book review | Apollo 1: The Inside Story by David Whitehouse

Author: David Whitehouse
Title: Apollo 11: The Inside Story
Series: –
Genre: History; Science
Pages: 320
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Somehow I have quite a few books on Apollo missions. Among which was “Apollo 11: The Inside Story” by David Whitehouse. A tale of the great space race to reach the moon.

About the Book: Author David Whitehouse has collected the tales of all the key players and put together a story of tension, rivalry, drama, and tragedies. From pioneers, to satellites, to rovers. The path to success, to the moon, is splattered with sweat, tears, and blood.

My Opinion: There’s quite a bit of tech stuff, but nothing’s too big or too serious. Worst is the dark side of the human beings. With rivalry unfolding there were true tragedies. And then once the goal got achieved, heroes got forgotten, in a sense, their troubles – no longer interesting. Kind of makes you wonder why we try so hard.

If you enjoy the moon landing tales, then go for it. A 4 out of 5.

book review | The Mastermind by Evan Ratliff

Author: Evan Ratliff
Title: The Mastermind
Series: –
Genre: True Crime; Biography
Pages: 480
Rate: 4/5 | goodreads

Ah, criminal masterminds. Whenever I read books like “The Mastermind” by Evan Ratliff, I can’t help but hope a biography of someone like Andrew Scott’s Jim Moriarty.

About the Book: Evan Ratliff has spent a decade on the case of a black web of crime, drugs, murder and games with the law. He contacted all he could, from family, to passerby’s, from goons, to lieutenants. Picking up information wherever he could, refusing to leave any stone unturned, putting together a true story of a criminal empire that began with selling prescription drugs online. And its ruler, Paul Le Roux.

My Opinion: It’s so very well written, you can definitely tell author has put a lot of heart into this. The story itself, well told, was interesting enough too. One of those “rise and fall” kind of tales, and a real one to that.

A good, solid book. Firm 4 out of 5.

book review | Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs | Bones 4

Author: Kathy Reichs
Title: Fatal Voyage
Series: Temperance Brennan 4
Genre: Thriller; Crime
Pages: 448
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Crime detective for a comfort read. Though, in the Age of Pandemic, where Netflix docuseries on true crime entertain us all, it’s likely not even strange. So I’ve read “Fatal Voyage” by Kathy Reichs, fourth book in Temperance Brennan series, also known by the title of loosely based on books series – Bones.

About the Book: Plane explodes in the air, landing a debris of plane scrap and people, bodies, often not even in tact. Testimonies of something being flown out or shot into the sky before the tragedy happened. And pressure from higher up that keeps trying to get Brennan off the case… Someone truly doesn’t want her digging. But why?

My Opinion: I don’t have a firm opinion on the series as of yet. These books are neither good nor bad. It’s just comforting to read, have that familiar name around and such. And this particular one was not bad either, lots of twists and turns, some got to me completely unsuspected, turning the whole story into… something else.

Not bad. A 4 out of 5.

book review | The Silent Blade by R.A. Salvatore | 11

Author: R.A. Salvatore
Title: The Silent Blade
Series: Paths of Darkness 1
Genre: High Fantasy; Epic Fantasy
Pages: 394
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Felt like a little bit of high fantasy, but didn’t feel like going through the worldbuilding, so I went back to the familiar. “The Silent Blade” by R.A. Salvatore is 11th book in the Legend of Drizzt series, and 1st in the Paths of Darkness trilogy.

About the Book: Evil hearts hear a beckon, a call, see visions full of promise that they can’t resist, that they must answer. Sadly, though, the call comes from a shard kept safe in a pocket of a drow elf on the surface, one who, being a good person himself, hears nothing of sorts. But since his companions and he too are a good lot, the moment they realize what’s going on, they seize the opportunity to rid the world of some evildoers, and start shaping a plan…

My Opinion: Oh how I loathe high fantasy names. I could tell you more, for there happened much more, but how am I supposed to if I can’t spell a single name? It’s a good story, well written, but just… I need a system for these characters.

As usual, neither worse, nor better. Time well spent, a 4 out pf 5, solid.

log | go get some tea

Did you get some tea to sip? Go get it if you haven’t, I’ll wait…

Alright. What kind of tea you got? I’m drinking one from Germany, with, I believe, wild raspberries. It’s very nice. Other than that, how was your day? Or just the whole week? (no, really, comment me about it, or even email me somewhere)

The week here was hectic to say the least. Lots of nonsenses, bothers, anxiety, and other pests in my head and soul. But not all is bad. There were lots of good things too. It’s just much harder to notice those good ones when things seem to fall, aint it?

My monstera plant, for instance, has given me a brand new leaf, and this one’s bigger than my head. I think she likes it here, with me, and that makes me happy all in itself. Someday, when she has many leaves, I will cut one off to press-dry and frame it. That kind of art might just be my favorite.

Then, my fried asian-style chicken really worked. I don’t particularly enjoy cooking, but I’m pretty good at it, since I both follow the directions given, and can adjust on the spot if the taste’s aint right. Sauce, modified from original that had garlic in it, that I can’t have, worked so well, that I have pre-made a whole for later use. And, speaking of food, today I’ve received a parcel from Germany (yes, that’s where the tea came from), that had so many teas in it! I’m on my third cup, might have another one, we’ll see. There were also sweets in there, among which was this vegan chocolate, and I absolutely love it (I’m trying to replace all I can with vegetarian or vegan options, because giving a little bit is better than giving none, I feel). But most importantly, it had a wonderful postcard!

You likely don’t know this about me… Or, well, you actually might, but I really, truly love receiving postcards. I have a whole stack sitting there, waiting for some album or a wall that I’ll someday dedicate to this glory from all over the world. Friends in strange places, friends in travels, friends just going about their business, I appreciate when they think of me upon finding a nice postcard. It’s just the best.

Do you like postcards? And, do you ever just feel overwhelmed when you start writing postcards? Or even just buying them… Because this person should really get one, and that person should really get one, and, oh, I really can’t forget this wonderful soul… Next thing you know, you’re home, having written a stack, and you’re three short anyway, heh.

-post from personal blog | Ego Noctis

book review | Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs | Temperance Brennan 3

Author: Kathy Reichs
Title: Deadly Decisions
Series: Temperance Brennan 3
Genre: Detective; Crime
Pages: 368
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I bought these Kathy Reichs books in flea markets and second-hand stores. Meaning I bought what was there, and not necessarily got everything in the series. And so it happened, I am missing the third book in the Temperance Brennan, also known as Bones, series, called “Deadly Decisions“. Ah well, there’s always ebooks!

About the Book: Disappearances, ordered hits, drugs, violence, and bones have brought Temperance Brennan to outlaw biker gangs. And they are absolutely not happy to see her. Still, this would just be another Tuesday at work were it not for the awful and personal warnings thrown her way. A note there, a picture here, an eyeball in an envelope… Someone really doesn’t want her digging.

My Opinion: There’s a lot of nothing in this book. Where characters just exist in their fear, anxiety, worries and thoughts, with nothing happening around them or in the plot. Usually I don’t mind these, I’m patient with the outfits, the haircuts, the occasional internal monologue. But in this particular book the plotline got fairly well buried under it all. To a point where I can’t coherently tell you what happened or the time it happened.

This is a good book if you don’t want to get too involved, maybe something to read outside that won’t distract you from your surroundings, sunlight. A firm 3 out of 5, but no more than that.

book review | Dracula’s Child by J.S. Barnes

Author: J.S. Barnes
Title: Dracula’s Child
Series: –
Genre: Dracula; Vampires
Pages: 576
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

I’m really craving some Dracula content these days. So when “Dracula’s Child” by J.S. Barned got into my feed, I had to read it. And I did. And it was okay.

About the Book: Upon chasing Dracula down and killing him, Mina and Jonathan Harker thought they rid their lives of the evil and can now begin the process of healing. Live their life, raise their son. But upon his death, Dracula swore revenge that’ll reach them across eons… And it seems the darkness is pooling up again.

My Opinion: The book is pretty well written, easy to read, entertaining. But at the same time it’s filled with characters and scene that add nothing, and yet are constantly there just to be there. You either end up forgetting their existence as soon as the scene is over, or try to connect them to anything at all for the rest of the story. But generally, I liked the idea, the way propaganda spreading is portrayed here, and whom it could possibly benefit. 

It’s not a bad book, there’s simply too many mediocre things to make it a good one. A firm 3 out of 5, mostly for the good writing itself.

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book review | Old Man’s War by John Scalzi | 1

Author: John Scalzi
Title: Old Man’s War
Series: Old Man’s War 1
Genre: Sci-fi; Military Fantasy
Pages: 332
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Books feel difficult these days. I’m beyond unmotivated. Resources of it drained in a year of quarantine. But, if slowly, I got through “Old Man’s War” by John Scalzi, first in the series.

About the Book: Humans are slowly but surely putting their roots into the soil of the great universe. Some get to go as colonists. Others as those who’ll defend humanity, those said colonies, and make room for more. But here’s a catch… Those who can only enlist into military, can only do so when they’re 75, knowing nothing about anything out there, not even how a war is fought with such old soldiers.

My Opinion: It began a bit slow, but steadily picked up and then kept a good pace through and through. There’s action, but not too much. There’s gore, but not too much either. There’s good humor and a mediocre love story. All in all, if Expeditionary Force is too much, then this will be just right. A good book, easy to read, with a nice new view on how humans could begin their life as part of the Universe.

A very fine book. Solid 4 out of 5.

ED | Redbull Summer Edition: Cactus Fruit

I’ve recently learned that future flavors of energy drinks in Lithuania can be spotted sooner by following German social media of said drinks. So I was, patiently awaiting the Summer Edition of Redbull, the Cactus Fruit.

In a darker shade of green with red letters indicating the Cactus Fruit flavor, and a similar red shade of liquid inside, this Redbull is not as daring as the few previous we had, not as unusual as all of those combinations. But it’s interesting and worth a try anyway.

It may not be mind blowing or even very good if you’re not into this type of sweet and sour combo, but it serves well to remind of warmer days and warmer places. For me, at least.

Verdict:
4 out of 5, will drink more once replaying Shadow of Tomb Raider.

| Personal Blog xx

book review | Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs | Temperance Brennan 2 | Bones

Author: Kathy Reichs
Title: Death du Jour
Series: Temperance Brennan 2 | Bones
Genre: Mystery; Crime
Pages: 451
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Took a book that needed excavating, that’s how long it sat somewhere there. “Death du Jour” by Kathy Reichs, second book in Temperance Brennan series, probably better known by the television series title Bones, loosely based on these books.

About the Book: It began as seemingly peaceful return to the roots as Brennan had to find and dig up a to-be Saint. But it wasn’t meant to be. A call, remains so charred she was irreplaceable. Family with young children, babies. To escape the image burned into her brain Brennan took her daughter to her sanctuary, but death followed her here too… And it seems this was meant to be. Through fear and decay Temperance Brennan digs up a cultish secret that connects more people in her life, dead and alive, than she’d like.

My Opinion: A cult story is always a good story in my book. This was interesting, fun to read, very captivating, but a little too predictable, with too many conveniently forgotten facts, remembered facts, slipped facts…

I like these oldies, they’re always interesting, if not in plot, then at least in the way it paints the world. A solid 4 out of 5.

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