ThatBookIsOnFiyah

5/5 stars. I am 58 years old. I never watched the mini-series and never read the book until now. I read along in the ebook as I listened to the audiobook narrated by Will Patton, who does an outstanding job. When I was growing up, my dad was an enthusiastic fan of Western movies, so I watched many movies featuring John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Gary Cooper, Roy Rogers, Gabby Hayes, Andy Devine, and Walter Brennan. In reading / listening to this story, I pictured so many of those actors in the roles of Call, Gus, Newt, Jake, Diets, Lippy, Pea Eye, Dish, etc. I imagined female actors like Maureen O’Hara as Clara, and Vera Miles as Lorena, as tough, strong-willed women on the frontier. This novel brought back some of those shared experiences in the home of my childhood, which made it all the more enjoyable. I have had so many people recommend this novel to me, for the action, adventure, and emotional story found within its pages. After reading Tom’s Crossing earlier this year, I looked for s...

4.25/5 stars. This is my first Kindle+ experience - Read & Listen. Of course I’ve had Kindle Unlimited for some time, but this is the first book I have read on the ‘new’ platform. This was also my first Marko Kloos novel, and I am impressed with the prose, the character development, and the world building. I also enjoyed the audiobook narration by Luke Daniels, who did an outstanding job with all the voices. Set in the future of Earth and focused on Andrew Grayson, a new recruit into the North American military. Grayson leaves his parents in their lower-class slums in the hopes of getting off-planet, making enough money to serve his five-year enlistment, and finding a nice place to settle afterwards. He quickly learns it might not all be that easy! This novel has realistic training and battle sequences. I also thought the author portrayed the personal interactions and found family aspects of military life well. Recommended!!

4.25/5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC. I am an enthusiastic fan of Ryan’s fantasy stories, but in the last few years, I have enjoyed reading his dystopian thrillers even more. This is the third of his dystopian stories that I have read, and this is the best of the bunch so far. Ryan is an excellent writer, builds interesting worlds, and populates them with fascinating characters. Reapers is no exception. I highly recommend this story for anyone who enjoys dystopian, science fiction, artificial intelligence, and military action. Be forewarned, there is some violence, but the characters are absolutely outstanding.   There are some SPOILERS below, so read at your own risk!! Our story begins after a catastrophic event called the Glitch. A large group of people implanted with a new chip device that allows access to immediate knowledge and intelligence have had their brains affected by an electronic surge. Some of these people died right away while othe...

4.5/5 stars. This story asks the question: can a demon possession pass down through generations of a family? Jack and Aimee are a struggling young couple with two daughters, Abby and Charlie. One of the daughters is not acting like herself, and Aimee is worried that something is seriously wrong. Jack might know what the trouble is, but he doesn’t want to share that knowledge with his family. Slowly, we uncover secrets upon secrets and begin to understand what is happening to the family. This story was frustrating to read for someone who believes honesty, especially with my spouse, is essential to a strong relationship, but at the same time, as the story progresses, I understand Jack’s reluctance to share all of his past with his wife. The past can be a portent for things to come, especially quite often when genetics are involved! If you enjoy a slow-build apprehension with a gradual revelation and all the surprises along the way, this book is for you. An exceptionally good spooky seaso...

4.5/5 stars. An excellent debut novel from Katherine Daniel, an author that we will no doubt hear more from in the future. This novel introduces us to the Mimic, an ancient creature doomed to live within the Appalachian Mountains of Georgia until a guilty heart can be found to take its place. When two siblings and eight strangers are forced to confront this horror at a small out-of-the-way grocery store a day before Thanksgiving, the question everyone begins to ask is, “Who has the guiltiest heart?” Thomas is Jane’s older brother. Just two months ago, they went through a trauma that might change their lives, and now they are not on the best of terms but must ride together to a remote rented cabin to meet their mom, dad, and older sister Cassie for Thanksgiving. The family dynamic created by the author is fabulous and offers wonderful insight into the members of this Southern family. In fact, all of Daniel’s character work is strong throughout the story. I could picture each of the ch...

4.5/5 stars. I decided to give this latest version of Dracula a try for spooky season this year, as it has been over 35 years since I last read it. The performances in this 2026 dramatized adaptation were excellent. Ella Purnell as Mina, David Jonsson as Dr. Seward, Louis Partridge as Jonathan Harker, Francis Lovehall as Arthur Holmwood, Aimee Lou Wood as Lucy Westenra, and Jonathan Bailey as Dracula were all outstanding. Maggie Gyllenhaal is also very good as Professor Van Helsing, but I did not understand the producer’s decision to cast her in this role.   I am not a purist, in most instances, when producers or writers change the gender of a character for a modern audience; however, Mina Harker is one of the strongest female characters in all classical literature. In my mind, by making Van Helsing female, the producer has taken some of that female strength from Mina and given it to a character that was not present in the original story. This aspect detracted somewhat from my enjo...

4/5 stars. I read a lot of dark novels - Grimdark fantasy/sci-fi and dark thrillers, so Joe Pickett novels serve as a nice comfort read / palate cleanser in between those darker stories. I enjoy the mysteries, but also the normalcy of family and everyday living that these novels usually represent. This novel took an unexpected darker turn, both for Joe and for his family, that I am not sure I enjoyed. The mystery, the setting, the scenery were all good. This is not the first time Joe’s family has faced danger and adversity, but it is the first time they’ve done it separately, as Joe must leave home to cover another district, in Jackson Hole, for a fellow Game Warden who took his own life. The way Joe and Mary Beth handled their time apart disappointed me the most about this story and both characters, but still an overall satisfying mystery. I find CJ Box to be a fluid writer and particularly enjoy his descriptions of Wyoming and the Grand Tetons. His dialogue and internal monologue ex...

5/5 stars. Imagine starting a science fiction story about ‘first contact with aliens’ (the Irunmole) with a pay-for-hire assassin, Tope, in the middle of stalking a cult leader. Add in religious and spiritual disillusionment of an astrophysicist named Itumeleng, who discovers the approaching space anomaly. Then, include a revenge tale of a third character, Ahanna, who is hunting the murderers of his family. Now you have an inkling of the breadth of human experience, set in a futuristic Africa, that this novel from Wole Talabi encompasses. The prose of this story is magnificent, and Talabi does an impressive job of bringing these seemingly disparate threads together to build an interesting and fascinating story of past, present, future, religious experience, aliens, death, life, and community. I recommend this novel without reservations. Everyone who reads can find something to appreciate, enjoy, and learn from in this novel. It is a powerful story filled with tragedy, friendship, lov...

4/5 stars. Once again, I have read a good detective novel but have disliked the detective through most of the story. I know Bosch is the epitome of the ‘hard-boiled detective,’ but he is not a character that I like more than about 15% of the time. He’s rude, he causes himself most of the problems that he has, he ignores rules and procedures, but he solves crimes - even when they aren’t his cases to solve. Connelly is an exceptionally good writer and creates some unique crime mysteries with intriguing twists, but at what point will Bosch become someone I enjoy reading about?!? So far, Jack McEvoy (from The Poet) is a much better character! He solves crimes without making everyone around him mad at him. Maybe Harry Bosch will always be like this and will never grow up, but I really hope he does. This story involves The Mob, Las Vegas, the FBI, and a past love interest of Harry’s. Plus, Harry has a new boss and a third partner to work with him and Jerry Edgar. Certainly, the story made...

4.5/5 stars. Ahmer has written an excellent introduction to the world of Astea, with wonderful characters, magic connected to the natural world, and a conflict that extends into two generations of humans living in this world. The current timeline with King Kaido, Vicereine Raia, and Queen Jaswyn, continues the challenges and the conflict that were initially faced by their parents’ generation, as we get the backstory from King Isaiah, Viceroy Galtus, and General Otto, who were the leaders of the rebellion against the Dryads - a forest-dwelling magic race. The Dryads controlled the world until Isaiah learned the method to defeat them in battle. The new generation is now faced with finding ways to survive on their own, while their own subjects rebel for lack of food and resources. Also, I would be remiss if I did not mention the antagonist of this generation. Maisades is quite a cunning and evil person, and I sincerely hope he gets his comeuppance soon! Zammar Ahmer is an excellent wri...

4/5 stars. This is a novel about a father and son who had a contentious relationship. We only get the son’s perspective, but the relationship was not good, and the father was cruel to him. The thing that bothered me the most about this story, and many stories like it, is that this story could have been just as good and just as effective if the father and son had a good relationship with a tight-knit bond. In fact, a strong bond between them might have made the story better. Whalefall is not a bad story by any means, and reminds me of other stories like The Martian, Project Hail Mary, or even Cast Away, but with an edge of horror added to it. Whalefall is a wonderful ‘what if’ story that speculates about what might happen if a whale swallowed a young diver. I chose this novel for spooky season since a movie version is releasing this month. This story is perfect for the big screen, and I look forward to seeing the director’s visual interpretation of some of the events. The book is a qu...

5/5 stars. This is one of the best crime novels that I have ever read. It is easily on the same level as Silence of the Lambs or Mystic River. This is now the fifth Michael Connelly book that I have read, and it has been a pleasure so far to watch the growth of his writing and to see his stories expand in scope. This novel takes what appears to be the straightforward story of a killer and the reporter pursuing him, then twists it into a dark exploration of disturbed child pornographers, pedophiles, and serial murderers. If you have never read a Connelly novel, this is the one you should read. It demonstrates his prose, his thoughtful character study, his knowledge of police and FBI procedures, and his skill in developing a deep and meaningful plot. I am enjoying my exploration of Connelly’s works and look forward to continuing. He has surprised me in each novel with some new aspect of his writing that encourages me to continue. This novel is highly, HIGHLY recommended!!

4.5/5 stars. We get the story of the early life of Redlin of the Wolves. Redlin quickly becomes a classic Grimdark character for whom the reader feels sympathy - until he does something so unexpected and vile, one must wonder if he is worthy of that sympathy, or if he is even a good person. Redlin’s story is one of abandonment and the desire to become famous to prove to his family that he was worthy of their love, but maybe he is nothing more than a psychopath in the vein of Jorg Ancrath. Steele is an excellent writer whose imagination is only exceeded by his ambition in telling this dark framed narrative. Redlin is one of the most intriguing characters I have read since reading The First Law, The Broken Empire, and The Sun Eater series. I admire the way Steele references earlier works by other authors that were influential on his writing by using names and places that tie aspects of those to his story, but this is also distracting at times and a bit overdone, in my opinion. Somewhat...

4/5 stars. Sometimes, I do not like Harry Bosch, but other times I feel sympathy for him. He is certainly a darkly emotional character and has some difficult life events to overcome; however, some of his choices seem disjointed and out-of-place for a (mostly) successful LAPD detective. The word unhinged definitely applies to him at times. This novel begins with Harry on Involuntary Stress Leave, being required to attend counseling sessions with the department psychologist. He’s not happy about it at all and he has too much time on his hands. He starts investigating a cold case that has personal meaning to him. The case leads him in unexpected directions and causes his continued employment with the LAPD to be further in question. Thankfully, his old nemesis, Capt. Irving, is on his side and wants him back on the job. These books offer some wonderful backstory, and the writing is superb. Connelly has created an interesting and multi-faceted character in Harry Bosch. I am especially gl...

5/5 stars. Yet another great read this month for me! This novel is the story of The Void (aka The Sink), the ‘rocks’ floating in it (places where the people live), and the Sinkers and Risers traveling within the Void from one rock to another. When I picked up this novel initially, I thought I would be reading a science fiction story, but it turned out to be a fantasy adventure focused on the lives of five main characters: Emery, The Sinker, Crooked Arm, The Garent, and Hiram Goegal. The lives of these characters intertwine in mystical ways as each of them travels through the Void. The use of subtle magic, with magical objects that can provide various powers to its user, provides the primary impetus for the narrative, with one of these objects becoming like the proverbial Great White Whale to The Garent. All the story elements come together in fascinating ways to build the story of the Void and its backstory. I could say more, but I do not want to reveal too many details and spoil the...

4.5/5 stars, rounded down. This is the third Bosch novel that I have read and is certainly the best of the three. The character of Harry Bosch continues to be revealed slowly through these novels, and I am glad I started with book 1 in the series, so I can get the full picture as it develops. Connelly is an excellent writer, his prose makes the reader want to continue reading, and his storytelling keeps the focus on the case and moves it forward. In this story, Harry is facing a civil rights lawsuit related to a case from four years ago. Connelly writes the courtroom drama as well as, or even better than, he writes police procedural and crime scene investigation aspects. The experience of reading this part of the book makes me even more interested in reading his Lincoln Lawyer books. I definitely look forward to reading more of the Harry Bosch novels and plan to branch out to Connelly’s other works, in publication order, except that I might read the Catalina novels sooner. I hear his...

3/5 stars. I am glad that I started the Harry Bosch series in publication order, but I certainly enjoyed The Black Echo, book one, quite a bit more than this one. I struggled to get through The Black Ice, although I did enjoy the audiobook narration, and the last third of this novel was action-packed, but the set up took a while to develop, which detracted from my reading experience quite a lot. My experience of the series so far shows that Harry Bosch is a genuinely authentic and caring detective who wants to do the right thing, even if it goes against his bosses’ wishes. He is such a well-written and true-to-life character. My favorite parts of these stories is the backstory - how Harry got to where he is today and how much those experiences have impacted his character. I look forward to continuing the series with book three very soon and I look forward to the continuing development of Harry’s character. As I said after reading The Black Echo, I regret that I did not pick up this ser...

3/5 stars. There are a few very good (4-5 stars) stories and there are some not so good (1-2 stars) stories in this collection of short stories. The stories tie in together in ways that are unique and surprising, and the final tale itself brings several of the previous ones together. When I started the final story, I was impressed with this tying together and thought this story would be 5 stars, raising my overall opinion of the collection significantly. However, this novella-length last story was repetitive, frustrating to finish, and, I felt, could have ended many pages before it did. The repetitive narrative of this story actually detracted from my enjoyment of the book significantly. Others might not experience this book the same way, but I can only address my own concerns. Without revealing spoilers, I will say that the title of the book establishes the connective commonalities among the stories – out of body in various ways! Ghosts, demons, existential experiences, and lost tim...

5/5 stars. This novel addresses the dystopia of advancement for the sake of advancement, without a clearly defined meaningful purpose, especially when we cross new technologies with biology and human beings. In the bookstore, this book immediately appealed to me because of the title’s allusion to Philip K. Dick, one of the most seminal science fiction writers of the 20 th Century. I have not read anything by Paul Tremblay before, but I feel like this was a great place to start with his canon of novels. Julia is a former professional gamer whose estranged mother is the CFO of one of the most important tech companies in the USA. When her mother reaches out to Julia for a favor that could be beneficial for both, Julia hesitates but sees an opportunity for a good paying job and a way to (somewhat) address her rift with her mother. Little does she know that her mother might be holding back some information about this job, and what exactly she will be asked to do. One important note: always...

5/5 stars. I have never been a big reader of cyberpunk, but this is about the fifth book of this genre that I have read this year, and the second that I have finished in the last couple of weeks. This was a short, fast-paced novel filled with action that features an assassin hired to PROTECT a client who has been targeted for murder twice already. As we would expect from Mr. Islington, this story features great world building, excellent character development, and a fascinating storyline with intriguing twists. This novel has the dark setting and vibes of Blade Runner and Neuromancer mixed with a protagonist like Kalam Mekhar (Malazan) or Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher). So good!! This novel feels mostly like a standalone, with one or two exceptions, so I am not sure that Islington has plans for more stories in this world, but I do hope so. I am pleased to see him writing some scifi, especially since his fantasy novels always seem to have a hint of scifi in them. I am also excited to fi...