The Kill Society

The Kill Society
Richard Kadrey
HarperCollins Publisher
Harper Voyager
Publish Date 06 June 2017

About the Author:
Richard Kadrey is a San Francisco-based writer and photographer


About the Book:
James Stark is dead again. Not almost dead, or partly dead, but this-time-it's-real dead. Rather than winding up in Hell, he finds himself stranded at the edge of the Tenebrae with no cigarettes and no idea which way to go. Then he's shanghaied by the havoc, a group of lost souls and Hellions led by the Magistrate. They're looking for something, and the Magistrate is determined "Mr Pitts" (Stark's alias) will help him, or end up in Tartarus. Were it not for Father Traven sharing his Maledictions, Stark would be farther off the deep end than he already is. He's just waiting for the right time to kill the Magistrate, and some truly amazing scenarios occur.

I love Richard Kadrey's writing, and the Sandman Slim series is a particular favorite. The whole series has twists and turns that keep one guessing, and plenty of great dialogue and snappy one-liners; The Kill Society is no exception. The level of inventiveness in this book is even higher than in the rest of the series, and the questions just keep mounting. Mr Kadrey has a way with descriptions that puts the reader in the havoc alongside Stark, and running for cover when the explosions go off. He's also a master of surprise; characters one would never expect appear in the most unusual ways that upon reflection make perfect sense, and disappear again just as quickly. Another twist near the end leaves one wishing the next book would be out tomorrow, rather than next year!

Ballistic Kiss

Ballistic Kiss
Richard Kadrey
HarperCollins Publisher
Harper Voyager
Publish Date 25 August 2020

About the Author:
Richard Kadrey is a San Francisco-based writer and photographer


About the Book:
Sandman Slim is back! And he's...a ghosthunter?  The Augur has Stark trying to exorcise Little Cairo before the ghosts can escape and destroy the city of L.A. On top of that, Samael has him looking for an AWOL angel in the hope she can help to end the war in Heaven.

All of Stark's Sub Rosa and mundane friends are back, with the addition of Janet, a gender-fluid donut shop worker whose life Stark saved during the invasion of the High Plains Drifters. Between Janet and his old girlfriend Candy, Samael, the Augur, and ghosts, Stark nearly has more than he can handle. AND there's The Zero Lodge, a questionable group that play blindfolded tag on the freeway, among other fun activities. Oh, and there's a murder from the 1970s to be solved as well...

This is the eleventh book in the Sandman Slim series, and I hope Mr Kadrey writes more. I was hooked on the first page of the first book, when James Stark wakes up — on fire! — back on Earth in Hollywood Forever cemetery, after ten years in Hell; he's looking for revenge on the coven that sent him "Downtown" all those years ago.

The series is written in first person from Stark's point of view, and I just can't help but see and hear Bruce Campbell in his Evil Dead days (only with more scars) when I read and re-read this series. Each book has enough plot and sub-plots to keep the pages turning, but not so many as to be confusing. There's tons of great dialogue and snappy one-liners.

Stark lives in L.A., and if one is familiar with area, it's easy to picture exactly where the action is taking place. The characters are very well written and believable, and encounter plenty of monsters and deities in impossible situations and wild locations.

Start from book one and read through Ballistic Kiss — or read Ballistic Kiss, then start with book one and read Ballistic Kiss again! I'm sure the series will become one of your favorite reads.

#Ballistic Kiss  #NetGalley

A Monk's Guide to Happiness

A Monk's Guide to Happiness: Meditation in the 21st Century
Gelong Thubten
St Martin's Press
Publish date 02 Jun 2020

About the Author:
Gelong Thubten is a Buddhist monk specialising in mindful meditation; he has taught non-religious mediation internationally or over twenty years.

The Book:
I love both the design and color of the cover; for me, it evokes an image of clouds, correlating to the sky/cloud metaphor, one of several intriguing metaphors Mr Thubten uses to describe the mind and thought.

Written in an easily understandable manner, Mr Thubten shares numerous anecdotal moments of his own experiences on his way to becoming a meditation educator, speaker, and author. While exploring the differences in mindfulness and meditation, the exercises begin simply and become harder as the book progresses — one of my favorites being a meditation moving the attention from the top of one's head to the soles of the feet.

As a daily meditator, the "micro-moment" meditations were something new; I have begun to incorporate the method in to my day and it is amazingly effective. The author credits this method with helping one become happier by realising there is more in one's life to be grateful for than imagined.

My only criticism is the author repeats himself numerous times; however, as many people learn better with repetition, it is a small complaint. I would definitely recommend A Monk's Guide to Happiness for those starting meditation, or for someone looking to deepen their practice — I'm looking forward to Mr Thubten's next book!!

#Monk'sGuidetoHappiness  #NetGalley 

Hello Bibliophiles!

Hello bibliophiles — glad to see you! I have just been ordained as a book reviewer, and I'll be sharing my thoughts here on the blog, on Amazon, and on Goodreads.

A bit about me:
Teacher/author/artist of sculpting and crafting; editor and graphic designer in a former life. Voracious reader of fantasy, metaphysical, Pagan, esoteric, mindfulness, arts and crafts, mystery, urban paranormal, biographies, graphic novels, travelogues. Hiking, camping, yoga and fencing are favorite activities. Cat person.

Currently reading:
A Monk's Guide to Happiness: Meditation in the 21st Century by Gelong Thubten, to release 02 Jun, 2020. Stay tuned for the review...

See ya soon.