I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Blurb On The Back:

For generations the Freyls have ruled Springfield, Illinois, capital of a state of Great Lakes and rivers. Now convicted killer David Marion threatens their invincibility, and he threatens it from within their own ranks.

Water: it’s blue gold, and the price on world markets is soaring. When Springfield gets a new mayor, it finds its supply under threat, not only from corporations out for the money but from a disease that appears from nowhere, that nobody can identify and nobody can treat.

None of this interests David Marion until his own past surfaces and he finds himself caught between multinational leviathans at war over America’s heartland.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Joan Brady’s thriller (the third in a trilogy) is a mixed bag. Brady’s created a clever multi-faceted plot that combines political thriller and corporate conspiracy and throws in societal collapse to sophisticated effect with anti-hero David Marion’s backstory helping to flesh him out. However with the exception of Becky and Jimmy, characterisation is thin and unconvincing and as a result the book doesn’t hang together in a satisfying way.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Joanne Walker has three days to learn to use her shamanic powers and save the world from the unleashed WILD HUNT.

No worries. No pressure. Never mind the lack of sleep, the perplexing new talent for healing herself from fatal wounds, or the cryptic, talking coyote who appears in her dreams.

And if all that’s not bad enough, in the three years Joanne’s been a cop, she’s never seen a dead body - but she’s just come across her second in three days.

It’s been a bitch of a week.

AND IT ISN’T OVER YET.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

C. E. Murphy’s debut novel (the first in an urban fantasy series) is packed with ideas and mixes Celtic and Cherokee mythology and makes interesting use of astral projection. However the plot is overly busy, with too much set up and main character backstory for it all to feel cohesive and at times it tips into being contrived. That said, I enjoyed Joanne’s relationship with Gary and there’s enough potential for me to read the next book.

The Blurb On The Back:

It’s Chinese New Year and Jack is excited to celebrate and watch the traditional lion dance. But in the Jade Kingdom the mythical New Year beast is real - and really dangerous!

Jack can’t help feeling scared to battle the creature that haunts his nightmares. Can he face his fears and save the Jade Kingdom?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 3rd in M. Chan’s TIGER WARRIOR fantasy series for readers aged 6+ continues to make good use of the Chinese zodiac and mythology with Alan Brown’s illustrations adding to its energy. I liked the way Chan shows Jack’s fears and his relationship with the always fearful Rabbit and although the story is a little jumpy, younger readers will enjoy it - especially the martial arts scenes - and it does convey aspects of Chinese culture.

TIGER WARRIOR: RISE OF THE LION BEAST was released in the United Kingdom on 20th January 2022. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Dying isn’t any fun …
But at least it’s a living.

Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonise the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous - even suicidal - the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. Mickey signed on to escape from bad debts and boredom on Midgard.

After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal … and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it.

When he goes missing and is presumed dead at the hands of deadly indigenous creatures, Mickey8 reports for duty, and their troubles really begin.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Edward Ashton’s SF novel is a breezy, entertaining read held together by Mickey7’s excellent first person narration. Ashton does well in differentiating Mickey7 from Mickey8 and setting out the background and perils of colonisation such that it isn’t until the end that you realise how thin the actual plot is and how slight the supporting cast. That said, there are a lot of ideas at play here and I can well understand the buzz surrounding it.

MICKEY7 by Edward Ashton will be released in the United States on 15th February 2022 and in the United Kingdom on 17th February 2022. Thanks to Rebellion Publishing for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Is Weekend Update fake news?
How can we tell the difference between satire, smart-assert, and seriousness?
What is the benefit of jokes that cause outrage?
The Church Lady has a bad case of moral superiority. How about you?
What can Wayne and Garth teach us about living a happy life?

Live from New York for over forty years, Saturday Night Live is seriously funny, and through decades of sketches, monologues, commercials, music acts, and a huge cast of recurring characters, NBC’s original late-night comedy sketch show has brought a touch of levity to everything that is laughable about modern life. Many of the greatest minds in modern comedy - Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, Kate McKinnon and more - have honed their craft at SNL, finding fresh ways to highlight the ridiculous and absurd in our boardrooms, newsrooms, mailrooms, sorority houses, music studios, churches, schools, and everywhere in-between. Politicians from Gerald Ford to Donald Trump have had their faults and foibles lampooned by SNL’s election sketches and satirical news segments, and all the while, Weekend Update has shown us that the medium is the message.

Of course, comedian-philosophers from Socrates to Sartre have always produced and provoked us, critiquing our most sacred institutions and urging us to examine ourselves in the process. In Saturday Night Live and Philosophy, a star-studded ensemble cast of philosophers takes a close look at the “deep thoughts” beneath the surface of the award-winning late-night variety show and its hosts’ hijinks. In this book, philosophy and comedy join forces with the strength of the Ambiguously Gay Duo to explore the meaning of life itself through the riffs and beats of the subversive parody that gives the show its razor-sharp wit and undeniable cultural and political significance.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Jason Southworth is a philosophy instructor at several colleges and universities. Ruth Tallman is department chair and teaches philosophy at Hillsborough Community College. This mixed bag of 20 essays (part of a series on philosophy and pop culture) examines the elements of Saturday Night Live through various philosophical schools of thought but you need to be a hardcore SNL fan or an undergraduate philosophy student to get the most from it.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Once a year, a road appears in the woods at midnight and the ghost of Lucy Gallows beckons, inviting those who are brave enough to play her game. If you win, you escape with your life. But if you lose …

It’s almost a year since Becca went missing. Everyone else has given up searching for her, but her sister, Sara, knows she disappeared while looking for Lucy Gallows. Determined to find her, Sara and her closest friends enter the woods. But something more sinister than ghosts lurks on the road, and not everyone will survive.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Kate Alice Marshall’s YA horror novel is a haphazard, disjointed affair whose plot draws on the legend of Ys. However its connection with small-town America is never explained and neither is the narrative framing device while many of the side characters are interchangeable. That said there are some genuinely creepy moments and sinister imagery such that although the book did not work for me, I’d be interested in reading Marshall’s other work.

Thanks to Walker Books for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

On the day he retires, Inspector Ashwin Chopra discovers that he has inherited an elephant: an unlikely gift that could not be more inconvenient. For Chopra has one last case to solve …

But as his murder investigation leads him across Mumbai - from the richest mansions to its murky underworld - he quickly discovers that a baby elephant may be exactly what an honest man needs.

So begins the start of a quite unexpected partnership, and an utterly delightful new series.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The first in Vaseem Khan’s BABY GANESHA AGENCY SERIES is a delightful cosy crime novel that includes the grit of poverty, economic change and corruption. Chopra is an interesting character, who feels increasingly anachronistic in modern India while mourning for what his country is becoming and I enjoyed his relationship with the spirited Poppy who enjoys modern developments while Ganesha brings playful whimsy. I will definitely read on.

The Blurb On The Back:

Brave soldiers, important battles, life on the Home Front! It’s time to learn everything about World War II.

Packed with facts, pictures and maps it’s ideal for homework, topic work, KS2 school projects and anyone who is simply curious about history.

You can order Everything World War II: Facts And Photos From The Front Line To The Home Front by National Geographic Kids from Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

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The Verdict:

This book by National Geographic Kids is aimed at children aged 8+ is a UK-centric breezy overview of World War II from Appeasement to the dropping of the A-bombs. There are plenty of pictures and it’s written in a way that’s easy to understand, but I was surprised there’s no mention of the Bletchley Park code breakers or the black market that surrounded rationing and it conflates sonar and radar, when they’re subtly different.

EVERYTHING WORLD WAR II was released in the United Kingdom on 22nd July 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Everything you need to know about helping your favourite garden guests!

Roly is a curious, prickly hedgehog who loves to explore gardens, including yours. But gardens can be dangerous, from deep ponds to smelly rubbish, so Roly must be careful. He can’t face these challenges alone - he needs your help!

Part of a beautiful series, Roly The Hedgehog provides its little readers with all the tips and tricks they need to help keep these adorable spiny creatures safe in the garden.

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The Verdict:

This picture book (part of a series about garden and countryside creatures) by Frances Rodgers with lovely illustrations by Ben Grisdale that are coupled with photographs gives plenty of tips and advice to young readers about what hedgehogs are and how to make them feel welcome. The language is easy to understand without being patronising and it’s a good way of getting young ones interested in nature.

HOW CAN I HELP? ROLY THE HEDGEHOG was released in the United Kingdom on 28th October 2021. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Keeping people’s skills in sync with fast-changing markets is the biggest challenge of our time.

For companies and their employees to succeed, they need to focus on building skills for the future. The Expertise Economy shows how the most forward-thinking companies, big and small, are transforming their employees into experts and ultimately, creating their biggest competitive advantage.

Kelly Palmer, Silicon Valley thought leader from LinkedIn, Degreed, and Yahoo!, and David Blake, co-founder of Ed-tech pioneer Degreed, share their experiences and provide insights from innovative companies and industry thought leaders like:
- Google
- Airbnb
- Unilever
- NASA
- MasterCard
- Whitney Johnson
- Daniel Pink
- Sal Khan
- Todd Rose
- Clayton Christensen

The Expertise Economy dares you to let go of outdated and traditional ways of closing the skills gap, and challenges CEOs and business leaders to embrace the urgency of reselling and upskilling the workforce.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Kelly Palmer was LinkedIn’s chief learning officer and is on Degreed’s executive team. David Blake is co-founder and executive chairman of Degreed. This book makes some interesting suggestions about establishing on-going learning to ensure that companies stay ahead of the curve and don’t suffer a skills gap, but many are tech dependent and notably Degreed heavy and I’d have liked consideration of apprenticeships and cross-departmental training.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.