ISBN: 9780956257727

I was given this book to review.

There are lots of ways one could define Troglodyte Rose, urban dystopia, bizarro…but at its heart Troglodyte Rose is a fairytale, an old one, straight out of Grimm’s more far fetched imaginings. Rose and Flid (a hermaphrodite) live in a dystopian world, half-described, half felt, where they’re something of a Bonnie and Clyde. In their search for meaning or life in a world that’s simultaneously been sterilized and organized for the benefit of some, and is dirty and savage for others, Rose and Flid come across a drug, Haze, which functions almost like bottled hope.

While they’re high everything is possible, including traveling to other worlds and rescuing princesses, or even the more mundane–feelings of satisfaction and peace. But of course Haze is highly illegal. The only way to get it is to steal from the pipes that carry it up to the upper classes, the elite (and captive) who are the only ones allowed to dream. When Rose and Flid get caught siphoning the pipes the full force of the Justicars come crashing down on them. Homeless, destined for only death or slavery, Rose and Flid set out to bring the whole world down with them, via revolution.

A very visual, but chaotic tale Troglodyte Rose is never without either the fairy tale feeling, or the brutal hope that Rose and Flid can make better lives for themselves. Some readers will be put off by the completely illogical world setting, but others will find within these pages a beautiful tale of freedom that skirts traditional storytelling rules.

Slim and unexpected, Animythical Tales by Sarah Totton is a collection of ten tales that have formerly graced the pages of venues like Realms of Fantasy, Fantasy & Science Fiction and Polophony 7. Totton herself is a skilled writer who pens vivid tales of surreal fantasy.

Being far more fantasy than horror immediately puts this collection outside the tastes of the average horror aficionado, however there’s no denying there’s a dark element to some of Totton’s tales. “The Teasewater Five”, for example, tells a fanciful tale of a dark nature, centering on a woman who, with the help of her brother, creates a miniature, animated sculpture version of her stillborn son with unexpectedly negative results….Full review at Dark Scribe Magazine

ISBN: 9780762108947

I bought this book.

If you’ve always wanted to have a “pet” plant, either herbs indoors, a heirloom christmas cactus from a family member that you want to keep alive, plants for decoration, or for their air-cleaning abilities, but haven’t had a friend or family member to give you tips along the way, this book is a good place to start. About the first third functions as a crash course on types of soil, types of pots and plants, seasonal plants, methods of propagation, tips on saving a water-logged plant and more. The rest of the book is an encyclopedia, complete with full color, excellent photos that can make choosing, or identifying a plant a breeze as well as care guides, tidbits about history, and a handy chart near the back of plants for specific needs (like to increase the humidity in a room, or plants that can survive cool, low light rooms).

The book isn’t a compendium, but it is an excellent place for beginners (or those with holes in their plant care knowledge) to start. A vivid, useful addition to a gardening resource library.