Five Stars: The Betelgeuse Oracle by Joseph Macchiusi

If you’re anything like me (and statistically, everyone in history, ever) you’re obsessed with the end of the world. Maybe because it’s the perfect test of human character, or because, deep down, we all long for a reset button to take us back to simpler times. Whatever the reason, the post-apocalypse literature wave is rising, and Joseph Macchiusi is surfing the crest. 

Macchiusi’s view of the end of the world was an amalgamation of science and magic whose realism blew my mind (and scared the crap out of me). In every end-of-the-world tale ever told, at least one character says “We have to get out of the city.” The Betelgeuse Oracle shows us exactly why.

I must say, I was little put off by Macchiusi’s writing style at first. He has an unusual rhythm and style. I say “at first” because, by then end of the book, I couldn’t imagine it having been written better. There is literally not a wasted word, which is both interesting and refreshing.

In spite of my initial raised eyebrow, the main character, James Muir, immediately pulled me in. James, in the opening chapters, is every young father alive. He was instantly relatable, and (despite his developing super powers) was anything but a superhero. His decisions and emotions were real, rather than heroic. The rest of the cast was an incredible mix of everything from Inigo Montoya to Lara Croft, and I couldn’t get enough of any of them.

At once frightening and poignant, thoughtful, and even occasionally humorous, The Betelgeuse Oracle is one that you should definitely not miss. Joseph Macchiusi is going places, and I’m pretty excited to follow along.

I was provided a free copy of the book by the author for the purposes of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are mine, even though you wish they were yours.

Four Stars: The Coal Elf by Maria DeVivo

If you’re a Dungeons & Dragons nerd like I am… uh… not, be warned: These aren’t the elves you’re looking for. Maria DeVivo’s The Coal Elf is the most whimsical dystopian novel I’ve ever read. The characters were unique and well-crafted, though I didn’t find myself connecting with them like I thought I should have. It wasn’t until the second half of the book that I realized DeVivo had drawn me into Ember’s detachment and indifference. I mirrored the characters’ emotions so completely that it caught me off-guard. The ending wasn’t as big and flashy as I’d hoped, but what it lacked in bang, it made up for in depth and realism, and it tied everything up nicely. The Coal Elf is certainly worth a look for any Fantasy or Sci-Fi fan.

I was provided a copy of the book by BTS eMag for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review – all opinions are mine, and do not represent the opinions of BTS, BTS eMag, CBS, NBC, or ADHD.

Five Stars: The Greyfriar by Clay and Susan Griffith

This is the vampire book I’ve been waiting for. With the recent influx of touch-feely vamps floating around, I was nervous about picking this one up, but Clay and Susan Griffith absolutely blew me out of the water. The world they crafted is both huge in scope and intricately detailed, the people who inhabit it are wonderfully diverse and delightfully real, and the retro-futuristic technology was both well-crafted and believable. And the fight scenes! Oh, the fight scenes! The Greyfriar is an incredible hero, and Princess Adele was highly relatable, but my favorite character by far was Prince Gareth. I found myself sucked up into his curiosity and almost childlike wonder. This is a great book for vampire lovers and fans of steampunk, fantasy, sci-fi, and tales of political intrigue.

I was provided a copy of the book by BTS eMag for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review – all opinions are mine, and do not represent the opinions of BTS, BTS eMag, CBS, NBC, or ADHD.

Five Stars: The scariest book ever written

My first review is the one that got me the job (read: volunteer opportunity) reviewing for BTS. It's pretty indicative of the style that you'll see here. Reviews I do outside of the eMag will probably be a little longer, but mostly in the same format. So, without further ado, here is my very first published book review:

The scariest book of all time, huh? Challenge accepted. The very first scene of Jack Kilborn’s Afraid put me on edge. Kilborn showed exactly enough of what was happening to drive me insane with wonder. It was a phenomenal beginning. I absolutely loved the characters. Afraid contains the perfect mix of all of my favorite archetypes – the everyman, the grizzled veteran, the badass mom, the plucky kid, and the hermit – and they were all well presented. The plot was fast-paced from start to finish. It’s the kind of book where you don’t realize it’s after midnight until you take a breath at the end of a scene. The only thing to watch out for is the extremely graphic violence, which grossed me out more than it scared me. It’s definitely not for the squeamish. Was it the scariest book of all time? Maybe not, but it’s certainly worth five stars.

Welcome!

Welcome, one and all, to my tiny corner of the fractal image that is the Internet. This is where I have decided to pretend that people really, really want to listen to my opinions on literature. Most of the reviews that I'll be posting will have been written for Book and Trailer Showcase (BTS) eMagazine. You'll see the disclaimer at the end of every review, don't worry, but occasionally, I'll throw in one just for fun. Maybe I'll even do an interview or two with an author. Who knows? Well, I'm happy to be here, you're happy I'm here, so let's get started. Thanks for coming over.