Book Review - Planet Mermaid by Leza Cantoral

Planet Mermaid is short and fast-paced. It was over before I could blink and never boring. The book uses a basic fairytale formula similar to Disney films as an initial basis for something much darker and more unique. It begins with Lilia the mermaid who is dissatisfied with her mundane life in an underwater paradise. Lilia's sisters are content with their lives that pretty much consist of socializing, mating, and pawning their babies off on her. Lilia, however, dreams of traveling to the mysterious surface above, meeting the land walkers, maybe even hooking up with one. A cliche setup for sure, but thats the point. The familiarity works as an instantly accessible introduction and as a perfect dichotomy to what follows, drawing out the following events, giving them more oomph than if the story had come out guns blazing. I’m not just talking about the violent and sexual content. This isn’t an adult fairytale. Whether or not that's what it's trying to be, I’m not sure, but I feel calling it that would be doing it a disservice.

After its brief intro segment that lasts only a few pages, the story itself transitions along with the protagonist. Lilia makes her way to the surface and emerges from her fairytale cliche. She enters a new world that is much harder to define, it's a little sci-fi, a little horror, and extremely unpredictable. At this point, in complete contrast to what it initially had you believe was in store, the element of surprise becomes it’s greatest asset, and talking about any specific moment, even the smaller ones, would be a massive spoiler. It hits you with a barrage of super cool imagery, grotesque cruelty, and thought provoking plot. The final scene in particular is a complete surprise, almost seeming out of left field, but is actually a perfect way to wrap things up, bringing the ideas from the beginning back around with a twist and giving meaning to everything that happened in between.

Planet Mermaid can be effortlessly read in one sitting and will stick with you long after its short runtime. It establishes a surprising amount about its characters and world, and while closing the loop on everything major pertaining to the specific story it’s telling, it leaves you (Much like Lilia) wanting to know more about it’s universe.

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Book Review - Dead Bitch Army by Andre Duza

Let me start by saying that I really like the concept. I have read authors that are hit or miss. I have read books that are hit or miss. But I have never read chapters that are hit or miss...until I read Dead Bitch Army. There are parts that are so stimulating that I could not peel my eyes away, yet there were parts that were so dry that they repelled my eyes like a magnetic field of blah. The "interesting" thing is that the intriguing bits aren't always the same type of scene. At one point there is an interesting fight scene, at another point there is a suspenseful sit-and-wait scene, there is even an instance of a long conversation in a restaurant about a topic that I disagree should be in the book entirely; yet all of these were engaging scenes. Then, there were scenes that should have held my attention. The content was there, but the heart was not. It seemed as if he had a great story that wasn't quite long enough, so he wrote the same story again, this time dry. Then he shuffled the two together. Andre Duza can be (and possibly is) a great writer. I regret that this is the first of his books that I read, but I will definitely read more Duza. I wouldn't feel comfortable with this rating without giving him another try.

Another reason that I had to rate this book lower than I normally would is the editing. Their are misspellings, misuse of words, and even incomplete sentences. These are issues that aren't necessarily the author's fault. They are in the book nonetheless, and this is a book review, not an author review. I have been informed since originally reviewing this book that there are multiple versions; one more edited than the other. I evidently ended up with the original, less edited version, so you may end up with a better copy than I did. In all, the book itself was somewhat entertaining, but somewhat difficult to get through with the editorial mistakes.

2.5/5

Jeremy Robert Johnson Reviews

Jeremy Robert Johnson is amazing. He is one of the best authors I've ever read and a really nice guy. After having read three of Jeremy Robert Johnson's books, he has surpassed almost every other author on my favorites list. Which, until recently, had not changed in about seven years. He has gone above William S. Burroughs and Kurt Vonnegut. He has risen to the top, and he may very well stay there forever. He will be shelved among the greats. He is a literary genius. His words paint pictures that will make you laugh. They will make you cry. And they will make you want to tear your eyes out. And you will be glad you did, because you will know that the last thing you ever read was the pinnacle of literature.

We Live Inside You is a collection of short stories, some of which will make you want to crawl right out of your skin and watch from a distance. At once enthralling and grotesque. These stories will leave you wondering what is actually going on inside you. Just don't wonder too much late at night. You may not be able to sleep it off.

Angel Dust Apocalypse is another of Jeremy's collections. The imagery is sharp and beautiful. Some of these stories will leave you with a hole in your heart, others will leave you with a hole in your brain. Angel Dust Apocalypse is deeply original.

Extinction Journals is a Novella that is a continuation of The Sharp Dressed Man at the End of the Line, a short story from Angel Dust Apocalypse. The novella can stand alone, so The Sharp Dressed Man at the End of the Line does not need to be read first. Extinction Journals takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and the protagonist is a man named Dean who is wearing a suit made of live cockroaches.

Each of these books deserves five out of five stars, two thumbs up, and a large trophy. I can't wait to see what Skullcrack City has in store.