Reviews and Comments

So, this was a weird one. As a McCammon fan, I've been slowly working my way through the earlier books that I had skipped when I got busy with college things. I decided to read this one because I saw the Peacock series Teacup is loosely based on it. I've watched the first four episodes of the show, and the connections are definitely very loose. It is good to see McCammon is a producer on the show.

Stinger is classic early McCammon with great body horror and suspense, and the themes definitely connect to his later novel Swan Song, but the writing isn't as mature. It’s kind of self-satisfying to see the connections running and developing through an author’s works.

The pacing is also pretty slow. This book could have been half as long and just as effective. The tensions between the Mexican and white communities are also pretty dated and seem naive. They just don't feel realistic. That said, past-me, the one coming of age in the 80s, might disagree.

Overall, if you're a McCammon fan, it's worth checking out, but it's definitely not his best work.

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions, a symphony of storytelling that left my heart pounding and a little exhausted.

Zélie is a force to be reckoned with. The story begins where the previous one left off: Zélie is imprisoned with other Orïshans on a ship sailing for a foreign land, and she’s been crowned with Magicite embedded into her skull. We learn, “the skulls” are looking for a diviner who can serve in a ritual for King Baldyr.

The world-building is simply breathtaking. Adeyemi paints a vivid picture of Orïsha and Gaia, a country introduced in this novel. Like the diviners, the powers of the Gaian’s is connected to their land.

The plot twists and turns like a river, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, Adeyemi throws a curveball that leaves you reeling. And the ending? Well, you’ll be satisfied. That said, I would have loved a bit more denouement, not Return of the King levels, but a bit more conclusion after the climax. I just want to know how everything settles.

In short, Children of Anguish and Anarchy is an absolute triumph. It's a must-read for fans of fantasy, adventure, and anyone who loves a good story. So grab your staff, summon your inner warrior, and prepare to be swept away on an unforgettable journey!

This book is an absolute delight! Richard Osman's cozy mystery charmed me from the start with its clever plot, endearing characters, and witty humor. It follows four retirees in a peaceful village who meet weekly to investigate cold cases. When a real murder happens nearby, they jump at the chance to put their skills to the test.

Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron are the heart of this story. Their banter and friendship are a joy to read, and their unique strengths make them a formidable team. Osman's writing is sharp and filled with heartwarming observations about life and aging. The mystery is well-crafted, with twists that kept me guessing until the very end.

Beyond the mystery, this book celebrates friendship, community, and the wisdom of older adults. It's a reminder that it's never too late to find purpose and excitement, and it left me feeling uplifted and entertained. If you're looking for a charming and witty cozy mystery with unforgettable characters, The Thursday Murder Club is the perfect pick!

Thunderhead takes readers on another journey into a world where death has been conquered and Scythes maintain population control through gleaning. While not quite reaching the heights of its predecessor, Thunderhead delivers a captivating narrative with shocking twists that will leave readers reeling.

Citra’s unwavering compassion and dedication to justice clash with the brutal realities of gleaning and the treacherous political landscape of the Scythedom, the one segment of society ungoverned by the Thunderhead. Citra does navigate the surprises of this novel with a wisdom beyond her years.

Rowan, now the elusive Scythe Lucifer, embraces his role as a vigilante, targeting corrupt Scythes who abuse their power. His relentless pursuit of justice leads him down a dark path, blurring the lines between good and evil. I wonder if the Thunderhead did have some influence over the Scythedom if it would have created a role like Scythe Lucifer as a means to keep Scythes on track with their own laws.

Greyson Tolliver, a new character, finds himself thrust into the heart of a conspiracy that threatens to unravel the very fabric of society. His unwavering integrity and determination to uncover the truth make him a target for those who seek to maintain the status quo. Greyson's journey of self-discovery and his unwavering pursuit of justice offer a glimmer of hope in a world on the brink of chaos. And, in the end, he may be humanities only hope.

The climactic ending of Thunderhead is nothing short of shocking. The actions of a certain character, Godard, will leave readers speechless and questioning everything they thought they knew about the world and its inhabitants. This bold twist sets the stage for the final installment of the trilogy, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the resolution of this complex and thought-provoking narrative.

Throughout my reading, I wondered when the main story of Jason, Leo, and Piper would intersect with the search for Percy. I wish I’d caught on earlier to the larger picture, but I did manage to put it together before the big reveal toward the end.

Never during this adventure did I think it would be a self-contained story. Despite knowing it’s a five book series, just the text itself makes it clear this is an introduction to new main characters, and they need their own story to avoid being overshadowed by those characters we know and love already.

The new prophecy tells us we’ll be balancing between seven major heroes. Obviously, our new three plus Percy and Annabeth make five, but who will the final two be? Thalia? Grover? Nicco? Someone new? That’s a lot of characters to keep up with. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the follow-up books are as good as this one.

I’m not a big fan of the lost memory trope, but in the larger scope of the series, it plays an integral part in bringing characters together, so I really admire Riordan’s use of it here. And, even at the end, I’m wondering what we’ll discover about Jason that he’s just now remembering.

Finally, I love how Riordan is using the Greek and Roman aspects of the gods, their differences, and even how those differences have created Earthly conflict. I’m really looking forward to the rest of this series, and if he does something similar with the Egyptian and Norse gods, I might continue with the other series.

This is a great start to a series.

The opening of this book is pretty solid for creating suspense on the topic, then Hill moves into the history of facial recognition, which slows the narrative considerably; however, the book is well worth sticking with. Once the author moves into use cases and stories, the danger of ubiquitous facial recognition becomes pretty clear.

One of the reviews I read would like Hill to lean away from politics, particularly because she’s clearly anti-Trump, probably because he’s made it very clear that he’ll use any means necessary to punish his “enemies.”

I don’t have any issues with either the overt or implied integration of politics in this book because the use of facial recognition will be (is?) inherently political. What happens when someone comes into power in the U.S. or another country whose views I don’t agree with?

Whether that person is a local sheriff or the POTUS doesn’t really matter. Technology can be weaponized against anyone, so avoiding the political lens is nearly as dangerous as the technology itself. We must consider both the positive and negative use cases, and then create barriers to limit the negative uses of the technology if possible.

Hill does a nice job telling the emotional story of the technology. Reading the tale of the man mis-identified by ClearView, arrested without followup evidence, and then held for a few days is heartbreaking. I hope his family gets a good settlement and the deputies in that story learn a powerful lesson, something better than, “Oh, hey, he really doesn’t look like the guy in this photo. Maybe we should have done more checking first.”

While ClearView-level facial recognition can solve a lot of problems like making it easier to separate and identify looters and rioters during a protest, it will also make it easier for the opposing side to identify and harass those participating in a legal protest. It provides tools for stalkers to unmask the pseudonyms of sex workers, making them less safe. It will make separating oneself from the past, getting a fresh start nearly impossible. Witness protection will be dead.

This technology makes the unforgiving nature of the internet just that much more permanent.

Clearly, at book 34 I’m a dedicated Sandford fan, and I usually love the Prey novels, but until the last few chapters, this book was a slog. The only reason I’m giving this three stars is because I loved the ending.

This is supposed to be a Letty and Lucas adventure, but they don’t really do anything together. However, I definitely enjoyed Lucas’s dad-comments toward Letty’s new partner. I also liked Hawkins and Letty together. The two characters come from different backgrounds and have different values, in much the same way Winter and Lucas are different. They complement each other.

Dedicated series readers shouldn’t worry about rushing to the end… go ahead, rush. The whole chase is monotonous and was done better in both 12 Monkeys and Inferno. Enjoy the end though. I found it pretty satisfying. The scene where another law enforcement officer threatens to shoot Lucas if he does what he promises is one of the few great moments of tension and suspense in the whole story.

The only criticism I can muster for this book is my desire for more examples within my field, so authors, if you create a 4DX geared specifically at education, running a district and schools, I’ll be first in line.

As an educator in struggling Nevada, I’ve seen one or two elements of 4DX implemented time and again without success; however, never with a scoreboard or lead indicator weekly goal settings.

We revisit goals annually at every level of our district, and we’ve implemented PLC time daily for teachers to meet and to share ideas and review their goals, and at one point a principal had teachers set weekly goals. But, eventually everything falls apart as everything gets swept up in the whirlwind.

I love the approach with these disciplines, the idea that we can’t eliminate or often alter the whirlwind. The work is the work is the work, but if we fundamentally want to change things, we have to set bite sized, achievable, weekly goals that will move the needle for achievement. And, all of the disciplines, supported by all leaders, are critical to prevent the plan from falling apart.

The Disciplines: Focus on the wildly important Act on the lead measures Keep a compelling scoreboard Create a cadence of accountability

For me, the lead measures and the scoreboard hold the most interest because I haven’t really seen change management implement these two. I’ve also not seen really successful change management.

Two items I really appreciate about this book are the clarity around the disciplines and the examples. The whole second and third sections are devoted to examples.

After reading this, I’m really looking forward to our training session later in the month, and I’m excited to see how we move forward.

McCammon never fails to satisfy, and he definitely brings the emotion in this one.

Curtis is a Listener. He can hear and mentally speak with other listeners. He has a very specific telepathy; he can’t simply read minds. As a child, his mother took him to different types of doctors until one finally explained that he wasn't sick or crazy, just different, maybe blessed.

Nila, a young girl of 10, finds Curtis. She’s also a Listener and, like Curtis, she doesn’t know if the voices in her head are real.

From the shocking murders in the first chapter, the reader knows he’s in for a ride. Sadly, that murderer wasn’t even the worst character in the novel. Like Swan Song, the characters here embody different types of good and evil, and the unknown of their personalities makes it difficult to know where things will go until the end.

Once the plot moves into the kidnapping, I found myself uplifted by Curtis’s need to help a stranger despite the many obstacles in doing so, race not being the smallest of those.

I listened to this book, and for the first time in a long time, I was worried for the characters and caught up in the moment. My walking pace was significantly faster the week I listened to this, and I frequently had to stop and unclench my fists. I even gasped aloud at a couple of events.

Readers should be aware that this book is set in the 1930s and has all the racist hallmarks of the period. They are important to the complications of the plot.