Editorial Reviews for Nominees
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 Score: 87/100 (8.7 out of 10)
MC Ryder’s The Darkened Enchantment intertwines elements of fantasy, supernatural lore, and real-life struggles. The book follows Lily, the magical daughter of Camille (one of the main vampire characters throughout the series) and Beckett (a werewolf). It also follows Cleo, a high school student with a passion for nature and a love for animals. Ryder is ambitious in attempting to blend these worlds. Lily embodies resilience and leadership. Her character is well-developed, showcasing her journey through the fire academy and her role in protecting her family’s sanctuary. Ryder effectively portrays Lily’s internal and external struggles, making her a relatable and strong protagonist. Lily's arc seems to be about coming of age and coming into your own. In other words, we see her grow throughout the book, accepting more responsibility for herself, her home, and her family, carrying the baton (so to speak) that was once held by Camille, Beckett, and the original cast. Cleo’s narrative provides a contrast with her more grounded experiences. As a high school student who finds solace in nature, Cleo’s story is marked by her battle against bullying and her dream of studying botany. Her interactions with animals, particularly the injured dog Saffron and her opossum friend, Mutsu, highlight her compassionate nature. Ryder’s depiction of Cleo’s resilience and growth is another strong point in the novel. A huge theme in this book is the idea or concept of a safe space. Both Lily's family and Cleo find solace and sanctuary away from the chaos of the real world and humans. The novel tackles also themes of identity and resilience. Both Lily and Cleo grapple with their unique circumstances and strive to find their place in the world. The exploration of these themes is a significant strength, offering readers a chance to reflect on their own journeys. Family relationships are a central theme, with Ryder painting a picture of supportive and loving bonds. Lily’s interactions with her extended family and Cleo’s memories of her late parents add depth to their characters. There really is a strong sense of legacies in this book. Lily carries on both the blood and purpose of her storied family. Cleo, as a lover and caretaker of animals, carries on her late mother's legacy as a veterinarian. These relationships provide a solid foundation for the protagonists’ development and underscore the importance of family. While the parallel narratives of Lily and Cleo are intended to provide a rich, multifaceted story, the transitions between their stories can sometimes feel disjointed. The shift from supernatural elements to everyday realities is abrupt at times, which may disrupt the narrative flow. Readers might find themselves pulled out of the story due to these uneven transitions. Ryder’s world-building in The Darkened Enchantment is ambitious, with detailed descriptions of both the supernatural sanctuary and Cleo’s natural environment. However, the pacing of the novel can be inconsistent. Certain sections, particularly those detailing the fire academy and Cleo’s interactions at the garden center, are well-paced and engaging. In contrast, other parts of the narrative, especially the supernatural elements, can feel rushed or underdeveloped. The emotional arcs of the characters are well-conceived, but the execution sometimes falls short. While Lily’s protective instincts and Cleo’s struggle against bullying are compelling, the emotional depth can feel forced in certain scenes. Ryder’s attempt to elicit empathy and connection from the reader occasionally misses the mark, leaving some character interactions feeling superficial. The primary thing that this book is missing is the epicness and action of previous books. There really isn't a big bad in this book other than maybe the bullies or intangible concepts like identity, family, or the general threat to the security and secrecy that the sanctuary provides. There's no Maximilian or Vladimir in this book. With no big, bad villain and no evil army to fight, most of this book seems more like a drama than a fantasy epic. This book also has continues the pattern of proofreading errors that were apparent in other books in the series, though it's still a huge improvement from book one. For example: “Her interests to them quirky” “She loved the open farm life outside” “Her wide smile dimmed to one of earnest.” The Darkened Enchantment by M.C. Ryder is a novel that ambitiously blends the supernatural with the everyday. The character development, particularly of Lily and Cleo, and the exploration of themes such as identity and resilience are commendable. However, the novel faces challenges in its narrative structure and pacing, which can affect the overall reading experience. For readers who enjoy a mix of fantasy and reality, Ryder’s novel offers an intriguing, though occasionally uneven, journey. Check it out on Amazon!
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 Score 85/100 (8.5 out of 10)
Interview with a Sinner by M. M. White follows Hollace, a professional mourner who is hired to attend funerals and feign grief for the deceased. The story begins with Hollace attending the funeral of a particularly disliked old woman, where she encounters an older Asian woman named Marigold. Marigold claims to be an omnipotent being, similar to a goddess, who has taken a human form to study the universe and potentially create her own. She asks Hollace to act as her guide for a week-long interview to understand humanity. The book tackles numerous themes, including the commercialization of mourning, the struggle between good and evil, and the hidden darkness within human beings. One of the most unsettling aspects is Hollace's confession of her pedophilic urges, which she claims she has never acted upon. This element forces readers to confront the uncomfortable reality of internal moral struggles and the distinction between having dark desires and acting on them. One of the things we really picked up on is how this book really challenges the concept of reality versus artificiality. It seems to pose the question: What makes reality REALITY? What makes right RIGHT and wrong WRONG? Are these things just products our cultures and societies? Another prominent symbol in the book is the cyst on Aiken's back, which he believes to be his conjoined twin and the antichrist. This grotesque manifestation serves as a metaphor for internalized evil and the burden of carrying one's sins and moral corruption. The narrative structure of the book is unique yet disjointed. The plot is episodic, with each chapter introducing new characters and increasingly disturbing scenarios. This structure allows the book to explore various aspects of human behavior and societal issues, albeit in a fragmented manner. Something we noticed is that nothing seems real. The plot almost seems too ridiculous and absurd to be plausible. Things are happening, but they don't seem to be happening to real people. This feeling is exacerbated by the fact that film and media play a big part in this book, posing the question: Is all of this really happening or is this like Club X: Zombie in the Fridge? In other words, are we watching a fake reality TV show or on another film set? Perhaps the most implausible thing that happens in this book (and that's saying a lot) is that a bunch of Satanists actually come to believe that Aiken's cyst is the antichrist and the person they're supposed to be worshiping. This is absolutely bizarre and absurd. We think even actual Satanists would agree. It's really difficult to make connections with any of these characters or the world in this book. Again, the world or the universe of this book just don't seem real or grounded in any kind of reality. Very few of these characters seem to have any kind of common sense, rationale, or logic. Take Onslow for example... who the heck operates on their own brain?! Who?! It doesn't take a rocket science or a brain surgeon to point out how dangerous and idiotic that is. Secondly, why in the blue heck would Seton go through all of this—hiring someone to mourn for him at his hypothetical funeral that's yet to happen—just to spite someone? How many people do you know who would do all that before committing suicide? Who would do that? Thirdly, how is Aiken so convinced that his cyst/tumor/conjoined twin is the antichrist? What is the logic or rationale behind that? There is no logic or rationale behind that. It's like with Onslow's self-help surgery—it's pure insanity and idiocy. These aren't relatable characters in the slightest. And they live in a world that seems paper-thin, two-dimensional, and held together by duct tape. The book oscillates between dark comedy and extreme fiction, creating a sense of tonal whiplash. This can be jarring for readers as it mixes grotesque and shocking content with satirical and humorous undertones. The writing is provocative, aiming to push readers out of their comfort zones and challenge their perceptions of morality and decency. Interview with a Sinner is not a book for the faint of heart. Its provocative content and shocking themes are designed to elicit strong emotional responses and provoke deep reflection on the nature of humanity and morality. While the disjointed structure and disturbing subject matter may be off-putting to some, the book offers a unique and thought-provoking exploration of the darker aspects of human nature. For those interested in dark comedies and extreme fiction, Interview with a Sinner provides a salacious and absurd journey that is sure to leave a lasting impression. The references to pedophilia and the depiction of the antichrist as a tumor on Aiken's body are meant to be shocking and provocative. The story blends dark comedy with extreme fiction, aiming to challenge readers' sensibilities and provoke strong reactions. We found this to be incredibly bizarre and uncomfortable. Be warned that at least one scene in this book describes sexual activity with a minor and several scenes describe the central character feeling “wet” or “damp between the legs” in the presence of minors. This can be off-putting to many readers as it was to us. The book's aim is to push boundaries and explore taboo subjects. If you are up for a book like that, you are free to check it out on Amazon.  Score: 84/100 (8.4 out of 10)
Club X: Zombie in the Fridge by S.P. Somtow is an ambitious book, blending elements of horror, fantasy, and humor. The book stands out with its eclectic narrative and eccentric thematic explorations but falls short in coherence and consistency, something which could make it a challenging read for some. While reading, there was a real sense that the book seemed to lack cohesion and coherence. In terms of cohesion, there are so many different things and ideas being thrown at the reader—time travel, quantum entanglement, parallel realities, alternate worlds, alternate selves, gender fluidity, transsexuality, organized religion, boarding schools, zombies, vampires, films, film-making, aliens—that it really came across as disorganized, disjointed, and unfocused, unfortunately. We really hate to say things like that, but we also have to be honest. And the author seems like someone who is very brilliant and full of creative zest; we're just going to chalk this up as not being their best work. We actually enjoyed parts and aspects of their previous work, Delicatus, which was a previous super champion/overall winner in our contests. However, that book had something that this book simply doesn't: weight, depth, emotional engagement, a sense of actual danger and vulnerability, and a sense of subtextual significance. That's not to say there isn't any subtext, but it just doesn't hit as hard or as clearly. In Delicatus, we really felt like important things of actual historical significance were happening. There was a menacing villain and an edgy, intriguing LGBT+ relationship. It also seemed very well thought out. Characters and plot seemed interconnected. There was tension. There were power dynamics. There was actual chemistry. However, in our opinion, there's very little of that to be found in Club X: Zombie in the Fridge. Everything in this book just seems so hollow and soulless. The characters seem so goofy, paper-thin, and two-dimensional, practically only serving to facilitate thinly-veiled social commentary about gender fluidity and gender identity rather than being deep, compelling, and real-seeming characters in and of themselves (the way that Sporus and Gaius Petronius Arbiter were in Delicatus). It's so unfortunate because we really wanted to enjoy this book . Heck, we still think that there may be a niche group of people who might enjoy this book. We can only speak for ourselves and our experiences reading and reviewing so many works of fiction. The whole tone, narrative voice, and the way the story is told came across (to us) as overly silly, absurd, ridiculous, and bizarre. A little bit of that is fine, but this was venturing into Axe Cop and Aqua Team Hunger Force territory. Again, there's an audience for fiction like that, we're not denying that. However, those types of things don't usually get considered for Pulitzer Prizes and Oscars. Why? Well, it's not necessarily that they're not enjoyable, it's because they're almost impossible to take seriously. There's a concept in literature called the suspension of disbelief. It refers to the willingness of an audience to accept unrealistic or improbable elements in a work of fiction for the sake of enjoyment or storytelling. It's when readers or viewers consciously set aside their skepticism or critical thinking about the implausibility of certain events, characters, or settings within a narrative. This allows them to fully engage with the story and its fictional world. And there are two huge things that make the suspension of disbelief possible: 1. Engaging storytelling 2. Emotional connection For example, Doctor Who has some things about it that are pretty goofy and bizarre. Ok, fine. But why do we play along? Why do we still watch it? Well, it's because the titular Doctor is such an interesting, mysterious, and charismatic character! And her/his companions are usually quite hot and interesting as well! What's more? The villains and antagonists are cool and fascinating. Daleks and Cybermen are pop culture icons and each have their own personalities, motivations, and cultures (not to mention catch-phrases). You can probably throw the Weeping Angels in there as well. Star Wars also has lots of things about it that are pretty ridiculous and absurd. So, why do we still watch all the movies, buy all the toys, and talk so much about it? Well, because it introduced us to cool weapons like lightsabers and the Death Star. It had engaging stories and character dynamics like the ones between Darth Vader and Luke, Anakin and Obi-Wan, and Han Solo and Leia. However, there's so little of that to cling onto in CLUB X: Zombie in the Fridge. Yes, there's a lot of silliness. Yes, there's a lot of goofiness. Yes, there are tons of zombies. There's a time-traveler/reality warper. There are alternate worlds and alternate versions of characters. There's a magic refrigerator with dead body parts in it that can transport you elsewhere like a Stargate or a TARDIS. There are... some teenage kids with strange names who seem to somewhat care about each other. However, none of that seems built on a strong and/or sturdy foundation. This is like a lot of colorful paint just randomly being hurled at a canvas. We're not saying that this book doesn't have a foundation. We're not saying that it doesn't have vision. What we're saying is that the foundation seems shaky at best and the vision is blurred and muddled by too many ideas competing for one's attention at once. And, ultimately, it all doesn't seem to take up a discernible, concrete, and/or tangible form, sorta like that random painting we described. Going back to what we were saying about the suspension of disbelief... there's so little to cling onto. There's little to no emotional depth to these characters or plot. It just didn't grip us and compel us the way that characters and a story should. First of all, the conflict is chaotic and unclear. At first, we're led to believe that these Club X characters—Polo, Kim, Danger, Fluke, and Donut—are trapped in a strict, oppressive, magical, supposedly-Catholic, probably-evil boarding school called St. Cecilia's, the location of the magical, TARDIS-like refrigerator in the convent's sitting room. The school is basically a hellish Hogwarts with some really sketchy leadership and faculty including his eminence Cardinal Crank (a probably-evil alien whom the characters think is a sexual predator), Sister Evangeline (a nun with a penis who used to be a member of a biker gang because... why not?), and Doctor Strange (an $%#hole who inconveniences pretty much everyone by being vague and sending them on errands through space & time, i.e. fetch quests). Gosh, why does his name have to be Doctor Strange? You know, like the Marvel character? Couldn't he have had a more original name? It just stuck out to us like a sore thumb. Anyway, the school is surrounded by a magical force-field that basically acts like a barbed wire fence around a prison. Eventually, we learn that they're actually quarantined because there's, like, a zombie infestation caused by a virus from a video game created in an alternate/parallel world. No, we're not making this up, that's pretty much the plot. Oh, yeah, and it seems to be a school rule that “Everyone has to present as the opposite gender.” This is more of that social commentary about how it's wrong to force people to be a gender they don't identify as. There's another quote about how, in Alabama, heterosexual couples are denied the right to marry the way that homosexual couples were at one point. More social commentary. You know, that fine and all, but... this book is already top-heavy as it is. Adding all of this didactic, thinly-veiled social commentary on top of a 260-page book that already has time travel, alternate worlds, zombies of various kinds, a sorta-vampire-man/method actor, a magical school, a magical refrigerator, an evil alien overlord, and a biker nun with a penis... it just seems so excessive and superfluous. It's like piling straws on top of a camel who is already flattened like a pancake. That thing isn't moving any time soon. Just let the poor thing up and let it breathe, for goodness sake! But wait, there's more! At some point, the gender-fluid main character, Polo, is infected with the trans-dimensional video game zombie virus and becomes a zombie whose body is continually falling apart and decaying. Now, a part of us feels like this was supposed to be humorous and funny. There are some shenanigans involving Zombie Polo that are somewhat amusing, but it got a bit gross and off putting to read about. There were times we were literally trying to eat while reading these scenes, and we just had to put our food down. Now, we've read A LOT of disgusting scenes in A LOT of books involving tons of guts and body parts. However, there's something about the way that body parts and gore are described in this book that just didn't sit well with us. And that brings us to the next point: Why is there so much sexuality and sexualization of characters in a book involving minors as the central characters? Now, we know that they're technically teens, but they're still minors. Yet, we have at least one sex scene set up. We have characters constantly (and we mean CONSTANTLY) discussing their genitalia to each other. Who is this book supposed to be for? Because these characters are minors, but there's so much gore (including intestines flying everywhere), so much sexuality, and so many F-bombs (and more foul language) to go with it. Look, we are not prudes at all. But we have a good sense of what fits and belongs in certain books and what doesn't. Books in which the main protagonists are minors do not need this kind of graphic content and language. It's really off-putting and upsetting. It alienates large segments of the potential audience and impacts the book's marketability. We'd highly recommend that the author tone these things down if they want to market to a teen/YA audience or prominently feature characters who are minors. Like, in Delicatus, we understood that the book took place at a time when people had shorter lives and so had relations with people at a younger age. The times were different in Ancient Rome. They had a different culture. However, we hate to say it, but we really had a sense of disgust while reading parts of this book that described the private parts of these minors and the adults around them. This content really belongs in books targeted at adults featuring adult characters, not a YA/teen book featuring characters who are minors. There's a scene in which Red Polo's “prehensile intestine shot out from his ass and began fiddling with the keyhole of the first padlock.” First of all, this sounds gross and disgusting. Second of all, there is a really creepy sexual subtext to this description as the character, who is still a minor, is projecting a protruding phallic object into a hole. Yes, it's a fictional story. Yes, it's a fictional character. However, it's still a minor. It's so disturbing to read passages like this, and not in a good way. We think this scene was supposed to be funny in a slapstick, nonsensical kind of way, but slapstick humor is like Tom & Jerry or The Three Stooges. You don't see Curly's guts hanging out of his stomach. You don't see Tom bleeding all over the place. This just came across as really, needlessly inappropriate, gory, and disturbing. When Fluke is found in a battered state, we get the bizarre line by Red Kim, “Did someone … rape him?” Of all things... why is this line in here? Fluke is a minor. Kim/Red Kim is a minor. Why do the characters and the narration immediately have to jump to something so disturbingly violent and sexual? It just seems so... wrong and off-putting. When the nun comes in to help the protagonists, we get the line: “But before you defrock me for having a dick, I’m gonna save your asses.” First of all, who talks like that? Really? Secondly, what adult goes up to a group of minors and talks like that? Who gives a crap what's between your legs?! If you're going to save the kids, just shut up and save the kids because it's the right thing to do! If you're going to make Scary Movie, do it with adult main characters not minors. If you're going to write for adults, write for adults. If you're going to write for kids, write for kids. Don't try to drag kids into a dark, demented, twisted narrative. There are 28 uses of the “F” word, 41 uses of the “S” word, 7 uses of the word “dick” (not including references to Moby Dick), and 8 uses of “penis.” Again, we are not prudes, but what are these things doing in a book that seems to otherwise be a YA/teen book? There's a time and place for this type of vulgarity and language. For example, Black, White, and Gray All Over by Frederick Douglas Reynolds featured over 40 “motherf*$&ers” and variants of it. However, that was a book about a police officer in serious life or death situations. Numerous books about war and PTSD contain vulgar and foul language, and that's because they're books about war and PTSD. This, on the other hand, is an absurdist time-traveling zombie book with silly characters and a completely implausible plot with almost no suspension of disbelief. In other words: it's for FUN! So, why is this vulgarity and language being used? There's no real danger. There's no serious threat. When Polo falls apart, they can just put him back together like a Mr. Potato Head (almost literally). It doesn't meet the qualifications to justify or warrant that kind of vulgarity and language. We said almost the same thing about Diaspora by J.P. Ozuna, another book that starred YA/teen characters yet featured very adult language and scenarios for no good reason (not advancing the plot or serving the story). J.P. Ozuna took this advice and produced another book (2030) that's much better and doing great in this contest. Just something to think about. Imagine how many more readers the author could have if they didn't include this kind of content? Imagine the increased marketability and accessibility. This book also has some editing and proofreading issues that took away from the reading experience. Here are a few: “It’s made from the internal organs if the puffer fish” should probably be “It’s made from the internal organs of the puffer fish” “I don’t want you die” should probably be “I don’t want you to die” or “I didn’t want you to die” “I’m not going leave myself behind” should probably be “I’m not going to leave myself behind” “There’s only one way solve this” should probably be “There’s only one way to solve this” “...even I managed to figure out that that meant” should probably be “even I managed to figure out that meant” “Does this mean that that whole universe is just some kind of programmable video game?” should probably be “Does this mean that whole universe is just some kind of programmable video game?” “I’ll stick one in in case” should probably be “I’ll stick one in just in case” “My mother’s quarters at St. Cecilia’s are not like the soft beds we sleep in in the residence hall” should probably be “My mother’s quarters at St. Cecilia’s are not like the soft beds we sleep in at the residence hall.” Another thing we really didn't enjoy about this book was the clearly A.I.-generated art. Let's just ignore the ethics of A.I.-generated art for a moment. Our real issue is that it just looks plain bad. Some of it looks really bad. It's nightmare fuel. There's very little consistency in the style of the A.I. art or the appearance of individual characters. They look warped or outright deformed. Now, we get it. One version of Polo is supposed to be an undead, decaying, rotting zombie who is falling apart all the time, but even his character model looks subpar for zombie/corpse standards, and that's saying a lot. There are times when one (or more) of his fingers seem either too long or too short. There are times when he's blending into the background, furniture, or other characters for some reason. And for the second consecutive book—for some God forsaken reason—we need to be bombarded with nude or partially-nude images of characters who are technically underage. Fiction or not, it's still pretty disturbing and upsetting, to be honest. Look, we get it: the human body—the human anatomy—is amazing and beautiful in so many ways. It's a miracle. We should celebrate it. We should be proud of it. But why do these underage characters have to constantly be shoved in our faces like this? The fact that it's usually in a grotesque form only adds to how unsettling and upsetting they are. We'd rather these AI images not be in the book at all. They distract and detract from it. Now, there's one last thing about this book that bothered us, and it's probably the thing that made us cringe the most: the way that the Haitians and Haitian zombies are portrayed and described. Haiti is described as “Zombie Central” where “real zombies come from.” Haitian zombies are described as “single minded and robotic.” Meanwhile, Haitians in the book speak in broken English as if they're illiterate and unintelligent. This dialect is described in the book as being “Haitian Creole.” Now, you could make the argument that Haiti is like a film set and that the main “Haitian” the protagonists speak to is actually a character in disguise (and, thus, fake). Gosh, all of that is a whole other can of worms. But that doesn't change how racially insensitive these passages still read. We're not sure if the author even realized how insensitive these passages sound. Imagine being a Haitian from Haiti and reading passages like these. It's quite upsetting, to be honest. Something that would have really helped this book is a beta-reader, someone who could give the author a second perspective. It doesn't seem like the author had gotten a second set of eyes to look this over and tell them that maybe some things aren't appropriate for a book of this nature. Like, maybe we should have a clear, discernible conflict and plot instead of throwing everything into a blender and hitting puree. There are so many otherwise-great ideas in here that seem half-baked or incongruent. There's a lack of harmony in this book. Nothing seems like it could be real or tangible. Nothing seems plausible. There's absolutely no sense that this could really happen. Again, there's no suspension of disbelief. It's not like we haven't read books like this. We read With Love, From Planet B by Dr. Zaayim Salaam, a book about two lesbians who astral-project using a dream machine to figure out that men are toxic, women are awesome, and global warming is bad. We read Quantum Consequence by Mike Murphey in which the characters can travel to different universes named after different sitcoms like I Love Lucy. In that book, Amazon was the evil supreme deity, there was an evil leader named Leviticus Deuteronomy Humphollar whose catch-phrase was “Make America Stupid again,” and there was a Judy Garland android with a pet snake. And even that wasn't as weird or hard to believe as this book. We've also read books about underage LGBT+ characters like Silas On Sundays by Joel Shoemaker and I Love You Just the Way You Are by Riley Rian. Heck, you could include Delicatus by this same author in that list. All of those were much better books. They had depth. They weren't as pushy, forceful, and in-your-face about all of this sexual stuff, and they weren't nearly as off-putting with their vulgarity, language, and content. Let's put it this way: there wasn't an underage character shooting intestines out of his %$# into a keyhole in any of those other books. They also didn't feature nightmare-inducing AI-generated art of half-nude people who are supposed to be minors or portray Haitians in such an upsetting light. Now, after all that, does this book really not have any redeeming qualities? Well, no, this book has a bunch of redeeming qualities. Like we said before, there are a lot of great ideas in this book, they're just not well executed or put together in a harmonious way. For example, Fluke's love for music really shines through, and the times when he can get a hold of a musical instrument are some of the best parts of the book. Clearly, the author's love for music shines through in this character. There's some good world-building. For example, in Lavender Polo's world, a cellphone is called a “Handy.” Next, there are some good passages here and there. One of our favorites was: “He did kind of stink, but he also smelled of our childhood, that comforting scent of a place so lived in that you don’t know it’s there unless you’ve been away from it. He held onto me really tight. He does love me, I thought.” This short passage makes great use of the senses and touches on the chemistry between the characters. There's also a pretty impressive scene which vividly describes the experience of encountering a large group of zombies: “We crouched down behind the cars. The rumbling came louder and louder. Suddenly, the front door of the school lobby came flying off its hinges and crashed down the steps to the pavement. Zombies started to stream out. There’s this kind of grunting sound that a herd of zombies makes. They don’t breathe — they’re not alive — but there’s a wheezy, gasping sound of air being pushed past their vocal chords. You never forget what a zombie army sounds like. The way they move— no kind of order, randomly shambling about but somehow managing to go in the same general direction — the rhythmless pounding of their feet, you don’t forget that either. Or the smell. The smell! We were all choking...” Again, this passage makes great use of sights, sounds, and even smells. It's one of the best descriptions of zombies we've ever read, we're not kidding! We also loved the verse in which the zombies “were at the doors now. They were climbing on the roof. They were jumping up and down. They were dribbling on the windows.” The short, choppy, abrupt sentences give you the sense of how frantic and frenzied this moment is. You also eventually get the sense that Kim has aspirations to be a filmmaker (as well as some experience) and is able to identify when things seem fake or artificial like in a movie. Lastly, there are a lot of allusions to the Greek myth of the labyrinth including Theseus, Ariadne, and the ball of yarn. This is one of our favorite myths from all of mythology. However, it just kinda abruptly ends and we move on from it early in the book. Look, this book was very ambitious and daring. It took a lot of risks and chances. It included some things that just didn't jive or sit well with us like AI-generated art, the inclusion of minors in an explicit story, and a less-than-savory portrayal of a group of people. We're entitled to our opinions and have the right to express the way we feel. We know that this author can do much better than this. We read Delicatus. That was an awesome book! If you're curious about CLUB X: Zombie in the Fridge, you can check it out on Amazon.  Score: 85/100 (8.5 out of 10)
Zoe in The Neighbors is a registered nurse who works in her hospital's NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), helping to deliver and care for newborn babies and their mothers, including those who've undergone complications. After long and often traumatic shifts, all she wants to do is go home and get some sleep. The problem is that her two raucous and mysterious neighbors, Jensen and Terrence, insist on being loud, obnoxious, and making as much noise as possible. We've all been there! We've all had annoying neighbors. Furthermore, a dangerous and unhinged stalker named Anthony continues to message and harass Zoe, refusing to be ignored or rejected. Anthony frequents the same doughnut shop and Chinese restaurant as Zoe. He texts her constantly. Zoe also seems to wrestle with childhood trauma springing from her strained relationship with her mother, whose voice rings in her head constantly, telling her she can't eat carbs and must run to avoid becoming fat. Worst of all, her mother's voice keeps reminding her that she can't do things. Zoe runs and avoids carbs religiously do to the crushing fear of becoming fat or failing in her mother's eyes. Anyway, when Zoe confronts her rowdy neighbors, she is rudely confronted and insulted, particularly by Terrence, the brute of the two. Jensen is far more apologetic and sympathetic. As Anthony's stalking becomes more and more severe, escalating in an actual sexual assault, Zoe becomes more and more paranoid and fearful. Jensen and Terrence recognize this and offer to be there for her as protection and support. Jensen even offers to go running with her so she won't be alone. What an interesting twist! The people who annoyed and angered us in the beginning turned out to be great friends to the protagonist! It's like the lesser of two evils. Anyway, Zoe quickly realizes that Jensen and Terrence aren't ordinary people. As you might've gathered (from reading other books in the series), they're actually vampires! Zoe becomes particularly close to Jensen, and the romance between the two is actually quite sweet. Jensen comes across as the more level-headed and caring of the brother. However, Terrence has his good attributes too. His short-temper and brutishness make him great to have around when evildoers and threats are around. Despite Anthony being scared off for the most part, Zoe still struggles with PTSD and related anxiety and fear from the assault. Furthermore, even Jensen and Terrence aren't strong enough to resolve Zoe's childhood trauma (with her mother) and the mounting stress of her job (which often involves death and tragedy). The Neighbors by M.C. Ryder is a book with a lot of great ideas, a compelling romantic pairing, and a complex main character. The thing is, it seemed to lack cohesion and direction, attempting to accomplish too much at once. Conflicts in the book come and go like the weather or the phases of the moon, and perhaps that's the point. It could be argued that the conflicts in this book reflect experiences in a hospital environment in which each patient's situation is different and ever-changing. Another slight complaint about this book is the return to the second-person perspective that plagued The Darkest Side of the Moon. However, it is noticeably less irritating this time around. Also, the writing was a huge improvement over that book. We couldn't find many errors. This is a book that probably could be refined and expanded with a more fleshed-out and cohesive plot. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)
This book should anger and upset a lot of people... but not for the reasons you might think. It should anger and upset you because it points out how a lot of American society and, specifically, our healthcare system are designed to make us sick and keep us sick. A lot of people whose lives could have been saved aren't with us today—let down by what the author calls the “Cancer Industrial Complex.” A lot of people who could have lived much longer lives were given short terminal diagnoses and sent to hospice care to die. That's extremely upsetting. And you know what makes it even more upsetting? We've been on both sides of this issue and know all about it. Our judges have been healthcare workers, have been patients, and have friends and family members who died from cancer, being told the same things about how “nothing more can be done” for them. According to this book, the Cancer Industrial Complex, the pharmaceutical industry, modern medicine, and the healthcare industry as a whole is a business—it's own economy. And it's failing us and letting us down day after day after day. It's about time that someone called them out on it! And who better to call them out than an actual cancer survivor, and not just any cancer survivor. Author Jacqueline Acho actually earned her PhD in Chemistry from MIT! That's no small thing! She's actually a published scientist! You can find dozens of citations linking back to her published research going all the way back to the 1990s. Check that out here: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Jacqueline-A-Acho-85604460 Anyway, the story goes that in 2021, Acho was given a terminal diagnosis for ovarian cancer and told she only had 2-3 months to live. The typical attempts at chemotherapy were tried before the doctors gave up and recommended her for palliative/hospice care. She want sent there in immense pain and unable to eat. If that sounds familiar to any of you, then you're probably gritting your teeth and clenching your fist. Well, Acho didn't listen. She didn't accept and embrace her death sentence. Instead, she took her future, her health, and her life in her own hands and sought alternative care in Istanbul, Turkey. With the many different treatments used and allowed by the Turkish medical system. And guess what? Not only did Acho live long past the 2-3 months she was projected to, she's actually still alive today! And not only that, but she was able to give a commencement speech at a major institution and even got to see her child graduate. This inspired us immensely and definitely put a smile on our faces. However, this also filled us with shame as Americans. WE should have the best hospitals. WE should have the best treatments. WE should have the best medicines. WE should have the best doctors. But we don't, and it's a darn shame. You shouldn't have to travel all the way across the world just to get life-changing treatment. And we say these things with all the sensitivity and empathy in our minds, bodies, and souls: that is simply not right. This book is a HUGE wake up call. It's no coincidence that Acho was a bit of a rebel and didn't listen to the doctor who gave her that death sentence. Acho is a rebel, and we love that! We actually had the pleasure of listening an old TedTalk she did (and which she mentioned in the book). In the TedTalk, she talked about the times when she worked for her dad as a child and was fired twice for insubordination. She said something along the lines of “insubordination isn't always a bad thing... insubordination can be another word for innovation.” Innovation is trying new things and/or doing things differently. This includes life-changing and life-saving treatments, some of which aren't even available or legal in America yet. Acho makes the argument that America has what it calls a “Gold Standard” of care, which is basically the same routine treatments tried over and over again until they become too expensive. They're unwilling to think outside the box. They're unwilling to try new things. They're stuck in a dogma of what the text books say. And that's an annoyance we share about the medical and scientific communities. They're supposed to be the logical, rationale ones. They're supposed to be the ones seeking solutions and solving problems. They're supposed to be the ones with the answers and facts. They're supposed to be free of biases and dogma. However, they tend to be just as biased and dogmatic as the biggest hyperreligious nutjobs. Acho shares some biting, scathing quotes that we admired: “If only cancer science were as brave as cancer patients” “Research is only as good as the questions you ask” As people who have financially supported and participated in cancer research, we can tell you how constricted and limited it is. It's 2024. This is AMERICA—the richest, most technologically advanced country in the world. We should be doing so much better. The author also points out issues that became blatantly obvious to her around the time of the pandemic. The government was willing to declare an emergency and release billions of dollars in funds to solve the crisis and rush out vaccines because the pandemic was devastating the economy. The implication is: that was about money. They were willing to dump all their eggs in the COVID-19 basket because doing so would reopen the country and be of great economic benefit, further enriching pharmaceutical companies. From the author's perspective, it's suspicious that they can't do that for cancer—something which kills far more people and has a much longer history. Why? Well, cancer deaths don't affect the economy the same way. They don't close down cities. This book actually reminded us a lot of Growth by Karen DeBonis, a book about how a mother sought additional answers and treatments for her long-suffering son after numerous doctors and experts either dismissed him or misdiagnosed him. Doctors are human beings. They're not magical. They're not infallible. Most of all, they're not always right. Take it from us, we've not only worked with doctors, we've LIVED with doctors. There are times when they say and do stupid stuff like the rest of us. Anyway, this is a really worthwhile book with a message we can get behind. Now, this book does start to get kinda sidetracked and weird after a while, especially when it starts reading like an Istanbul tourism guide. However, that really isn't that big of deal. After all, if you do decide to move to Istanbul to receive similar cancer treatments, some of that info might actually come in handy. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 88/100 (8.8 out of 10)
Weekend Temptation is a steamy contemporary romance novel by Michele Wright! The protagonist, Rachel Knott, is a social media and communications specialist for a company called Marlow Communications. Admirably, she ambitiously seeks a promotion, however, she must overcome the cutthroat atmosphere of her work environment. For example, one of her bosses, Amanda, has a bullying demeanor and even takes credit for Rachel's hard work. Furthermore, Marlow Communications faces a lot of obstacles of its own. First and foremost, they are struggling to secure a huge deal with James Hotel, who would become a knockout client. Well, surprise, surprise! As fate would have it, Rachel crosses paths with the handsome co-owner of James Hotel, Ben, while he is apparently working as a simple bartender. After some nudging and coaxing from her colorful girlfriends and a chance encounter, the two have a passionate one-night stand that sparks the remainder of the book. With Marlow Communications desperate to secure a business relationship with James Hotel, and with constant failures by Amanda to get it done, Rachel is thrust into the spotlight as she agrees to be the bridge between the two companies. Along the way, she grows as a person and learns more about her mysterious lover, Ben. If this plot sounds incredibly familiar to you, you're not alone. This is basically a Cinderella story—that of a hard-working woman who meets a prince. To be blunt, it's a lot like a Hallmark movie, for better or for worse. Hey, there's a reason why Hallmark is still around, it's because people can rely on their cheesy movies to make them smile, feel good, and lift their spirits. Those movies are complete escapism, restoring faith in the idea that everyone can have a happy ending and that everything will be ok in the end. On that note, Rachel's arc and the story in general are rather generic. We've seen this story time and time again. We've seen characters like Rachel and Ben time and time again. Look at 50 Shades of Gray. That's not to say these kinds of stories are bad, but it is to say they're cliché and generic at this point. What's not generic are some of the side characters, namely Rachel's friends. There's Kate, the crudely-joking, off-duty police officer. There's Paige, the friend who owns the bakery that the women often meet at. There's Isabel, the Gothic one. Then there's Madison, the stylish “princess” of the group who works at a trendy salon. Come to think of it, all of these colorful friends really reflect the ideals and personal goals that Rachel has. They're strong, independent, powerful, successful, and unapologetically themselves. Ironically, that flies in the face of what the books over-arching plot seems to be—that of gaining success because of garnering romantic favors from a man. That may have not been the author's intention (as it may have been simple fantasy or escapism), but that's what came across to us. All in all, we were definitely entertained by this book. Despite our aforementioned complaints and reservations, we also found Rachel to be an inspiring character. She's a dreamer like us! We wish the best for her! Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 93/100 (9.3 out of 10)
Angelina's Choices: Growing and Learning to Make a Difference is another fascinating read by the Angelina Wang, a teenager who is wise beyond her years! The book follows right on the heels of her hit debut novel, Angelina's Opinions, which she published at the age of 12! You could make the argument that it actually exceeds the enjoyability of the first book, which is the stance we'll be taking. What makes Angelina's Choices a more enjoyable book than Angelina's Opinions? Well, for one, it's a bit less fixated, didactic, and heavy-handed when it comes to individual social issues (like feminism and LGBTQIA+ issues), speaking much more broadly. What this does is make it more accessible to a larger audience and make it more applicable to a wider range of issues (in comparison to Angelina's Opinions). Angelina's Opinions had one huge weakness in that it came across as preachy and a bit pushy. While the the narrative voice in this book is still authoritative, directive, and didactic like the previous book, it comes across as far less overbearing, insistent, and—dare we say—pushy. That's something we really appreciated about this second book. Interestingly, while the scope of the discussions is broader than in the previous book, the solutions are actually more specific and applicable. Here's what we mean: In Angelina's Opinions, Wang fixated a lot on huge issues like women's rights, LBGTQIA+ rights, and climate change. That's great and admirable and all, but that also begs the question... what do you honestly expect ME (the reader) to do about all of that? Yes, we can contribute to the solutions to those problems, but those are such huge, macro issues that aren't going to be reversed by a single human being (reader). Even a US president or UN secretary general couldn't fix that with a wave of the hand. What's rather fascinating is that it seems like Wang realized the same thing around the time she wrote Angelina's Choices. As if having an epiphany, she began to realize that she might not be able to change the whole world by herself, but she could be part of making it a better place by contributing to it via small, positive choices. For example, she felt like reusing her water bottle wasn't such a big deal until she was given some perspective. Now, we wanted to chime in here: we can empathize with this. Sometimes, we feel like the problems around us are so big, so huge, and so overwhelming that there's no point in trying to solve them. This is a flawed way of thinking. In an intertextual way, we wanted to refer to what we learned in Sketches from a Sunlit Heaven by Sarah Law (a book about Saint Therese). In Law's book, we learned that St. Therese came to almost the same conclusion that Wang does in her book: that you don't have to do big, grand, world-changing, heroic acts in order to matter. No, you can matter and make a difference by making “little sacrifices” via the “little way.” So, in Wang's case, you might be saving the planet from being polluted by a few water bottles, but you're also encouraging and inspiring others to do the same. Imagine if a hundred or a thousand people made the same choice and followed Wang's example. In Saint Therese's case, you might be helping one grumpy old nun or a prisoner on death row and think that it's not such a big deal. After all, it doesn't save the world, but it does contribute to propagating a spirit of caring and compassion that rubs off on others. Maybe you can't change the whole world in one instant, but you can make your home a better place. You can make your community a better place. You can be a part of the solution while not having to bear the burden of being the whole solution. And, really, that all boils down to Wang introducing a new wrinkle in this book: an emphasis on CHOICE and CHOICES. We can make good choices that blossom into big, beautiful things like trees from a seed. Another thing we noticed is that, because this book is less fixated on individual issues, it's actually less fluffy and bloated. For example, there was a time in the previous book when the term “LGBTQIA+ Community” was stated around 50 times in the span of about 20-30 pages. It got a bit tedious and repetitive. Angelina's Choices doesn't seem to have issues like this. There's less repetition and redundancy. That likely springs from Wang being a more practiced and experienced writer. However, this book probably had less rounds of editing than the previous book. Why do we think that? Well, the previous book was almost perfect in terms of grammar. We're pretty sure that one got proofread, edited, and rewritten a few times and by a few people (editors, beta readers, etc.). This book has a flew blemishes in that department. For example, in the section about meditation, the author writes: “I ended up choosing to mediate for at least 10 minutes” (She clearly meant “meditate”) “I have only the scratched surface of this issue” (This should probably be “I have only scratched the surface of this issue”) “I’d like to add some activities that may helpful” (The word “be” is missing) However, this really didn't bother us that much. It just proves that Angelina Wang is human, not a robot like CARLA from Sentience Hazard writing perfectly 100% of the time while dishing out bold statements and declarations like she's the Founding Fathers. The first book just seemed too clean, too neat, too tidy and too overbearing. It read like a magical fairy grandmother laying down the law from up above. It just didn't feel quite right. It's hard to describe. However, in this book, Wang is far more relatable, far more down-to-earth, and far more raw and real. She's a lot more vulnerable and willing to admit when she might be wrong or unsure about things. She's a lot more willing to admit when she made a mistake or a lapse in judgment like when she went overboard in humiliating some schoolboys over an incident or when she was mean to a friend. Those are things that come with time, growth, and maturity. There were times in the first book when Wang came across as full of herself, self-righteous, and self-assured—as someone who had all the answers and could do no wrong. Those things sometimes rear their heads in this book, but they're far less frequent. So, while this second book might be inferior in terms of writing and grammar, it was actually superior in terms of enjoyability. We just liked it more. Here are a few of the things we really liked from it:
Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 92/100 (9.2 out of 10)
Angelina's Opinions is a stunning and impressive debut book by Angelina Wang, a literary and intellectual prodigy. Wang tackles a wide range of important and complex social issues with remarkable clarity and maturity. The book is divided into several chapters, each addressing a different topic such as mental health, body shaming, beauty standards, self-confidence, toxic relationships, making friends, fitting in, and the LGBTQIA+ community. In the introduction, Wang shares her motivation for writing the book, emphasizing her desire to make a difference and inspire others. She recounts personal experiences that have shaped her understanding of the world, including instances of racism and sexism, and expresses her commitment to promoting equality and acceptance. The first chapter ("Healthy Mind Is Healthy Body") delves into the importance of emotional well-being and the impact of stress on one's life. Wang narrates a poignant story of how she helped a friend who was considering suicide, highlighting the power of listening and providing support. She advocates for practices like meditation and exercise to maintain a positive outlook and manage stress effectively. Wang tells us that there are different pathways or avenues to good health. We all need different kinds of foods and have different kinds of bodies. The idea of an “ideal body” or “perfect body” is a fallacy causing a lot of destruction in peoples' lives including body-image and eating disorders. The “ideal body” differs from place to place, person to person, and culture to culture. It is a societal construct. In the chapter on ("Body Shaming”) Wang bravely shares her own struggles with body image and the hurtful comments she has received about her appearance. She emphasizes that body shaming is a form of bullying that can leave lasting emotional scars and advocates for body positivity and acceptance. "Beauty Standards" discusses the unrealistic and harmful beauty ideals perpetuated by society. Wang critiques these standards and encourages readers to embrace their unique features rather than conform to superficial expectations. She shares her journey towards self-acceptance and the empowerment that comes from rejecting societal pressures. These three chapters (“Healthy Mind Is Healthy Body,” “Body Shaming,” and “Beauty Standards”) were probably our favorites in the entire book. Wang may not like hearing this (because she discourages the separation of genders and ages), but these three chapters seem to speak specifically to women. Ignoring the idealism for a minute, these are issues that especially affect women (though not only women). The statistics show that three times as many women suffer from anorexia nervosa than men (0.9% women vs 0.3% men). Women are fives times as likely to suffer from bulimia than men (0.5% women vs 0.1% men). You can read about that here: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/eating-disorders. Disordered eating and body-image issues are something that a lot of us have personally dealt with, so these are chapters that really resonated with us. The chapter on "Self-Confidence" explores the challenges of building and maintaining self-esteem. Wang candidly discusses her own insecurities and the steps she has taken to develop a more positive self-image. She stresses the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive people and practicing self-kindness. "Toxic Relationships" provides valuable insights into recognizing and addressing unhealthy relationships. Drawing from her own experiences, Wang outlines the signs of a toxic relationship and offers advice on how to handle such situations, whether through communication or distancing oneself from negative influences. In "Making Friends," Wang offers practical tips for forming meaningful friendships. She acknowledges the difficulties of approaching new people and the importance of being genuine. She also touches on the significance of online friendships and the need for caution when interacting with people over the internet. "Fitting In" addresses the struggle of trying to belong while staying true to oneself. Wang recounts her own experiences of feeling out of place and the realization that she doesn't need to change to fit in. She encourages readers to find communities where they can be themselves and feel accepted. The chapter on the "LGBTQIA+ Community" serves as an informative guide to understanding different sexual orientations and gender identities. Wang advocates for inclusivity and respect for all individuals, regardless of their identity. She also emphasizes the importance of allies in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. Now, this chapter, while commendable in its aim, also bogs (slows) the book down a bit. This is where the pacing of the book starts to get disrupted with repetition and redundancy, something that continues on in subsequent chapters. For example, the term “LGBTQIA+” occurs a total of 54 times in this book, mostly crammed into a chapter that's only about 8 pages long! So, you end up reading the same term over and over and over again. Those 8 pages end up feeling like 40. The book then leads right into a chapter on feminism, an ideology that has great merit and started with very good intentions, but that has gradually devolved into something unfamiliar to traditional feminists. Heck, we have some on our staff who'd be the first to tell you that modern feminism isn't recognizable to what the suffragettes subscribed to. If you want a good glimpse of extreme, radical modern feminism, you can read With Love, From Plant B in this contest. In that book, the radical feminists essentially call men a disease who are responsible for all of the world's problems including war, pollution, oppression, and climate change (the book's primary topic, which is also a major topic in Wang's book). While they admit that women can have problems too, we never see a counter-example proving that in the book. It is kinda concerning to us that Wang says that she was inspired by a feminist speaker at a school assembly around 4th grade and immediately decided to follow the ideology for the rest of her life. You read that right: 4th grade! People are coming into impressionable 4th grade classrooms and teaching radical ideologies to your kids. Think about that. When you were like 10-year-old, were you intellectually and mentally prepared to decide whether or not to adopt Marxism, capitalism, socialism, or fascism? You are very vulnerable, impressionable, and susceptible to suggestion at that point in your life. Furthermore, Wang calls for you to donate to feminist organizations, supposedly so that they can fight for social justice issues. Specifically, she says: “...donate to feminist organizations! Donating to different feminist organizations will help different issues that feminism is trying to tackle in society.” Gosh, girl, we really hope you're right cause a large part of us doubts these SJW organizations actually accomplish what you think they accomplish. We'll get to one such example in a moment. There's also a chapter about racism, specifically against Blacks. There are some mentions of racism against other groups of people including Asians (like the author and many of our judges). In one of the saddest and most agitating examples, a boy comes up to her making fox eyes and says “ching chong.” Believe it or not, the Asians on our staff have experienced similar things. Racism is always wrong no matter who it's against. But what we're seeing a lot of these days is reverse racism. Whites are seen as oppressors and those who need to be punished and penalized for the real and perceive transgressions of the past. Hey, we're just gonna come out and say it: that's freakin' wrong too. There's a quote in this book that really rubbed us the wrong way: “...let me just say this: Black lives haven’t mattered at all, whereas white lives have always mattered.” Wait a minute... so we've had a US president, a UN secretary general, multiple billionaires, numerous millionaires, professional athletes (some of the greatest of all time in various sports), lawyers, doctors (including brain surgeons), astrophysicists, and actors who were Black... so, they haven't mattered at all? You see where these kinds of dogmatic thoughts and statements have a slippery slope? It's like Obi-Wan said, “Only a Sith deals in absolutes.” And we wanted to briefly touch on BLM because, as the author says in the book: “I would like to talk about BLM vs. ALM and why it’s right to support BLM and not ALM.” We support the core ideals of Black Lives Matter because they DO matter and they SHOULD matter Furthermore, Black people (and all races of people) shouldn't be treated as different or targeted by hateful, ignorant people. At the same time, we hate to tell you this, but the national, over-arching organization of Black Lives Matter (Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation) is actually led by some unscrupulous, corrupt, and selfish people who have taken advantage of a good movement and the positive intentions of their supporters and donors. They very clearly pocketed and misused millions of dollars that donors had intended to support Black folks, Black neighborhoods, and Black causes. Don't take it from us, listen to the YOUNG TURKS—the leaders of liberalism and progressivism on the internet: https://youtu.be/fIZ-ZoojpR8?feature=shared. If there's one group that wouldn't want to admit to this bad news, the Young Turks would be it. They don't have right-wing bone in their bodies, yet they're forced to admit that BLM may not have the best of intentions or the best record for living up to their supposed cause. There's a reason why they were removed from charitable programs like Amazon Smile for lack of transparency and violating ethics. Their national leaders appear to have been selfish, self-serving swindlers, not the philanthropists that many of us thought they were. Yeah, and that's why we caution people to use their brains and to think critically. Don't just subscribe to every little ideology that pops up because it seems “good.” There are a lot of organizations that seem “good” but are taking advantage of peoples' kindness, especially college-aged and young people. Speaking of young people, that's another source of contention we had with this book. There's a chapter about valuing young people and their opinions. To an extent, we support that. Heck, we were children too, believe it or not, and we were in student council, we attended progressive events, we advocated for all sorts of causes, we gave speeches, we met politicians to support certain bills, etc. Young people matter. Everyone matters. The issue that we have is the statement: “I think that the best possible solution to this is to treat children like they are equals to adults." Wait a minute... would you vote a 15-year-old into office as President of the United States? Would you let an 8-year-old be in charge of an surgical operation? Would you hand a 3-year-old the keys to a spaceship? Make them the general of an army? Give them control of a nuclear missile silo? Would you send a high school freshman quarterback into an NFL game? It's not ageism or childism to have common sense. There are reasons why things are the way that they are. Contrary to popular opinion (and some of the opinions in this book), there is a natural order to things that you can't just ignore willy-nilly because you conveniently want to. Unless the individual suffers a tragic fate earlier in life, you get to be a kid, you get to be an adult, and you get to be elderly. You can't have a baby in five months just because you really want to. Reality is still a thing that exists. Ignore it all you want, but it eventually catches up to you. Now, on the bright side of this, Wang advocates for holding kids accountable when they do something wrong. In other words, she seems to advocate for them being treated as (and potentially tried as) adults. To an extent, we agree. A lot of kids simply don't learn respect, a huge virtue that Wang talks more about in the next book. They don't learn how to act, how to behave, and how to treat others. One thing we really liked was that Wang encourages parents to teach their boys how to view, treat, and respect girls/women. We're all for it. One statement that we resent, however, is that: “Boys aren’t taught how to properly treat girls.” This is an absolute statement, and Sean Martin (and his two twin boys) would beg to differ. If you've read Dear Liam and Noah: Letters from Daddy by Sean Martin, you'd know that Martin teaches his sons how to treat women and girls well. The implication that all boys aren't taught how to treat girls well is a gross overstatement and, by virtue of that, actually untrue. There are parents who teach their boys to treat girls well. We know quite a few of them. Speaking of exaggerations and overstatements, there's another example of that in this book. In one scene, Wang describes being stuck at a stoplight while an old man stared at her for five minutes. While that stinks and is disturbing and all, it also got us thinking: what stoplight is red for five minutes?! Seriously! If Toronto stoplights are that bad, we don't want to live there. Maybe this was hyperbole? The other thing that we found a bit off-putting was the book's somewhat oppressive tone. Similar to The Darkest Side of the Moon by M.C. Ryder, it kinda felt like the narrator was demanding, controlling, and insistent. The narrative voice is didactic, authoritative, and maybe even a bit preachy. Thankfully, the second book is less like this. Perhaps the author learned and matured through the experience of writing and being an author. Thankfully, there are passages, particularly in the end of chapters, in which the author reminds us that these are only her opinions, we can do our own research and come up with opinions of our own. That softens the blow a bit. Overall, Angelina’s Opinions is an inspiring and thought-provoking book that showcases Angelina Wang's wisdom and empathy beyond her years. Her personal anecdotes and heartfelt messages make the book relatable and impactful, offering valuable lessons on kindness, acceptance, and self-love. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 90/100 (9.0 out of 10)
If you like stories about mercenaries, secret organizations/societies, espionage, political intrigue, and conflicted characters, then The Third Estate by D.R. Berlin (MD) may be for you! The titular “Third Estate” is a secret organization involved in sketchy activities supposedly for the “common people,” being labeled a terrorist organization. The Third Estate is very similar to the Company from Prison Break or Poseidon United from Running on Broken Bones & You Will Know Vengeance by W.A. Pepper. The Third Estate is led, in large part, by the enigmatic and powerful Grey Lady. The Grey Lady reminded us a lot of Lady Olenna Tyrell from Game of Thrones, which should be a pretty flattering comparison. Like Lady Olenna, the Grey Lady of the Third Estate comes across as a pompous, commanding socialite with a mixture of unrealistically high expectations and condescension. Unsurprisingly, the Third Estate and its black activities have crossed paths with other powerful forces including the military, mostly represented by the equally-ruthless Colonel Mitchell in this book. The Third Estate and the military have a tense, antagonistic relationship and rivalry, particularly when it comes to Professor Milo Anderson, who is a target for both sides. Also caught between this conflict are the two main protagonists of this book, Sophie Allard, an aspiring combat pilot at the Stockton Military Institute, and Kai Lovac, a super agent and elite mercenary hired by the military to take care of the Third Estate/Professor Anderson problem. Both of these protagonists have an interesting amount of depth, especially for a book like this which you'd think would be more action-based (rather than character focused). Sophie is an admirable, inspiring person with hopes and dreams. She is even willing to ignore orders and risk her own life and future to rescue a rival, Parker Worthington, the son of a general. She overcomes incredible odds including bad weather conditions to pass her flying test. She has a tragic back story relating to her mother, Violet, and surprisingly linked to Kai Lovac. Kai Lovac is also an interesting character because, despite him having a sizable kill count and a reputation for getting the job/mission done, he shows a distinct and relatable human side. You can tell that he is conflicted throughout this book, especially when he comes to recognize Sophie, with whom he has a past. He actually reminded us a lot of Chris Kyle, the real-life Navy SEALS sniper who was the focus of the acclaimed movie American Sniper. He is constantly making risk and collateral assessments when pursuing his targets, showing that he has both a professional, efficient mindset as well as a conscience. This book has a lot of great ideas and a colorful cast of characters.  Score: 90/100 (9.0 out of 10)
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?! No, this isn't a reference to the movie Se7en, it's in regard to A Rock and a Hard Place by Mary Steed. In this book, a pacifist Korean scientist, Dr. Kar Joon, entrusts a dangerous mystery box to an American soldier, Jim Parrish, in hopes that he will protect the world from its destructive power. But what is it and why are the FBI and agencies around the world so interested in it? That mystery is a massive part of the appeal of this book. Do you like spy thrillers and tales of espionage? A Rock and a Hard Place is a compelling spy thriller and historical fiction novel that intertwines the harrowing experiences of the Korean War with a suspenseful narrative set in the 1970s. The story follows the aforementioned Staff Sergeant Jim Parrish, who, during the brutal winter of 1950, led his Marines through the treacherous terrain of Chosin Reservoir. Fast forward twenty years, and Parrish, now a priest, grapples with haunting memories and a mysterious secret that resurfaces, intertwining his past with present dangers. The book masterfully explores themes of duty, sacrifice, and the long-lasting impacts of war. The depiction of the Korean War is vivid and intense, capturing the brutal cold, relentless enemy attacks, and the moral dilemmas faced by soldiers. Parrish’s journey from a war hero to a priest haunted by his past adds a layer of depth and complexity to the narrative. The characters are well-developed, particularly Parrish, whose transformation from a young Marine to a guilt-ridden priest is portrayed with emotional depth and realism. His internal struggles and sense of duty drive the story forward. Parrish gives this book its title as the character finds himself caught between different loyalties. On one hand, as a priest, he cannot break the seal of the confessional, a vow of confidentiality. On the other hand, as a US veteran and an American, he has a duty to protect and serve his country. Further compounding this is the FBI, which doctors pictures of Parrish showing him involved in illegal and inappropriate activities including with children. This puts Parrish in an even bigger dilemma as he's hit with the painful realizations that: 1. These fake pictures could cost him his priesthood and freedom, and 2. The FBI, an organization representing the country he loves and served, was willing to throw him under the bus for their own selfish agenda. Interestingly enough, the book focuses quite a bit on these questionable FBI agents, Harry Harrison and Larry Larson. The book also focuses on America's enemies during the Cold War, especially the North Koreans and Chinese. More and more is revealed about what they know about the mystery box and what they're willing to do to get it. Now, as a brief aside, it is somewhat weird and implausible to imagine the Imperial Japanese actually having atomic weapon capabilities near the end of World War II. Although that was very interesting, it's virtually impossible given all we know about the war and Japan's kamikaze/death-before-dishonor mentality at the time. Like, if the Japanese had a nuke, even one that couldn't be delivered with a missile yet, why wouldn't they lure their American and/or Russian enemies into an area or choke point and detonate it? If they were willing to crash planes and even the freakin' Battleship Yamato (their overpriced, overpowered flagship) into their enemies, why wouldn't they do the same with an evacuated town and a nuke? They could've literally put a few of them on different shores and just waited for the enemy to land. They could've put one or more on boats to occupied-Okinawa or Iwo Jima and disrupted the Allied bombing campaigns that were staged there. It really makes no sense that the Japanese—of all people in the war—would try to hide a super weapon rather than trying to use it. So, that really hurt our suspension of disbelief with this book. Anyway, going back to what we were saying about the villains, the Chinese hire a ruthless super-spy named Wang (known as the “Definitive Solution” and the “Cantonese Tiger”) to acquire Parrish's secrets. She is willing to employ kidnapping and torture (including of innocent people) to get what she needs to complete the mission. The Chinese also introduce a strange mind-control method that convinces the victim that they're doing the right thing or that they should listen to the instructions of the interrogator. It's kinda like hypnotism and/or truth serum. It's here where a character named Dea just pops up and becomes somewhat significant. Dea and Chin Pack were two Koreans whom Dr. Kar Joon, for some reason, asked to help Parrish to keep the secret. Keep in mind: this is a secret that probably would've been better kept if the Packs hadn't been made aware of it. Wang tries to use threats on Dea, in particular, to extract information from Parrish. This is weird, however, because it really wasn't well established that Parrish's relationship with Dea was that strong. It existed, yes, but we never got the impression that they had a blood-pact or something. The author’s writing is evocative and immersive, with detailed descriptions that bring the harsh realities of the Korean War to life. We also get a sense of how the world is tearing itself into East and West. The Vietnam War erupts during this book, for example, and the Cold War with the Soviet Union is also progressing. The dual timelines are handled deftly, creating a sense of continuity and tension that keeps readers engaged. The emotional and psychological depth of Parrish is a standout feature. In conclusion, A Rock and a Hard Place is a gripping read that blends historical detail with a thrilling plot and well-developed characters. It’s a story of resilience, redemption, and the enduring impact of war on those who serve. This book is a solid read for fans of historical fiction and thrillers. |
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