Sage Nestler's Blog, page 47
March 8, 2017
Cooking with Dice Character Spotlight – The Sommelier
Hello, Everyone!
Today I am spotlighting the character of “The Sommelier” from the role-playing game, Cooking with Dice! I am getting more and more excited for this fun cookbook, and I hope you enjoy reading about the different characters in the coming weeks!
Cooking with Dice Character Spotlight: THE SOMMELIER
Special Ability – Earn bonus XP for singing a song about an ingredient or step in the recipe you’re preparing.
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Many of your songs tell the tales of brave adventurers battling fearsome monsters and fighting off inconceivable evil in far-away lands. You admire these heroes almost to the point of worship.… but you prefer to admire them from afar. You love pairing your lazy days of playing your lute in the warm sun with self-indulgent nights staying in the most comfortable inns, eating the richest foods, and drinking of the finest vintages. You also enjoy the company of friends you meet in your travels. A pat on the head can leave you purring, but others should be warned that you’re not one to let an insult pass. One wrong word and the claws shall come out.
Learn more about Cooking with Dice here!
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
March 7, 2017
50% OFF SALE
Hello, Everyone!
For one week from March 7 – March 14 we at Literary Vacation Club will be hosting a 50% OFF SALE on ANYTHING in our one-time shop! We need to clear out our excess inventory ASAP, so there are no limits!
Simply use the code “50OFF” at checkout, and your entire order will be 50% off!
Thank you so much for your constant support, and I hope that you all have a lovely bookish week!
SHOP NOW
Much love,
Ashley
March 6, 2017
Descendant by Jeffrey A. Levin
Title: Descendant
Author: Jeffrey A. Levin
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
The year is 2378, and the world knows sixteen-year-old Michael Eisenstein as someone who comes from a long line of mass murderers that spans more than three centuries. Yes, he is the most unlikely person to begin fighting for the survival of the human race.
The planet has experienced eight additional world wars since the dawn of the twenty-first century, and extraterrestrials are living in the ocean, beneath a world devastated by the effects of climate change. Michael’s mother, Monica, lives in fear, and his father, Benjamin, is the most recent Eisenstein responsible for creating ever larger and more efficient weapons of mass destruction.
Michael, meanwhile, fears becoming his father and struggles with suicidal depression–that is, until he meets Maya and immediately falls in love. But when Ben takes Michael to Giza on a mission to find new energy sources, the boy accidentally falls into a tunnel and encounters a time traveler by the name of Ezekial. From there, the pair set out on the adventure of a lifetime, and Michael learns the truth about the fate of the earth and its people.
In this science fiction novel, a sixteen-year-old boy living in 2378 on a devastated earth meets a time traveler and sets out to save humanity.
Review:
Descendant by Jeffrey A. Levin is an interesting science fiction take on what might become of our world in the very near future. Right from the beginning, he addresses today’s environmental and governmental issues, and how they have affected the world in the future. I enjoyed reading about his ideas and exploring a world that could very well become our own.
However, I was often distracted from the genius of the world that Levin created by the snarky tone of the narrator. It seemed to me that Michael Eisenstein, our main character, was trying too hard to come off as witty and endearing when he was coming off as a bit superficial. He also would think to himself too much, and it seemed that he was trying to force too much unnecessary information into the reader. I am a big fan of the saying “show me, don’t tell me” and that is something that could improve the writing in this novel. It was because of this that I had a hard time relating to Michael Eisenstein or caring for him, and I ended up not being interested in his storyline. But I do think that Levin’s idea for having a descendant of a line of mass murderers is intriguing, and if the main character were reimagined, the story would shine.
With that being said, it is clear to me that Levin has great storytelling skills in terms of creating a science fiction world that is inviting and terrifying all at once. He took our current events and progressed them into the future in a way that should be a wake-up call for us all. I enjoyed his world building skills and his take on the world today, and I think that many science fiction fans would enjoy this brilliantly created world. If Michael Eisenstein had been given a more natural voice, this novel would expand and his story would fly off of the page. But overall, I enjoyed Levin’s world and I look forward to what he creates in the future.
March 5, 2017
Vault of the Macabre by Darren Field
Title: Vault of the Macabre
Author: Darren Field
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
A collection of 37 Delightfully twisted Macabre/Gothic poems with a vein of black humor throughout.
Review:
Vault of the Macabre is a very eclectic horror poetry collection. It is made up of different poems in many different styles, and each one of them revolves around a gothic or grotesque theme. I found this collection to be a bit confusing because some of the poems would be written brilliantly, while others seemed to be quick scribbles that had been written just to fill the book. Based on some of the longer poems such as The Luna Lunacy of Lawrence Longhorn and Trick or Treat, it is clear that Darren Field has great storytelling skills. However, I do think that his poems come off as a bit childish. I wish they had been edited more and didn’t rely only on rhyming to be considered poems. Field clearly has good ideas for horror stories, and I hope that he will continue to work on his craft and venture into different poetic styles rather than just rhyming.
March 2, 2017
Box Review: Horror Block – February 2017
Horror Block is a sub-section of Nerd Block, and they exclusively send cult horror accessories that are more often than not exclusive to the box. I love this subscription because they send out items that you can’t find anywhere else, and they do send out horror movies and novels a lot of the time. The box itself is $19.99/month+shipping, but you can order multi-months at a time for a deeper discount. They have 3 months at $17.99/month+shipping, 6 months at $16.99/month+shipping, and 12 months at $15.99/month+shipping. They also do accept PayPal, and if you pay through PayPal, your plan will not auto-renew. This is beneficial if you want to buy a multi-month plan, but not keep your subscription once the months are up.
SUBSCRIBE HERE
Horror Block does not run on themes every month, so you generally receive a mix of items from different horror fandoms, and this allows for an even wider variety of fun horror swag! My review is for the February 2017 box, and these boxes tend to ship after the 25th of each month.
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Horror Block arrives in a fun cardboard box that is littered with horror block doodles, and the primary colors are red and black. The box itself is a novelty item, and I love using them for storage on my bookcase!
[image error]Horror Block usually includes an item list on a card, but in this box, they included the item list in a zine that includes background on the Amityville Horror story, as well as a crossword and other fun reading material.
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The Amityville Horror seemed to be a big theme in this month’s box, and the first item that I found was an Amityville Horror house pin. I love how detailed this pin is, and it is exclusive to the box! I always put these fun pins on my book bag, and I love having various pieces of horror along with me as I travel.
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The next item is a thick, Amityville Horror tote bag. It is exclusive to the box as well, and it is similar to the reusable shopping bags that are so popular nowadays. I love the eerie sketch of the house on this bag, and I will definitely be using it to tote my stuff around!
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Penny Dreadful is another horror show that showed up in this month’s box! I love how detailed this scorpion necklace is, and it is an exclusive item from Showtime.
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This month also included a DVD! The movie included this month is Silent Retreat. I have yet to see this movie, so I am very excited to watch it! The synopsis is as follows:
Six members of a media company go on a weekend business retreat at an isolated lodge in the woods. When one of the members goes missing, one by one, they fall victim to the dark secrets buried at the lodge.
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A book of horror poems was also a part of this box, and I was so excited to see it included! I am a huge fan of horror literature, and these poems are promised to scare. The book is called Vault of the Macabre by author Darren Field, and the book description is as follows:
A collection of 37 Delightfully twisted Macabre/Gothic poems with a vain of black humour throughout.
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The last item included in this box is essentially a staple in every Horror Block. It is the latest edition of Rue Morgue magazine, and I love how this magazine keeps me up to date on all things horror!
Overall, this box is probably one of my favorites that I have received from Horror Block. It included both a book and a movie as well as numerous accessories, and you can’t beat the price! If you are a huge horror buff like I am, I highly recommend Horror Block to keep you up to date on the horror world.
SUBSCRIBE HERE
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
March 1, 2017
Cooking with Dice: The Acid Test by Jennifer Howlett
Title: Cooking with Dice: The Acid Test
Author: Jennifer Howlett
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis:
In the first book in the Cooking with Dice series, you’ve been called upon to help a pair of acid dragons in their time of need. You find out that what they NEED is to show up their obnoxious friends and neighbors with a legendary party. ACID is the key here. You’ll be cooking up a range of dishes using chemistry, without touching the stove or oven. You might cheat and use that magic My-Crow-Wave box every so often.
Try your hand at making quick-pickles, ceviche, home-made cheeses, freezer jams, fizzy candy and more! Using our ten variable formulas, you can create thousands of unique recipes and level up your Cooking with Dice characters.
Review:
Cooking with Dice: The Acid Test is by far the most fun cookbook that I have come across. Not only is it a cookbook, but the premise of it is that it is a role-playing game that involves cooking with acid. I was overjoyed to be able to review this book because I am a big fan of Adventure Scents, which author Jennifer Howlett owns, and I was excited to see what her new cookbook was all about. But as I began reading, I found that it was so much more than I expected.
Howlett has created a whole new world with her cookbook. Included in the book are character profiles as well as a full story to wrap up all of the recipes and characters into.
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All of the recipes are also designed around food science and the use of acid to cook, instead of heat. Many of the acids used are different kinds of vinegar, and in the recipes, you have to roll a dice to determine what kinds of ingredients you will be using. One of the recipes included in the book is a ceviche stuffed tomato, and it is absolutely delicious! Below is a picture of the recipe from the Cooking with Dice Facebook page.
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But one thing that I loved about this role-playing game is that you can choose to play it by yourself! You do not need other players to complete the recipes and earn points, and this can help you to master your own cooking skills when cooking with acid. The scenarios that are described in the game, along with the recipes, bring the game to life, and my boyfriend and I had the best time playing it. I am so happy to have found an original RPG game to play that is also productive! I can’t wait until this book comes out (hopefully more will show up in the series too!) and I will keep you all updated once the Kickstarter begins. I am sure you are going to love this fun activity too! I will be posting more about the different recipes and scenarios in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
February 28, 2017
Writing Tip: So You Want to Build A World – Part 2
Once you have completed your detailed descriptions of your world from the laws and regulations to the setting and describing how the world looks in great detail, you will want to begin to look at the cast of characters that you will be including in your writing. I had you create the background to your world before focusing on your characters because you want a world that will outlive your characters. This means, if you want to create a world that will become real for the reader, you want it to be a world that doesn’t rely on your characters to exist. This will also allow you to expand your world in multiple novels if you intend on writing a series.
But once you have created that necessary background, you can begin working on your cast. However, I do not want you to start with character profiles like you might in other circumstances. The best way to begin working on your cast of characters will be to create a character map. An example of a character map is below and it is based on The Kite Runner:
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Character maps are a great way to establish the relationships between your characters, and how they might influence one another. You want to make sure that you understand all of the relationships that your characters hold and that way you can make sure that you aren’t over revealing any of the relationships between your characters in your novel, and you want to make sure that you don’t cross any boundaries between characters.
Once you have worked on this character map, make a separate profile sheet for each character based on their appearance, occupation, birthdate or other important dates, favorite foods, etc. The more details you can jot down, the better. Also, make sure to define their physical characteristics in depth. The more that you understand your characters, the better you will be able to bring them to life for the reader. I have prepared a character profile sheet for you below, and please feel free to use this sheet for each of your characters. You can also omit any of the characteristics shown, or add your own. Your story is in your own hands!
Character Profile Sheet
Name:
Occupation:
Birthdate:
Birth Place:
Relationship Status:
Sexual Orientation:
Eye Color:
Hair Color:
Body Type:
Typical Clothing Choice:
Favorite Color:
Favorite Food:
Family Background:
Role Model:
Best Friend:
Living Situation:
Education Status:
Life Goals:
Hobbies:
Favorite Book:
Favorite Song:
Favorite Quote:
The deeper your delve into your characters, the more passionate you will be about them. This planning will also help to prevent any inconsistencies in your novel. But don’t worry, all of this work will pay off! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
February 27, 2017
Call Her Sabine by A.R. Simmons
Title: Call Her Sabine
Author: A.R. Simmons
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
Deputy Richard Carter returns in the sixth novel of AR Simmons’ tales of obsession. Call Her Sabine is a contemporary crime mystery pitting a persistent “everyman” against a cunning abductor with an odd mania.
How did coed Charlie Fouts get here? Does anyone even know that she is gone? And what does “the freak” want of her?
Two young women are found drowned within the space of two weeks. Carter has a policeman’s distrust of coincidence, but it appears one the first woman’s death was an accident, while the second was a suicide. Then a college athlete goes missing during an early-morning jog, causing him to suspect that a local killer has claimed his third victim.
As Carter tries to reconstruct the last day she was seen, Charlie is held by an unknown abductor who only communicates with her via computer screen. Can she do what is necessary to survive? Can Carter find her in time?
Try Call Her Sabine
(a stand-alone novel) if you enjoy: Mystery Suspense Series, Crime or Psychological Thrillers, Police Procedurals, Detective Series, or Tales of Obsession.
Review:
Call Her Sabine is the best mystery/thriller novel that I have read all year. I am always a sucker for crime novels that involve kidnappings due to the intensity involved, and A.R. Simmons’ descriptions and characters just flew off of the page. The novel is the sixth in a series, but it is a standalone novel and can be read without having read the other novels in the series. I loved how the novel showed both the sides of the victims as well as Carter, the main character who is a policeman. The writing was dry and the descriptions of the crimes were not explicit, making the novel a fun read because not too much was given away. The story was in depth, and it created a puzzle for the reader to analyze. Call Her Sabine was a true page turner, and I would happily read it over again, which is something that I rarely do.
My only critique is that the novel could be choppy at times, and some of the events seemed a bit rushed. It was clear that Simmons did not want to over-describe any of the events, but I do wish that some of them had been expanded on. However, this did not deter from my reading experience, and I enjoyed every element to the story.
Something that I sometimes see in crime novels is that the victims are not taken seriously, or they are not emphasized as much as they should. I do not like crime novels that seem to care more about the detectives or police officers involved, and Simmons did a great job of making sure that the victims had faces, names, and stories that were important to the case. He made me empathize with the victims and what they were put through, and I wanted to hold all of them by the end. Carter was also painted as a hard police officer, but he showed compassion at many times and his humanity is what helped me connect to him. I fought along with him as he investigated the different crimes, and I began to see him as a friend and a colleague by the end of the novel.
Call Her Sabine is a perfect novel for those who are interested in life-like investigations and kidnapping/murder crimes. As someone who has worked in corrections, I found the book to be realistic and intense. I would highly suggest this novel to anyone who loves a great crime story, or those looking to get into the genre, and you can’t go wrong with an A.R. Simmons novel.
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
February 26, 2017
Box Review: Paper Street Books and Comics – February Box
Paper Street Books and Comics is a bi-monthly subscription that sends you books, comics, or both, under a specialized theme bi-monthly! The books that they send are always under the fantasy, science fiction, or horror genres, and they have three plans – The Book Addict (Book + Accessories – $29.99/bi-monthly+shipping), The Comic Addict (Graphic Novel + Accessories $29.99/bi-monthly+shipping), and The Book Warrior (Graphic Novel + Book + Accessories – $44.99/bimonthly+shipping).
I love the themes that this box has! They are always original, and I look forward to their boxes being different from others that I have received. They make sure that their box is generally gender neutral, and they include items that everyone can enjoy. The box that I am reviewing today is their Book Warrior box, which includes all of the accessories plus both the graphic novel and book, and the February theme was “Drink the Stars and the Sea”.
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Paper Street Books and Comics comes in a plain, white box with the logo on the front, and upon opening you are greeted with a beautiful teal tissue paper with a “PS” sticker on it. I love how the way the box is wrapped up intensifies the surprise aspect of it.
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After opening the tissue paper, the first item that you see is the item list and letter from the box creators, Jenn and Marty. I love how each book and item has an explanation as to why it was chosen for the box, and how it fits in with the theme. This shows me how much work goes into the curation of each Paper Street box!
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The book choice for this month was Zodiac by Sam Wilson. I hadn’t heard of this book before receiving it, and I am so excited to have found a book that I wouldn’t have picked up otherwise! It is a thriller revolving around a society that divides the population by their zodiac signs, and it involves murder and a serial killer as well. The story sound strikingly original, and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into it! Here is the synopsis:
“In a volatile society ruled and divided by its citizens’ zodiac signs, a serial killer is on the loose: is it a misguided revolution or something more sinister?
A starting new thriller with one of the most original concepts in years, where the line between a life of luxury and an existence of poverty can be determined by the stroke of midnight.
In San Celeste, a series of uniquely brutal murders targets victims from totally different walks of life. In a society divided according to Zodiac signs, those differences are cast at birth and binding for life. All eyes are on detective Jerome Burton and astrological profiler Lindi Childs―divided in their beliefs over whether the answer is written in the stars, but united in their conviction that there is an ingenious serial killer executing a grand plan.
Together, they will unravel a dark tale of betrayal, lost love, broken promises and a devastating truth with the power to tear their world apart . .”
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The graphic novel choice for this month is Dept. H Volume 1 by Matt Kindt! It is also a mystery/thriller, and I love how it takes place in the ocean. This is another graphic novel that I didn’t know about, and I am happy to have found it! This is why I love Paper Street. I am not as up to date on the graphic novel world, and I love having graphic novels hand picked for me. Here is the synopsis:
“From New York Times bestselling Mind MGMT creator Matt Kindt comes an exciting and new undersea sci-fi mystery.
Mia is a special investigator hired to uncover possible sabotage taking place at a deep-sea research station. What she uncovers is a mind-blowing crime scene filled with suspects with terrible secrets, strange deep-sea creatures, and an impending flood!”
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Also included this month was a bonus comic! I love when the box comes with a single issue, because it really gets me into a new series that I can follow issue by issue! This particular comic is called Empowered Soldier of Love #1 by Adam Warren and Karla Diaz, and even though it isn’t under the star or sea theme, it tied in with Valentine’s Day! Any comic with bad ass females is fine by me! Here is the synopsis:
“Love is tearing apart costumed crimefighter Empowered’s city, as the unearthly powers of an embittered “International Magical Girl of Mystery” covertly inflame the superheroic community’s burning passions. But even if a befuddled Emp can puzzle out her shadowy foe’s schemes, can she hope to prevail against the Soldier of Love?”[image error]
And now, for the bonus goodies! The first of these goodies was a pair of Princes of the Sea socks by Sock it to Me, and they are ADORABLE. The item list also says that some people received the Sea Captain socks, so I thought that it was neat that they gave out different socks to different people! Socks are always a favorite with me, so this item is probably my favorite item in the box.
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The next item is a bag of Rum Salt Water Taffy, and I love how the choice of rum links back to pirates and sailors at sea. It is so clever! The candies are adorable, and I can’t wait to try them. You can never go wrong with a good salt water taffy!
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The last item included this month is a Call of Cthulhu Notebook made by the owners of the box! I love how it is a smaller size and has the simplistic colors of black on white. I always love receiving items that are made by the owners of the box themselves, and this one was a winner!
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Overall, this box was probably my favorite box that Paper Street has done, mostly because of the theme with the sea and the stars. I also loved how everything tied together in such a neat way! The curation was completely on point this month, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!
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February 25, 2017
“The Reading Buddy” Cover Reveal
Hello, Everyone!
I would like to share with you a new cover reveal from Bryce Gibson, author of Perennials. His new book, The Reading Buddy, is due out this summer and I can’t wait to read it!
See my book review of Perennials here: Perennials by Bryce Gibson
As of yet, there is no book synopsis, but this cover is just stunning! Take al ook and read about Gibson below.
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Author Bio
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Bryce Gibson writes Southern fiction that takes readers to charming and oftentimes sinister areas of The South. He has a degree in Media Arts from the University of South Carolina, works full time as a farmer, and lives in South Carolina with his wife and their dog. Bryce is the author of the Young Adult thriller Perennials and the Southern mystery Unclaimed Acre. His next book The Reading Buddy will be available in 2017.
Enjoy!
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEW REQUESTS FILL OUT FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
