Showing posts with label book shelf revisited. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book shelf revisited. Show all posts

Friday, November 6, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited: Good Example of Why Djinn are to be Avoided. (but still enjoyed)

It's now November, and I hate to admit this but most of the books I have in my digital queue involve Vampires, Djinn, Zombies, Werewolves, and who knows what else. Why? Because I enjoy them. Though I will admit that there is a possibility that soon I will mention some books that I own hard copy versions of. Just for a chance from the realm of digital.

Anyway, let's move on to looking at this entries read.

Tamar Black - Djinnx'd
by Nicola Rhodes
542 pages

When people think of Djinn or Genies, they generally picture Jeannie from the I Dream of Jeannie tv show, or of the large comical blue Genie from Disney's Aladdin. Or those barely there female Halloween costumes. Why is that? Well to what I have seen, Djinn don't really have a cult following or a active pop culture niche currently. Which is part of why the title of this book intrigued me.

What was it going to be about, what exactly would djinnx'd be described as through the story?

From what I can tell you without spoiling the book is that Djinnx'd can be defined as : being tricked into releasing a Djinn.

The story itself has a fast pace that rivals the pacing of the Aisling Grey, Guardian novels by Katie MacAlister. It also is similar in it's usage and detailed descriptions of different mythological beings that are used in the story. Most of the descriptions are given in a first person view, which means there are many amusing notes throughout.

For those that may be worried that the book will turn out to be nothing more than a smut story, or a trashy romance novel, get those thoughts out of your head. Why? The story stays away from romance on the most part, instead focusing more on the adventure on hand.

The story starts in the past, but most of it is written to be in modern times, so there is no need to worry about not knowing what something is. The main characters are vibrant and relatable, though some of their actions are questionable.

I would recommend this as a book for older teens and adults, not because it is overly adult in nature, but because it's voice might be difficult for younger readers to relate to. (although... the Twilight series is supposedly an adult one... but people still let kids read that, blah)

Till next time, happy reading! Oh... and feel free to leave me recommendations.

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Originally posted November 7th, 2011 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com

Friday, October 9, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited: Vampires are the "In" Thing

We all know about the Twilight craze, and how hot vampires are in pop culture currently. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that there are a large number of romance novels being written with vampires being the hunk du jour.

It should come as no surprise that some best selling authors are getting that title by writing about beings with fangs.

Sex and the Single Vampire
by Katie MacAlister
326 pages

I have never read a Katie MacAlister book before I read this one. I will gladly say that I would be more than willing to read more of her other books in the future. (and she has more books out than I would have imagined).

This particular book is classified as a Paranormal Romance on its spine. A classification 'm not all that familiar with honestly. Why? Well, most of the books I've been reading lately are in digital format, and I classify them however their title implies them to be.

Anyway, this book is about a woman named Allie, and her trip to London. Her job sent her to London to collect proof that ghosts exist. A task that should be manageable since she's a Summoner. Technically she should be able to walk into the haunted location and summon a spirit.

But it doesn't matter what she does, the best she can d at the beginning is just a cat's ghost. The scene is very amusing, and I enjoyed most of the book's informative tone as to how things should work.

The vampire, was a bit...different than I am used to. But he at least conformed to most of the traditional standards.(Not to mention the fact that he's a writer himself.) In any case he definitely fills the main male role in well. uhm...

The plot moves quickly enough, so this book would be a decent one as a pocket read or to carry on while traveling. Especially for people who enjoy glimpses at distant locations, ghosts, and romance all in one book.

This book is more appropriate for Adults than for kids, but older teens might enjoy it as well. (I have an odd sense at times for what is considered to be adult content...but i suppose since it's labeled romance, it's safe to say it's more adult in nature than some of my other reading.)

In any case, whether you like ghosts or vampires, or adventure stories in general, this book is appealing.

You'll likely be able to find it as an eBook if you look, though mine is hard copy this time. So I can't make a recommendation this time around about how to find it ~_~

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Originally posted November 13th, 2011 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com

Friday, September 4, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited: Learning Poetry

I happen to like a lot of different kinds of written work. As you've well noticed I'm sure if you're a regular reader, if you're not, welcome on board ^_^.

When I was in college I was introduced to something called Poetry Slams, the idea of which puzzled me slightly. Why would people be slamming poetry? And then we watched some video footage, and I was amazed! This was something new, and wonderful to me.

I was blessed to have the chance to see one of the artists perform live at my college. (And some of his work is amazing, just from a literary appreciation view, so seeing it done live and seeing what it was meant to sound like in person was great.) Today I figured that I'd start rounding this blog out, into a more cross genre creature (slowly as it may be) by adding one of his books of poetry to the mix.

What Learning Leaves
Taylor Moli
74 pages

I've had my copy of this book for 6 years. I've shared it with a few people, but it ended up in storage at one point and it recently came out. The poetry contained between the pages covers a variety of topics, but the ones that most people will relate to or understand are the ones concerning school.

"Like Lilly Like Wilson" is one of my favorite poems in the book. It looks at the way people use the word like, even when it isn't necessary. Teenagers will likely find amusement in the words, and an understanding as well. That sometimes, there's a limit.

Taylor Moli has put out more poetry since then(of course) and has his own website, If you're intrigued or even just a bit curious please head on over and take a look. http://www.taylormali.com/index1.html



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Originally posted January 3rd, 2012 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com

Friday, August 14, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited:Not for the General Audience

Now I know my reading habits seem to be rather, sporadic. I don't read just one genre, and I don't stick to certain lengths or story types. That would make reading boring.

Anyway, today's recommended stories are more for adults than for younger readers. I do apologize if you were looking forward to hearing about something for kids today, but we'll do a post just for them soon.
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Cinderella's Wedding Night
by Tony Murfin
16 pages

This story looks at something that is normally left out of the old fairytale of Cinderella. It goes over a lot in it's short number of pages, and makes the story feel that much more grown up.

You get a glimpse at aristocracy, not necessarily in a good light. The author reveals odd desires from the Prince. And just what did happen to that glass slipper in the end? This is the story that explains one possible outcome.

Not intended for young readers at all. High School age readers, might be ok, but I strongly recommend that if you do let youth read this you read it as well.
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The Pause Ghost
by Joshua Scribner
30 pages

This is the only story in todays post that isn't sexual in nature. I know that means I should have saved it for a different day all together, but It's nice to have something here for readers that don't like smut. (no the other stories aren't THAT bad, but I'm rationalizing the inclusion of this story.)

This story takes you into a home, where there are 2 boys. We get to see their family christmas, as well as their favorite present, a casette playing stereo. But there's a problem with it, it pauses itself while they sleep.

This story is interesting because it gives a quick glimpse at family dynamics, as well as how family members deal with tragedies. Can be read by young adult readers without fear of them being traumatized. Not sure about younger readers though.
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A Twisted Bard's Tale
by Selena Kitt
36 pages

This story is a fresh look at the story of Romeo and Juliet. The author reveals her impression of what may have started the families to feuding together. And rather than spoil the reason, I will simply say that it had nothing to do with death.

This story is not for young readers, and a knowledge of the basic plotline of Romeo and Juliet is recommended as it will give some depth to the story that on it's own it would likely lack.

I classify it as adult because of it's content. I would also classify it as alternative lifestyle literature because of the type of sexual content included. This is not a bad thing, but just a heads up for those that prefer the writings of Shakespeare.
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Toe Tag
by Jr. Pau Bens Paul G.
40 pages

I don't remember this story actually being 40 pages long when I read it, but that's what it's telling me it is now. This story isn't intended for people with weaker stomachs. Not because it is gory, but because there are a few moments that might not be suitable for all readers.

The story itself is about a man that works at a shoe store, and his view on other peoples feet. Mind you as the story progresses we learn just how far he'll go to find the perfect pair of feet.

I would classify this as adult. There are hints at a fetish(ok strong hints). I dislike that it makes the fetish out to be 'bad' but, it's the Authors Story, not mine.
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Now remember if you read any of these, that some of them have a different feel than the fluffy stories i read frequently. But don't consider that a bad thing.

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Originally posted November 10th, 2011 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com

Friday, July 10, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited: Did The Good Old Boy Do It?

When you look at a books title, sometimes you get an image in your head that is impossible to shake. That's what happened when I read the title of this piece. It didn't matter how the Author kept describing "Bubba" to look, I kept seeing him as one of my little brothers.

Now isn't that a scary thought?

Bubba and the Dead Woman
by C.L. Bevill
526 pages

Bubba and The Dead Woman, doesn't seem to be a serious story as you start to read it. The writing is stylistic, and light in nature. But that light nature, doesn't change the fact that it is very descriptive. It is both descriptive, effective, and a hell of a lot of fun.

This book is a murder mystery, revolving around an old plantation. There are gold diggers, and liars, and to be plain honest, the murderer was the last person that I expected it to be. There are shotguns, hunting dogs, and cowboy hats. As well as simple diner food.

They mention things that are plausible. Magazine articles that may have been written, as well as the kind of reactions that some stories can have on people. (Let's say they think there's gold buried in the back yard, of course they'll start digging holes in it when you're not looking.)

yes this story would be a good read for a male or female audience, even though there are some slightly romantic moments. I'm sure that given the way that the story is written, the male audience would easily overlook the fluffy lovey notes.

I got my copy from the B & N Nook bookstore for free. But what is even better, it has a lend me option, so if one of my friends wanted to read it, I can loan it to them. The LendMe option is available on a lot more eBooks than I realized, which is nice for those times when a book is difficult to find, or the price has changed, or maybe a friend isn't sure they want to commit to the book yet or not.

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Originally posted November 10th, 2011 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com

Friday, June 19, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited: Treasured Tale of Far Away

We all run into different books as we go along over time. Sometimes a book is so sad that it clings to your memories. For me one example of that is the book Today's Post is about.

The Little Prince
by Antoine De Saint Exupery
111 pages

The author wrote and illustrated this book for the reader to enjoy. And the first thing you find when you open it is that is dedicated to a good friend, but not as he was at the time, as he was when he was a child.

That tells you a lot about the writer in my opinion. For a writer to care about a friend so dearly, but to acknowledge that children might find offense in his choice to dedicate it to an adult is charming.

As you read the story you find out various things, both about the Little Prince, but also about the narrator. They both have a lot to teach each other, even the one answers questions more often than the other.

As charming and sad as some parts of the tale are, there are some things young readers may not understand. Adults that indulge in the piece, after reading it in the past, may find more in it than they had in the past.

There's something sweet about a Little Prince that watches over a flower, and wants a sheep. But as in all things mortality is questioned, and there is no answer given for certain in the end, but your given the choice to decide the outcome yourself.

For sometimes the most unusual meetings are the ones that leave a lasting impression.

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Originally Posted November 28, 2011 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com

Friday, May 8, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited: From Book to Movie to Book Again

The not so past past has been a wonderful time for fantasy and science fiction books and films. One lucky story that has stood the test of both readers and cult film is that of The Last Unicorn.

Unlike many of the stories we get so wrapped up in of late, where Vampires and Were's run rampant, a more innocent creature is the focal point.The interpretations of the story can be different, but there is one theme that runs deep.

Love.
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The Last Unicorn
by Peter S. Beagle
212 pages

The original copyright says 1968, which I personally wouldn't have suspected. The story is beautiful, and hints at mytholigy at first. Telling how Unicorns were reacted to and treated in the past.

But the words of a hunter send the Unicorn on a journey to learn what's happened to her kindred. Through the pages and adventure, there are various lessons learned. The reader is introduced to a variety of mythological beasts at one point, only to have most of them to be revealed as fictitious.

But Love, in the end turns out to be the strongest thing by the end of the story. It is definetly a wonderful read. I do not know if a younger reader would find it an easy story to read, but it can be enjoyed by anyone.
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I loved the book. Honestly though, I was first introduced to the story via the film. It is enjoyable, though there are some discrepancies that finicky film watchers might not enjoy.

But that's a different story altogether, and this is a bookshelf, not a movie locker. ^_~

Comic books are a popular thing again, with the rise in the popularity of Manga. So the fact that this story made it's way into the graphic book world is interesting. Especially upon realizing the original copyright.

But then maybe I shouldn't be surprised, since it's a timeless story.
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The Last Unicorn
by Peter S. Beagle
Adapted by Peter B. Gillis
illustrated by Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon

This version is a lovely graphic rendition. Appropriate for comic book readers, or any collector that may have a copy of the original book itself. The artwork is amazing, and every time I pick my copy up I'm always afraid I might injure it in some way.

Honestly I never would have seen this book, if it Hadn't been gifted to me for my birthday earlier this year. I greatly appreciate it, because there's nothing better than a familiar story shown in a new way.
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I highly recommend any of the three incarnations of this book to you. And if you know of another one, feel free to let me know, okay?

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Originally posted November 26, 2011 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com

Friday, April 10, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited : Villains Children Know

So in the new year I'm sure we all have been watching the news, and their always trying to paint various people in a villainous light. And I'm seeing a trend. Kids have a habit of turning people they don't know into villains. And today I've got two such stories to share with you about kids and their villains. Neither are very factual, but they are both enjoyable shorts. Just a bit of fluff to lighten things up.
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The Pumpkin Eater
Justin Cawthorne
18 pages

This unique seasonal story looks at the kinds of stories that parents tell children.(You know, if you don't behave the boogeyman will get you" type of stuff) The made up things, like how flashlights scare away monsters. This one is set in October on Halloween and examines what happens when a boy heads somewhere that is frightening. Yet he is determined to trick or treat the place anyway, to prove something to his friend. We learn something very interesting about the person who lives there though, he's not your everyday neighbor.

A fun read for most ages, though an adult should pre-read it to determine if it is appropriate for their child. It isn't traumatizing, but it can seem scary to very young kids.
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The Demon of Walker's Woods
Dan Dillard
79 pages

This story is a much more grim look at the way children demonize older people that they do not know. It also examines the reactions that children have when something awful happens to someone that they are close too. You're shown how they progress to various levels, pushed by curiosity, only to have their fears confirmed. Recommended for and teens and up, children should only read this piece at an adults discretion. As it may be crueler than most can stand.
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Well, Happy reading folks! Hope you have a great day and I hope the new year is going well for you ^_^.

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Originally Posted January 4th, 2012 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com

Friday, March 20, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited: Steampunk/Romance/Murder/Mystery

Ok yeah that's a mouthful. I know it sounds kind of odd too. But all those are valid descriptions of what the book I'm blogging today is about. I decided I wanted to start looking into a variety of types of books, and explore outside my "zone" of horror and fantasy.

Viridis
Calista Taylor
330 pages

"A Steampunk Romance"

Interestingly this book starts off describing a mans dead body, and the place where the detective presumes he had spent his last hours before his death. It may not be a new idea, but it's nice to have the period style descriptions. Not only that her presentation of t he period, and the steampunk technology is lovely.

Viridis, in the book, is not just the name of a club, It's also the name of a non-alcoholic herbal concoction. It's described at least twice, and it's affects are also described thoroughly. It's the wonderful detail throughout the whole piece though that helps guide the readers imagination to set up the vibrant colorful character filled environment.

The language is beautiful, helping to make the characters believable and life like. A polished piece as a whole, its pacing varies. The content though keeps the reader interested, giving them a reason to continue reading. You learn about the difference between classes, and how it's causing rifts in society. It's almost a social commentary piece, what with the ideas of tinkerers and lords, and them not seeing eye to eye. Oh and the government issues as well! Secret service type stuff, it's great!

The end is very unsuspecting, and as a spoiler alert, you may not want to continue past here.
I was intrigued that the author used a gay couple as a focal point. At least, the alternative lifestyle turned out to be the reasoning. The matter of accepting people for who they are is what was the driving part of the whole book.

So, my end thought is that this is a wonderful read for a mature audience. Yes there is sex. Yes there is violence. But the details, the full world is fantastic.

Well, we're going to get back on the ball now I think ^_^ Hope you read something great this weekend!

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Originally Posted January 8th, 2012 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com

Friday, February 14, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited: Something Different For Valentine's Day

To be honest Valentine's day is the one day of the year I dread more than any other. I've yet to have a pleasant experience on it, and I am not going to be planning on having a good experience on it this year. But that doesn't matter. I found an adorable book that I just HAVE to share with you! (regardless of how I personally feel about the matter of Love)


Fixing Cupid

Cristian YoungMiller

438 pages


Don't let the page numbers daunt you. This is a fast read, the story is fun and you never know what is going to come next.


It revolves around a character named Ben and his troubles with love. If you don't believe me, just read the first 6 pages, you'll know enough that you'll likely be as intrigued as I was.


His best friend decides to try and help him 'fix' his problem, by helping him put his life back together. But as the story continues, we wonder if the fix is causing more trouble than it is worth.


Due to most of the content of this book, I do NOT recommend it for readers that are not capable of dealing with sarcasm and adult situations. It also helps to have a sense of humor and a slight idea about romantic history.


Why did I like this eBook? Well, it was cheerful, pleasant, and there are a large number of comedic moments that shine. It is a piece that will appeal to both genders, and there's a happy ending.


I guess I'm a sucker for a happy ending.


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Originally Posted Feb. 14th 2012 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com/

Friday, January 10, 2020

Book Shelf Revisited : Are We Eating Meat?

Or something else? We all have heard rumors about places serving meats other than the kinds we're accustomed to, but what if someone was intentionally serving this and making sure you didn't know? What if that sweet meat was something, deviously acquired?

I'm guessing a lot of you have seen the movie "Sweeney Todd". So the idea about eating human flesh isn't unknown, or a rarity. But in this hard copy book, the author gives it a twist.

Ambrosial Flesh
Mary Ann Mitchell
391 pages

This book takes a rather gruesome look at a church practice that has been around for a long time, communion. And that's just when the book starts. We're let into the world of a young boy, his happiness, and fears and wonders. But when denied action that he's been trained to perform, he makes a decision that effects the rest of his life, as we find out as the book goes on.

He chooses to nibble at little pieces of his own skin. Eventually progressing to nibbling bits of other people that were consenting. The premise of the story is fairly believable, although eventually it takes a turn into the absurd that most horror does.

Not a book for those with weak stomachs, or that get queasy at the thought of blood. Aimed more towards mature audiences. I enjoyed it because it's very different from some of the books I've read in the way that we see it end. I'll just say, it is unexpected but definitely a good choice.

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Originally posted January 10, 2012 at http://thebookshelfgoblin.blogspot.com/