Mindy
Want to read a book that fills you with dread through every single page? This book came highly recommended as a gripping thriller, but I knew nothing more than that going into it. And honestly, I think that's how everyone should go into this. Stay away from the plot synopsis and just let the impending doom wash over you. It's a quick read, mainly because you don't want to put it down until you know what is happening.
Seriously, just read it.
It's nice to read a Stephen King book set in Castle Rock that is heartwarming for once. Does it feature a crazy premise? Absolutely. Does someone die? Of course. But the things we've come to know and love about Stephen King's works are used to create a beautiful and sweet tale.
Elevation follows a man who, despite the fact the is not physically losing weight, is rapidly losing weight. Confusing? Not when you read it. The best way I can describe Scott Carey's condition is that he is losing gravity. I don't want to give too much away, but I promise that this is a charming story, and it is beautifully written. But if you're reading this hoping for the dark and scary place that is Castle Rock, you'll have to turn to another book. There are a few nods - both a Cujo and It reference -to previous works, but I promise you, no horror.
Clocking in at fewer than 150 pages, this is a book you can polish off in one setting. And I promise that you'll be glad you took the time to read it. Enjoy!
I've been a fan of Aaron Mahnke since Lore first came out. I've loved each of his podcasts and the TV show. Now I can say that I love the Lore books, as well.
Mahnke does a great job of telling folklore in ways that are interesting yet casual. He keeps the stories simple while still illustrating the crazy stories that are part of our world. And with Monstrous Creatures, he excels at giving you the history behind many of the monsters we're familiar with, including vampires, werewolves, and even the Mothman.
If you're a big fan of folklore or just want to learn more about the crazy tales that have happened throughout history, then this is a great place to start.
I cannot think of a better book to showcase the beauty of the diversity of the United States. America Ferrera has gathered incredible stories from celebrities from all walks of life - actors, activists, writers, models, and more. The stories show just how much should celebrate those who have fought hard to immigrate to the United States. They show that we all come from different walks of life but we are all truly one beautiful nation. If you need hope and inspiration, this is definitely the book for you.
Jess Moulson is accused of a horrific crime that she has no memory of. After being found guilty, she is sent to Fellside, a women's prison in the Yorkshire moors. While there, she has to battle her demons and the inmates of the prison.
I don't want to say too much about this book, as Carey has written a phenomenal tale that will catch you by surprise in several ways. I will say this, though. If you like supernatural tales, then Fellside is a great read. The writing is superb, and the end, while surprising, was compelling. Check it out.
After enjoying Sager's debut novel, Final Girls, I was excited to get my hands on his follow-up novel.
The Last Time I Lied follows Emma, who after a traumatic visit to summer camp in which 3 campers when missing when she was 13, decides to go back and face her demons. Back at camp, things are definitely not what they seem, especially as she questions who was responsible for her missing bunkmates - Vivian, Natalie, and Allison. As strange occurrence happen around the camp, Emma is convinced that the person behind the disappearance of her friends is back for more.
Sager's second novel is a great mystery that will leave you guessing with every page you turn. I'll admit that I didn't see the ending coming, and it left me pleasantly surprised. The writing is fantastic, and the story is strong. If you want a good mystery, definitely give this one a try.
I have to start by saying that I adore Joe Biden and Barack Obama. And to have a book that is a buddy adventure mystery novel is probably the greatest thing to happen since the two left office. Seriously, if you love B-rack and Joey-B, this is definitely the book for you.
I loved seeing an “inside look” at how Joe looks up to Barack and misses him once they left office and went their respective ways. The book is a fun adventure with jokes and witticisms that left me chuckling. I think the Shaffer did a great job of providing us with a fun adventure, and honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing more of these adventures.
I've been both a Jonathan Maberry and Joe Ledger fan for about a decade or so, and I'll be honest, this is yet another fantastic story in the series. The plot follows Ledger as the Department of Military Sciences is falling apart, losing case after case. As Ledger and his team struggle to find out what's happening, they go on a wild, science fiction ride.
If you've followed the Ledger series, you know they've taken on terrifyingly real versions of paranormal threats, and this book is no exception. Mayberry does a great job of reeling in readers and stringing them along as the mystery is solved and the day is (hopefully) saved.
For those who have never read Mayberry or have only read the Rot & Ruin or Pine Deep series, I recommend starting with the first Ledger book. If you love thrilling action and a great mystery, you will not be disappointed with any of the 8 books in the series.
What's the quickest way to this girl's heart? A well-told Sherlock Holmes tale. So imagine how happy this girl is to have read seventeen stories inspired by the greatest detective who never lived. Off the charts happy.
Now, I'm a little nervous of collections like this, because they tend to run the gamut from just okay to amazing, but this is one of the rare short story collections in which nearly all were gems. And the only one I didn't care too much for was not due to the quality; I just wasn't a fan of the genre used to tell the story. I'm shocked at how fantastic each of these stories, including a comic, were. My personal favorites were “Before a Bohemian Scandal” by Tasha Alexander, “Mrs. Hudson Investigates” by Tony Lee and Bevis Musson, “The Adventure of the Dancing Women” by Hank Phillippi Ryan, and “The Adventure of the Empty Grave” by Jonathan Maberry (the reason I decided to read this book).
So, if you like Holmes and enjoy mysteries, this is a great book to try. I hope you'll like it as much as I did.
After being given a free copy of the sequel, I decided I should read the first book, and honestly, I'm glad I did. I Don't Know How She Does It is a fun book about what it's like to be a woman in a man's world. Kate Reddy is a fantastic protagonist, and while I had a rough idea of how things would turn out, the plot was a fun ride.
Pearson does a great job of writing comedy that women will relate to. This book is fun, and so is the sequel. You don't have to be a parent to get the story; you just have to know what it's like to be a woman in modern times.
I want to start by saying that I was given an advanced reader copy of this novel.
We've read books or seen movies about the evil child wreaking havoc upon families while acting like a sweet little angel when called out on their behavior. Baby Teeth takes this model and amps it up to 11. You have Hannah, precious angel to her father and demonic beast to her mother.
I think what sets Baby Teeth apart from similar stories is the fact that Hannah is seven and she cannot speak. The terror she inflicts upon her mother is cunning and calculating, far more frightening due to her young age and refusal to speak to her family. She plays her father like a fool, endearing herself to him so that he cannot possibly take his wife's side whenever Hannah causes problems. But will it always be that way?
Zoje Stage has crafted a fantastic tale of mother and daughter, leaving you to question what's really happening in this family's home. And for a first novel, Stage knocks it out of the park. The book is cleverly crafted, and the writing is wonderful. When this book comes out, you should definitely grab a copy. It'll keep you riveted until the very end, and then some. Seriously, I need there to be a sequel to this fantastic thriller.
#BabyTeethBook #BadSeed
What a fantastic book!
I wasn't sure what to expect with this novel, as it was an advanced reader copy, but I am super excited to have read it!
The book follows Finn, whose girlfriend disappeared 12 years earlier. He has moved on, and after announcing his engagement to his girlfriend's sister, mementos begin to appear. Is his former girlfriend back, or is there a far more sinister plot going on?
As I said, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I greatly enjoyed this book. It features a well-told mystery and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing throughout. Based on how much I enjoyed this novel, I definitely want to check out other works by B.A. Paris.
I want to start by acknowledging that I received an advanced readers' edition of this book from the publisher.
My Ex-Life tells the tale of Julie, her daughter Mandy, and her first husband David, whose coming out ended their marriage. As Julie's world begins to fall apart following her separation from her second husband, Mandy reaches out to David in the hopes that he can set things right. What follows is the story of a summer filled with ups and downs for all three as they navigate modern issues, including Airbnb, dating, and burgeoning sexuality.
This book is definitely an interesting read. McCauley approaches the age in which we live with with humor and a sharp wit. Having never read his works, I appreciated that way in which he crafted his characters and their approaches to life. Of course, I struggled with how I felt about this book overall. It is well crafted, but it is a slow read. I stepped away from the book quite a few times since I started reading it nearly a month ago, because I struggled to connect with it. I also struggled to describe it whenever anyone asked what it was about, because it just seems a little too much like a regular, somewhat boring life.
If you're a fan of McCauley or are interested in perspectives on modern life, I encourage you to read this. Just because I didn't fully love it, doesn't mean that you won't.
I just discovered Rainbow Rowell's books, and I'm already booked. She has a tremendous way with words and an instructor ability to draw you into the story. Her characters are damaged but in incredibly believable ways.
In Fangirl, she manages to bring readers a strong story of love, loss, and geekdom. Cather is someone any person who has ever experienced anxiety, grief, and love will connect with instantly. And the story managed to give me butterflies, something I never expected.
I'm excited to read Carry On, which stems from this novel. And I'm excited to read more of Rowell's works.
What an incredible debut novel. I found myself in love with every piece of this book. The world is so wonderfully built. The story is absolutely gripping. And the characters, oh my, gripe characters are so well-developed.
Nora is your everywoman. She's so relatable, and the. She gets pulled into the incredible world and is allowed to do things every woman has dreamt about. I could go on and on about how easy it is to fall into Nora's world and join her for the adventures she undertakes.
It's weird how much I fell in love with this book. Emily Croy Barker created such an incredible world. It was hard not to just lose myself in the world the same way Nora did. I haven't had a book pull me in so deep since last summer when I read The Fireman by Joe Hill. We need more books and worlds like these to get lost in. They're just perfect.
But seriously, I need the sequel to come out now. I need more!!
Read this book!
2016 had seen the publishing of some incredible books, and this is one of the best. Reading the description on the dust jacket doesn't even begin to set you up for the support contained within the pages. It's a whirlwind of a journey as you learn more about the library and it's inhabitants, and honestly, it was hard to stop reading. I loved seeing this world, and I'm thankful to the author for giving us this look at Carolyn, Steve and the others. I'd love any future looks at this world. High recommend.
Nothing makes me happier than a book in which I can completely lose myself. Though rare, this is one of those books. Jane Steele is a complex protagonist, who means well, despite being a murderer. You cannot help but adore her as she journeys throughout her life. Lindsay Faye has created such a wonderful character, and she does a brilliant job of bringing Jane to life. The story is great, and the pacing is perfect. If you want a great twist on classic literature that tells a great story, you can't go wrong with Jane Steele. Huge recommend.
Normally, with anthologies, I find myself all over the map with the stories inside. Some, I adore; others, just fail to catch me. This is one of the few that kept my attention all throughout, whose stories all entertained me. If you're a fan of ghost stories, who doesn't necessarily need to be scared, then this is for you. The stories range from terrifying to comedic, and they all are great reads.
This book uses the unlikeable narrator who learns to be a better person plot device. Unfortunately, the narrator is such a horrific human being that I struggled for any way to relate to her. The book, itself, is well-written, though the plot is cliche. I wanted to like it, as I'm a huge fan of Jen Lancaster. This one, unfortunately, just wasn't for me.
The story is a great, creative twist on the teen paranormal phenomenon, bringing with it great ideas for werewolves and vampires. I had no problems with the plot.
What I did struggle with were some of the word and phrasing choices. The author uses quite a few words in the normal narrative that many readers would struggle to comprehend. It's one thing if the dialog of certain characters was structured that way to build depth, but with the general narrative, an author risks alienating his readers. Also, some of the phrasings seem to be colloquialisms to the Pennsylvania region and steel industry, but when used only sparingly, as they are in this work, they just don't seem to fit.
Criticisms aside, I really enjoyed this book. If you really enjoyed the series on Netflix, you'll enjoy this book. You get a bit more depth to the teenage characters, especially Shelly, who is my favorite. You can see what they had to flesh out with the series, ie the sheriff and Chasser partnership. But the book doesn't suffer by not having those pieces. I really hope to see this book become a series as I'd love to continue following Roman and Peter's friendship now that the arc has concluded.
