Chandler Jechura

I began this book to read something like The Dresden Files as I eagerly waited for Jim Butcher to release the next installment of Harry Dresden. This was a series I was able to pick up in a box set, and I figured it would be a nice change of pace, having a mystery occur in a small town, rather than an end-of-the-world style event I am used to from Butcher. Also, it was written by a woman about an adult female character, which does (for better or worse) take me outside my comfort zone.

This is the story of a woman called Harlow Torrent. She moves back to her small seaside town of Harlot Bay, hoping to cover the Butter festival in her struggling online newspaper. When she goes to interview one of the contestants, she finds him frozen to death, with congealed blood all around him. Oh, and to complicate matters, she is a witch, and she senses that there is more than just a knife used to kill him. Someone used magic on the body, and she has to figure out why.

The strongest element of this book, by far, is Harlow’s family. She lives in a large dilapidated mansion with her mother, several aunts, and cousins. As you can imagine, this enables the reader to see all of the hijinks of a dysfunctional family. For example, all the Aunts and Harlow’s mother are divorced, and their daughters have not married yet, leading to some funny situations where the moms work to set up dates with their respective daughters so they can have grandchildren (after they marry, of course).

They also have different abilities when it comes to magic. Harlow’s ability changes by the day, literally, because she is a Slip witch. One day she can make the garden grow to fantastic proportions with the help of a Growth Spell. The next day, she can only work to heal living things with a healing spell, and so on. Add to that how she can see and communicate with ghosts, and Harlow is a woman who never seems to have a dull moment.

However, this is also one of the negatives of the book. If you are someone who is looking for a series with a defined magic system, with lots of strict rules to follow, then this is not the series for you. Many times the author seemed to be making it up as she went along. (I know that can be the basis of all magic systems for any book, but it especially felt that way here.) This also leads me to question Harlow’s Slip Witch-ness. I fear that this could be used for plot convenience in later installments.

Also, this book seems to be heavy on the family shenanigans, with the murder mystery often taking a back seat. This isn’t a bad thing, as I liked the family dynamic well enough, and these characters have room to grow in later books, but I felt like if you were expecting something along the lines of The Dresden Files, but with a female protagonist, then you would be sorely disappointed.

So, this is a good first installment that is just different enough from The Dresden Files that I think I am going to enjoy the next book. I look forward to traveling to Harlot Bay in the future and seeing what crazy schemes and ideas Harlow’s family is up to next. I give it a three out of five.

Disclaimer: I have seen other reviews comment that Lake may have plagiarized this series with a series of books called The Wicked Witches of the Midwest series by Amanda M. Lee, which contains similar ideas and characters. I cannot comment on this, since I have not read those books.

This was a book I wanted to try because of the full cast, and because it was short. I have had a lot of good luck lately, enjoying Audible’s offerings of full-cast books, and just full-cast stories in general this year. What did I get? It's little more than a subpar thriller, with little mystery.

The major issue for me is that a lot of this stuff surrounds the General and the Army being an antagonist for the story. They are so played up it is almost cartoony how much they try and stop the team from finding out who raped a woman that it is unbelievable. All of the events that happen are ones that in the real world could be used in court, and then, if not, would be a huge problem for the General and her career. Multiple rules regarding protocol and legal council are just ignored, as they try and stop the Zero Tolerance team from completing their mission.

Keep in mind that the team isn’t much better. They steal (sorry, “borrow”) cars, and even helicopters, make threats to enlisted personnel, and discharge their weapons seemingly to defend themselves when they should have no reason to do so, had they been even remotely competent in how to bring whitenesses in. Episodes of NCIS, which does play fast and loose with the protocol of the US military, seem to be experts compared to these guys.

When even a novice like me can see that there is a problem with the way things are handled on both sides, then I know that this is not going to be a fun ride. So what did I like? The voice cast does an excellent job, and the sound effects are top-notch. Sadly that isn’t enough for me to recommend this to anyone. I give it a two out of five.

I first heard about Robert Smalls in (believe it or not) a Facebook meme where his achievements are described. The creator said he would love to see this as a movie, compared to the thousands of reboots we seem to be getting from Hollywood these days. Then, when I saw this book on Audible, it seemed like as good a time as any to read it. I had hoped that I could add it to the growing pile of excellent non-fiction I've read this year. Sadly, this novel was not as awesome as I had hoped it would be, as it is often full of information that I already know, rather than the story of Robert Smalls himself.

The story of Robert Smalls is one that bares repeating, if for no other reason than he managed to do so much at a time when African Americans were so restricted in America. He escaped from slavery in South Carolina by capturing a Confederate steamship loaded with cannons and supplies. He ran said ship past heavily armed Confederate fortifications and surrendered to Union forces, all without getting shot at. Then, fighting for the Union, he would pilot many different ships, until ultimately being bestowed the rank of Captain and allowed to lead the very ship he used to escape Confederate waters.

After the Civil War, he returned to South Carolina and purchased his former Master's house. Then he served in both National politics and State politics and invested in numerous business ventures to help African Americans who had gained their freedom.

All of this were things I had heard of, and it is excellent to read about in this book. The author, Cate Lineberry, has clearly done her homework and uses the available papers, and accounts to her fullest advantage. This makes for a fun story when reading about Smalls.

The only issue is that he really shows up very little in this story. A majority of the time, the reader will read about conditions surrounding Smalls during the Civil War, like how Lincoln was reluctant to allow African Americans to fight for the Union, how and why the Confederates lost the Civil War, and the development of Reconstruction at the end of the book. Normally, I would not have a problem with this. After all, one must understand the context of history, as much as the event they are reading about. But, for me, the major problem is that this extra information takes up a fair majority of the book. This makes the actual sections about Robert Smalls very small indeed.

Then there is the portion of his life during Reconstruction when he was in politics. It takes up a very small portion of the book, as this novel focuses solely on his time in the Civil War. Perhaps the author thought she could not write politics well, or maybe she could not find enough sources to corroborate her story, but, to me, this makes the story of Robert Smalls feel incomplete. I really wonder why this book was not a cradle-to-grave, so to speak, biography of Robert Smalls, when he did so much in his life.

Then there is the audiobook narration. J.D. Jackson has a voice that some may find fine, but, for me, his narration was too calming and monotone. Oftentimes, I found my mind wandering during his performance, and found myself being forced to re-listen to stuff I should already know.

In the end, this text does a disservice to the subject of Robert Smalls. You may like this text, and I do recommend it for someone who is not aware of their Civil War history. As for me, however, I am going to keep an eye out for a more conventional biography of Robert Smalls. I give this a two out of five.

This book was provided to me courtesy of Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

When we think of government insurrections, we tend to think of the likes of those that happened on January 6th, 2021 where a group of fanatical President Trump supporters stormed the Capital Building in order to change the results of the 2020 election. Yet, there was another coup against elected officials that has stark similarities to those of January 6th. The riots and murders of African Americans at the hands of White Supremacists in 1898 occurred because a group of people in control of the media spread fake news about voter fraud and to perpetuate the ideas of African Americans as those who were unworthy of the government positions they held in society. Yet, the events of January 6th and 1898 tend to differ in one major stark contrast: unlike the events of this past year, in which Biden was still elected as President, and people have been charged in their role in storming the Capital, those people who participated in the Wilmington Riots were never brought to justice. In fact, in some cases, they were even celebrated for it.

The story of those people who lost their lives fighting for the rights of African Americans has been one that I always knew about, but had not seen in a context like this before. Everything from President Andrew Johnson's ignoring the calls to assist with Reconstruction to the rise of the Ku Klux Klan is on display here. This includes African American voting suppression using everything from formal laws to outright voter intimidation with threats of violence. This makes for a fascinating development to study and makes me look at Reconstruction within the context of those Black people living in Wilmington.

Also, unlike other books published beforehand, this one was published just recently. This means that not only are there references to ‘fake news' and other 21st Century ideas, but also to how areas in North Carolina have dealt with the events in Wilmington in recent years. This can help the reader see how we have accomplished a lot in the past few years, but we still have a lot to do.

As for the negatives, well, this is not an easy book to read. There are blatant discussions of the racist ideas that were on full display in Wilmington. This includes language and descriptions of Black people that some may find disturbing. On the other hand, perhaps they should. This helps the reader to understand what it was like to live in the Southern United States (and even the Northern United States, for that matter) and how much Black people had to face on a daily basis. Still, this was difficult to read, where I could only read it for about ten minutes at a time, as I got so angry at just how unfair it was for Black people to do the simplest things, like voting in an election, or even walk down a street.

Nevertheless, this was an excellent eye opening read that I would recommend to those people who wish to see the tactics used by White Supremacists to stop Blacks from voting in context. This was very well done, and is a worthy addition to any library. I give it a four out of five.

2020 has been a crazy year, filled with periods of quarantine where I am stuck at home with lots of mundane tasks to do. To that end, audiobooks have become a way for me to pass the time. I decided to investigate the world of Superhero books once again by reading the Civil War book based on the graphic novel, but as the audiobook produced by GraphicAudio.

This is the Civil War storyline that was more well known in the comics than what was produced in major release film. The two storylines are extremely different from each other, as the whole Marvel universe is here on display. The comic has the advantage of seeing everyone together in one universe, from staples that appear in the film like Captain America and Iron Man to more obscure heroes like She-Hulk and Daredevil. The Fantastic Four also feature prominently here, as in the film world, they are a 20th Century Fox property, and have yet to appear in the MCU.

As for which story is better, I think I would have to say the comic book version. In the film, the major kick off to signing the Accords are the major events of the last films that were not totally the Avengers fault, yet they are still blamed for them. Also, the Accords only seemed to affect the Avengers themselves, but this is almost swept aside for the Winter Solider storyline. Before we know it, the Avengers are fighting each other, but they also seem to crack more jokes than ever before. Couple this with Iron Man asking Spider-Man to join the Avengers, something the Accords asked him not to do, and the whole film just seems like an excuse for the heroes to fight one another without any real consequence.

The comic has a darker catalyst to the Accords. A superhero reality show, desperate for ratings, bites off more than it can chew, and tries to go after some high-level villains hiding out in a small-town neighborhood. One of these villains goes super-nova, destroying not only himself, but the equivalent of two city blocks, including half an elementary school filled with kids. Immediately, this seems like a far more serious situation then what happened in the films, especially as I can understand how it can be interpreted as a problem with superheroes in general, and not just the Avengers. The effects of the Accords are also far more reaching. All heroes are asked to register with the government, including their real name, powers, weaknesses, and addresses. There are training camps where new heroes are taught how to use their powers, and the older heroes are certified to use them in public. If they do not register, then they cannot use their powers. If they fail to comply, then they are sent to a prison in the negative zone until they agree to either register or never use their powers again. The villains also get the same treatment, except that they will be granted amnesty if they decide to join the heroes or simply return to civilian life. This can seem like a far more restrictive development of civil liberties than in the film. This makes Captain America's decision to go against Tony and the other Avengers have more weight.

Yet, this book does have weaknesses. For all the viewpoints in this text, we only see a few characters thoughts on it. The moral dilemmas are here, and discussed, but only in a few bare lines of dialogue. This means that I am constantly feeling like I am missing something with how these characters think and feel, forcing me to use their film counterparts to fill in the gaps. Often, this left me wanting more, but I suppose that is the cost of coming into a comic series in the middle of things. So, read at your own risk.

Overall, I believe this to be an excellent story, and an even better GraphicAudio production. It has multiple voice actors, and excellent sound effects and music. If you ever have the chance, I recommend picking this up on audio, as it will not disappoint. Now it is time for me to pick up the actual comic Civil War series and see how it compares. I give this audiobook a four out of five.

NOTE: For the uninformed reader, I will be talking about Version C versus the Definitive Edition of the Diary in this review. When I say this, I really mean that there are several versions of the Diary in the world. Version A was the edition that Anne Frank wrote while she was in the Annex. Then, while in hiding, Anne got the idea that people would want to read the diary after the war and began to re-write it on her own. This, Version B, contained less information about her growing sexuality and her negative relationship with her mother. Then the diary was published in 1947 by the only known survivor of the Annex, Otto Frank, Anne's father. He had combined entries both from Anne's diary (Version A) and the diary she planned to publish (Version B). He also edited and changed some elements to the diary, especially references to Anne Franks' sexuality, and her negative relationship with her mother that were cut down further still. This version, Version C, is what people have enjoyed for years. By 1997, a Definitive Edition had been printed that combined the material of all three versions for a 25% increase in reading material. The Definitive Edition is the one that I am reviewing today.

The diary of Anne Frank is perhaps one of the most famous recounts of a Jewish person during WWII. It features the writings of a girl hidden in a home from the ages of 13 to 15 to escape the events of the Holocaust. I had originally read Version C of her diary years ago when I was in high school. I liked it, and the end hit me hard as I saw her mature from a young girl into a teenager who came to care about herself and her place in the world that she believed she was going to inhabit after the war. Now, after having read the Definitive edition, which contains material cut out of Version C, I can say that I both like this book all the more, and yet understand why there is a Version C in the first place.

The best element of this book is seeing Anne Frank grow up and develop into a teenager. I am convinced that, had she lived, she would have been an excellent writer. (Though bear in mind, I read an English translation, so how much of this is due to the translator, I do not know.) She manages to show us that she is far less than what people have made her be. Many people have built up the Diary, as the pinnacle of the Jewish experience in WWII, with excellent characters and all. But when reading it, especially the Definitive edition, we see that she is just a pre-teen girl. She has her thoughts and feelings, some of them justified, some not. While living in the Annex, She hates some people and loves others, and by the end of the story, her opinions on them change drastically. This shows her to be human, which is the best kind of praise that you can give a writer. She has chosen to bear her faults to the world, something that, given today's society obsessed with the image social media presents, is admirable for a teenage girl.

That said, I think you will get the most out of this story if you were once a teenage girl and can use that mindset. As a late 20's male, I will admit that there were some things that annoyed me here because I just couldn't relate to them. Perhaps other female readers will feel the same, but that is just me.

So, should you read the Definitive Edition if you have already read version C? Well, the answer is a definite maybe.

This book features many excellent qualities that the reader may get out of this story, but there are many things that could annoy the reader. For one, Anne is a teenage girl, for better or worse. This means that the reader may understand where she is coming from. On the other hand, some readers may want to roll their eyes at her angst, so they will find her annoying as a result. For me personally, I must admit that I did find the times where Anne talked about her mother to be a tad annoying, since it went on for too long, and made the pacing drag for me. I can understand why it was cut from Version C, if for no other reason than for the reader today, let alone the image of the mother at the time.

Then there is the sexual content. When the book was first published, it was removed, since Young Adult literature (such as it was back then) simply did not talk about sexuality for that crowd. Here, it is put back in. Anne talks in extensive detail about her sexuality and how she has discovered things work now that she is becoming a woman. Some may find this fine, since she is a young woman and she naturally would be curious about her body, and confide this into her diary. Some, however, would find the passages graphic and obscene, given the tone of the rest of the text. Personally, I didn't mind it but I can understand why it was cut from the book, as I can see parents struggling to have their teenagers read it when the goal is to talk about the Holocaust. Parents should read the book for themselves and find out, in any case.

In the grand scheme of things, though, this book was an excellent re-read for me, as I loved reading this book and found it to be just as fun and enlightening as the last time that I read it. If you have not done so already, then I suggest that you pick this book up, as this version of the diary displays a young girl at the center of a very trying time in world history, and her account should not be forgotten. I give it a five out of five.

When it comes to firearms, I consider myself a bit of a gun buff. I have enjoyed reading about them in print media, such as books, and watched many videos on Youtube about the topic. Now, don't misunderstand me, I have not fired a gun before due to my special needs, and most likely, will not ever for fear of going blind, but I still admire and respect them and what they have done to shape our current political and social climate. In fact, I think that the introduction to the Tales of the Gun documentary series put it the best:


“The gun has played a critical role in history. It has been praised and denounced...served hero and villain alike... and carries with it moral responsibility. To better understand the gun is to better understand history.”

Personally, I see much truth to those words. For better or worse, the firearm has shaped our history, and it still defines us, and our national character, today.

It is with this in mind that I decided to listen to American Gun on audio. I was curious to see what Chris Kyle, whom I had read about in his other book American Sniper, had to say on the subject of guns, and his top picks for those that he felt changed the american landscape.

So did I learn anything new? Not really, I was able to learn a few new things about some events that were mentioned to explain how each firearm choice was important to the development of US history. By and large, however, I was not surprised by many of the firearms listed, even going as far as to guess many of them, and being correct.

With that said, this text should be read by people who do not know very much about firearms and are eager to learn more. Kyle has a respectable list of firearms, although I would have liked to see a shotgun or two on the list. Of course, considering that he is one of the most successful snipers in American Military history, I am not surprised that he would be more attuned to rifles and pistols. Still, he lends a writing style that is very enjoyable to listen to and, I imagine, read as well, being more exciting to experience than other books of this type.

So while I think that this book as a whole was very good, I am not going to rate it any higher than three stars. Why? Because I rate books based on what I think of them, not on what other people, or a specific market, should think of them. This book was not for me, and may not be for you, if you know a lot about the history of guns already. If you do not though, pick this one up. It is very readable and enjoyable.

Could Not Finish at 30%

I'm sorry, but I just can't do it. I made a personal goal to myself to drastically reduce the number of ‘not finished' books this year. Sadly, I will have to break that rule, and say that this will not be one of them. Now, this isn't really due to the author or his writing per say. When this book came out in 2004, many people loved America and everything she stood for. With the War on Terror at an all time high, many people probably wanted to show they were patriotic in every way, including remembering the stories that were false in American history, especially stories that were set during the American Revolution. Raphael proves that many of the stories we know are false and that we need to remember them for how they actually were. He also goes in depth to show how these myths persisted in the first place.

This is an admirable goal at the time, but now, over a decade on, it seems unnecessary. Many recent popular books and documentaries tell these tales rightly, and I think that if you are a student of history, you won't find many surprises here. However, if you are not, you might find some benefit here. The only reason that I received this book and own it is so I can use it later as an official source if I have to for a school paper or in education as a teacher. In the end, since I know many of these things already, I have decided to move on to more interesting books. If I were to have finished this book, I give it a three out of five. Nothing is really wrong with this book, but, for the serious history lover, there is nothing really astounding here either.

Before this book, Lyndon Johnson was, in my eyes, a president not to be liked. Whenever my parents talked about him, they always recounted how they hated his increased involvement in Vietnam, and how he was such a jerk to others around him. Yet, whenever the subject of programs like Head Start, PBS, or The Civil Rights Act came up, my parent's opinions would change, acknowledging his accomplishments, but not letting go of his issues with Vietnam. So when I had to read a biography on him for my presidential biography challenge, I wanted to see a balanced opinion of him, understand who he is, and what made him want to help others so much. Did I get that? No, but for this book, that can't really be helped.

Firstly, this book is less a biography, and more of a memoir of the author, who served as a top aid to Johnson during his terms in office. As such, we get to see Johnson's decision making process as he considers what to do on everything from domestic policy and working toward his Great Society programs, to the constant ache that is the war in Vietnam. One element that struck me was just how adept he was at understanding politics. For better or worse, LBJ knew how to work the political system in a way that politicians today can only envy. He knew what to say and do within his own style, so he could get the bills he wanted. Today, we have many different public works programs including PBS, and Head Start, and the Civil Rights Act. Much of this was accomplished due to LBJ's careful planning and political maneuvering.

Without exception, Vietnam will always be known as Johnson's war, as it would serve as a constant headache for him throughout his presidency. What I found most interesting, having heard accounts of the men on the ground, and those who lived through that time, was seeing the war from LBJ's perspective. He had to consider how pulling out of Vietnam would look to both the Russians, and the allies of NATO, as well as to those at home. This seems to be his one major area of weakness as he, like Kennedy before him, and Nixon after him, could not solve the problem of Vietnam with either brute military force, or subtle political maneuvering.

And this is the book's biggest strength. We really see the presidency of LBJ as it happened, with many emotions, both good and bad, from different people in the White House during this time period. This makes for a very well done historical account, as far as the challenges facing LBJ.

Yet, that leads me into this book's biggest weaknesses. While there are accounts from the author about what LBJ did in office, such as the Civil Rights Act and other bills of his Great Society, there is very little analysis of the impact these bills would have. We do not see what these laws and programs have become in the intervening years, nor what ones would prove unsuccessful. It is as though we are a fly on the wall in many scenes, where Johnson talks about wanting to get X done and to call Y senator and the author then describes how Y senator did not want to do X, and Johnson had to bully him into it. All this means that while there is a recounting of interesting events that happened, the lack of analysis can leave some readers wanting more.

And on that note of Johnson bullying people, this book also seems to have a kinder portrayal of him than what history would demand. Johnson was crude, rude, and brash, with both senators and secretaries alike. He would often make them deliberately uncomfortable (such as LBJ swimming naked in a pool, and asking a senator to jump in) in order to help impose his will on whomever he wanted. What would become known as the ‘Johnson treatment' is a famous tactic that is brushed over, at best. If it is mentioned at all, it is within the guise that this is for the greater good of X Great Society bill he wants passed. His famous affairs and sexual exploits are also almost wholly ignored as well.

Couple this with the fact that there is no explanation as to how Johnson got this way. Why does he seem to care so much about African Americans? This author doesn't say. What drives him to help the poor and disenfranchised? The author is silent. This made me want to go looking elsewhere for an explanation. Perhaps this is a case of me wanting this book to be more than it is, but still, I find it frustrating that the motivations of LJB are absent from this book.

Overall, Johnson can be described, at best, as a Presidential anti-hero. A man whom many personally would dislike, his accomplishments exceed many Presidents both in his time and after. This book is also the same way. While it may be an excellent account of Johnson's time in the White House from the viewpoint of an aide, I found the author's softer portrayal of LBJ to be more unsatisfying than the author intended. I give it a three out of five.

I have been looking for a fantasy book to enjoy since it is the start of the fall and winter seasons, and when I saw that this book was part of an entire trilogy that was on sale in a box set, I jumped at the chance to get it. Also, it was read by Simon Vance. I had listened to him earlier this year, so I was excited to hear him read fiction, as opposed to a non-fiction history book. Now that I have finished this book I think that I am glad that I got the entire trilogy on sale, as opposed to paying full price.

In this book, we meet Wulfric, a young teenager who is known for being the son of his village's First Warrior. He is also known as being nothing like his father, as he is fat and timid, never wanting to fight at all. Then, one day, he pounds a bully for saying something about a girl he likes, and his life is changed forever as he journeys to take his father's place as the first warrior of the village.

This can be something like How to Train Your Dragon, as it is very Viking-esk, with small villages, swords and shields, and the like. We see Wulfric go through some interesting trials to become the warrior of his village, which is something I enjoyed seeing. Also, the action scenes are written well. And I'm also a sucker for young couples, as Wulfric and Adelaide grow closer as they get older.

Yet, there are many issues with this book. The most noticeable is that nothing happens in terms of a plot. It is very much a set-up book, as much of what happens here is just a preview for the next book. This is to the point where I honestly put this down to listen to something else, which is criminal, considering how short the book is. This makes me wonder if the next book is worth listening to despite the narration.

And let's talk about that narration for a moment. While, yes, Simon Vance is excellent at reading books, and his voice naturally lends itself to an epic fantasy tale, the longer it went on, the more problems I found. One of the biggest was that he didn't have the best range. For example, he had the same accent as all the male heroes. If they were men older than Wulfric, but still old enough to fight, then they all had this gruff Scottish accent. If the men were too old to fight then he had the same old-man voice for each of them. The women all had a softer, more willowy accent. This made it legitimately confusing to know who was saying what at times.

Then there are the side characters. They get little to no development. Even Wulfic's love interest Adelaide, gets little to do, other than going off to school for a large chunk of the book. This made me wonder who they were and why I was supposed to care about them.

The final nail in the coffin for me was how much of this type of fantasy I had read before. Now, to be fair, I begrudge the author one point: it can be difficult to write any truly original fantasy book at this point, but here, it felt like I had seen everything before. We have the elders of the village, who are on a council. Wulfric uses ordinary weapons to fight. Some monotheistic priests are healers but they also study magic in their spare time and offer their wisdom to Wulfric and company. That plus more makes this fantasy book a copy of tales that I have read before.

All this makes for a difficult book to recommend. While yes, this book has a good narrator, I just cannot help but give this book a pass. The only reason why I MIGHT continue with this series is because I own it, so I might as well finish it. I give this book a two out of five.

When it comes to the Presidency of Chester A. Arthur, he is very closely tied to his predecessor, President James Garfield. This is because Garfield was shot 4 months into his first term and then died two months later, leaving Arthur to pick up the pieces. Ironically, Arthur was one of the few people in American history who did not want to become President, content with the office of Vice-President. Yet, he was asked to help put the country back together after the death and unrealized potential of Garfield, when seemingly the whole country was against him, a member of the spoils system, becoming the leader of the Executive branch. Arthur managed to surprise everyone, however, by emerging as a competent President, paving the way for major reformers like Teddy Roosevelt and Taft to really shake up the spoils system. As for this text, however, I cannot help but see the parallels between this book and Garfield's Presidency with the novel, Destiny of the Republic, in that I wished this book was as good as the one I read about James Garfield.

This is a very well researched biography, considering what Greenberger had to work with. Towards the end of his life, Arthur requested that the paperwork made from before his Presidency be burned, leaving little for modern historians to study. Yet, despite this, Greenberger manages to try and paint a fair portrait of his subject, relishing in the corruption before Arthur became Vice-President, and the turn around afterward. This helps to show how Arthur was a product of the era and was merely an acceptable President in his time, and a forgetful one today.

As I was reading this book however, I could not help but compare it to the book I had read before this, Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. There, Millard explores the lives of Dr. Doctor Willard Bliss, James Garfield, and Alexander Gram Bell, and how they all intersect during Garfield's Presidency, or lack thereof. If you twisted my arm and asked me which I would recommend, this book or Destiny of the Republic, I would have to say Destiny. This is because of a few reasons, none of them really being the fault of Greenberger.

The first is that the structure of Destiny is superior. Millard takes a chance and writes about all three lives as though she is combining three mini-biographies into one. This risk pays off and it works brilliantly. Greenberger, sadly, does not do this, and most of the book suffers as a result. It is a book that rehashes the basic plot points of much of Destiny, and it does it well, but overall this text just seems to pale in comparison.

The second problem is that when this book does deviate from what was told in Destiny, it is not done very well. Take Arthur's father-in-law. As Arthur was headed to Kansas, his father-in-law was killed in a storm as he tried to save people from a hurricane while out at sea. Instead of devoting a paragraph or two to the incident, Greenberger instead devotes whole pages to the endeavor, to the point that it takes up what feels like half a chapter. Perhaps it was just due to the fact that Greenberger did not have enough information on Arthur himself, but these deviations from the main story can seem excessive, and often left me wondering how we got onto this topic, and how Arthur fit in. Other readers may feel the same way.

And this may be due to that I listened to this on audio. While I have nothing against the narrator- he has a good voice for the job- he seemed a bit off in his performance. It was as though they went for only the first take, which left some lines feeling a bit rushed, with them ending on a more hesitant-sounding note than I am used to.

Either way, this was still an excellent biography, considering what Greenberger had to work with. Not holding Destiny of the Republic against it, I think this would make for a fine addition to any biography library. I give it a four out of five.

This book is one of my favorites in the Harry Potter series. It definitely shows that Rowling is growing as a writer, and features what I would call a legitimate mystery. Another interesting aspect of this novel is that it does not even features Voldemort at all, which is a nice change of pace for this series.

I can still remember when I had read the big twist at the end of the novel, how Serious Black is actually a good guy and how it seemed so unfair that he was not proven innocent. To my young mind, it was stupid that the Minister of Magic did not believe Harry and Hermione when they told the truth about Peter. To my mind now, it does seem more understandable, but no less unfair that this should happen. We again, are pointed to the unfair judgements of the series that start here, but the grounds are more believable than in the previous book. Lupin was by far my favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in the whole series, not that it can really be up for debate, seeing the competition. He is the person whom I hope to be when it comes to becoming a teacher.

Now onto the negative. Here is a shining example of why I don't think that Ron and Hermione should have ended up together. The argument and almost friendship breaking fight they have in this book shows how they should just remain friends. I also think that there are quite a few problems in terms of plot holes, such as how it is very convenient that Crookshanks managed to find Serious Black and find what he was after. There are also many plot holes when it comes to the ending, but that is just par for the course.

In the end, this is by far one of the better books in the Harry Potter Series and it only gets better from here. I am so glad that this is the beginning of something better and more awesome on the horizon. For whatever it is worth, I give it a five out of five.

NOTE: This is a review of the full cast edition of the book produced by Graphic Audio. There are going to be elements lost in the adaptation process, so this review should be taken as such when it comes to the original story and writing style.

This book is one of those where the 2nd book is better than the first. In the first book, we learned about the Innkeepers (basically people who make interplanetary rest stops for aliens) and how Urban Fantasy staples like Werewolves and Vampires are aliens who have been coming to Earth for thousands of years. This was a new take on the idea that I found intriguing and had lots of potential.

The first book was a lot of fun, as we saw unique situations for our characters, and we got some ideas for how this universe works. The second book is just as awesome, as we see Innkeeper Dina now have to hold a peace summit between three warring alien factions, all without the help of anyone else, nor her Werewolf friend, Sean, who we saw in the last book go off on his own self-discovery space adventure.

Naturally, this peace summit is as difficult as it sounds. The parties have been fighting for over 20 years, and Dina soon learns that just because they want to come to the peace table does not make her job any easier. There are plots upon plots and many different obstacles in her way, including a civilian Police officer who, despite all evidence to the contrary, knows that something is up with Dina's little bed and breakfast, even though he has no proof. Inside the inn, someone tries to not only steal from her guests but also poisons Dina to the point where she almost dies. Now she has to find some way to have people sign a peace treaty, not die in the process, all while keeping her guests safe and leaving the world ignorant of the aliens taking a room at her inn.

All of this is told in such a way that it never got boring or too complex to follow. There are many different factions and people that Dina comes into contact with, some that we know, and others we have not seen before. I liked how the action was described in the book, with it being clearly written. The full cast and sound effects were also very well done, making this fun to listen to.

I must admit that the only problem I had with the book was that the ending felt a little bit rushed. It is told in the style of a classic murder mystery where everyone is in the main parlor (so to speak) and the investigator goes through the list of possible suspects one by one until they reach the real culprit. The only problem is the way Diana talks in this scene. She questions some people like she has talked with them before, but we didn't see it, leading me to wonder if I accidentally skipped a scene or something, only to find it was loose writing.

Still, I would say that this book was an excellent read, and I cannot wait to read the next installment. I give this book a five out of five.

Update 2022: As an update for my journey through every Percy Jackson Universe book, I decided to re-read this book before I take on the rest of the series. After looking over my original review, I must admit that little has changed. I still think that Apollo becoming mortal is the best aspect of this book, and the worst is this book having to justify its own existence in the Percy Jackson Universe.

The one thing that was new that I liked is how, with this book at least, the journey was fairly small in scale. This means that the opening book is a journey that does not go beyond the boundaries of Camp Half-Blood, a nice change of pace from the other first books in Riordan's series.

Sadly, that is about it for me. The rest of my review still stands. I am not really looking forward to this series, as much as I hope, but hey, maybe the next book can change my mind. I give this book a two out of five.



Original Review 2017: Let me start off this review by saying that I was somewhat apprehensive by this book. I had been with Percy since the very beginning, and I loved both the first series and the Heroes of Olympus series. I did and still do sing their praises. I still think those novels are great! Still, when I heard that Riordan was releasing The Sword of Summer or a series about the Norse gods, I was a little excited to see what he would do with it. And sure, it was a regurgitation of the standard Riordan formula, but I still really enjoyed it. It was a fun, guilty pleasure for me. Then I found out that Riordan was releasing another book set in the Percy Jackson universe, and I was upset, because I felt that he needed to just stop. Percy Jackson needed to end and be left to be enjoyed by fans while Riordan moves on to something else. And that was the attitude that I went in with when I started to read this book. And now, after finishing it, this novel did nothing to change my mind.

This novel is a short 377 pages (a guesstimation, since I listened to it on audio) but it felt so much shorter. This is because Rick Riordan has taken a complaint that I had with The Sword of Summer and made a book that doesn't sound like a Percy Jackson rip off. Instead, he has made up a main character with an entirely new point of view who manages to be refreshing, and interesting all at the same time. The greek god Apollo is cast down as a mortal by Zeus and he must find a way to get back into god-like form, but there are many enemies that want to see him dead, and now he will have to battle many enemies and find a way to become a god again. He is a narcissistic, sarcastic, and very funny asshole. I genuinely believed, due to the strength of Riordan's writing, that this was what a greek god would be like when he falls down to earth.

That sounds interesting, right? Well, sadly, that is about the only good thing in this novel. The rest just feels rushed and slapped together. This book constantly tries to justify it's own existence by making me care about these characters, but for a majority of the novel, I could not help but question why this thing even exists. Unlike The Heroes of Olympus series where any problems with this being a sequel is offset by the interesting main characters and alternative points of view, here, it is clear that Riordan is running out of ideas. Meg is a character who I did not like at all and who got on my nerves constantly. She seemed to be a more annoying version of the female character that joins the male lead, like Annabeth or Sam from The Sword of Summer. One annoying aspect of her, besides her personality was how her godly parent seemed to have little influence on her. Riordan has many examples of female characters whose godly parent not only gives them strengths but also weaknesses. Take for example Annabeth, her mother, Athena, gives her wisdom but Annabeth also overestimates her abilities. Or Clariese whose father, Ares, gives her the ability to fight well, but also can make her antagonistic, and hard-headed. What does Meg get as a daughter of Demeter? The ability to swing fancy swords, control rotten fruit and...that's it. Other than a few instances towards the end, her being a daughter of Demeter affects her or the plot only when it is convenient.Then there is the main plot of the novel, which I will detail in a spoiler section below.

The main plot goes as follows: The main plot is that the Oracle at Delphi is not working, nor is any of the other means of communication that the demigods use from Iris messages to snail mail. The main villain in this whole thing is the Roman Emperor Nero. Apparently he was worshiped so much that he became god-like and somehow achieved immortality. He and several other former Roman Emperors that were apparently behind many of the things in the previous series (such as funding the ship Luke sailed on in the first Percy Jackson series) now choose to strike and take over the world. This, to me, sounds rushed and unnecessary. There are only so many times that the campers of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter can be put into danger before I don't care anymore. After Kronos and Gea, I just can't see anyone else as being much of a threat. Also, how the magic system works with the multiple oracles confused me. I think it was just a plot device so that there was some achievable goal for Apollo to get to. And, assuming that Kronos or Gea had succeeded in their plan to take over the world, I am still not clear as to how the Roman Emperors would rule the world assuming Kronos or Gea had won.

Then there are just some other things that really annoyed me. One is how certain established characters act in this series. One example would be Chiron. In the other series, he was wise and patient, willing to hear everyone's suggestions before deciding anything. In a certain scene here, when Apollo tries to tell him that he believes to have found out what is causing all the problems at Camp, and that they are walking into a trap, Chiron just brushes him off in favor of setting up a three-legged race to the death, Then there were the references to pop culture. I'm not saying that some things like online videos and smartphones should not be referenced, because this is a modern book, but there were so many pop culture references that they felt like they were going for cheap laughs. There were many times where I considered how much of these jokes would become dated in five years, let alone ten.

In the end, one good character in the form of Apollo, does not an awesome novel make. I was willing to give this book a three out of five until the very ending of this book. It not only annoyed me but it angered me. Here it is At the very end Percy Jackson just has to come in and help save the day. Despite the fact that Percy stated that he was not going to help Apollo on this quest, he just has to come in on the final battle and help to save everyone. I can't help but think that Riordan just couldn't leave his boy alone, and just had to force him in. It was so forced, it angered me. This shows that Riordan was unable to move on at all, and let the strength of the writing and characters stand on its own. That, along with the fact that the writing seems to have regressed, and I cannot think of any reason to read this book again. I MIGHT read the next one, but I do not know how much I will be looking forward to it. As much as it pains me, I have to give this book a two out of five. You may enjoy it, but I did not.

Well, that is it, I give up. Perhaps it is my lack of love for mysteries and thrillers, but I just couldn't get into this one. The characters are all boring and flat to me, and the mystery is somehow dull, and I don't understand why. This book should be amazing, but I just can't get into it. Maybe I'll read this again when I have more experience reading thrillers and mysteries, but for now, I'm just going to place this on my DNF shelf.

This is an excellent little play by Miller. I can remember reading Death of a Salesman a number of years ago and really enjoying it, so when I saw that this was available to listen to, I jumped at the opportunity. It was an excellent play to listen to, especially since it was the BBC radio adaptation of the play. If you can afford it (the price on Amazon is currently around $72) then I highly suggest you buy this book on audio and listen to it. It was fantastic!

My experience with Smith as a writer has been a positive one. I have read his book on FDR, and I liked that it was quite extensive, looking at the different elements of FDR, and helping to dispel how awesome he seems to be in the public mind. As I read Eisenhower, I wanted to understand how this man helped to bring America out of WWII, and into other conflicts of the Cold War.

One of the biggest strengths of this book is seeing Eisenhower through his military career. He began at West Point, with his command in WWII as a five-star general. All through this time, we see him battle his demons both politically and personally. We see him make mistakes on the personal front, as well as the professional front. I never knew that there was so much political infighting when it came to the military higher-ups. It was fascinating to read about, and was well told overall. Smith excels at showing the reader the character and significance of the men and women who influenced Eisenhower without it becoming boring and tedious. This helps the reader to understand how their character interacts with Eisenhower, both personally and politically. .

I also liked how Eisenhower is not completely left off the hook on some of his shortcomings. He had an affair with his secretary during WWII, and then almost never acknowledged her again after the war. He made some serious blunders both before and after D-Day fighting in Europe, and he occasionally let some generals off the hook only for it to come back to bite him later, but this just made him appear more human overall.

However, there are some things that I did not like about this book.

One of which would be the constant references to the other books Smith has written. On the one hand, this is a good thing as it can help the reader to see the parallels between different presidencies. On the other hand, this often made me think he was selling his other works on Grant and FDR, rather than giving any meaningful analysis of how they compare against each other. Often, I think this book was more of the latter, rather than the former as far as the comparisons go.

Still, I would say that this was a good book on Eisenhower, but not one of the greatest biographies I have read. I think I will give it a three out of five. As much as I liked it, I am eager to see what other books on him are out there for me to read.

Well, McClellan has done it again. I have to say that, in terms of the books I read, I am always hesitant at how a sequel series is going to go. Is it going to be like Rick Riordan with his Heroes of Olympus series, where the characters and action are, more often than not, as good as the previous series? Or is it going to be like his Gods of Asgard series, where often the characters and humor just feel all the same, so that it feels like he is trying the same thing over and over again? I am happy to report that McClellan has improved vastly with this first installment of his Gods of Blood and Powder series.

A word of caution to the reader: If you haven't read his previous series, The Powder Mage Trilogy, then this won't make sense to you. He doesn't waste time explaining things that the reader should already know. If you haven't read it, I highly suggest it. The books are an excellent read.

I think that the element that the author has improved on is the plotting and planning of his novel. We follow several characters through the story. Michel Brevis, a member of the Blackhats, a kind of secret police, who must accomplish finding a mysterious Lawyer named Tampo, who is considered an enemy of the state. Then there is Ben Styke, a former military man who has been freed from a prison camp by Tampo, who orders him to either protect or kill Lady Volara Flint. We then follow Lady Flint's perspective, as she leads a band of mercenaries, who are charged with capturing a local revolutionary. All of these perspectives weave in and out of each other, along with other elements that add up to excellent dramatic irony. We the reader, wait for the metaphorical shoe to drop, as the characters all come closer and closer to revealing their ties to each other. This is definitely the best part of the book. In his other series, when certain characters were brought together, it felt forced, and the mysteries were the weakest part of the Powder Mage trilogy as a whole. Here the author manages to create an intriguing mystery that had me reading late into the night. I greatly enjoyed this mystery.

As for the negatives, well, I would say it is that it tends to drag in the 1st half of the book. We the reader know that the metaphorical bomb of dramatic irony should explode sometime soon, and yet, it just seems to keep going, with some plot points being metaphorically swept under the rung once a major event happens in the halfway mark of the book. After that, it moves at almost breakneck speed.

Still, I greatly enjoyed this book. It was far better paced, and had better plots for characters old and new. I give this book a four out of five. I am excited to see where McClellan takes this series.

This was another excellent book by J. K. Rowling. I listened to it on audio, and the excellent production that was in Fantastic Beasts carries over here, with excellent Narration by Andrew Lincoln. This novel also has excellent insider tips and Easter eggs for those who were paying attention to the Harry Potter books as they talked about Quidditch. Obviously, I give this a five out of five. I highly recommend the audiobook version, as it is great fun to listen to.

As a University of Michigan Alumni, I have been proud of our football team since I was a kid. I was also disappointed that, since seemingly forever, we have not been able to beat The (sigh) Ohio State University (The last two games being an exception). That said, I have always wondered about Michigan's glory days when the Rose Bowl was something that could be achieved, and beating Ohio State was something that happened on a regular basis. I decided to jump at the opportunity when I saw that this book was available to listen to. It covers the history of Michigan Football from the very beginning right up to the 90s. I am glad to say that this book is a must-read for any fan (or alumni) of Michigan.

Firstly, if you get the chance, get this book on audio. It is read by the author, who is a legend in the broadcasting world of Michigan football. Jim Brandstratter is excellent here, not only in the technical aspects of audio but also in the energy he gives to the peace. His enthusiasm is clear in his voice, as he covers Michigan Football from its humble beginnings to the 90s. He uses this opportunity to interview multiple people, from the player who scored the first-ever touchdown at Michigan Stadium, to the cheerleaders and band players, to Bo Shemblecher himself, we get an excellent comprehensive look at Michigan Football. The audio interviews make this format the superior version.

As for negatives, there aren't many. Truth be told, I did find it a little bit repetitive at times. After all, there is only so much football I can listen to until my ears start to get sore. However, I think this is more of a personal problem than anything wrong with the audiobook.

In the end, I recommend this book to any Wolverine fan or Alumni. This is one that should not be missed. I gave it a five out of five. Go Blue!!

This book was one that I was looking forward to reading. My interest in the Titanic goes far beyond the film interpretation of the sinking. I have also watched many documentaries and seen museum exhibits on the topic. So when I found this at my local bookstore, I could not resist and decided to pick it up. Was it as good as I imagined in terms of providing a first hand account of the sinking? Yes, and that is part of the problem.

You see, it has many different perspectives of the sinking, with every different view shown based on the rough estimate of when each boat was launched. Each corresponding tale tells about how the person in question survived the sinking. The author also provides a detailed account of what happened to each person before and after the Titanic sank.

This book has excellent primary and secondary sources about what happened as the Titanic sank, so why don't I give it five stars? Well, this is an example of a primary selling point, also being a primary problem. While it is fascinating and interesting that these people went through this harrowing ordeal, it does become rather dry and dull after a time. As my father always says of the Titanic film: You know what is going to happen, the ship sinks every time. I think the same applies here. Eventually, I would just skim the rest with no real consequence, nor any information lost, overall. It is for this reason that I have to give this book a four out of five. If you are going to read this, then do so sparingly, one story at a time, then I think you'll enjoy it.

History books, at the best of times, can be entertaining filled with information on a wide variety of topics. At worst, history books can be boring and drag considerably. Thankfully, Midnight in Chornobyl is a book that manages to be both entertaining and insightful on the disaster of the destroyed reactor that sowed fear and doubt about nuclear power and, according to some, hastened the downfall of the Soviet Union.

One of the best parts of this book is how the different elements of Chornobyl are juggled by the author. The author works well balancing the scientific theories of nuclear power, both explaining the idea of how to generate energy, as well as how the plant at Chornobyl failed on a scientific level. The author also manages to talk about the development of Chornobyl, including the different ways that the plant was built, with parts not delivered on time, or in some cases not at all, forcing them to deal with substandard materials. Then, the author takes an aim at the culture of the Soviet Union. Unfamiliar to most people in the west, this was something that led to the disaster on a fundamental level. All of this is handled extremely well, giving the reader a sense that it was simply a perfect storm of events that, had any one of them been avoided, the disaster could have never happened.

Then there is the follow-up to the accident itself. This included a potential government cover-up, then, when it became too big to hide, the trial where people's fate was already pre-decided, placing blame on the workers in the control room, not on the design of the power plant itself. The re-telling of the scandal is handled very well and allows the reader to understand the level of corruption that permeated the Soviet Union, despite Gorbichov's efforts at reform.

All of this makes for a history book that is a high standout for me, but what makes this a potential book of the year would be the narration. The narrator in this text, Jacques Roy, is well cast as he performs the piece well. His voice shows the coming darkness of the Chornobyl disaster. His performance makes sure to highlight the ironic and disastrous moments in the text, emphasizing the conclusion of a scene, so the reader gets the full effect of the passage. This makes for an audiobook that, in my opinion, may just be superior to the book.

All of this makes me say that this will very likely be a book of the year contender for me. I think this was excellently done and is an enlightening look at the Chornobyl disaster. If you want to read about the disaster itself, then I suggest you pick up this book. You will not be disappointed. I give it a five out of five.

When it comes to history books, there are hundreds, seemingly thousands on WWII, especially covering the European theater. With this in mind, I decided to go with a non-fiction classic, The Last Battle, which is all about Ryan's coverage of the Battle of Berlin. This is something that I really wanted to know more about, since I had just heard about the final days, but had never taken an in-depth look at them.

This book does an excellent job at studying the human aspect of the events leading up to the battle, with that time frame encompassing about 3/4ths of the book, with the actual battle itself being only about the last ¼ or so. With this in mind, if you are looking for a book on the specific tactics used by both sides in the battle, then you will not find it here. Instead, Ryan decides to look into the human stories of this time period. Everyone from those in the Fuhrerbunker, the high-ranking Allied generals, to the average people on the streets are explored here. This makes for a compelling human story that, for better or worse, should not be forgotten.

One aspect that the reader should also be aware of is that, for the most part, Ryan does not draw any conclusions about certain people, instead focusing on who said what and when leaving the reader to do this themselves. This is especially true with regard to the German generals, as I constantly wondered how someone could continue to fight when seemingly the whole world crumbled around them. I can only speculate that this was a certain element of pride in their country, and fear at what the Russians would do to them. But these conclusions are left up to the reader, overall.

As for the audio performance, Simon Vance was an excellent reader. While he is not a personal favorite, like say, Edward Hermann, I still enjoyed his work nonetheless. He lends a certain gravity to the role, as though no matter what the German people do, they are doomed and the horrors that have to come for them are inevitable. Yet, Simon also reads with a certain amount of detachment, where these are the things that happened and the legacy of all involved is bared for the reader to see and make their own judgments on. The only exception to this would be the voices of people talking, which Vance does well in terms of replicating what they may have been feeling at the time. In short, I will be checking out more stuff narrated by him in the future.

I would say this is an excellent book that I enjoyed reading and learning more about. I give it a four out of five.

Well, this is just sad because this book had so much potential. I saw this book was available on my Kindle as an audiobook, and so I decided to broaden my horizons a bit, and decided to read what was a hardcore scifi novel. Now, at first glance, this may seem like a stereotypical robots take over the world scenario, and, I have to admit, it is, but I was optimistic that this novel would be good based on two things. One, the author has a Ph.D in robotics, and it was told somewhat oddly in a series of journals, so it should be filled with various interesting ways that Robots take over the world, right? Yes...but that is part of the problem.

You see, for all the good that Wilson does for the different ways that we see the robots go haywire, in the end, the writing is just boring, and never really managed to grab my attention. We would go from a seemingly interesting story about a military robot that can go from harmless to killer in a second, to a domestic service bot that...goes from harmless to killer in about a second. Many of the basic premises seemed to be repeated with variation in how who they were told to. Also, another sin is that the writing just isn't that good. We expect that the writing would changed with each character in some way, since we typically see it from various different points of view- a 14 year old girl writing about what happened when she was ten, a store clerk speaking to a detective, a military translator speaking at a senate committee- but they all begin to sound the same, and it gets on my nerves. This book started off really strong, with a soldier who kills little bots with a freakin' flame thrower, writing how he discovered a robot that recorded the Robot uprising from the start to the finish. This opening scene is filled with good action that one hardly sees again, or, at least, does not see enough of. This is sad, because it should be interesting but the mediocre writing, coupled with the narrator not sounding like he was good enough for this, made me want to put it down and not pick it up again.

It is for these reasons that I give it a two out of five. While there are some good elements here beneath the surface there just wasn't enough to hold my attention.

Since I find it somewhat pointless to make a review of a sixth book in a series, I'm going to do something different this time around: I'm going to be talking about the series as a whole. This is so that you, the reader, can get an idea of if this is the right series for you at the final book, in case you don't want to commit to yet another YA series.

Note: I know that there are three more books set after Light, but they are set four years in the future. For the sake of argument, I'm going to pretend that this is the series' natural endpoint.

One of the series's best elements is the descriptions of violence and how that violence impacts our characters. In many books, the violence is there for something fun to read, and nothing more. However, these books treat violence with all of the gravitas it deserves. The character's attitudes toward violence range from those who love it, hate it, or only do it when necessary. The best part is that no character comes away physically or mentally unscathed from these violent acts, giving the reader the impression that it is not something to be taken lightly. In our world of superhero beat-em-ups, this is a refreshing message that I can get behind.

I also enjoyed the diversity of the cast of characters in this series. We have people of every color, gender, religion, and economic background. In the past few years, this has been a main selling point of novels, say a fairytale retelling, where the main character is of a different skin color, and that is it, with nothing new added to the story. Here, we get many different characters from different backgrounds, without it having to be emphasized by the author. This is refreshing in my eyes.

That diversity also comes in the form of the character's attitudes towards religion. By the end of the series, some people find faith in God. Others seem to reject it. And others still have a twisted view of God where the main antagonist is their version of the Lord. All of this is believable, and I could understand how these characters got to this idea, even if I disagreed. This can make for a solid discussion on belief and how we deal with stressful situations and turn to, or away, from faith as a result.

There are a few downsides, though. One of the most significant is the pacing. Grant seems to have a problem creating meaningful lulls in the action so that the reader can feel the hype when the action starts. He also has a large cast of characters that he (and by extension, the reader) needs to keep track of. This results in him writing about how Character A and B walked along a path to get to Character C, and they talk about some mundane thing. While I appreciate his wanting to help us keep track of all the moving pieces, he doesn't write these sections well, and it is as boring as it sounds.

Then there is the violence in this book. As much as I praise its impact on the characters, the depictions can be a bit much. It is honestly as explicit as it can be without venturing into adult territory. The audiobook also ratchets this up as well, with an excellent (if slow) performance by Kyle McCarley. All of this means while some readers may like it for the action, others may find it disturbing to the point of not wanting to read. This is something parents may want to be aware of.

The series does have a good ending. While I won't spoil it here, I will only say that it is just the right kind of positive ending for my liking. It combines the growth the characters found inside the FAYZ, with the conflicts on the outside that have yet to be resolved. The kids are not okay, and may never be okay, and I think that works for me based on what the series has been about so far.

All in all, I have liked this series. The sixth book feels like the end to it, even though I know there are three more books to go set four years after Light. I would say that if you haven't read the series because you don't want the commitment of another long list of books, try it out anyway. Grant offers a gut-punching read from the first book to the last. I give Light a four, out of five.