Book Review: The Pocket Book of Adventure Stories edited by Philip Van Doren Stern In his introduction, the editor talks about the thrill of adventure stories, how often they are churned out as cheap entertainment, and that he has selected twelve really good ones for the reader. This 1945 book was designed to be easily… Continue reading Book Review: The Pocket Book of Adventure Stories
Tag: unrequited love
Manga Review: Miss Me?
Manga Review: Miss Me? by Tomoko Taniguchi Emyu has a flashy but cute fashion sense, favoring bright colors that stand out in a crowd. Many people at her school assume she’s romantically experienced and goes to concerts and clubs all the time. But in reality, Emyu’s a mild-mannered girl who’s never had a boyfriend and… Continue reading Manga Review: Miss Me?
Book Review: Dead Men’s Plans
Book Review: Dead Men’s Plans by Mignon G. Eberhart Sewal Blake is the stepdaughter of Julius Minary, the child of his first wife. Only a few years into their marriage, Sewal’s mother died, and Julius almost immediately remarried. She bore him a daughter, Amy, and a son, Reg, before passing away herself. Bereft and knowing… Continue reading Book Review: Dead Men’s Plans
Movie Review: Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla dir. William Beaudine Crooner Duke Mitchell (himself) and comedian Sammy Petrillo (himself) are on their way to a USO performance in Guam when they get lost on their way to the restroom and walk off the airplane. Good thing they were wearing parachutes! The pair land on the tropical… Continue reading Movie Review: Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla
Manga Review: Komi Can’t Communicate Vol. 1
Manga Review: Komi Can’t Communicate Vol. 1 by Tomohito Oda Hitohito Tadano is an average boy on his first day of high school. After a truly horrific experience when he tried to stand out from the crowd in middle school, he’s turned timid, wanting to blend in and fit in so as to have the… Continue reading Manga Review: Komi Can’t Communicate Vol. 1
Manga Review: Chibi Vampire Airmail
Manga Review: Chibi Vampire Airmail by Yuna Kagesaki Karin Maaka is descended from a long line of vampires. That’s supposed to be a secret as vampires want the world (and especially the Catholic Church’s vampire hunters) to believe they were all wiped out decades ago. Her parents, the Markers, moved to Japan with most of… Continue reading Manga Review: Chibi Vampire Airmail
Book Review: Ding Dong Bell | Certain Sleep
Book Review: Ding Dong Bell | Certain Sleep by Helen Reilly It’s time for another Ace Double, paperbacks with two short books bound upside down from each other. This one, G-528, is from the Giant Double Novel Book series of mysteries. Although it wasn’t advertised as such, this line was entirely devoted to female authors.… Continue reading Book Review: Ding Dong Bell | Certain Sleep
Movie Review: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Movie Review: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) directed by Henry Selick Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King, the genius auteur who leads Halloween Town each year in creating the holiday. But it’s the same holiday every year, and he’s bored. This year, after his own duties are done, Jack wanders far afield and discovers the doors… Continue reading Movie Review: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Manga Review: Rin-Ne Volumes 38-40
Manga Review: Rin-Ne Volumes 38-40 by Rumiko Takahashi Quick recap: Rinne Rokudo is a shinigami, a psychopomp who helps the spirits of the dead move on to the afterlife. But he is partially human, so his powers are relatively weak and he often has to resort to special devices that cost money. Between that and… Continue reading Manga Review: Rin-Ne Volumes 38-40
Book Review: The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror Volume 16
Book Review: The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror Volume 16 edited by Stephen Jones Let’s go back to 2004 for what at least one editor considered excellent short horror fiction. As with the later volume I have reviewed, there’s a lot of ancillary material. It opens with an extended look at horror and horror-adjacent… Continue reading Book Review: The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror Volume 16