Blood Will Out by Jo Treggiari

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

The animal torture and abuse part were just some of the biggest disappointment, hence I didn't finish reading this book. There's no outstanding character or part in the story that will awe readers, and the flow of the story is too dragging and quite common. Ari, the main character, is irksome and her point of view is too bland; the conversation between the characters is also quite annoying to read.

I had high hopes before reading this because I was really intrigued by the synopsis; I even pushed myself on finishing it but I just can't seem to find any sense of why should I do it. I should not have set any expectations just because of how I love reading young adult fiction and just because of the plot of the story.

The Retreat by Mark Edwards

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First time to read a novel written by Mark Edwards and I was absolutely amazed by all those plot twists in the narrative. While reading this psychological thriller and mystery book, I have three characters that I suspect who might be the culprit in the sudden disappearances of two kids from 1980 and after 35 years. One of my guesses was correct, but what I didn't expect is that there are a lot more astonishing revelations.

I was really fascinated by how intriguing and mind-boggling the story of Lucas Radcliffe and his experience in the retreat house named Nyth Bran, which is located in the village of Beddmawr. The setting is very ideal to the plot of the story and anyone can visualize it easily because of how the author perfectly describes it. Moreover, I was taken by surprise by the ending and I surmise that readers will also have the same reaction once they read it. I highly recommend it to anyone because you will be bewitched immediately, even if you are not into this kind of genre.

After Anna by Lisa Scottoline

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After Anna is another great mystery/thriller novel that I've read this year. I was not exactly a fan of this genre but when I have read this book, it is one of the reasons why I included mystery and thriller to my list. What I like about it is that it will make readers make wild guesses about what's really happening. From beginning till the end, readers will never be disappointed because of a lot of unexpected twists were put in the story, especially in the ending. Thanks to the publisher because I was given the chance to read this amazing book by Lisa Scottoline.

The Girl Who Lived by Christopher Greyson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reading The Girl Who Lived is like watching a great psychological thriller movie because of how brilliantly Greyson's storytelling is. This is one of those books that readers will try to finish reading in one sitting because that is how interesting and exciting the story is. I wonder now on when will come the time for movie or tv producers to make this a movie or TV series of this excellent novel.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Wife Between Us is a contemporary, mystery and suspense fiction novel that will hook anyone to read what will happen next. I'm not really into this genre and I was not expecting that this book will be this exceptionally amazing. However, after reading this, I was really amazed by how good and riveting it is. It was a page-turner, chilling, intriguing, and mind-boggling till the end.

No, I'm not going to write anything about the story as I don't want to give spoilers to this surprisingly impressive novel. Just take my advice to never miss the chance to read this!

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I was given the opportunity to receive the reading copy of this novel from the publisher and without reading the synopsis, I was really intrigued by the title and the word monster was the first thing that came to my mind. And while halfway perusing, I remember watching the movie The Orphan and thought that Hannah from this novel is just like the character in the said film. They have the same nature on how their love for their dads is severe; although Alex is Hannah's biological dad, I believe that Hannah's admiration is a bit creepy and sexual.

This will make readers think of how an innocent looking girl like Hannah could just turn sinister and dark when she was alone with her mom, Suzette, and her attitude is quite the contrary towards her dad. I even thought that maybe she's possessed by an evil spirit, a clone or something like that; I reckon that others also speculate of possible reasons on Hannah's condition while reading.

Some would find this novel entirely disturbing due to Hannah's murderous plans to get rid of her mom; this is not recommended for those who are not okay or prepare in reading this kind of stories. Skip this if you are a faint-hearted person, but delve into the riddle and puzzle of the story if you are into mystery and thrilling genre.

James Bond: Black Box

AUTHOR: Benjamin Percy
ILLUSTRATOR: Rapha Lobosco
PUBLISHER: Dynamite Comics
PUBLICATION DATE: October 11, 2017
PAGES: 160
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS:
In the snowbound French Alps, James Bond finds himself in the crosshairs of an assassin who targets other assassins. This is the first puzzle piece in a larger adrenaline-fueled mystery that will send Bond across the globe to infiltrate the underworld, risk everything in high-stakes casino gambling, evade deadly pursuers, and root out a digital breach threatening global security.
Dynamite proudly presents James Bond: Black Box, collecting the thrilling six-issue James Bond miniseries by writer Benjamin Percy (DC’s Rebirth: Green Arrow and Teen Titans) and artist Rapha Lobosco.

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MY RATING: This is my first time to read a graphic novel of the very famous character James Bond. I'm familiar with the James Bond movies and though I'm not a fan of the aforementioned movie franchise, I still had a great time watching them. On the contrary, I consider James Bond: Black Box a little bland especially with the conversations between the characters. I don't have any problems with the illustrations as I find them marvelously drawn. In general, the only disappointment for me is the scripts, which the writer could have written effectively if he only put himself on James Bond's perspective.

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The Scarecrow Princess

AUTHOR: Federico Rossi Edrig
PUBLISHER: Lion Forge
PUBLICATION DATE: October 24, 2017
PAGES: 160
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS:
Morrigan Moore has always been moody, but her new home is the worst. Her novelist mother has dragged her to the countryside, drawn by the lost myth of the King of Crows, a dark figure of theft and deceit, and the Scarecrow Prince, the only one who can stand against him. When Morrigan finds herself swept up in the legend, she'll have no choice but to take on the Scarecrow Prince's mantel, and to stand and fight. For her town, her family, and her own future. This lushly drawn graphic novel will pull you into its sinister secrets and not let go till the final page. For fans of Coraline and Over the Garden Wall.

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MY RATING: After reading this graphic novel, I was thinking on what does the author, Federico Rossi Edrig, wants to convey or what lesson does he wants to impart to the readers. I was contemplating what message does he really wants to tell us because there's no precise one. I have several guess such as maybe not to give our trust especially to those who we're not quite familiar with, because they might just use this to their own advantage. I even thought that perhaps not being judgmental, be content with what you have, and being open-minded could be the message this book wants to pass to us. There's no definite moral lesson that will leave its mark to the readers; so it's just up to our own interpretation on what it could be. Moreover, there are some scenes that are not appropriate for middle grades and below, especially the part where Morrigan was having self-stimulating sexual gratification, and where she and the King of the Crows were both nude near the end of the story. On the other hand, the illustrations, may not that marvelous, are still satisfying to look into. Some parts are quite dragging, however the revelation in the climax part made up for that.

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Streak of Chalk

AUTHOR: Miguelanxo Prado
ILLUSTRATOR: Gabriel Guzman, Java Tartaglia
PUBLISHER: NBM Graphics
PUBLICATION DATE: October 1, 2017 (first published January 1st 1994)
PAGES: 106
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS:

n the occasion of NBM’s 40th anniversary, a classic is brought back in print! A small streak of an island in the Atlantic. On no map. In heavy summer heat. One general store with a woman and her taciturn boy. A lighthouse with no light. Memories and messages graffitied on the pier wall. A chance encounter with a beautiful elusive woman. A Murder. Or was it? Nothing seems completely real. Only the graffitied memories are constant. A mysterious multifaceted novel steeped in magical realism that can be read a number of ways, Streak of Chalk is one of Spain’s best comics authors’ magnum opus, and one of the greatest, most pioneering graphic novels NBM ever published.

 

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MY RATING:The Streak of Chalk is considered as Miguelanxo Prado's magnum opus. It was first published on 1994 and was already translated to different languages, such as German, Dutch, Croatian, Serbian, Portuguese, Valencian, Catalan and English. Moreover, it also won the Best Foreign Comic on 1994 at Angoulême International Comics Festival; Best Work by Saló del Còmic of Barcelona on 1994; Prize of Honor at Amadora Festival on 1994; Best Book of the Year at Hyères Festival on 1993; and nominations at Eisner Award for Best Painter, and Harvey Award for Best Foreign Comics.



What drawn me into this award winning graphic novel is the stunning illustrations and the intriguing story of that mysterious island somewhere in the Atlantic. The picturesque sketches of Miguelanxo Prado, for this graphic novel, were very impressive; and I reckon that these might not be computer-generated or were edited by using a computer graphic software. As this was published on 1994, the used of software to alter images or illustrations were still not prevalent then, so I believe that these are unadulterated work of art of Prado.



I really admired the illustrations that's why I took a lot of time to checked each comic panel as I was reading the dialogues. The story is quite engrossing and the finale gave me chills. Those who love graphic novels and those who are into mystery novels/stories would enjoy this magnificent piece of fiction by Miguelanxo Prado.
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Coyotes #1

AUTHOR: Sean Lewis
ILLUSTRATOR: Caitlin Yarsky
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PUBLICATION DATE: November 8 2017
PAGES: 30
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS:

Underworld meets Sicario in this new series from SEAN LEWIS (SAINTS, THE FEW) and amazing new artist CAITLIN YARSKY. Hunted by a legion of wolves that roam the border, women are disappearing. The survivors band together to wage war. Detective Frank Coffey is trying to understand this mythic-level bloodbath when he comes across Red, a little girl with a secret and a sword. Ultra-violent and smart as hell, COYOTES transforms the everyday into a myth we can rally behind.

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MY RATING: The City of Lost Girls and the intriguing mystery behind this place will definitely arouse anyone's interest. Coyotes were hunting and attacking the people of this city and the Victorias, which was govern by the Duchess, were the ones who tries to killed these vicious hunters. Analia is already an orphan, thus the Duchess recruited her to be one of the Victorias; as her rite of passage, she must kill a coyote and get its head. This is only the first issue of this new comic series, therefore expect that the information about what these coyotes really are will be revealed in the upcoming installments. Thank you to Image Comics for the ARC of this comic issue.

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Echoes

AUTHOR: Mike Richardson
ILLUSTRATOR: Gabriel Guzman, Java Tartaglia
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Books
PUBLICATION DATE: December 6, 2016
PAGES: 104
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS:

To prevent a murder, would we become a murderer? Troubled charter pilot Fred Martin is caught in a bizarre and violent storm and loses control of his aircraft. Martin later awakens unharmed only to discover that he is thirty years in the past with the impossible opportunity to right the terrible wrong that ruined his future.
Written by Mike Richardson, creator of The Mask and TimeCop, and illustrated by Gabriel Guzman (Star Wars, Lady Death), Echoes is fantasy drama on a human scale, a provocative journey into how the past is always present."

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MY RATING:I had read a similar plot of the story in this graphic novel before. In spite of that, I found myself entertain reading this because of the artwork and of the dialogues. I'll recommend this to those who enjoys reading comic or graphic novels, and to those who like a light-read but still has a good plot.



Thank you to Dark Horse Books for a reading copy of this graphic novel.

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The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre

AUTHOR: Alessandra Torre
PUBLISHER: N/A
PUBLICATION DATE: October 2, 2017
PAGES: 356
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS:
Four years ago, I lied. I stood in front of the police, my friends and family, and made up a story, my best one yet. And all of them believed me.
I wasn't surprised. Telling stories is what made me famous. Fifteen bestsellers. Millions of fans. Fame and fortune.
Now, I have one last story to write. It'll be my best one yet, with a jaw-dropping twist that will leave them stunned and gasping for breath.
They say that sticks and stones will break your bones, but this story? It will be the one that kills me.
This book is not a romance. It is contemporary fiction, but very suspenseful in nature. It is about a famous romance author and a dark secret she keeps.

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MY RATING: The Ghostwriter is a contemporary fiction novel written by Alessandra Torre. The story is about Helena Parks; a 32-year old romance fiction writer who started her career at the age of 19. She also wrote 15 bestselling novels in the past and is currently writing the novel “Broken” when she chose to abandon it, although it is already 80% done. Helena informed her agent Kate that she’s retiring, that she wanted to start a new book instead, and she wanted the famous Tricia Pridgen to be her editor; but the latter doesn’t accept a romance novel that’s why Kate is hesitant to pitch it to her. Aside from these, Helena also told Kate that she wants a ghostwriter to help her and she wants her archenemy, Marka Vantly, to do it. The new book that Helena wanted to write is the last book she’ll published and a personal one, because she wanted to reveal all the truth and lies of her life, and of her family in the said novel. Thus, the intro/blurb she planned to put in her book is, “If you lie enough times, no one believes your truth.” This book/ARC is one of the best I’ve received so far. I’m not saying this because I received this as a free copy for in exchange of an honest review; but I just didn’t expect that this novel would exceed my expectations. I’m not really into mystery or suspense genre, but this is one of those novels that will make you anticipate what is really happening and what would happen next. It will make you realized some things or lessons as you read the book, and will make you adore also some characters such as Kate and the “Marka Vantly.” Readers just need to prepare themselves for the revelation that Helena exposed near the end, as this is the vital point of the story. The life story of Helena will also make you pity her for a lot of reasons; particularly on how she felt that she was not loved and she shouldered the entire burden even after several years. Moreover, the quote, “If you lie enough times, no one believes your truth,” is one of the remarkable messages that this book instilled in reader’s mind. The story of The Ghostwriter is truly completely engrossing and will make you feel an assortment of emotions while reading this. If you love mystery and suspense novels, don’t miss the opportunity to read this magnificently written novel by Alessandra Torre.

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Bonjour, Miss Seeton by Hamilton Crane

AUTHOR: Hamilton Crane
SERIES: Miss Seeton #21
PUBLISHER: Farrago
PUBLICATION DATE: February 11, 2017 (1st published 1997)
PAGES: 272
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS:

 

Inspired by a wildly successful screening of Henry V, Plummergen village school decides on a trip to ‘the vasty fields of France’. The children are to visit the historic chateau of the Comte de Balivernes, and former art teacher Miss Emily Seeton is delighted to be asked to accompany them.

All goes so well that the charming Comte (definitely smitten by Miss S) and his daughter Louise are invited back to Plummergen – where Lord and Lady Colveden’s son Nigel is even more smitten with the lovely Louise.

But while l’amour blossoms, there’s also murder and mayhem to be reckoned with, and the Grand Bulldozer Race between six Kentish teams proves a more explosive finale than anyone anticipates . . .

Serene amidst every kind of skullduggery, this eccentric English spinster steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles, armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella!

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MY RATING: Fans of mystery and detective type of novels should definitely read this book as well as the other books in the Miss Seeton series. This book was first published on 1997 and the current book cover was published as a kindle version just recently. If you are a fan of Sarah J. Mason's works, then I recommend that you should purchase the latest edition of this to add to your collection.

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Yellowthread Street by William Marshall

AUTHOR:  William Marshall
PUBLISHER: Farrago
PUBLICATION DATE: July 14th 2016 (1st published 1975)
PAGES: 128
SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS:

The first in Marshall's unforgettable, classic series of police procedurals - suspenseful and hilarious in equal measure.

 

Yellowthread Street is the sort of place that breeds more crime than any cops can handle.

Among the gangsters and the goldsmiths of Hong Bay, Chief Inspector Feiffer and his police department had their hands full . . . tourist troubles, a US sailor turned stick-up artist, and the jealous Chinese who solved his marital difficulties with an axe.

Then the Mongolian with a kukri brought an extra touch of terror to the district . . .

Yellowthread Street brings to vivid life a seamy world where people called Osaka Oniki the Disemboweller, Shotgun Sen and The Chopper feel at home, a world of surreal possibility recorded with unique humour and a poignant sense of humanity.

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MY RATING: The truth is, I didn't expect that this novel is a page-turner and would make readers anticipate what will happen next. Gruesome and comedic at the same time, this novel is a must-read for fans of mystery, action and detective stories. While reading this, it reminds me of Jackie Chan's movies, in particular is the Rush Hour movie series.

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