Behind Blue Eyes

I Know Better Now: My Life Before, During, and After the Ramones by Richie Ramone My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received an ARC audiobook of this title from the publisher through NetGalley... When I saw a memoir available from a member of the Ramones, I had two quick thoughts. One, that I had to request it. And two, that I thought the original members of the band had all died..... This was true, and as it turned out, this was written and narrated by a replacement drummer that came along a few years after the Ramones hit it big. Richie Ramone was actually only there for the recordings and tours of a couple of albums in the mid 80s, and while this was an era of the band that might be seen as past their prime, it was still an important turning point in the history of the Ramones. A last surge of popularity perhaps before the final years.... As most musical memoirs tell the story of an artist or band from early on, this one is different. It does tell how Ric...

Mother Howl by Craig Clevenger My rating: 3 of 5 stars There's a great book in here, I'm just not in the right mind set to push through... Maybe later on.. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC copy. View all my reviews

Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam My rating: 4 of 5 stars I was given an ARC audiobook of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. This was fun. Anji kills a king, then the rest happens. The bulk of this story is Anji's journey from capture to a promised sentencing that involves much torture and death, in that order. We meet the one who captured her, a notorious bounty hunter known as The Hawk. Along the way we, along with Anji, discover that there is more to the Hawk than the legends. And there are ramifications to Anji's deed that's stated in the book's title. It's well paced without being overly quick. Just the right amount to cover a journey and the things that happen along the way. A few surprises and twists, along with some good introspection. All in all, an enjoyable debut novel. View all my reviews

Rebel Without a Crew, or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker with $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player by Robert Rodríguez My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received an ARC audiobook of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. I've always enjoyed the films of Robert Rodriguez, so this was a great listen. Told as a diary of the events during filming El Mariachi and getting it out there, it was cool to hear it from the author's experiences. And as a bonus, Rodriguez narrates the edition. View all my reviews

Son of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds by Sonny Sandoval My rating: 5 of 5 stars I received a copy of this audiobook ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. This was a lot of fun. One of my favorite types of escapism relaxing reads is to get into a memoir from a musician that I listen to. Sonny Sandoval provides this here, with Son of Southtown. It's always a great bonus when the artist/author is the one doing the narration. I found Sonny's story to be fascinating and inspiring, from his early days pre-POD all the way to the present. Sonny covers what's been going on in his life as well as his professional career, which is a great formula for an entertaining memoir... View all my reviews