Book Review: In The Quick by Kate Hope Day

In The Quick by Kate Hope Day is about the life of female astronaut from 12 to adulthood. There’s a missing crew which seems important and is the driving force until the end when it is about life choice more so. The character work on June is really interesting I actually liked the scenes with her at the astronaut school then her actually being an astronaut in space. The first 50% is all about astronaut school and the other 50% has her in space and going to missions. I loved 75% of this book but man is the last 25% bad. You have a super smart independent female lead, that is ready to throw the mission which has been the reason for her becoming an astronaut, for a borderline abusive relationship. The ending is such a cheat it focuses on the relationship and not on saving people. I was invested in the this mission of saving people, and for it to end before they’re saved is horrible. I was liking this book so much, to throw it all away makes me mad. I would like to think Netgalley and Random House for the ARC. In The Quick by Kate Hope Day is published on March 2nd 2021.

The Plot: June grows up being raised by her aunt and uncle after her parents death at a young age. June’s Uncle is her hero he developed the fuel cells for space shuttles one space shuttle the Inquiry is going on a 6 year manned mission the longest of its kind. half way through the mission the fuel cells have stopped working. June’s uncle and team start working on it but her uncle passes unexpectedly. June doesn’t want to give up. Her aunt put her in NSP an astronaut school, where June is an outcast with big ideas put no one gives her the time of day. She joins a group developing a metal hand, which know one understands her ideas that are two advance she works on her ideas in secret and changes them on the presentation day. The group is blown away since they could not get it to work, June’s ideas are acknowledged, and years later she get a space mission. she has never given up hope that the crew of the Inquiry is still alive, and on the space mission she risk all for a theory.

What I Liked: The character of June really smart and thanks outside of the box makes smart and sound choices, and takes risk. The charter let me down at the end but I enjoyed getting to know her. I like the way we got to see Junes mind work with how she developed the superior mechanical hand. I liked her determination and how she didn’t give up on the crew still being alive of the Inquiry after 6 years. I really liked the pool training scenes both Junes and the Inquiry crews run. I did think the pick moon was cool. I love the cover art to this book a lot.

What I Disliked: The ending, so bad. This book is being compare to the Martian, here’s what this book did, say Jessica Chastain’s character believes Matt Damon’s character is still alive, she spends six years trying to prove this, in the fifth year she meets a guy has an affair. The prove Matt Damon’s alive, The people having the affair work on the fuel cell that the guy destroyed in a jealous rage. You finally get the mission to save Matt Damon but all you can thank of is the guy you had the affair with. You’re on you way to save Matt Damon and the book is over! What the heck.

Recommendations: I want to recommend this book again because of some truly fantastic character work, but I can not. I don’t want anybody getting as upset as I did over this book. I got the arc to this early and was super excited but left feeling disappointed. I rated In The Quick by Kate Hope Day 3 out of 5 stars. More 2.5 but I did enjoy the first 50 percent so much.

TBR: March 2021

March 2021 TBR list: last month was so successful I read all 8 books; I decided to do it again, I have three ARC’s to read this month and two books that have just came in from the library.  I’m looking to move and will work on the piles of books I already own starting this month.

In The Quick by Kate Hope Day this book the publisher reached out to me since I reviewed Kate Hope Day’s debut If, Then from Netgalley.  This was the first time a publisher has reached out, which I felt pretty honored. I did not review If, Then too highly at 3 stars.  I thought the plot could have been better but I recommended it because of character work.  I ‘m already half way through it and like it more than If, Then. The plot is about female astronaut driven to rescue a lost crew that only she believes is alive. Thanks Netgalley and Random House In the Quick is published today March 2 2021

Inspection by Josh Malerman has been on my TBR for a while now, I have read two books by him and been very impressed on what he brings to horror, a lot of my fellow reviewers have said it is good but a slow burn, The plot is two schools separated by a deep one the boy and one girls don’t know about each other and that another sex exist until they find one another, That what it seems like anyway.

Concrete Rose Angie Thomas https://app.asana.com/0/1135954362417873/1168658175790681/f

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas is a prequel to The Hate U Give happening 17 years before.  It still involves the Carter family but we will see Marverick and what made him walk away from the gang.  I have loved and enjoyed Angie Thomas previous two novels, the reviews have been pretty good so far can’t wait to see what I think of it.

The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers is about a secret circus, a family curse that still affects a woman in present day when her fiancé goes missing.  I really enjoyed Constance Sayers debut in A Witch in Time, which also dealt with a decades long curse. I really like books about the circus, way more than I actually like going to the circus. Thanks to Netgalley and Redhook Books for the ARC. The Ladies of the Secret Circus is published on March 23 2021

The Lost Village by Camilla Sten  is described as The Blair Witch Project meets Midsommar by the publisher.  I don’t know a lot going in to this story but the genre is horror/suspense.   Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. The Lost Village is published on March 23 2021

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Goosebumps: Monster Blood 2 by R. L. Stine is Goosebumps book 18 in the original order.  For those that know my reviews, know that I loathed the first Monster Blood, it is the second worst in my opinion of the 17 others I have read so far.  Hopefully this is better that that.

The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier reminds me a lot of the plot of Pixar’s Coco. Where there is a whole city of the dead that are still remembered by the living.  But the City has started rapidly shrinking.  It has been on my TBR for a while.

Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-man volume 3 by Stan Lee This continues Spiderman 2^nd year to his third.  He comes closer to finding out the secret identity of the Green Goblin.  Peter Parker gets closer to finally going on a date with Mary Jane Watson.  We get to see the birth of Scorpion, Molten Man and the first Spider Slayer.

Wrap Up: February 2021 Book Reviews

Dear Readers, Febuary was a great month.  I read 8 books this month. I read 3 horror, 2 graphic novel, and 3 new releases thanks to netgalley . I started 0 new series and read 2 from a book series. I read one 5 star book, six 4 star books, and one 3 star book. I read all 8 books off my TBR. I reached over 1000 followers and have been overwhelmed in support and book conversations in my 2 and a half years in this community.

Five Star Reviews:

Basketful of Heads by Joe Hill is a great, person at the wrong place and wrong time revenge thriller, with an added supernatural element. This graphic novel is bloody, gory, funny, and thrilling. The mystery of why the victims are chose is captivating, as our hero finds out every one who is involved in this murder plot of is it all about the money heist. The element that makes it interesting is the murder weapon, an axe, holds a power that no matter what is severed the person can live and speak, there’s a lot of decapitations where people keep talking at first it is horrific, but then it turns humorous.

Four Star Reviews:

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles is a historical fiction set in the Paris American Library during World War II. The story is about the love and escapism of books during hard times, and the choices and secrets we keep. This book captures the library and the community it creates, really well while highlighting the power of books. The author, Charles heard this story secondhand when she was working for the Paris American Library making flyers, and became enamored with the story of community and survival. The story is well written and you can feel the history while reading it. I would compare this novel to Dear Mrs. Bird by A. J. Pierce and Lilac Girls by Martha Kelly Hall. I read the advanced reader’s copy of The Paris Library thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles was published on February 9 2021.

The Deep by Alma Katsu is a horror that takes place on the Titanic and it’s sister ship the Britannic in 1912-1916. This horror adds the element of a well researched historical fiction. There’s a demon that wants innocent souls what better place to find them than the Titanic. It adds horror to the already real life horror of survival. I was hooked early in this one, but felt too many side characters were being introduced taking a away from the main characters then I started to really like the side characters.

The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher is a throwback to old score horror like Rosemary’s Baby where it is more psychological horror. The author T. Kingfisher said one device of found manuscript is straight from a 1904 called The White People by Arthur Machen, who I’ve never read and probably most people have not read. What the novel does good is set up a horror mystery, that hooked me pretty easily.

Annie and the Wolves by Andromeda Romano-Lax is fictional look at a Annie Oakley and a historical researcher who finds new letters, that will change space and time. Annie and the Wolves is grounded yet really out there. There’s a plot twist that takes this really grounded story linking Annie Oakley and Ruth the woman researching who are linked in their fight against wolves/predators, and then turns it on it’s head. The twist not revealed in any synopsis or press materials materials happens less than halfway, and is used effectively at the end. I was a little confused at the beginning which feels like Ruth has ADHD as subjects get bounced around, the plot twist helped be understand this better and I throughly enjoyed it once I got used to the bouncing around narrative. The book has an exciting yet compelling finish. Thanks to Netgalley and SOHO press for letting me read Annie and the Wolves before publication. Annie and the Wolves by Andromeda Romano-Lax was published on 2-2-21.

The Minders by John Marrs is a mind tripping science fiction adventure. It takes five strangers implants them with all of Britain’s secrets, they are provided with unlimited resources and must stay away from all family and friends for five years, and also their is a secret organization called the Hacking Collective that would kill for the information in their heads. The twist and turns are steady through out. The writing is not mind blowing, but clever and creative. We get the POV of all five minders, and we get redacted notes from the government. This novel is very engaging and hard to put down. This is my third John Marrs book, and I’ve enjoyed every one so far. Marrs is a writer who constantly thinks out side of the box to create unique stories and worlds. Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing group for letting read the ARC of the Minders. The Minders was published last year in England, but published on February 16th in America.

Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2 by Stan Lee continues the early years of Spiderman. Spiderman will is introduced to some of his greatest villains Mysterio, Green Goblin, and Karaven the Hunter, and the Sinister Six will meet for the first time. We get deep into Peter Parker’s love life, and Spiderman constantly messing it up. We get the entire marvel line up to cameo in these issues of Spiderman; they are Hulk, Ironman, Captain America, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Thor, The Fantastic Four, Antman, and Wasp. The book has challenging storylines that question manhood and doing what is right instead of what you want to do.

Three Star Reviews:

Why I’m Afraid of Bees by R. L. Stine is Goosebumps book number 17 in the original order. This book is filled with bees the first sentence warns. The story is a take on The Fly meets It’s a Wonderful Life where two people try to switch bodies but a bee gets in the mix. This story is the most twilight zone like, and the only Goosebumps book with a truly happy ending. The story is pretty focused the jump scares are rare and not too bad when happen. The story sometimes felt a bit too informational, and not enough about the scares. This story has a little elements of horror, but more science fiction than horror.

Book Review: Goosebumps – Why I’m Afraid of Bees by R. L. Stine

Why I’m Afraid of Bees by R. L. Stine is Goosebumps book number 17 in the original order. This book is filled with bees the first sentence warns. The story is a take on The Fly meets It’s a Wonderful Life where two people try to switch bodies but a bee gets in the mix. This story is the most twilight zone like, and the only Goosebumps book with a truly happy ending. The story is pretty focused the jump scares are rare and not too bad when happen. The story sometimes felt a bit too informational, and not enough about the scares. This story has a little elements of horror, but more science fiction than horror.

The Plot: Gary Lutz is tired of being “Lutz the Klutz”. He wants a change. everybody picks on him, his younger sister, her mean cat, the neighbor next door who’s a beekeeper, Bees in general, and neighborhood kids. Gary gets the opportunity of a life time, the chance to switch bodies with a cooler kid in the same grade Dirk Davis. The experiment was going perfect until a bee got in the way, the Dirk Davis becomes Gary, Gary becomes a bee, and the bee is in the mind of Dirk Davis. Gary want the experiment over, but Dirk doesn’t want to switch . What’s Gary to do become a bee the rest of his life,? Or do something drastic to his own body?

What I Liked: This book flows pretty well, not to many boring parts. The bee puns are bad but funny bad. I like the only way Gary can speak mostly through microphones. I love the character who runs Person to Person, body switching store. The ending was happy, yet still pretty perfect for this story. I loved the way the Bee acted in Dirk’s body.

What I Disliked: When Gary is a Bee amongst the hive, it wasn’t scary, it felt like an old animal documentary that is really corny and not all that interesting.

Recommendations: There’s some okay moments but the story overall I can not recommend. It is not the worst but far from the best. I’m not afraid of bees and maybe people who are would enjoy this story a more. I rated Why I’m Afraid of Bees by R. L. Stine 3 out of 5 stars.Here’s my full ranking of the 17 Goosebumps books that I have read in order to my favorite to least favorite:Stay Out of the Basement, Piano Lessons Can Be Murder, The Haunted Mask, One Day At Horrorland, Night of the Living Dummy, Welcome to Camp Nightmare, The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, Say Cheese and Die, Let’s Get Invisible, Welcome to Dead House, The Girl who Cried Monster, The Ghost Next Door, Be Careful What You Wish For… ,Why I’m Afraid of Bees, The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, Monster Blood And You Can’t Scare Me!.

Book Review: The Minders by John Marrs

The Minders by John Marrs is a mind tripping science fiction adventure. It takes five strangers implants them with all of Britain’s secrets, they are provided with unlimited resources and must stay away from all family and friends for five years, and also their is a secret organization called the Hacking Collective that would kill for the information in their heads. The twist and turns are steady through out. The writing is not mind blowing, but clever and creative. We get the POV of all five minders, and we access get redacted notes from the top secret government meetings about the minders. This novel is very engaging and hard to put down. This is my third John Marrs book, and I’ve enjoyed every one so far. Marrs is a writer who constantly thinks out side of the box to create unique stories and worlds. The Minders is loosely connected to previous novels The One and The Passengers, with a couple plot lines form those books discussed lightly and the same villain the Hacking Collective are in each. I don’t know why the books are not called the Hacking Collective (trilogy/series). John Marrs wrote my second favorite book of last year, What Lies Between Us. Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing group for letting read the ARC of the Minders. The Minders was published last year in England, but published on February 16th 2021 as a new release in America.

The Plot: Five people have all passed a test or so they, think one guys autistic son took it, which causes problems down the line, designed to determine brain mapping and have been chosen to be minders, having a DNA chip with all of Britains secrets implanted in your brain. The minders are Flick, Charlie, Sinead, Emilia and Bruno, with each person having a reason to turn their brain into a computer and be away from family and friends for five years. One individual we don’t get a background as the program has wiped them clean. Their lives are going okay but the system starts failing for some with powerful glitches and the Hacking Collective get involved determined to steal the data.

What I Liked: The rotating POV’s of the minders is a really good way of telling the story, it was hard to remember everyone’s background at first, but it didn’t take too long. The program glitches are the real enemy of this story. I appreciated being rewarded by reading The Passengers with all the extra insight I had going into this story. The twist are good and are layered through out. I was given enough hints to figure out the main twist a little early, but the twist was layered with a lot of little stuff that I didn’t know, and it didn’t hurt my enjoyment. I liked the scene where a character almost revealed the huge top secrets that they now have access during a game of trivia. The Hacking Collective is a good bad guy that could literally be anyone, which adds to the paranoia.

What I Disliked: I had a little problem with the main plot, the minders are supposed to have the chip in for 5 years and have all the data, they make reference to it but then a new team of minders is brought in before the original group is done, I thought they needed to get the data back, so i was a little confused by that. Flick was my least favorite of the minders and she was sort of the lead in terms of reading time Sinead was my favorite, and had the most interesting background.

Recommendations: I recommend you check out The Minders by John Marrs, it is a good clever science fiction story that is totally original. The novel is very hard to put down, and a good escape. I rated The Minders by John Marrs 4 out of 5 stars. Out of the three John Marrs book that I have read this was my least favorite, which is hardly a knock, he’s one of those authors that I can always count on to be entertained. I look forward to my next John Marrs book, already.

Book Review: The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher

The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher is a throwback to old score horror like Rosemary’s Baby where it is more psychological horror. The author T. Kingfisher said one device of found manuscript is straight from a 1904 called The White People by Arthur Machen, who I’ve never read and probably most people have not read. What the novel does good is set up a horror mystery, that hooked me pretty easily. The pay off happen in the last 1oo pages, which I was satisfied with. The middle could have been a lot better and really test the reader with barely anything happens. The creatures are pretty scary when they are eventually revealed in the book. The book has a few zingers from the narrator who is remembering this as she’s writing it after the fact.

The Plot: Mouse a woman in her early 40, goes to clean up her grandmother’s house after her passing. Mouse escaping her love life and needing money decides to take on this task with her hound dog Bongo. Her Grandmother was a hoarder and the house is full of newspaper and china dolls. The house is way out in the country with not cell phone service. The house hasn’t been touched for a number of years, her grandmother was a difficult lady that the town revered. The mystery starts when Mouse finds and old journal from her step-grandfather she only has vague memories but they were not bad. The journal talks about her grandmother taking his original journal which he needs to keep the twisted ones away. With no cell service she decides to read this journal and grows obsessed with finding the journal that her grandmother hid. She find strange statues in the woods that are all twisted, with hills that don’t make sense. There’s things that go bump in the night and she finds a strange ritual involving dead animals hanging in a tree. She’s haunted and at her wits end when she’s ready to leave her dog goes missing and needs to find him and the journal to survive.

What I Liked: The creepy factor is high in this story, you feel the isolation in the writing. Mouse is a great character that is easily identifiable as she tries to rationalize the horror in her head. There’s a great scene when mouse find out here step-grandfather was driven insane by a song, she starts singing Jingle Bells since that is the least scary song in her mind. The creatures take a while to get there but they’re pretty scary, it did take a while for my mind picture to totally see them, since they are hinted as a lot or she will see a flash of them. The ending was pretty exciting and I could not put down the last 100 pages. The lore of the creatures was interesting and how it connected to the step-grandfather was scary.

What I Disliked: The middle was too long, half of the coffee shop visits needed to be cut, and did not contribute to the story. The lore was ultimately good but at first very confusing and too long.

Recommendations: I will slightly recommend The Twisted Ones, it’s unnerving horror that will play on your mind. It has a pretty action packed ending that is a lot of fun. Horror mystery is the genre for this book the horror is slow but building and the mystery is intriguing. I rated The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher 4 out of 5 stars. I was was circling 3.5 but the ending was really good with bumped it up to a 4.

Book Review: Basketful of Heads by Joe Hill

Basketful of Heads by Joe Hill is a great person at the wrong place and wrong time revenge thriller, with an added supernatural element. This graphic novel is bloody, gory, funny , and thrilling. The mystery of why the victims are chosen is captivating, as our hero finds out every one who is involved in this murder plot or is it all about the money. The element that makes it interesting is the murder weapon, an axe, holds a power that no matter what is severed the person can live and speak, there’s a lot of decapitations where people keep talking at first it is horrific, but then it turns humorous. Hill who is known for horror delivers a slasher like no other, I would love to see this adapted into a movie or series, there’s lots to expand on. Basketful of Heads graphic novel collects Basketful of Heads issues 1-7 from Hill House Comics and off shoot of DC comics Black Label.

The Plot: June is visiting her boyfriend Liam, who got a summer job as a deputy in a small vacation island, called Brody Island. It’s Liam’s last day on the job, He meets June on the bridge after he finished his last shift. Liam and June are all set to leave the island as a prison break happens and four inmates escape, Liam is eager to help out. The sheriff says he’s got it and tells him to go up to the house to have a meal with the family, and he will join them soon. Liam and June end up eating with the wife and their collage aged son, and take a tour of the house with the sheriffs medieval weapons collection , the winds start picking up, with an incoming tropical storm, the wife gets a phone call and must help out a neighbor, her son takes her, and Liam and June stay at the house. The escapee’s come to the house Liam hides June and goes to take care of the situation. June hears Liam scream but stays hidden she moves later and is confronted, June takes the only weapon she can find a Viking Axe. She defends herself as the guy attacking loses his head, but instead of dying the head keeps talking. She needs to find her boyfriend, she has a talking severed head and an axe with supernatural powers to do it.

What I Liked: The losing head puns do not get old. I loved the mix of horror with comedy. The art took a little getting used to, I did like the art in day light but loved the art at nighttime, where much of the story takes place. I liked the mystery of why Liam was taken and who is involved. June is a pretty cool character, the perfect final girl. The writing is good the story telling goes full circle, and it is a beautiful thing. I like the myth that is behind the Axe. The two end scenes were amazing, and worked for the story.

What I Disliked: The ending was too rushed, the fight was over too quick and I wanted more explanation and motive.

Recommendations: If your fan of Joe Hill this will only make you love him more. I have read all his novels and short story collections, and almost all of his graphic novels. I’m a super fan and man is this graphic novel great. If you like horror you will like this, if you like thrillers you will like this, and if you like black comedy you will like this. I rated Basketful of Heads by Joe Hill 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles is a historical fiction set in the Paris American Library during World War II. The story is about the love and escapism of books during hard times, and the choices and secrets we keep. This book captures the library and the community it creates, really well while highlighting the power of books. The author, Charles heard this story secondhand when she was working for the Paris American Library making flyers, and became enamored with the story of community and survival. The story is well written and you can feel the history while reading it. The narrative has burst of excitement, and some bits of lull. I did feel Charles stuck a little too close to history at times, their’s some deaths that I just wasn’t impacted by, and I felt I should be. Not to sat the novel did not have emotional scenes but I thought the two main deaths could have more impact on the reader. I would compare this novel to Dear Mrs. Bird by A. J. Pierce and Lilac Girls by Martha Kelly Hall. I read the advanced reader’s copy of The Paris Library thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles was published on February 9 2021.

The Plot: Odile has a passion for reading and the Dewey Decimal system. She’s a french girl that has learned to speak english through books, and has frequented the Paris American Library all her life, and now wants the go for her dream job of working for it in 1939. She gets the job, where she is surrounded by books and fellow book lovers, it is the greatest year of her life. She has her dream job and her dream beau a Paris police officer, then the war hits and changes everything. We jump forward and meet Odile 44 years in the future living in Montana as a bitter old woman. We learn how a woman so full of life can live all alone. She meets Lilly a girl who reminds her of her yourself, she tells her story as a warning of choices. What happened to Odile in Paris from 1939 to 1944.

What I Like: The love and genius of the Dewey Decimal system to categorize library books. I like that the Dewey Decimal device is used by Odile to categorize her life. I learned lots, that the French soldiers could still send mail, and weren’t treated great but not too bad as soldiers go. The people who had it worst are the women that dated Nazi soldier, no matter their reasons, had there head shaved and were beaten. I loved the friendships between Odile and Margaret and Odile and her brother’s fiancé. The love of books and the library. There’s a lot of book discussions that I found interesting, I’m adding There Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Thurston to my TBR, because of Odile affection for it, and the passages used in the book. The scene where Odile puts together where Paul, her beau, was really taking her to be alone. The final twist was a good one.

What I Disliked: It took the book a little too long to start connecting the 1939 story to 1983 story, I ended up liking it but it took a while to get there. There is two deaths in this book and I did not feel them like I should have, I was kind of shocked that there wasn’t any lead up to them.

Recommendations: I will recommend The Paris Library, it is a good historical fiction that highlights the importance of books. The dramatic scenes are good and have some an intensity. If you love books about survivors of World War II then you will like this book. I rated The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2 by Stan Lee

Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2 by Stan Lee continues the early years of Spiderman. Spiderman will is introduced to some of his greatest villains Mysterio, Green Goblin, and Karaven the Hunter, and the Sinister Six will meet for the first time. We get deep into Peter Parker’s love life, and Spiderman constantly messing it up. We get the entire marvel line up to cameo in these issues of Spiderman; they are Hulk, Ironman, Captain America, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Thor, The Fantastic Four, Antman, and Wasp. The book has challenging storylines that question manhood and doing what is right instead of what you want to do. This book has the first death, it’s a minor character but still kind of shocking. This Graphic Novel collects The Amazing Spider-Man 11-19 and annual 1.

The Plots: Spiderman by Doc Ock unmasked and revealed to be Peter Parker but he got the spider sickness and lost power temporally, everybody thought he was stupid and brave. Spiderman gets lured into being a movie star by the Green Goblin but the action scenes are real. The Green Goblin makes Spiderman run away, and think about giving up being Spiderman. Kraven the Hunter wants to hunt the most dangerous game; Spiderman! J. Jonah Jameson’s envy of Spiderman tarts taking a toll and will lea to him accidentally creating the Scorpion soon. Liz Allen, Peter Parker’s high school crush, is finally starting to see the man he is becoming, but he’s already moved on to J. Jonah Jameson’s secretary Betty Brandt, it creates an interesting love triangle, with Liz Allen’s on again/off again boyfriend Flash Thompson in the mix.

What I Liked: the drawing is better Jack Kirby is the creator of the character but Steve Ditko has perfected it and gave us lots of the iconic Spiderman looks. The Daredevil was the best cameo, as he has to fight a possessed Spiderman. The birth of the Green Goblin Spiderman’s most fearsome foe, the introduction story is pretty lame but the second was a lot of fun. The Green Goblin is the only villain who identity remains unknown, so far. The Sinister Six is a lot of fun six bad guys to get through, in an extended 48 page story. we do see the beginnings of the budding romance between Aunt May and Doc Ock who she is instantly charmed by. I enjoyed the one comic where Spiderman thinks about hanging it up, it is a bold move to have no fighting and running away, as it looks at the psychological toll being Spiderman puts on Peter Parker.

What I Disliked: I said it last time and I will say it again the Enforcers who are in 3 issues, they are kind of lame. The first Green Goblin story just doesn’t make sense in motivation and story.

Recommendations: These issues have every marvel hero of note in them the writing and action are fun. The origin stories are villains are still being used, in the movies. Kraven the Hunter and Chameleon are the only villains of note not in the movies, But I think Kraven is coming. I enjoy reading things from the beginning a love finding out more about the character of Spiderman. I rated Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2 by Stan Lee 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: The Deep by Alma Katsu

The Deep by Alma Katsu is a horror that takes place on the Titanic and it’s sister ship the Britannic in 1912-1916. This horror adds the element of a well researched historical fiction. There’s a demon that wants innocent souls what better place to find them than the Titanic. It adds horror to the already real life horror of survival. The side characters are interesting but too many of them were throw away characters and did not effect the overall plot, they are there for a couple moments then redundant. I definitely felt cheated in that I did not know of the survival of some of these characters. The novel has a good LGTBQ relationship, and showed what hiding it looks like in 1912. I the authors style of anding underlying horrors to historic events, I liked this one more then The Hunger which added even more horror to the Donner Party expedition, while I thought that the story was just okay I liked the idea of it, I’m glad to see this was executed better with a stronger story backing it up. I was hooked early in this one, but felt too many side characters were being introduced taking a away from the main characters then I started to really like the side characters.

The Plot: We know in 1912 that the voyage of the Titanic was doomed one, but it was haunted well before that by a siren of the sea that wants innocent souls. Annie is a young caretaker of the elite of the first class Titanic passengers, she helps in everything, from cleaning, bartending, fetching, and taking care of kids. She grows obsessed about one one family, Mark, his wife, and his young newborn. she feels a connection to Mark, but knows it’s wrong she ends up taking care of the child but being fearful of the wife who she thinks might be evil. A seance on the ship brings forth an ancient evil, or was it already there?

What I Liked: The beginning add to the mystery and really made me curious, the story went in a way different direction than I was expecting, which was okay I thought it was going to be more of a ghost story involving purgatory, but it was not that. I like the history that was put into the story, it added to the horror. The ending was pretty intense, and really went there. The creature was rarely seen but it seemed to work, and made you curiouser until the end when everything is explained. The Les and Dai storyline was pretty good even though their story kind of sort of went nowhere, LGBTQ angle felt real and right. The cover is beautifully haunting.

What I Disliked: There was no update on all the characters that we were introduced to, we see some sacrifice other to survive but don’t get any update on these characters after the sinking. I would have liked to see way more of the main characters, the other characters were good but sometimes they felt like filler.

Recommendation: The story is clever adding horrors to deep survival. I did not recommend The Hunger, but this one I enjoyed a lot more. I do want to read something where Katsu is focused on just the main characters, that is my biggest critique after having read two stories by her, she has the talent and can create interesting characters, just let them truly lead the story. I rated The Deep by Alma Katsu 4 out of 5 stars.