Review: Watchdog

Watchdog by Will McIntosh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

I received a review copy. What follows is an honest review.

A few years ago there was a show called Max Headroom. It took place 30 seconds into the future. Anytime I read futuristic stories like these, I think about that 30 seconds into the future.

This book takes place 30 seconds into our future. People have watchdogs, robotic dogs (though some are not dogs) that they can get to do things for them. Vick and Tara, twin brother and sister, are orphaned when their mom dies. They live on the streets. Tara, who is autistic, is a mechanical whiz and can build watchdogs of good designs. Trouble is, they have to scour the dumps to get the parts she needs to make dogs to sell so they can survive.

When Tara finds a chip one day that she puts into her watchdog Daisy, the dog becomes almost human. And they become a target of a syndicate out to get the chip back.

The story focuses on what a family is. While they start out only having each other they gather some others along the way and each provides something to the team as they take on the bad guys.

This is a middle school age book but I did enjoy it and would recommend it for all ages. It has some intense fight scenes between the watchdog armies. All in all, good book.

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Review: Masked Intentions

Masked Intentions by Tom Bierdz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

Tom Bierdz provided me a review copy, what follows is my honest review.

Masked Intentions is the third in a series of books a bout psychiatrist Grant Garrick. In the first we were introduced to the character and given his back story. In the second, Grant fights to prove he is innocent of a murder. In this one, a new friend is charged with murder and does not help his case when he runs to Mexico.

Grant finds Toby Rathbone dead drunk on a street while walking to work. He takes him in and later finds out he was married to a successful author of trashy romance novels. Toby eventually makes it to the point where he is starting to get back with her when she is murdered. Toby flees knowing the police will suspect him. Grant soon discovers her murder seems to be staged to be like one of her books. With the help of a local detective they try to find the real killer.

The story was good. It has quite a few twists and turns and keeps the reader on their toes. The characters are well developed in a continuation from the first two books. It is a stand alone book in that you can read it without having read the other two. Information needed from them is provided when and if it is needed.
I would recommend this book to young adult and older. There are some scenes that younger people might not understand and the nature of the romance novels comes into play here.

Pick it up if you are looking for a good mystery. Especially who did it.

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Review: Henrietta the Dragon Slayer

Henrietta the Dragon Slayer by Beth Barany
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon.

Sometimes the dragons that you face are yourself and not the real ones.

Henrietta has become a larger that life hero while still young. Songs are sung about her skills. When asked to go slay a dragon for a king for a far off land, she does not want to go. But fates send her on a journey to rescue the father figure in her life, and though she would rather travel alone, she winds up teaming with three others. Each with their own unique skill set.

I enjoyed the book. It is a diversion from the mysteries that I have been reading lately. It is a young adult book but that does not mean it cannot be enjoyed by an old guy like me. It is basically a quest for healing, not only of Henrietta's master but for all of the parts of her troupe, but especially her. Can she kill again? A dragon slayer must slay dragons, right?

If you are challenged by a strong female lead, this book is not for you. But understand, there is a strong male in it as well. In fact, it might be interesting to spin him off into a series of his own but I suspect the author has other plans for him.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a quest. It has a small amount of violence, people do die, and for that reason, younger readers might be discouraged.

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