Narrelle M. Harris's Blog, page 53
July 4, 2010
Review: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Dead Until Dark
Having watched the True Blood tv series before reading any of CHarlaine Harris' books, I wasn't sure what to expect from the source material. It turns out that the Harris books are funnier than the series. They also address some of the moral issues (mainly, how Sookie feels about the fact tht Bill is a killer) that are glossed over in the series.
There are differences between the first season of True Blood and this first novel in the series – I missed seeing so much of...
Review: Digger J Jones by Richard J Frankland
I've enjoyed Richard J Frankland's work as a playwright for many years – I was delighted to see his first book on the stand.
Eleven year old Digger J Jones is a terrific character – a feisty little scamp with a lot of personality. His diary entries make up the story – short, snappy observations from an alert, smart and funny kid.
The book, set in 1967 at the time of the Vietnam War and the Australian referendum for Australian Aborigines to finally be counted in the national census, looks at...
June 29, 2010
Review: f2m – The Boy Within by Hazel Edwards and Ryan Kennedy
f2m The Boy Within
Ford Street Publishing is certainly not tying itself down to just one genre for its YA readers. There's been Foz Meadows' "Solace and Grief" (vampires), George Ivanoff's "Gamer's Quest" (fantasy/SF/gaming) and now "f2m – The Boy Within" – a transgender coming of age story.
f2m is the first-person story of Finn – born Skye – who decides, on his 18th birthday, to finally take steps to becoming the male he knows he is, inside the female form he was born with. It's not going to b...
June 25, 2010
Always delighted to see a good review!
The Literate Kitty has given The Opposite of Life a wonderful review: Werewolves in London? Try bloodsuckers Down Under. It starts with a discussion of the four Noble Truths of Bhuddism, works through a fantastic precis of Lissa's background and ends with "Life may be hard and cold… but it still has the ability to surprise and delight, as Lissa finally realizes. It's up to her (and each of us) to make that be enough." It's a really neat review. 
June 24, 2010
GaryView: Classic Pop-Up Tales – Dracula by Bram Stoker
Gary: What on earth possessed you to buy this book?
Lissa: It's for your collection. Look! POP-UP CEMETARY!! (pops the cemetary up in his face)
Gary: Yes, I can see that.
Lissa: Come on, it's hilarious.
Gary: It's kind of weird.
Lissa: I know! Look at this! POP-UP GIANT DOG! (pops the giant dog up in his face)
Gary: Actually, that was scarier in the novel.
Lissa: Well, the novel is several hundred pages long, and this is about a dozen pages of images and text and POP-UP DRACULA! (pops Dracula up in ...
June 23, 2010
Gary and Lissa are talking to each other on Twitter again
LissaWilson83 @garyhooper44 If this was based on you, what would it smell like? http://www.vampirefantasies.com/
GaryHooper44 @LissaWilson83 You can be weird sometimes. Um. Maybe… craft glue? I'm making models today. And Old Spice?
LissaWilson83 @GaryHooper44 Why Old Spice? That's an aftershave isn't it? You don't shave do you?
GaryHooper44 @LissaWilson83 No. Hair doesn't grow now I'm undead. But I used to use Old Spice. Still put it on sometimes. When I smell of craft glue.
June 21, 2010
All in a good cause
I decided that last night, for a change, I would get to bed early. Which means that I actually got to bed at about 3.30am – about an hour and a half later that my usual effort.
On the plus side, I spent the time writing almost all of a new short story, about a mummified hand, and not watching multiple episodes of Stargate Season 2. So that's okay.
June 19, 2010
GaryView: The Wolf House – Roads and Crosses by Mary Borsellino
Lissa: Who's your favourite character in this one?
Gary: I don't know, really. They're all interesting.
Lissa: That is not an acceptable answer, Gary. You've got to have a favourite.
Gary: Why?
Lissa: … I don't know why.
Gary: Well, who's your favourite character?
Lissa: As if you couldn't guess.
Gary: …
Lissa: It's Will, you dope. WILL!
Gary: And why would I guess that?
Lissa: Because he's a book guy! He keeps diaries about vampires! He's an adorable little nerdy guy!
Gary: Okay, I see why you like...
June 17, 2010
GaryView: Blood Angels (aka Thrall)
Lissa: Out of a whole range of very dumb vampire films, this one has got to be one of the worst.
Gary: You remember Vampires Anonymous, don't you?
Lissa: Vampires Anonymous had Michael Madsen in it. What does Blood Angels have?
Gary: Lorenzo Lamas.
Lissa: (*looks*)
Gary: Okay, that's a fair point… I don't remember him being so awful in the 80s. He was in this show about surfers and cars I used to watch. Then he was in Falcon Crest. I watched that with Mum a bit, to keep her company.
Lissa: Didn't ...
June 14, 2010
Review: Scary Kisses edited by Liz Grzyb
Cover of Scary Kisses, designed by Amanda Rainey
Another of my Swancon 2010 purchases, Scary Kisses was launched with cupcakes and readings by contributing authors. Not only was there a lot of promise in those snippets, the cover was gorgeous and it promptly went into my stash – and to the top of my very, very, very large to-read pile.
Liz Grzyb has compiled a fabulous collection of paranormal stories about love. Vampires, zombies, ghosts, elder gods, witches, dragons and unnamed evil all get a...
