book review | Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs | Bones 5

Author: Kathy Reichs
Title: Grave Secrets
Series: Temperance Brennan 5
Genre: Crime; Thriller
Pages: 315
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

Right. Finished “Grave Secrets” by Kathy Reichs, fifth book in the Temperance Brennan series. So far it was gradually getting duller…

About the Book: Killers of every ilk are no mystery. One way or another everything boils down to human brutality, greed, and other vices. It’s the victims that cause questions and wonder. Why those four, so brutally murdered and left behind? Why that one, with an unborn skeleton entangled in her own?

My Opinion: This was greatly lacking. Lacking in flavor, adult behavior, communication. Premise was great, murders in the name of science, cult-like vibe, that constant danger Brennan seems to always be in. And yet it felt like going through the motions. Here’s the plan, here’s the setting, do the mandatory thing until something or someone saves the day and Brennan can put culprit behind bars.

Still, while a bit disappointing, I can’t claim I didn’t have any fun reading it. 3 out of 5, but solid.

book review | When the eternal fire still burned by J. Remeika

Author: J. Remeika
Title: When the eternal fire still burned
Original: Kai dar amzina ugnis ruseno
Series: –
Genre: Folklore; Legends
Pages: 168
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

J. Remeika has put together a rare book of Lithuanian folklore called “When the eternal fire still burned“. A lot of what we had is lost due to systematic destructions we survived. And this, sadly, reminds me more of what we lost, than what we salvaged.

About the Book: A collection of short stories from across Lithuania. Most are to par in the style we seemingly enjoy here, calling ourselves the land of the lakes and rain – they’re about how this or that lake appeared there or here and why is it called that way. Some tales are repeated, as if author of this book went to another village and they had their own version. Others seemingly have sequels elsewhere or otherwise connect together. And, of course, each one teaches of the perils that await those who lack virtue.

My Opinion: So what’s my problem, you ask? These here tales are already altered greatly by christianity, even the ones where our thunder god Perkunas is an active participant. There are certain things we didn’t have, didn’t believe in, or had our own version. So it’s a bit unpleasant to read, much like witnessing someone dip sushi into ketchup, I bet.

It’s worth reading it, sure, for the language alone, for it sure changed through the years. But I can only give it 3 out of 5 and no more.

book review | Prince of Killers by Layla Reyne | Fog City 1

Author: Layla Reyne
Title: Prince of Killers
Series: Fog City 1
Genre: Crime; Action
Pages: 200
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

Eh, wanted something short, so I picked up “Prince of Killers” by Layla Reyne, first in the Fog City series. Sappy criminals and even sappier love story.

About the Book: Someone’s always trying to take the crown of the Prince of Killers, soon to be a king. So this here, new threat, would not have been all that different. Were it not for how the warning about it came to the head of the organization, in a shape of a handsome fella called Dante Perry. He seems to have a lot of sensitive information about a lot of things and is determined to stay nearby and keep that crime throne under whom it belongs to.

My Opinion: I understand the want and even a need to write some mortals into your killers. But there has to be a balance, else you end up with batman on your hands and that’s just not the same. A dull love story didn’t help it either. Not my cup of tea.

Yeah, not for me, I won’t be reading farther. 3 out of 5.

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 | High: Drugs, Desire and a Nation of Users by Ingrid Walker

Author: Ingrid Walker
Title: High: Drugs, Desire, and a Nation of Users
Series: –
Genre: Culture; Nonfiction
Pages: 240
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

While fairly informative and interesting, “High: Drugs, Desire, and a Nation of Users” by Ingrid Walker is an extremely dull read.

About the Book: Why are some substances – severely punished, and others you can obtain via prescription, a request, in the pharmacy or just the grocery store? Why is social drinking – normal, even encouraged behavior, while pot for social anxiety is stigmatized? What’s the difference between drug users and abusers? All this and many more questions are being contemplated in this book via data, statistics, personal experiences and testimonies of others.

My Opinion: A hard and dull read. Interesting testimonies, fair amount of information, thought provoking hypotheses on the whole war on drugs, stigma, and the double standards in it. But a poor approach that made this book a chore.

3 out of 5, not bad, but wouldn’t waste my weekend on it per say.

book review | Daemon by Daniel Suarez | Daemon 1

Author: Daniel Suarez
Title: Daemon
Series: Daemon 1
Genre: Cyberpunk; Thriller
Pages: 632
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

“Daemon” by Daniel Suarez would’ve otherwise been an amazing book. But there’s so much empty sidetracks that I ended up swinging between “love this book” and “hate this book“.

About the Book: In an evolution affected by tech it seems the next step is to take the Human out of the equation. A single truly brilliant evil mind is all it took to get web-entagled world onto its knees as a new video game spread through reality, with new rules to learn, and fast, if one wants to survive.

My Opinion: A great story that’ll illustrate you why there was a need of Blackwall in Cyberpunk 2077, or what would happen if all those angry kids from GTA or WOW would get to be their characters in real life. But then, parts of it, the parts that were most commonly used to introduce us to characters and make us feel anything for them, felt like they were from another book, another genre. The YA genre where protagonist bad boy could never tell the girl about that scar, for he is such a monster, with such a deep dark past… In other words “I will never trust you because of the trauma I had that I will now describe you in detail, so that even though I will never tell you my name, you can likely track down such an event anyway“.

As you can see I got a little bit irritated. As it’s a duology, I don’t know, maybe I’ll give the next book a shot too, just to see if it gets better now that the part about characters is sort of over. But at the same time, there were new angles that I have no desire to read about. 3 out of 5 for now.

book review | Flash and Bang by Patricia Logan | 2

Author: Patricia Logan
Title: Flash and Bang
Series: Death and Destruction 2
Genre: Action literature; LGBT romance
Pages: 347
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

Eh, alright. I’ve finished “Flash and Bang” by Patricia Logan, second book in Death and Destruction series. It was alright.

About the Book: A former marine with a past that comes back to bite him in the ass at the worst possible time. Just as he warmed up to the idea of being in love with his partner, amidst a wild chase of a terrorist cabal. Someone is trying to kill him and by doing so – keep endangering Wolfe, his partner. Time’s ticking and the list of suspects is thinning out…

My Opinion: I don’t enjoy long inner monologues of why the other person is so great and amazing. But the whole action was great, the chases, the explosions, the shooting. It’s half-half kind of situation here.

Book ended on a miniscule cliffhanger, so I’m considering the third book. Even if just to read about family reunion or something. But this one gets a 3 out of 5.

book review | Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel | Themis Files 1

Author: Sylvain Neuvel
Title: Sleeping Giants
Series: Themis Files 1
Genre: Science Fiction; Thriller
Pages: 320
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

As AC: Valhalla and Cyberpunk 2077 came out, I’m torn between wanting mythology (mostly norse) and sci-fi, since cyberpunk is a bit harder to get. Themis Files seemed a good call between the two (if not norse), but after I read “Sleeping Giants” by Sylvain Neuvel, I don’t think I’ll continue with the trilogy.

About the Book: Across the world there lies a sleeping ancient robot built by aliens. Left there until such a day when humans will be advanced enough to find it and learn how to use it, with as clear the instructions as an alien race could leave. And as they found their first part, a hand, they were intrigued, a little scared maybe, but mostly curious. They kept it a secret, nation’s heads together, deciding what to do about it. Until more parts were found. On foreign soil. And the truth came out. That’s when the nastier side of humans surfaced, as nations vied over the ownership, aiming to get the robot or destroy it if they couldn’t have it. An alien race out there became secondary to most. But not all.

My Opinion: The story is very predictable and bland, with two dimensional characters you get to experience via some kind of glass, second-hand. There was just no time, no event, where I cared enough for their well-being to be invested. The only interesting point here was a character that seemed to be a Mycroft of sorts, with a network of information, otherwise not available, secrets, “friends“. But other than that, biggest mystery of all was why the hell would aliens arm a robot with a sword and a shield?

Eh. It’s a well written but boring story. A 3 out of 5.

book review | All You Can Eat by Johnny B. Truant | Fat Vampire 3

Author: Johnny B. Truant
Title: All You Can Eat
Series: Fat Vampire 3
Genre: Urban Fantasy; Vampires
Pages: 125
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

“All You Can Eat” by Johnny B. Truant is the last book in the Fat Vampire series that I own, and I’m not sure I’ll be getting any others.

About the Book: Vampires do not like this new regime, all these rules, especially the new ones that favor humans. Defiance soon turns into an outright mutiny. And as Council fails at its core, opposition rampages the streets. Piles of bloodless ripped apart bodies. Rogue youngling vampires, freshly turned, going insane. Even the Death Squads, vampire military of sorts, is itching to take a stand in the new game…

My Opinion: This book is a stepping stone to the next, nothing more. So if you don’t yet love the characters, it offers little to keep you interested. What was meant as mysterious and weird comes off as dull and uninteresting. Meaning series ended poorly for me, as I currently have no plans to continue.

I’m done for now. Maybe next October. Currently it’s a 3 out of 5 and I’m off to find some other appropriate reads.

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