Tag: Review

A Review Of Books of Blood Volume 1 to 3

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that I want to promote. Since Halloween is coming up, I decided to post a review for one of the most disturbing horror books that I’ve ever read, Books of Blood. Books of Blood is an anthology divided into six volumes. This book is volume one to three. If “Clive Barker” does not ring a bell, his novel Hellbound Heart was the foundation for the Hellraiser series of eleven movies (with Pinhead). Books of Blood spawned seven movies. I read the paperback version.

I should mention that the stories in Books of Blood are very imaginative but disturbing and macabre and should not be read by children, and perhaps not even by young adults. There are bizarre depictions of violent deaths as well as some sexual themes. Other than demons, Clive Barker’s books do not include many standard horror characters such as vampires or zombies, and his stories also tend to be unique.

  • Paperback –  Published October 1, 1998, by Berkley, ISBN-10 : 0425165582, ISBN-13 : 978-0425165584, 507 pages, Item Weight : 1.1 pounds, Dimensions : 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches, it cost  $13.13 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Hardcover –  Published January 1, 1999, by Little, Brown, ISBN-10 : 0316853674, ISBN-13 : 978-0316853675, 512 pages, Item Weight : 1.26 pounds, it costs $32.10 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Dark grey cover with demons and humans in a hellish mix.
Front cover of Books of Blood Volume 1-3. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

Rediscover the true meaning of fear in this collection of horror stories from New York Times bestselling author Clive Barker.

“The most provocative tales of terror ever published.”—The Washington Post

Everybody is a book of blood; wherever we’re opened, we’re red…

With the publication of Books of Blood, Clive Barker became an overnight literary sensation. His tour de force collection of brilliantly disturbing tales demonstrated a genius for dark invention that rivaled Poe and Sade. He was hailed by Stephen King as “the future of horror,” and won both the British and World Fantasy Awards.

Now, with his numerous bestsellers, graphic novels, and hit movies like the Hellraiser films, Clive Barker has become an industry unto himself. It is his powerful writing style and arresting imagery that have made Books of Blood a classic—and Clive Barker a cult phenomenon.

Below is my review written for this blog post. I have not yet written a review for Amazon.

Simon McNeal is a quack pretending to be a medium. He is pretending to channel the spirits in a house that he claims is haunted. Unbeknownst to Simon, the house is haunted for real, and it is located on the highway of the dead and haunted by thousands of spirits. His fakery angers the spirits of the dead who have real stories to tell, horrific stories. They capture him and carve their stories into his skin using sharp little needles. These stories constitute the rest of the book. The concept of the Books of Blood brings to mind Ray Bradbury’s the Illustrated Man whose skin also told stories but in the form of pictures.

This book features 16 stories, and as I mentioned, are the foundation for several movies including Candyman, Lord of Illusions, Dread, Rawhead Rex, and Midnight Meat Train. The stories are disturbing and sometimes gross and they are gloomy and sad. In one story “Son of Celluloid”, a cancer tumor survives its host and gains sentience as well as psychic powers. It attacks people and implants bizarre hallucinations in people’s minds, leading to some very strange and gruesome deaths.

In another story “Jacqueline Ess: Her Will and Testament”, a woman acquires extremely powerful telekinetic powers after a suicide attempt. After Jacqueline’s husband admits to an affair, which he blames on her gloomy personality in the same breath, she gets so upset that she screams at him to “shut up”, which causes him to bite his own tongue off. This gives her ideas, and she decides to take revenge on bad men. Working as a prostitute she lures men to their own death. Let’s just say there is not much left of them when she is done with them, thus no crime to investigate.

Clive Barker mixes the gory, the disgusting and the brutal with good story telling. His imagination is macabre but amazing. Clive Barker uses vivid depictions and our fear of pain and death, and the fear of abandonment, and the losing of our humanity, to create dread and fear as we read these short stories. Books of Blood is a collection of stories for real horror fans, and it may not be for those looking for more lighthearted horror. For that we have Stephen King. They are both great story tellers, but Clive Barker pushes the macabre further than Stephen King does, and his stories are darker and less hopeful. I highly recommend Books of Blood to real horror fans but maybe not to everyone.

The back cover has the Amazon description of the book and a photo of Clive Barker.
Back cover of Books of Blood Volume 1-3. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the hardcover version of the book.

Sounds in the Silence

In my Leonberger blog I sometimes post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that I want to promote, and this is a book that I would like to promote. I recently read Sounds in the Silence by D.L. Finn: a mystery novel and thriller with paranormal aspects. I found this book to be very imaginative, suspenseful and fun to read and therefore I would like to promote it. It comes in a paperback edition and a Kindle edition.

  • Paperback – June 22, 2024, ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D7SQJJHD, ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986158785, 230 pages, item weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.52 x 9 inches, it is currently $ 9.99 on Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – June 24, 2024, ASIN B0D4C82RVQ, 232 pages. It is currently $0.99 on Amazon.com but free with Kindle unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Title : Sounds In the Silence, when the past demands justice. The title is on a background of a foggy forest, dark clouds, a spooky house and a full moon.
This is a scan of the front cover of the book Sounds in the Silence. Click on the photo to go to the Amazon location for the paperback version of the book.

This is Amazon’s description of the book.

Maria and Logan Davis stumbled upon the perfect old house by a secluded lake—a prime candidate for their dream inn. They knew a renovation was involved but didn’t expect a persistent ghost that pleaded to be found. Determined, Maria delved into the mystery, only to uncover a haunting love story and murder from the Roaring Twenties. Yet, the young couple’s curiosity shifts to fear when they realize someone is taking a dangerous interest in their barn. With time ticking away, they must unravel the secrets of their home’s past before it’s too late.

This is my five-star review for the book Sounds in the Silence

A Captivating Murder Mystery with Paranormal Components

Helen and Charlie live in a mansion in a small town in the mid-twenties during the prohibition. They are a happy and outgoing couple who loves to party, but they are breaking the law by drinking and serving alcohol to the indignation of many of the locals who are under the spell of an ultra-religious and menacing preacher. Maria and Logan move into the same mansion 40 years later. Maria and Logan realize that their mansion harbors a ghostly presence who seems to want to communicate.

The story is told using two timelines, which at first seem disconnected. However, the two parallel stories are presented in a seamless fashion, and they eventually connect and merge in clever ways. The secrets of the past are discovered and explained 40 years later using this technique. I think this novel primarily is a detective story and a thriller with paranormal components. With the help of the hints from the ghost, and their keen minds and perceptiveness, Maria and Logan begin to unravel the dangerous mysteries from the past thus putting themselves in danger. The evil forces from the past are still lurking in the little town.

This book is quite thrilling as well as fun to read. The story is clever and unique and there is something unexpected and interesting happening on every page. The author’s idea of how ghosts behave and the explanation for their limited abilities in the world among the living is as believable as anything I’ve read or seen in the movies. I highly recommend this intriguing and fun book.

A description of the book and a photo of the author.
This is a scan of the back cover of the book Sounds in the Silence. Click on the photo to go to the Amazon location for the kindle version of the book.

About the Author

D.L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy.

She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

This is her website

This is her author page on Amazon

Stories That Will Capture Your Heart

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that I want to promote. Well, I read another book that I loved, so this is another one of those. I am reviewing and promoting a wonderful collection of short stories and poems called The Storyteller Speaks: Powerful Stories to Win Your Heart by Annika Perry. I bought the paperback version.

The front cover is in blue and white and features a woman blowing on a dandelion. In the background there are stars on a dark blue sky.
Front cover of The Storyteller Speaks by Annika Perry. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback.

Amazon’s description of the book

It only takes one event to change a life. What is that action, decision, occurrence? Whose life is affected? Changed forever? In this eclectic mix of 21 short stories, flash fiction and poetry the pendulum swings between first love and murder, from soul-destroying grief to reconciliation. The tales veer from the sweet satisfaction of revenge to new beginnings, from heart-breaking miscarriages of justice to heart-warming Christmas misadventure. One common thread binds them all; the belief that there is no such thing as an ordinary life; they’re all extraordinary. Open your hearts and minds as The Storyteller Speaks.

Below is my review of The Storyteller Speaks by Annika Perry Click Here To See My Review On Amazon.

Captivating Stories for the Soul

This is a collection of 21 beautifully written stories as well as a few poems. Some of the stories depict the struggles and disappointments in life, some of them are tragic and sad, and some of them are uplifting and fun, but all of them are captivating stories centered on the unexpected in people’s lives. The author’s ability to portray emotions without using superlatives is remarkable. I could feel for and sympathize with the characters with ease. A few skillfully descriptive words were all that was needed. The author’s background is Swedish and since my background is Swedish many aspects of the stories felt familiar to me.

Many of the stories, perhaps all of them, are based on real events, sometimes taken from the author’s own life. I think the story that stayed with me the most was A Green Cage. It was about a woman who was wrong-fully convicted of murdering her children. The story depicted her emotions both very harrowingly and realistically just by stating the facts about what she felt. Another story that stayed with me was Sofia, a story about a tragedy occurring at the zoo. It depicted the dire consequences of thoughtless teenage antics as well as love and bravery going overboard. People do stupid things that can turn a fun day into death. The first story, Biding her Time, is a beautiful love story, which I believe was about the love story of her grandfather and grandmother. The last story, “The Loss of a Patriarch”, is a beautiful tribute to her late grandfather.

It is a very enjoyable and unforgettable collection of stories that is masterfully written. I loved reading it and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in reading short stories.

The back cover is in blue and white and features the backside of the head of the woman blowing on a dandelion. Again, with stars on a dark blue background in the background.
Back cover of The Storyteller Speaks by Annika Perry. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the kindle version.

About the Author

Photo of Annika Perry author of The Storyteller Speaks.

Annika Perry is a full-time writer, blogger and book reviewer. She was born in Gothenburg, Sweden and raised near Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Annika received her BA Honours Degree in German Language and Literature from the University of Leeds.

Her initial employment was as a journalist followed by many years as an agent in the timber trade. She was awarded first prize in Writing Magazine’s Short Story Competition in 2014 and also shortlisted in an Ink Tears Short Fiction Contest. “The Storyteller Speaks”, a collection of short stories, flash fiction and poetry, was her debut book. “Oskar’s Quest”, a beautifully illustrated and enchanting children’s story, is her second published book. Annika Perry lives with her family in a small village in North Essex, England.

Connect with Annika via:

Author Website / Blog:

Twitter:

Goodreads:

Linkedin:

Another Wonderful Review of My Leonberger Book

I am overjoyed to see this very beautifully written and supportive review of my book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle.” Please take a look at this blog post.

It should be noted that I did not see a reblog button on the post so I hope it is OK that I just link to it here.

Click on the picture to see the review

Wonderful Review of My Leonberger Book

I was overjoyed to see this very supportive and beautifully written review of my book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle.” It is detailed and filled with helpful information. Please take a look at this blog post.

The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: A Book Review

Truths Never Before Told Now Revealed with Powerful Poems

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but are books that I love, and I therefore want to promote. This time I would like to promote All the Words I Kept Inside by P.J. Gudka – July 9, 2024. In this book P.J. Gudka, or Pooja, lets out her innermost feelings utilizing enchanting and beautiful poetry and it ends up being quite powerful. I bought the Kindle edition.

  • Paperback –  Publisher : Wild Ink Publishing (June 29, 2024), ISBN-10 : 1958531650, ISBN-13 : 978-1958531655, 112 pages, Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.7 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.26 x 8 inches, it currently cost $ $19.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : Wild Ink Publishing (July 9, 2024), ASIN : B0D42BHQQ8, 113 pages. It is currently $6.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover title and author and a drawing of a young woman with flowers.
Front cover of All the Words I Kept Inside Kindle Edition by P.J. Gudka. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

What is your truth? What is your secret? What secrets are you keeping from the world that you hope one day you will be brave enough to tell? When will you tell your heart? All The Words I Kept Inside allows you this moment.

This collection of poetry urges you to look deeply inside and confront your darkest thoughts. It takes that inner dread, disappointment, and heartache to reveal the words of the heart. This book will show you that you are not alone. That you are understood. That you don’t have to go through these dark moments on your own because so many of us experience them too. The words found inside will reach out a hand and guide you.

This is your moment.

This is your truth that you’ve never told anyone.

The words see you.

From the very earliest moments, the words know…

“All the words I kept inside. In you, I now confide…”

This is my five-star review of the book All the Words I Kept Inside by P.J. Gudka. Click here to see my review on Amazon.

The Girl Who Fell in Love with the Monster Under Her Bed

It’s OK to mourn the person you were. Even if you love the person you are now. That was one of the phrases in this book. This book features beautiful and deeply moving poems. They are often dark and sad, and while reading it I couldn’t help but recalling the phrase from the song “the sound of silence”, “Hello darkness my old friend I’ve come to talk with you again”. The author put her innermost feelings and angst into poems using enchanting word formations and rhymes. The poems were dark but also full of wisdom, truth and beauty. As soon as my kindle book was made available to me, I started reading it and I could not stop. The poems were so intriguing and powerful. Reading this book was a very special experience. I highly recommend this beautiful book of poetry.

About the Author

Photo of P.J. Gudka author of All the Words I Kept Inside.

P. J. Gudka is a writer, blogger and freelancer currently working from Kenya. Her journey as a blogger began when she created her multi-niche blog, Lifesfinewhine, as a teenager, to share her experiences with life, mental health, travel and more. Since then, her blog has captured the interest of thousands of people around the world and is now her full-time passion.

Her writing has been published in books like Hidden In Childhood: A Poetry Anthology and Glow: Self-Care Poetry For The Soul as well as multiple magazines.

Click here to visit is her blog

https://lifesfinewhine.ca/

Lunar Gazing Poetry

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that I want to promote. This time I would like to promote Lunar Gazing Haiku by Dawn Pisturino. This is a wonderful short book featuring beautiful poetry. I bought it from Amazon for 99 cents. The publisher is Horse Mesa Press (June 8, 2024), print length is 32 pages, ASIN : B0D6LWR5GL.

The front cover is in gold cover featuring a window with a night sky in background. There are stars and a moon in the night sky.
Front cover of Lunar Gazing Haiku by Dawn Pisturino. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

In Japan, tsukimi (moon gazing) is an annual Harvest Moon Festival celebrated in September. Dating back centuries, when the noble classes composed music and poetry while viewing the full moon, the festival now includes everybody and marks the celebration of the autumn season. Looking for the “rabbit in the moon” while picnicking under the stars, appreciating the moon’s sacred splendor, giving thanks for bounties received, and looking forward to a prosperous future make this a special event. The 62 haiku in this digital chapbook celebrate all seasons and all aspects of life, with the last chapter dedicated to moon gazing. Enjoy the fun.

Click here to see my review on Amazon

Lunar Gazing Haiku is a delightful short book featuring 62 Haikus about the seasons, holidays, nature, love, spirituality, animals and the moon. The book also has an interesting introduction explaining what a Haiku is and the history of Haiku. The Haikus in the book are fun, ponderous, beautiful, often soothing and sometimes they evoked beautiful imagery and memories. Snow Moon brought me back to my childhood and the dark winters in northern Sweden. My favorites were Your Name, Old Age, Dogs, The Beach, Mercury, Words, and Snow Moon. I highly recommend this beautiful little book of poetry.

About the Author

Dawn Pisturino is a retired nurse in Arizona whose international publishing credits include poems, short stories, and articles. Her poetry has appeared in several anthologies, most recently in Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women, and the 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine. She is a Mystery Writers of America, Arizona Authors Association, and PEN America member.

Her first poetry book, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023, debuted to positive reviews. Click here to visit is her blog.

Leonberger Book Reviews Maybe

On Amazon my Leonberger book has 13 ratings including 11 reviews and on Goodreads I have four reviews and on Bookbub and Barnes & Noble none. All the reviews are wonderful and supportive five-star reviews. I am extremely grateful for this .💖

However, with this post I would like to shamelessly request additional reviews. The vast majority of readers do not write reviews. I know, I am the same way. It is hardly something you expect. But if anyone out there who has read my book and has not written a review somewhere, is willing to do just that, I would be very grateful. I would like to stress that the review certainly doesn’t have to be a four-star, or five-star review and they don’t need to be elaborate or wonderful or long. Short honest reviews between one-star and five-star would all be very helpful to me.

If you go to the Amazon page for my book and you scroll down until you see “Customer Reviews” on the left-hand side, there is a white button below “Customer Reviews” bars that says, “Write a customer review”. You can also get here by clicking on the small blue text near the top that says, “13 ratings”. Once you click on the “Write a customer review” button you will see four fields “Overall rating”, “Add a headline”, “Add a photo or video”, and “Add a written review”. “Add a photo or video” is optional, and I admit I have never used it. You can either type something in the “Add a written review” box or copy from, for example, Microsoft Word. Note that Amazon takes a few days to publish a review after it has been submitted.

It works similarly on Barnes & Noble but here you have a blue button towards the bottom on the left. On Bookbub there is a red button towards the bottom left and on Goodreads there is a black “write a review” button in the middle halfway down.

By clicking on any of the pictures below you can visit my book on Bookbub and Goodreads.

he image shows the Leonberger lying in the green grass. Click on the image to go to the Bookbub location for the book.
This is a photo of our late Leonberger Bronco lying in the grass in the front yard soon after a toe surgery. Click on the image to go to the Bookbub location for the book.
The image shows two photos. On the left is Leonberger puppy wearing scarf. On the right is an old Leonberger lying in the frass. Click on the image to go to the Goodreads location for the book.
This is a photo of our Leonberger Bronco at 3 months old (left) and at almost 13 years old (right). Click on the image to go to the Goodreads location for the book.

When to Raise Your Eyebrows At Your Leonberger Breeder

Note: After I posted this review of the book Amazon deleted the book. Therefore it is no longer available.

That’s a strange title but bear with me. In this post I am reviewing a book containing some strange language and I am just pointing that out. The book I am reviewing is Leonberger: The Complete Leonberger Manual Leonberger Care, Personality, Grooming, Feeding, Health And All Included Paperback – October 18, 2021 by Dr. Aaron Abdul. The paperback is 38 pages, ISBN 979-8499345672, item weight 3.2 ounces, dimensions 5 x 0.09 x 8 inches. You can buy it from Amazon, as a paperback, or e-Book. The paperback version is currently $7.99 on Amazon, and the Kindle version is $2.99.

Photo of the front cover of the book Back cover of the book Leonberger by Dr. Aaron Abdul. Click on the image to go to the Amazon location for the book.
Front cover of the book Back cover of the book Leonberger by Dr. Aaron Abdul.

Below I am posting my Amazon review of Leonberger: The Complete Leonberger Manual Leonberger Care, Personality, Grooming, Feeding, Health And All Included Paperback – October 18, 2021 by Dr. Aaron Abdul. Click here to see my original Amazon review. BTW I gave the book two stars. It should be noted the book has been deleted but my original Amazon review is still accessible.

If the Breeder Refuses, Raise your Eyebrows

This Leonberger book has a lot of issues including typos, poor grammar, poor punctuation, the wrong choice of words, incomprehensible sentences, unfinished sentences, frequent repetition, and there are a lot of large random gaps between the words. Several lines begin with one word, and then there is a large gap followed by the second word in the sentence at the very end of the line. Basically, the book design is a mess. My guess is that the author does not speak English well and did not hire an editor. My review title refers to this sentence regarding asking for a visit to a breeder; “T 1 If the breeder refuses, raise your eyebrows”. The “T 1” at the beginning I assume is a typo. “Raise your eyebrows” I guess is a mistranslated metaphor. The high frequency of mistakes made it difficult to read the book.

The book contains no pictures or illustrations. The book contains this sentence regarding hip dysplasia “The Leonbergers account for 13% of all cases”. What I believe the author intended to say was “13% of all Leonbergers are afflicted with hip dysplasia” but the sentence reads differently seemingly stating the impossible considering that the Leonberger is a rare breed. I can add that hip dysplasia is more common in other giant breeds.

The book title states, “The Complete Leonberger Manual…”. As you can understand there is nothing complete about a book containing 30 pages of content, written in large print, and with words separated by large random spaces. However, the choice of facts and topics is good, even though the topics are discussed too briefly, and I did not see much incorrect information, which is why I am giving the book two stars instead of one star.

Photo of the back cover of the book Leonberger by Dr. Aaron Abdul.
The back cover of the book Leonberger by Dr. Aaron Abdul.