Tag: book reviews

Book Review – Branden Chowen on Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard

Title: Rewind Author: Catherine Ryan Howard Published: 2019 Publisher: Blackstone Publishing — Sometimes you stumble across a piece of media in an unexpected way, and you’re glad you did. I’m currently at a stage in my life where I almost never watch, read, or play any of the latest releases. I tend to be a…


Book Review – Branden Chowen on Awakened by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

Title: Awakened Authors: James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth Published: 2018 Publisher: Harper Voyager Audiobook Narrator: James S. Murray — My sister sent me a text message sometime during the summer of 2018, and it contained a link to an article about one of her favorite reality star’s new horror book. She hates horror, but…


Book Review – Branden Chowen on And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Title: And Then There Were None Author: Agatha Christie Published: 1939 Publisher: Collins Crime Club Audiobook Narrator: Dan Stevens — As a big fan of slasher films, it’s no surprise that And Then There Were None was an enjoyable ride. Ten people accept invitations to join U.N. Owen on Soldier Island. All ten are lured…


Book Review – Branden Chowen on Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Title: Dark Matter Author: Blake Crouch Published: 2016 Publisher: Broadway Books — Jason is an average guy living in Chicago with his wife, Daniela and son, Charlie. He is a professor at a local University, and she is an artist. They have made the choice of parenthood over their careers, and both wonder, every once…


Book Review – Branden Chowen on Body of Proof by Darrell Brown and Sophie Ellis

Title: Body of Proof Authors: Darrell Brown and Sophie Ellis Published: 2019 Publisher: Audible Originals Audiobook Narrator: Darrell Brown and Sophie Ellis — Reading through the description of this book, I genuinely thought Body of Proof was a fictional take on something like Serial, The Staircase, or Making a Murderer. I believed this throughout my…


Book Review – Branden Chowen on Quarry by Max Allan Collins

Title: Quarry (originally titled The Broker) Author: Max Allan Collins Published: 1976 Publisher: Berkley Medallion — I was introduced to Quarry during a Hard Case Crime series collection overview from the Cereal at Midnight YouTube channel. Typically, seeing the name “hard case crime”, I’d think a detective story that wouldn’t be of much interest to…


Book Review – Branden Chowen on Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

Longtime readers of Cinefessions might notice something different on this review: it is scored out of five stars rather than the usual four! It has not been decided if we will be moving all reviews to the five-star scale, but for the time being, at least, any books reviewed on Cinefessions will now be based…