The Kings of Cool Book Review — A Sharp and Witty Crime Novel
Don Winslow's The Kings of Cool is a bold, enthralling story of love, lust, greed, drugs, and the fallacies of them all. Don Winslow crafts a masterpiece of a story that weaves together the past and present lives of 8 characters in his novel The Kings of Cool, which is the prequel to his novel…
Red Rising Book Review — Familiar, but entertaining dystopian novel
Red Rising is a familiar, but entertaining trip into the young adult dystopian genre Pierce Brown's novel Red Rising is the first novel of his Red Rising Trilogy, which is comprised of Golden Son and Morning Star, chronologically. We are presented with the protagonist Darrow, a lowly red tasked with fellow reds to mine the depths of Mars…
Annihilation Book Review — A tense, fast-paced sci-fi thriller
By the time we were ready to cross the border, we knew everything...and we knew nothing. That's the best way to describe reading Jeff VanderMeer's psychological thriller and first book of the Southern Reach Trilogy. Everything and nothing is as it seems as a 4-person expedition makes their way into the mysterious Area X, an abandoned stretch…
Jamie xx Album Review — “In Colour” is a massive achievement
If you're expecting a traditional electronic album with deep thrashing bass and lyrics talking about "poppin' molly" from Jamie xx's debut solo album, then you're in for a surprise, and a damned good one at that. Producer Jamie Smith, best known as part of The xx (a band that I believe is extremely underappreciated), has been…
The Art of Fielding Book Review — A Baseball Novel For Anyone to Enjoy
The Art of Fielding is one of the most entertaining and enthralling character studies in recent years I know next to nothing about baseball. Home runs, fouls, and bases loaded are pretty much the extent of my baseball knowledge. And, to be blunt, I pretty much think watching it is as entertaining as watching paint dry…
FKA Twigs Album Review: M3LL155X is her best EP to date
This startlingly dark, lustrous EP kicks off with "Figure 8," and I have to say that I am entranced already. At the start of this stunning video (linked below), you will hear Twigs' gorgeous, soothing voice layered over the visuals of what I can only describe as an inky, dark, female anglerfish mixed with Ursula…
Illuminae Book Review — Despite YA pitfalls, a unique format makes for a page-turner
This was reviewed from an advanced copy from BookCon 2015. If you would have asked me a few months back if I would be reading a Young Adult, graphic novel about intergalactic warfare and budding teenage romance, I would have probably scathingly laughed at you. I guess you would be laughing now because I sure…
The Book of Joe Book Review — Jonathan Tropper proves coming-of-age isn’t just for teens
The Book of Joe is an often hilarious and sometimes sweet take on the life of a man of a certain age. I think nailing comedy in a book is a lot harder than a lot of people think. It is difficult to get a joke to land properly when you can’t control its pacing…
Tell the Wolves I’m Home Book Review — Unflinching and Raw Coming-of-Age Story
One of the best debuts from a writer, Tell the Wolves I'm Home is an emotional tour du force Once in a while a book comes around that reminds me why I love books. It reminds me why I love books about real people. It reminds me why I don't need an epic to feel like I've…
Wild Tales Movie Review — An anthology film that lives up to its name
Wild Tales is certainly crazy, but every single vignette is a unique take on revenge and the animalistic urges we all have. Unlike a lot of foreign language films, the English title for Argentina's "Relatos Salvajes" is a direct translation to "Wild Tales." I point this out because this, along with the opening title sequence (a montage of…