A Story of Redemption and Recovery: Trejo By Danny Trejo

 Title: Trejo

 Author: Danny Trejo

 Genre: Memoir/Autobiography

 Rating: 4 out of 5 paws

 Danny Trejo is one of the most recognized actors in Hollywood.  On screen he is a baddie who has been killed at least 100 times; he's been stabbed, shot, hung, chopped up, even squished by an elevator.  Off screen he is known as a hero in the recovery community.  Raised in an abusive home he has a history of heroin abuse, stints in some of the most notorious and scary prisons: San Quentin, Folsom and others.  He learned how to survive on the inside and once he got out.  He has had roles in some of the most well known cult classics such as Heat, and of course his most well-known role of Machete.  In his memoir, he recounts how he managed life in prison, his spirituality, his recover and his mission to helps others along the road of addiction recovery.  His book is a reflection of a magnificent life of redemption, tragedy, pain and ultimately success.

Before reading this book I already knew some of his past and the things this actor has been able to accomplish and overcome throughout his life.  But there was so much that I didn't know.  Reading through his hardships and everything he has overcome including reconciling with his children, makes me love him even more.  He is not ashamed of his past because it made him into the man he is, he learned from it and he may still have some more to learn as he reflects on certain aspects of his private life.  It was amazing to see how he turned his life around and founded numerous recovery centers and how he'd go to the baddest parts of town looking for people to help.  He is a true treasure and gem.  Danny Trejo proves that 1. you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and 2. that someone's past doesn't define who they are now.  It contributes to who they become but just because there was addiction then, doesn't mean it will continue.  He worked hard to get to where is today and should be proud of everything he accomplished.

Memoirs/autobiographies are not typically my cup of tea, but I have been trying to branch out a little more and I am glad that I picked up this one.  I seen it and said "this one I need to read" and I am glad that I did.  Reading the stories through Danny's words made it all so entertaining, I could almost hear his voice sometimes.  It was very interesting to hear how Machete came about including that children have dressed up as the character for Halloween (not exactly what I'd call a kids movie, but it goes to show the impact this man has had in pop culture, as well as society.)  True to Danny Trejo, this novel is raw, unfiltered and unashamably him.  Definitely recommend.

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Fire Keeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Title: The Fire Keeper's Daughter

Author: Angeline Boulley

Genre: YA

Rating: 5 out of 5

Daunis Fontaine has never been able to fit in, in either her hometown or on the nearby Ojibwe reservation.  She puts her future of studying medicine on hold to help care of her ailing mother.  The only seemingly bright spot in her life is Jamie a new recruit on her brother's hockey team. Yet, as she falls for Jamie, things he says and does doesn't add up and she begins to suspect that he is hiding something.  When she witnesses a horrific murder, everything begins to make sense and she is thrown in the middle of a criminal investigation.  She agrees to go undercover, but soon discovers that the deceptions and betrayal keep piling up and comes to close to home.  Now she must learn what it means to be a strong Ojibwe woman and far she will go to protect her community and those she loves.

I had this book on my TBR for a little while, and then a woman in my book club mentioned how great it was so I moved it up on my list and read it right away.    The first half of the novel we get background information and character building, but as the book progresses the plot thickens and gets intense.  You will get completely swept up into the storyline, I know I did. The second half of the book becomes a real rollercoaster of emotion, tragedy, suspense, coming of age, and culture.  Whatever your reason for reading this book you will learn something new.

I love how steeped in Native American culture this novel was, I love learning about the traditions, religion, language, history, herbs, relationships and more.  And there is no better author to present this information than Angeline Boulley.  Boulley approaches touch topics in a professional, and mature manner.  There are so many topics that could be a trigger such as abuse, addiction, sexual assault, grief, and even politics, but Boulley includes these topics in a way that it doesn't trigger (at least it didn't for me).  She doesn't include them in a gratuitous way nor do they take away from the story.  If anything it makes the novel more intense, more emotional.

The cover drew me in and Boulley's words held me captive.  Probably the BEST book I've read this year.

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Within the Whispering Shadows Comes A Wonderful Novel

Author: D.E. Night 

Title: The Girl with the Whispering Shadow

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Source: Paperback

Rating: 4 out of 5 paws

Ivy has just saved the world from the Dark Queen and has found out she fulfills a prophecy.  She is quickly whisked away from her school to the town of Belzebuthe.  Belzebuthe is a secret town for only those with magical blood, if you don't already know where the town is you will be unable to be able to find it.  Ivy sets out on a new quest to find the second piece to the Kindred Stone while hiding from the Dark Queen. While she is supposed to be safe within Belzebuthe, something seems to be looming over her head.  She needs to find the magic within herself and more as she beigins the battle of her life.  Will she find the next stone and return the Halls of Ivy before it is too late?

This is the second book in the Crowns of Croswald series and it remains a wonderful series.  This is a series for anyone who enjoys reading whimsical fantasy.  The book picks up right where the last one left off with Ivy learning more nd strives to find the rest of the stones.  D.E Night builds a world that is so imaginitve and unique.  In this series readers see a world where learning, sketching, word usage, imagination and discovery are all important parts of magic.  D.E describes everything in way that it is easy to see the world being painted in front of you as you progress through the book.  In this series magic users (or scrivinist) use quills instead of wands and some partake in a game called Quogo where opponents do battle using quills from former scrivinist.  She has so many creative ideas that makes me want to see where night takes the series.

One thing that I love about the series is while there is a budding romance between Ivy and Fin, that is not the sole focus.  They build their friendship first, the most we've seen between the two characters has been a blush and some flirting.  It is fantastic for a young adult book to show the friendship building side of a relationship rather than jumping into a relationship.  Readers also see a character struggling with finding her place in the world, dealing with feelings of inadequacies, and how she copes with all of the things she faces with the help of her friends, her knowledge, and her own power.  Ivy is a powerful role model that I think young girls need to have.

I have refered to this a young adult novel, but I would recommend it middle grade readers as well.  I lump it as YA because Ivy is a 16 year old girl.There is so much in Ivy that readers of all ages would benefit from.  If you are looking for a good fantasy read, I would give Crowns of Croswald as a series a try.  you won't be disappointed.

Local Legends: The Mothman: Harbinger of Doom

 Myths and legends touch upon the unknown, intriguing us of what is beyond the things we can see.  Many cultures have legends or folklore that shows who they are, their beliefs and values..  Other myths and legend evolve from stories, true events, dreams, revelations and any combination of those things. Anywhere you go, you will be sure to learn of a legend centered in that area.  For West Virginia, the legend of the Mothman is such a tale that accompanies the area.  The tale of the Mothman is such an interesting story, that there was a movie produced in 2002 staring Richard Gere: The Mothman Prophecies which presents the tale and raises questions of what is the Mothman?

The Mothman legend started in November 1966 in the town of Point Pleasant, when a couple of gravediggers claimed to have seen a massive brown humanlike creature moving rapidly from tree to tree.  With that sighting, the legend begins.

Three days after the initial sighting, two couples report another sighting where they describe seeing a grey-winged beast standing 6-7 ft tall in front of their vehicle.  It had bright red glowing eyes, with a 10 ft wingspan.  It is possible the creature is sensitive to light as it seemed to have avoided the headlights of the car.  The couples tried out run the beast, but it had a flight speed of an estimated 100 mph, but was much slower when it ran.  

Several days later comes yet another sighting.  This time a man heard strange sounds outside while strange patterns appeared on his television.  When he looked outside with a flashlight, he seen what appeared to be 2 red eyes reflected back at him.  Oddly enough his dog went missing around this same time, which people have attributed to the Mothman.  One of the last recorded sightings is that of a young woman walking into her house with her baby when she observed the creature emerging from the shadows.  She ran inside only to have the creature peer in through the windows from the porch.  Then he suddenly disappeared.

In December 1967 after some of the last sightings, tragedy struck in the form of a bridge collapsing.   Forty Six people died from the incident, from either drowning in the river or being crushed among the wreckage.  There have been reports of the Mothman being seen just before the incident.  This has caused the theory that the Mothman is a harbinger of doom.  There is no census, however, on whether or not Mothman is trying to warn humans of impending doom or if he is the cause of the doom.  All together in West Virginia there have been over 100 reports sightings of the Mothman.   

Even though Mothman remains a West Vrignia myth, there have been other incidents of Mothman sightings outside of the West Virginia area.  Just before the disaster of Chernobyl, there are reports of Mothman sightings, even as recent as within the past couple years when a pilot in Chicago reported seeing the creature in August of 2019.  The pilot recounts riding on a shuttle to the terminal and seeing a large humanoid with wings sitting on a railing. Watching him with red eyes.  The creature kept his wings open, slowly moving them as it watched the shuttle. His account others can be read an the article by Tobas & Emily Wayland on the Singular Fortean website (link at the end of the post).

While it is unknown of what Mothman could be there are some theories that he is an alien stuck on earth, some sort of mutated bird, or even a vengeful curse.  Regardless of what the Mothman is or what he represents he is a legend that is revelant today as people continue to report sightings of the creature whether in West Virignia or not.

He has garnered enough intrigued that the town of Point Pleasant hosts an annual Mothman festival generally held in September.  For information on the festival visit the Mothman festival homepage. Not only has the Mothman been brought to life on the screen, there are several books about him as well you can check out:

The Mothman Prophecies by John Keel

Mothman: The Facts behind the Legend: by Jeff Wamsley

Beyond the Prophecies of Mothman by Andrew Colvin

Monsters of West Virginia by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Other Articles of Note:

Second Pilot Reports Sighting of "Mothman" at Chicago's O'Hare

The Terrifying tale of West Virginia's Spectre: The Mothman

  

Beautiful, Lyrical Novel of Family Legacy: The Mountains Sing Review

Title: The Mountains Sing

Author: Nguyen Phan Que Mai

Genre: Historical Fiction, Family Legacy

Source: Paperback - giveaway win

Rating: 4 out of 5

Houng is a young woman awaiting the return of her parents who have gone off to fight in the Ho Chi Minh trail conflict.  She is unsure if they will ever return as she and her grandmother find a new normal.  Tran Dieu Lan and her children were forced to leave her land during the Land Reform in the 1950's. Together grandmother and granddaughter share an experience that bonds them closer together as they struggle and overcome hardships they face within their lives.

I was lucky enough to win this book through Goodreads' giveaway; and I couldn't be happier that I have gotten the chance to read this book.  A lot of the historical fiction novels I have read have focused on World War 2, this one focused on two historical events we aren't taught much about, the Vietnam Land Reform and the Ho Chi Min Trail. Mai Nguyen has such a poetic voice that both transported me to Vietnam, but also made me want more from her.  I ended up buying her book of poetry as well which is just as beautiful.

The story is told in alternating view-points between Tran and Houng, and reflects on two points in time, but show similarities between the struggles and strength each woman finds.  In the heart of the story, I found a story of beauty, strength, and determination that is inspiring to read and think about.  It honestly makes me want to learn more about Vietnam.  The culture, language, history, and even folklore.  It is not everyday you find a novel that touches your heart and mind, and The Mountains Sing is a novel that does just that.

I honestly hope Mai writes more novels, she definitely gained a huge fan in myself and I think she will find more.

Making History and Paving The Way for A New Generation

Title: The Flight Girls

Author: Noelle Salazar

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Paperback

Rating: 5 out of 5

Audrey Coltrane dreamt of flying all her lift.  Her life belonged in the sky.  That is why she begged her dad to teach her to fly.  It is alway why she signed up to train military pilots in Hawaii.  Then she suddenly finds herself in the air over Pearl Harbor as the bombs dropped, and now nowhere seems safe.  Audrey joins the WOmen Airforce Service Pilots program.  While in the program she bonds with her fellow pilots.  Giving her hope in the face of turmoil until the handsome Lieutenant James Hart goes missing in action.  Now she finds herself on the front lines fighting not just for her country, but for the man she loves dearly.

I recently began reading historical fiction, it normally isn't my type of genre.  But there are a few novels that speak out to me and when I read them my heart aches for the characters.  The Flight Girls was that kind of novel for me.  It was a novel that made me want to learn more about the Women Airforce Service Pilots which paved the way for women in the Airforce, how cool is that.  This wasn't something I learned about in school so of course I wanted to learn more about them.

The way Noelle Salazar writes her story puts readers right into the story.  I cannot tell you how many times I cried throughout this book and even told my mom she needed to read it and prepare herself.  This was a book that gets you excited, and breaks your heart.  You keep thinking things will go one way and then they don't.  Noelle Salazar writes a beautiful novel that honestly touches your soul.  The way she writes draws out all your emotions and leaves you raw.  The characters seem like someone you could be friends with, in fact, I could see my best friend as the main character and that is something that helped this novel hit home for me.

Upon finishing this novel, readers will crave more from Noelle.  Once in a while a novel comes along that drives you wild, one that you say should be read and The Flight Girls is one of those novels.  It is a WW2 novel unlike any other novel I have read in this genre and actually makes me want to read more.  If you like historical fictions, check this book out.  If you never read historical fiction still read this book, it will change your mind, it did mine.

7 Excellent Novels Based on African Mythology

One of the things fans love about reading a good fantasy novel is escaping into a new world, one filled with extraordinary ideas, magic, and folklore. 

But when the novels fans read are based on an European-esque world, it defeats the purpose of finding and experiencing something new.  This is why I have been looking for fantasy novels from around the world.  Currently I am reaching out to novels based on or around African folklore.  The ten novels included in this list explore something unique and new in their worlds.  They add creative magic and twists to a genre that can tend to be repetitious.

1. Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha, #1) by Tomi Adeyemi: This novel has already become one of the most popular YA novels by readers of all ages.  Children of Blood and Bone utilizes Nigerian mythology within its magic and lore, but it also touches on the injustices of a caste system.  Tomi Adeyemi’s debut novel became an instant best-seller as her characters struggle with genocide, racism, war as they come to terms with discovering their own internal power and feelings.  It is a novel that speaks to readers to stand up and claim their inner magic. To learn more about Tomi Adeyemi's books visit her website: https://www.tomiadeyemi.com/books

    

2. Kingdom of Souls (Kingdom of Souls, #1) by Rena Barron: Kingdom of Souls is the first book in a trilogy that is steeped in African folk lore and voodoo magic.  It is full of ambition, sacrifice, betrayal and more.  Rena Barron creates an addictive world filled with unforgettable characters that struggle with real issues not just the complex evil facing the world.  In this unputdownable novel, readers find a brave strong woman who finds magic within not just herself, but also her family and her people.  To find more information about Rena Barron's books, events and more check out her site http://renabarron.com/

    

3. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, #1) by Roseanne A. Brown: A Song of Wraith and Ruin brings a world inspired by West African folklore weaved with strong female characters, otherworldliness, and mystery.  This novel is reminiscent of African traditions of oral storytelling to keep records of history.  Within this novel, readers will find the relationship between spirits and the beyond, humans and the environment and the creation with the creator.  Roseanne Brown gives readers a story that shows how everthing is interconnected and once again finding power not only within yourself, but within the environment around you. More information could be found at Roseanne's website: https://roseanneabrown.com/.

    

4. The Gilded Ones (Deathless, #1) by Namina Forna: Our next book has not been released yet, and has a February 2021 release date.  In this magical novel, Forna addresses some really deep themes such as abuse, racism, misogyny all the while portraying strong sisterhood and self-discovery.  It is a haunting and compelling story that will have readers feeling for the characters. For information on Namina Forna's books and more visit her site: https://naminaforna.com/

    

5. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor: Nnedi Okorafor’s novel Akata Witch has often been compared to the Harry Potter series.  While there are some similarities, Okorafor’s book is unique and stand on it’s own merits.  The main character struggles with a sense of duel, or rather triple identity.  Not only is she bullied for her “American-ness” having been born in New York City, but she is also bullied for her skin tone, as she is an albino African American.   Akata Witch combines Nigerian Folklore, culture and rituals to bring a tale that defies the rules of time, distance and place.  Nnedi has a list of her books and more exciting things on her website: http://www.nnedi.com/

    

6. Black Leopard, Red Wolf (The Dark Star Trilogy) by Marlon James: Black Leopard, Red Wolf is a novel that breaks the walls between realism and dystopian novels.  Marlon James takes African history and mythos and combines with political tension to create a realistic tale about the limitations of power, dangers of excessive ambition, the meaning of duty and honor, fundamentals of truth and a bit of Machhiavellianism.  He gives readers a book that they will be talking about for years to come. For additional information about Marlon's book and more please visit his site: ttps://www.marlonjameswriter.com/

    

7. A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy:  In Amanda Joy’s debut novel, readers find a sibling rivalry that goes beyond what we are used to.  We see themes of racism, death, violence, heritage, and power.  Throughout it all Joy maintains an element of intrigue that keeps the reader wanting more.  One major theme throughout the story is embracing yourself and learning about the power within, in this novel it is Eva’s magick she needs to embrace.  Rooted in North African (some say West African) culture this book is one that will resonate with many readers and remain with them long after reading. TO find news, events and more about Amanda Joy's books hop on over to her site next: https://www.amandajoywrites.com/

Branching your reading into other cultures can enhance your reading experience.  You will find things you never thought to pick up and new authors you will become passionate about.  The African Speculative Fiction Society is a comphrensive and amazing place to look for more books within the African SFF genre.

Powerfully Moving Novel: A Must Read - The Hate U Give Review

 

Title: The Hate U Give

Author: Angie Thomas

Genre: Young Adult

Source: Hardback

Rating: 5 out of 5

Starr is a 16 year old girl, smart, beautiful, funny, and finds herself running between two worlds: Her neighborhood and the prep school she attends. When she witnesses the unjustified shooting death of her childhood friend Khalil, her world is shattered.  His death makes headlines and he is labeled a thug, drug dealer, and the officer label a victim.  Soon Starr and her family are harassed by police offiers and a local drug lord, but rather than standing down, Starr finds the strength she needs to stand up and make a difference.

This book may be labeled as Young Adult, but EVERYONE needs to read this book, especially now with the Black Lives Matter movement and the rise of police brutality we are seeing.  Anything I say about this breathtaking book will not do it any justice.  From the very beginning I was drawn into the book, and could not put it down.  My mother in law even commented on how engrossed I was in this novel.  Part of me feels ashamed that I have not read this novel sooner, or reviewed it sooner.

The novel is an eye-opener.  Yes we hear things like this happening on the news all the time, but for some reason it doesn't full hit home until you read how the families and communities are in turn effected, down to the looting and rioting.  I would almost equate that action to the tearing of clothes and hair in grief discussed in the Bible.  There is an anger and grief that no amount of words can describe.  The things happening in our world today need to be discussed, and we cannot remain silent and Angie Thomas did just that.  She spoke out and man has she been heard.

The way she writes this story draws intense emotion, I cried a couple of times, got angry at characters and fell for others.  This is a book that I will forever think about and insist that my children read as they get older.  It needs to be talked about and addressed. Throughout this book we see a girl find her strength and acceptance of who she is deep inside.  She grows stronger as she speaks out about the injustices in her world, some as small as a so called friend making racist jokes to standing up for justice for Khalil. It makes readers aware of what they are saying and how they are saying it.  It makes readers want to stand up to the vast injustice in the world.

This is a book that demands to be read, and I recommend it above all others.

 

Be Careful of Who You Invite Into Your Home

Title: I Invited Her In
Author: Adele Parks
Genre: Thriller
Source: Kindle eBook
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars


Out of no where Mel received an email for her old college friend, Abi.  Abi is in trouble and needs Mel's help, a place to stay.  Despite not speaking in over 15 years, Mel invites Abi to stay with her family "for as long as she needs. Mel is overcome with nostalgia and loves having her past come back to her.  But not everything is as it seems as Abi begins seeing a new mystery man.  All of Mel's secrets come out and Abi seeks revenge.

I have to say this book was a HUGE disappointment.  As I kept reading, I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't.  I guessed everything fairly early so all the big reveals were not all too surprising.  This book honestly made me mad because it was almost laughable at times.


I did not like any of the characters.  I felt they were all annoying especially Mel.  She let her old friend basically rule over her life and take over, to the point of excessive drinking and dare I say neglecting her children.  Her family walked on egg shells to make sure she was comfortable even so far as letting her use the master suite.  It was all just a bit unbelievable for me.  This was supposed to be a thriller, but there was nothing thrilling about it.  It sounded so promising, but it fell super super flat.  There was absolutely zero edge, zero suspense that made me want to keep reading.


The story dragged on and I kept reading hoping it would get better, NOPE.  The characters are too cliched, the plot too predictable.  There was nothing that really kept me interested in this other than to see if the story would pick up.  I should have DNF'd it, but I wanted to persevere through it.  I almost wish I did DNF and moved on to a better book.


I would not exactly recommend this book outright, but if you enjoy a slow paced, predictable novel, then give it a shot but if you want something very suspenseful then move on and pick something else up.

The Gilded Wolves

Title: The Gilded Wolves
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Hardback
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 paws


The Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up some ancient secrets.  Severin Montagnet-Alarie has been able to steal a compass which hides the location of a tower of Babel fragment.  He is not the only one who is seeking this artifact.  When the Order of Babel coerces him into helping them with a recovery mission, Severin is offered the one treasure he could never pass up: his true inheritance.  To complete his mission, Severin calls upon the aid of a group of unlikely friends, an engineer with a debt to pay, a historian banished from him own homeland, a dancer with a sinister past, and a brother in arms if not blood.  Together they will explore the darkest parts of Paris searching for their treasure and hope to stop anyone from gaining access to the fragment.

There are so many things one can say about this novel.  I absolutely loved it.  I have become a quick fan of Roshani Chokshi as I have also read Star-Touched Queen and Crown-Of Wishes.  The Gilded Wolves was everything I was expecting and more.  It is just so magical and includes mathematical riddles which I absolutely loved.  The math aspect gave the novel such a unique quality to it that I haven't seen done yet, and kudos to Chokshi for including it in her novel.  I knew I needed to clear some time to read this one and actually told my husband I needed that time to devote to this novel.  He is super understanding about my reading needs.


I so wanted more about the Tower of Babel fragments, and I have a feeling we may see more of them in hopefully some future novels?? -hint hint- Chokshi's way of describing things makes you feel as if you are apart of the story.  I could almost taste the food, see the sights, feel the heat of flames and so much more.  The characters I am so in love with!  Enrique is my kind of historian and Trystan is amazingly shy, I feel if he was real he would be my crush.  I wanted so much more from his character, more of his backstory and his love of Goliath.  Chokshi gives readers so much of characters that we feel for them, it is almost as if the characters become a part of us.  I love it.


I am mad at myself for not reading this novel sooner and letting it sit on my shelf for so long.  I was drawn in from the very beginning and couldn't stop reading, one night I was up until the wee hours of the night needing to finish this novel and find out what happens.  And then the very last line!  OMG Roshani what are you doing to me!


Everything about this book I loved.  The world building, the character building, even the snippets of a love interest.  I cannot wait for more.

Exciting Conclusion to the Foruth Monkey Killer Trilogy

Title: The Sixth Wicked Child
Author: J.D Barker
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Source: Paperback
Rating: 4 out of 5 paws


The words "Father, forgive me"  could have a multitude of meanings.  For Detective Sam Porter, they conjure memories of a past long buried and forgotten.  For Anson Bishop, they connect his childhood to his present as he reveals the truth that has been hidden for decades.  Written on near each new victim, the words connect multiple victims to the Fourth Monkey Killer.  Though the bodies are found in miles apart, in Chicago and South Carolina, clearly they are somehow connected.  Now Chicago Metro and the FBI are fighting through a cloud of chaos as they try to track down not only a killer, but a rogue officer and struggle to find a solution to potential mass pandemic.  When Anson Bishop, suspect in the 4MK murders he reveals a story that is not only unexpected but couldn't possibly be true...could it?  Finally the Fourth Monkey Killer's motive is revealed and the case is finally put to rest.

What a conclusion to a fast paced trilogy!  I have enjoyed this series from the very beginning with Fourth Monkey Killer and Fifth to Die, and now Barker keeps the suspense and breakneck pace with this chilling conclusion. There is so much going on throughout the novel, that it doesn't seem like much focus is on the bodies, especially after Anson turns himself in.  The novel is lengthy coming in at about 624 pages, there is a lot of action and suspense throughout the story.  While it does take a few chapters to pick up the pace, once it does; readers are in for a wild ride through Anson's past to discover the motive to the murders.


Characters are all likable, even ones that get introduced in this novel, and the antagonist.  You cannot help but like and wonder if Anson could really be the Fourth Monkey Killer or not.  He is very compelling in his case that he isn't the killer.  I liked getting the different viewpoints, and we get a few more than we have in the other books.  While they may seem like too much to some readers, it is needed to grasp the full story.  There are so many unexpected twists and turns that each viewpoint reveals that you don't want to miss something.


Porter I liked from the beginning, and while it started to look like he was either mad, or a part of the crimes, I was rooting for him the whole time.  He is intelligent and knows his suspect inside and out which could at times make things more difficult for him.


Anson Bishop is the perfect antagonist to Sam Porter.  He is cunning, smart, and resourceful.  He knows what he has at his disposal and uses it to his fullest advantage.  The diary entries were a geat addition to the story to give us not only clues, and backstory but an insight to a crazed mind.  You almost want him to NOT be the killer.


This is a trilogy that I would highly recommend to anyone.  Barker has done a phenomenal job at creating a story that is unique and stands our from the other novels in the genre.  I cannot wait for the movie/tv series that are in the works.