Jake – Page 61 – Cannonball Read 17

Mayor From the Machine

Ex Machina, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan, et al.

November 11, 2021 by Jake Leave a Comment

Okay, so, apparently I have a big thing for Brian K. Vaughan’s work. I’m a ride-or-die Saga fan, and while I do miss that series, I think it’s good that the creative team has given it time to breathe before bringing it back. I also enjoyed Paper Girls, Vol. 1, which I read a few weeks ago and which I intend to pour through. I own a copy of Y: The Last Man, and that one’s coming up soon in the TBR pile. But this is something else. A […]

The House, It’s Haunted

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

November 9, 2021 by Jake Leave a Comment

I did not intend to follow one Riley Sager book with another, but since what I was reading wasn’t working for me, and since my rental of this one was due to expire soon, I decided to give it a go. This one is weird. In some ways, it’s better than what Sager has written but in others, it’s probably my least favorite. It’s a haunted house tale and he gets the atmosphere of a haunted house down pat. I’m not a horror guy; I […]

Screen-To-Page

Final Girls by Riley Sager

November 6, 2021 by Jake Leave a Comment

My second Riley Sager book and I think I understand now why I’m coming around to his work… He’s the Lee Child of these kinds of thrillers. I kind of mean that as a compliment (he says with some trepidation in his voice). Child is far from my favorite author and I find Jack Reacher to be a stereotypical character in broad strokes. But Child is a talented writer who knows how to craft a thriller. Every book is the same yet the story still […]

Two Comics and a Horror

Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughn, et al.

Daredevil: Born Again by Frank Miller and Dave Mazzucchelli

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

November 4, 2021 by Jake Leave a Comment

Read two comics and re-read a horror classic. All good in their various ways, two not living up to the potential of greatness and one with said potential… Paper Girls, Volume 1 A lot of folks warned that this one would be confusing but being a huge “Saga” fan, I was willing to give Brian K. Vaughn the benefit of the doubt. And it paid off. It’s a good table setter for what promises to be a good story. I liked the characters and, I’ve […]

Baby Baby Baby

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

November 1, 2021 by Jake Leave a Comment

This was one where I read the book before seeing the movie, both of which I did over Halloween weekend (Happy Halloween to me!). I had read, and admired Ira Levin’s Boys from Brazil years ago. Part of my issue with those kinds of high concept stories is that writers get too lost in the concept itself and fail to tell the story. Levin does not suffer from that problem. I’ve probably waited too long to read this (Stepford Wives as well). The premise is well known to […]

Big Red

The Burn by Kathleen Kent

October 31, 2021 by Jake Leave a Comment

The Dime, Kathleen Kent’s first Betty Rhyzyk novel, went from being an interesting if conventional police procedural mystery to something else. If you appreciate the out of nowhere, somewhat bananas turn (as I did), you’d probably be moving on to the second book to see how she dealt with it. If not, you’d likely skip it. When I read the reviews for it, opinions were mixed and I get it. The twist was perhaps imperfectly handled and may have felt gimmicky. But I thought it made […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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