MUSIC REVIEW: "Covered Vol. 1" by Matt Lande

Song List:

1. Ghengis Khan (originally performed by Miike Snow)
2. Mad World (originally performed by Tears For Fears)
3. Leave A Trace (originally performed by Chvrches)
4. Hallelujah (originally performed by Leonard Cohen)
5. Pineapple Expression (instrumental)
(Bonus song Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O'Connor, written by Prince, available for FREE by clicking here.)

I'm going to go in order of the track listing for my review to try and keep myself in line. Those of you who read my previous reviews for Matt's music know I tend to get overexcited and go off on tangents, which is something no reviewer likes to do, but his music is just so good!
I've been listening to Matt for what will be seven years this year, I've watched his music grow from Heaven Is Where to different solo projects, each one more delicately composed and beautifully written than the last.
I already knew, getting this EP, that Matt has the voice of an angel and one Hell of a talent on guitar, and I was pretty convinced that he could sing anything. I remember the days on MySpace (yes, I said MySpace) when he had covers of Cheap Trick and others listed, which were great even back then.
Okay, starting track one, the only track I was unfamiliar with. Matt really did an amazing job of transforming this song. I didn't liken it whatsoever to the original an a listener would think that this was one of Matt's originals at first. This song plays to Matt's higher range, which is really stunning. It makes you stop what you're doing to listen.
Track two is a sad song by a group I really enjoy. Matt's voice, usually filled with such beauty, is so low and melancholic you can feel your heart twist as you listen. It evokes the emotional response from a listener that great music is supposed to. This one is by far my favorite and I have played it over and over in the past couple of days.
Track three is a band I am not a big fan of, but I knew the song from hearing it in different places in the past year. You can really hear Matt's acoustic skills on this one. His voice takes on a slightly smoke quality that made me picture a darkened club, a haze of smoke, and Matt on a stage with limited lighting while patrons danced on the floor. It's another song that you could think was one of his originals.
Track four I think everyone is familiar with, and we have all heard many covers of it as well. In fact, I heard a new one just tonight! However, whenever he touches something, he turns it into pure gold. This is another song you have to stop just to listen, to take it all in. Despite it not being my favorite on the album, this one shows Matt's vocal abilities the very best.
Track five is a quick instrumental, just thirty seconds, but still enjoyable as a comedown from the rest to the album.
The bonus track is another song we all know. It's a piece of music history, now more so than ever with Prince's passing. I'm very critical of songs I grew up with being covered, and I remember my mother saying, "Kelly, if he screwed this up, I'm going to have to tell him." Well, he didn't. What he did was make a perfect cover of musical and vocal beauty It's almost as if it was written for him to sing, not O'Connor.
In all, I think you can tell what my opinion on this EP is. It's gorgeously performed, has great production value, a cover that could be on a T-shirt, and created with care. Matt is a brilliant musician, and as I have been telling my readers for years, he is someone you NEED to listen to.

5/5--excellent!

Purchase Covered Vol. 1 on iTunes or Amazon.

BOOK REVIEW: "The Dragonward" by Michael Meyerhofer

Three years after the War of the Lotus, alliances have already begun to unravel. As Rowen Locke struggles to maintain peace, troubling news reaches him from every corner. Persecution of the Shel'ai has reignited in the south, spurred on by a fanatical priest. To the north, the Isle Knights are withering under the leadership of mad Crovis Ammerhel. Old friends fight each other when not drowning their sorrows in taverns. 
A new threat emerges from across the sea, dispatched by the same exiled Dragonkin who have been plotting their revenge for centuries. Rowen and his companions soon realize that the target is the Dragonward itself: their one and only defense against an evil so vast even Knightswrath could not vanquish it.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

(Note, read the Dragonkin Trilogy before picking this up--you won't regret it!)
Continuing the story we thought we finished in the Dragonkin Trilogy, we find Rowen facing new troubles, alongside some other familiar faces.
While many times in fantasy stories can come to be repetitive, these books just keep growing and becoming more and more intricate. By now, I feel like I'm fighting alongside friends. This story is a lot more dangerous, you feel the tension at times in your bones. Meyerhofer has a gift of making you feel what the characters feel at any given moment.
He also created very real characters. You don't often see many different races and sexual orientations in fantasy, but that didn't stop him from creating wonderfully diverse characters. As a member of the LGBT+ community, I really appreciate that touch.
Another great story by a fantastic writer.

5/5--his world just keeps getting better!

Purchase The Dragonward on Amazon.

BOOK REVIEW: "In My Arms Tonight" by Sasha Clinton

What if you can’t help but hurt the person you love? 
Kat Cullen has it all—a staff writer position at the New York Times, beauty, independence—until she finds herself alone on the subway at night with a rapist. Saved by Alex Summer, a democratic candidate running for mayor of New York, she develops an unexpected friendship with him. 
Alex’s chaotic past is the kind of juicy scoop every political reporter dreams of—which is why he keeps it hidden. But as he starts falling in love with Kat, he opens up to her about his darkest secrets. What he doesn’t know is that Kat already knows all about him, and she’s on an assignment to expose his history. 
Caught between truth, love and ambition, two people must figure out the politics of the heart.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

In every book I read, especially in a general romance genre, I try to look for something different, outstanding, something that makes me sit back and say, "This book will stay with me forever". Unfortunately, I did not get much of that with this book, and I am sorry to say.
Let's start with the good, and that is that Sasha Clinton is a great writer. Her dialogue and prose are nearly perfect, and I loved reading the raw emotion she put into this narrative. She's got so much potential it isn't even funny. And that's why this book is getting three stars.
Here's the other reasons why, and please remember that this is my personal opinion and nothing more: it's unbelievable. It's two characters who are very hard for anyone to relate to. I think that the sexual assault Kat suffers was more than necessary: at least that gives some readers something to sympathize/empathize with. Otherwise, she's very unrelatable.
And while Alex is the type of man we fantasize about, his character was lacking somehow. Despite her best efforts, Clinton didn't realize his full potential.
The story and characters fell flat for me. It was a bit too predictable, too Lifetime movie for me.

3/5--A lot of potential.

Purchase In My Arms Tonight on Amazon.

BOOK REVIEW: "Pride Of Empires" by J.S. Bangs

Safe in the Emperor's Tower, Kirshta has finally achieved the rank and recognition that 
he's craved for so long. But intrigues of the imperial court give him no time to enjoy his 
position. The new Emperor descends into paranoia and sends Kirshta chasing a phantasmal 
conspiracy, forcing him to choose between betraying his friends and losing everything he's 
worked for. 
Meanwhile, Sadja arrives in the capital city to find that his schemes have come to 
naught. Determined to take the Seven-Stepped Throne for himself, he must seek out new allies 
inside the imperial palace. Fortunately, the new Emperor needs a great many advisors, and 
Sadja is very pleased to help.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Having read the two previous books in this series, I can safely say that Pride of Empires is the absolute best yet. In this book, not only to we get a deeper look inside the psyche of the characters, we also go further into the politics of the story. It's intricately weaved to wrap around your mind and draw you in.
I want to say a lot, but with this being a third book, I am afraid to give spoilers.
I will say that I love how these characters grow and change in each book, becoming more themselves and revealing themselves to us. These books always have great plots, but I believe it is the characters that really drive the story here.

5/5--an excellent book!

Purchase Pride Of Empires via Amazon.

(UPDATED) COMIC BOOK REVIEW: "Doom Patrol #1" by Gerard Way and Nick Derington

The atoms are buzzing. The daydreams crowd sentient streets, and the creative team has been warned, “Turn back now or suffer the mighty consequence of sheer, psycho-maniacal mayhem.” Generation-arsonists unite—this is DOOM PATROL, and the God of the Super Heroes is bleeding on the floor.

A blenderized reimagining of the ultimate series of the strange, DOOM PATROL combines elements from classic runs, new directions, and things that could not be. Our entry point is Casey Brinke, a young EMT on the graveyard shift to abstract enlightenment, with a past so odd that she’s not entirely sure what is real and what is not. Along with her partner, Sam Reynolds, the pair blaze a path through the city and its denizens, finding the only quiet that exists at 3am is the chaos of the brain. When the pair answer a hit-and-run call, they find themselves face to face with a familiar figure: Cliff Steele, AKA Robotman.

“It gets weirder from here,” writer Gerard Way had to say about the book, with artist Nick Derington gripping tightly on the wheel of the ambulance. The pair’s only communication? Shouting out of the open windows while at high velocity. Who needs a new roommate? Who names a cat “Lotion”? And when do we get to see all those muscles?

Find your answers inside the pages of this comic book, as we set the stage for new beginnings, as well as the re-introduction of some classic DOOM PATROL characters, including Niles Caulder, Negative Man, Flex Mentallo, and Crazy Jane.

The debut title of DC’s Young Animal line kicks off with a removable sticker on its cover: Pull back the gyro to reveal its secrets, but be warned—there is no turning back.

I purchased this comic book at Golden Apple Comics for my own enjoyment.

For those of you who haven't read my previous comic book reviews, I am a DC nut. I really love their whole franchise, and the commencement of their new Young Animal line has me thrilled. In addition to my loving the Doom Patrol, I am also a huge fan of Gerard Way. Yes, I love him as a musician, but I love him even more as a comic book artist.
Every title he creates, he leaves a distinctive imprint on the dialogue. You know you're reading a Gerard Way comic because his voice is bright and unique. I admit, I was wary of him taking on a title I loved so much growing up and he did make some changes, that's certain. But the changes are, as far as I can tell after only twenty-two pages, going to be brilliant.
I love, love, love Casey Brinke. She's bright, bubbly, and seems to have a heart of gold and a really cute cat. I can't wait to see what her role is with the new DP team.
We get an enigmatic page with Niles Caulder which left me puzzled, and we also see Cliff Steele in this issue, but the way we see him is a bit odd. The way the two classic DP characters are depicted makes me wonder exactly what will happen in issue two.
Deringer's art is bright, open, and very pleasing to the eye. He really helps set the tone for the story Way is trying to tell. I think these two gentlemen are going to make the DC fandom very happy indeed.
A side note: for fans who have not read the original DP series, you don't need to in order to enjoy this comic.

5/5--a brilliant start!

Purchase Doom Patrol #1!

****

UPDATE:

Today (the fifteenth, the day after the book's release), I attended the signing with Gerard at Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles. It was my second signing at the store, and let me say it was run perfectly. No snags, nada. The staff is very nice and professional, and everything ran like clockwork. If you live in or are visiting SoCal, definitely give GAC a visit! They have a ton of old comics at great prices as well as collectibles and frequent celebrity signings.
I have met Gerard numerous times, both at concerts and for his comics. Each time, I am astounded by how genuinely sweet he is. There is no rock star persona, no attitude because of his success in the comic book industry. He is just a sweetheart.
Below are some photos from tonight. For more comic book fun from KSR, stay tuned this weekend as I attend Long Beach Comic Con!

GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: "The Chair"

Witnessing savage killings at the hands of the prison's sadistic Warden and his cruel guards, an innocent man must match their brutality and confront his own horrifying past if he hopes to survive.

I received this graphic novel from the creator and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

(MOVIE REVIEW COMING SOON!)

With every comic book I review, I like to first talk about the art, because it isn't often I get to discuss my love of comic-style art on this blog. It's stark, black and white that jumps from the page (or screen) straight to your eyes. It perfectly compliments the dark, torturous tone of the story itself. It's not very detailed, leaving your mind's eye to fill in the little nuances.
The lettering as well differs in certain ways from typical comics, and I liked the way it looked, though it did occasionally hurt my eyes because I was reading on my ereader.
The story seems pretty straightforward for an asylum-centric plot. I do say "seems". The protagonist has a very disturbing past that, once you discover it, you'll want to reread the first half of the comic again, looking for little sings and things you might have missed.
Because the artistic detailing is not as broad or as colorful as other comics, the graphic murder and torture scenes are not as bad as I had expected them to be.
There were certain things I predicted (I'm awful, I always stop midway through everything I read and play Sherlock Holmes) but there was one thing I did not.
I really enjoyed the comic, just wish there was a bit more detail in some of the more horrific scenes. I hope and believe that it will be remedied in the film, which I will be watching and reviewing next week!

4/5--dark, gripping, twisting. Excellent work!

Purchase The Chair via:

Official site (links to multiple retailers)

BOOK SALE: "Through The Veil" by Colleen Halverson

Through the Veil
The Aisling Chronicles
Book One
Colleen Halverson         
 
Genre: Urban Fantasy
 
Publisher: Entangled
 
Date of Publication: February 22, 2016
 
ASIN: B01B1NC29Q
 
Number of pages: 400 pages
Word Count: 120K
 
Cover Artist: Louisa Maggio
 
Book Description:
 
Where the fairy tale ends, destiny begins. Elizabeth Tanner is no Tinkerbell, and her life is no fairy tale. Broke and drowning in student loans, the one thing she wants more than anything is a scholarship from the Trinity Foundation. But after the ancient Irish text she's studying turns out to be more than just a book, she becomes their prisoner instead. And when Trinity reveals Elizabeth is half-Fae, she finds herself at the center of a plot to save the magical races of Ireland from a brutal civil war.
 
As Commander of Trinity's elite warriors, Finn O'Connell isn't used to having his authority challenged. He doesn't know whether to punish or protect the infuriating young woman in his custody. When he discovers the Dark Fae want to use Elizabeth's abilities to control the source of all power in the universe, he'll risk everything to help her. At the mercy of Trinity and enslaved to the Dark Fae, Elizabeth finds herself alone on the wrong side of an Irish myth thousands of years in the making. Refusing to be a pawn in their game, Elizabeth has to fight her way back to the man she loves, but to do so, she must wage her own war against the magic that binds her.
 
.99 Sale 


Amazon    BN     iTunes     Kobo     Amazon UK     Amazon Canada



About the Author:


As a child, Colleen Halverson used to play in the woods imagining worlds and telling stories to herself. Growing up on military bases, she found solace in her local library and later decided to make a living sharing the wonders of literature to poor, unsuspecting college freshmen. After backpacking through Ireland and singing in a traditional Irish music band, she earned a PhD in English with a specialization in Irish literature. When she’s not making up stories or teaching, she can be found hiking the rolling hills of the Driftless area of Wisconsin with her husband and two children. THROUGH THE VEIL is her debut novel.
www.colleenhalverson.com
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbhalverson
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbhalverson/
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colleen_halverson/
 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14777224.Colleen_Halverson

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Rebecca M. Gibson

1. When/why did you decide to become a writer? *

I've always loved to read and write. My parents made a point of reading to me every day when I was a child, which I think is so important. I was encouraged to read and to be excited about it. Writing then just became a natural hobby. It wasn't until I was a teenager though when I started to really think about being a professional writer. There's nothing more enjoyable to me than writing! 

2. What authors inspired you when you were younger? What books do you enjoy reading today? *

As with most of my generation, Harry Potter was a HUGE part of my childhood. Not only did it teach me to fall madly in love with literature, to tumble into the pages and completely forget the outside world, it taught me that good can triumph over evil if you work hard enough. The pages of a Harry Potter book will always be home to me. Equally as important to my voice as a writer is the poet Wilfred Owen. To say he changed my life would be putting it mildly. He sparked my interest in history, in particular war history, and my emotive style. I had all but given up writing as a pipe dream until I discovered Owen and words came alive again. Seriously, none of my books would have been created had I not discovered Owen.

3. What was the inspiration behind your latest release? *

History and emotions. As mentioned above I'm really interested in history but not just dates and facts. I love looking into people's experiences, their thoughts and emotions, how they coped with situations, what - essentially - makes us human. I have a degree in Psychology so that has inspired me to really get into my character's heads and see what makes them tick. I want to create real, raw characters and I think with Annabel in Diamonds Fall, I succeeded.

4. Were any of the characters personalities or emotions taken from real life? *

Not deliberately but I'm sure I've drawn from life sub-consciously. Obviously I've not been kidnapped or attacked, I've not been in the trenches of the First World War, so obviously those things are just research but sure, I'm sure life's had its impact.

5. Why do you write in your chosen genre? What other genres would you like to try your hand at? *

Being so interested in history, I just want to experience the past. As I've not yet invented a time machine, I write stories instead. I would love to try my hand at loads of genres though. I'm currently planning an apocalyptic, contemporary novel and have a fantasy thing in the works too so I want to try it all!!!

6. What would you do if you were your main character? *

Annabel goes through so much in Diamonds Fall and has to find a lot of inner strength to keep going. I like to think I'd be strong too but you never know until you're in those situations. She is rich so superficially, I'd love to try on her dresses, drink tea, and eat cake in her mansion!

7. Will we ever see these characters again? *

Yuuuup. Rubies Fall is the sequel to Diamonds Fall and is out on November 11th!

8. Would you like to see this book as a film or TV show? If yes, who do you want to see play your characters? *

Hell yes! I have no idea who I would have play the characters (any ideas?) but I'd LOVE to see Diamonds and Rubies as a BBC series. That really is a pipe dream though!

9. Where do you see yourself and your career in the next ten years?

I want to keep growing as a person and as a writer so I would like every book to be better than the one before. Hopefully in 10 years I've secured writing as a career and got life a little more sorted - I'm 24 so my story is only just beginning!

10. Is there anything you haven't touched on that you'd like readers to know about your book? *

It's awesome...

11. What would you be doing if you weren't writing? *

Oh man, I can't think of anything I would do other than writing. Something in history or publishing perhaps.

12. Can you tell KSR what you're working on next? *

I'm working on my WW1 novel Rubies Fall for release November 11th, which I'm incredibly excited about. I'm also working on my novella After the Noise Dies for the SASS Anthology which has had AMAZING beta feedback. People cried (yes!). I can't reveal the release date yet but stay tuned!!

13. What authors, dead or alive, would you like to collaborate with? *

Wilfred Owen but I don't think he'd like me. JK Rowling would also be amazing to meet. I don't know if I'd collaborate with anyone though...I like flying solo.

14. What are three things that may surprise your readers to know about you? *

I have a twin, fun fact!

15. Please list your links where readers can find you online and purchase your works. *

https://www.rebeccamgibson.com

https://www.rebeccamgibson.tumblr.com

https://www.facebook.com/rebeccamgibsonauthor

hyperurl.co/84h240

MOVIE PREVIEW: "The Chair" (Presented by Alterna Comics)

TITLE:
The CHAIR


PRODUCTION COMPANY:
Alterna


WEBSITE:
http://thechairhorror.com
http://alternacomics.com


SOCIAL MEDIA:
http://twitter.com/thechairhorror
http://facebook.com/thechairhorror


FILM MPAA RATING:
NR


SUGGESTED AUDIENCE:
Adults (Due to strong language and violence)


RUN TIME:
94 mins.



SYNOPSIS:
Based on the Alterna Comics graphic novel of the same name, THE CHAIR follows the story of Richard Sullivan, an innocent man struggling to escape execution on death row. Witnessing the savage killings of his fellow inmates at the hand of the prison's sadistic and psychotic Warden, Sullivan decides that the only way to survive is to fight back. But as he matches the brutality occurring in the prison, Sullivan is forced to come face to face with his sanity and his own horrifying past.


DIRECTOR:
Chad Ferrin


CAST LIST:
Bill Oberst Jr.
Roddy Piper
Naomi Grossman
Timothy Muskatell
Noah Hathaway
Zach Galligan
Ezra Buzzington
Kyle Hester
Derrick Damions
Kin Shriner
Susan Eisenberg
Jacob Banser
John Siciliano
Tomas Boykin
Robert “Corpsy” Rhine
Joe Laurinaitis
Joseph Pilato
Jack deLyra
Harley Burks
Zebadiah DeVane
Christian Hutcherson
Michael Berthold
Brent Anthony
Andrew Marheineke


REVIEW QUOTES:
"...a chilling experience inside death row, where murderers, rapists and pedophiles become victims."
- Barbara Torretti, DARKVEINS

"...pulls no punches to bring to life a psychotic world."
- William Meeker, TFK's WEB OF INDIE HORROR AND SCIENCE FICTION

"Although there is torturing in it, there is more plot and other elements that dig much deeper, both into the story and characters than just trying to gross out your audience with sadistic torture scenes. ...there’s more to it than that and that’s what separates this from most films of this type."
- Andrew Peters, KINKY HORROR GOON REVIEW

***BELOW ARE PREVIEW PHOTOS GIVEN TO ME BY ALTERNA COMICS. I WILL HAVE A GRAPHIC NOVEL AND FILM REVIEW POSTED BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER AT THE LATEST.--KSR

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: TL Travis

1. When/why did you decide to become a writer? *

About 7 years ago I started writing. January of 2016 I started doing it full time.

2. What authors inspired you when you were younger? What books do you enjoy reading today? *

Anne Rice probably started it all for me. Now I read just about anything erotica and Vampire related.

3. What was the inspiration behind your latest release? *

The lack of enjoyment in Vampires that sparkle and don't have sex. The sexual allure of a Vampire is a big selling point for me.

4. Were any of the characters personalities or emotions taken from real life? *

Yes...

5. Why do you write in your chosen genre? What other genres would you like to try your hand at? *

Write what you read and read what you write. Which for me is erotica and paranormal.

6. What would you do if you were your main character? *

Pollinate and feed from every delectable flower I came across.

7. Will we ever see these characters again? *

Yes...

8. Would you like to see this book as a film or TV show? If yes, who do you want to see play your characters? *

Film for sure. Problem is it would probably be a porno.

9. Where do you see yourself and your career in the next ten years?

Hopefully sitting on a beach sipping adult beverages writing about my cabana boy.

10. Is there anything you haven't touched on that you'd like readers to know about your book? *

Be very open sexually. I hit just about every sexual taboo in The Sebastian Chronicles.

11. What would you be doing if you weren't writing? *

Managing construction crews.

12. Can you tell KSR what you're working on next? *

4 stand alone erotic novelettes, an erotic paranormal trilogy and ghost writing a book for another.

13. What authors, dead or alive, would you like to collaborate with? *

Bram Stoker.

14. What are three things that may surprise your readers to know about you? *

I'm a grandmother, avid Disney collector and I love to fish.

15. Please list your links where readers can find you online and purchase your works. *

https://www.amazon.com/Sebastian-Beginning-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B01JTSWUEC/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1470597829&sr=8-8&keywords=vamptasy#nav-subnav