Fiction

The Nixie's Song
'The Nixie's Song' is Book One of a three volume series of Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles created by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. 'The Nixie's Song' is the story of how Nick Vargas learns all about the magical world that no one else can see. Nick has a few issues that he needs to figure out family wise. His father meets someone and things change. He meets his new stepsister Laurie and a few other things begin to happen that can be somewhat unexplainable. This is a fast paced read and basically for the youth readers out there, but I found them interesting for adults could learn from them too. The illustrations that Holly created were well detailed and I thought they would make good coloring pages.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
WHAT YOU NEED NOW
In an unprecedented and historic turn of events, President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office, acknowledging the failure of U.S. efforts in Ukraine and Gaza. In a speech that stunned both allies and adversaries, Biden admitted that the complex geopolitical challenges had overwhelmed his administration's strategies and called upon former President Donald Trump to assist in finding a path forward.
By lahsen ezahouani2 years ago in Critique
The House at Pooh Corner
The last book that I received in my Winnie the Pooh collection is entitled 'The House at Pooh Corner' written by A.A. Milne. This is the book when their new friend Tigger bounces into the story. It is also the book where things begin to change, and it seems that they are all growing up in so many ways. Pooh and everyone try to change Tigger, become a little more organized for various projects, learning new things about each other and finding out what learning can do for you and others and just plain helping each other in what they do whether work or play. 'The House at Pooh Corner' can really be anywhere where one needs to figure things out whether you are an adult or child for all you have to do is close your eyes and you are there in your own special Pooh corner.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Boys Kills World (2023)
Boy Kills World is a dystopian thriller staring Bill Skarsgard (Boy), who does not say a single word through the entire 111 minute run time. It is however, one of his best performances to date (in my entirely unprofessional opinion). Instead his inner monologue is narrated by H. Jon Benjamin (Bob’s Burgers) with just the right amount of comedy to lighten the graphic and violent action sequences. Skarsgard’s facial expressions show you that his character is a killing machine, uncertain of himself at time, but solely focused on his mission. Now, lets get into the plot.
By Mariah Cruise2 years ago in Critique
Winnie the Pooh
The other day I wrote a short critique on Winnie the Pooh that mainly gave the idea how this book could help children and their mental health. But the story of Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne is actually the story of friendships in all their various forms from Pooh and Piglet, Pooh and Eeyore, and even Pooh and all the others. The most important friendship is Pooh and Christopher Robin. Pooh and Piglet and their various adventures, Pooh making new friends with Kanga and Roo, Pooh and Rabbit when Pooh would like a snack, Pooh and Eeyore who needs to feel friendship. All of these are shown when hunting for Woozles and Heffalumps, to throwing a party when a flood is over to just sharing a favorite snack or two and as a gang going on expedition. Winnie the Pooh is a children's novel that makes a good read for adults as well as kids even though the illustrations are pencil sketches, they give the story a homey feel.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Blood Magick
Nora Robert's has written the third installment to the O'Dwyer trilogy entitled 'Blood Magick'. The major story in this part of the series is all about Branna, Fin and Meara. Will the three, and the three and three be able to conquer their known enemy from centuries before. Once again Nora Robert's has written a story that will keep you reading to the end showing and telling through vivid descriptions of all the characters and settings and events.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Shadow Spell
The second installment of Nora Robert's Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy 'Shadow Spell' is all about Conner and his talents and his building relationship with Meara. The cousins seem to go back and forth between times and begin working with the cousins of the past and learning from them in dealing with Cabhan in their time and theirs. There are many issues that they are all dealing with in their lives. Nora Robert's once again has written a show and tell story. I have started reading book three of this series.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Winnie the Pooh
This is the first Winnie the Pooh novel that is entitled 'Winnie the Pooh' created by A.A. Milne. This first book is all about Pooh's adventures in the Hundred Acre Woods living under a sign saying 'Sanders'. Pooh meets a Woozle, a Heffalump, goes to a birthday party and a few other activities as well. After I have read this book several times and still quite enjoyed the read, but since I was a mental health nurse it also showed me a different way of looking at eating disorders, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, attachment disorders, and even grandiose ideations. Mainly though it is a book showing how imagination is the way to go as a child such as Christopher Robin shows how to grow up to be a good person in many ways.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
The Shining
I am not sure I may have wrote a review here a long time ago for 'The Shining' written by Stephen King, but not sure. 'The Shining' is a thriller/horror novel that involves a family of a husband/father, young son, and wife/mother living and working at a very mysterious hotel that was and is famous. I like reading thriller/horror books, but for some reason I do not like watching them and I have seen this particular on television. My favorite parts of the book were when the son would play outside in the gardens and when it seemed that they would go back in time in a way in various parts of the book. To me it was quite the page turner. Believe it or not I read this book in two days.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth
Here is another book written and created by J.R.R. Tolkien and edited by his son Christopher Tolkien. This is a collection of chapters mainly from 'The Silmarillion' with various other notes for the stories that his son added and finished the book. This was a book that read along with reading 'The Silmarillion'. 'Unfinished Tales' was an interesting read in its' own right though.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
The Silmarillion
Who out there has read or wanted to read 'The Hobbit' or even 'The Lord of the Rings'? You have probably read 'The Hobbit' in some form in elementary school and even 'The Lord of the Rings' in high school. 'The Silmarillion' is written by J.R.R. Tolkien but the edition I read was edited by his son Christopher Tolkien. Basically, this is the very beginning of the adventures that Frodo and Bilbo will try to figure out way in the future of 'The Lord of Rings' and 'The Hobbit'.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Dark Witch
Nora Robert's wrote the novel 'Dark Witch' that is about a women named Iona, an American with Irish descendant who traveled to Ireland to seek out some family answers. This is a romance story with a lot of family interests and how family and friends can see each other for who they are. As the title offers it is a story of witches and dark magic. The reader at times will even read the magic spells as if they were using the spell for the rhythm of words will have that effect. Nora Robert's and the way she has of writing her books will have you thinking that you are in Ireland experiencing what Iona and hers are experiencing.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique