The Road

I have never read any of James Anderson’s novels. But I was sent Lullaby Road for review and was a little disconcerted finding out that it was a sequel. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to follow the story having nothing to go on from the previous book. However, that worry was unfounded.

Lullaby Road stands well on its own. Following Ben Jones in his truck along highway 117 in Utah made for some interesting adventures. The desert can do some strange things to a person’s mind as we are shown time and time again. Ben himself even has to contend with what the desert has made of him. From the very beginning we are thrown into a strange situation. Ben has stopped by his transport station to pick up a load but also winds up taking a child and a dog that won’t leave its side. As he struggles to make his run with the child, the dog, and his neighbor’s infant, he must also solve a major mystery and a web of lies that has entwined most of the small towns linked by his truck route.

James Anderson has a way of pulling the reader into the story and making them comfortable. Like a warm bed on a cold winter morning, Lullaby Road was hard to get out of. While I wasn’t particularly happy with the ending, I can’t help but applaud Anderson’s ability to weave a tale of intrigue, suspense, and sarcasm.

Sci-Fi gets a fresh new face

I think it’s safe to say that NYXIA is one of the best sci-fi books I’ve read in a really long time. I picked this one up because I kept seeing it comped to Ender’s Game and The Hunger Games. And yes, it uses some of the same elements and tropes that are found in those books, but it’s also SO much more.The best thing about Nyxia is it’s characters. They feel fresh and new and exciting. 

The character development in the story was good. There were a lot of characters in the book, but the author did a great job of introducing their stories, their quirks, and personalities. I enjoyed following Emmet's story and learning about his background and the theories as to why he was chosen for a spot with Babel. Through the story, I was able to get a pretty clear sense of who Emmet is as a person, which is always appreciated. This helped me to feel connected to Emmet throughout the book.

Overall, one the freshest new sci-fi books in stores. 

The Book of Esther Review

This novel is one of the best I have read in years. This is a retelling/revision of the story of Esther from the Bible. Except...
This story of Esther takes place in a world just slightly tilted about 3 degrees skew, where Esther lives in a steampunk world of Judaism, golems, steel horses, and Nazis. In this world, determining male and female, animal and machine, alive and not alive, God and human becomes hazy and empowering. Emily Barton creates a lush world of deep characters and deep ideas. It is truly beautiful.


A Strange and Satisfying Journey. 

Paradox Bound

Let's just say that infatuation will always lead to nothing good. Especially if it involves time travel. Overall I enjoyed Paradox Bound, but found it a little uneven in pacing compared to Cline's last book, The Fold, which was well paced and he knew how to build to the moment where it needs to escalate, and then it kicked it up a notch to bring the story home. This one lingers a little too long in the middle, but not so much that you loose interest and never come back to it.

If you have to chose between The Fold and Paradox Bound, the answer is simple. If you've already read The Fold, Paradox Bound might be disappointing, but there's still fun to be had. 

Armada Review

An exciting sci-fi adventure that is far too reminiscent of Ernest Cline's hit novel and soon to be film: Ready Player One. A lack of a original plot, and the rehash of ideas from RP1 make this a slog for those that already got their fill of nerdy nostalgia from the first novel. For new-comers, Armada will still provide from enjoyment.   

The Power of Broke

Daymond John is one of my favorites on Shark Tank and this is a great book for any fans of the show or those looking to start their own business. It is very well written and contains a large collection of success stories from him and the people he has worked with. If you're tired of reading business books with too much overthinking and detail, this is a great alternative. This book is straight up advice straight from Daymond without all the BS with it. The advice is great and very informational, it has gotten a lot of use from him.

One negative i would say is that there isn't enough Daymond John, i wish there was more of him and less of the other people that are being showcased.

I would recommend this book to any business major. It's truly great.

- I received this product for free to test out and evaluate in exchange for providing an honest review

Library at Mount Char

This is an extraordinary book and i'm sure it's about to get a whole lot more popular. This is a very well written book with a exciting premise and a impressive execution. If you have read the excellent American Gods by Neil Gaimen then the premise might feel a little familiar to you, but trust me in that Hawkings take is far more interesting and a far greater adventure.

He deals the premise far differently that Gaiman did, and its making me a feel a disappointment that American Gods wasn't more like this.

If you're into exciting plots and books with great pacing then i highly recommend this book to you.

- I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for providing an honest review.