Tag Archives: mystery

Around the Interwebs: Volume XXII

13 May

Stephen Colbert and Carey Mulligan Learn All About The Great Gatsby from LeVar Burton and “Reading Rainbow” (via Hollywood)

Stephen Colbert Great Gatsby

“Reading Rainbow” is back! Kind of. Sort of. Not really. To celebrate his super Gatsby themed show, host Stephen Colbert decided to hold a book club (the first rule is you don’t read Fight Club) in which he meant to read The Great Gatsby but then totally didn’t. Colbert invites Carey Mulligan on the show to tell him about the plot, but since she can’t even read and is merely dubbed over by James Franco, LeVar Burton steps in to help with his trusty butterfly in the sky. Head over to the original source to check out all the Gatsby, all the nostalgia, and all the “Star Trek” references.

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Around the Interwebs: Volume XX

18 Mar

“Sherlock” Confirmed for a Fourth Series Because There Might Be a God After All (via Hypable)

Sherlock Watson History of the World GIF

What is this GIF? I can’t even. Even though “Sherlock” series three has only just begun filming, Benedict Cumberbatch himself has confirmed that the show has already been picked up for a fourth series. Which is amazing since Steven Moffat (AKA Satan himself) has already hinted that the third season of the Sherlock Holmes inspired series will leave fans “as frustrated as they ever were.” Thanks a lot Beelzebub. Thanks for not actually killing anyone, we guess.

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Bibliomantic Book Club: “The Archived” by Victoria Schwab

19 Feb

The Archived - Victoria SchwabThe Archived by Victoria Schwab
Release Date: January 22, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult Fiction

Summary: Welcome to the Archive, a library for the dead. Spending your afterlife in a library sounds like a pretty sweet deal, right? Endless books and comfy chairs! Caveat – it’s spent as a History, an exact physical replica of every person who’s lived. Histories contain the memories of each life and are usually in a deep sleep. Except sometimes the dead wake, and they want more than anything to get back to the world they knew. First, they must get through the Narrows, the shadowy realm between the Archive and the Outer. And that’s where Keepers come in. Keepers stand between the real world and the Histories, and must get them back to Returns before they become violent.

Mackenzie Bishop is a Keeper, inheriting the position from her grandfather. After a family tragedy, she moves to a new apartment building with the fractured remains of her family. She quickly discovers her new home is directly connected to the Narrows, which should make her job easier. Except more and more Histories seem to be waking, overwhelming Mac with work. And that’s not the worst part – someone has been altering the Histories, wiping memories from the dead. Mac has to find the culprit before she becomes a History herself. 

Libraries! Tragedy! Intrigue! Special powers! Snarky guys in eyeliner! This book has it all.

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Around the Interwebs: Volume X

1 Dec

“Game of Thrones” the Imaginary Video Fighting Game We Wish Was Real (via The Mary Sue)

Sadly this isn’t a real video game that you can play by frantically mashing buttons, nor is it even concept art for a future game. Sadly, it’s just some fan art from Robert Flores, albeit really really awesome fan art. Oh how we wish it were real! Check out more stills from this imaginary game over on Flores’ Deviant Art page. including a battle between Tyrion/Bronn and Cersei/Joffrey. Tyrion’s special skill is the ultimate slap fight.

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Around the Interwebs: Volume IV

13 Oct

First and foremost, a very happy New York Comic Con one and all! We hope all you East Coast con-goers are enjoying the people watching and nerdery. If you happen to see a group of four ladies dressed as gender swapped “Supernatural” characters on Sunday (specifically Castiel, Dean, Sam and Bobby) say hi! That’s us.

Even More Public Domain Books Coming Unwanted to a TV Near You (via Book Riot)

With the success of “Grimm” and “Once Upon a Time”, network television developed “Beauty & the Beast” and “Elementary” for their Fall seasons, but the public domain snatching does not stop there. Slated for development are not one but two shows aimed at The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on FOX and the CW, both of which revolve around Ichabod Crane solving mysteries. ABC plans to take on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, in which Tom and Huck also solve mysteries but in a steampunk version of New Orleans. And of course there’s the CW version of Wonderland titled “Wunderland” which we announced HERE and another series titled “Expectations” which is a gender-swap version of Great Expectations. WHY!?!

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New Comic Book Day Roundup: September 26, 2012

26 Sep

In this post, from Aspen Comics: Idolized #2, DC Comics: Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #3, Marvel Comics: Hit Girl #3, and from Vertigo: The New Deadwardians #7. A pair threes, a two and a seven! What do I win?

Aspen Comics

Idolized #2 by David Schwartz, illustrated by Micah Gunnell, Pasquale Qualano, cover by Humberto Ramos, Rachel Clark
Genre: Fiction, superheroes, action, satire
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Part reality show, part superhero comic book, all superhero reality show comic book! Joule is the winner of the first ever “Superhero Idol” (not to be confused with “America’s Next Got Talent”) and this series follows her rise to the top and the disastrous consequences that occur when she joins New York’s seminal superhero team. Joule has more lofty aims than her famed obsessed competitors, the pint-sized superhero is after revenge against the super-villain, Stasis, who killed her parents. Ah, revenge, the motivating back story of heroes. Random side-hypothetical: Batman goes back in time to kill his own parents so that he becomes Batman. Think about it.

Idolized is incredibly heavy on satire, showing TV producers who care more about ratings than finding the best new superhero for the city. This of course is no different than any other reality show, but with superpowers. Of course this isn’t the only superhero reality gig in town as contestants vie for publicists to snag coveted roles on “The Real Superheroes of Orange County”. Take your idea of reality television and replace anything Jersey with superheroes- i.e. replace orange people with super powered humans- and you have a pretty good idea how this alternate universe works. Complete with evil contestants, even more evil executives, love interests and in house fighting, this is written like the most fantastical reality show imaginable. Bonus: it’s nothing like that awful, “Who Wants to Be a Superhero?”

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Cassie-wa Reviews “Unspoken” by Sarah Rees Brennan

10 Sep

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (Galley)
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Dramaz, Hilariousness
Rating: 4.88888 out of 5 stars

Summary: Jared has been Kami’s best friend since they were little. The thing is, she’s never met him. He’s always been a voice in her head, and may or may not be real. This has made Kami something of an oddball in Sorry-in-the-Vale, but she’s okay with that.

When the creepy Lynburn family returns to its famously big and creepy manor after a long absence, it seems like the perfect story to cover in Kami’s newly-founded school newspaper. But with the ensuing ominous whispers, weird animal mutilations, murder, and downright mysterious behavior from just about everybody in town, Kami realizes it’s up to her to uncover Sorry-in-the-Vale’s dark secrets before anyone else gets hurt.

Worst of all, she can’t seem to trust anyone. Not even Jared.

Unspoken, you started out so, so funny, and then you got so, so sad. Why do you do these things to me? Why?

You’ll find more of this intrepid reviewer’s opinion after the jump!

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Bibliomantic Book Club: “Team Human” by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan

4 Aug

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Genre: Young adult fiction, mystery, vampires

Summary: Mel’s life was completely normal before Francis showed up. Well, relatively normal. Mel lives in New Whitby, Maine, a city that was founded by vampires. Despite the window regulations (no UV rays, please!) and infrequent visits to the Shade (the vampires’ area of the city), Mel and her human friends steer clear of the undead. But the enrollment of Francis, a gorgeous and overly-chivalrous vamp, into her high school throws Mel’s world off balance. Her bestie Cathy is soon falling for him, making Mel fear she’s losing her closest friend. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Francis’ appearance coincides with strange happenings around the city. Mel plants herself in the middle of the action, fighting to put her life back in place. But as Mel soon finds out, life has a way of fighting our best intentions. As do zombies and vampires.

Hey! Don’t stop short at the premise of this novel. You may be thinking, “a vampire in high school? Teenage girls falling in love with said vampire? Never again!” Seriously – abolish all thoughts of Twilight, ye who enter here. Team Human is a fresh take on the vampire craze. It’s got crime-solving shenanigans, vampire jokes, realistic female friendships (gasp!), and zombies! What more could you want?? Also, would Twilight ever refer to Edward as an “undead love weasel.” Didn’t think so.

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Bizarro Blursday: Cassie-la Reviews “Jimmy Plush, Teddy Bear Detective” by Garrett Cook

25 Mar

Jimmy Plush, Teddy Bear Detective by Garrett Cook (Submission)
Genre: Bizarro fiction, short stories, mystery, crime, noir, you couldn’t pay me to live here
Rating: 2.6 out of 5 stars

Summary: After collecting a crippling amount of gambling debt, Charles Hatbox is payed to swap his body for cash with Jimmy Plush, a three foot tall teddy bear detective. Charles now Jimmy inherits a driver named Chang, a sea of enemies, and a girlfriend who dresses in a fox suit. This collection of short stories riffs on hard boiled detective novels with a bizarro twist. Fans of Raymond Chandler, take notice. Anyone frightened by furries, beware.

While writing up that summary I felt like I was transcribing the plot of a Rob Schneider movie. “Rob Schneider is, Jimmy Plush, Teddy Bear Detective, and he’s about to find out just how hard being a teddy bear is! Rob Schneider is a carrot! Rob Schneider is a stapler! Der derp dee derpy derp derp derp.”

Anyway, welcome to another Bizarro Blursday where we (generally me) review bizarro novels that get submitted to us by a variety of bizarro authors. This week we have an entirely different level of bizarro, which author Garrett Cook  has dubbed Neopulp Expressionism and Chainsaw Noir. For anyone who likes detective novels from the 20′s and 30′s, this is the bizarro for you. If you’re not a fan of mysteries, crime, or anything resembling Dick Tracy, this is not your short story collection.

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Going Out With a (Paranormal) Bang: Kelly Reviews “Sliding Beneath the Surface” by Doug Dillon

31 Dec

Sliding Beneath the Surface by Doug Dillon (Submission)
Genre: Young Adult paranormal adventure
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Summary: Just as Jeff Golden is about to start classes at St. Augustine High, he finds himself up to his eyeballs in paranormal experiences. Scared out of his wits, he relies on his friend Carla Rodrigues, and Lobo, an old Native American shaman, for help. Despite this guidance, things get even worse, making Jeff realize he is in danger of losing his sanity and even his life. Finally, forces he doesn’t fully understand push him to leap headlong into the unknown in order to save himself. In doing so though, Jeff has risked something even more valuable than his own existence.

I’ve been a bad blogger! Grad school kicked my butt, but I’m back for one last hurrah in 2011. Maybe this procrastinator will learn to keep her perennial resolution of better time management in 2012. (But probably not!) We’re ending the year on a paranormal note, with Doug Dillon’s first book of The St. Augustine Trilogy.

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