Archive for the ‘Humor’ Category
Monday, January 4th, 2010
Pros: Great job balancing demon hunting and mom/wife responsibilities; sense of humor is wonderful.
Cons: Some of the character’s justifications for her actions felt like a stretch.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Kate Connor is a typical suburban mom, taking care of her kids and supporting her husband’s run for county attorney. She’s put aside her career as a demon hunter, and is thoroughly enjoying life. But when a demon crashes into her house trying to kill her to pave the way for his master to carry out an evil plan, Kate has no choice but to come out of retirement. Will she be able to keep work and family separate? And can she solve the mystery of why demons have showed up in this formerly safe town?
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Tags: demons, Humor, Julie Kenner, Kate Connor, paranormal
Posted in Horror & Paranormal, Humor | Permalink | No Comments »
Friday, November 13th, 2009
Pros: Hilarious topic and some truly standout stories
Cons: A couple of shallow stories; as always in anthologies, variable quality
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review book courtesy of Penguin Group.
I’m growing rather fond of the anthologies edited by Denise Little—The Trouble With Heroes
is the third one I’ve read, and I’ve definitely enjoyed all of them. Of course they still have the typical anthology issue: since the stories vary by topic, theme, and author, you’re pretty much guaranteed not to love the entire selection.
This time, the topic is the all-too-unknown down-side of heroes. We see them as mythical, wonderful figures. But what do their loved ones and helpers see them as? Who gets to see them when they’re cranky, or do their laundry because they’re always off saving the world? And what happens when a hero’s PR makes them out to be something rather different than he really is? This is a theme both hilarious and poignant, as the tales in this book reveal…
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Tags: anthology, Denise Little, Fantasy, heroes, Humor, short stories
Posted in Fantasy, Humor | Permalink | No Comments »
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
Pros: Original; touching; incredibly creative; tragic; wonderful!
Cons: None
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review copy courtesy of Penguin Group.
Also posted on Epinions.com.
In his “Princess Novels,” author Jim C. Hines explores the truth behind the fairy tale, and what comes after the “happily ever after.” The Stepsister Scheme followed Sleeping Beauty (Talia), Snow White (known simply as Snow), and Cinderella (Danielle) when Danielle’s husband, Armand, was kidnapped. In order to get him back, the three princesses were forced to face some truly perilous foes. What ensued was a wild blend of both the gripping and the hilarious—Hines has a wonderful grasp of the ridiculous without having to sacrifice either beauty or tragedy to achieve it.
In The Mermaid’s Madness
, it’s time for Queen Beatrice to welcome the undine (mer-folk) home from their migration, and Danielle must accompany her in order to start learning her future duties. It all goes horribly wrong, however, when it turns out that there’s a new leader of the undine—and Lirea has a serious grudge against the queen. Beatrice has a habit of taking in princesses with problems, and this time is no different—she’s been sheltering a young undine princess named Lannadae.
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Tags: fairy tales, Fantasy, Humor, Jim C. Hines, Jim Hines
Posted in Fantasy, Humor | Permalink | 1 Comment »
Monday, March 9th, 2009
Pros: Hilarious, poignant, thoughtful; filled with personality and heart-pounding action
Cons: None
Rating: 5 out of 5
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Tags: adventure, dark humor, Leandros Brothers, paranormal, Rob Thurman, urban fantasy, vampires, werewolves
Posted in Fantasy, Horror & Paranormal, Humor, Thriller, Adventure & Mystery | Permalink | 10 Comments »
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
Pros: Poignant, funny, and sensitive
Cons: Climax came a little fast
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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Posted in Chick-lit, Horror & Paranormal, Humor, Romance & Erotica | Permalink | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
After only writing four “non-reviews” in the history of this blog, now this is the second time this week. Ah well. I hate giving up on a book, but I also dislike wasting my time on something I know I won’t enjoy. Frustration occasionally wins out, particularly when I can tell early on exactly why I’m not enjoying said book.
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Tags: faeries, Maureen Child, paranormal, romance
Posted in Fantasy, Horror & Paranormal, Humor, Non-Reviews, Romance & Erotica | Permalink | 3 Comments »
Monday, January 12th, 2009
Pros: Fun, enjoyable little fantasies
Cons: Some awkward or predictable stories; inconsistencies
Rating: 4 out of 5
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Tags: Denise Little, fiction, witchcraft, witches
Posted in Fantasy, Horror & Paranormal, Humor | Permalink | No Comments »
Monday, January 12th, 2009
Pros: Original; touching; hilarious; wonderful!
Cons: None
Rating: 5 out of 5
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Tags: adventure, Cinderella, fairy tales, Fantasy, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White
Posted in Chick-lit, Fantasy, Humor | Permalink | 1 Comment »
Monday, December 15th, 2008
Pros: Clever, fun, intriguing, and thoughtful
Cons: Make sure you’re ready to handle the topics
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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Tags: humor. Stefan Petrucha, paranormal, young adult
Posted in Horror & Paranormal, Humor | Permalink | 1 Comment »
Friday, October 3rd, 2008
Pros: Entertaining, quirky, insightful, fun
Cons: Downright depressing at a few points
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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Tags: Ad Hudler, fiction, Humor
Posted in Humor, More Fiction | Permalink | 3 Comments »
