Blogcritics Author: Katie McNeill

Book Review: The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery

Katie McNeill — Tue, 8 Jul 2008 16:18:05 EDT

Take the time to savor the words and the building tension as the characters live out the little dramas of life.
I almost gave up on The Teahouse Fire halfway through it. It’s a horrible thing to admit, but it’s true. Still, I refuse to give up on a book and so I continued. The writing in this novel is beautiful, though it bogs you down. You are immersed in Japanese culture and given glimpses into lives both fragile and hard that revolve around a...

Manga Review: Vassalord Vol. 1 by Nanae Chrono

Katie McNeill — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:44:33 EDT

One of the better drawn first volumes that I�ve seen recently
I've just finished the first volume of Nanae Chrono's new series Vassalord. Nanae is better known for his manga series Peace Maker which was turned into an anime that I just loved. I'm sure that Vassalord is headed in that direction as well. Charley is a cyborg vampire, working for the Vatican. Johnny Rayflo is his vampire master and local playboy....

Interview with Jennifer Cody Epstein, Author of The Painter from Shanghai

Katie McNeill — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:24:10 EDT

"The struggle to become an artist against seemingly insurmountable odds was something I could relate to."
I recently finished reading The Painter from Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstien. It’s a fictional account of Pan Yuliang a painter who mixed traditional Chinese painting with Western influences. The novel was fascinating and I was thrilled when Jennifer agreed to answer some questions. First off, a really simple question, when did you know...

Manga Review: Devil's Bride Vol. 1 by Se-Young Kim

Katie McNeill — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:36:54 EDT

a romance in which a Devil creates his perfect bride
Se-Young Kim’s Devil’s Bride is a romance in which a Devil creates his perfect bride.On the edge of a village lives a lonely Devil. He’s sworn off doing whatever it is that a Devil does and wants to live a peaceful quiet life as a human. When he advertises in town for a bride, only one person comes forward: a child, pushed forward...

Manhwa Review: Hotel Africa Vol. 1 by Hee Jung Park

Katie McNeill — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:54:22 EDT

Hee Jung Park’s Hotel Africa is a collection of stories that share a single common thread. That one connection is...
Hee Jung Park’s Hotel Africa is a collection of stories that share a single common thread. That one connection is Elvis, a mixed race child who grew up in the middle of the Utah desert at a place called Hotel Africa, a place where anything is possible.Volume one kicks off in a large unknown city where three young people - Ed, July, and our...

Manga Review: Hellgate: London Vol. 1, Story by Arvid Nelson and Art by J.M.

Katie McNeill — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:01:15 EDT

A prequel to the hit video game.
Hellgate: London is the prequel to the video game of the same name, an RPG in which London is taken over by hordes of demons and humanity must fight for survival. If you play video games on a regular basis, or even just hang around with someone who does, Hellgate might be something you are familiar with. There have been books written in that...

Book Review: Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich

Katie McNeill — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:27:58 EDT

Everyone�s favorite bounty hunter is back and not one car explodes!
Stephanie Plum and the gang are back in Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich. When I saw this one in stores I wondered if anything could have changed since the last time we were treated to the wacky-wild adventures of Stephanie. This time last year it was Lean Mean Thirteen and I was disappointed with the lack of development in the characters. I...

The Book ATM: Printing Books on Demand

Katie McNeill — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:05:00 EDT

The future of book selling is just around the corner.
Imagine going into a bookstore and buying a book out of a machine. It would be like looking through a jukebox or an ATM where you would browse for titles. You would make your choice and wait for it to be printed for you right there. Sound like the wave of the future? That’s just what the Espresso does. The Espresso is a $50,000 vending...

Beyond Bounds: Paranormal and Fantasy Favorites

Katie McNeill — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:49:18 EDT

Robin McKinley, Patricia A. McKillip, Diana Wynne Jones, Stephenie Meyer, Holly Black and Charlaine Harris
What is it about a favorite book that is so comforting? When I’ve had a bad day or just can’t decide what I want to read next I always turn to the same handful of old favorites- books that over the years have become friends, the covers warn and pages bent but still loved beyond all others. Here are some of mine. What are yours? ...

Book Review: Superpowers by David J. Schwartz

Katie McNeill — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:04:41 EDT

What would you do if you woke up one morning with a superpower?
The big question with this one is: Do you have to be a comics fan to get it? Easy answer: No you don’t. But it helps. Reading this novel you can tell the author is a huge fan. Big names like The Hulk, Spider Man, and Batman are dropped pretty early on and a conversation with a comic book store clerk confirms the fandom. But even if you...