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I already wrote reviews for these so feel free to read the full reviews using the links, otherwise, I limited myself to providing an excerpt from each review for each of my favorite books of 2023. These are not in ranked order. These are all amazing books and you should check them out.
Read MoreThere are an average of 130 suicides a day in the United States. Nearly 70% of those are white men and nearly 53% of them exit the mortal coil utilizing a firearm. There is all manner of ways to end your own life, and the truth is, I never thought much about it. Would I be a pill popper, a wrist cutter, a hangman, or go archaic and fill my pockets with stones and walk into the nearest, deep body of water? I had not the faintest idea, but knowing myself and my fears of going against the social grain, I’d probably put a gun in my mouth. I mean, is there anything more American than punching your ticket by exercising your second amendment right?
Read MoreI had almost zero expectations going into reading this book other than that Michael Crighton is a great writer and I enjoyed Congo a lot and I enjoyed the Jurassic Park movies. I could tell that it was about some kind of virus as the term "strain" usually means something bad and biological and there are lots of strains of viruses and viruses are on the mind of late. Based on the previous titles I was expecting some kind of action-adventure story but that is not what I found with this book. Instead, I was slowly taken on a cerebral journey through a subtle world of science fiction in a way that I haven't experienced before.
Read MoreIn this episode, I read the 6th chapter of my short story collection entitled 30 Days of Fiction. I wrote a short piece of music to go along with it and did all the voices. Go to joesnotesblog.com/store to see my books. The Fleeting Thoughts Podcast is available where ever podcasts are available. Click the link below to listen now. Go to joesnotesblog.com for more from me!
Read MoreFrank Herbert is something else. While reading this book my mind is drawn and quartered a thousand times. It is pushed and pulled this way and that. I am like a child grasping for meaning, knowing it is there but just out of reach. On the edge of understanding, I sit, in awe of what might be on the other side. Comprehension, just out of reach and yet in the back of my mind, it has been there the whole time. The words are new but they make sense, like some dream that tries to incorporate elements that seem, at first, to be disconnected, only to discover later, maybe after a day or two of contemplation, that the meaning was there amidst the confusion. Then, he brings you back. Frank Herbert, the man that sent you down the rabbit hole is there holding your hand and makes everything clear.
Read MoreChanning Cornwall's latest novel is another example of his diverse style and ability to span genres. From westerns to fantasy and now to Anathema, Channing continues to push the boundaries of what his readers should expect. Anathema straddles the line between the genres of horror and noir mystery where the world of the spiritual and profane are explored while nestled in the unnerving arms of dysfunctional family dynamics.
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