Tag: Matthew Lyons

Book Review – A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons

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A Black and Endless Sky

A Black and Endless Sky is a recently published horror novel by Matthew Lyons. In it, Jonah Talbot’s life has fallen apart. After 12 years of marriage, the love between him and his wife has simply faded away, and the two have finalized their divorce. Jonah is left with no choice but to leave California and move back home to Albuquerque, accompanied on his drive home by his sister Nell. The two of them used to be inseparable but became estranged after he suddenly left town and got married all those years ago. Now, they hope maybe they can start mending their relationship on this road trip home. However, the open road has more in store for them than they can fathom, as a bizarre incident at an abandoned construction site in the Nevada desert results in Nell’s body playing host to an ancient, otherworldly presence.Read More »

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WWW Wednesday – April 20, 2022

RyanLeave a comment
www_wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme run by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. Check out her post and others over on her blog!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

Last night I started reading Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel, but I’ve only read a chapter, so I can’t really say much on it right now. Really digging the concept of the big buried hand, though.

The Crossroads at MidnightI also started reading The Crossroads at Midnight by Abby Howard a couple days ago. So far, I’ve only read the first of the five stories in the collection. I’m really enjoying the collection’s conceit that each story is about somebody seeking connection with the unnatural or otherworldly in some way, and this first story “The Girl in the Fields” has a young woman befriending a strange person who lives on the other side of the fence bordering her family’s property, only her eye visible through one of the knot holes in a board. It perfectly encapsulated a feeling of creepiness while having a surprising shift in tone by the end. I’m really enjoying the art too, which has a style reminiscent of other adult-oriented Western comics I’ve read, with a violent twist.

Recently Finished

A Black and Endless SkyOver the weekend I finally finished reading A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons, and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it just yet. I’m not overwhelmingly positive, but I didn’t dislike it either. What I did find most humorous about it by the end was how much the story amounted to a small collection of people savagely beating the crap out of each other over the course of only a few days. With only one of them having any excuse as to how she can handle the punishment, I couldn’t help but be amused at how ridiculously mangled they all were by the end, yet they kept getting back up over and over. I can’t tell if it was intentionally over the top to a humorous degree, but I don’t think I’ll knock it for it either. I’ll hopefully have a review up before next Wednesday.

Reading Next

At this time, who can really say? I’m just starting my current reads, so I’ll have to think about it.

Until next week, thank you for reading! Feel free to share your own post down below.

WWW Wednesday – April 13, 2022

Ryan4 Comments
www_wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme run by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. Check out her post and others over on her blog!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

A Black and Endless SkyI’m about exactly two thirds of the way through A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons now, and I’ve gotten more into the book as the story has progressed, though I’m still finding it a little underwhelming. The characters find themselves in a compelling predicament, as the exorcist who presented herself as salvation for Nell, the subject of possession, must kill her to release the demon from her, lest she succumb to gradual decay from the demon’s presence in her body. Her brother Jonah isn’t having that, and now they’re on the run from more than just bikers. I’m surprised that the demon in question has been more of a background presence thus far and I wonder if there might be a slight twist to what’s going on as things come to a head. I’m hoping I’ll have this book done by next week, but we’ll see.

Recently Finished

The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North AmericaOver the weekend I finished reading through The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America by Matt Kracht. I really enjoyed reading this book, especially as the aloof and crass tone of everything does ultimately veil a genuine interest in bird watching that the author encourages in the reader. I kind of wish it had been more extensive, but I understand that the joke would probably run its course long before he ran out of birds to include. When ruminating on the book after reading it, I decided to look into the author to see if he’s published anything else; it turns out, just back in December he published another field guide, so I’ll have to pick that up at some point.

Reading Next

SleepingGiantsI’m still planning to start reading The Crossroads at Midnight by Abby Howard, I just wanted to get the Field Guide finished before starting another shorter book. With A Black and Endless Sky hopefully nearly finished, I’ve been thinking more about what the next novel I might read will be. After some reflection on my to-read list, I’ve decided I want to start Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel. I’m really curious about the format of this novel, which, if I’m remembering it right, is written like an interview transcript.

Until next week, thank you for reading! Feel free to share your own post down below.

WWW Wednesday – April 6, 2022

Ryan3 Comments
www_wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme run by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. Check out her post and others over on her blog!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

A Black and Endless SkyI was able to make a much more significant dent in A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons since last week, though I’ve still got a ways to go before I’m finished with it; I’m coming up on the halfway point. Weirdly, despite being almost halfway through the book, it still feels like the story is ramping up without fully cementing what the conflict is. One in the pair of main characters is now possessed and they’re being pursued by a vengeful biker gang, but this all feels more like a continuing ordeal leading up to what this will be all about. I don’t know, maybe I’m just waffling about it. I’m sure the possession will be key, I just get the sense that it’s all going to have more to it than “we’ve got to exorcise that demon.” I was hoping this would be scarier than it has been too, but I’m still giving it a chance.

The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North AmericaI also started reading The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America by Matt Kracht, which I’m enjoying quite a bit. Although each entry about each bird is a little samey in terms of humorous content and tone, it’s making for a great light read that is easy to pick up and put down. What I’m especially appreciating is the fact that, while acting aloof and rude, the author is slipping in snippets of genuine information about these animals, such as things that could help with identification or behaviours to look out for. I love the idea that, despite it having more limited content overall, this book may actually be a functional guide to North American birds. Even the illustrations, while rough looking, do highlight the distinct appearances of each bird.

Recently Finished

Milk and HoneyOver the weekend I finished reading Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. I don’t have a whole lot to say about it, as I’m not especially good at criticizing poetry and this was much more of a leisure read than most, but this book did serve that purpose perfectly for me. I know some people have issues with free verse like this, and I certainly can appreciate the beauty of more structured poetry, but the format just made the experience reading much more accessible and enjoyable. Though I think I would prefer poetry less focused on the pains and pleasures of personal relationships, I may pick up another of Kaur’s books regardless, just to keep a little more poetry in my reading rotation.

Reading Next

The Crossroads at MidnightI’m really not sure what I’m going to read next in terms of novels, which probably isn’t a shock, but I just haven’t given it enough thought yet. In terms of comics, however, I think I’m just going to throw tentative Halloween plans out the window and read The Crossroads at Midnight by Abby Howard soon. I happened to be flipping through it the other week and nearly read the entirety of one story about a rural family who have a pet lake monster. It was so simple yet effective that I think I should just dive into the whole collection finally. It’ll be a graphic novel definitely worth reviewing too.

Until next week, thank you for reading! Feel free to share your own post down below.

WWW Wednesday – March 30, 2022

Ryan1 Comment
www_wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme run by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. Check out her post and others over on her blog!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

No progress made on Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur.

A Black and Endless SkyRegrettably, I wasn’t able to read much more of A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons since last week, though I did read a little bit of it. As such, I don’t have much more to say about matters of plot. A more physical threat has presented itself to the characters, but I’m not really hooked yet. To be honest, as the situation for the two characters has escalated I’ve realized that I really don’t like either of them very much so far. One is in too negative of a headspace to be all that likable and the other is such a terrible influence while feeling entitled to some sort of positive regard that I cannot stand them. There’s a way to write dirt-bag characters in an engaging way, and this isn’t it. I hope this manages to turn around in a meaningful way, but at the moment I honestly don’t care if both of these people die.

Recently Finished

Nothing this week either. I had a wedding to go to out of town, so I was preoccupied for a good reason, but I do really need to start turning things around.

Reading Next

I’m really not sure what’s next right now, as I’ve languished in the same place for a few weeks now. I really just need to make progress on what I’m already reading.

Until next week, thank you for reading! Feel free to share your own post down below.

WWW Wednesday – March 23, 2022

Ryan2 Comments
www_wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme run by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. Check out her post and others over on her blog!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

I have once again neglected Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur this past week, and we’ll honestly have to see if I pick it up again by next week as well, as I’m going to be a little more preoccupied than normal over the weekend.

A Black and Endless SkyI did, however, start reading A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons, which I’m intrigued by but the jury is still out on how I’m feeling. I’m not 100% into it just yet, which I suppose is an outlier position for me right off the bat, but I don’t dislike it either. The prologue was the most interesting part, which involves an excavation team blasting open a chamber in the ground in the middle of the desert. I’m looking forward to seeing how this intersects with the main characters. The characters, for their part, are a tad much at the moment. One is going through a divorce and the other is accompanying him on the road trip home, a situation that is generally sympathetic, but the way the characters are behaving is a little too unsubtle for me. I’m hoping I’ll get more into it as things properly kick off.

Recently Finished

Nothing this week! Curses!

Reading Next

The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North AmericaI wish I had more to update on this week, but things really have languished around here a little. I do really want to start The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America by Matt Kracht soon, no more waffling about it, but I have to finish Milk and Honey first. I don’t function well with too many books on the go at once. It’s weird that I know I have so many comic books, but when I try to think of one I actively want to read within the next seven days I draw a total blank. I may be too busy to get around to one anyway, especially since I’ll want to dedicate available reading time to Lyons’s book, but we’ll see if I get a sudden spark of motivation.

Until next week, thank you for reading! Feel free to share your own post down below.

WWW Wednesday – March 16, 2022

Ryan5 Comments
www_wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme run by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. Check out her post and others over on her blog!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

I’m still reading Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, but I haven’t read any more of it since last week. Also, I’m between books, so nothing else to say this week!

Recently Finished

The Last ContinentOver the weekend I finally finished reading The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett, and I should be finished writing the review soonish. I’m generally less enthused about the Rincewind books, especially as they’re often tours of times/places on the Discworld, which involve a fairly formulaic style of humour, but for some reason this one really resonated with me. This is also notable since this seems to be the last one of that type, based on how it ends. Rincewind’s long, strange, multi-novel odyssey is finally over. I suppose the reason might be that this one especially didn’t take itself seriously, with a plot that I’m honestly puzzling over a little. I doesn’t really matter, all things considered, but I keep wondering…why did all this happen again?

Reading Next

A Black and Endless SkyOkay, I’m seriously going to start reading A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons soon. It’s a little harder to set aside time for, because I only have a PDF copy of it, but it’s officially next up for priority reading. It sounds like it’s going to involve possession and a spooky road trip across a desolate American Southwest, and I hope that includes isolated eerie incidents as the characters deal with their own issues along the way. We’ll see. I’m also still thinking a lot about starting The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America by Matt Kracht, but I’ll try to finish Milk and Honey first.

Until next week, thank you for reading! Feel free to share your own post down below.

WWW Wednesday – March 9, 2022

Ryan1 Comment
www_wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme run by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. Check out her post and others over on her blog!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

Last night I got a little further along in Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, reading through the section of poems called “the loving.” It was enjoyably sentimental, sensual, and positive in contrast to the previous section, which dealt with pain and mistreatment. I don’t have much else to say about it other than I’m continuing to actively enjoy these poems, which is nice.

The Last ContinentSince last week I’ve gotten much further along in The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett as well, thanks to my schedule being a lot freer than I was expecting it to be. I would have preferred I have it finished by now, but I wanted to make sure I got my review of We Were Liars finally posted. I’ve not mentioned before, but this book is very much another novel exploring the world cultures of the Discworld, invariably parodying something in our world (in this case Australia and Australian culture), but this time around it’s resonating with me a lot more for some reason. Rincewind and the Wizards have been on bizarre respective journeys, and while I still can’t tell where it’s leading over 80% of the way into the book, I’m eager to find out.

Recently Finished

Spiritfarer The ArtbookOver the weekend I decided to read Spiritfarer, The Artbook by Thunder Lotus Games, which is an art book put together by the development team behind the video game Spiritfarer. I just recently finished playing it, and I’m really surprised at the emotional impact it had on me. In it, you play as Stella, whose new job is to ferry spirits from a strange spiritual world to the afterlife, helping them move on in the process. I knew it would deal with death and grief going in, but it made me cry a lot more than I was expecting. I bought this ebook as a sort of thank you for the experience, and it included lovely illustrations and earlier concept art behind the characters I’ve gotten to know so well and unveiled more of their backstories.

Reading Next

The Dictionary of Obscure SorrowsOnce again, I still intend to start A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons next, and it’s only a matter of time now since I’m so close to finishing The Last Continent. I have thoughts about some supplemental reads bouncing around in my head too, though, since I’m worried about staying on top of my reading this year. It’s a toss up between The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig and The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America by Matt Kracht. The former is newer and will likely be more thought provoking, but the latter I’ve had longer and I expect to be fun and light, especially since I’ve actually gotten a little more familiar with local birds. We’ll see if I make a decision over the next week or not. I should probably finish Milk and Honey first.

Until next week, thank you for reading! Feel free to share your own post down below.

WWW Wednesday – March 2, 2022

Ryan3 Comments
www_wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme run by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. Check out her post and others over on her blog!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

Unfortunately, I somehow completely neglected to read any of The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett this past week. Better luck next this coming week, hopefully.

Milk and HoneyI did however start reading Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, which is a collection of poetry. I’d never read any of their work before, but I’m trying to get myself to read more poetry on occasion and something about this book caught my eye. The results from reading Hope is the Thing with Feathers were pretty bad, as I wound up taking half a year to read the whole thing, blitzing through more than half of it at the end of December, but I think that had more to do with my ability to appreciate Emily Dickinson’s writing. When reading hers, I would often read without retaining meaning, though this varied from poem to poem. Kaur’s poems being modern and written in free verse are allowing me to appreciate this book a lot more.

Recently Finished

Hop!Over the weekend I read through Hop! by Joshua Barkman, an independently published little graphic novel by the artist behind the False Knees web comics. It’s not very long and I’d read it all previously when the pages were first posted as part of Inktober in 2021, but I loved going through it again all put together like this. It’s essentially a story about two crows taking a walk through the streets of Montreal, and it’s full of fun little gags, misadventures, and an effective amount of heart. I really love this artist’s work because the illustrations beautifully render the wildlife they depict, making them a pleasure to look at, but they’re also really funny and evocative despite the art style not being more abstract.

Reading Next

I’m still planning to read A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons next, but it’s still looking a ways off before I start it. I really need to get in gear with what I’m currently reading. My next graphic novel is still up in the air, as I may not start a new one in the coming week to focus more on The Last Continent.

WWW Wednesday – February 23, 2022

Ryan2 Comments
www_wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is a weekly book meme run by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. Check out her post and others over on her blog!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

The Last ContinentSince last week I’ve managed to get much more meaningfully into The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett, nearly 120 pages now. I actually had to reread what I had already gone through before my post last week, because as it turns out, my tired brain really didn’t absorb all of what was going on that night I tried starting it. So far I’m feeling much more intrigued about this book than I was expecting, especially for a Rincewind novel, because it has been surprisingly strange. Over 100 pages in and I’m not entirely sure what that plot is supposed to be yet, only that Rincewind is meant to do something that higher powers are guiding him toward, and it has something to do with fragile spacetime.

Recently Finished

Nothing this week! I have neglected my comic books, which I may go about correcting by next week if I can settle on a volume to read.

Reading Next

A Black and Endless SkyThough I had a few books I was really considering for my next read, I’ve decided that what I must start next is an ARC I received several months ago called A Black and Endless Sky by Matthew Lyons. I have actually reviewed one of his novels before too, and though it had some issues, I enjoyed it quite a bit overall, which made me eager to accept the digital copy of this I received. Due to my working schedule I probably won’t have it done by the time it is published in mid March, but I’m hopeful I can have a review up close to the date, which is what I would prefer. I’ll be going in remembering very little of what it’s supposed to be about, which is ideal for me when it comes to horror.

Until next week, thank you for reading! Feel free to share your own post down below.