Some elderly care homes are worse than others, and then there's Mable's home. Evil walks the halls that house her and other unfortunate residents and Some elderly care homes are worse than others, and then there's Mable's home. Evil walks the halls that house her and other unfortunate residents and there is nothing they can do about it until one fateful night that changes everything.
This was a shortie I received in a Christmas BOH box and it was an interesting read. There's a solid story of elderly abuse, the horrors that can go unchecked when not properly monitored in places like this, and how death can be a sweet release.
However, there was a lot happening in only 16some pages. Too much happening. It went from 0-900mph without giving proper breath or words to flesh out the moments and there was a terrifying enough story here, it could have been fleshed out and done well.
If it were made into a longer novel that took time to work through the horrors, to really force you to confront the cruelty and suffering, that allowed attachments and relationships to build, I would read it again.
Interested to see what the author does further with her work. ...more
A group of unlikely companions must join forces to take on an impossible heist. Each one has their own reason for coming together but they're willing A group of unlikely companions must join forces to take on an impossible heist. Each one has their own reason for coming together but they're willing to put everything on the line, even their lives, to accomplish their goal. The pay is far too tempting to pass on, but the costs of failure are far greater.
Well, I've already started on another one of Leigh's series so I knew I enjoyed their writing and when this popped up for a book club, who was I to pass up on the opportunity to check it out? I can honestly say, I'm ready for the sequel. The ending left so much to explore and I need the answers.
The writing is solid. Each character is unique and brings vital life to the group. I have my favorites and then I have my lesser favorites. Their stories were sad and beautiful, giving depth and nuances to all of their actions and how they wove together. There's a little bit of everything, romance, violence, betrayal, magic, action, underground gangs, corruption, religious fanatics... and so much more.
I recommend reading this book and want to read the second. If you enjoy YA or just a fun action piece, this nails it on the head. ...more
Holly is excited for Christmas in the small town of Wagtail, where their way of life rotates around their furry companions, then her plans 4.5/5 Stars
Holly is excited for Christmas in the small town of Wagtail, where their way of life rotates around their furry companions, then her plans get shaken up like a snowglobe. The love of her life is coming home for the holidays, with his fiance and her family. As if that's not bad enough, a member of the family ends up dead and it's Holly's sweet little puppers who finds their body.
This was a book club read for me that plopped us down in the middle of a series. That always makes me antsy as it can either be a great read where the author has gotten comfortable with their writing style or the author assumes you know more than you do and you have to struggle to catch up. This was the first option, which was great!
The characters were easy to slide in with and learn to love right off the bat. There was the chaos of the situation and the holidays and yet the order of the inn kept everything running smoothly together and wove the pieces together nicely. I loved the animals though I could never stay at such a place (unfortunately, my allergies would claim the victory) but really thought it was so much fun with how the inn catered to the furry companions and their human pets.
The food in this was ridiculously good sounding and when I read some of the recipes to my housemate, they told me to shut up because they were now hungry so there's that added bonus of multiple recipes, for both you and your animals, at the end.
All in all, I enjoyed the book and though I had a few quibbles here and there, I would recommend this if you're into the cozy mystery niche. It was fun and I would like to read the rest of the series....more
The tension is being racked up in this one. We've got important witnesses finding out that they've been long-term set up, children playing deadly gameThe tension is being racked up in this one. We've got important witnesses finding out that they've been long-term set up, children playing deadly games of chicken, and different forces closing in on both Dr. Tenma and Johan.
I'm not happy where it ended. It's gonna be a bit before I can pick up the next volume and it's a heckuva spot. I love the storyline of this and the artwork is beautiful, it holds me through until the end and leaves me craving more.
This is definitely a series I recommend, whether you're a seasoned manga reader or just dipping your toes in for the first time. ...more
When Carmilla comes to stay at Laura's home under mysterious circumstances, she thinks she's found a delightful new friend. Instead, she is4.5/5 Stars
When Carmilla comes to stay at Laura's home under mysterious circumstances, she thinks she's found a delightful new friend. Instead, she is tipped into a world of dark obsession and surrounded by death and if they don't figure out what's going on quickly, she will be consumed by the secrets of her guest.
Being a massive fan of Bram Stoker's Dracula, I've heard of Carmilla many times over and never taken the step of reading it. I broke down and read it today, and very much enjoyed it.
It is elegant, dark, and although we can all see the evil from miles away as we have long been fed vampire lore, the mysteriousness and obsession wrapped around Carmilla keeps you clinging to the end.
I'm glad I finally broke down and read it and am kicking myself for not doing it sooner. May have to reread Dracula as now I want something bigger and juicier to sink my fangs into. If you're into vampires and older lore, highly recommend....more
The third installment in the Monster series, this one puts us into multiple tense situations where death and secrets are right below the surface, readThe third installment in the Monster series, this one puts us into multiple tense situations where death and secrets are right below the surface, ready to be exploited at gunpoint.
This is so far my favorite of the volumes I've read. There were multiple moments that were tense and exciting to see how they cleared up. And man, Eva has got some serious relationship issues.
I'm excited to continue reading this and seeing how it plays out. Johan is scary and fascinating. Tenma is so good and I love Nina.
Definitely a fantastic addition to the series and builds up the anticipation for the next volumes. Would recommend. ...more
Overwhelmed by grief and convinced he's crazy, Jacob goes on a trip with his dad to an island his grandfather used to tell him fairytales a4.5/5 Stars
Overwhelmed by grief and convinced he's crazy, Jacob goes on a trip with his dad to an island his grandfather used to tell him fairytales about in order to try to get his feet under him again. The haunted shell of an orphanage there holds the secrets to the nightmares that plague him, but it may also be the cause of his downfall.
So, this is one of those I saw the movie first before I read the book and though it was largely forgettable (may have to rewatch now), I adore Eva Green and couldn't help but read her into Miss Peregrine from beginning to end. Either Eva did her perfect or she was written for Eva.
Anyway, I digress. The plot was very interesting and delves into that daydream that maybe there's something that will make us different (still waiting for the X gene to kick in, someday), so I loved meeting all the colorful characters and seeing how they interacted with the world and came together. I also loved the pictures working with the story and finding out that the pictures are real.
I enjoyed reading this one and due to it being a YA, it was a very quick, easy read. And, for added pleasure, it's part of a completed series so you can go exploring more of the world but no you're not left on the hook, hoping for the next book.
Would recommend for both adult and children....more
Another step in Dr. Tenma's journey to find and stop the human monster, Johan. This one introduces a wide range of characters, some wonderful and otheAnother step in Dr. Tenma's journey to find and stop the human monster, Johan. This one introduces a wide range of characters, some wonderful and others decidedly villainous. I love how each new page explores the theme of "monster", how we associate Johan as the monster due to his serial killer ways, but there are people who have experimented on children, are going to burn down a neighborhood in pursuit of racial superiority, others who will stop at nothing to crush those they feel slighted by, and so much more.
I love the artwork and the story, and though I've never been able to finish the anime due to outside circumstances (someday), I'm making my way through the manga so I can finally get closure on one of my favorite series of all times. ...more
In a desperate attempt to help his family recover from a devastating tragedy, Jackson buys a new house in the hopes of indulging in new beginnings... In a desperate attempt to help his family recover from a devastating tragedy, Jackson buys a new house in the hopes of indulging in new beginnings... but it only opens the door to a nightmare that will forever haunt, if not destroy, his family.
The first chapter of this came out swinging. It was eerie, grabbed you by your parent paranoia and shook you about until you just wanted to nope out of there. You knew you were in for a wild, dark ride and the book carried through on those promises.
There were a lot of things I enjoyed, a couple of paragraphs I had to read out loud to my housemates cause they could identify with the dynamics, but there were also those moments that took me out of the story.
The chapters were supposed to be from the perspectives of tween to late teens and the voices/actions didn't meet those age brackets. Perhaps a bit older, or even more focused on the later teens, but it just didn't 'feel' right.
I enjoyed the nods to other Indie writers, supporters, and other Greenwood books, but I would have liked them to be more subtle. These felt like shameless plugs where you're watching a show, and all of a sudden, the celebrity actor breaks the fourth wall and goes you should buy this or check this item out. It often distracted me rather than immersing me in the world of Greenwood.
And, there were scenes that reminded me entirely too much of Silent Hill and Scooby Doo live action 2002 to allow me to take the "we're drowning in the deep end" section seriously.
Overall, I did enjoy this and would recommend reading it. Looking forward to the next chapter in the Greenwood world....more
Althea is just a small time ranger hunting down loose turkeys in a small town, prepping for the wedding Death in a Turkey Town Melanie Jackson
3/5 Stars
Althea is just a small time ranger hunting down loose turkeys in a small town, prepping for the wedding of her crazy cousin and the crazier in-laws, when a murder disrupts her festive plans. Now it's hunting turkeys and a killer with a strange trek of leaving would-be violence in their wake.
It was certainly a story about turkeys, glitter gold silk roses, and good 'ol Blue, the sweet dog who gets to go everywhere. I'm always a sucker for the pets, so guess I'm on the good side according to Althea.
However, the story lacked consistency, bounced around without focus, and the ending was so... scooby-dooish? I feel like if this were a longer story, with the room to flesh out the characters, explore the different plot points and ensure they were tied up at the end, and make the characters have depth, this could be much more enjoyable. As it is though, the physical version is 81 pages and too much is crammed into it without giving enough.
It's a super fast read with a turkey theme so if you want something to kill some time that meets the Thanksgiving holiday, this could be it. Just be prepped that it might leave you wishing for more. Read this for a book club and it's the first time this club's books didn't quite hit the spot for me. ...more
Charlie needs to escape her college life immediately due to the smothering cloud of guilt and grief caused by the murder of her roommate. S3.5/5 Stars
Charlie needs to escape her college life immediately due to the smothering cloud of guilt and grief caused by the murder of her roommate. She is desperate enough to take a trip with a stranger even though she knows the rules for survival, but doing so may be her ultimate mistake.
This was my first Riley Sager book and it sounded so good. The concept is strong, the plot twists are interesting though ultimately the killer was who I expected it to be, and the night journey had the potential to be terrifying.
But, I found myself wandering from the book for probably the first third if not more. It seems like most of the book is wallowing in introspected observations instead of adding to the story and it made it difficult to care for the characters or care where the story ended. Overall, for being "bone-chilling", it felt boring and predictable.
I've got other Riley Sager books on my shelves and I'm antsy about reading more anytime soon. Though the structure was there and was cohesive from beginning to end, this caused book lag for me. Hoping the others don't do the same but I'll experiment with them later. Much later....more
A small town is caught up in the stardom of both a local celebrity's themed wedding taking place on Halloween and a movie being shot in the4.5/5 Stars
A small town is caught up in the stardom of both a local celebrity's themed wedding taking place on Halloween and a movie being shot in their hometown. Everything goes south though when the bride-to-be is found dead in her bed. Luckily, not only are the local cops on point but the town has a secret weapon, Riley, a former CIA librarian and amateur sleuth whose familiar ties to the locals will help her find the killer.
I picked this one up for a book club I'm in and I was admittedly cautious as it's the last one in a series. It always makes me antsy because I may have missed too much to make sense of the book. However, this one could have been a standalone with the detail provided, which was very much appreciated.
This author did a fantastic job at layering on so much more than just a death happening and needing solving. There were multi-tiers to different relationships, many different plots winding through, and not all of them related by anything other than our main puzzle solver. I really enjoyed that there was so much going on, it kept me on my toes and kept me very engaged.
This is one that even though I was able to enjoy it as a standalone book, I want to read the rest of the series because I did enjoy the world and characters created. It was fun, easy to read, and easy to enjoy....more
Malorie, dealing with the aftermath of something that drives any creature who views them into murderous/suicidal beings, has to brave the river with hMalorie, dealing with the aftermath of something that drives any creature who views them into murderous/suicidal beings, has to brave the river with her two young children for over two miles without the ability to see.
This was certainly a fascinating read that took me on a journey through both time and the river. I found it interesting that Malerman wove the darkness of the world as uncertainty about parenthood, even to the point where she didn't give the kids names.
At points, I wanted to slap characters though for their decision-making and the details about the animals were rough.
This is the second book of Malerman's I've read and there seems to always be more going on than what is just presented on the surface. The first one fell kind of flat for me (House at the Bottom of a Lake), but this one was far more enjoyable. I would be willing to read more of his work....more
Ana Maria throws herself into a desperate quest to save the man she loves after he's sold to the proprietor of a traveling circus. What she4.5/5 Stars
Ana Maria throws herself into a desperate quest to save the man she loves after he's sold to the proprietor of a traveling circus. What she doesn't expect is that there are fates far worse than whips and flames and no one is walking away unscathed.
I have yet to read a book of Castaneda's that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. This one, though shorter than her usual as it's an origin story for another one of her books (The Devil's Shallows), met that expectation and exceeded it.
It's a beautifully done, gothic terror revolving around a circus and a ringmaster with a terrible secret about the new beasts he's brought on board. You know it's going to end badly, you can feel it through the atmosphere soaking every page, and yet, you still hope that maybe you're misinterpreting where things are going.
The ending felt a little too wrapped up for my taste, too tidy, but overall, the book was just excellent. Castaneda's way with words is magic.
I recommend and will continue to hunt down the books of hers that I do not own yet....more
A group of southern ladies come together to read gruesome true crime stories and bond over the trials that being wives and mothers bring. But amid theA group of southern ladies come together to read gruesome true crime stories and bond over the trials that being wives and mothers bring. But amid their time together, trouble rolls into their town. James, who has no former known roots and has a strong drive to intertwine his life with theirs, even at the cost of their sanity.
I've read a couple of books by Hendrix before and although they were in the horror genre, they didn't delve quite into the darkness this book did. Fair trigger warning, this book has its fair share of SA, preying on children, and graphic violence. But it was more than the horror that drove it forward, it's a look at racism, sexism, and classism, all very much alive today.
It made me frustratingly mad at multiple points and I wanted to reach through the pages and throttle people. Indifference and apathy ran rampant in multiple characters and lawdy, what they were willing to overlook cause it might cause a scene. And these women's husbands. Deep breath, this book pushed buttons. It made the social warrior in me rear her head and want to grab a mop stick and start staking folks.
I enjoyed this though at times, it did seem to drag as far as pacing, and some of the more graphic scenes were discomforting. Overall though, it brought to life some pretty solid characters, a brutal story that allowed a monster to get away with his crimes through the pride and biases of society (one of those what makes a monster questions), and wrapped up most of the loose ends.
Read this one for our fantasy book club, they wanted to do something darker for this month, so interested to see what their perspective will be. So far, have enjoyed Hendrix's books and will continue to read more....more
The sequel to There Are No Saints follows the path of Cole and Mara after Alastor murders her friend.
The cat and mouse game is intriguing a2.5/5 Stars
The sequel to There Are No Saints follows the path of Cole and Mara after Alastor murders her friend.
The cat and mouse game is intriguing and the thriller aspect is fun. I like the blend of art and violence.
However, not enough to make up for the rest of it.
I don't know that I've ever read a spicy scene at the beginning of a book that too me so intensely long to get through because I was rolling my eyes at the language and just cringe. And that cringe continued in every single spicy scene. Like I may have enjoyed this book better if she'd written it with an R rating in mind, allow us to focus more on the predictable storyline instead of the cringe nookie.
And what about the fact her friend was murdered in her stead? That's where the first one left off and the second picks up on a shower scene using the word 'p*ssy' like an elementary kid who's found his first swear word. Mara sheds her old life, even her grief, her old friends with hardly a second look back while her sense of identity becomes completely swallowed up by Cole and Shaw.
And the ending... we've got a cop who's obsessed and dropping ranks because he's following Cole religiously. And yet, overlooks that there would be evidence of acts being committed at the end of the book, even to a non-obsessed person, and everyone pretty much gets out of it consequence-free? Not to mention, he misses him slipping off to some bar with a hunt in mind.
Just seemed rushed, the details not ironed out, and rather than finishing those loose ends, they're glossed over in his hurray to the finish line moment. I enjoyed the first book, this one was lackluster and a poor finale of the two serial killers' showdown. ...more
When a couple of teens try something new, they unleash a swirling cyclone that leaves something besides destruction in its wake. It stirs up the undeaWhen a couple of teens try something new, they unleash a swirling cyclone that leaves something besides destruction in its wake. It stirs up the undead and they are hungry for living flesh. This is the story of those who will try to make it out of the town in one piece.
Just for the record, I want to be cremated and have long before I read this book. I can't go munching on anyone if I'm ashes in the wind.
This was a fun, short read that brought to mind campy zombie movies that were both horrifying and hilarious all at once. The characters were an interesting assortment of folks and they faced some pretty nasty situations.
I laughed out loud a couple of times and shook my head at others. There are definitely those you want to make it and those you're not sad to see get their just rewards. I would recommend if you enjoy the zombie genre and want something that doesn't take itself too seriously. ...more
A country eradicated by an angry sorcerer bent on revenge and punishing those who dared to stand up against him. Said punishment? The worse of the worA country eradicated by an angry sorcerer bent on revenge and punishing those who dared to stand up against him. Said punishment? The worse of the worse, take away their country's name and leave nothing of their heritage.
Intriguing concept, it really is, and I was excited to read this. At nearly 700 pages, this had the bait of fantasy that I enjoy and I adore long books that keep me engaged.
But, this wasn't it for me. It took me almost the full month to read and each time I opened it, it was like opening a text book in school again. Guy obviously does a lot of research to build his world and although it shows, it is done in a way that is both simultaneously far too much and not enough. I didn't connect with the characters and felt that many of them were cardboard cutouts, especially the women. The women were stereotypical female types in the fantasy world.
And there were s3x scenes that I really would enjoyed not reading. They were... weird but not in a fun way. Almost wooden? I don't know, they detracted from the story and could have been glossed over.
I did enjoy Dianora, to a point, so long as you don't think too deep about her story and don't try to understand how she ended up where she ended up.
I read the afterword about the author's perspective and though I understand where the story emerged from, it provided poor insight into things like the romantic element of the tale, which popped up at the end between two characters but was not woven into the whole story. It felt so out of place and forced in that I actually paused when I read that part, wondering what the heck just happened.
I don't want to do nothing but gripe about this book so I won't get into the editing, the repetition, speaking like the Krang from TMNT when dumping descriptions. Instead, I will acknowledge that there was a lot of time and effort put into this book, a lot of painstaking attention placed into trying to show us the country and what they suffered, and the resolution was mostly satisfying.
If you want a historical fiction with hints of fantasy, this is it. Will provide reading material for quite a while....more
When a body washes up on the shore of Singapore, Aunty Lee's curiosity immediately draws her into speculating about the whos, the whys, and all the fiWhen a body washes up on the shore of Singapore, Aunty Lee's curiosity immediately draws her into speculating about the whos, the whys, and all the fine details. As she entertains her step-son's business venture of pairing wine-tasting with her cooking, she finds that the mystery is much closer to her kitchen than expected and that her fine diners have secrets they're trying to keep.
First thing I will say is that I LOVED this immediately dropped us into the mystery aspect. My last mystery took 30% of the way in before something "mysterious" happened so I was nervous about this one. Nope, drops you right in, and builds the characters up and around the plot.
I really enjoyed how Aunty Lee approached the mystery as a recipe, fine-tuning the ingredients, thinking about the best pairings, and paying attention to the different "flavors" and what was lacking to make a cohesive meal, so to speak. It was also an interesting cultural immersion and I found it fascinating how we got to see the culture from different perspectives.
I figured out the killer very early on, it's not well hidden, but the story and Aunty Lee were cute enough to make up for that. I also wished that the characters were explored more, maybe given a bit more depth, and that we had some distinguishers when the character perspective changed. You would shift from one character to another multiple times throughout chapters so this sometimes made it difficult to tell who was judging who though some voices were dramatically more distinct than others.
This one was a lot of fun and I am looking at snagging the next two in the series. I liked Aunty Lee a lot and her approach to life, also how more than just her intelligence and cooking was woven into the story. And for added fun, make sure to check out the end of the book, there's actually a recipe in there for if you want to fully immerse yourself. Would recommend....more