All the Books.

"An engrossing, thought provoking look into how 4 siblings choose to live their lives after they're told the exact dates of their death. A novel that shows how deeply we're connected to our family and how all of our actions have reactions/consequences that branch out to affect everyone in our lives, to the smallest degree."  5 Stars.  Pros: The four siblings, Varya, Daniel, Klara and Simon are all so very different and are all so very human/Benjamin has a real knack for making her characters believable, likable (even with their flaws) and relatable. Cons:  It got a little melodramatic during Daniel's "part" but overall it was understandable and it just showed the reader that every action we take has consequences.  Full Review:  Four siblings, Varya, Daniel, Klara and Simon go to see a fortune teller who can tell you the death of your death. Varya, the oldest, thinks she's a fraud and the date that the woman gave her, well into the year of 2044...

"A fun and interesting idea, to see what other authors do with the Lovecraft Mythos but overall, by the end of it all, it was a disappointment. " 2 Stars. Pros: Entertaining to see many different authors take on Lovecraft and his Mythos/A handful of stories were truly eerie and unsettling. Cons: After awhile it all turned into the same old thing, throw in a reference to Cthlhu here, dabble in a bit of Shoggoths there, it got boring and old and honestly by the end of it, I was glad to be done.   Full Review:  H.P. Lovecraft is a staple of horror fiction and his mythos, Cthulhu and all the Elder Gods, are a Pantheon well known in Science Fiction/Fantasy. He is more or less the Father of Horror fiction and so I was eager to see how other authors handled "Lovecraftian" fiction. Unfortunately, for the most part, it was a disappointment. There were a few stand out stories that really had that Lovecraft feel. The atmosphere of a chilly air off a New England p...

"Picking off right where Book One left off, it is a continuation of the shock-waves that Lucifer's actions in Book One created. Intricate, detailed and at points, confusing, you have to keep all the characters straight in order for it to make sense. But if you do that, then it's an enjoyable read. " 3 Stars Pros: Better the second time around/There aren't many new characters to remember/Everything comes full circle but also leaves off at a good cliffhanger. Cons: As with all Comic book series you have to have read the first volume to understand any part of the second/ The art in some issues was meh.  Full Review:  With the death and re-birth of the archangel Michael, Lucifer created his own Universe. And now everyone wants a piece of it. Lucifer (Book Two) is all about the many pieces of the puzzle that have been crafted with Lucifer creating his own "world." It is extremely intricate, every part leading into the other and you cannot read t...

"What had promise was quickly ruined by a selfish, whiny, entitled protagonist who wants what she wants and she doesn't care who she has to step on or hurt to get it." 2 Stars Pros: An interesting concept and the twist at the end was moderately surprising. Cons: Lalla is an obnoxious, spoiled, selfish brat.  ***Spoiler Alert*** Full Review:  Lallage, or Lalla, was born at the end of the world. The economy collapsed as she grew and the world around her became a war zone, a cemetery and a lawless Hell while she learned to walk, talk and read. And through all of this chaos, she was kept relatively safe.  Her Father had invented the Dove, similar to the Cloud, where those with ID Cards can be tracked, given food rations etc. And while each passes and the world gets worse, Lalla begins to hear her parents talking of a ship. She remembers people coming to their London flat, wondering who they were and how her Father would be gone for long stretches, weeks at a tim...

"A hilarious first chapter sets the book up to be truly funny but after that, it all just goes downhill." 1 Star Pros: The first chapter was great and really hit upon some of the finer points of working in an office setting. Also the various stereotypes of the typical office workers were spot on, the gossip, the storyteller, the quiet one etc. Cons: The lack of a cohesive story line and the rambling narrative made it difficult and frustrating to follow. There were moments of clarity and real cohesion but in the end, it was a disappointment.  Full Review:  Set in an advertising office, it's told from the point of view of a nameless worker. It all starts to gather cohesion when the narrator starts to explain about the downturn, when things started to go downhill and there were layoffs. Both amusing and rambling, it touches upon the things that any person who has worked in an office setting is all too familiar with. How some days you feel on top of the world, li...