Beth Tabler

This book is hilarious and packed with raucous and bawdy Jokes. If you enjoy humor on the slightly R-rated side of things this is for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

I am always a fan of a good spy thriller and intrigue. This novel reads like a John le Carre novel, I was kept on the edge of my seat most of the reading. There are some scenes that take some suspension of disbelief. Just go with it. Intriguing characters and beautifully rendered. I Definitely recommend if you love some intrigue.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing with a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

This is a lovely book with beautiful pictures. The text is calm and soothing, much like the author's message that she wants to convey and wants you to eternalize. How you make your life a more soothing place. It isn't groundbreaking work, a lot of the maxims in the book I have found in other works and much is common sense. However, the packaging and simplicity of the maxims and advice go a long way to help someone unclutter their mind enough to be able to make positive change. I recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely, positively could have dreamed that the world of whiskey making or tasting could be so interesting or involved. Upon opening this book I thought I was in for a nice collated list of whiskeys from around the world graded on taste. This book has that. However, what I wasn't expecting were the chapters with fantastic writing and beautiful photography. The creation of whiskeys from barley to the barrel is complicated and really an art form. This book illustrates that. To bring out the subtler flavors in what could be considered a simple drink takes years of cultivation and detail that blew my mind a bit. I had no idea. I now have a greater appreciation for whiskeys. Also, the author took detailed and technical information that in any other hands would be dry and difficult for the reader to digest and made it approachable. As a layman, I appreciate that. I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a micro-history or who is a whiskey lover. Absolutely worth the read.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am sad, after reading this book, that I can't patronize the restaurant Bean Sprouts kitchen daily. It looks like so much fun. I have a picky three-year-old and as so many moms out there I tear my hair out trying to come up with creative ways to get her to eat her dinner. Many pinter-fails later, I am still at a loss. This book is a godsend for a mom like me.

The recipe book includes 60 recipes from their restaurant menu that have been thoroughly tested by 1000's of kids from their 15 locations in the United States. The philosophy of their restaurant is to “Spark children's appetites with yummy, good-for-you food; and delight grown-ups with a happier mealtime.” They have achieved that! I am an adult and I am interested in making mealtime more fun for myself, let alone my child after reading this. Who doesn't want a quesadilla shaped like a rocket ship?!

A fantastic gift for a parent and/or grandparent who wants more fun and an easier time at meals with their kid. Highest possible recommendation!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I started reading this thinking that this would be light and fluffy. It is not. This is serious stuff. I know, I know the title says as much. It is loving and sweet and way too short. I wanted to wrap the prose around myself like a warm blanket. It is lovely and perfect for a dog lover or anyone who can appreciate the better half of a dog/human relationship. Truly I think dogs are too good for us humans. Wonderful book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Great book. It provides detailed info on shrub placement throughout a variety of climates and garden locations. I thought it might be a little long-winded, who wants to read 300 pages about shrubs (spoiler alert. I totally do), but it keeps the reader interested. A useful resource for future gardening projects. Plus it has great pictures and cover. Would Work for a coffee table book. Definite recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Seed saving has always been a huge mystery to me. As an avid gardener, I have been interested in the idea of propagation, but I could never figure out how to do it well. Until I found this book. It is going to take some practice, but I plan on utilizing some of these methods in hope of ramping up next years crop. Love it. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Design by Nature has a whole lot going for it. But, specifically excellent photography, well-written ideas, and great design. It is very wabi-sabi design-wise, so if that is not something you are interested in this book will not be for you. However, if it is, consider this a light primer on interior design utilizing natural elements. It isn't really deep, nor are you going to learn much. But, you will be inspired by the photography. You will want to incorporate some of her ideas into your own spaces. I recommend!

Thank You Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am all about getting more out of less space. It is the future and I will back anything that explains how I can do that with concise information and great pictures. This is an excellent guide on how a gardener can achieve more with less. Plus! It isn't vague allusions on how achieving this is done. She provided technical information! This is how it is done. Definitely, recommend for the gardening enthusiast.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really cute idea, but it was really slow to start for me. I wanted to get some of the action going! I did very much enjoy the dynamics of the story between the two sisters, however, the rest of the writing left me a bit flat. The art is good, stylistically cartoonish which accommodates a younger audience. Overall a decent read and I would recommend it to younger readers. Older teens and adults may find it lacking.

You can find many of the other books and graphic novel reviews on my blog, www.beforewegoblog.com

I was provided a free copy of this novel from NetGalley.com for an honest review.
This is a great graphic novel, albeit slow paced. It isn't plodding or lazy but instead the text meanders from one frame to the next.  Much how I would think a cowboy of the old west would mosey. I don't know if that is a stylistic choice by the authors, or just how the authors write, but it is effective.

I think there is a great need for graphic novels set in the old west. It was an interesting era and it is rife with historical misinterpretation. Really, the past is interesting and exciting enough without having to dress it up in silver spurs and the OK coral. The authors really did justice to the time frame. Plus the lead character is likable without being annoying, and flawed enough to seem realistic. All and all a great read and I am looking forward to reading more from this author duo.

This is a typical Jason book. Weird animals, minimalistic plots, shorter stories. Again, in typical style is affecting and wonderful. Jason is not for everyone. Most of his stories have an edge to them of some sort. Something that will reach in and knick your heart a little bit. But, they are good and worth the reading.

This is a perfect and rather terrifying story of a sociopath turning the tables on a couple of cops in the most unsuspecting way.

I had a difficult time following this over complicated plot. It was over complicated and at the same time slow and dull. I'm not sure what to expect from other books from this author, but I will give some of his other works a read, this one was definitely not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a cool collection of stories from inspirational women! Not only are the stories great and diverse, but there are quite a few tips that help you with your own exploration story. Plus, there are lovely pictures that inspire as well. It is an all-around cool book that doesn't need to be read in one sitting. The stories or moments can be enjoyed piece-meal. It makes me want to, so badly, get outdoors and have some adventures.

“Whenever I think of Clarissa, I always think of her mind. I told her that once, but she called me a liar around a plume of smoke she'd been exhaling.”

Lingering by Melissa Simonson is a story about a man who is dealing with the sudden and violent death of his fiance and the grief exploitation thereof. The story begins with the main protagonist, Ben visiting the graveyard of his newly deceased fiance. He is a mess, as one would be after experiencing his loss. Simonson talks a lot about the all-consuming viciousness of grief and how it can change your perspective and personality. This particular day at the cemetery Ben is accosted by a woman named Jess, much like a dealer to a junky, Jess mentions that she has a way for Joe to speak to his fiance Clarissa again.

“She examined the dismal paint job on a thumbnail. “What would you say if I told you you could talk to her again?” I pressed a hand to my eye hard enough to make red patterns bloom. “I'd say you're a real bitch with a serious lack of anything better to do, trolling around a cemetery. What is this: your singles lounge?”

She has a way to alleviate Joe's pain, and it is rather disgusting. Her character comes off as a used car salesman selling pain relief. She claims she is a Lingering Specialist.

After a challenging evening, Ben closes his hand around something like a receipt in his pocket but it wasn't a receipt but the card he had received in the cemetery. On a whim, he calls Jess and sets up a meeting to find out what she can do for him. After the initial call, the story moves at a quick pace. Ben is drawn into the world of Jess and Nick. Nick is the technology behind the company Lingering. A revolutionary way to speak to your deceased loved ones via gathered social media data that is collated into a profile and voice of your loved one. Something of a painkiller for your grief. The new reincarnation of an almost-but-not-quite perfect Clarissa pulls Ben from the world and his friends. Specifically, a man named Joe, who is also dealing with the grief of losing his wife. Joe acts as a counterpoint to Lingering. He is dealing with his grief in a real an entirely human way unlike Lingering that is exploitation and has a wrongness to it. The story progresses, and Ben gets pulled further and further into Lingering until the story has a very dramatic emotional climax and cliffhanger.

Simonson has written some very believable but not entirely relatable characters. Specifically in the character Nick. I can see a person like him existing in the world. His ethical boundaries are non-existent, and he seeks to exploit a piece of technology that he has created. I find him a completely irredeemable and well-written character. His smug smarminess practically dripped off off the page. The issue that I have with the story is Ben. He is a well-written character but, for me, he jumped the shark a few times and threw me out of the story. I had a few times where I thought, “absolutely no way would someone do this.” Maybe they would? But, I had a difficult time understanding his choices. This led to a level of disbelief for the story. I couldn't wrap my mind around the premise.

The story is marketed as science fiction; however, I found that it had a tough time finding its voice. Was it a murder mystery, a treatise on guilt and grief, or a science fiction about AI? I think if Simonson focused more on the science fiction aspect of it and less on the grief and murder aspect it would be a more successful read for me. To her credit though, Simonson created a very original idea. It is an intriguing, AI to deal with grief. Science Fiction has explored a lot of the AI plot ideas; power, desire, sexuality but this is the first I have read about grief. Although I might not be the correct reader for this story, I am looking forward to Simonson's next read. She has a great voice inside of her, and her next book will be even better.

RE Houser wrote a charming story in Forged in the Storm. The Resouh (Russo? Not sure how to pronounce this name) family is cute and unremarkable. Completely ordinary white picket fence Nebraska family regular. I have a feeling that some of these characters were written from life, Houser seems very comfortable in them. The family consists of the parents, Rus and Nichole. The kids: James, Elijah, and Jade. All of various ages. Each of the chapters in this too short story is written from the perspective of whomever that section is talking about. This type of writing can be a challenging task, and for the most part, Houser does well with it. One of the fallbacks of doing this sort of narrative, and I think he runs into trouble with this, is that if you give so much “screen” time to so many characters, you end up with no lead. With no lead, the reader can feel unattached to the characters and thus cannot empathize with them. It can feel scattered.

The plot involves the Rusouh Family, a tech company creating far-reaching Earth Shaking technology, and portaling from place to place around the world. It is a little Star Trek, a little Leave it to Beaver and a little James Bond. Crazy mix but fun. I wish that Houser had fleshed out the story more instead of doing short novella like bursts. It is hard to keep a solid narrative going in this format when the book is novella length. Had it been one main character, I think it would have been a more cohesive plot. I ended up feeling unsatisfied because I wanted more of both character, dialog, and story. I needed each chapter to explain more and show more than it did.

I know it sounds like I am complaining about this, I am not. It is a cute idea and a fun story, it just needs some editing and reformating. The love the family feels or each other is infectious and sweet. They are thrown in some insane predicaments in short succession. The science fiction elements are fun, a little cloudy at this point, but still very enjoyable — all in all a decent read hence the 3.5 stars. I am curious as to where the story is going to go and if Houser is going to flesh out things a bit more. I will read the next installment and see where the story takes us.

Author, Kristin Ward did a remarkable thing with the story. She took the environmental disaster story that is very common right now due to all the concerns about climate change and made it fresh. No small feat. Ward gives us a glimpse into a very possible environmentally destroyed world that is a bit harrowing when you think that something like this could be right around the corner.

The story is about a character named Enora. She is an 18-year-old high school student when we first start this novel. Much of her education is created and run by an organization called DMC, a company that controls water and water allocation and by extension the fate of the citizens of the US. The DMC controls the future of every citizen including their profession and how they contribute to the community. Any deviation from class or societal rules is met with harsh and quick punishment. There is a lot of information to be taken in, in short order. How society works, why society has crumbled and risen the way it has. How Enora and her family fit into the niche of society the way they do. Once you get past all the back story, the pace slows down a bit and Ward works on showing you the kind of person Enora is. Scared and confused, sure. But Enora has a strong core of strength that gets more apparent as the story moves towards its denouement. My only complaint about it is the way the story ended. The story abruptly stopped when it felt like it just was getting started. I wanted more to be a part of this book, at least something that could be considered a turning point of climax. That being said, it is a very well written story with a lot of promise. I look forward to jumping into book two and seeing how Enora's journey pans out.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my open and honest review.

I am very taken by this story. Distilled down, this is a story of boy meets girl. However, it is so much more than that. The premise follows two characters who are in the autumn of their lives. The first is Ulysses. He is in his sixties and has just recently been forcibly retired. The once very active Ulysses is now at a loss about how to move on with his life. Mediterranea recently lost her mother after being her sole caretaker for the last nine months. Mediterranea runs a cheese store inherited from her father, again she is at a bit of a loss in knowing what to do at this point in her life. At a chance encounter at Ulysses sons OB/GYN office, the two of them spark a romance. The writing about romance is so on point. It isn't forced and hackneyed. It is sweet with heat. Chemistry bubbles between them. It feels like a fresh and real love affair. Love that can blossom in the Autumn of their lives.

Graphically this is fantastic. The panels have a misty quality to them, and the characters are drawn well. The art is enough to make me want to read more of this authors work.

It is a life-affirming and wonderful love story that has a great twist of an ending and should be read. You don't come by comics like this often.

Cryptofauna is a crazy batshit insane book. But in a good way. It is almost impossible to describe the plot to you, and If I even tried you would look at me like I lost my damn mind. Imagine writing a bunch of randomly selected nouns on papers, tossing them in a hat and producing a great story out of them. That is what Patrick Canning did.

Nouns include a Job at an insane asylum, cilantro, a bag of ash, the color blue, a dog, a Belgian, being marooned, leprous long living French monks, a body press made of mint, and shape-shifting animals.

That is just the start. It is a fantastically strange book where you completely fall in love with the characters and cheer Jim and his cohorts on in the grand competition. You want Jim to win, and you want to keep reading to see what else Canning can pull out of a hat. It is a great adventure, well worth checking out. You will not believe the Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy/Alice in Wonderland type journey the author will take you on. Give it a try.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

How is food processed? What is processed food? Reading this you learn that pretty much everything is one way or another. Temple does thoughtful deep dives on things like micronutrients, salt, fat, and the British diet. She dives into staples like cheese and bread which are thoughtful and interesting. I love learning about things like this. I was a fan of this book and although at times it could be a bit dry, the material is well presented.

Laura and the Shadow King was a strange read for me. It is a book that straddles many different genres without sticking a full toe into any of them. For me, that can be good and interested or leave me feeling unanchored as a reader. I think in this situation, it was a bit of the later rather than the former.

The world that Soares creates is a world reeling from a devastating outbreak that leaves countries and governments in ruins. It has also left most of the population a sort of zombie type creature. Alive, but full of incredible aggression with an infectious bite. The apocalypse is all background and setting for what the real narrative is, that of JJ Berger. the leader of a military outfit called Shadow Troop and a woman named Maria. Maria is a woman determined to save her young daughter from the Russian mafia that has taken control of them. The story is shifting perspectives between these two individuals as their lives, as their destinies slowly become intertwined. I think the issue I had with the story was the military jargon. Soares did an excellent job with the dialog. The character's personalities are clear and concise; it felt like hearing actual conversations between individuals rather than what we think a discussion should sound like. But the amount of military jargon juxtaposed against maria's chapters kept knocking me out of the story. At times I found the dialog difficult to parse and keep up with.

I do, however, recommend this story if you are a fan of military fiction type stories interspersed with a bit of apocalypse and fantasy elements. It is well written and interesting but left me cold.

I very much liked the idea - it is a classic in science fiction, military invasion of an alien species. However, I found it to clipped in the narrative to become interested in the story. I could not get involved with the characters or the antagonist to really know what was going on. I think as an installment of five issues it is too short, but I am wondering if a much larger grouping of issues will be more effective. What this story does very well though is conveying through art. The artwork is gorgeous and evokes what storyline there is. I'll check out further issues to see how this develops.

Essentially, Hallow is a story about family and the lengths we go to protect those of us we love. Hallow begins as we re-join Ariel and protector Rafe back on Earth. Ariel is still battling to accept herself and what fate has thrust upon her. The new parts of herself are extraordinary and take some getting used to. At this point in the story, if you haven't read book 1, Heavenward, you should. Although it is not necessary, I think it tends to fill in a lot of plot chunks and character traits that you are not familiar with. Plus it will give you a better grounding on Ariel's situation.

Unlike the first story, Heavenward, Hallow takes place on Earth, and I think that it starts to tie up some of the loose ends from the first novel. However, this book is transitional. It is setting up the other books in the series; there will be four total. I am not going to give away the plot; just know that not everything is settled with a neat bow. Ariel hits rock bottom in this story. She dragged through muck and mire. Only as she has lost much of who she is can she embrace who she has to become. It is a pretty exciting character arc, and I am looking forward to where it ends up. There are so much development and excitement to come for Ariel as the series progresses.

Narrative style-wise, I found the first few chapters challenging to get through. Olga has a particular highly detailed way of writing that can be a challenge for some readers. This book feels more settled in this style, and Olga feels more comfortable with the characters. It is almost as if the characters have matured and rounded out. If you can make it through the first chapters and can get used to that highly detailed style, I promise you will be in for a wild ride of a story and will enjoy it. You will get hooked, give it a swing.