All

AllDiscussion

The Power of a Review

Posted on by J.W. Martin

I’ve often wondered if any of my reviews make a bit of difference. I like writing them, so it’s never really slowed me down, but that nagging question is always there in the back of my head. Do they matter at all?

Well, in a way, I kind of answered that question today.

I stumbled upon Zombies!: Tales of the Walking Dead on Amazon. As you can probably guess, it’s an anthology of zombie stories. My first thought was ‘AWESOME!’ I’m a sucker for zombie stories. No matter how many zombie movies/shows are out there, I watch ‘em!

But then I took a step back. I wasn’t familiar with too many of the authors. Of course I knew Barker, Poe, and Lovecraft, but the others I didn’t really know. Something about the author selection also made it feel kind of dated. An older book isn’t a bad thing but, for some reason, my subconscious put that as a negative. I was seconds away from closing that window and moving on with my day.

Then I noticed it had a review. Only one, but a ‘verified purchase’ review. The reviewer was only known as Weedwacker.

Weedwacker revealed that Zombies!: Tales of the Walking Dead was actually a reprint of a now out of print anthology called The Mammoth Book of Zombies with one added story. WW went on to say:

What you will get with this book is more sophisticated writing and higher caliber story-telling than what is typically compiled in modern zombie anthologies. Some of these stories are kind of funny, some are creepy, some are bizarre and sometimes sad. All of them are entertaining.

I was sold. Bought a copy that moment. I owe thanks to Weedwacker (whoever you are) and so does the book’s publisher!

Reviews matter.

Fun fact about this book: I still don’t really know if MY reviews matter, but still, it’s a good little story.
AllBook Tag

The One-Liner Challenge

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Okay. I saw this a few weeks ago on Chelle’s Book Ramblings, and I thought it was pretty cool. Then I get to the end of the post and she dared me to give it a try. Can you believe it? ME! I couldn’t, so I commented and asked if she meant me, to which she responded, “Yes!! I Dare YOU!!!” So, I’m doing it! You hear that, Michelle?! Challenge accepted!

RULES
Accept and thank your challenger(s) by linking back to their post.
Make a post of one-sentence summaries and/or roasts of at least five books.
No spoilers!
Link back to The Awkward Book Blogger so she can see your post.
Challenge as many or as little people as you want!
Have fun!

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

When you’re a demi-god, being twelve means you can beat everyone… somehow.

Robopocalypse

It’s World War Z, with robots instead of zombies.

Hex

You’ll want to finish this book fast… so you can sleep at night.

I Am Number Four

I am Number Four

We can only be killed in order, and I wish the title was, ‘I am Number One Billion and Four!’

The Hunger Games

In the distant future, the most feared weapon in the world is a bow. And an arrow.

Illuminae

Illuminae

The computer is the bad guy… or the good guy… or… There’s a computer in it.

A Game of Thrones

The land of Westeros is full of incredible and interesting people; don’t get attached to any of them…

I’m not going to officially tag anyone, but I’d really like to see Shanah, Sophie, Samantha, Kiersten, and Ally take a crack at this! No obligation. No pressure. However, like Michelle did to me… I DARE YOU!

Impromptu tags:

Chizurue

Fun fact about this post: I really thought I’d be better at this…
AllTop 5 Tuesday

Top 5 Books on My Christmas List

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Shanah @ Bionic Bookworm, and this week’s theme is very Christmasy. The Top 5 Books on My Christmas List! PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE!

 

Ready Player One

This probably comes as a shock, considering how much I talk about it being one of my favourites, but I don’t own a hard copy. I originally bought it as an eBook. A year later, I bought it as an audiobook. But STILL, I don’t have a paperback or hardcover.

Warcross

It’s no secret. I’m a video game addict. Growing up, when my nose wasn’t buried in a book it was in front of a computer screen.

All Rights Reserved

Possibly the most fascinating premise on the list. Every word, whether spoken, written, texted, etc, etc, has a cost. Charged for the simple act of speaking. Chatterboxes would go broke within a day.

Invictus

Author Ryan Graudin tweeted that it was ‘Doctor Who x Firefly’. Sold!

A Darker Shade of Magic

I know, I know. I’m really, really late to the party on this one. I think it’s been at the top of my ‘to-buy’ list longer than any other book.

 

Fun fact about this post: I had Gemina and Sea of Rust on this list, but they showed up on my Birthday!
AllDiscussion

Ready Player… Two? RPO is getting a sequel!!!

Posted on by J.W. Martin

It’s no secret, I love Ready Player One.

So you can imagine how pumped I was when I heard that Ernest Cline is working on a sequel. The Verge quoted him revealing the project in progress, though he was unable to give any more details.

Let’s speculate for a moment, shall we? First off, I think Ready Player Two is a perfect title. And what would be really cool is to see the story surround an entirely new group of Oasis users who keep having run-ins with a super-powered, super-user version of Parzival/Wade.

However, Cline is really good at going in a direction I didn’t even know existed. Which is fine. Whatever he comes up with, I’m sure it’ll be great.

Fun fact about this post: EVERYTHING ABOUT RPO IS FUN!
All

Waiting on Wednesday – Iron Gold

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine which spotlights highly anticipated upcoming releases.

Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

The Red Rising Trilogy is one of my favourite trilogies ever. And Pierce Brown is such a great writer that he could have put out a book on the mating rituals of dung beetles and I’d still be waiting to read it.

Fortunately, this book is likey free of most beetles. It’s the continuation of the Red Rising series, set 10 years after Morning Star.

And, I won’t have to wait much longer to read it. Iron Gold comes out January 16, 2018!

Fun fact about this post: Now I’m slightly curious about the mating rituals of dung beetles.
AllDiscussion

POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2018

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Based on my recently NaNoWriMo attempt, and my current run at Blogmas, you can tell I love a personal challenge. But one challenge that I’ve never even tried is a reading challenge. I’ve wanted to take part in one for a while now, but it seemed like every time I found out about one, it was almost over.

And then Kristin posted about the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge. You can read all about it here, but basically, it’s 40 prompts (50 if you want to do the ‘advanced’ section) and you pick a book for each prompt.

What I like about this challenge already, is that it has me looking at my TBR and making a plan to read some of the books that have been there the longest. Books that, without this little nudge, might take years to get read.

Here at my choices as of now, though they may be subject to change:

A book made into a movie you’ve already seen
The Martian by Andy Weir

True Crime
The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer by Philip Carlo

The next book in a series you started
The Core by Peter V. Brett

A book involving a heist
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Nordic Noir
Macbeth by Jo Nesbo

A novel based on a real person
The Lost Girls: The True Story of the Cleveland Abductions and the Incredible Rescue of Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus by John Glatt

A book set in a country that fascinates you
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh

A book with a time of day in the title
Dayfall by Michael Ares

Nevernight

A book about a villain of antihero
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

A book about death of grief
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

A book with a LGBTQ+ protagonist
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

A book that is also a stage play or musical
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you
Legend by Marie Lu

A book about feminism
Room by Emma Donoghue

A book about mental health
We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson

Skyborn

A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift
Skyborn by David Dalglish

A book by two authors
Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

A book about or involving a sport
Slobberknocker: My Life In Wrestling by Jim Ross

A book by a local author
Remy’s Dilemma by Andrew Snook

A book with your favourite colour in the title
Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

White Walls by H.M.C.

A book with alliteration in the title
White Walls by HMC

A book about time travel
Invictus by Ryan Graudin

A book with a weather element in the title
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

A book set at sea
Life of Pi by Yann Martel

A book with an animal in the title
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

A book set on a different planet
Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

A book with song lyrics in the title
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

A book about or set on Halloween
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

A book with character who are twins
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

A book mentioned in another book
Ringworld by Larry Niven

A book from a celebrity book club
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

the princess bride

A childhood classic you’re never read
The Princess Bride by William Goldman

A book that’s published in 2018
Good Guys by Steven Brust

A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner
The Fireman by Joe Hill

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

A book set in the decade you were born
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

A Darker Shade of Magic

A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn’t get to
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

A book with an ugly cover
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

A book that involves a bookstore or library
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

Your favourite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges
Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

As I mentioned before, there are 10 additional prompts that are considered ‘advanced.’ I may do these prompts, but I may not. Even if I do the primary 40 prompts, it’ll be the first time in years that I’ve read 40 books in a year (I’m actually setting my personal goal to 52.) It’s exciting just saying that!

The advanced prompts are as follows:

A bestseller from the year you graduated high school

A cyberpunk book

A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place

A book tied to your ancestry

A book with a fruit of vegetable in the title

An allegory

A book by an author with the same first or last name as you

A micro history

A book about a problem facing society today

A book recommended by someone else taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

Fun fact about this post: American Psycho is the book that’s been on my TBR the longest.
AllDiscussion

Christmas movies or not?

Posted on by J.W. Martin

What counts as a Christmas movie?

That probably seems like a silly question. Christmas movies feature people celebrating Christmas, decorated trees, piles of presents, loads of snow, Santa Claus! But some movies don’t have such a clear line.

Presented here are a selection of movies that some people consider Christmas movies, while others do not.

The Home Alone Series

Probably the most Christmassy on the list. Kevin and his family gather together for a Christmas vacation, and there are plenty of presents and Christmas trees on display. A homeless man is given a Christmas miracle in the form of the sage-like advice of 8-year-old Kevin. An 8-year-old left home alone befriending a homeless man, that’s probably going to be okay, right? Even with all that holiday cheer, the core of this movie is still an 8-year-old beating the crap out of two would-be robbers. It’s beginning to look a lot like violence.

Gremlins

Well, it happens at Christmas time and Gizmo, who’s the real star of the movie, is actually a Christmas gift from failing-salesman father to can’t-follow-simple-instructions son. The rest however…

Batman Returns

It opens with a beautiful Christmas scene, which is quickly destroyed with the introduction of monster/baby Penguin. And there’s lots of snow, and… penguins, and……. Batman. Okay, so this is the point where the Christmas connection is getting a little ridiculous.

Die Hard

I’ve got nothing on this one. It happens at Christmas. A bunch of people are at a work Christmas party. That’s about it. I think Bruce Willis makes some joke about Santa Claus, but the connection is still pretty thin. Still doesn’t stop me from watching this one every year around this time!

What do you think about the movies on this list? Christmas or not? What other debatable movies should be on this list?

Fun fact about this post: I remember WAY too much about Home Alone.
AllDiscussion

Merry Blogmas, Everyone!

Posted on by J.W. Martin

You heard about this whole Blogmas thing? Seems like it’s an advent calendar for bloggers. Post every day from now until Christmas and Santa will come and visit my house!

I wasn’t sure if I should do this whole crazy thing. I don’t usually post every day, though it’s not that far of a leap from 4-5 times a week. Plus, I think the original idea is to post Holiday-themed posts, which I probably won’t be doing too much of.

However, I love a personal challenge, so what the heck? Blogmas Egg Nog for everyone!

Fun fact about this post: Wait, this counts as a post?
AllMiscUncategorized

Who You Gonna Hate? Ghostbusters?

Posted on by J.W. Martin

ghostbusters2016Blog posts, tweets, statuses, videos, and webpages are showing up across the Internet with pure hatred for the upcoming Ghostbusters movie.

I can’t figure out why the world seems to have turned its back on this movie. It hasn’t even been released. We have a few trailers, some poster art, and that’s it.

The stated reasons for this hate are numerous and persistent. While some of them may have some truth behind them, a lot of them seem to be thoughtless rantings the close minded and socially inept.

3055966-gb-header-castIt’s Not the Original Cast

Of course it’s not. Dan Aykroyd has moved into a producer role. Bill Murray is more interested in different and would rather let others have a turn with the proton pack. And Harold Ramis died in 2014.

Beyond that, all remaining cast members have given this movie their blessing and approval. And though nothing has been announced or shown in trailers, Dan Akyroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts and all listed on IMDB in the credits. I don’t know what that means, but how could it be bad?

It Shouldn’t be Called Ghostbusters

"Ray, I don't think they're listening."

This one is rooted in people claiming it has nothing to do with the original movies, or the people that made the original movie.

Aren’t you listening to anything I’ve said?

Aykroyd is producing this bitch. So is the original director Ivan Reitman. Aykroyd wrote the script as well. And I repeat, all the cast members are listed to be cast in this one. So…now what have you got to say?

ghostbusters 2016Why Does the Cast Have to be All Women?

Why did the original have to be all men? I don’t know and I don’t care. It could have been men, women, or a mix of both and I’d be going to see it.

This is the closest argument to what I think is the real reason many people are complaining about it. It’s girls. Girl ghostbusters. Eww.

Anyone who’s hating on this movie for that reason really needs to grow a pair and realize girls can be funny, and they can kick ass. Ripley in Aliens. Sarah Connor. Selina in Underworld. Katniss Everdeen. Brienne of Tarth. Wonder Woman. And there are so many more.

These aren’t MY Ghostbusters

This is a slight variation on the first one. This new movie that’s coming out is not the ones from the 80s. That’s a fact. You know why it’s not? Because we already have those movies from the 80s. They’re still there and they’re still a lot of fun to watch.

If this is your reason for not wanting to see the new Ghostbusters, I can accept that. Don’t see it. But don’t spread hate about it either.

Some kids don’t have a team of Ghostbusters that they can call their own. Don’t forget, for every boy who looked up to the original Ghostbusters in the 80s, there’s a little girl who can’t wait to see a group of women bust some ghosts.

So, if you’ve decided that this movie isn’t for you based on a trailer, or some posters, or the sex of the cast members, or the fact that it’s no longer the 80s, that’s fine. Just don’t adopt a toxic opinion and spread it around. There’s too many people doing that already.

While they’re screaming about their childhood being destroyed—and making themselves look pathetic—this movie is going to help form the childhood of a new generation.

AllFall of the RisenUncategorized

“Okay, Hot Shot, what’s next?”

Posted on by J.W. Martin

With the A-Z Challenge well behind me, you may be wondering, “What’s next?” What am I going to do to make coming back to jwmartin.com worth the visit?

Beyond posting a little more regularly, I have a few ideas.

The first is vlog posts. Staring at a camera and talking seems like it’s going to be awkward and something that’ll get better over time. But I also feel like it could be fun for me, and entertaining (hopefully) for all of you.

Secondly, one week from today I’ll be starting a brand new story that will be posted exclusively to this blog. Posts will appear weekly with occasional extra content that I’m very excited about, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise just yet.

I’m tempted to even keep the basics a secret until next week, but I wouldn’t want anyone to come back on Monday and feel disappointed. So I will tell you this: It is a zombie story.

There are a lot of zombie stories out there, and some people don’t like them. If you’re one of these people, this story may not be for you. Although, maybe it will be…