Category: Book Reviews

by Rick Riordan

Published by Disney Hyperion

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY SEA OF MONSTERS!!!

“We only came close to dying six of seven times, which I thought was pretty good.” –Percy Jackson

            Percy is in seventh grade and everything seems to be going well—no monsters attacking, an actual peaceful year. That’s until the dodgeball incident with the cannibalistic giants.

            Then Annabeth shows up with more news that adds to the bad repertoire.

            Camp Half-Blood is in over its head—the protective barrier that has guarded the camp for centuries is poisoned. If no cure can be found then there will be no more safe haven for demigods. Monsters could come and go as they please.

            This popular sequel to the Lightning Thief brings a fresh new vision of Greek mythology in present-day times. Percy and his crew must dive into the Sea of Monsters—somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle, naturally. There’s a golden fleece—what Greek-based story would be complete without a magical golden fleece?

            But there’s also Luke Castellan, bringer of dark times and raiser of an ancient force so evil the greatest of the gods had to plot together in secret to destroy it.

            Though related to its film-counterpart, Sea of Monsters has its own unique plot twists and storyline. It had me laughing half the time.

            It’s been over a week since I wrote the review for the first book, I know. But the idea is to give enough time for you to order the previous one, read it, then be ready to order the next book in a series—such as this one.

            You know how a lot of sequels just don’t seem to live up to their predecessors? Well, this book is not one of them. It was definitely a worthy follow-up and the characters were living, breathing people in my mind. Percy’s sardonic tone as he relates the events will have you chuckling out loud.

            Yes, like its prequel, this work is focused more on a younger age group, but being a 29 year old, I still found it an entertaining page-turner.

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: SEA OF MONSTERS.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Another side note, I’m also a Patreon artist–the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful! I’m also considering adding a second tier in which those patrons would get an exclusive short series, an episode once a week. If you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear them. 

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

by Kelley Armstrong

Published by Penguin Group

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY STOLEN!!!

“So you don’t believe in werewolves?’ Her lips curved in an annoying half-smile.”

            Elena Michaels is the only living female werewolf. She is on a mission for her elite pack, being lured into Tyrone Winsloe’s fake scientific investigation of “other races. Winsloe is a dirty Internet billionaire who is willing to even kidnap Elena to study her in his underground lab hidden within the forests of Maine.

            But werewolves aren’t all that exist in the Otherworld. There are many various paranormals being studied in Winsloe’s mad-scientist facility. Witches, vampires, and shamans are among the unlucky to be captured and studied like lab rats.

          That’s not all. These “specimens” are released and hunted to the death in a reality game. Is Elena this lunatic’s match? Will she be able to stop Winsloe?

            Yes, it’s werewolves again. I have many books on that species. Every one, whether standalones or series, seem to portray them in unique lights—Stolen is no different.

            Werewolves are just like most animals, they live to feed, fight, and reproduce—this is the way of nature. But when you hand thousands or even hundreds of thousands of wolves in scores of packs across the globe and all of them are male…except for one, what is that?

            It wasn’t until after I bought this book that I found out it’s relations with the TV show Bitten. There is actually a prequel novel of which the show is named. I’ve seen just the first season I think—haven’t been able to finish it yet—so I don’t know if Stolen’s plot plays are part later on.

            What I do know is, I loved this book. In all of it’s weird dark fantasy—it was a great read that had me chuckling, snickering, wiping a couple tears from my eyes out of certain character’s hopeless moments, and overall, falling in love with Elena and her pack.

            I’d put this in the dark fantasy genre—definitely. Or urban fantasy, those seem to coincide quite a bit.

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: STOLEN.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Another side note, I’m also a Patreon artist–the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful! I’m also considering adding a second tier in which those patrons would get an exclusive short series, an episode once a week. If you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear them. 

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

by Michael Kerrigan

Published by Amber Books Ltd

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY CELTIC LEGENDS!!!

“Classical commentators were struck by the centrality of “religious observance” in Celtic life; at the same time they struggled to understand a creed without written scriptures, graven images or constructed shrines.” –Chapter 1, The Celtic Cosmos

            An enchanting and mesmerizing history filled to the brim with tales of love and war and family feuds, along with outlaws and traitors, the legends of the Celts stirs in the heart of a ready that primal affection for the supernatural.

            The Celts rose to power between 750 BC and 12 BC. Their people group was focused in central and western Europe. They were overtaken or thrust out by the Roman Empire, shoved into the nether regions of the Atlantic fringe: northwest Spain, France and Britain. Their mythology grew stronger in spite of this push.

            During medieval times their stories were recorded in the Mabinogion, the Ulster and Fenian Cycles. Thanks to Roman Christians we know of the old beings like Morrigan, a shape-shifting queen, Cu Chulainn, a chief above chiefs in Celtic lore. Even Fionn mac Cumhaill, the giant who built the famous Antrim’s Causeway has a part.

            This book is illustrated with more than 180 artworks and the read is both entertaining and educational.

            Do you enjoy reading ancient mythologies? I do and I believe this work was an amazing add to my collection. Being Scot-Irish originally, the Celts have always been an intriguing people to me. Finally delving more into their legends and mythologies, mostly with this book, I was quite satisfied to learn the awesome tales.

            Being a fiction author as well, I was inspired by many of the stories too. They in fact still help me in weaving a few of my own narratives.

            But even if you’re not a writer, the mysterious pull of the supernatural cosmos behind these myths should still be entertaining for you.

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: CELTIC LEGENDS.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Another side note, I’m also a Patreon artist–the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful! I’m also considering adding a second tier in which those patrons would get an exclusive short series, an episode once a week. If you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear them. 

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

by C. S. Lewis

Published by Harper Collins

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY CHRONICLES OF NARNIA!!!

“Remember that all worlds draw to an end and that noble death is a treasure which no one is too poor to buy.”

            Yes, this is the complete box-set of the seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia. Why did I decide to review the box-set? Because I found the link I’m providing you with will take you to a cheaper sale! Yes, there were a few other box-sets running twice as costly as this set and I found that this set is only a few dollars more than the actual individual books. So you get the full work for just a little bit more. Was that a thank you, John? Awww you’re welcome. I love y’all—and I’m not just saying that, I mean it.

            So, Chronicles of Narnia, seven books, all narrating the roles different children play in an unfolding history—a history not of our own world, yet very similar.

            What I found was, even though it is focused more toward children or teenagers, I enjoyed it immensely. I read it in my mid-twenties. I’d seen the movies, both BBS and the newer ones—add in, I’m still peeved at the discontinuing of the newer ones, but such is life. We move on.

            This series has a warm place in my heart and forever will—although, I still feel the pang of losing some of my friends. Yes, like real life, you do feel heartache, but then, you do learn many lessons.

            The Pevensie children have no idea what it is about when they step through that Wardrobe in Spare Room. A fantastic adventure awaits them, their cousins, friends, as they follow the lead of Narnia’s Creator, Aslan, while he brings about his plan to vanquish the evil that plagues the realms.

I know, I did something abnormal here. I usually give a brief description then give my opinion. But this series was just too amazing I had to give more of my opinion. Here I’ll give some one-to-two sentence descriptions of the summary for each one below.

And as I’m writing this I suddenly have an idea. I’m going to include links to the individual books too, just in case you simply want to try just one of them out and now the whole series. So, you can click on the book titles and they’ll take you there. But if you do want the box-set, click on either the picture above, or the link in bold after these descriptions, or the link all the way at the top. I’ve made it easy for ya.

1. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The four siblings, Pevensies, get their first introduction to the land of Narnia during the tyrannical reign of the White Witch. They help Aslan, the Great Lion, defeat her in a massive battle.

2. Prince Caspian. The Pevensie children return to Narnia, finding out that much more time has passed there than in our world. They must help Prince Caspian take control of the throne that is rightfully his.

3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Lucy, Edmund, and their annoying brat of a cousin, Eustice, all return to Narnia to join Caspian in an adventure that takes them far across the open sea where they must find the seven lost lords.

4. The Silver Chair. Eustice and Jill are fairly new to the strange world, Caspian is old and frail. He’s also missing his only son. The two children must go on a quest to rescue the lost prince and stumble across many malevolent evils—one in particular, more beautiful than any they’ve ever encountered.

5. The Horse and His Boy. Set way before the Pevensies even arrive, this tale takes us on a narrative starring two runaways. They attempt to escape their terrible lives, they end up being forced into a horrible battle that has everything to do with the fate of their world and their lives.

6. The Magician’s Nephew. This is actually recongised, in some canon, as the first book in the series. It covers the creation of Narnia while following two friends who are thrust into a parallel realm and nearly enslaved by an evil sorceress.

7. The Last Battle. This book is just what its title says—the finale. Almost everyone is back, returning to Narnia for the last showdown. Taking on an apocalyptic scene of biblically-themed rhetoric, the ending unfolds itself in an awe-inspiring conclusion.

            But click here and you get the full set for much cheaper than you would if you were to buy individually: CHRONICLES OF NARNIA.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Another side note, I’m also a Patreon artist–the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful!

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

by Anne Rice

Published by Anchor Books

A review by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY THE WOLF GIFT!!!

“You killed somebody,’ he said. ‘Are you going to think about that? Stop thinking about scents, and sensations, and leaping over rooftops, and jumping some twelve feet in the air. Stop it. You killed somebody.” –Reuben

            On a quest as a young reporter, Reuben Golding has no idea what lays ahead of him when he arrives at a hidden mansion on a bluff just above the Pacific Ocean. He is seduced by the owner’s female charms. But the sweet and beautiful night they share is ripped apart by blood and viciousness.

            Reuben is attacked by a beast of the night. He can’t see what it is. But he is bitten.

            This nerve-shocking, heart-rending night will start Reuben down a path of transformation no one saw coming. Yanked into an enigmatic new realm, his mind an heart are flooded by a myriad of questions.

            What is the wolf gift? Is it good or evil? Is he a furry saviour or a rabid demon? Is he alone or are there others?

            When I took this book off the shelf at one of my favourite bookstores, I had no idea what world I was entering. You might say I was seduced like Reuben, not by Marchent—the owner of the secluded estate—but by the story itself.

            The way Anne Rice describes things just takes my breath away. I see everything so vividly, I can smell the trees around the mansion, sense the age of the mansion itself, feel the sensations of Reuben’s transformations.

            His quest to discover his true meaning and purpose in life while at the same time trying to help everybody, protect his city, hit home with me.

            Of my collections of the “werewolf genre,” I must say this book is at the top of my favourites list.

            So, take my recommendation and click this link to go buy it: THE WOLF GIFT.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Another side note, I’m also a Patreon artist–the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful!

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com

by John Irvin

A commentary by John Irvin

CLICK HERE TO GO AND BUY STARQUEST FORGETFULNESS!!!

“That name. Hanna. Why did it sound so familiar? Who was Hanna?”

Hanna, Johan, Jordan, Josh, none of them remember themselves—as if they were put under a spell or someone was giving them doses of some memory-erasing compound.

Whatever the case, they are serving the Emperor of the Venlay Empire.

But when one of the servants finds an older counterpart of one of their team, it’s only a matter of time before they start to remember who they are and what they’re doing on this planet.

But can they escape in time?

            StarQuest: Forgetfulness is what you could call “the prequel of the prequel.” It is set before the StarQuest A Novel in my StarQuest Anthology. There are plans for more short ebooks in the future to add to one of my favourite sci-fi space opera adventures—and a second novel.

            As for Forgetfulness, I had a fun time exploring the possibility of other universe, parallel to our own, in which live different versions of ourselves. Yes, this is a common theme among many other science fiction worlds. So of course I had to add it. What would we be like if we made different choices in our lives?

            How would these different choices affect other people we know and love or hate? Could there be some decisions that are so signification—whether we know it or not—they could change the course of an entire galaxy?

            If you enjoy science fiction, anthologies, space operas, StarWars, StarGate, etc., you’ll enjoy this short ebook.

Click this link to go check it out: STARQUEST: FORGETFULNESS.

As a side note, I am required to inform you that my links provided are affiliate links to the said products. Hey, I’ve got to pay the bills somehow. I hope this is understandable!

Another side note, I’m also a Patreon artist–the cool thing about Patreon is it allows people to support artists by monthly pledges which allow the artists to have more time to work on their own passions. Here is my account: PATREON.COM. If you’d like to support me, I would be eternally grateful!

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or email me at john@johnirvinauthor.com