Die Hard: The Ultimate Visual History
Hardcover
By James Mottram & David S. Cohen
Foreword by John McTiernan
Publisher: Insight Editions
Release date: October 30, 2018

In this writer’s opinion, Die Hard is the greatest action film ever made. Based on Roderick Thorp’s Nothing Lasts Forever, John McTiernan’s 1988 classic combined all the elements that make for the perfect action movie: a great protagonist, an equally detestable villain, tremendous action set pieces, and insanely quotable dialogue. It made the careers of its stars, Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman, and it proved that an ’80s blockbuster didn’t need a muscle-bound hero to sell tickets. Willis played John McClane like the everyman who wanted to be a Will Rogers-esque cowboy, and Rickman’s delightfully evil Hans Gruber became the prototype for action bad guys. 30 years and 4 sequels later, James Mottram and David S. Cohen along with Insight Editions bring you Die Hard: The Ultimate Visual History. This epic 230+ page book is the perfect holiday gift for the Die Hard enthusiast in your life.

Harry Potter: The Wand Collection
Hardcover
By Monique Peterson
Publisher: Insight Editions
Release date: November 14, 2017

“Every wand has a story of its own,” author Monique Peterson begins in her new book, Harry Potter: The Wand Collection. Admittedly, I’m hooked almost immediately. Still, I am not always one for the many informational index-style books published as part of the Harry Potter world. I like stories, depth, nostalgia in my Harry Potter books.

But Peterson does not disappoint, as this book is as visually appealing and easy to flip through as it is meaningful. There is certainly value added in the background information provided, which covers wand characteristics, the wandmakers, Ollivander, wand selection and Harry’s first wand, wand movement, and wand battles.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Official Grimoire: A Magickal History of Sunnydale
Hardcover
By A.M. Robinson, Willow Rosenberg
Publisher: Insight Editions
Release Date: October 24, 2017

It’s been only five months since Buffy sacrificed herself to save the world. For five months we’ve wondered if the person who should be here, smiling and laughing and punning in a non-Buffybot way that actually makes sense, is instead suffering in an unimaginable hell dimension. Willow Rosenberg… October 2, 2001

Willow Rosenberg, the witchy brain of the Scooby gang, started chronicling her adventures from around the time Buffy went away, distraught over killing Angel (so beginning of season 3), to her last entry about the “spell to share the power of the chosen one” in season 7. Willow weaves her humor and language (I dub Buffy-speak) to give us her point of view of Oz, meeting Tara, The Gentlemen, Adam, and Tabula Rasa.

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Guardians of the Galaxy: Creating Marvel’s Spacefaring Super Heroes: The Complete Comics History
Hardcover
Written by Mark Sumerak
Publisher: Insight Editions Insight Editions
Release Date: April 4, 2017

With this week seeing the release of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 in theaters, it seems prudent that I throw a little love towards the franchise by presenting to you Guardians of the Galaxy: Creating Marvel’s Spacefaring Super Heroes: The Complete Comics History.

With almost fifty years of history to draw from this oversized, nay…massive tome explores the various incarnations of the rag-tag universe-saving group of misfits that seem to have finally gotten the love and respect they’ve deserved for decades.

The Vampire Diaries Hardcover Ruled Journal
Insights Journals
Hardcover
Publisher: Insights Editions
Released date: April 4, 2017

“Dear diary, today will be different. It has to be. I will smile, and it will be believable. My smile will say ‘I’m fine, thank you.’ ‘Yes, I feel much better.’ I will no longer be the sad little girl who lost her parents. I will start fresh, be someone new. It’s the only way I’ll make it through.”

Some of the first words of the pilot episode of The Vampire Diaries, so full of hope, was an emergence from grief for a young girl about to meet not one, but the two loves of her life.

Now you too can write down your innermost thoughts in The Vampire Diaries Hardcover Ruled Journal by Insight Editions.

More below.