Mad as Birds by M.C. Schmidt

July 24, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Mad as Birds by M.C. Schmidt
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Moving to an intentional community is supposed to be a fresh start for Milo. No Internet or television. Complete isolation from the outside world. He doesn’t love the idea of moving, but his brother has been in charge since their parents’ accident, and Milo knows better than to question him. Besides, it’s not like there’s anything to stay for, not after the recent incident that got him expelled from school and made him a social pariah.

Milo is intrigued when he learns their new home was once a retreat for famous artists. He’s a talented painter himself. So, when a spectral woman begins to show up whenever he’s at his easel, he initially takes her for a muse. Seduced by the quality of the work they’re making, he doesn’t notice the control she’s gaining over him. By the time he learns her true intentions, it might be too late for him to overpower her—but if he can’t find a way soon, she’s going to force him to slaughter every resident of the community.

The past can never be forgotten.

Milo was a wonderfully nuanced character. The incident that got him expelled from school was a serious one, and I was intrigued by the fact that so many different versions of that story were floating around. Other readers should decide for themselves which version of it they believe as they’re reading, of course, but I enjoyed the contradictions between them as I tried to figure out if the protagonist’s recollection of it was the full truth or maybe something else entirely.

It would have been helpful to have deeper plot development. I noticed a few plot holes related to how the residents of the intentional community ended up living in an old, abandoned mansion that I wished had been explained in greater detail as that aspect was quickly brushed over. There were so many excellent reasons why the average person would not want to live in such an isolated and run-down place where using a cellphone or laptop was forbidden that this reader needed some stronger counterarguments for why this was the best option for all of them. This is something I’m saying as someone who was otherwise excited to check this tale out and really wanted to give it a higher rating.

With that being said, I did enjoy the plot twists involving the paranormal elements of the storyline. They aren’t that commonly used in this genre these days from what I’ve observed, so I was curious to find out how they would play out in this universe as the same patterns played out over and over again as the characters attempted to break the cycle. This is the sort of theme I love reading about in this genre, and it makes me curious to check out more stories from the author in the future.

Mad as Birds was a wild ride.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Wild Evolution by C. Fern Cook

July 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Wild Evolution by C. Fern Cook
Book 1 of the Wild series
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When Dan defends his livestock against a wild dog attack, he is put in a ‘kill or be killed’ battle. When he takes the head of a wild dog in to be tested for rabies he discovers he has the head of a human male instead of a wild dog. Now he is forced to cover up a self-defense killing because no one would believe he killed a wild dog when he has a human head. A werewolf by contamination, Dan’s life spins out of control. All his senses are heightened including his passion for the wild. His passion for the wild compels him to try to stop a new housing development that threatens the local wildlife from loss of habitat, but things don’t go according to plans and now he has a second body to dispose of.

It’s hard to keep a secret in a small town.

The mystery storyline was exciting and well-paced. One of the things I appreciated the most about it was that it was told from the killer’s point of view which isn’t something I’ve seen very often in this genre. This was a refreshing way to explain why someone might commit such a crime and what goes through their mind as they hide the evidence afterwards. There were so many twists and turns that I was never quite sure what to expect next. If the author is willing, I’d like to review the rest of the books in this series to see if my guesses about future events are anywhere close to being correct.

It would have been helpful to have more descriptions of the characters and settings. I struggled to imagine what many of the scenes looked like because of how little time was spent discussing what it would be like to stand in the middle of them and look around. This is something I’m saying as a reader who can generally easily picture a scene if I’m given a few details to work with, and I would have chosen a higher rating if this were easier for me as I was reading. The plot itself was exactly the sort of mystery I am drawn to.

Dan wasn’t immediately, much less entirely, aware of how he was changing after being bitten which made it even more interesting for me as a reader to take note of both the things he had noticed were different about himself as well as the ones that he seemed to be overlooking based on the descriptions of his personality and habits that were provided. Honestly, this is one of the best things about werewolf tales in my opinion because of how many different ways a plot can develop as someone slowly or quickly transforms, so I was glad to see it included here.

Wild Evolution kept me guessing.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Movie Review: Sea Lions of the Galapagos

July 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Sea Lions of the Galapagos
Writers: David Fowler, Richard Wollocombe, Hugh Wilson, and Keith Scholey
Director: Keith Scholey and Hugh Wilson
Starring: Brendan Fraser
Publisher: Disneynature, Disney
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars (8 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Astilbe

In the heart of the Pacific Ocean lies a magical cluster of islands, home to a unique collection of castaways. Disneynature’s “Sea Lions of the Galapagos” dives underwater with Leo, a sea lion pup who’s learning how to navigate life.

Everyone deserves to find a place to belong, including sea lions.

I was impressed with how well this documentary balanced the many different audiences it was created for. Fraser explained even potentially scary scenes involving sharks chasing sea lions in such a calm and friendly tone of voice that I’d feel comfortable watching this with the little ones in my life. It isn’t always easy to find family-friendly stories that appeal to kids and adults of all ages and include extra information about the life of a sea lion for those who are old enough to read between the lines in certain shots, so it was wonderful to find something that can work nicely on so many different levels.

There were sections about Leo’s life as a young adult sea lion that I felt were a little slow, especially for any preschoolers or young children who might watch this. While the Galápagos Islands and ocean are beautiful, I would have gone for a full five-star rating if there had been a little more action about halfway through this film. With that being said, so much depends on the attention span of viewers and what they find most interesting in a documentary.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that showed a few games sea lions play together underwater. I didn’t know they were so playful with each other or that they used various things that can be found on the ocean floor in similar ways to how humans use toys. This was something I could have spent the full film time exploring!

Sea Lions of the Galapagos was a gentle and wholesome story for all age groups.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Movie Review, Television Show Tagged With: , ,

The Book of Outcasts by Matt Nagin

July 18, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Book of Outcasts by Matt Nagin
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The Book of Outcasts is a short story collection featuring dynamic characters in surreal, often imaginative worlds. The stories run the gamut; in one, the narrator is stripped of his job, his apartment, and his civil liberties for refusing a brain implant; in another, a compulsive gambler is so desperate to repay his debt he robs a casino; in a third, a writer, tormented by a pernicious doppelganger, goes to all lengths to exact revenge. There is also a film festival operator framed for ghastly murder on The French Riviera; a game show host who profits off a deadly pandemic; and a former nightclub comedian who gets abducted by aliens and taken to a planet where cannibalism is the norm.

Not everyone finds it easy to fit in.

“Retirement” was written from the perspective of Harry, a retired senior citizen who may or may not be a reliable narrator. I changed my mind about him several times, and I’m still mulling over some of the things he shared with readers and how other characters around him might describe the same events. There is definitely something to be said for trusting readers to come up with our own conclusions about a character and what sort of person they might be.

Some of the stories in this collection would have benefitted from more development in my opinion, and “The Failure” was one of them. Bill, the main character, was someone who graduated from college but didn’t achieve most of his biggest life goals after that point. I empathised with how stuck he felt in his routines and the regret he felt for how his choices had panned out. What didn’t make sense to me was his response to a marvellous twist in his life later on in this tale as it didn’t seem to match up with what I’d earlier learned about his personality. It would have been helpful to have information in order to know why he made the choices he did, and that was a pattern that repeated itself elsewhere as well.

The idea of doppelgängers immediately becoming sworn enemies kept my interest level in “Nagin vs. Nagin” high. Why wouldn’t they try to be friends if possible? That question bounced around in my mind as I read this one and began to understand why both Nagins hated each other so much as the social media war between them heated up. It was especially entertaining to see how one act of bad behavior triggered something a little worse in response and how neither of these characters seemed capable of de-escalating their conflict.

The Book of Outcasts made me wonder what might happen next.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

On Two Legs and Three Wheels – The Travel Adventures of a Couple Overcoming Age and Disability by Cary D. Lowe

July 15, 2025 By Leave a Comment


On Two Legs and Three Wheels – The Travel Adventures of a Couple Overcoming Age and Disability by Cary D. Lowe
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Can you continue traveling as you get older or if you are disabled? On Two Legs and Three Wheels answers that with an emphatic, “Yes!”

Multiple sclerosis disabled the legs of the author’s wife twenty years ago, making her rely on a mobility scooter, and now both the author and his wife are in their seventies. But none of that stopped them from traveling. On two legs and three wheels, they have traveled to twenty countries and twenty states. Perseverance, ingenuity, and flexibility have enabled them to overcome virtually all obstacles. These characteristics are on full display in the two dozen tales of their travels to locales as diverse as Alpine peaks, Caribbean beaches, desert canyons, and urban boulevards, via planes, trains, cars, buses, and ships.

Their adventures will inspire disabled and older people to keep traveling, while engaging in activities that thrill fully abled partners, as well. And their travel tales will delight and entertain readers of all ages and physical conditions.

A little help goes a long way.

One of the quietly difficult parts of having a chronic illness or disability is figuring out what one’s new limitations are. Sometimes what can be accomplished on a good day is impossible on a bad one, while at other times the restrictions are permanent. As someone who has personal experience with this issue although not with Trish’s specific diagnosis, I loved Mr. Lowe’s descriptions of how he and his wife figured out what she was capable of and adjusted to her new realities as multiple sclerosis slowly changed the rules of what her body could and couldn’t do. They had such creative and playful approaches to finding new ways of enjoying their trips together, including activities like scuba diving that at first glance might not seem like very accessible hobbies for someone who has limited mobility.

There were times when the descriptions of the places they visited felt a little repetitive due to the focus on wine and food. I found myself wishing that more time had been spent talking about what made their various destinations unique as I haven’t been to most of those locations myself. Of course, there were areas of many places that were not wheelchair accessible, but I would have liked to know more about their climates, cultures, historical places, museums, music, friendly locals, and other things that the author may have strong memories about.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that explored how Cory and Trish responded to other people’s curiosity about her illness and assistive devices and other accommodations she needed on her travels. Striking a balance between educating strangers on things like assistive devices, what it feels like to be disabled or chronically ill, and why some people need certain accommodations while also protecting one’s privacy isn’t always easy. The frustration they occasionally felt was understandable, but there were also empowering moments when a brief conversation with a stranger may have permanently changed that person’s mind for the better about these topics. It’s a delicate balance to strike at times but based on this memoir they sure seem to be doing a fantastic job of living their lives to the fullest and also educating the public about topics the average able-bodied person might not know much about.

On Two Legs and Three Wheels was a beautiful adventure.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Coquina Soup – Collected Stories by Frances Nevill

July 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Coquina Soup – Collected Stories by Frances Nevill
Publisher: Bordighera Press
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In this debut collection of short stories, Florida writer Frances Nevill explores the struggles of women at crossroads, where discoveries of truth and lies unfold and the decision remains to stay or to go. Amongst a multitude of lost characters, this collection is a dose of hope set amongst the iconic backdrop of Florida.

First impressions aren’t always correct.

In “Cloud Cover,” Heather had cold feet on her wedding day and needed to quickly decide if she actually wanted to marry Timothy. I was intrigued by how long she had been wrestling with this question and wondered why she hadn’t made up her mind much earlier in their relationship. The answers to those questions were satisfactory, and I wished her well as she weighed her various options.

There were some tales in this collection that I thought would benefit from stronger character development. For example, Blair’s jealousy over her husband Brad’s friendship with another woman in “Bad Seeing” was overwhelming for reasons I never quite understood. It was difficult for me to determine if I thought she was overreacting or if their friend really did have an ulterior motive for the kind things she did for Brad. Having a deeper understanding of all three of their personalities would have made it easier for this reader to come to a conclusion about who to trust here.

Sevesti returned home to care for her dying mother in “Coquina Soup” only to discover a family secret that had been hidden for decades. I enjoyed the gentle pacing of this one as well as the main character’s reaction to learning more about her family’s mysterious past. It showed me parts of her personality that would have otherwise remained unnoticed, and it made me wish for a sequel so I could find out what happened next.

Coquina Soup: Collected Stories was thought provoking.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Missing in Miskatonic by JP Behrens

June 30, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Missing in Miskatonic by JP Behrens
Publisher: Crystal Lake Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Step into the shadowed streets of 1928 Arkham, where Miskatonic University holds secrets darker than the night.

In this supernatural thriller reminiscent of Raymond Chandler and H.P. Lovecraft, Private Detective Travis Daniels is thrust into a harrowing investigation when a young woman disappears without a trace. As Daniels delves deeper into the labyrinthine mysteries of the storied New England city, he uncovers a web of sinister cults, ancient rituals, and eldritch horrors that threaten not only his own sanity but the fabric of reality itself.

Set against a city steeped in occult lore and clandestine experiments, Missing in Miskatonic blends elements of hard-boiled detective fiction with chilling supernatural encounters. Daniels navigates treacherous alliances and confronts malevolent entities lurking in the shadows, all while racing against time to unravel the truth behind the girl’s disappearance.

With a narrative that grips from the first page, this novella combines suspense, mystery, and cosmic terror in a gripping tale where every clue leads deeper into the abyss. From the enigmatic corridors of Miskatonic to the eerie gatherings of the Silver Twilight Lodge, Daniels must confront his own demons as he battles forces beyond human comprehension.

Mercy isn’t guaranteed.

Travis was an intelligent protagonist who made it impossible for me to stop rooting for him. I enjoyed seeing him push the boundaries of where he was supposed to go while he attempted to find out what happened to the missing girl. Every time someone thwarted his investigation, he doubled back and looked for a different way to gather clues, often while making others believe he might give up this time. He teetered on the edge of making risky decisions but never went so far that I thought he was overstepping or revealing his plan too early. This was a delicate balance to maintain at times, but it kept this cautious reader interested from beginning to end.

It would have been helpful to have stronger plot development in this piece. The setting was deliciously scary, but there wasn’t enough conflict to keep my interest levels high despite the fact that I was excited to read something inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s work. There was plenty of space here to add more details and flesh out the plot twists that were already included, and I would have happily gone for a higher rating if that had occurred. This was a world I didn’t want to stop reading about.

I enjoyed the dream-like qualities of many of the scenes whether they were subtle or overt. For example, the university was open for business and yet scarcely any students could be seen on campus. This was something that unnerved Travis – and honestly this reader as well – and yet the other characters behaved as if it were perfectly normal for a campus to be almost completely empty at what should have been one of its busiest times of the year. Later scenes at a local sanitarium were much more blatantly the stuff of nightmares, especially in the areas of that building that most visitors would not be allowed to explore, and I thought it was interesting to compare Travis’ reactions to them after seeing what he thought of the quieter signs that something was wrong with that community earlier on.

Missing in Miskatonic was moody and atmospheric in a good way. I look forward to reading any sequels to it that may be released in the future.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Here, Now, and Forever by J.S. Frankel

June 25, 2025 By 2 Comments


Here, Now, and Forever by J.S. Frankel
Publisher: Extasy Books
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A flight into danger. A portal to another world. Adventures, danger, a new beginning, and a romance that spans forever.

Carl Goodman, a Merchant Marine sailor during World War Two, is shipwrecked off the coast of China and a temporary visitor at an American airfield, finally scores a ride to India to ship out on another vessel. Accompanying him is Ruby Matthews, a black nurse with her own set of problems.

Bad weather forces their plane to crash on an escarpment high in the Himalayas. As the only survivors with minimal supplies, they take refuge inside a cave where they discover a portal that leads them into an almost Eden-like garden.

After starting at odds, Carl and Ruby come to an understanding, and romance builds over time. However, their peace is interrupted by the arrival of an alien called Norlok, who has an agenda of his own. Defeating him is only part of the problem.

When rescue finally arrives, they find that eighty-five years have passed, yet they’ve retained their youth—until they return to the US, where they begin to rapidly age. Getting back to their garden is of prime importance, but will they be in time?

Anything can happen during a war.

Mr. Frankel’s plot twists are one of the reasons why I have consistently requested his books over the years. He knows exactly how many hints to hide away in his stories to give his readers a taste of what is to come without making it too easy to figure out where he’s going next. This makes the reading and reviewing process effortless because I am always confident that he’s going to keep me on my toes and throw a few curve balls my way as the plot spins off in a new direction. As always, this was such a fun combination of genres, and I loved seeing how he used World War II to leap off into times and places I never would have otherwise associated with that era. Without giving away too many details, there is a peaceful garden in this book that I found especially surprising and relaxing.

I would have liked to see more time spent developing the military subplot. Their reaction to Carl and Ruby’s existence was intriguing at first but didn’t quite make sense to me later on. Having more information about why they responded the way that they did and how willing they were to go along with almost anything the protagonists wanted would have made this a stronger book in my opinion. It is a minor criticism of something I otherwise enjoyed reading quite a bit.

Some of the most memorable scenes for me were the ones that explored what it feels like to be part of a minority group, whether that’s related to race, gender, religion, or other factors. Not everyone who is part of one or more of these groups has the same experiences, of course, but there is overlap between them that I think is helpful for everyone to take note of. The more compassion we feel for each other as human beings, the better if you ask me! While I can’t go into details about exactly what these characters went through without sharing spoilers, it was well worth my time and is something I think readers from every background should explore.

Here, Now, and Forever was adventurous.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

All the Small Things by Sharon Noble

June 17, 2025 By Leave a Comment


All the Small Things by Sharon Noble
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Tilda Asquith-Hyde has it all, or so it seems. An apartment overlooking the Thames, a flash car, designer clothes and money. Plenty of it. But Tilda’s world is crumbling. The death of her mother and the breakup of her long-term relationship opens a void in her life that pushes alcohol from being reliable friend, to dangerous partner.

After a chance encounter with a friend and her baby, Tilda seizes upon the idea that motherhood will be the missing piece in her lonely life.

Lana Edwards and her partner Joel are scraping along in life. Lana is desperate for a child, but age and deteriorating health are against her. In one final effort, Lana and Joel agree to divert the only money they have into private IVF treatment – seemingly, their last realistic chance to have a child.

Unknown to each other, Tilda and Lana access IVF treatment, Tilda opting for a sperm donor and Lana and Joel using their own fertilised egg. Both women successfully deliver healthy babies. Their prayers surely answered.

Yet, within moments of birth Tilda emphatically rejects the child that is placed in her arms, whilst Lana is going through her own rollercoaster of emotions. Her joy visible to all, her doubts hidden from even those closest to her.

Lana and Tilda’s lives are about to intersect, setting off a devastating chain of events with far-reaching implications.

Will Lana and Tilda be able to ‘do the right thing’ for their children? And at what cost?

Parenthood is a privilege.

The ethical dilemma presented in this tale was suspenseful, complex, and thought provoking. Is it more important for a baby to remain with the parents who raised her or the ones who share her DNA? I had a strong opinion on this topic when I began reading, but I enjoyed listening to other perspectives and looking at the benefits and drawbacks of every possible solution to this problem. Mixing up the blastocysts was an error that never should have happened at the IVF clinic, but now that it had occurred someone was going to be hurt no matter what the judge decided.

I struggled to connect with the large cast of characters. While there were enough reminders sprinkled here and there for me to keep track of how everyone was connected to each other, there wasn’t much time to develop their personalities in the vast majority of cases. I could give a quick description of the two narrators, but everyone else was a blur. It would have been helpful for me as a reader to have a smaller cast to work with so I could know more about everyone’s flaws, strengths, interests, and other relevant information about them.

Addiction is a terrible disease that isn’t always easily understood by outsiders. I was intrigued by the passages that described how the overwhelming desire to drink can overshadow everything else in life, including things as important as looking after an infant. Having empathy for someone in this position without making excuses for the harmful things they do is a difficult but important task that must be completed in order to be immersed in this story. The author did a good job of exploring this issue while also holding that character responsible for their actions.

All the Small Things kept me guessing.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Movie Review: Pets

June 16, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Pets (a Documentary)
Director: Bryce Dallas Howard
Starring: Travis Ford, Adam Burke, and Sterling Davis
Publisher: Disney
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars (6 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Astilbe

It explores the extraordinary relationship between animals and their people around the world. Highlighting dogs, cats, pigs, goats, and birds of prey, Pets takes us on a lovely journey that celebrates love, loss, and licks along the way.

Everyone needs unconditional love.

One of the cool things about this film had to do with how many different age groups it was created for. There were interviews with preschoolers, senior citizens, and everyone in-between those age groups, too. This mean that the storytelling worked on multiple levels depending on how closely a viewer could pay attention and how much they already knew about this world. It is not easy to create something that everyone can enjoy, so kudos to the director and crew for pulling it off!

This documentary bounced around quite a bit between various people and their pets. As much as I liked seeing so many different types of animals and people from a wide variety of backgrounds, it was tricky for me as a viewer to feel deeply connected to any of them due to how little screen time they all received. I would have loved to see a smaller number of folks be interviewed so more time could be spent exploring their connections with their furry – or sometimes not so furry – companions.

Every aspect of owning a pet was covered here, from the naughty things they sometimes do to how families help pets who are sick, injured, or elderly. I laughed and cried as I watched this as the people who were being interviewed talked about both the difficult and joyful parts of sharing their lives with one or more animals. Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that explored the quirks certain pets had, from licking doorknobs to getting a little jealous if someone else received more attention than they did. It was a delightful exploration of what life is like when you live with animals.

Pets was heartwarming.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Movie Review Tagged With: , , ,
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