SONG WAS NOT IN THE BOOK 1/5 STARS

Just kidding. I recently read the first book- or more like the .5 book?- in The Witcher Series. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. After watching the Netflix series and loving it, I wanted to dive in to the world of Geralt and see how things panned out in the books. I must say, I wasn't dissapointed. 

If you've seen the show, then you would recognize most of the tales in this book. It's made up of short story collections featuring Geralt and his quests. Much like the show, it shows Geralt going from town to town as he earns coin for killing monsters. Basically, this first book is the first season of the show. Minus the ending which really gets the plot rolling for the next season. 

But enough about the show. Lets talk about the book. It's a very fun read. Geralt is a bad ass. He talks a lot more in the books than he does in the show, which is one of the major differences. It's very fun to read these tales after watching the show. I have a conundrum now. Do I read the next books before the second season? Or do I read them after? Tough call. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. 

It's the end of 2019, which means it's time for me to look back on all the books I read this year and pick my 5 top favorites. This year, I managed to exceed my Goodreads goal by 1 book. I read a total of 25 books and I'm happy with that. But picking only 5 out of those will be incredibly hard. I read a lot of great books this year. I also started reading the Harry Potter books for the first time. However, none of them will make this list because I have a post planned for all the books together. So look forward to that. But here are my top 5 favorite books that I read in 2019.

5. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark By Campbell Black
I may be biased here because I love Indiana Jones so much but this book was so much fun to read. And for any fan of the movie, it helped to get inside the character's head and learn a little bit more about the things that happened off screen. It was the first book I read in 2019 and it helped to kick off the new year in a good way. 

4. Bang! Vol II By Roxie Prince 
Roxie Prince has become one of my favorite authors of all time and a good friend. Yes, that's right, I'm friends with the author! How cool is that? Prince has 3 volumes of flash fiction horror pieces out and Vol II was amazing. One of her flash fiction pieces was featured on the popular No Sleep Podcast, so you know it's creepy and good! If you haven't read a book by Prince, you need to go read one right now! Especially her flash fiction books. They're quick stories you can read on the go. Perfect for anyone who doesn't have a lot of time to read. 

3. Hangman by JC Gatlin
I should start off by saying this book was incredible. And yes, the author is also a good friend of mine. And I'm not just trying to promote my friends here. They happen to be friends and amazing authors. Besides, these are my top 5. So I can pick whichever I want! Hangman was such a fun read and I literally couldn't put it down. I had to know who the killer was. I thought I had it all figured out right up until the very end. Turns out I was completely wrong. If you love a good murder mystery, suspense novel then you'll love this book. Definitely should be added to your reading list!

2. Thanos: Titan Consumed by Barry Lyga
I listened to this audiobook while on the road to book events and conventions. It was so cool hearing more of Thanos' back story and learning more about him. While reading the book, you completely forget about the monstrous villain he becomes in Infinity War and you actually grow to like him. If you're a huge Marvel movie fan, like me, then you'll love this book!

Honorable mentions
Before we get to number 1, I'd like to shout out a couple of honorable mentions. These would be books I really enjoyed but couldn't fit them in my top 5. Nether Isle by Nicoline Evans. A fun story about ghosts and the island they try to control! Awakened by James Murray from Impractical Jokers. An exciting sci-fi read that makes you want more. Last we have, Supernatural Nevermore by Keith R.A. DeCandido. If you love Sam and Dean Winchester, you'll love this book. 

1. Dracul by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker
I wasn't a huge fan of Dacre Stoker's Dracula sequel so I was a little apprehensive to read his prequel novel. However, I was not disappointed. This was such a great book that really kept the style from the original alive with a new twist. I loved the characters and learning more about Bram Stoker's life, even if it was between fictional story telling of his mixing with vampires and Dracula. If you're a Dracula fan, you're going to like this book. 

So, those were my top picks of the books I read in 2019. I'm looking to reading even more books in 2020. Did you read any of the same books as me this year? If so, let me know in the comments below. And if you plan to pick any of these titles up because of my reviews, let me know that too! I'd love to talk with you about any of these amazing books!

First and foremost, welcome to the new and improved Bond's Blog! What's different, you ask? Well, the banner for starters. I hope you like it. I do. That's me as a Funko Pop on the right hand side. I'm also changing up what this blog will be about. It's going to cover book reviews, info about my writing and my books, and, occasionally, my outdoor adventures. There might be some other things here and there but this should be the format going forward. Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

Moving on, let's get into the review. I finished reading the first Supernatural book in the series at the beginning of February. I'm definitely a Supernatural fan. Which means, when I found out there were books as well, I had to start reading them. I'll keep this review spoiler free for those who haven't read it. 

The book takes the Winchester brothers to New York. While there, they handle two cases. A haunting in the house they're staying in and murders modeled after the works of Edgar Allan Poe. The haunting was a lot of fun to read because the author puts the reader in the mind of the ghost. It's an interesting perspective and good for a couple of laughs. The Poe murders are a bit odd, even for Supernatural. It might not be the best case the boys have ever come across but it was still a fun read. 

As for the characters, Sam and Dean Winchester, they were great. I really felt like the author captured their personalities well. I could hear their voices clear as day while I read and could even picture them. The author did a good job bringing the two characters to life on the page, which can't be an easy task considering the Winchesters are complex characters. 

If you're a Supernatural fan and can't get enough of the Winchesters, you won't be disappointed by this book. Pick it up and give it a read. If you're watching the show live, it's a great way to hold yourself over between season breaks. And it's pre-Castiel and Crowley days. So, it's interesting to go back and see how different the boys were back then. 

I'll continue to read the Supernatural books this year and I'll be sure to post my review for each as I go. Hopefully you enjoyed this review and maybe you'll pick up the book for yourself. Have you read any of the Supernatural books? Or maybe you plan to. Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and remember to keep wandering, just not alone. 

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Recently, I finished reading the novelization of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. The book is based on the original screenplay so it's relatively close to the movie. I should start out by saying I friggin loved this book. But, Indiana Jones has always been my all time favorite on screen hero, so I could be biased. However, I read through this book in only a week. I didn't want to put it down. Here's my review of the book. Note, there will be spoilers. But you should have seen this movie by now!

Let me start with the differences. There are a few and whenever they happened it always made my heart sink for just a moment. For example, after Marion and Indy decide to join forces, after her bar burns down, she tells Indy she's going with him. In the movie, it's one of my favorite lines. "I'm your god damned partner!" She yells, holding up the medallion. This line doesn't exist in the book. I know, trivial but I still miss it. Of course, Indy's famous line "It's not the years, honey. It's the mileage." Also doesn't exist in the book. Again, not that big of a deal. Just very iconic lines. The scene in which Indy takes the RPG and threatens to blow up the Ark is slightly different as well. In the movie, he's up on a cliff pointing down, threatening to blow it back to God. In the book, however, he gets right up in Belloc's face with the thing and threatens to kill them all. As you should already know, in the movie Belloc calls his bluff. It's a pivotal scene where we learn a lot about our favorite whip wielding hero. In the movie, he's jumped by German soldiers and forced to give up. 

There's also some answers given in the book that aren't in the movie. For example, Indy knows not to open his eyes after they open the Ark. In the movie, he just shouts at Marion. Telling her to not look. But we're left wondering why and how he knows that. Before you say anything, I'm aware there's a deleted scene which explains this but since it's not actually in the movie, hush! The book includes the scene in which Indy has the medallion translated which warns to not look upon the contents of the Ark or die. Later on, Indy remembers this and tells Marion to shut her eyes. However, this next scene does not have a deleted scene and it's always been a question of mine. How did Indy get to the island in the first place? I'm aware he hitched a ride on the German submarine but how, exactly? Did he sneak around inside? Did he stand on top while they drove it above water to the destination? Well, it turns out, he ties himself to the periscope with his whip. The sub descends but leaves the periscope just out of the water, allowing Indy to ride to the island in peace. He even takes a nap! 

​Getting inside Indy's head is great. It brings a lot of the character to life in a different way from the movie. We learn a little bit more about him and he feels even more real. If you're a huge fan of Indiana Jones, like me, you will not be disappointed by this book. Definitely give it a read! Later this year I will be reading Temple of Doom and Last Crusade as well. So look out for my reviews for them as well. 

Also, I have some exciting news to share with you. I'm now an affiliate of Amazon.com. Which means, if you sign up for Audible by clicking the banner below, you will be supporting me directly and allowing me to continue writing, reading, and leaving reviews. And audible is great. You get two free books when you sign up and every month they give you a credit for a free book. There's so much to listen to on Audible! You won't regret signing up. Click on the ad below and use booksbybond-20 at checkout! Thanks for reading and remember to keep wandering. Just not alone.  

Let me start by saying, I didn't read as many books as I would have liked this year. My Goodreads goal was 24 and I came in at 20. Pretty close, though. But of those 20, I do have a few favorites that stood out to me so I thought I would share them with you today. So, let's get into it, in no particular order and spoiler free, of course. 

5. Origins by Dan Brown
I guess we'll start with the mainstream title. Ever since The DaVinci Code, the Robert Langdon books have been hit or miss with me. I didn't care too much for The Lost Symbol. Inferno was pretty entertaining but I felt as if these books were missing something the first two had. Angels & Demons and The DaVinci code made bold statements about religion and science. I felt that statement was lost on the others. Then enters Origin. I won't spoil anything about the ending but I will say Dan Brown explains religion and science in such a beautiful way which happens to mirror my own thoughts. Nothing might ever be as good as the first two but Origin sure as hell came close! 

4. Brimstone Hustle by Robert McKinney 
I discovered this book while browsing a self-publishing Sub-Reddit page. I'm glad I did. This book was a lot of fun to read. I won't sit here and tell you it was my favorite book of the year but it was a lot of fun. The plot centers around a woman who is able to "teleport" anywhere in the world she wants by taking shortcuts through Hell. The idea was original enough to catch my attention. Of course, she uses this power to get payback on an individual and I won't say much more than that. It's the first part in a series and I really should get down to reading the rest. My only complaint, which could be squashed with the sequels, is the power could be used for so much more than your regular thriller story. But still a fun read.

3. Glass Girl by Jessyca Thibault
Poetry is not something I normally read, however, I discovered Jessyca on Instagram a while back while she was doing a free promotion for her first book Doll Eyes. I found myself unable to stop reading and finished it in one sitting. Same with her follow up book Glass Girl. If you like poetry, you must give her series a try. I enjoyed them so much because it wasn't just a collection of poems but a window into the soul of another human being. It allowed me to take stock of things in my own life and try a new perspective. And with so many horrible things in this world and all the hate, opening your eyes to another person's experiences is something we need more of. And Jessyca does this well. She's a talented author with a bright future ahead of her!

2. The Ruins by Scott Smith
Although I didn't find this book as scary as many others have, I still enjoyed every second of it. A group of backpackers on a vacation in Mexico find themselves trapped on top of an ancient ruins site where the vines literally come to life and the locals won't let them leave. The book is dirty and visceral at times but for all the right reasons. I never looked at any character as heroic nor villainous. You could feel the desperation in every choice they made and you could almost feel the utter exhaustion they felt as well. A well crafted tale of horror. 
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1. The Resort by Bryce Gibson
It was a tough choice between this and Gibson's other thriller, The Reading Buddy. Both were excellent reads full of suspense and death. In the end, I had to give it to The Resort. There's not much I can say about this book without giving anything away. But I can tell you the main character Mackenzie Walker works on an island with his parents running a resort. When college students come for spring break and one of them winds up dead, Mackenzie gets pulled into a whirlwind of happenings and learns there's something terrible inhabiting the island. You'll have to read it for yourself to find out what it is. I promise, it's worth it. 

Well, there you have it. My top 5 picks of the year. I definitely will be attempting to read more books next year than I did this time around. What were some of your favorite books? Have you read any on my list? Or do you plan to read any of these? Let me know in the comments below. 

Recently, I finished reading the book The Ruins by Scott Smith. There was a movie made about ten years ago based on the novel but I had never watched it. So, I thought this would be one of those rare moments when I would get to read the book first and watch the movie second. I'm always finding out movies are based on books after I've already watched it. I figured I could drop my opinion on the book, the movie, and how they compare. Cause the internet doesn't have enough opinions about things already. And don't forget, there may be spoilers here. You've been warned. 

First, let's start with the book. I actually loved it. It wasn't as scary as some have made it out to be. Don't get me wrong, if I was on a hill in Mexico with a sentient killer vine that could imitate noises, voices, and eat human flesh, I would pee my pants and let the Mayans guarding the place kill me. But reading about it wasn't as scary an experience as I thought it would be. I loved how dark and gritty the book was. No one came off as the hero. No one came off as better than anyone. They were all scared, they were all unsure of their actions. And yes, the book is graphic but not for the sake of shock. Instead, it's primal. You get the real sense that these people are trapped on the hill and you feel dirty yourself. It puts you in their shoes. You can feel the dirt and grime sticking to your skin. You can almost choke on the fumes from human waste. It's graphic but necessary to the story. And the ending was great. No one gets out alive. I couldn't imagine a better ending. 

Alright, let's move on to the movie. It starts out with a woman all alone in a dark place. She's crying out for help when something drags her into the darkness. Then, cut to our main characters enjoying life in a Mexican beach resort. Everything moves pretty quickly. They decide to take a trip out to some Mayan ruins with a man they met about an hour ago. The quick pace is actually a good thing, though. We don't need a lot of build up. The movie is supposed to be about the ruins and the killer vines. Not college kids in a beach resort. Naturally, they get warned not to go there but they go anyway. The moment they see the ruins, everything happens fast. The Mayans guarding the place come out of the trees and yell at them. Once they touch the vines, they realize they aren't allowed to leave, thanks to the Mayans killing one of the group. The pacing of the movie is pretty fast without a lot of down time. Again, not complaining here. My one complaint is of the characters. They don't feel fleshed out or realistic. Just expendable kids on a summer vacation. In the end, one of them escapes. Not a fan of that ending for this particular story. 

Last, let's examine how I feel about the movie when compared to the book. At first, it starts out almost exactly like the book. The Mexican resort, the meeting of Mathias, the Greeks and everything. Though, the movie version doesn't introduce the Greeks at all. They are nameless figures in the background. I understand books have more time to introduce characters but the movie doesn't even make an attempt at this. You would hardly even know they were Greek if not for a quick one line by another character as they walk up on the group at the beach. The group arriving at the ruins is relatively the same just much quicker. Again, this makes sense as the pacing of the movie was much faster than the book. Considering the book had over three hundred pages to tell the story and the movie only has about an hour and a half, it makes sense. So I understand the pacing. What's weird, though, is all the changes made to character's fates. For example, Dimitri (called Pablo for most of the book because they don't know his real name until later) ​gets killed by the Mayans in the movie and Mathias falls down the well and breaks his back. In the book, it's Dimitri(Pablo) who breaks his back and they care for him for most of the book before he dies. Of course, this change may have had to do with pacing so I understand. In the book, Eric gets infected with the vine and goes crazy, cutting himself to ribbons before stabbing Mathias in the heart by mistake. In the movie, they give that part to Stacy and let her kill her boyfriend Eric. Jeff dies in relatively the same way in the movie and the book. The Mayans take him our for trying to escape in the book whereas in the movie he's merely a distraction to allow Amy to make a run for it. And this is the change I hated the most. Amy gets away. She runs to the Jeep and drives off safely. In the book, Amy is choked to death by the vine in front of Jeff but it's too dark for him to see. He simply thinks she's puking. I prefer the books ending where no one makes it out alive. Of course, in both the book and the movie, the Greeks show up to the ruins in the end. This ending makes sense in the books because we just witnessed our entire group die with no hope of escape. Now, we know what's going to happen to the Greeks. They have no chance. But following the movie's ending, we see there is a chance. The Mayans can be outsmarted. In the book, stepping into the vines meant certain death one way or another. The movie misses that mark and gives us a hopeful ending. Personally, I like the darker ending but that's just me. 

Have you read the book or seen the movie? How about both? Which did your prefer and why? Let me know in the comments below. And if you haven't seen the movie or read the book, you really should. I quite enjoyed them both. 

If you've been keeping up with my blog (first of all thank you so much!) then you know I'm currently reading through The Dark Tower series by Stephen King for the first time. I took a bit of a break between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla, parts IV and V respectively. Now, I'm back into them. 
Currently, I'm a little ways into Wolves of the Calla Part V of the series. And wouldn't you know it? There's a cameo by good old Mr. Stephen King. I've made posts in the past like this before. Back in 2016 I mentioned how the first book The Gunslinger referenced the movie The Shining. I talked about what that meant for the universe. Read it here. In 2017, I talked about how part of Wizard and Glass made mention of The Stand. Check that out here. 
Now, in Wolves of the Calla there's mention of a bookstore with an advertisement on a chalk board. Which author is featured on this chalkboard? None of than Stephen King. So, I'm confused. The universe where Jake and Eddie come from is the same universe as Stephen King and his books. Presumably, it's our universe as well. Stephen King exists in the universe where he invented things like The Shining, The Dark Tower, and The Stand. Do those books exists in this universe or is it some sort of weird parallel universe to ours where King is an author but some of his major books were never written, such as The Dark Tower series? Or, perhaps in this universe Stephen King has the ability to shine as well. Ugh! 
My mind hurts thinking about this. But I must say, it's fun to think about. What do you think? Have you read The Dark Tower series? What do you think is going on? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading. As always, keep wandering. Just not alone. 

No doubt, you have seen the movie Jaws. I mean, who hasn't? It's a classic movie with a concept that scared thousands of people out of the water. But, did you know it was based on a book? You did? Alright, well aren't you just so smart. Peter Benchley wrote the book Jaws and it was published in 1974. Clearly, I don't have to tell you how popular it became. But was the book any good? Well, yes and no. At least, in my opinion. 

I read Jaws several years ago and have to say it completely captivated me. I finished it in one day. The characters were amazing and realistic. I actually found myself hating Hooper and Sheriff Brody's wife, Ellen. The thought of them in the book disgusted me. Which is an amazing testament to Mr. Benchley's writing style as he was able to evoke real emotion from me. 

*Note, from here on out there will be spoilers for both the book and the movie. Swim at your own risk!*

I would highly recommend this book but suggest you read all the way up to the very end. Right up to when the shark attacks the Orca. Stop right there. Put the book down. And watch the end of the movie. That's where the book, at least for me, falls apart. 

In the movie, there's the epic struggle with the shark as it destroys the boat and eats Quint, much like the book. However, Hooper was eaten by the shark the day before in the book. It's for the best. He was a dick. Of course, we all know Brody's famous line as he shoots the oxygen tank stuck in Jaw's jaws. (Was the shark named Jaws? I think someone should have named it Jaws. Makes sense to me) "Smile you son of..." KABOOM! Shark dead. Blood, guts, and blubbery debris rain down from the heavens. Cool, right? Well the book....well....it sucks. I just don't like it. 

Quint's dead, Brody is floating on debris from the Orca. He peers into the water and sees the shark swimming towards him, mouth agape. He readies himself for death but suddenly....the shark dies. Yup. It. Just. Dies. You see, they had thrown several harpoons into the creature before hand and it only now succumbs to its wounds, just in time to not eat the main character. 

Is it a more realistic ending? Yes. Is it an exciting one? No! To me, it felt like the author originally wrote an ending where Brody was eaten by the shark and continued on its way until it later died in the ocean, like many sharks before it. But then he had a change of heart and let Brody live. Which meant, having the shark die in the most anticlimactic way possible. Of course, the explosion wouldn't have been as impressive in the book but maybe we could have had something in between. You know, Brody jabs it in the eye for a final time with a spear and it dies. Would have been a lot better. For a book with so much built up conflict, it felt like the end puttered out. Ultimately, it was a great book but the ending was better in the movie. 

What did you think? Did you read Jaws? Did you like the ending? Did you hate it? Let me know your feelings in the comments below! Thanks for reading and remember, keep wandering. Just not alone. 

As I've mentioned before, I'm currently reading The Dark Tower series by Stephen King for the first time. It's a fantastic series and I'm really finding myself drawn into the world of the Gunslinger and company. At the moment, I am reading The Dark Tower IV, Wizard and Glass. There are minor spoilers ahead so read at your own risk.
After our heroes get off their ride through Mid-World with Blaine the Mono (who is a pain and that's the truth) they find themselves in Kansas, our world. Except, it's not really our world. Instead, they have found themselves in our world ravaged by a plague that has wiped out much of humanity. A plague nick named Captain Trips. This is exciting! It means our ka-tet has entered the world of The Stand!
Of course, I haven't finished reading the book yet so I can't be sure of anything but as of right now I'm excited! This means Stu, Randall Flagg, the Trashcan Man, and others are all in the same world right now. Will we get a cross-over with Roland and company with the others? Unlikely. But it's still cool to think the characters in this series are in the same world as one of my all time favorite books. It makes me wonder, what other easter eggs are there in these books? How many other references are there to his other works? I'm going to read on to find out. 
If you haven't read Stephen King's Dark Tower series, you really should. I'm loving it so far. Trust me, you will too! As always, thanks for reading! 

Alright, I literally just finished this book and had to hop on here and review it right away. I absolutely loved The Waste Land by Stephen King, the third book in The Dark Tower series. Admittedly, it took me longer to read than it should, but that's OK. I was able to relish in the story and the amazing characters that King brought to the pages.

First, we have Eddie and Susannah back as integral characters that aren't just there to question the gunslinger at every turn. By the end of the book, they are becoming heroes in their own right. The chemistry between these two characters is amazing and believable. It's been a fun journey watching their relationship bloom.

Of course, Roland becomes more relatable and human. In the first book, Roland came off as an arrogant jerk and I could have cared less about him. A main character who would easily sacrifice an innocent life to further his seemingly unobtainable mission seemed terrible. But now, Roland has learned, has grown from his experiences and seems to have established friendships with these other characters. It makes me root for Roland and want him to win.

A beloved character comes back and it's amazing having them in this book. I won't mention who it is as to avoid spoilers. But I loved it.

Last we have Blaine and he is a pain. That's the truth. Blaine is probably the most terrifying adversary the ka-tet come across in this book. He can't simply be beaten with a gun or a fist. It's fun to see how these characters react to him. Especially heroes known as gunslingers. They must use their wits instead of just fists.

When it comes to the ending, I expected a cliff hanger as there are more books in the series. What I could not have predicted, however, was how effective of a cliff hanger King would leave. I want to grab the next book and start reading this very minute!

All in all, this book was great. It moved slow at some points, but that's OK. Still an amazing read that has me excited for the next. I want to learn more about this world and the tower. On a side note, I believe the monster's from Stephen King's The Mist to be the same as the creatures briefly seen in this novel.

If you're reading the Dark Tower series and haven't made it to this book yet, hurry up! You will love it!