Best books of 2018

As a book geek, I not only love reading but love sharing the great reads I come across, especially the ones that don’t get the hype that BookTube is so generous with. Once upon a time I did top 5’s or top 10’s but rather than that, I decided to share my top 20 reads, in alphabetical order. No favorites, no top anything. If it’s A it’s 1st, if it’s Z it’s last. Period. The reason is that we all like different things and I want to talk a smidge about each book but include pictures and links to my Goodreads review in case it makes you want to learn more about one or the other.

So let’s get started:

1. Anaerfell – High Fantasy

I’d been meaning to read a book by Joshua Robertson for a looong time so it’s curious I chose a collaboration between him and his brother as my first. Still, this high fantasy is a dark read where the main characters have no intention of being liked but have every intention of seeing their mission to the end, no matter who they have to kill… and trust me, there are a lot of people in the way. If you want a story that goes beyond gray moral areas and dives head first into how low can you go, then this highly developed high fantasy might be your black cup of tea.




2. Beasts of Burden – (Graphic Novel)

One of several library reads, Beasts of Burden is the type of book I’d buy. A brilliantly dark graphic novel where a pack of neighborhood dogs is actually what’s keeping the end of the world at bay. Compelling, gripping, beautifully drawn, and funny even in between the darkness. For people who want a graphic novel with bite in more ways than one, can’t recommend this enough.





3. Blue is the warmest color – Graphic Novel (LGBTQA+)

Reading this book as a heterosexual male, I can’t help but think this beautiful but tragic graphic novel is the type of book that can resonate with LGBTQ+ audiences. It’s heartfelt, real, honest, gritty, and shows the possibility of happiness and how avoiding it because of people’s opinions, even people whom you love, is never the right path.




4. Bone Vols 1 and 2 – Graphic Novels

I started this curious series thanks to a piece written by Neil Gaiman in regards to Bone. He has no shortage of good things to say about the series and it is quirky, and smart, and clever, and random, and all the things you’d expect Neil to love… and guess what? I agree with him. Just bought the third volume.






5. Brotherhood of Secrets – Historical Fiction

Christie Stratos is not only my favorite indie author, she’s one of my favorite authors, period. This second installment of her Dark Victoriana collection is just as dark as her first novel, but offers a different perspective of what’s happening in the town where these stories take place in. Intricately crafted, meticulously edited, it is a lean mean, work of literary delight. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, Stratos is elite, and if you don’t know about her it’s because she doesn’t have a huge advertising budget. The talent is there in spades.




6. Death Note Vol 2 – Graphic novel

I’m doing a small experiment where certain books I read in bookstores. This is part of my effort to hoard less even whilst I get my read on. Death Note is a challenging series to do this with because the story is so good. I’ve read volumes 1 and 2 in Barnes and Nobel (Don’t worry, I’ve also bought other books and not just mooched) and I’ve greatly enjoyed the evolution of the story. While Volume 1 had certain plot elements that I didn’t agree with, Volume 2 had a ton of surprises and always kept me guessing. We’ll see how this series continues but I wouldn’t blame you if you want to buy it.




7. Fried Pickle Noir – Graphic novel

If you go to a convention in the ATL, odds are there you might find what some people refer to as “The Pickle Guy.” JR Mounts is an engaging and charismatic character and his Fried Pickle series is as quirky and random as it is highly infused with terrible laugh inducing puns. This is silly fun to the core and at least the first volume I read, I found a ton of things to enjoy. If you go to a convention and see him, by all means, say hello and get ready for a slice of friendly randomness. Also, his animal print vests are the vest. :)




8. Goodbye darkness, hello light - Poetry

I know Erin from online and I was very happy to see her release this lovely collection of poetry. The genre can be a lot of things, but some of my favorite poetry is the one that is intimate and honest… and this collection is a whole lotta both.



9. La Gran Muralla de la ciudad Corazón – short stories (Spanish)

My fellow Puerto Rican indie author, Maricel Jiménez is best known for her Pixie Piper series (available in English and Spanish). That said, this mostly Spanish short story collection has some beautiful gems in it, which I hope means more from her in her native language. Varied, eclectic, and interesting.




10. The House at Pooh Corner – Middle-grade fantasy

I’ve always had a soft spot for Pooh so it’s amazing that it took me to my late 30’s to read the series. This second instalment of short stories is as brilliant as the first and just as endearing. Tender, silly, sweet, and fun. A perfect read for kids of all ages.



11. Keithan Quintero and the Sky Phantoms – Middlegrade Sci-fi

If you like Robotech, you might want to check out this middle-grade adventure out. Another fellow Puerto Rican indie author, Francisco Muñiz was actually a neighbor at one of the Puerto Rico Comic Cons. Apart from a great writer, he’s a great guy and his book is set in near future Puerto Rico. It’s a fun adventure with great race sequences, intriguing mysteries, and a description of a drinkable dessert that still has me wondering what that tastes like.




12. Kurintor Nyusi – High Fantasy

One of the most surprising reads last year was Kurintor Nyusi. Aaron-Michael Hall is a fellow indie based in Atlanta and although she is as friendly and personable as it gets, this book really amazed me with its tight writing, great world building, and compelling storyline, complete with one badass meanie. Diverse, elegant, never predictable… one of the year’s most solid reads for me.




13. Mort - Fantasy

I am a late fan of Terry Pratchett and like a fool I got into Disc World after he passed away. In 5 books, Terry has become one of my favorite writers for the simple reason that I can’t think of a better writer in terms of what you can do with a sentence. Why say anything ordinarily when you can have multiple quotes on every single page. To be clear, Terry Pratchett was absolutely brilliant and after 4 great reads, it’s amazing to read a book that surpasses anything else I’d read from him. I suspect Mort shall be amongst the elite works of Pratchett forever and with good reason. It has an incredibly compelling narrative, characters you can engage with, and a storyline that is pure Pratchett. I’ve been reading the series chronologically and I think it’s the best way for now… we’ll see after I read the next 10.




14. No Cierres los Ojos – horror short story compilation (Spanish)

Dark, brutal, unflinching, crude, scary… so many single words to describe this collection of horror stories from Puerto Rico. It is one of the most Puerto Rican reads I’ve ever enjoyed and with a variety of authors, guaranteed to have several great reads in Spanish. In addition, it’s one of the most exquisitely presented books I’ve ever read, with black pages, white font, and a lot of love in words and format. Can’t wait for the next one.




15. Perfect Break – YA novel in verse form

Anaïs Chartschenko is one of the most unique voices I’ve come across indie or otherwise. I like how she attacks words and always say she is an acquired taste. I say this not to put anyone off, but to invite people to broaden their horizons by reading what is one of my favorite poets. Not one of my favorite indie poets, or indie authors, but one of my favorite people who happens to put words to a page. Perfect Break is a YA novel in verse form capturing the interactions between two friends. Each one has a distinct voice and each poem drives home the narrative that distance can make or break a relationship, but true love knows no limits, especially between best friends. Honest, tender, real, intense… use these words for the book or the author and both apply.




16. Pink Plastic House – poetry

Pink Plastic House is absolutely brilliant and Kristin Garth has one of the most genuine voices you’ll ever read. This collection is impressive but for me, the reading experience was taken up a notch because I got a physical copy with notes from the author. An intimate exploration of what it means for the author to be a woman child who is as innocent as she is sexually alive. Recommended for older audiences and easily some of the best verses I’ve read in the last decade.




17. Portraits of Dread – short stories/horror

Michael J. Elliot likes to write scary things… but beyond the dread, there is a writer who can tug at your heartstrings as easy as he can tug at your lower intestine. This collection of horror shorts has some amazing highpoints that paint a bleak world we wouldn’t like to live in… but that are beyond plausible. Seriously, with stories like this, it’s easy to support indie writers.




18. Writing from the restless – short stories/poetry

Brittany Moore’s short story collection shows the promise of an up and coming author that prefers honesty to a pretty perfect plot. Life can get murky and rough and maddening, and she’s out to capture all those emotions and more.




19. Zodiac – sci-fi/fantasy

I’ll be reading Romina Garber’s second installment in the Zodiac series sooner rather than later. She has created something very special indeed and I only docked the book a star for some typos and the appearance of YA tropes that serve to cater to certain audiences but pale in comparison to the impressive world building and deep philosophical threads beneath the surface of this novel. The narrative is compelling enough, but when Garber decides to get philosophical, you see that maybe those tropes were to lull readers into a sense of safety to hit them hard and profoundly with the underlying exploration of human philosophy. In addition, although the book is finely written, some lines just jump out, hit you on the face, and not only invite you to quote them, but to incorporate them in your life. Will be Wandering Star soon so we’ll see how this narrative progresses but one hell of a first entry in a series.




20. Zoo - poetry

It’s fitting that Ogden Nash’s Zoo is last on this list because it serves as a reminder that sometimes you need to lighten things the hell up. It’s silly, cheeky, laugh-out-loud quirky and will invite you to put words to paper and laugh as you express your inner cheeky monkey.




And there you have it. I had some other pretty solid reads last year, but I think 20 titles is enough to go around lol. Hope your reading year is off to a great start.

Peace, love, and maki rolls

Listy Time: top 15 scariest surf spots in the world

If you choose to ride a wave it means you’re putting your life at risk, regardless of what you ride, and even on small days. That said, there are surf spots that command respect because they are a notch above the rest in terms of danger and the prospects of severe injury or death. I’d made a list in a long abandoned blog and felt that it was time to update the list…. Only to find that many of these haven’t changed because fear is something that does not waver much in life.

So here we go.

15. Frontón – Canary Islands

One of the most high performance bodyboarding waves on the planet is also one of the most treacherous. Either left or right, this place demands respect. Sure, people have seen the beautiful lineup, but the reef is shallow and can tackle 15-foot surf to ask the question, do you feel lucky?

14. Luna Park – Australia

I once asked current bodyboarding world champion Jared Houston what were some of the scariest spots he’d ever surfed and he said Luna Park. Although not as popular as other big wave spots, just one look and you see it’s a cold water maelstrom begging for flesh.

13. Waimea Bay – North Shore of Oahu

After people were able to tackle huge Makaha, they pondered about Waimea. It wasn’t until Greg Knoll and a bunch of other crazy people decided to dance with Lady Luck that this wave showed what big wave riding was originally about, going big or going home. During huge swells, 40-50 foot sets have been known to close out the bay and it is a wave that can punish you in a variety of ways, from pitching full throttle on the takeoff, to that treacherous inside shorebreak that can easily handle double overhead closeouts to reward you for your effort.

12. Cave Rock - South Africa

I remember the caption from a bodyboarding magazine as if it was today. The picture? A perfect 8 foot right hand wave. The text: 14 shark attacks in 14 weeks. Although South Africa is notorious for shark attacks, few places put surfers as much at risk as Cave Rock. The temptation is high, but the consequences can be dire with many a fatal attack recorded in this pristine and beautiful break.

11. Dungeons – South Africa

Big Waves AND Sharks. Plus, the place is called DUNGEONS. Seriously, this is for people who like Russian Roulette AND Surf. It packs a punch and a bite in more ways than one, being a true Great White breeding ground.

10. Cortes Bank – Pacific Ocean

This is NOT California. 100 miles off the coast is NOWHERE. Yet this sea bank represents an island that would rather play at being a reef. The potential of big waves here is as high as it gets. Pretty much if you have the right wind, that place can handle anything thrown at it. The challenge are the conditions, since it is so exposed and so far off, catching it just right is the biggest hurdle. Oh and you know HUGE SURF. But people have ridden it and it still creeps me out. It has a generous amount of seals, also known as Great White food not to mention the fact that you’re in the open ocean, so who knows what the hell is swimming around that lineup?

9. Ghost Trees – California

Seriously, someone is an expert at naming ominous surf spots. Located in California, this huge right hander means that you will get misty lineups and huge waves. I’m pretty sure the PWC ban still remains, but this place could tackle huge waves and unfortunately claimed a couple of lives in the process.

8. Shipstern’s Bluff – Tasmania

It’s all about the notorious step at Shipstern’s. It’s not enough you’re riding waves that are in the 15-20+ foot range, you have to negotiate a step that can either line you up perfectly for the ride of your life or absolutely destroy you. Plenty of people have also found out how easy it is to get injured at this place. Oh and did I mention the step? Yeah. That step is nasty.

7. Pea’Hi AKA “Jaws” – Maui

Pretty much the biggest barrels you can get in the world are at this world-renowned Maui break commonly known as JAWS. Pushing big wave riding to the extreme, Pea’Hi is the rare big wave that allows riders to get barreled if they’re willing to pull into a wave where a MAC Truck can easily fit through. Wipeouts here are often described as “violent” and when you see the amount of water that is moving, you can’t help but believe every single word, while still insisting that it’s better to watch from shore.

6. El Gringo – Arica, Chile

There are few if any waves on the planet that have injured more people in contests than El Gringo. With a heavy right hander that can give you the biggest ramps to air off, and a left hander that ends up on borderline dry and jagged reef. A couple of year’s back Ripcurl held a standup surf contest and there were about 4 injuries. They haven’t been too keen to return, and for good reason: it is one mean ass wave.

5. Nazare – Portugal

When you see waves the size of ten-story buildings breaking, you stand in awe on the cliff next to the break. That anyone thinks it’s a good idea to head out on the big days shows just how hard big wave surfers are pushing it. I mean, just look at the picture and tell me you think that’s a good idea.

4. Teahupoo – Tahiti

Perfection meets destructive force. Teahupoo is the type of wave you draw in your notebooks. It is unreal, beautiful, and completely intimidating. Sucking at times 12 and 15 ft. below sea level, and with lips as thick as the biggest waves many people have ridden in their lives, Teahupoo is a hydro-kinetic freak of nature that has injured countless people and I think the only spot I know of that has killed surfers from the impact on the reef alone.

3. Mavericks – California

One of the premier big wave spots in California, Mavericks has murky, cold, brown water, sharks, a sketchy paddle out and shall forever be known as the spot where Mark Foo, a very well known and well liked big wave surfer, lost his life. People have been left hanging on the rocks gripping to not be taken by the surge. It is a place not to be taken lightly. Even so, Jeff Clark used to surf this place alone for years. What a hellman. 

2. Banzai Pipeline – North Shore of Oahu

Everyone who has ever ridden a wave knows Pipeline. It is one of the most photographed waves on the planet and as beautiful as it is deadly. Last time I did this list, I put Mavericks in front of Pipeline. Taking a closer look at the death toll and the close calls the break has had in the last year alone, it got bumped up to #2 on the merits of reef caves, unpredictability, power, and deadliness.

1. Shark Island – Cronulla, Australia

Pound for pound, this shall forever be the scariest wave I think I’ve ever seen, simply because it is an unpredictable monster and you’re throwing the dice on every single ride. Super Shallow, super sketchy, a nasty end bowl called Surge, and has severely injured many riders. Although other spots have taken more lives, the Island is notorious for showing you a line that looks like heaven only to dump you into hell on the rocks.

So what do you think of this list? Anything else you'd like to see me list it up? Then drop a comment and let me know. 

Peace, love, and air maki rolls. 

Listy Time: top 10 Cosplays I want to see

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a fan of cosplay and cosplayers. I love when people invest their time and skill to bring a slice of fiction to real life and fully admit to that being one of my favorite parts of going to any convention. Does this mean I would love to see someone cosplay my characters someday? You betcha!!! But for now, why don’t we explore the top cosplays I haven’t seen in person and would love to see done right!

10. Synergy (from JEM): Since the movie was an insult to the 80’s, why not start making things right with a properly executed cosplay of the virtual console. How complicated you want to make it will definitely be up to the cosplayers although here's a hint, I'm looking to see someone with the ENTIRE console (Ok, not much of a hint, but you get what I mean). 

9. Mazinger/Voltron: I would love to see either of these iconic robots in all their splendor. As a kid I watched a LOT of cartoons and in this case, Mazinger, “El Festival de los Robots” (Puerto Rican 80’s programming), and Voltron were always among my favorites. I really think a properly made cosplay of either would look more than kick ass.

8. Dynamo from the Running Man: I LOVE obscure cosplays and the odder the better. That said, I’m surprised I haven't seen anyone take this cosplay on or at least that I have seen in person. Just for the sheer over-the-topness I think it could be quite awesome. Bonus points if they sing opera.

7. Silverhawks/Thunder Cats: ANY character from either of these series I want to see although I’ll admit I am partisan to the SilverHawks because I want to witness someone pull off that reflective armor. Iconic as they are, the challenges for each set of cosplays is as daunting as it should be alluring.

6. Cobra Commander: I want that reflective facemask and someone to do the voice. Am I weird? Did you JUST notice? Still, that doesn’t mean that this wouldn’t make an awesome cosplay and to be honest, one I haven’t seen done right yet.

5. Ghost Server (Blood Sword Comics): The main influence for the Gerald Order from my Human Cycle series is probably Ghost Server from the long defunct Jademan Comic series, The Blood Sword. These comics made an impact that will be with me all of my life and Ghost Server was a man who had both arms cut off, his face mutilated, and still they couldn't kill him. His lack of arms means he uses a long braid to wreak havoc, his speed was unparalleled, and only a handful of people had more kicking power than him. His face mask is the work of dreams and he still visits mine. I remember when I had an action figure lose two arms to wear and tear. It was one of the best things in my life. :D

4. Samus Aran: I don’t mean Zero Suit Samus, or a sexy Samus. I mean the orginal badass Samus Aran that forever made me love strong female characters (one of the best reveals of ANY video game). I want a Nerf Ball arm cannon. I want a retractable visor. I want a pet morph ball. I want it all!!!!!!

3. Ganondorf: there are SO many versions of Ganon that I can’t begin to choose one over the other. I just want to see one. Ocarina’s? Twilight Princess? Wind Waker? Skyward Sword? Whichever it is, THIS is one of the cosplays I most want to see.

2. Dream of the Endless: The main character from one of the literary works that has most shaken me, Dream can be a sight to behold if done properly. Although I’ve seen Death done beautifully, I’m still waiting for the real Dream. :D

1. The Three Storms from Big Trouble in Little China: Last but not least, if you read me, if you know me, or you hear me talk, you know Big Trouble in Little China is one of my favorite movies of all time. Case in point, I used to put on a laundry basket on my head as a kid as I made like one of the Three storms. Weapons, headgear, attitude… This could be so kick ass.

So let’s put it this way, if I’m ever at a Comic Con and you cosplay, and you do ANY of these, PLEASE come over and I promise to make it worth your time. Plus, how often do you get to hear a grown man giggle like a kid?

Peace, love, and maki rolls