AuthorCon was awesome. If you hate fun, don't go.
BEST OF THE MONTH
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
After THIRTY books in a row without a 5-star rating, February had four of them, and three in a row. This may end up being my favorite of the year. Young adult literature really does it for me sometimes. I call stories like this, "kid in trouble" books. I connected with each character effortlessly, and was swept along for the ride, which is all I ever really want. Schmidt is an author who knows how to get out of the way of the story, and I wish more authors wrote like him.
WORST OF THE MONTH
Turbine 34 by Katherine Clements
It's eco-activism themed. I surely like that part. The story just never grabbed me and made me pay attention. I lost interest quickly.
The rest:
The Exorcist's House by Nick Roberts. Books of Horror's Indie Brawl winner, but his book Mean Spirited is better. Grade: C
Music to Sacrifice Virgins To by Kristopher Triana. Easily one of Triana's most extreme stories, but not one of his best. Grade: C
How to Survive Camping by Bonnie Quinn. Quirky, but not quirky enough? Grade: C
Stillwater by Zdarsky/Perez (graphic novel). A magic city. What lengths might its citizens adopt to protect it? Grade: B
Reservoir Bitches by Dahlia de la Cerda (collection). A collection of connected urban noir stories. Recommended. Grade: B
The Necrophiliac by Danille Wittkop. I didn't expect to be bored by a necrophilia story, but here we are. Grade: D
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway. Bravo sir. Historical fiction about the siege of Sarajevo. Grade: A
Blacksad by Canales/Guarnido (graphic novel). Sure, it has a cat detective, but that wasn't enough. Grade: C
The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow. I'm beginning to think I should read all of her teen books. Grade: A
Good Boy by Neil McRobert. I have no idea how this brilliant and heartfelt YA book didn't make the Stoker Final Ballot. It even has a Stephen King blurb! Grade: A
Squid Teeth by Sarah Langan. I love Langan, and I know what she was doing with this one, but jeez it is really odd. Grade: C
Facing Rushmore by David Lozell Martin. It pains me to do this because I really love Martin's writing. Grade: D
The Leaving Room by Amber McBride. Half poetry, half prose. For the right reader, it's a masterpiece, but that reader isn't me. Grade: D
What They Did by Rio Youers. Upcoming from Youers. Another thriller. I wish he'd go back to writing the dark and weird stuff. Grade: C
And the Trees Stare Back by Gigi Griffis. I'll probably keep reading her because I love The Wicked Unseen, but this was just ok. Grade: C
Reviews by Jason Cavallaro
Jcavallaro42@gmail.com
Twitter: @pinheadspawn
Instagram: @jcavallaro42
BlueSky: @jasoncavallaro
BEST OF THE MONTH
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
After THIRTY books in a row without a 5-star rating, February had four of them, and three in a row. This may end up being my favorite of the year. Young adult literature really does it for me sometimes. I call stories like this, "kid in trouble" books. I connected with each character effortlessly, and was swept along for the ride, which is all I ever really want. Schmidt is an author who knows how to get out of the way of the story, and I wish more authors wrote like him.
WORST OF THE MONTH
Turbine 34 by Katherine Clements
It's eco-activism themed. I surely like that part. The story just never grabbed me and made me pay attention. I lost interest quickly.
The rest:
The Exorcist's House by Nick Roberts. Books of Horror's Indie Brawl winner, but his book Mean Spirited is better. Grade: C
Music to Sacrifice Virgins To by Kristopher Triana. Easily one of Triana's most extreme stories, but not one of his best. Grade: C
How to Survive Camping by Bonnie Quinn. Quirky, but not quirky enough? Grade: C
Stillwater by Zdarsky/Perez (graphic novel). A magic city. What lengths might its citizens adopt to protect it? Grade: B
Reservoir Bitches by Dahlia de la Cerda (collection). A collection of connected urban noir stories. Recommended. Grade: B
The Necrophiliac by Danille Wittkop. I didn't expect to be bored by a necrophilia story, but here we are. Grade: D
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway. Bravo sir. Historical fiction about the siege of Sarajevo. Grade: A
Blacksad by Canales/Guarnido (graphic novel). Sure, it has a cat detective, but that wasn't enough. Grade: C
The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow. I'm beginning to think I should read all of her teen books. Grade: A
Good Boy by Neil McRobert. I have no idea how this brilliant and heartfelt YA book didn't make the Stoker Final Ballot. It even has a Stephen King blurb! Grade: A
Squid Teeth by Sarah Langan. I love Langan, and I know what she was doing with this one, but jeez it is really odd. Grade: C
Facing Rushmore by David Lozell Martin. It pains me to do this because I really love Martin's writing. Grade: D
The Leaving Room by Amber McBride. Half poetry, half prose. For the right reader, it's a masterpiece, but that reader isn't me. Grade: D
What They Did by Rio Youers. Upcoming from Youers. Another thriller. I wish he'd go back to writing the dark and weird stuff. Grade: C
And the Trees Stare Back by Gigi Griffis. I'll probably keep reading her because I love The Wicked Unseen, but this was just ok. Grade: C
Reviews by Jason Cavallaro
Jcavallaro42@gmail.com
Twitter: @pinheadspawn
Instagram: @jcavallaro42
BlueSky: @jasoncavallaro
The author does not allow comments to this entry
No comments