle for moments asking myself what the point of it was, but in the end, the book makes a strong statement on society and manipulation.

Two Star Reviews:

The Ghost That Ate Us by Daniel Kraus is a fictional nonfiction horror novel. The book is set up to look like it is nonfiction even though it is fiction. The poltergeist haunts a fast food staff which at first is cute and innocent, soon turns deadly. This book was not what I was expecting, with the premise of a ghost at a fast food restaurant I expected a lot more humor (there is a tiny bit), but what we get is a depressing novel that is a slow-burn horror novel. The horror in the novel is almost all at the end, and it gets pretty intense but you have to get through a lot of depressed teenagers. The book was interesting in the way it was written where we are told what happens to the restaurant and some of the kids, then we get interviews with the survivors who fill in part of the story and the narrator watches security tapes that add to the story. Daniel Kraus gets to be a horror novelist who is interested in the case and involves himself in the story, which was interesting as one character reads his books and keeps asking him questions about them. The pace is very slow in this story it picks up at 75% and moves pretty fast after that. The climax is exciting and the epilogue is well written.

Calling All Creeps! By R.L. Stine is Goosebumps book 50 in the original series order. Calling All Creeps! could be titled How I Accidentally Started a Cult. This book is one of the least scariest Goosebumps that I have read, but the book is suspenseful. There’s a plot about food poisoning, (not to kill, but something else) will the main character do it or not? The story moves pretty slowly and there is a lot of repetition. You feel bad for the character of Ricky who is picked on for no reason, even kids that just started at the school start pranking him. I do feel like Rick’s anger is misplaced to the school editor than every other kid. This is the first Goosebumps book that acknowledges an attraction, most of the time it is best friends who don’t see each other that way, but this book has a friendship with potential. 

Book Review: Calling All Creeps! By R.L. Stine

Calling All Creeps! By R.L. Stine is Goosebumps book 50 in the original series order. Calling All Creeps! could be titled How I Accidentally Started a Cult. This book is one of the least scariest Goosebumps that I have read, but the book is suspenseful. There’s a plot about food poisoning, (not to kill, but something else) will the main character do it or not? The story moves pretty slowly and there is a lot of repetition. You feel bad for the character of Ricky who is picked on for no reason, even kids that just started at the school start pranking him. I do feel like Rick’s anger is misplaced to the school editor than every other kid. This is the first Goosebumps book that acknowledges an attraction, most of the time it is best friends who don’t see each other that way, but this book has a friendship with potential. The Creeps in the story were too predictable and I didn’t like them. The ending was okay as Ricky who has been picked on his whole life, has an opportunity to lead a cult or destroy humankind. Spoiler alert he chooses to lead a cult. Calling All Creeps! was published on December 1, 1996.

Plot Summary: Ricky has been bullied his whole life it seems even kids that just started at school this year start bullying Ricky. Ricky works on the school’s newspaper after class for credit, he wants to be a good reporter but the editor won’t let him be published. He waits for an assignment and kids who bully him end up getting soda all over the computer the newspaper editor was working on erasing the layout. Ricky is kicked off the paper even though it was not his fault. He plots revenge on the editor breaks into the school changes the front page of the newspaper to an ad with the editor’s name and phone number and asks for creeps to call after midnight. Ricky is almost busted by the editor but escapes. The next day Iris, the new girl, that Ricky likes says did you see the paper but it was all gone before he saw it. At midnight he learns that the editor switched it to his number as the creepy Creeps start calling awaiting orders. The Creeps start calling the commander and want to change all the humans to Creeps, which are scaly lizard creatures. Because of this mistake, the Creeps think Ricky is their commander and the destroyer of humankind.

What I Liked: The mistaken identity plot is pretty funny. I liked that not eating the macaroni and cheese in the school cafeteria worked out. The turn at the end when Ricky is trying to save kids but keeps getting mocked, and he chooses to rule them rather than save them.

What I Disliked: The repetitive nature of bullying there are no clever kids that mix up his nicknames. I did not like who the creeps were, I did not like they had only been at school a week. The pacing of the book was too slow. I felt Ricky’s misplaced anger in the editor was just wrong. I thought Ricky was pretty annoying and did not do any favors for himself.

Recommendation: Calling All Creeps! is a Goosebumps book that I can not recommend. The ending is the only thing that makes the book stand out. The Creep’s phone calls are the only thing that are unnerving the appearance is not that scary the way it is described. I compare this book to Legend of the Lost Legend and the only thing good about the book is the ending.

Rating: I rated Calling All Creeps! 2.1 stars out of 5.

Ranking: Here’s my full ranking of the 50 Goosebumps books that I have read in order from my favorite to least favorite: 1) A Night in Terror Tower, 2) Stay Out of the Basement, 3) The Headless Ghost, 4) Ghost Beach, 5) Piano Lessons Can Be Murder, 6) The Haunted Mask, 7) Ghost Camp, 8) The Horror at Camp Jellyjam, 9) One Day At Horrorland, 10) Night of the Living Dummy, 11) Welcome to Camp Nightmare, 12) A Shocker on Shock Street, 13)The Phantom of the Auditorium, 14) It Came From Beneath the Sink, 15)Attack of the Jack-O’-Lanterns, 16)The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, 17) Say Cheese and Die, 18) Let’s Get Invisible, 19) The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight, 20) Welcome to Dead House, 21) Monster Blood II, 22) The Beast From the East, 23) The Girl who Cried Monster, 24)Deep Trouble, 25) The Ghost Next Door, 26) Say Cheese and Die – Again! 27) Night of the Living Dummy 2, 28) My Hairiest Adventure, 29) Be Careful What You Wish For…, 30) Return of the Mummy, 31) Why I’m Afraid of Bees, 32) The Haunted Mask II, 33)How I Got My Shrunken Head, 34) How to Kill a Monster, 35) Attack of the Mutant, 36) Go Eat Worms!, 37) Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes, 38) The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, 39) Bad Hare Day, 40) Cuckoo Clock of Doom, 41) Vampire Breath, 42) Monster Blood, 43)Night of the Living Dummy III, 44) The Barking Ghost, 45) Egg Monsters from Mars, 46) The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena, 47) You Can’t Scare Me!, 48) Legend of the Lost Legend, 49) Calling All Creeps! and 50) Monster Blood III.

Book Review: The Ghost That Ate Us by Daniel Kraus

The Ghost That Ate Us by Daniel Kraus is a fictional nonfiction horror novel. The book is set up to look like it is nonfiction even though it is fiction. The poltergeist haunts a fast food staff which at first is cute and innocent, soon turns deadly. This book was not what I was expecting, with the premise of a ghost at a fast food restaurant I expected a lot more humor (there is a tiny bit), but what we get is a depressing novel that is a slow-burn horror novel. The horror in the novel is almost all at the end, and it gets pretty intense but you have to get through a lot of depressed teenagers. The book was interesting in the way it was written where we are told what happens to the restaurant and some of the kids, then we get interviews with the survivors who fill in part of the story and the narrator watches security tapes that add to the story. Daniel Kraus gets to be a horror novelist who is interested in the case and involves himself in the story, which was interesting as one character reads his books and keeps asking him questions about them. The pace is very slow in this story it picks up at 75% and moves pretty fast after that. The climax is exciting and the epilogue is well written. This is the second Daniel Kraus novel I read and loved his work on The Living Dead which he co-wrote with George A. Romero. He also wrote the screenplay for one of my favorite movies The Shape of Water. I received The Ghost That Ate Us from Netgalley and Raw Dog Screaming Press for free in exchange for a review. The Ghost That Ate Us was published on July 12, 2022.

Plot Summary: A murder happens at Burger City location #8 in Iowa that affects everyone who works there as it sets off a paranormal event. The location is haunted by a poltergeist who is cute and meme-able as it makes the mascot move around, but then the spirit turns vengeful and starts to kill. Some employees laugh it off but others become obsessed. The restaurant soon becomes popular as a ghost hangout and draws attention from a ghost hunter show called Spectral Journeys. Will the kids that work there remember high school or the time a ghost haunted their fast-food restaurant?

What I Liked: The final chapter that Daniel Kraus wraps up the with story is great writing, which I wished was more present throughout. The final chapter is the only one that I truly loved. A funny bit is if you see a ghost while you a masturbating in the bathroom do you take a picture? In this book, the answer is yes. The climax was wild cause you kind of forget who dies and who survives even though it was stated at the beginning. I liked Spectral Journeys’ scene where you see how produced it is, and they have an agenda going in for the kind of story that they want to tell. How COVID was added to the story really timestamps it.

What I Disliked: Don’t these kids have any fun, a lot of the teenagers were so depressed it is okay to have some but not so many. The pacing for this book is awful, I don’t like to not finish books but I considered it. I wanted a lot more humor. A ghost at a fast food restaurant is funny but the book leans away from it.

Recommendations: It pains me to say that I do not recommend The Ghost That Ate Us since I have loved Daniel Kraus in the past. The ending is great but all other chapters are slow-paced. Only a few of the characters are interesting and Kit is a standout character and the only one. The story did remind me of an episode in Buffy: the Vampire Slayer where she gets a job working fast food and it is super depressing, I do not like that episode and it reminded me of this. Daniel Kraus is a good writer even though this book was a miss for me. The Living Dead by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus is one of my favorites and is a highly recommended 5-star book.

Rating: I rated The Ghost That Ate Us by Daniel Kraus 2.3 stars.

Book Review: One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson is a mix of literature and mystery. The story is full of deeply flawed, quirky characters which are very memorable. The writing is very good in this atypical mystery. The mystery is a slow burn, as it takes a while for you, the reader, to know what the mystery is all about. This story revolves around 7 characters who we all get perspectives from. This can sometimes be too much as I prefer 3 to 4 perspectives, but Kate Atkinson is such a good character writer that I was never confused with whose perspective was in charge. As the story unfolds those 7 characters will be connected through happenstance and murder plots. The story reminded me a lot of Fargo the TV series since all the characters are so quirky and could each lead their own story. One Good Turn is book two in the Jackson Brodie series. The first book is the excellent Case Histories, where the character of Jackson Brodie is introduced. One Good Turn does not require you to read Case Histories as the book does a good job of telling you what happened to Jackson Brodie in the first book. Jackson Brodie the character is so interesting as he does not want to be a detective anymore but keeps getting drawn in. One Good Turn was published on August 1, 2006.

Plot Summary: In Edinburgh, Scotland a light fender bender provokes an act of violence with a baseball bat. Was it road rage gone wrong or something more planned? A quiet small writer intervenes which is very out of character and saves the beaten man. Jackson Brodie, a now-retired detective from England, is on vacation with his girlfriend who is in a play up the street from the car accident and is just strolling by when the writer intervenes. Brodie consoles the writer and watches the suspect flee he disappears before the police arrive but makes an impression on the mystery writer he consoled. Gloria watches the accident from her window and is greeted by the police after but they are not here for the accident. Her husband is in a coma and found unresponsive with his mistress. The book starts with an accident but nothing in this book is an accident as all the characters are linked and on someone’s hit list.

What I Liked: The characters in this book are so well-rounded we know their past, their dreams, and what they are trying to change about themselves. The story is a great ensemble of characters in this Jackson Brodie series but he doesn’t have more pages than anybody else I would say Martin the writer is in the book more. I liked the balance of characters and how long the reader stays with them. The pace is pretty even if we learn more about the characters than is necessary but it is so interesting. The flashbacks reminded me of Stephen King’s writing where he dives deeper into the character than necessary but it is interesting. The ending of this book is great where most of the characters are all coming together and the action is surprising and great.

What I Disliked: After that great ending that I loved the wrap-up of all the characters is too slow. I was very satisfied with the ending but then there were forty pages after that. Only about 25% was great and gave insight into the mystery but the rest was just too much. Going into the ending the book was a 4.7star review but I don’t know if it will survive to get rounded up 5.

Recommendation: Kate Atkinson has written my favorite book of all time Life After Life, but since that, I have read 4 of her novels. where they have for the most part been good, they have not been great. One Good Turn is great and the writing and character development are so good. I don’t think everyone will like it because it is not your typical mystery it is more literature that takes place in a mystery. If you are a reader who likes a challenging at times story then this is the book for you.

Rating: I rated One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Ranking: I have read 4 Kate Atkinson books this is my ranking from best to worst: 1) Life After Life, 2) One Good Turn, 3) Case Histories, and 4) Shrines of Gaiety.

Book Review: Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is a dark romance involving two serial killers who hunt other serial killers. The Butcher and Blackbird is the first book in The Ruinous Love trilogy. This is the first dark romance book and it was a bit eye-opening. I was expecting a little more sex, but when it does happen it is long and intense. It takes over half the book for the characters to have sex, which felt a little long. When the sex occurs it is fierce, dirty, and degrading. There was some kinky stuff some stuff I felt like need some consent first or a conversation about what you’re into before anal and snowballing. This book is about two psychopaths so maybe no consent is needed. I did find it funny that both characters admitted to not having sex in three years, yet one of them carried lube for anal, oh yeah they’re crazy. This book knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to be anything more which I found refreshing. the trigger warnings are on the first page of the book and the author has a note on the second page that reads, “For those of you who read the trigger warnings and said, “accidental cannibalism?! Count me in! this one’s for you. The book already started very tongue-in-cheek with humor. The story doesn’t go too heavy into the trauma of what made them monsters or the people they hunt, but it gives the reader enough to go on. The pacing is a little slow at the beginning but when the sex starts happening the pages start to fly. The book ends where it hints at what is to come. Do not skip the bonus chapter to see where the next book Leather and Lark is headed and who the villain will be. Butcher & Blackbird was published on December 12, 2023, by Slowburn.

Plot Summary: Sloane also known as the Orb Weaver as she plucks her victim’s eyes out, runs into Rowan also known as the Butcher. Sloane kills the target that Rowan was after as they both hunt serial killers but Sloane ends up trapping herself as Rowan saves her. They are both infatuated with the other with Sloane calling Rowan pretty. Rowan suggests a competition a year from now they pick an unknown target and the first one that gets a kill, wins. What starts as talking trash about who will win turns into flirting, once each other sees the monster hiding inside they run away or into each other’s arms.

What I Liked: For the most part the sex was hot there were a few scenes where I’m not into that but I know others are, and most importantly you could feel the character’s connection. I loved the date scene where one of the characters thought it was about them but the the other character wanted it to be a hunt. I thought the scene was well done and you could feel the moment they realized they messed up. I loved the joke after the trigger warnings. I loved the witty banter between them. There are some good bits of humor, especially with Rowan and his brothers. I like that the author included mood music for the chapters.

What I Disliked: Rowan and his Irish-ness were very inconsistent sometimes it was there but others it was not. Sloane has three genital piercings I thought they were not described well as I’m still pondering on exact placement and do not want to look them up. So I feel they could be described better. For the killers that they hunt, I wanted more of a challenge and more of a build-up.

Recommendation: There’s a page and a half of trigger warning this book will not be for everyone. I would say you have to have dark humor to enjoy this book and a very open mind when it comes to sex scenes. I had fun with this book and will recommend it, I did request the next book Leather & Lark to read an advanced copy, but the way this book is blowing up on BookTok I don’t know if I have a chance.

Rating: I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars. I did try one dirty thing from this book and my wife approved, so that is the highest rating of all.

Book Review: Rules Of Civility by Amor Towles

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles is a historical fiction that takes place in New York City between 1937 and 1938. The Great Depression was still plaguing America, as World War II was on the horizon, and people were defined by their class system. The Rules of Civility is about a group of characters who will not be defined by society’s class structure and try to change their station in it. Some characters hate where they are in society and openly mock the class that they are in, whereas other characters will fake it until they make it. The underlying theme of the book is everyone is a whore for somebody, the only way to get ahead is to prostitute oneself through money, influence, and jobs. Some of the characters do not realize that are controlled by someone else until the end. It’s powerful and still very relevant in today’s society by this phase: it is not what you know, but who you know. I love that the title is based off of George Washington’s writing a long set of rules called the Rules of Civility. The Rules of Civility are a set of rules for how one must subject one’s self in society, there are 110 rules that one character lives by and thankfully at the end of the book Amor Towles posts them all. The pacing moves along a little bit slowly but the history, the characters, and the conversations are all interesting. There are a couple of turns the book takes that I was not expecting. I did struggle for moments asking myself what the point of it was, but in the end, the book makes a strong statement on society and manipulation. This is my second Amor Towles book, and I love the way he writes characters that you grow to get behind despite their faults. Rules of Civility and A Gentleman in Moscow are getting adapted as a limited TV series. Rules of Civility is Amor Towles’s debut novel which was published on July 26, 2011.

Plot Summary: Katey Kontent and her roommate Eve have 5 dollars between themselves and still decide to go out to a jazz club on New Year’s Eve of 1937 and meet a young banker Tinker Gray. Who has money and treats them well. He loves that Katey is an intellectual and calls him on things but he also likes Eve a fun party girl that demands everyone’s attention. Tinker is infatuated with both women and both Katey and Eve want to be a part of the social class that he’s a part of. Katey is not as aggressive as Eve and still wants to earn it whereas Eve feels entitled to it. A car accident changes everything for the trio. There are Rules to Civility but not everyone plays by them. This a a fantastic look at 1938 New York City and what people would do and act to get ahead.

What I Liked: The dialogue of this book is really good, where the story sometimes lags the dialogue never does. The dialogue is fun and witty. This book gave me a new appreciation for Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, which I’ve always considered a very boring stream-of-consciousness writing about nature, but the way this book has conversations about it makes me want to love it the way the characters do. It does make sense that Amor Towles’s next book A Gentleman in Moscow is about a man trapped in one room like Walden is about a man alone in a cabin in the woods. I love the way the jazz clubs and speakeasies are described. I loved the theme of the book and how the surprises at the end shaped the book. I loved the horse racing scene.

What I Disliked: I wanted Tinker’s brother Hank to be in the book more his character was so complex yet the only character who rejected society’s class system and preferred to be lower class than play the game. I think the story came together at the end but there were times when I felt the novel wasn’t focused and leading me to the point of the story.

Recommendation: I recommend you check out Rules of Civility and the excellent dialogue writing. The story as a whole is very good and comes together so well at the end that it mirrors today’s society. I did not like Rules of Civility as much as I liked The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles’s third novel, but for a debut novel, it is very well written. I have requested A Gentleman in Moscow from the library after finishing Rules of Civility. If you have not checked out this man’s excellent writing please do.

Rating: I rated Rules for Civility by Amor Towles 4.1 out of 5 stars.

TBR: April 2024

April 2024 TBR list: last month I read six books and all books from my monthly TBR and read 1 extra. I set my reading goal at 75 books for this year and have so far read 19 books. Last month I caught up on Netgalley books some ARC’s (Advanced Readers Copies) and some books I’m behind on.  This month will be a mix of books some series and some Netgalley backlogs.

Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is a love story between two serial killers that sounds insane. This book has been blowing up BookTok lately.  More than a couple of blogs that I followed have raved about it. Its genre is Dark Romance not a genre I’ve read before but I’m ready for it. This book is book one of the Ruinous Love Trilogy.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles is about society and class jumping in 1937-1938 New York. I read the Lincoln Highway two years ago and loved it. I have wanted to read another Amor Towles book and this one was available at the library. The way he writes historical fiction with an underlying theme still relevant in today’s society makes him a can’t-miss author.

One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson is the second book in the Jackson Brodie mystery series. Kate Atkinson has written my favorite book ever Life After Life, so I always look forward to reading her stories. Case Histories is the first book in this Scottish detective Jackson Brodie’s series and a book I really liked and looked forward to reading further.  I received an advanced readers’ copy of Death at the Sign of the Rook the sixth book in the series, and plan to read all the other books leading up to the new one.

The Ghost That Ate Us by Daniel Kraus is another insane book about the author Daniel Kraus investigating a Burger City fast food restaurant that is haunted. This farcical fake investigative novel sounds fun. I loved Daniel Kraus’ writing on The Living Dead a book he co-wrote with George A. Romero before he passed it was fun, gory, and poignant.  I expect this novel to be great. This a book from my Netgalley backlogs that I’m trying to get down to get some great new ARCs. Thanks to Netgalley and Raw Dog Screaming Press for the free copy.

Parasite by Darcy Coates is a horror Science Fiction about an alien that wears its victim’s skin and adopts its personality. I’ve never read a Darcy Coates novel but she has been recommended a few times. This is another book on my Netgalley Backlogs. Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free book.

Calling All Creeps! By R.L. Stine is Goosebumps book number 50 in the original series order.   My journey to read all the Goosebumps books is almost complete, with only 12 more left. I remember my sister having this book and it crept me out as a kid, will it do the same thing as an adult?