Jeff Sexton
Epic Conclusion. The build to the ultimate conclusion was epic, the “final fight” was as awesome as it needed to be, and the stakes overall were appropriate. Masterful work.
Epic Conclusion. The build to the ultimate conclusion was epic, the “final fight” was as awesome as it needed to be, and the stakes overall were appropriate. Masterful work.
Added to listOwnedwith 64 books.
Zombie Dinosaurs Attack Washington DC. Seriously, what more do you need to know, particularly in the modern political climate? This book continues shortly after Jurassic Dead left off and ups the ante even more than the “zombie dinosaurs exist” premise of the first book. Read Jurassic Dead first, but you're going to want to start this book immediately following it!
Zombie Dinosaurs Attack Washington DC. Seriously, what more do you need to know, particularly in the modern political climate? This book continues shortly after Jurassic Dead left off and ups the ante even more than the “zombie dinosaurs exist” premise of the first book. Read Jurassic Dead first, but you're going to want to start this book immediately following it!
Solid "Secret Identity" Romance Where Side Character Nearly Steals Show. This is one of those romances where there are a lot of instances of "oh, you happen to be here and look who else happens to be here" bits, particularly in the setup. Which leads to a lot of miscommunications and assumptions, and you know what they say about "assume". Still, it totally works in the usual Hallmarkie and zany way, and if you're down for that kind of story, you're going to enjoy this one. If the secret identity/ happenstance/ assumption setup isn't your bag... eh, you probably won't enjoy this one as much.
And then... one particular side character. Not going into this character at all other than to note that this character does in fact nearly steal the entire damn book, and indeed, it almost feels like there are more "real" emotions as our main characters interact with this character than with each other. Which is probably not the best thing in a romance book, but hey, at least there are "real" and touching moments *somewhere*, right?
As to spice level... this one is far closer to a warm glass of milk than a Carolina Reaper. So there again, know that up front and read (or not) according to your own tastes there. For those that *must* have sex of some form (open door/ closed door) in their romance books... eh, I think that speaks more to you than the author, but just know that this is NOT present in this book.
Overall I think the book worked well as a continuation of its series, including having a few characters from earlier books come back and play pivotal roles (and, for those that despise spoilers of any form, absolutely read the earlier books in the series before getting to this one).
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Solid "Secret Identity" Romance Where Side Character Nearly Steals Show. This is one of those romances where there are a lot of instances of "oh, you happen to be here and look who else happens to be here" bits, particularly in the setup. Which leads to a lot of miscommunications and assumptions, and you know what they say about "assume". Still, it totally works in the usual Hallmarkie and zany way, and if you're down for that kind of story, you're going to enjoy this one. If the secret identity/ happenstance/ assumption setup isn't your bag... eh, you probably won't enjoy this one as much.
And then... one particular side character. Not going into this character at all other than to note that this character does in fact nearly steal the entire damn book, and indeed, it almost feels like there are more "real" emotions as our main characters interact with this character than with each other. Which is probably not the best thing in a romance book, but hey, at least there are "real" and touching moments *somewhere*, right?
As to spice level... this one is far closer to a warm glass of milk than a Carolina Reaper. So there again, know that up front and read (or not) according to your own tastes there. For those that *must* have sex of some form (open door/ closed door) in their romance books... eh, I think that speaks more to you than the author, but just know that this is NOT present in this book.
Overall I think the book worked well as a continuation of its series, including having a few characters from earlier books come back and play pivotal roles (and, for those that despise spoilers of any form, absolutely read the earlier books in the series before getting to this one).
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Heart Filled Novella Packs A Compelling Story In Short Form. This is one of those novellas that by the time you're finished, you're going to *think* there *had* to be at least twice as many pages given just how much story Evans manages to pack in here. And yet because it *is* barely 100 pages, its *actual* brevity makes it a great holiday read while you're waiting for things to cook or you're waiting the 5 minutes of commercials between every possession in a football game or you're needing five minutes of peace from the chaos of so many family and friends around or... you get the idea. Quick books make great books to read in limited time slices, and this is absolutely that type of tale. Also great for those looking to add a quick easy read (with a lot of heart) to help with those annual reading goals.
Oh, and Evans shows a love of pizza here I honestly didn't know she had. This entire novella is almost as much a love story for the hole in the wall pizzeria our couple winds up working together at as it is a romance between the couple themselves. Both play off each other well in all the best ways, and along the way everyone from foodies to Hallmarkie types will be quite pleased with the results.
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Heart Filled Novella Packs A Compelling Story In Short Form. This is one of those novellas that by the time you're finished, you're going to *think* there *had* to be at least twice as many pages given just how much story Evans manages to pack in here. And yet because it *is* barely 100 pages, its *actual* brevity makes it a great holiday read while you're waiting for things to cook or you're waiting the 5 minutes of commercials between every possession in a football game or you're needing five minutes of peace from the chaos of so many family and friends around or... you get the idea. Quick books make great books to read in limited time slices, and this is absolutely that type of tale. Also great for those looking to add a quick easy read (with a lot of heart) to help with those annual reading goals.
Oh, and Evans shows a love of pizza here I honestly didn't know she had. This entire novella is almost as much a love story for the hole in the wall pizzeria our couple winds up working together at as it is a romance between the couple themselves. Both play off each other well in all the best ways, and along the way everyone from foodies to Hallmarkie types will be quite pleased with the results.
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Added to listOwnedwith 62 books.
Added to listARCs Currently TBRwith 32 books.
Seemingly Comprehensive Review Of Its Field Marred By Dearth Of Bibliography. This is one of those books you pick up randomly because "hey, I don't actually know more than the very rough basics about the American Prairie", and it will actually give you a largely well rounded view of the entire topic, from its ancient origins and pre-European development through the Indian Wars/ Manifest Destiny era and through the Dust Bowl years all the way up to mostly current farming tech/ practices in the region. Yes, the commentary is titled perhaps a touch toward the left side of the dial, but honestly it wasn't anywhere near as pervasive or preachy as some other similar texts tend to get, so eh, it was enough to mention here but now I'm moving on.
No, the real problem, at least with the Advance Review Copy edition I read roughly 6 months before publication, is the dearth of a bibliography, clocking in at just 7% of the overall text - a far cry from even the 15% of my newly relaxing standard for bibliography length, much less the 20-30% of my former standard. So that's the star deduction - for all of the facts presented, there simply isn't anywhere near enough bibliography to back them up - much less the more editorial commentary.
Overall a seemingly strong primer on the topic, I know I learned a lot about a lot here, and I suspect many will as well. I simply wish it had been better documented.
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Seemingly Comprehensive Review Of Its Field Marred By Dearth Of Bibliography. This is one of those books you pick up randomly because "hey, I don't actually know more than the very rough basics about the American Prairie", and it will actually give you a largely well rounded view of the entire topic, from its ancient origins and pre-European development through the Indian Wars/ Manifest Destiny era and through the Dust Bowl years all the way up to mostly current farming tech/ practices in the region. Yes, the commentary is titled perhaps a touch toward the left side of the dial, but honestly it wasn't anywhere near as pervasive or preachy as some other similar texts tend to get, so eh, it was enough to mention here but now I'm moving on.
No, the real problem, at least with the Advance Review Copy edition I read roughly 6 months before publication, is the dearth of a bibliography, clocking in at just 7% of the overall text - a far cry from even the 15% of my newly relaxing standard for bibliography length, much less the 20-30% of my former standard. So that's the star deduction - for all of the facts presented, there simply isn't anywhere near enough bibliography to back them up - much less the more editorial commentary.
Overall a seemingly strong primer on the topic, I know I learned a lot about a lot here, and I suspect many will as well. I simply wish it had been better documented.
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Anti-Western Ideology And Dearth Of Bibliography Mar Otherwise Solid Enough Examination Of The Topic. This is one of those books that has a lot of great information... and then doesn't really document where that information came from. Clearly, Clapp traveled extensively and did a lot of first hand observations - which is clear from the narrative. And yet there is also quite a bit of discussion of histories old enough (yet still modern enough) that Clapp could not possibly have conducted such interviews himself, such as one comment from a letter from an activist in 1992 Guatemala regarding the trade in trash being more lucrative at the time than the drug trade! Thus, there is enough that wasn't directly observed that the bibliography should have been longer than the 13% the Advance Review Copy form of this book I read a few months before publication had. Still, that was only call it a half star deduction, as 13% is really close to the 15% that I'm trying to relax my standard to (from 20-30%).
The other half star deduction is from the explicit and pervasive anti-Western commentary - at one point going so far as to claim that "Indigenous societies were in greater touch with Earth's natural rhythms than white settlers. They had a more profound sense of moral purpose." While this statement was perhaps the single worst in the narrative, there were numerous similar comments spread throughout the entirety of the text, enough that some may wish to defenestrate this book early and often.
But don't. Read the book. There really is quite a bit here, and while some of it is included in other works on the trash trade and trash life cycle - such as Year Of No Garbage by Eve Schaub, Worn Out by Alyssa Hardy, and Wasteland by Oliver Franklin-Wallis - Clapp manages to go to other areas (such as Indonesia) not covered in these other works and show their own problems and opportunities in stark clarity. Indeed, remove the blatant anti-Western bias, and this is truly a solid work in the field, showing a wide breadth of the overall problem of the life of trash after it is thrown away and now nothing ever really solves this particular problem... in part due to the classic peril of there being too much money to be made by *not* solving it.
So read this book. Maybe you agree with the author's biases, maybe you're vehemently opposed to them. Either way, I'm almost 100% certain that even if you happen to be an actual expert in the global trash trade... you're *still* going to learn something from having read this book.
Recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Anti-Western Ideology And Dearth Of Bibliography Mar Otherwise Solid Enough Examination Of The Topic. This is one of those books that has a lot of great information... and then doesn't really document where that information came from. Clearly, Clapp traveled extensively and did a lot of first hand observations - which is clear from the narrative. And yet there is also quite a bit of discussion of histories old enough (yet still modern enough) that Clapp could not possibly have conducted such interviews himself, such as one comment from a letter from an activist in 1992 Guatemala regarding the trade in trash being more lucrative at the time than the drug trade! Thus, there is enough that wasn't directly observed that the bibliography should have been longer than the 13% the Advance Review Copy form of this book I read a few months before publication had. Still, that was only call it a half star deduction, as 13% is really close to the 15% that I'm trying to relax my standard to (from 20-30%).
The other half star deduction is from the explicit and pervasive anti-Western commentary - at one point going so far as to claim that "Indigenous societies were in greater touch with Earth's natural rhythms than white settlers. They had a more profound sense of moral purpose." While this statement was perhaps the single worst in the narrative, there were numerous similar comments spread throughout the entirety of the text, enough that some may wish to defenestrate this book early and often.
But don't. Read the book. There really is quite a bit here, and while some of it is included in other works on the trash trade and trash life cycle - such as Year Of No Garbage by Eve Schaub, Worn Out by Alyssa Hardy, and Wasteland by Oliver Franklin-Wallis - Clapp manages to go to other areas (such as Indonesia) not covered in these other works and show their own problems and opportunities in stark clarity. Indeed, remove the blatant anti-Western bias, and this is truly a solid work in the field, showing a wide breadth of the overall problem of the life of trash after it is thrown away and now nothing ever really solves this particular problem... in part due to the classic peril of there being too much money to be made by *not* solving it.
So read this book. Maybe you agree with the author's biases, maybe you're vehemently opposed to them. Either way, I'm almost 100% certain that even if you happen to be an actual expert in the global trash trade... you're *still* going to learn something from having read this book.
Recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Added to listARCs Currently TBRwith 33 books.
The latest edition of the Chess Team saga takes it back to before it all began - when Jack Sigler was known as “Elvis” and before he had ever met Stan Tremblay, Shin Dae Jung, Erik Somers, and Zelda Baker.
I'm not going to get into the plot on this review, suffice it to say that it is a classic Chess Team rollercoaster that has them travel over much of the globe while explaining the need for just such a team very well.
If you've never read a Jeremy Robinson book, particularly from the Chess Team series, this one is the first one in storyline order and serves as an excellent origins story. If you're a long time fan, this is another wild ride you've come to expect, with a few geek out moments thrown in - such as when “Elvis” becomes “King”, and even moreso when Stan, Shin, Erik, and Zelda become “Rook”, “Knight”, “Bishop”, and “Queen”.
The introductions to each character are done very well indeed, and some classic moments that have never before been put in the books are revealed. Among them:
How does Stan get his Desert Eagles?
How do Zelda and Jack meet, and how does Jack gain Zelda's trust?
Who the hell is this “Richard” guy that seems to be financing the bad guys?
The most important question (as far as the future of Chess Team goes) is left unanswered:
How do the events of PRIME - the story of the beginnings of Chess Team - affect what long time fans know and expect to see in OMEGA - the story of the endings of Chess Team, coming out later this year? I have my suspicions, but at this point the only thing any of us other than Robinson and his coauthor for OMEGA, Kane Gilmour, know for sure:
No matter what happens, it will be one hell of a ride!
The latest edition of the Chess Team saga takes it back to before it all began - when Jack Sigler was known as “Elvis” and before he had ever met Stan Tremblay, Shin Dae Jung, Erik Somers, and Zelda Baker.
I'm not going to get into the plot on this review, suffice it to say that it is a classic Chess Team rollercoaster that has them travel over much of the globe while explaining the need for just such a team very well.
If you've never read a Jeremy Robinson book, particularly from the Chess Team series, this one is the first one in storyline order and serves as an excellent origins story. If you're a long time fan, this is another wild ride you've come to expect, with a few geek out moments thrown in - such as when “Elvis” becomes “King”, and even moreso when Stan, Shin, Erik, and Zelda become “Rook”, “Knight”, “Bishop”, and “Queen”.
The introductions to each character are done very well indeed, and some classic moments that have never before been put in the books are revealed. Among them:
How does Stan get his Desert Eagles?
How do Zelda and Jack meet, and how does Jack gain Zelda's trust?
Who the hell is this “Richard” guy that seems to be financing the bad guys?
The most important question (as far as the future of Chess Team goes) is left unanswered:
How do the events of PRIME - the story of the beginnings of Chess Team - affect what long time fans know and expect to see in OMEGA - the story of the endings of Chess Team, coming out later this year? I have my suspicions, but at this point the only thing any of us other than Robinson and his coauthor for OMEGA, Kane Gilmour, know for sure:
No matter what happens, it will be one hell of a ride!
Description Doesn't Match Story... Until It Does. I gotta admit, the most remarkable thing about this book for me was how WILDLY wrong the description was. Until it wasn't anymore, and suddenly the description fit perfectly. McKinnon does a remarkable job of seemingly writing one story, only to suddenly flip it and reveal that she had been writing a very different story all along. Very much recommended.
Description Doesn't Match Story... Until It Does. I gotta admit, the most remarkable thing about this book for me was how WILDLY wrong the description was. Until it wasn't anymore, and suddenly the description fit perfectly. McKinnon does a remarkable job of seemingly writing one story, only to suddenly flip it and reveal that she had been writing a very different story all along. Very much recommended.
Added to listOwnedwith 61 books.
Added to listARCs Currently TBRwith 30 books.
Solid Suspense Takes Atypical Turns. This is one of those tales that almost seems destined for at least a sequel, if not a series of some level. There's more than enough here to justify it, and yet this story itself is fully complete as is. In other words, coming back to this world would be interesting and compelling... but not necessarily *necessary*.
I love the way that certain elements are played in an all-too-real-yet-not-usually-shown-in-fiction manner, and the specific construction of how Stella's past and present collide is particularly well done - and perhaps indicative that no sequel is expected here, as that particular sub plot could have been spread across a small series - while not feeling rushed or out of place fully happening within this story itself.
There *is* one particular element that could throw at least some readers off, and that is the (minor) romance subplot and specifically that it introduces an LGBT element not otherwise present in the story. Minor spoiler there, apologies, but I'd rather avoid 1*s (which I've seen already) specifically because of this. So just know it going forward, and yes, I know that others will praise this book specifically for that very point. *In the context of this particular story as told*, to me it felt refreshing that the author would choose to go that direction rather than feeling forced in just to have that "representation" in the book, but it is also a point where I could see others feeling that it was a touch forced, and they wouldn't get much pushback from me beyond what I just stated - it didn't feel that way *to me*.
Overall a truly well told, suspenseful, complex tale with a more-fleshed-out-than-many main character that clearly has a lot going on, and a tale whose world seems ripe for exploring more of. So here's hoping we get a chance to, and here's hoping it will be soonish.
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Solid Suspense Takes Atypical Turns. This is one of those tales that almost seems destined for at least a sequel, if not a series of some level. There's more than enough here to justify it, and yet this story itself is fully complete as is. In other words, coming back to this world would be interesting and compelling... but not necessarily *necessary*.
I love the way that certain elements are played in an all-too-real-yet-not-usually-shown-in-fiction manner, and the specific construction of how Stella's past and present collide is particularly well done - and perhaps indicative that no sequel is expected here, as that particular sub plot could have been spread across a small series - while not feeling rushed or out of place fully happening within this story itself.
There *is* one particular element that could throw at least some readers off, and that is the (minor) romance subplot and specifically that it introduces an LGBT element not otherwise present in the story. Minor spoiler there, apologies, but I'd rather avoid 1*s (which I've seen already) specifically because of this. So just know it going forward, and yes, I know that others will praise this book specifically for that very point. *In the context of this particular story as told*, to me it felt refreshing that the author would choose to go that direction rather than feeling forced in just to have that "representation" in the book, but it is also a point where I could see others feeling that it was a touch forced, and they wouldn't get much pushback from me beyond what I just stated - it didn't feel that way *to me*.
Overall a truly well told, suspenseful, complex tale with a more-fleshed-out-than-many main character that clearly has a lot going on, and a tale whose world seems ripe for exploring more of. So here's hoping we get a chance to, and here's hoping it will be soonish.
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Added to listOwnedwith 60 books.
Added to listARCs Currently TBRwith 27 books.
Added to listARCs Currently TBRwith 22 books.
Bi Romance For The Younger Millennial / Zoomer Set. If you have an ounce of work ethic in your pinky finger, you've got more than our female lead and narrator of this tale. Which means you're likely going to find her quite annoying, at the very least. If you're not a fan of bisexual women or the term "cishet" (to be clear, the second thing there is only used a time or two that I noticed), maybe skip this book. If you need the spice of a Carolina Reaper or at least a Scotch Bonnet... eh, you're not going to like this one much either. If you're not a fan of romance novels that could have been a five minute mature conversation a decade ago... you're probably not going to like this book. If you're not a fan of trigger warnings at the front of books... well, this one has a couple of pages of them.
With all of *that* dispensed with, welcome. If you're still here and still interested in this book, know that for what it is, it is reasonably solid. Maybe a touch squishy in some areas and maybe rolling a bit after the rest of it has stopped moving a time or two, but good enough to be enjoyable for those that can suspend their disbelief for a few hours and just go with the story as presented.
And the story as presented *is* a fat bi chick version of a fairly standard plot device in romance books - multiple dates with different people set up by some friend/ family group, except the best friend winds up inserting himself into them and... well, like I said, its been done more than enough for you to know exactly how this goes. While there is more spice than the "clean" / "sweet" crowd will likely prefer, there also isn't really enough to "give them the vapors" either, so on that point it is somewhere in between. The romance itself, as a form of second chance / these kids should have had a mature conversation a decade ago and could have been together this entire time, still works for what it is.
Really the areas that this book - and all of Howe's books - break a bit of ground is their acceptance of "larger bodies", but Howe openly notes in that same trigger warning at the front of the book that in order to make this particular story work, she had to trim down the more typical nearly screaming from the rooftops level of "fat pride" / "fat acceptance"/ however you want to phrase that... and yes, to an extent, it shows in the way the story is told and ultimately in how the story flows.
And yet, with all of this noted, there really were no technical errors noted here, and thus this book could work well for someone looking for something atypical during the Holiday season that isn't a "holiday book".
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Bi Romance For The Younger Millennial / Zoomer Set. If you have an ounce of work ethic in your pinky finger, you've got more than our female lead and narrator of this tale. Which means you're likely going to find her quite annoying, at the very least. If you're not a fan of bisexual women or the term "cishet" (to be clear, the second thing there is only used a time or two that I noticed), maybe skip this book. If you need the spice of a Carolina Reaper or at least a Scotch Bonnet... eh, you're not going to like this one much either. If you're not a fan of romance novels that could have been a five minute mature conversation a decade ago... you're probably not going to like this book. If you're not a fan of trigger warnings at the front of books... well, this one has a couple of pages of them.
With all of *that* dispensed with, welcome. If you're still here and still interested in this book, know that for what it is, it is reasonably solid. Maybe a touch squishy in some areas and maybe rolling a bit after the rest of it has stopped moving a time or two, but good enough to be enjoyable for those that can suspend their disbelief for a few hours and just go with the story as presented.
And the story as presented *is* a fat bi chick version of a fairly standard plot device in romance books - multiple dates with different people set up by some friend/ family group, except the best friend winds up inserting himself into them and... well, like I said, its been done more than enough for you to know exactly how this goes. While there is more spice than the "clean" / "sweet" crowd will likely prefer, there also isn't really enough to "give them the vapors" either, so on that point it is somewhere in between. The romance itself, as a form of second chance / these kids should have had a mature conversation a decade ago and could have been together this entire time, still works for what it is.
Really the areas that this book - and all of Howe's books - break a bit of ground is their acceptance of "larger bodies", but Howe openly notes in that same trigger warning at the front of the book that in order to make this particular story work, she had to trim down the more typical nearly screaming from the rooftops level of "fat pride" / "fat acceptance"/ however you want to phrase that... and yes, to an extent, it shows in the way the story is told and ultimately in how the story flows.
And yet, with all of this noted, there really were no technical errors noted here, and thus this book could work well for someone looking for something atypical during the Holiday season that isn't a "holiday book".
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Short. Clean. Innocent Fun. This is one of those romances that is *so* innocent and playful that you almost begin to question just how old these characters are. And to be clear, they are very clearly adult characters... but the fun and pranks here are so innocent as to be juvenile, making you think that these characters had been playing these same games for many, many years... despite having just met.
The epilogue(s) here - one official and yet the chapter *before* it taking place a year after the main events of the book, usually denoting a form of epilogue even if it isn't labeled that - feel perhaps a touch tacked on, particularly given some of the revelations therein as they relate to the overall main story, but that is one where your mileage may absolutely vary.
Overall this was a fun, quick read (a couple of hours or so for me), great for those times in the holiday season when maybe you only have a few minutes between doing things to get any reading in, but perhaps are actively looking for a shorter-ish book that won't make you think too hard about things.
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Short. Clean. Innocent Fun. This is one of those romances that is *so* innocent and playful that you almost begin to question just how old these characters are. And to be clear, they are very clearly adult characters... but the fun and pranks here are so innocent as to be juvenile, making you think that these characters had been playing these same games for many, many years... despite having just met.
The epilogue(s) here - one official and yet the chapter *before* it taking place a year after the main events of the book, usually denoting a form of epilogue even if it isn't labeled that - feel perhaps a touch tacked on, particularly given some of the revelations therein as they relate to the overall main story, but that is one where your mileage may absolutely vary.
Overall this was a fun, quick read (a couple of hours or so for me), great for those times in the holiday season when maybe you only have a few minutes between doing things to get any reading in, but perhaps are actively looking for a shorter-ish book that won't make you think too hard about things.
Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.