I was seemingly in the minority of opinion about Reid’s debut. Didn’t do much for me, didn’t think it was as clever or as wow as all that. Didn’t love the movie adaptation either. Clever, sure, but too precocious about it.
This one, though, Reid’s sophomore effort, is all the things people were saying about his first novel. In a word (or two), kinda brilliant.
In all of its deceptive simplicity, this novel that would only require three actors to adapt for the screen, is a story of a relationship. A seemingly happy married couple get surprised with huge, insane sort of news that the man, Junior, was selected for a space mission, a first of its kind, and can’t refuse. With his participation a mandatory thing, his wife gets compensated by having his specially engineered simulacrum staying with her for the duration. There’s also a company man staying with them, conducting studies, doing interviews.
A far from ideal situation, but also a best way to test the strength of one’s relationship.
So that’s the concept: apply abnormal pressure to a perfectly normal situation, change the familiar parameters, and watch how it plays out.
Reid had done that perfectly in this novel. It manages to balance realism with heartrending emotionality with maddeningly taut suspense. It’s engaging, excitingly strange, and surprises the pants off of you in the end. An awesome plot twist. Two, really. Totally didn’t see it coming.
All in all, a great read. Sparse, lean, compelling, original, smart. Recommended.

​Anyone can talk about something they love. Or write as is the case with books. But it takes talent to actually write about something you love so compellingly that the reader understands that passion. The author of this book definitely has that talent. Which is how he made a book about wrestling (something I don’t care about in the slightest) so engaging and fun to read.
Reading this book, you can see and feel how passionate the author is about wrestling. It’s all there, in the dynamic movements, in the emotional engagement. It’s just so fun. It kind of makes you see the appeal. Well, almost. I mean, I’m not gonna go watch any wrestling anytime soon, but at least if I should ever come across a fan of it, I can kinda sorta understand what they are talking about.
It helped that the story was so wild. An ostracized intergalactic wizard puts together an ultimate wrestling competition (because in his exile he’s become a fan) with the grand prize of resurrection of a loved one. All these teams from different planets (all oddly enough speaking English) show up to compete. But we only follow one, a man and a girl; both of their lives forever altered by a tragic death of a wrestling superstar a decade ago.
Fun, bright, dynamic…a good read all around. Recommended.

​I hadn't even realized this was book two.Or that it was a series. I just saw it was from the awesome team behind Gideon Falls and wanted to check it out.
It seems to be set in the same world, too.
A geologist comes to a small island to investigate a strange occurrence and comes across a woman who hasn't left there in ages. And you know how it is with weird locals who hermitize themselves in odd locales...
The story was rather thin but the art was gorgeous and altogether certainly worth the 30some minutes it took to read this book. Now where are the rest, library? Come on.

​First of all and most of all, the book should have categorically stuck with the original cover. Just look at it, it's lovely.
As for the rest...well, I really liked Watson's Book Tour and wanted tor read more of his work. Though to be fair, the real star of this graphic novel I the art not the story.
The story's fine. Charming, even. But the art is so fun, so detailed. There's SO much to see on every page. I really liked it.
So going but the title alone, you know the location. The time is somewhere in the 50s, though I'm not sure I would have picked up on it had it not been mentioned in the description. Two young women, one American (low-key upbringing), one British (as uppercrusty as they come) fall for each other. The odds are overwhelmingly against them. Will love win the day?
That's basically it. It stands to mention that the British characters in this book are just TOO affected in their speech and mannerisms. They make Downton Abbey sound positively plebeian. It's rather distracting and pulls focus.
But other that that, the book (art and story) is cute. And such a quick read.

I thought these precision-chromatic books were a one shot deal since I only ever saw/read the one with Elektra, but alas, this is a series. The thing is while I knew of Elektra, Red Sonja was a mystery to me.
Well, no more.
Now I know what this flame-haired She-Devil is all about and She. Is. Fun. 
These stories, art to plot, reminded me so much of classic fantasies. A mighty warrior travels the land (while practically naked or, you know, wearing the skinniest bikini number available) and lands her fighting skills to those who can afford it. She's smart, tough, got a strong sense of justice, and an even stronger detector for BS. Red Sonja kicks ass. 
Oversexualized for sure, but that seems to be the fate of most superheroines. This one seems to be bi, too. Red Sonja slays and lays with as she pleases. Um...you go, girl? lol
Some of the art just silly, but a lot of it was very good. First story was probably the best in every way. Overall, a quick fun read.

​I'm somewhat particular about my nonfiction reads. I look for that perfect combination of interesting and exciting; the perfect blend of fascinating facts and a strong narrative voice. Funny helps too.
With this book, Spalding had exceeded expectations on every single account. And as far as funny goes, well...she simply knocked it out of the ballpark.
I've read books designated as humorous and seen standup less funny that this book. This book is freaking hilarious.
And it should be, really, because it's subject—well, subjects—is a variable barrel of laughs.
Long lauded as the greatest minds not just of their time but of all time, the geniuses of this book were totally and completely weird when it came to their personal lives. From quirky passions to flat-out dangerous pursuits, from randomly pedestrian foibles to outlandish claims, from character flaws to "can I get a straitjacket here?", chapter by chapter this book will show you how being smart doesn't always equate with...you know, being smart. Not to mention demonstrate the complete absence of any parallels between being good at academic pursuits and being good at life.
It's weirdly reassuring in a way.
It's certainly wildly entertaining to read about. Absolutely one of the best nonfiction (or any) books I've read in some time. Loved it. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

​I didn’t realize book five was the end of it. Well…good. Not because it was crap, but because it’s nice when a series knows when to wrap itself up.
I didn’t love this series, to be fair, but it was fun while it lasted. Seriously.
The tale of Once & Future Kings of England tended to get a bit convoluted, but it was just so…slick. Gorgeous art by Dan Mora. Vivid colors. A fun grandma driving the bus of stock CW-esque characters. Creature effects up to wazoo.
It was one of those bombastic things I mostly forgot about from book to book but read whenever the next installation came out. Just for fun. And for the art.
And now it’s over. Wrapped up with a perfectly modern woke bow no less. I’m not going to miss it, but I appreciated our time together. There were some original ideas stunningly rendered. So yeah. Buh-bye, series. Moving on.

​Ah, I think I’ve become a fan. I really like White’s previous book and got this one mainly going by author’s name, great titles, and the not-inconsiderable cover appeal. And sure enough, another winner.
As if children’s shows were creepy enough, here comes Mister Magic. A show of truly mythical proportions. As in it might very well be the longest show on TV and yet there is barely any evidence of its existence. It lingers on the borders of one’s memory…like childhood trauma.
Appropriately enough, because Mister Magic has certainly done its damndest to traumatize some kids. Let’s just say he’s no Mr. Rogers.
So when the last official cast members of the show reunite at last three decades afterwards, their trauma still sizzles.
Val, who spent the last thirty years off-grid and away from the world, was once a central character. Now she can’t remember a thing about that time, but her once-upon-a-time friends and fellow cast members find her and bring her back to the strange white place in the desert where the show was shot, and her memories begin coming back. Whether she wants them to or not.
 Past secrets, desert cults, strong character drama shot through with supernatural suspense, a thought-provoking mediation on the nature of religion, childrearing, and the role of obedience in both…this book has a lot to offer. Not to mention a writer who can really write – I love the way the scenes in this book come alive with cinematic vividness.
What’s fascinating is how much the author’s own upbringing as a Mormon (she no longer is one) has informed her writing in this book. The personal perspective makes it all the more interesting and compelling of a narrative.
All-in-all, a great read. Somewhat trippy but never more so than an average technicolor madness of a kids’ TV show. Great ending, too. Fans of dark supernatural fiction ought to enjoy this one. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

​This was one of those books that draw you in from the first sentence. A welcome and most awesome quality for any novel, and most auspicious for a debut. It’s take on gender swapping was unique and fresh and just fun.
I mean, this wasn’t mere Orlando for our time, this was different in every way.  With potential to say so much about gender politics, relationship dynamics, etc. And it did…to an extent. For about 55% or so. And then it sort of meandered.
Not a terrible thing because the writing is strong enough to engage even with meandering, but somewhat disappointing, mainly because the novel is good enough to verge on great.
It goes like this, boy and girl meet, fall in love, get hastily married so that boy can accompany girl to the Balkans of all places, and then one day boy wakes up in the girl’s body and girl is nowhere to be found.
Okay, girl and boy are not exactly accurate, these are two twenty-eight years olds, a vastly different two – different upbringings, different success levels, different drives, but still…They were kinda sorta making the differences work or plainly ignoring them until they couldn’t. Because apparently gender reversal throws a pretty significant wrench in the works.
It seems like the book should have said more, like it was poised to say more, but then just as it was getting into the meat of it all, it decided to take an easy way out. Maybe it’s because I was so immersed in the narrative that I wanted more.
Yes, it shifted perspectives and presented different views but never quite to the same level as part one with Eli as the narrator.
The ending felt kind of…resigned when compared to the story’s potential and most of its narrative. Like, is this it? Is that all? Definitely leaves you wanting more.
But then again, in a way that’s a compliment to the book. An overall good and interesting book that has a lot to say, even though it manages to say only some of it. People come together and stay together for different reasons, and it’s oftentimes an event random enough to pass for a collision. Dangerous or damaging as it may be, such collisions alter both parties. But then make for a good story. Featuring one of the best written, most plot relevant sex scenes I’ve ever read. That’s neither here nor there, but worth a mention.
Overall, a good thought-provoking, engaging read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.