Slap Happy Fun Time

Cripple Wolf - Jeff Burk 5/5                                                                         How do you describe Cripple Wolf? It's bizarro with hints of horror, and it's a book that would make a great introduction to classic bizarro. The kind of bizarro you just don't read anymore. As I read it I was reminded of how great this genre was and still can be. This short story collection starts off on a high note and just doesn't let up. There's not a bad story here and Burk is a great story teller that isn't so out there that you can't grasp the concept of the stories. Each story here is amusing, and well written. The lead off story Cripple Wolf feels like a classic B-rate horror film. It's got gore, and best of all a werewolf that happens to be in a wheelchair. For those with an aversion to the holidays there's even a twisted take on Frosty the Snowman that is quite disturbing.      Of all the bizarro short story collections I've read

   Too Much, Too Soon: The Make-up & Break Up Of The New York Dolls - Nina Antonia 5/5                                                                    Let me just say thank Bob for Youtube so I can finally see old footage of the Dolls live because I wasn't lucky enough to have seen them during their initial run. I was born the same years the Dolls exploded on the scene looking like crazed transvestites. They were original at a time when rock music needed it and they gave rock fans something no one had ever seen before. You can see their influence all over popular music. Let's be honest and say that if it weren't for the Dolls those hairbands from the 80's would've never existed, and it's a known fact that KISS was hugely influenced by the band as well. With that being said, the book tells the Dolls story as it slowly unravels. The Dolls it seemed were poised to be the new face of rock 'n' roll, but instead they became a casualty.       Th

     Metallica - Hardwired...To Self Destruct 3/5                                                                                        I woke up with some wicked ass heartburn and couldn't sleep so I headed over to Metallica.com and downloaded my digital copy of the new Metallica record. There was a lot of temptation to listen to this before release day but I avoided the videos that were released every two hours and the leaked version that came out on Sunday. Let's check it out. Right off you get punched in the dick by the title track which could easily fit on one of the band's first three albums. James is in fine vocal form and Lars who seems to have lost his skills as a drummer seems to be able to flail away with reckless abandon. This was exactly why I pre-ordered the record. That in your face thrash makes you want to wreck your neck and form a mosh pit with your cats. Atlas, Rise starts off with a riff that sounds a little familiar. Yeah, some of this

Kali On A Rampage - R.D. Cervo 5/5                                                                      I received Kali On A Rampage in exchange for an honest review, but somehow it got lost on my Kindle. When I was transitioning over to my tablet I stumbled onto it and dove right in because it’s an interesting premise. As you read it you begin to see that these characters are connected. They’re like a line of dominoes sent tumbling forward with such force all you can do is watch and hope for the best. Cervo has clearly done a great deal of research on mental illness and has crafted these characters to be as realistic as possible. None of them have any redeeming qualities which adds a gritty realism to the book. It’s a dark, violent read that you don’t just read, it slowly filters into your mind. The point here is if you’re looking for a light fun book, this isn’t it. I love books like these not because they’re violent, but it offers up characters that broken, and often misundersto

If I Knew Then..... - Amy Fisher  2/5                                                                  I think it's interesting how some books change your perception of people or events, but some don't for one reason or another. Take Amy Fisher's book for instance. I saw it in the true crime section of the library and thought, what the hell. I was pretty familiar with the case and the story itself was intriguing. The problem is that Amy Fisher is a vile human being and while she wants you to forget about what she did, and how she's made strides to finally put the past behind her it's just not true. A Google search will tell you that for awhile she tried to live out of the spot light and piece her life back together it just wasn't meant to be. She's made a porn tape, divorced her husband and even rekindled her romance with Joey. Would someone who is trying to forget the past do that?     The book itself is interesting as it gives you a glimpse of Fishe