Shannon's Review - Blood Lite II: OverBite by Various Authors

Title: Blood Lite II : Overbite

Series: Blood Lite

Authors: Various

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Anthology

Publisher: Gallery Books

Received: Purchased

Release Date: September 2010

Pages: 438

Rating:

Author’s Official Websites:  N/A

Shannon’s Thoughts:

This is the second book in this anthology theme.  Inside is a collection of short stories that connect fantasy and a little humor.

I think it was a great idea to shoot for a sequel anthology because the first one had a little magic in it’s writing.   Some stories from the original still linger in my brain.  

After reading and enjoying the first anthology, Blood Lite, I expected not just funny stories in fantasy settings but memorable.  Fact is I can only remember one story in Blood Lite II:Overbite and had to do with a guy out with his girlfriend at a diner.  The description of the girlfriend was disgusting and not funny.  The other stories are lost from my memory.  I even had to re-read quite often.

This one missed it’s mark but there is a third installment and...I probably will read it too.

Shannon's Review - Doctor Strange : The Flight Of Bones by Various Authors

Title: Doctor Strange : The Flight Of Bones

Series: Doctor Strange

Author: Various Authors

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy,

Publisher: Marvel

Received:  Bought

Release Date: November 2016

Pages: 192

Rating:

Author’s Official Websites:

Official Site

N/A

Blog

N/A

Facebook

N/A

Twitter

N/A

Shannon’s Thoughts:

In this graphic novel we see Doctor Strange has fully accepted his role in the world of magic and still looking for ways to heal himself physically.  He has become one of the world’s greatest magicians. He fights evil trying to take over the world while combating his own troubles.

This is my first delve into the world of Marvel’s Doctor Strange.  I became interested after seeing the Doctor Strange movie with Benedict Cumberbatch (which was awesome!). There are about 4 or 5 stories in this graphic novel.  The best one is the first story about Strange fighting a magic infused cult that takes one of his friends into its grasp.

The other stories are pretty dull.  Most of the other stories are also in black and white. To be honest because of the lack of color, and in some cases lack of dialog, made it hard to understand what was happening.  

I would say that this probably isn’t the best of Doctor Strange to start with.  I especially do not think it is the best if you have not seen the movie or have no knowledge of Doctor Strange.  I just feel this could have been much better stories than the ones in this graphic novel.

Review - Painted Bride Quarterly : Print Annual 1

Title: Painted Bride Quarterly : Print Annual 1
Series: Painted Bride Quarterly
Author: Various
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: Painted Bride Quarterly
Received: Free for Review
Release Date: February 2003
Pages: 313
Rating:



What is it About?

A book of various authors poetry, essays and interviews.

My Thoughts:

Most of the poetry in this edition I don’t feel I really grasped the sense of what the author was trying to bring across but the few gems I did really stood out. Poetry about the meaning of being in this world by Katrine Marie Gulager. The somewhat humorous poem “Male Gorillas” by Ruth Stone. Humor and poetry are something I am never sure about. I think the author means it to be funny and I like that because it seems different with poetry and there were a few poems like that. Including one made up interview with Popeye’s Olive Oil.

I give the rating to the poems I liked in this one which are only a handful and there are a lot in here. The ones I related to where just so good that I could not see giving it low stars because I did not understand the rest.

Website:

Painted Bride Quarterly Official Site
http://pbq.drexel.edu/pbq/

Tales From The Slayer Vol. 1 by Various Authors

Title: Tales of the Slayer: Vol. 1
Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Author(s): Various
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: January 7, 2004
Finished: July 2009
Pages: 280
Challenges: None
Rating:









My Thoughts: This book is connected to the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Its tales feature the slayers before Buffy became the vampire slayer. There is 7 stories in the volume, most of which are only okay and not memorable. Pretty much all of the stories were about the last days and battle of the former slayers.

There were 2 stories I enjoyed. First was The White Doe by Christie Golden about a Native American tribe with a slayer know as White Doe. The second was Die Blutgrafin by Yvonne Navarro, in which the big bad is based on a real person, Countess Bathory, said to have bathed in the blood of virgins.

About the Authors: There were various authors in this book, and a few, including the ones I mentioned above, have written more then one Buffy-related book.

Shannon's Review - Chicken Soup for the Women's Soul by Various Authors

Title:: Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul
Series:: Chicken Soup for the Soul Series
Author(s):: Various Authors
Genre:: Self Improvement
Summary: Short stories of strong women living out their dreams.
Finished: 01/28/2009
Pages: 367
Challenges:20 Book in 2009(9),
Rating:










My Thoughts: This book has good, inspiring stories of women who have done it all, from childhood memories to growing old and wiser. A couple of the stories had me tearing up.

I have a few favorites that stick out. One called "The Wind Beneath Her Wings" is a story about Jean Harper, one of the first three female pilots for United Airlines. The woman's dream was always to be a pilot, and first everyone told her she couldn't, or she didn't have chance. She Almost believed that, until one teacher told her to live the dream. Another one was "Mother's Day," about a woman who was in her 30's and thought she would never have children, but in her 40's did. It makes me feel a little hopeful about myself. All the stories definitely spark emotion in a person; I can't see how they could not.

About the Authors: This book has various author. I am not going to list them all because there are so many, but Chicken Soup for the Soul has a website you can go to, ChickenSoup.com