Book Review: Dare to Know by James Kennedy

Dare to Know by James Kennedy

Published (expected): September 14, 2021 by Quirk Books

Genre: Sci-fi, Thriller

Format: ARC paperback, 304 Pages

I received an ARC copy for free from Quirk Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Science has evolved enough to find thanatons or death particles. The rich pay millions to find out when they'll die. Sapere Aude is formed and big bucks are to be had and our protagonist Willy is at the top of his game...well, until he isn't. Pretty soon the middle class can afford to know they'll die and eventually does anyone really, I mean really wanna know?

The algorithm to predict one's death involves a lot of training at first but soon even Willy's job is doable by the grunts. He's soon out of a job. He's still in love with his long ago ex-girlfriend. And his marriage is over and his two boys want nothing to do with him. He's not supposed to predict his own death...that is until a freak accident convinces him to do it. What ensues forces Willy to rethink everything he's ever known and he's running out of time to save himself and quite possibly the world.

I absolutely love the premise of this sci-fi thriller. Big philosophical questions explored through science fiction. I feel like he was trying to be Blake Crouch and unfortunately, he is not. His characters and world-building really fall flat. I honestly had a hard time caring about Willy and the two-dimensional humans he interacted with. It felt like a short story that was bloated for a full-length novel. It had some serious promise but it just wasn't executed well in the end.

I hope his next book has a little more girth to his characters and world. I love his ideas and I loved how he used philosophy and physics to build his story. I'll keep my eye out.

Warren the 13th and the Thirteen-year Curse by Tania del Rio

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Warren the 13th and the Thirteen-year Curse by Tania del Rio

Published: March 24th, 2020 by Quirk Books

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, fantasy

Format: Hardcover, 224 Pages, Own

Rating: 5 stars

Summary: 

At the conclusion of the second book in the Warren the 13th series, The Warren Hotel had transformed into a giant ship, and set sail for the open seas! When Warren 3 opens, Warren is adjusting to the demands of running a floating hotel and is planning his 13th birthday party when disaster strikes--the hotel is shipwrecked on a strange island. To make things worse, his octopus-like friend Sketchy is kidnapped by a traveling circus! Warren and his friends must solve a series of riddles to find the next location of the circus and rescue their friend before it's too late. Along the way, they meet a new cast of characters, including some elderly pirates, a sea witch, a talking clam, and a giant sea monster. As Warren pursues Sketchy's kidnappers, he will learn the truth of his friend's mysterious origins--as well as one final secret of the Warren Hotel.

My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed the third book in this fantastic series. Warren the 13th has a good heart. He loves his friends and his family. He tries his best. And he gives everyone and I mean everyone the benefit of the doubt! What a great example. I've really enjoyed his growth and the growth of everyone in his hotel.

This book they're out for a pirate adventure! We love pirates and enjoyed all the treasure hunts and pirate-related themes throughout the story. This one has some fun puzzles to try and solve along with Warren and his crew.

The story ends on a bittersweet note and it made G tear up. But it all ends good and he can't wait/hopes for another chapter in Warren the 13th's life and his traveling hotel!

The illustrations are as amazing as ever! Lots of fun drawings to help bring the story alive.

My Son's Thoughts: (lightly edited)

Okay, to start I think this book was really good. I think all the parts of this book were interesting cause usually at the beginning of books it's not as interesting. Every single chapter of this book was just as interesting as the last.

Now down to the specifics. I enjoyed the part where they start saving sketchy and I also enjoy the end part where even when Rustyboots and his granddaughter are kinda evil, Warren still thinks they're worth saving.

If there is anything that I don't like as much, it would be at the end... because it made me sad but that is meant to happen. So honestly I think it's amazing that [the author] did that. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I hope [the author] makes a fourth book.

P.S. I would really a fourth book and maybe a fifth!

*We received this book from the publisher Quirk Books in exchange for an honest review. They sent the book with a beautiful poster of one of the illustrations in the book and some fun Warren the 13th tattoos.

Warren the 13th and the Whispering Woods by Tania del Toro

Quirk Books

Warren the 13th is back for his second adventure with his walking hotel and all of his friends. Things start off going pretty well but this does not last long when his uncle accidentally drops his drink on the hotel's controls. Warren must find parts for the repairs and hope he can get his hotel back up and running and get his guests back.

A mimic soon kidnaps Warren and takes his tooth so he can take Warren's place and take the hotel and the perfurmier Beatrice to the Black Caldera in the Whispering Woods to the evil witch.

Can Warren get back to his hotel and save his friends? Lots of fun puzzles and adventures await Warren. My son and I had a lot of fun reading this one together. My son couldn't wait to read this every night.

*I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania Del Toro

Warren comes from a long line of other Warrens. In fact, he is number 13. Warren the 1st laid out the plans for the family hotel and Warren the 2nd built it. The hotel was booming for quite a long time until his parents died and his uncle came to take care of him and the hotel. He is not good at either. He married a very wicked woman Annaconda who treats Warren as a slave. So now his home/hotel are run down and his only friends are Bunion the chef and his old tutor.

Rumor has it the hotel hides a treasure called the all-seeing eye and his new aunt Annaconda and her witch's coven plan to find it and steal it and soon others are on their way to look as well.

It's up to Warren to find the treasure and save his family's hotel.

This was a delightful mystery with vivid images and a great locale. The world of Warren the 13th is dark and mysterious with witches and pirates and ghosts, and even octopus guardians in the basement.

There are fun visual nuggets placed throughout the book so kids can hold up pages to mirrors and read secret messages.

It's also a story of the importance of family and friends and learning to work together. This story has plenty of fun fantastical elements and sci-fi to appeal to many readers.

I read this with my son and he loved it. He asked when we could read the next one and was disappointed to learn it wasn't out yet!

*I received this book from the publisher Quirk Books as part of their book tour in exchange for an honest review.

Warren and the Unlucky Day

As part of the tour the author Tania Del Toro has written a short story about Warren called Warren and the Unlucky Day. Also included are some activity pages for kids. Just click on the link under the pic.

Link to the official Warren the 13^th website: http://warrenthe13th.com/

Link to the official book page for Warren the 13^th and the All-Seeing Eye: http://www.quirkbooks.com/book/warren-13th-and-all-seeing-eye

Link to the official book page for Warren the 13^th and the Whispering Woods: http://www.quirkbooks.com/book/warren-13th-and-whispering-woods

Goodreads link to Warren the 13^th and the All-Seeing Eye: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25241871-warren-the-13th-and-the-all-seeing-eye?ac=1&from_search=true

Goodreads link to Warren the 13^th and the Whispering Woods: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30962057-warren-the-13th-and-the-whispering-woods

Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends by David Stabler

Image Source

"Kid Artists" tells the tales of childhood from the artists we know best. What were they like as kids? What happened to them in order for them to become the great artists we know today?

The book is divided into 3 parts: It's a hard-knock life, practice makes perfect, and call of the wild.

The first section focuses on artists who grew up poor or experienced severe hardships from war to death. Yoko Ono was fascinating. She started off as pretty much royalty and then through World War II became destitute. She wanted to work it all out through poetry and created a style called Conceptual Art.

Part two focuses on kids who had some amazing mentors to help them on their way to their greatness. Frida Kahlo was a fascinating kid. Loved her father, loved nature, overcame illness.

Part three are kids who were greatly influenced by nature and the great outdoors. Vincent Van Gogh was a big nature lover. He pretty much spent his whole childhood out there. Nature was truly the only thing that made him happy. He poured all of his sadness into his art. At least he had that.

All the stories featured art. They all had interesting facts and anecdotes. It's a small and diverse introduction, one that gives kids a taste and a desire for more information.

My son and I really enjoyed reading about these artists together.

*I received an advanced copy from the publisher in return for an honest and fair review.