Review: The Headphones

The Headphones by Steve McElhenny
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reminded me quite a bit of series such as Twilight Zone, or Monsters. A misanthrope, who has never known happiness, attempts to use a magical artifact that reminds people of their happiest time.

I've read a lot of McElhenny's work - he comes up with unique ideas and tributes to the entertainment of earlier days. Sometimes I think that he's too optimistic for horror -- where Steve King would allow his characters to spiral into misery and eternal damnation, Steve McElhenny gives them an escape to redemption.

The narrator was talented - all characters were distinct and separate, all voices well-done, and the overall mood appropriate - but the way he used accents made me question exactly where the book was supposed to be set.

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Review: The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

An annoying format for a story. Only at the very end does the reader learn why they're reading case files, and I suppose it makes sense, but it didn't make it any less annoying. Were it not for the fact that this was selected by the local mystery book club, I would not have finished the book.

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Review: Mockingbird

Mockingbird by Steve McElhenny
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

McElhenney has a unique style; his humor shines through even when he's writing horror. Always entertaining, and always with an optimistic view of humanity - even as he parodies our foibles.

Alan Aldersley-Byrne is a talented reader. He conveys the mood of the piece well, keeps all the character voices distinguishable, and has taught me a few things about UK accents. I would love to workshop with this guy.



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Review: Hollow Kingdom

Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I kept wanting to read it aloud just so that I could do all the voices.

ST (for "Shit Turd") is a crow who thinks he's human. At least, in his soul. He was adopted by a redneck (Big Jim) who has now, unfortunately, become a zombie. The world is adjusting, and the humans are changing. Can ST find his place in this new world?

I found this story poignant at times, funny always, and ultimately it left me wanting more. The crow is essentially embarking on a classic hero's journey, and along the way we get to glimpse how a few other animals, scattered around the globe, react to change in the world.

Can't wait to read the sequel.

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Review: The Framed Women of Ardemore House

The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I never ever shook the feeling that this was basically a Harlequin romance with a mystery in the background. And the penultimate chapter describing what really happened got kind of tedious. By the time the last chapter came around, it was past time for the book to be over."

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Review: Shards of Earth

Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

December 2, 2024 –
0% "Once upon a time, mysterious beings appeared, made a bunch of planets unlivable, then went away after one man spontaneously developed superpowers and managed to defeat just one ship. The splintered masses of humanity, including the genetically engineered and the AI offspring, are not truly ready for the BBEGs to come back.
Oh, and one Amazon falls for this man, who is surprisingly youthful for his years."
December 3, 2024 –
0% "Let's see - an all-female warrior race with relaxed social mores regarding sex. Check."
December 8, 2024 –
0% "Everybody has too many names. I'm beginning to think that Tchaikovsky is hostile toward audiobooks.

This is turning into a sidequest story."
December 9, 2024 –
0% "Oh, they found the Infinity Stones!"
December 10, 2024 –
0% "These AIs sure are sarcastic.

I like the spacer's wake.

Can't help but think that the mystical ability of a select few to navigate un-space and mentally connect with Originators and Architects, is just a wee bit like The Force."
December 15, 2024 –
0% "The early text stated that Ollie could not adapt to standard limb prosthetics because she was not born with standard limbs and couldn't operate them efficiently. And yet, she routinely operates an arachnid form with several more limbs, AND was able to plug directly into a ship's controls? She wasn't born with those, either!"
December 16, 2024 –
0% ""Oh, pay no attention to the veteran with PTSD. No WAY the enemy could come at us again!""
December 22, 2024 – Finished Reading

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Review: The Second Murderer: A Philip Marlowe Novel

The Second Murderer: A Philip Marlowe Novel by Denise Mina
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While the media of the 40's did not cover it extensively, it was a dangerous time to be any flavor of queer in America. That absolutely does not mean that such people did not exist, merely that society would rather that they didn't.
From what I understand of Philip Marlowe, he was a live-and-let-live kind of person, and would absolutely not have judged anyone for their sexuality.
He does judge people upon their privilege level, though.

Overall, I liked this book, didn't love it.

Below this point are my in progress notes.

November 17, 2024 – Started Reading
November 17, 2024 – Shelved as: owned
November 17, 2024 – Shelved
November 17, 2024 – Shelved as: mystery-book-club
November 17, 2024 –
43.0% "I'm not an afficionado of Chandler's work, but it seems to me that the author kept true to the character. The narrator sounds like an upright fellow, but in my opinion lacks he nuance needed."
November 24, 2024 –
100.0% "Overall, I think that Marlowe (as usual) goes the long way around to solve things."
November 24, 2024 – Finished Reading



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