Meg

This locked room mystery that weaves the past and present was thoroughly entertaining.

Twenty years ago a tragedy that has been named The Memorial Day Massacre occurred which ended with a group of teens murdered. While someone was convicted for the crime there are still many questions and many things that do not quite add up. Amy Brewer was the only person that was there but got lucky after she left the party due to an argument and was unharmed. She's done her best to put the tragedy behind her. However, when she's invited for an interview by a reputable journalist that's doing a story on the murder she's ready to share her story. Amy and nine others connected to the crime head to a remote cabin and while there they realize there's more to their invitation there than an interview. People start dying and a storm leaves them stranded. Now they have to figure out how to get away and who is desperate enough to kill people to keep secrets about that night.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and the writing had my attention locked in. There's quite an array of different characters and the author did a great job of really making you experience each character. The annoying ones were really annoying, the rude ones I couldn't stand, and I was really rooting for the smart and kind seeming ones. The different characters and the way they interacted with each other didn't leave a dull moment in the book. Each character is suspicious of the others and also trying to cast suspicion away from themselves.

The location is perfect. It gives you enough of a foreboding without being completely shocked that anyone would choose to go to the location with people they don't know (though I still don't think I would). The weather adds the perfect touch that makes an already stressful situation downright terrifying. While I enjoyed the character, the setting, and the story as a whole I did find the ending a bit flat. There was something about it that just wasn't quite satisfying but I can't put my finger on it. I was still left with suspicions I guess.

Highly recommend this thriller!

This was a slow one but if you keep with it the ending is a good payoff.

After a fateful night when they were younger, twins Lenora and Cassie have relied on each other. Currently living in a cabin on a secluded campground they live a pretty peaceful existence; at least from the outside world. After the passing of the owner of their campground a new woman has bought it and moved in. Then a couple and their teenage daughter come to stay for the weekend and all three of the cabins are occupied. When the teen goes missing and is soon found dead the twins start to suspect everyone that was there at the campground. They even start to suspect that each other knows more than they are sharing. Their peaceful cabin is now riddled with danger and they must figure out what's going on before one or both of them are next.

This book is very slow. Luckily the writing is good and it makes reading it enjoyable. I found both sisters to be frustrating but overall good characters and learning about them made reading it enjoyable as well. However, about halfway through I became frustrated. The story is told from the perspective of both Cassie and Lenora and also a third perspective that isn't revealed until the end. For the first half of the book I was collecting more and more questions and was not getting any answers which is why I was getting frustrated. Luckily I kept with it and by the last quarter of the book I got most of the questions I needed answers to. And the answers I didn't get weren't that pressing to the story. The twist was exciting and made sense which also made the payoff worth it.

I recommend but I'd go into this knowing that it's a slow build.

This is my first S.A. Barnes novel and I am a fan.

In the unspecified future, space exploration is a huge money making endeavor and there are two corporations that basically own the market. ERS is a space base condition that can lead to disaster and is a death sentence for someone's career. There's a famous case that ended with the brutal murders of 29 people and since, it's something that nobody wants to be associated with. Dr. Ophelia Bray is a psychologist that specifically works in the study and prevention of ERS in those that work in the space exploration field. After Ophelia experiences a work-related tragedy she decides to take her expertise on site. She's assigned to a crew that also has had a tragedy among them and soon finds herself in space with a group of people that clearly don't trust her or want her there. As they get to the planet they will be exploring things start to get odd - the previous crew clearly made a hasty exit from the planet. Then a member of the crew is found dead in a gruesome way and things go from odd to a nightmare. The crew must work together to find out what is going on but when everyone has secrets it's hard to know who to trust - especially when you might not even be able to trust yourself.

This book has layers! Set in the future it immediately gets you acclimated to this futuristic world. Though it's futuristic there are a lot of parallels to present day so it's easy to connect to. Dr. Ophelia Bray is the FMC that has layers herself. As you get to know her background, family, and motivations you get more questions surrounding Ophelia. Not only has Ophelia experienced a tragedy, the team she is assigned to has as well. This has left the team on edge and even more reluctant to trust Ophelia since psychologists can end someone's career without even meaning to. Any mention of ERS or symptoms that could lead to ERS can easily put someone out of work in the space exploration field.

ERS itself is interesting. It reminds me of PTSD but stemming more from isolation instead of trauma. Which space would be pretty isolating I would think. How S.A. Barnes creates this whole mental illness into the book was so interesting and gave the book more tension. The motivation behind Ophelia's study of it is also so intriguing, though that's part of the mystery of Ophelia that you learn about as the book goes on. Every character is interesting; there are things that make you like them or hate them but every one of them had me wondering what they're hiding.

Overall the book is a great blending of sci-fi and horror. There's some body horror along with thriller vibes. Also, if you don't trust big corporations and those that run it this book won't make you feel hopeful for the future.

I love Jeneva Rose's writing and this did not disappoint!

Three siblings reunite to handle their mother's estate after she passes, but it's more like three strangers. Beth is the oldest and had stayed and cared for their mother all the way up until she passed. And her final words to Beth has Beth feeling confused along with bereft. Nicole is the middle child and battles substance abuse leaving her on the outs with everyone in her family. And Michael, the youngest, got out of their small town and now lives a life of luxury. He hasn't been back to his home town in seven years. With old wounds opening along with the fresh wound of their mother's passing they are more than eager to go through their mother's things and get the estate settled. However, when they stumble upon an old VHS that was meant to be their home tape from summer of 1999 but ends with the image of their father in bloodied clothes, a body, and their parents stating they plan on hiding the body, the siblings are left shocked and wondering what they should do with this information.

I really enjoyed how the story opens and progresses. It's told in the perspective of all three siblings and it's fascinating seeing how each sibling sees themselves and each other. The memories of their childhoods differ and each has a different perspective on how to handle this new knowledge they've gained. As the story unfolds I had several different ideas of what the twist was going to be. Jeneva Rose does a great job of making you feel like you've figured it out and then throwing another wrench in your theory. Overall, I did guess the twist but the lead up to its revelation was still fun. I especially enjoyed that there weren't too many characters involved, making it easy to keep up with the story.

After their horrific encounter at the Hearst Hotel the Ghost Gang now have over a million subscribers, a manager, and more opportunities. When they get invited to take a cruise on the Queen Anne, a ship with a bloodied past but is now a luxury cruise liner, the gang is excited to investigate and get a little vacation while they're at it. However, from the moment they step on the ship strange things start happening and they soon realize this is like no haunting they've experienced and they don't think they're equipped to handle it.

While this is a sequel to Horror Hotel it can be read as a standalone. Though, I do recommend reading Horror Hotel, not only because it's great but because it gives a lot of backstory to the characters and you'll understand a bit more of what they're going through in Cursed Cruise. I love is all of the characters - Emma, Kiki, Chase, and Chrissy are so lovable in their own way and I love the relationship they have with one another. Told from each of theirs perspective you get to really get to know each character and what motivates and scares them.

This is definitely YA! Getting to read from each 18 year olds perspective you also get to read how each character talks. So there is a lot of new slang (for example “sus” is used instead of suspicious). So there is no mistaken that these are young characters and this is a YA book. Which is completely fine, if at times a bit striking for this millennial. One thing I do love is that these characters aren't trying to act or be portrayed older than they are. Many YA characters always seem to act more adult or be put in more adult situations than many adults I know but these characters are portrayed as typical newly graduated from high school 18 year olds which is refreshing.

And, finally, the plot of this story. I LOVE a good haunted ship story and am always sad that there aren't more movies or books on the subject. The perspective of the ship was a nice touch. There were so many cliques throughout and it touched on many of the haunted ship tropes. I enjoyed how each character was having a different experience but there were also collective experiences that made it undeniable that the ship was haunted. And not only haunted but cursed which added an extra layer of mystery. Some of the descriptions are down right terrifying!

If you're looking for a fun (yet creepy), quick read I recommend this!

Set in 1995, while traveling to a motel to celebrate their honeymoon April and Eddie take a wrong turn. While trying to find their way back to the road they should be on they see a young woman on the side of the road. They decide to stop and give her a ride which ends up changing their vacation plans altogether. The girl is not only wounded with blood everywhere but there's a truck that's now chasing them. After outrunning the truck and taking her to the hospital where she dies they become suspects in her murder. They end up staying in the small town as the police start their investigation but they soon realize that this may not be a new investigation but an ongoing investigation as there have been other murders on that deserted road they picked up the girl on. This may be the work of a serial killer. April and Eddie start trying to find their own answers and they go down a haunting path.

Simone St. James is amazing at blending a crime novel and a paranormal novel. Her characters always feel well rounded and a bit gritty but likable and this book was no exception. The setting of a small town in Michigan in the summer of 1995 is perfect for a murder investigation possibly involving a serial killer. While reading I could so vividly see the Blockbuster as we past by it on a hot day with the air conditioning barely keeping us cool. Also the frustration of getting lost but the uncertain confidence that we'll find the way back to where we're supposed to be. I got my license in the era of Mapquest that soon turned into GPS and have no idea how people would stay so calm getting lost with only a map as their directions but that's all I ever witnessed as a kid.

The mystery surrounding so many different aspects of this book kept me reading straight through. Not only the mystery of the murders and the possibly supernatural elements but the mysteries surrounding the different characters. Some, like April and Eddie I immediately loved but had so many questions and others I disliked but needed to know more. The way they interacted throughout the book built on the mystery throughout.

Though I saw the twist coming a mile away I was still very entertained and excited by it. While not my favorite Simone St. James novel this is still a solid one and did not disappoint. Definitely recommencd!

The Hollow Dead is the 4th book in the Graveyard series. After waking up with no memory and being chased through the woods by mysterious men Keira ends up in the small town of Blighty. There she finds shelter thanks to a pastor and after realizing she is now safe, she starts to make a home in Blighty all the while trying to piece together her past. Oh, and she also sees ghosts. She soon befriends Zoe and Mason and together they start trying to figure out who is hunting Keira and how her power works. As Keira learns about her ability to see ghosts she starts helping people, both dead and alive, with some unfinished business. We now know that the people responsible for hunting Keira are apart of a company called Artec that are doing some sinister things to the ghosts that end up in their cemeteries to produce energy and profit. The 4th book continues on the story where and we get to learn about Keira's past and watch the ever evolving relationships she's made along the way.

While I think this book is integral to the story it was my least favorite of the series. I thought that it felt both rushed and slow at the same time. I didn't connect with the characters I've come to love so much as I have with the past books. However, that is not saying that it isn't worth the read. After getting so invested in this story it felt so satisfying to finally get some answers and see how the relationships between Keira, Zoe, and Mason are growing and becoming even more meaningful. Also to see Keira's relationship with herself evolving is beautiful.

Finally, Daisy the cat will always be 5 stars! We also got to learn more about Daisy which I think may have been my favorite part.

For those that are interested in the curious cases that have an endless amount of conspiracy theories and/or love outdoor sports this book is for you.

Four people go on a climbing expedition, all go missing, and then 3 are found dead. The 3 bodies that are found are in such condition that medical professionals and investigators are both baffled. After years there is still no explanation and the fourth person has not been found. These four people are unaware of their fate as they excitedly hike into the woods in the spring of 2019. Clay is a geology student who is working on his PhD. When he finds a cliff in the Kentucky woods that is untouched he knows it's the perfect location for his thesis. He gets together a fellow student, Sylvia, to be his research assistant, Dylan, an old friend that just got signed with a professional climbing company, and Luke, Dylan's boyfriend and belayer (which is basically the person that holds the rope at the bottom of the cliff for the climber for those like me that don't know climbing lingo). The trip starts out with everyone excited and eager and soon turns into a nightmare.

This was inspired by the Dyatlov Pass incident which is endlessly fascinating to me. Unlike the Dyatlov Pass incident while the professionals and the public in the book never learn what happened to these four people us as the readers get the full, terrifying account. I loved Jenny Kiefer's writing. I am not an outdoorsy sportsman person and have never been climbing indoors or outdoors so I'm completely unaware of any aspect of the sport. But I ended up not only knowing so much more about climbing that I did before starting the book I felt like I actually climbed a mountain. The descriptions are amazing that you can tell the author has climbing experience. While it was amazing (and a bit scary) reading about the climbing excursion this also meant that the other more sinister events of the book are very detailed as well. It was easy to feel like I was losing my mind while reading.

By the end of the book I felt like some parts were a little bit overdone in the sense they felt like they dragged on for too long. However, overall, it is a great story and a great read. Highly recommend.

In a house full of the paranormal it's hard being extra normal.

I absolutely adored this book! This was a 6/5 star read for me. The family dynamic in this book is so fun and heartwarming even while things were going sideways. First, the characters. The Greer family as a whole is heartwarming but each character felt so well developed. They each had their own flaws and strengths that made them who they are and made their interaction in the family unit and with outside characters that much better. Even the villains of the story are fun and frightening, making the perfect villains for young readers. The weight that Charlie feels of trying to navigate a world that she feels she doesn't fit into but is needed in is so relatable (even if I don't have a supernatural mom and siblings). I loved how the agents/ babysitters/ uncles fit into the story along with the other co-works/ family friends of the parents.

As an adult reading middle grade books I always find the parents to be somewhat negligent that always baffles me. But KAT writes a pair of great parents that also happen to have flaws. You can see how much they love their kids and want to keep them safe while also being passionate about their work but also losing a bit of themselves in the chaos. That's a feeling that I know many adults and parents feel. The example of two adults in a relationship needing to find time for themselves and each other in the busyness of their lives is something I know many adults feel, parents and non-parents. And to see that played out and how intuitive Charlie is about it and the weight it put on her was both beautiful and heart breaking.

The way the plot plays out with the new and strange neighbors is, of course, fantastical but so fun. Each of the siblings play a significant role in overcoming the many obstacles they face in trying to keep themselves and the town safe. They each learn so much about themselves and each other. And a HUGE shout out to Miss Sinister. When first learning about this cursed doll I was creeped out but she really became the MVP of the whole book for me.

Darcy Coates is the queen of horror in my eyes. This is her first YA and I was so pleased that it was just as scary as many of her other books though it felt completely different than many of her books.

Abby Ward lives in a strange town where people randomly go missing regularly. Because of this the town doesn't stray out after dark and Abby, her sister, Hope, and her group of friends have strict rules that they follow. The group of friends are dedicated to getting out of the town and learning as much about the mysterious villain they call the Stitcher (as the victims will reappear stitched together wrong with red thread) so they don't become his (its?) next victim. But when Hope goes missing Abby is desperate to do everything she can to get her back and not have her be the Stitcher's next victim. With the help of her friends and a newcomer to the town she goes after her sister and uncovers just who (or what) the Stitcher is.

While this is such a dark and sad story in a dark and sad town I couldn't help but love the characters. The group of friends all have unique qualities and personalities and their relationships with each other are heart warming. The townspeople are well written and the villains are absolutely creepy. My favorite part is trying to piece together if this is supernatural or just the work of a serial killer. Without giving anything away I can say there are some downright terrifying scenes. Between the group digging into the town's history to the action packed scenes I was entertained throughout the whole thing.

I loved The Nightmare Man and this was a great second book from J.H. Market.

In a small town there is an infamous tunnel that always seems to have disaster and tragedy associated with it. It was collapsed in after a young boy, Sully Dupree, was injured and remains in a coma. We get introduced to some key members of the town that all have connections to Sully as well as some people that have never been to the town or even have met the boy but still have strong connections to him. As bizarre murders start happening and bodies are showing up at the tunnel and a brief moment where Sully wakes up with a warning members of the small town of Herrod's Reach start to learn that there are two worlds and the sleeping world is starting to come into the real world.

This book is very entertaining but does take some concentration to follow along. There are a lot of different story lines that are all intertwined but it takes some time before you see how. As someone with night terrors I've always found folklore around dreams intriguing and especially loved the use of it in this book. If you read The Nightmare Man you would have already gotten a taste of this world from J.H. Markert. This book is a standalone though and you don't have to have read The Nightmare Man to read this one but there are bits of the story that overlap and there is even a part where the setting and plot of The Nightmare Man is specifically talked about.

The way the book ended has me very hopeful that there is going to be a sequel where we'll get more answers. If there isn't then it's a disappointing ending but an entertaining read.

This book was magical! I couldn't stop reading it.

When Opal was younger she was endlessly fascinated by the mysterious Starling House that has a long history of creepy and interesting stories about it and it's inhabitants. She would dream about it often but when her mother dies tragically she can no longer live in fantasy. Presently, Opal lives in a motel in a dying town with her younger brother that she cares for. Opal is doing all she can to keep them afloat and to hopefully save enough money to get her brother out of the town. But when she gets a job offer to work in THE Starling House she knows that nothing good can come from this but decides to take the job anyway. With each work day that passes she starts to feel like Starling House is her home and gets more pulled in by the odd owner. However, strange and dangerous things also start to happen.

The writing of this book is so beautiful. Many parts of this book are not beautiful but instead ugly and heartbreaking but it's impossible to not invest in the characters, the town, and the house from Alix E. Harrow's writing. I very much enjoyed how there was a fairy tale mixed with some true crime lore surrounding this house. And the house is a character in itself.

This book is described as for fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls and I can totally see that. There's a small town vibe to it reminiscent of Gilmore Girls and the messy lives of a family of witches like Practical Magic.

Sadie loves her magic - it's what makes her her. So the fact that she has a curse that if/when she experiences four heartbreaks she'll lose her magic she was fine leading a lonely life away from people that could cause her heartbreak. She's already had two and she's as guarded as can be. But when her first heartbreak and childhood sweetheart, Jake, moves back home and her second heartbreak, her estranged brother, also comes back home she has her walls up. Then her grandmother who raised her and her brother is diagnosed with cancer her world is turned upside down. As family secrets comes to light Sadie is doing everything in her power to maintain some semblance of control.

This book was both exciting and like being wrapped in a warm hug. I found the FMC, Sadie, to be kind of annoying and frustrating but I also loved her dearly. It made her character arc so much more satisfying. I did fall in love with every other character and I think my frustration with Sadie was not seeing herself the way the people around her saw her (for good or for bad).

The small town setting was also so perfect. And the magical aspects made the book.....magical for lack of a better word. There was some great buildup and foreshadowing that kept me intrigued through each chapter. And each chapter has some recipes that, along with the descriptions in the book, will make you hungry and want to curl up with a cup of tea. The ending was great and could be a satisfying ending to a standalone or open it up to have a sequel. I, for one, would be ecstatic for a sequel as I've fallen in love with these people and their town.

Highly recommend - perfect read for any season.

A creepy novel that includes a family secret, a family house that may be haunted, and twin girls that are at the center of it.

After his wife's sudden death Alfie is now left to raise his two twin girls on his own. While himself grieving his two daughters start having strange dreams and create a new imaginary friend. Though originally he believes it's part of their grief process he soon starts to wonder if there isn't something more sinister at play. Without knowing what else to do he asks Julia, his wife's twin sister and a psychiatrist, to help with his two daughters and their new behavior. But as the girls start getting more wrapped up with their new imaginary friend both Julia and Alfie start having strange things happen to them and soon have to confront their role in everything that is happening.

Both of the narrators are fantastic. The switch between Alfie's POV and Julia's POV was done very seamlessly. This was an interesting debut novel. The writing made me eager to learn what exactly is going on in the family home called Hart House. I knew there was much more to the story that would eventually be revealed. Unfortunately, the reveal left me a little underwhelmed. And the story goes at a pretty slow pace so that may have added in not being super intrigued as we learned more about the family and the house. While reading the book felt like a chore when I switched to listening to the audiobook it helped me get into it much more. The narrators did a wonderful job making the characters come to life.

I really enjoyed the writing as a whole and the narration but felt like the story needed more. I wanted to know more about certain aspects of the story and the people in it.

I know that Darcy Coates is the queen of horror but she's working on becoming the queen of thrillers too.

Christa is still struggling with a tragedy. But her new boyfriend is helping her every day work towards finding peace and when he suggests they take a trip to a resort in the mountains she agrees. On a bus to the resort with 8 other strangers a severe snow storm hits the Rocky Mountains and they're forced to take shelter in a cabin. In an already uncomfortable situation cramped in a tiny cabin with strangers in an intense snow storm things soon turn into a nightmare. When the group wakes up from their first morning in the cabin they find their tour guides head has been cut off and put on display in a tree. With each day another member of the group is found decapitated and Christa finds herself not trusting anyone. Someone in this group is a brutal killer. Isolated in this remote cabin there's no where to go and everyone in the cabin is a suspect.

Darcy always does an amazing job at setting the scene and making an amazing (and stressful) atmosphere. Though it was 90 degrees (Fahrenheit) in my area I was reading with a warm cup of tea and a blanket because I was so engrossed in the weather conditions I was reading about. Not only was the terrain and weather scary but you throw a claustrophobic cabin with strangers in there and it's even more terrifying (as that sounds like a nightmare in itself to me). And then the cherry on top there's someone murdering people.

Darcy didn't let anything fall through the cracks. From the setting to the characters I could feel the tension and Christa was such a sympathetic and strong FMC. While I called who the killer was pretty early on that didn't stop me from second guessing myself with each page. There was just enough clues that when the killer was revealed I wasn't surprised but it definitely was not obvious. And the motives and behind the scenes are revealed as in any great thriller.

I both loved and hated the end. I won't elaborate on that to not spoil anything but IYKYK. I highly recommend this!

It's been a while since I truly loved a thriller book and this book made me feel like when I first read Sager's earlier books.

Kit is sent on a in home care assignment to Hope Ends, an infamous mansion that was the scene of horrific murders over 50 years ago. In 1929 Lenora Hope was accused of murdering her mother, father, and sister but was never found guilty. After a series of strokes Lenora Hope is now mute and is confined to a wheelchair with only the use of her left arm. Lenora uses a typewriter to communicate with Kit where she says she would like to tell Kit everything. And the more Kit learns the more she realizes there's far more to the story and it has present day consequences.

Sager does a very good job at making all of the twists and turns throughout the book compelling. The need to know what the answers to the mysteries propelled me to the end pretty quickly. Both Lenora and Kit are both likable but throughout the book I kept feeling like I couldn't trust either. And with every question answered several more popped up.

The setting of this book was also perfect. Set in New England, the run down mansion is set on a cliff that overlooks the ocean. Not only does the setting add to the creep factor, the fact that Kit is now tending to a possible murderer in a creepy mansion, but also the state of the mansion adds even more tension to the already strange circumstances.

A story with many mysteries sometimes ends with disappointment or a bit of lackluster but I truly loved the ending to this book. It all made sense in a reality is stranger than fiction sort of way even though this is a work of fiction. I also love when an ending gives you a little bit more than just the answers you're looking for and this book delivered.

Highly recommend this as a fun thriller read.

If you ever wonder what makes someone more susceptible to join a cult this is the book for you.

Cultish takes a deep dive into cults and the building blocks that makes one and what makes people join a cult. Montell goes into not only the infamous cults like Jonestown and Heavens Gate but the everyday cults we see in modern day. She breaks down the most important ingredient to a cult; language.

This book is incredibly interesting and Montell's writing style is so easy to digest and follow along with. She includes personal tidbits from her own experiences, friend's experiences, family's experiences, and the vast research she's done. While her own opinions are apparent throughout the book, she is balanced and relies heavily on research and studies. I find cults fascinating so I knew a lot of what was mentioned but also learned a lot. This is the most up front book I've read that gives the answers that we all ask when discussing cults.

I highly recommend this book!

It was so hard to put this book down.

Grace books her vacation in a small, middle of nowhere town in Wyoming. She has a high stress job in New York City and decides booking an Airbnb in Wyoming is the perfect getaway. She arrives and finds the town and the people strange but quickly takes to the host, Calvin. Even though there's no WiFi or cell service and she feels a little uneasy she decides to make the most of being off the grid. Calvin, who has some tragedy he's trying to get over, quickly becomes smitten with Grace. As Grace's stay continues and Grace and Calvin become closer Grace starts experiencing things that make her more and more suspicious while Calvin is trying his hardest to get closer to Grace but feels she's hiding something from him.

This book starts out almost like a Romance. While there are some suspenseful moments, the main vibe I was getting was a cozy Romance. Though, I'm not mad about it - it really set up for the suspense to build. I'd have read this if it was just a Romance. And when everything comes to a head I was tearing through the (electronic) pages.

The book is told from dual POV's, Grace and Calvin, which made it both easier and harder to put together what is actually happening with each of the characters. I had my suspicions about how this would end and while it did end the way I expected, the motivation behind it had me very caught off guard. So, there's also a great twist!

Also, shout out to the author adding some bookish pop culture throughout the book. From popular BookTok authors to calling out bookish cliches, it was fun to see those things throughout.

Highly recommend!

This is my favorite book of 2023 so far.

Alejandra is a wife and a mother and is seriously struggling. She feels as though she has no identity other than those two things and she isn't even good at them. As her depression gets deeper she starts to see a ghostly figure of a woman in white - La Llorona. After deciding to get therapy this entity starts wreaking havoc on not only her but her children. This leads Alejandra to connect more with her birth mother who gave her up at birth and to learn more about her family history. She wants to learn more about this woman in white and how she can get rid of her for good.

This book is the epitome of how much heart horror can have. To start, Alejandra is such a beautiful, flawed character. I am not married and have no children but as someone who has depression I felt her agony. I have many friends who have felt the way she felt about their own partners and children and I know that Alejandra's struggle will resonate with so many. Yet the strength and love she has for her children will have you cheering for her the whole way through the book.

I also loved the exploration of her family history and heritage. Alejandra is a woman that was adopted and raised by people that had no ties to her heritage which made her feel even more lost in her identity. Getting to go with her has she learned and connected with her family and the strength it gave her had me crying. It was truly beautiful seeing her and the women of her family line experience the very real emotions that come with being human but specifically Mexican American women.

Finally, La Llorona is terrifying. I know enough about this legend and this take on it was so unique. The way that the moments of horror were paced seriously left me on edge. This book is told through multiple POV's and multiple timelines that made the story unfold in a way that made it hard to put the book down. I highly recommend this book!

There's nothing like a good haunted house book.

Eric is on the run with his two daughters. Money is tight and he's doing his best for his daughters but living in motels and barely having enough money to eat isn't really cutting it. When Eric spots an ad looking for someone to stay in their haunted house and record what they experience Eric believes he may have found the answer. With a small fortune as the payout once completed and a desire to see if this house could provide answers for his own supernatural experience within his family Eric and his daughters are on their way to Texas to stay in what some call the most haunted house in the state.

This is a short book yet it fits everything needed within it. It's told from multiple POV's and different timelines. I love books like this when done well and this one was done well. There's many different mysteries that keep you turning the pages and they all come together and are revealed with the perfect pace.

I don't want to reveal too much because I think going into this as blind as possible is best. But I can say that I highly recommend this book and it delivers a great haunted house story and so much. more.

This book built the dread and uneasiness a good horror story can invoke with each page.

Mackenzie, a young Cree woman, is still fresh with the grief of her sisters death. Miles from her family and her home she begins having vivid nightmares where she sees her sister. So vivid that when she wakes up she brings a bit of her dream back; a branch, a crow's head. When she almost drowns in her dream and wakes up throwing up water she knows this is serious. Then she receives a text from her dead sister, Sabrina. This leads Mackenzie to head home and turn to her family for help, even though there's some strain between her and them. This will take Mackenzie on a trip down memory lane and must confront her relationship with her family, herself, and the grief she feels for the loss she's experienced.

I know very little about Cree people but I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in this Cree families life. I loved learning the different words and beliefs and it took me down a research journey. The dynamics in Mackenzie's family are so beautiful yet heartbreaking but it made me want to join the family nonetheless.

The horror elements in this book I would say are slow burn. It's more that feeling of dread you get in your gut. At times your heart may speed up but it's more from the not knowing and mystery of it. The more you learn, you're still on edge but you are more and more ready to face it which is what Mackenzie experiences.

I truly enjoyed the way this story unfolded. I felt so deeply for Mackenzie and the members of her family. I don't want to give too much away, but the horror element in this book is so perfect. There's also a lot of heart and the FMC learns a lesson that will change her life. I highly recommend.

The second book in the Indian Lake Trilogy did not disappoint. In fact, I think I enjoyed this read better than the first.

Jade Daniels, now going by Jennifer, returns to Proofrock after spending the past 4 years in prison due to the infamous events that people call the 4th of July massacre. Right when she returns, a convicted serial kill named Dark Mill South escapes his prison transfer convoy right near Proofrock during an intense blizzard. Jade (or Jennifer) is thrown right back into the world of slashers and will have to use her vast knowledge of horror movies that she's tried to forget to save her and the others in this town. But as before, Proofrock and Indian Lake are never quite what they seem.

First, I want to say that if you are a fan of horror movies, especially slashers, at the very least you'll appreciate the vast knowledge Stephen Graham Jones includes in this series. It's a dream for horror aficionados - I even wrote quite a view titles down that I wasn't familiar with.

While I enjoyed the first book, it was exhausting being inside Jade's head the whole time. Sometimes it was hard figuring out what was fact and what was just in Jade's head. I very much enjoyed how this book jumped between narrators. While it may seem confusing (and could be at times) I felt like I had a better understanding of what was going on. It also really allowed me to get a sense of just how impactful the Lake Killings of 4 years prior were to the town and people in it as a whole. The amount of characters are a lot, however, each one serves an important purpose and helped the many moving parts of this book to come together. This book also solidified my love for both Jade and Letha.

Overall, I highly recommend this horror series. To fully appreciate Don't Fear the Reaper I recommend reading the first book My Heart is a Chainsaw first.

This made me look at the publishing industry and authors a bit differently for a minute.

Alex is struggling. She and her best friend are no longer friends, one could even call them enemies perhaps. She is in a job that she truly hates. She has had writers block for almost a year and is just all together in a funk. So when she is chosen to attend a writing retreat she jumps at the chance. And this isn't just any writing retreat, it's the famous thriller writer Rosa Vallo's writing retreat located at her remote, gothic mansion. Her and the four other authors attending the retreat soon realize that this isn't any regular retreat and they are in serious danger.

This was definitely one of those books that I couldn't put down but when it was over I had to really think “how much did I like this book”? First, the FMC is very easy to relate to. She has a bit of mystery to her. And then the surmounting mystery of what is happening on this estate and this strange character Rosa Vallo and her odd staff keeps your attention. The twist is predictable but done in such a great way.

However, at the end I thought “this is a bit of a stretch in believability” but that doesn't really bother me. For a split second it did but the more I think about it the more I just realized how much I enjoyed the experience of reading it. And honestly, I can't say this couldn't be a real story - honestly, I've heard stranger stuff when I really think about it.

Overall, I think this is a fun, quick thriller and recommend it. Though it will really make you look at those uber-famous authors a bit closer.

A spin on the Headless Horseman legend - in the modern world.

Kat van Tassel is the direct descendent of Katrina van Tassel and has lived with the responsibility of carrying the name her whole life. As the 200th anniversary of the Headless Horseman haunting approaches Kat wants nothing more than to be kept out of the whole superstitious town and their celebration. She's feeling more and more confined by the pressure of continuing her family legacy, marrying her long time boyfriend, and managing the family estate. When Isadora moves to town Kat starts to see a world where she leaves Sleepy Hollow and has a life outside of the confines of her legacy. With her family fearing this they give her Katrina's diary so Kat can see just how real the legend is. As Kat learns more about her ancestor and namesake she learns that she may not be so different from her.

I really enjoyed this book. I love any book that has spooky undertones (or overtones) and this book set in the town of Sleepy Hollow has just that. The legend of the Headless Horseman is so engrained in the town and it's people that a lot of the curriculum in the high school centers on it.

Getting to read from the perspective of both Kat and Katrina made me connect with both of them - they are both so much alike and I loved seeing Kat learn more about herself from Katrina's experiences. Then, the tie in of the legend was perfect.

I'm familiar with the legend of Sleepy Hollow (as I believe most are) but I haven't read the book. This book made me bump up that book on my reading list so I can see, first had, what allowed this book to be created so many years later. Highly recommend!

Voices in the Snow is dread inducing but also cozy at the same time.

Clare wakes up in an old, gothic home with a stranger and little memory of the last several hours. The stranger claims that he found her on the road in bad shape and brought her back to his home that is vacant for the winter (and very remote) to help her. She's stuck in the house for now as she's injured and there's also a strange snowstorm. Soon Clare starts seeing and hearing strange things and beginning to think the house may have something sinister in it, but her companion at least seems nice and is helping her. As bits of her memory comes back she starts realizing the danger that they're both in.

Darcy Coates writes some of the most atmospheric and eerie yet cozy horror. One minute I was wishing I could be in the remote house and the next I'm quickly changing my mind. When I think of snowstorms I think of curling up by the fireplace with hot cocoa and a book but the reality in this book is that this snowstorm is very claustrophobic and almost sinister. It creates the perfect backdrop to the other happenings going on.

Another thing that Darcy does so well is writing great characters. Clare is someone I can see myself being friends with. Dorran embodies what makes “weird” people so enigmatic but also charming. The plot, the setting, and the characters along with Darcy's writing style had me quickly moving through this book and excited to read the next book in the series. It's the perfect winter read.