Tag Archive: Fiction



WunderlandWunderland by Jennifer Cody Epstein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This should be required reading for everyone. Especially now.

It was difficult for me at first as I thought maybe I was reading pro-nazi propaganda. But the people who suggested this read for me would never have recommended that kind of book. So I continued reading.

The book was written through differing points of view and differing times. It feels like a memoir at times as it gets quite personal.

Instead of it being propaganda, the author gives us an inside look into how a person/nation becomes less free-thinking, how certain biases become bigotry and hatred. She shows us how group-think and gang-mentality forms, even in the most loving people. Peer pressure and lack of trust promoted by the people in power move all the people into fear. I think that was my take away.

I would have given this book five stars but my experience with text-to-speech with this back and forth in time and differing personalities was difficult to figure out who was talking and when. Without eyes on the text, I would get lost.

If you can, please read this book. I think I may want to read it again and take notes. Maybe I’ll give more stars next time.

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Payback Royale (Payback Society Book 3)Payback Royale by Cidney Swanson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The book was to come live on the 29th. (And Yay! It did!) I finished reading this book four nights ago. I hated finishing it. I always want to know what will happen after I close the book. I enjoyed the book, thoroughly! The most exciting part was about space travel and its purpose. I have to admit to nearly squealing as the main character promotes it.

I know I’m not the target audience missing the ages by five decades or so. Even so, I can remember being a young adult. I can imagine I would have loved, well, everything Miss Swanson writes. Her characters, world’s, and plots are fresh and fun. The books read themselves, okay, with the help of text-to-speech. But I don’t want to put any of them down until the last word! Payback Royale was no different. Loved it!

On the other hand… I hate the antagonist. I don’t see hope for him. Please let’s put an end to his story! Without killing our friends, please!

I can’t wait to read more by Cidney Swanson!

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The Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful LifeThe Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life by Robert Kirkman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gruesome! That’s the first word that came to mind about this particular volume. Okay, sure. I know this is about the end of the world and zombies and all. But the horrid things that happen to people at the hands of other people. Ugh!

Look, I know there are bad people out there and they do awful things and if the world ends that may be one of the biggest issues we would have to worry about. Not the monsters, but who do we trust to take care of others rather than use this chaos as their own ladder. (Nod to Little Finger of Game of Thrones.)

As I usually compare the show to the book, I am shocked that once again that I appreciate how all this was depicted on the show more. The governor gets his payback good and square. Michone shows her stuff. But as the title of this particular issue states: This Sorrowful Life. Yeah. What a sad state of affairs our friends are in.

As ugly as it got, I can’t wait to read more in the series. I love reading the comic on my Fire or on my tablet as I can zoom in on pictures and tiny font. Glad I could obtain a copy through Kindle Unlimited. What a fun way to explore more books than I can possibly afford!

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The Walking Dead: The Best Defense (The Walking Dead, #5)The Walking Dead: The Best Defense by Robert Kirkman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Most of the time I like a book far more than a show. But in this case… Without giving spoilers may I say this is far more gruesome and I’m not talking about the zombies. They are equally yucky.

The governor is far worse. There, I’ve said it.

And I fear the author was a young nerd at the time and not aware that women were made for more than rape and abuse. I’m glad the show writers took more time and found other things to do with this particular part of the story. Maybe the author has learned that half his audience would like him better for taking a slightly different point of view.

Another point for comics on Kindle! It is far better to be able to close in on the artwork or the fonts that I wouldn’t be able to read in the paper copy. This is how I will read the rest of the series as I can with Kindle Unlimited.

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The Storied Life of A.J. FikryThe Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Um. Yeah. What if Data wrote a book? The emotions and exciting adventure are missing. Lots of telling that seem to lead nowhere.

But if you love books and bookstores, you are hooked without mercy. You don’t want to quit because there has to be a reason for all the quotes and little notes that start each chapter.

I didn’t care for A.J. Fikry. The author doesn’t paint him in any kind of good light. The other characters around him are equally yawn-producing. But BOOKS and a BOOKSTORE! Keeps the engine running, the reader reading. Weirdly, at the end I found tears flowing. How did the author do that? I even found myself wondering how the next book would look. I wanted more of the characters. (trying not to spoil here.)

A friend recommended the book. I’m glad she did. I recommend this for readers who love books. I will look into other books by this author. I may reread this to see if I can figure out how the author wrote this intriguing book in the dryest of fashions, throwing ‘show-not-tell’ and other rules of writing out the window.

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The Book of the Unnamed Midwife (The Road to Nowhere, #1)The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book kept me awake! I couldn’t stop reading. Meg Elison’s writing was engaging; the main character was believable and interesting. The plot was well thought out and much more plausible than zombie-apocalypse. It is a similar idea in that masses get sick and die, but no biters. It just sucks because a lot of people die. Mostly women and newborns. Again, it’s possible.

With that scenario, the story is told in many ways. There is a third-person point of view. Then the main character writes in her journal bringing it to first-person. Thrown in are chapters about other characters or even globally how others are dealing with a new world with very few women. And though I read this Kindle Unlimited version with Whispersynch to the Audible, I found myself READING as much as listening because even the fonts were different and interesting.

But without the narration by Angela Dawe, the book becomes less. Angela’s acting was flawless and added a lot to the story. I think this book is read best the way I did it as all the layers the author intended are there.

Though this was book one and you know there is more, there was no cliffhanger. You reach a natural somewhat comfortable ending. I was just excited to know there was more! I have already downloaded the Audible and Kindle Unlimited of book two. I can hardly wait to get to it!

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FledglingFledgling by Octavia E. Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a different take on a vampire story. I listened to the Audio from my Library Overdrive system. There was nothing scary about the main character. There were some of her kind that were, but the author didn’t stay with them. This story goes with the main character who is a young vampire who has lost her memory.

I finished this audio a couple of days ago. I can’t remember the MCs name. I did like her and rooted for her. I liked her humans, too. But towards the end, I didn’t like it so much. The court scenes were kind of boring. And the worst part was that I wanted to see more of what happened after. I felt the story ended abruptly.

Still, I think I will remember the feelings this story gave me. For that, I upped my rating from three and a half to four stars.

I did like the writing, too. It’s worth the read.

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SmilodonSmilodon by Alan Nayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My husband seemed really excited about a book he was reading. He even brought it into the living room with his headset while I was watching some show. He doesn’t usually read during the day. He is usually on the computer during the day. So I asked him about the book. It sounded exciting. I was able to borrow it on Kindle.

He was right it was right. It was exciting.

Anyone who reads my reviews know I am on a mission to read mostly female authors with strong female characters. After all, I spent my first sixty years like most people, reading mostly male authors and male characters. This book didn’t fit my new goal. But my husband convinced me that is was intriguing. So I couldn’t resist.

I have to admit that the first few chapters were boring. It was male heavy. And the only females were eye-candy. The main female (secondary character) was the ranger in charge but was seldom given her due of being in charge.

Beyond those complaints, the Smilodon part of the story was exciting. Imagine a creature that big that takes over a park! I don’t want to give any spoilers. It is well worth the read, but maybe not at night. It was hard to sleep after!

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The Walking Dead Vol. 3: Safety Behind BarsThe Walking Dead Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars by Robert Kirkman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Younger me would have been appalled at the me that LOVES The Walking Dead. Do I love zombies? Heck no. But like birds and coyotes, they exist in Robert Kirkman’s TWD. Some would understand if I use the words, “puppies and kittens”. Just not so cute. What else exists? As much inclusion as it possible without it being awkward.

Where would you prefer to spend the apocalypse a farm or a prison? A farm would have a good amount of food if you can keep it fresh and healthy. When the zombies stroll all over it and threaten to kill you, then that is not so feasible. No electric fences can keep them out. They only want to eat you. Innocent from their point of view. Hard enough to keep the farm free of pests like mice and coyotes or other predators. Shooting at them will bring more, in hoards!

Seemingly a strange choice is a prison. But with bars and double sets of high fences that normally keep the bad folks in, now becomes the best place of safety. Plus all the food that is still there. Clear away the walking dead and you have a safe place to raise a family. And set up the farm!

And so it is that Rick Grimes and crew end up in the prison. If you watch the show this kind of order happened to our fearless group. They tried camping in volume 1, the farm in volume 2, and finally, in volume 3, they move into the prison. But some people are still with us, others don’t exist. It is fun to compare the writing of both comic and television show. The story remains, for the most part, in spite of the changes needed often for the length of time a show can run, whereas the written one can go on forever if we all want it. (Yes!)

Once, again, I need to say, I prefer the Kindle version to the paperback. Though I would like to collect the comics, I can’t read them without a magnifying glass. The Kindle version allows me to click on the picture and take it frame by frame. Then if a certain frame has a font that is too small I can pinch it bigger. Bravo, technology! I miss the smell and tactile enjoyment of real books, but at my age with my eyes, I’m happy I can still enjoy books and comic books! By the way, the Kindle version is cheaper and it is free with Kindle Unlimited! YAY!

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The Victory GardenThe Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think I’ve read this story before. I know I haven’t. Though I enjoyed it, I found it trite. Again, don’t take this as a dismissal. There are many good qualities here. Young women should read books that speak to women in history. It’s good to see how far we’ve not come while learning what has improved.I

While I can’t rate this five stars, which means I will always remember it and may read it again, it does come up to maybe a 4.5. It was well written. It kept me interested, I wanted to know what happened next.

I love reading stories like this. Women during the world wars and how they had to do the men’s jobs. How stories of witches and unplanned pregnancies could cause gossip but not as often as peacetime.

So, please if you want a good read. Pick this one up. It is free of you have Kindle Unlimited.

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