Xepherus Reads

  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!    Journeys that are harrowing in the face of danger is what drew me to read Bird Box twice. The fast-paced story set in a world beset with madness made the novel a global sensation and led to a film adaptation. When a sequel comes along it can go both ways, either better than the original or not as good as its predecessor. Let's see how book two stacks up against the first.         Malorie is the sequel to Josh Malerman's 2014 runaway hit, Bird Box. It is published by Del Rey, an imprint of Penguin Random House. It is twelve years after the events of the first novel and the world has adapted to a sightless existence among the creatures that have stolen the world's sanity. Malorie and her now teenage children are living in Camp Yadin, an abandoned Summer campground. After the horrifying events that led them to Yadin, Malorie is aware that over time the creatures have evolved. Not only do humans go ...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!    My first review of 2019 started off with a genuinely creepy tale. Bird Box by Josh Malerman left a lasting impression with me. This year saw its sequel, Malorie, arrive in book stores. To prepare for part two, I decided that the first novel deserved a re-read. Was it better the second time around? Or did think less of this novel upon giving it a second look?       Bird Box is Josh Malerman's debut novel. It is published by ECCO Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. In this post-apocalyptic novel of dread and survival we are introduced to Malorie, mother of two small children who makes a desperate attempt to forge the river as they flee the home they have known for the past   several  years. The children are trained to listen and are   hyper aware  of their   possibly  dangerous surroundings. As they  continue  on,   silent  and blindfolded, she reflects...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!   The holiday Netflix offerings dropped a film adaptation for Josh Malerman's 2014 novel at the end of 2018. And with many of my friends and family asking if I had watched the movie, I had to say, "No". I wanted to read the novel beforehand, and I am happy that I did. My first review of 2019 starts off with a genuinely creepy tale.     Bird Box is Josh Malerman's debut novel. It is published by ECCO Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. In this post-apocalyptic novel of dread and survival we are introduced to Malorie, mother of two small children who makes a desperate attempt to forge the river as they flee the home they have known for the past several  years. The children are trained to listen and are hyper aware  of their possibly  dangerous surroundings. As they  continue  on, silent  and blindfolded, she reflects on the events that led up to her current predicament ....

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons !   T he Last Jedi is the latest installment in the Star Wars Saga. Reuniting Luke Skywalker with the galaxy that he left behind has left man y fan s crying fowl. But it is not just how Luke was po rtrayed in the Last Jedi that has many at odds with Disney-Lucasfilm, but several other plot points.  Here is a list of remarks that I have found by Star Wars and movie-going fans on the internet since the film's Dece mber 2017 release (no direct quotes are used and t hey are highlighted in bold) . I will address each complaint in with my own thoughts.   Just remember that we are all Star Wars fans , here. You clicked on this artic le for a reason. My thoughts may not fit your beliefs and t hat is fine. We are all entitled to o ur opinion s.   Spoilers ahead. T op 10 Star Wars: The Last Jedi Complaint s Princess Leia flying was stupid. She never could do that before . (Leia has used the Force sever...