Week-in-Review: Happy Valentine's Day

 Happy Valentine's Day! OK, I'm late but that's how I roll...

G had his best friend over for a birthday sleepover so the fun just kept going. Lots of pizza, cupcakes, VR, Minecraft, and Nintendo Switch fun were had by all. I even got them to go outside and run around with Nerf guns for an hour so me for the win! 

One more birthday celebration this weekend with the grandparents. My mother isn't very mobile so we go to her and my father and bring the fun to them. It'll be more pizza and ice cream cake and a small game or two.

We had a freak snow storm blow in for a few hours Wednesday but it didn't stick but I know the mountains got hit with some moisture and it is sorely needed. We haven't had a drought this bad for 800 years!

Sunday we spent some time with my parents. We brought pizza and cake and sang happy birthday to G again! He's had a month-long celebration.😎

Also, happy Presidents' Day! G has enjoyed his much-needed day off. While DH and I did our taxes, got the car into the tire place, and drove through a little snowstorm...it has made it a rather cold, dreary, and gloomy day. On the bright side, we are watching my friend's two kitties while she and her family on vacation this week. More kitty time is always a plus!

We're planning on a game night this weekend with my nephew and his wife. We haven't done this since before the pandemic so we're very excited to get that going again.

I can't believe February is almost over...

Currently Reading:

Cibola Burn (The Expanse #4) by James S.A. Corey

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive by Philipp Dettmer

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

The Once and Future King by T.H. White 

Serafina and the Seven Stars by Robert Beatty (with G)

The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. du Bois

Books Read:

The Dark Heart: A True Story of Greed, Murder, and an Unlikely Investigator by Jaokim Palmkvist / 2017 / 314 Pages / Audiobook / Scribd

Goodreads Summary:

In late summer of 2012, millionaire landowner Göran Lundblad went missing from his farm in Sweden. When a search yielded nothing, and all physical evidence had seemingly disappeared, authorities had little to go on—except a disturbing phone call five weeks later from Göran’s daughter Maria. She was sure that her sister, Sara, was somehow involved. At the heart of the alleged crime: Sara’s greed, her father’s land holdings, and his bitter feud with Sara’s idler boyfriend.

With no body, there was no crime—and the case went as cold and dark as the forests of southern Sweden. But not for Therese Tang. For two years, this case was her obsession.

A hard-working ex-model, mother of three, and Missing People investigator, Therese was willing to put her own safety at risk in order to uncover the truth. What she found was a nest of depraved secrets, lies, and betrayal. All she had to do now, in her relentless and dangerous pursuit of justice, was prove that it led to murder.

My Thoughts:

I first caught wind of this sordid crime during the Sundance Film Festival in January. They premiered the first three episodes of this 5 episode limited crime series called The Dark Heart. And wow it was good and it had me hooked. But as such is the nature of premieres--there wasn't a distributor yet for the rest of the series...so I looked and found...a true crime book talking about it. I needed to know what happened!

The book is a little bit dry. The TV series takes its liberties but that makes sense. But the book lays out the location, characters, and we get a tons of information on how the Swedish legal and criminal justice system works and I loved that! Fascinating stuff. And it just goes to show that dark hearts are everywhere.

Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co. #1) by Jonathan Stroud / 2013/ 440 Pages/ Own

Goodreads Summary:

When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .

For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.

Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.

Set in a city stalked by spectres, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again . . .

My Thoughts:

G and I overall had a fun time with this one. It's a very imaginative world but also a very confusing one. Stroud has a whole glossary in the back for all the terms of ghosts and the business behind hunting them. He just has you jump on in and hopes you look in the back of the book for context. I'm a sucker for ghosts and a good mystery.

I don't think this has anything to do with Stroud but the American publisher. They tried to Americanize the language from England and it just kind of made it weird...like I kept thinking it was in the U.S. but it wasn't. G didn't care or notice so I think it's only adults who would care about that! But it was a bit annoying.

Overall, a fun ghostly mystery with more to read in the series!

Movies Watched:

Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror (Shudder) directed and written by Kier-La Janisse / 2021/ Documentary / Horror

Plot from IMDB:

• WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED explores the folk horror phenomenon from its beginnings in a trilogy of films - Michael Reeves' Witchfinder General (1968), Piers Haggard's Blood on Satan's Claw (1971) and Robin Hardy's The Wicker Man (1973) - through its proliferation on British television in the 1970s and its culturally specific manifestations in American, Asian, Australian and European horror, to the genre's revival over the last decade. Touching on over 100 films and featuring over 50 interviewees, WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED investigates the many ways that we alternately celebrate, conceal and manipulate our own histories in an attempt to find spiritual resonance in our surroundings.

My Thoughts:

I loved this weird and very long documentary on the history of folk horror cinema from around the world. They provide around 100 clips of various movies and there are so many I need to watch now! If you love cinema and horror this is a must-see. Maybe break it up into two or three watching blocks!

They Live in Grey (2022) (Shudder) written and directed by Abel and Burlee Vang / Horror

Plot (from Letterboxd):

While investigating a child abuse case, Claire discovers that the family is being tormented by a supernatural entity. In order to save the family, she must confront her own fears and use her emerging clairvoyance to stop the malevolent force.

My Thoughts:

A very strange horror film. It was way too long and it was a basic rip-off of "The Sixth Sense." While there were some interesting twists and some horrific visuals and jump scares, overall it was a letdown. But it wasn't a bad way to cure some insomnia...

TV Watched:

Somebody Somewhere (HBO Max): This is a new dramedy starring Bridget Everett. It's brilliant! Touching and funny and those are the ones that are dear to my heart.

The Super Bowl LVI on NBC: That was a great game! I made teriyaki chicken wings, pigs-in-a-blanket, and nachos with sides of hummus, pretzels, naan bread, and a veggie tray. Our friends came over and brought some yummy beers and jalapeno poppers. A good time was had by all!

The Gilded Age (HBO Max): Just started this one and it definitely looks promising. It has all the peeps I love. I've been wanting to watch a good period piece and this looks like it will do that!

Joining up with Deb from Readerbuzz and her Sunday Salon.

Not So Quick End-of-2021 Update...

I don't have much of an excuse other than life really got away from me starting in October with the death of my father-in-law...whew. I kept my head above water just by doing what needed doing and unfortunately writing on my blog fell by the wayside. I am slowly crawling my way back into it! Yay me. 

But I have to pare down. I enjoy my Cat Thursday posts so I'll try to keep those going each week and then an end of week post...which may be every other week depending on the week. Something doable for a little while and then hopefully I'll get my groove back! lol.

We are looking forward to G's 13th birthday! What? I can't believe how time flies. He wants money to get a new game for his VR, something to physically open, and sushi for dinner. Can't complain about that. I even asked him if he wanted me to bake him a cake and he told me he'd rather have an ice cream cake...so I don't even have to do that! He is going to have a friend over for a sleepover and pizza. So I will bake him some birthday cupcakes!

Now onto my end of 2021 update...

I read 119 books in 2021. 

39 were children's/middle/young adult books. 

35 non-fiction books.

11 were classics (as well as modern).

39 were by non-white authors.

Over half were by women. 

I had a great reading year. I don't know if I'll read as much as I did last year. Only time will tell. 

Favorite reads: These are the ones that just stood out as I looked back over my list.

• The End of Everything: Astrophysically Speaking by Katie Mack. Her down-to-earth style of how the universe could literally end was fun and so fascinating. I love to get a few astronomy books in a year and this one was top.
• The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Just what I needed for one of my first reads of the year. A haunting yet beautiful tale in the Alaskan frontier.
• The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. The way she blended two time lines and how they finally meet was really quite something. Her bits of magic throughout are also haunting. 
• Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. A beautiful and lyrical memoir and combining all of this knowledge together to connect ourselves to each other, the earth, and everything else.
• Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell. I loved everything about this book from the big cults to the little ones...I'm looking at you CrossFit and Peleton...it combined my love of language and cults all in one.
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I loved this book so much. So much heart and humanity and sciencing the shit out of everything.
• The Memory Thief and the Secrets Behind How We Remember: A Medical Mystery by Lauren Aguirre. This one opened my mind up on how certain type of drugs can affect our memories and also philosophically memories literally make us who we are and without them who are we? Loved how she combined science and a real medical mystery to discuss it all.
• My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Grahame Jones. This was brutal, poignant, and so lovely. His sequel comes out this fall! Eeek!
• The Premonition: A Pandemic Story by Michael Lewis. An open wound on how we didn't respond to the pandemic and he exposes the system and how it really is setup for failure. Brutal but needed.
• The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. I've been telling everyone to listen to this mind-blowing novel! Do it. The less you know the better.

Favorite Movies and TV shows: This one is really hard but I'll do my best...

• Free Guy: I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was...lots of philosophical stuff on free will and destiny and love.
• Black Widow: Loved everything. Funny and full of action.
• The Night House: Can Rebecca Hall do wrong? Well, maybe but this one was a knockout. Layers of grief, horror, all the stuff of nightmares.
• Midnight Mass on Netflix. So so creepy and quite the philosophical reversal. Loved it. It's one I'll rewatch yearly or close to it.
• Loki on Disney+. Disney is killing it with their TV shows from the marvel world.
• Luca. Hands down one of the best movies all year.
• Mare of Easttown on HBO was sooooo good.
• A Quiet Place II. Fantastic sequel. Can't wait for the final instalment!
• The Investigation: HBO docudrama on the investigation of Kim Wall's murder. Brilliant.
• Promising Young Woman: Brutal but I couldn't look away.
• Nomadland: Raw and just so human and beautiful. It's a must-see.
• Wolfwalkers: I lied this one is at the top or just under Luca.
• Sound of Metal. Brilliant performance by Riz Ahmed.
• Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised): Best documentary. It's on Hulu. Go watch it now.
• Mayday. Such a great film. Beautiful and haunting Indie.
• Ted Lasso on Apple. That is the feel-good TV series of a life-time.

That was a mouthful!

We all had a great Solstice, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. We met up with our friends in an Air Bnb for a few days to celebrate and see each other! It's been two years! They moved up to Washington a few years ago and so we've made an effort to get together at least once a year but then the pandemic... So it was great to see them again. The weather was terrible and the drive even worse but it was worth it. I think we'll try Spring or Fall instead next time!

Our snowed in status all week!
Playing games and getting crazy
Teenagers, anyone? lol

Books read in January:

Where the Dead Go to Die by Aaron Dries and Mark Allan Gunnells/ 2016/ 197 pages/ Kindle
Goodreads Summary:
There are monsters in this world. And they used to be us. Now it's time to euthanize to survive in a hospice where Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible.

Post-infection Chicago. Christmas.

Inside The Hospice, Emily and her fellow nurses do their rounds. Here, men and women live out their final days in comfort, segregated from society, and are then humanely terminated before fate turns them into marrow-craving monsters known as ‘Smilers.’ Outside these imposing walls, rabid protesters swarm with signs, caught up in the heat of their hatred.

Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. But in a world where mortality means nothing, where guns are drawn in fear and nobody seems safe anymore – at what cost will this pursuit come? And through it all, the soon to be dead remain silent, ever smiling. Such is their curse.

This emotional, political novel comes from two of horror’s freshest voices, and puts a new spin on an eternal topic: the undead. In the spirit of George A Romero meets Jack Ketchum, Where the Dead Go to Die it is an unforgettable epilogue to the zombie genre, one that will leave you shaken and questioning right from wrong…even when it’s the only right left.

It won't be long before that snow-speckled ground will be salted by blood.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this take on the zombie genre...what if the incubation time took a really long time to "turn" people into actual brain-eating/wanna-eat-your-flesh creatures? This world it took them a little bit of time to realize this so a lot of almost-zombies died in the process, which upset their families, which in turn upset the politicians, etc. 
We join this world through Emily and her daughter and a special hospice facility where the turned go to live out their last days before they are "humanely killed" before they turn into the zombies we all know and "love." Lots of questions get brought up about what happens if we get too complacent about the monsters under our beds...? 
My only complaints are it was just too short. It really was a small slice into this world and I wanted more, more, and more. Also, the story takes place in the U.S. but the terms were British soooo...that also threw me out of the story. So I was left a bit disappointed overall. But I would still recommend it to anyone who loves a good zombie story. 

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey /2011/ 561 pages/ Paperback
Goodreads Summary:
Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach.

Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for—and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.

Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to the Scopuli and rebel sympathizer Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything.

Holden and Miller must thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations—and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe.
My Thoughts:
This is my third reading. And it is still as good as the other two times. Great start to space opera that is the world of The Expanse. The TV show on Prime is really great as well and the series and the books are both great and different in their own ways. So if you love sci-fi that is more on the dramatic side this one is for you.

Serafina and the Splintered Heart by Robert Beatty/ 2017/ 357 pages/ library
Goodreads Summary:
The storms are coming....

Something has happened to Serafina. She has awoken into a darkness she does not understand, scarred from a terrible battle, only to find that life at Biltmore Estate has changed in unimaginable ways. Old friends do unthinkable things and enemies seem all around.

A mysterious threat moves towards Biltmore, a force without a name, bringing with it violent storms and flooding that stands to uproot everything in its path. Serafina must uncover the truth about what has happened to her and find a way to harness her strange new powers before it's too late.

With only days to achieve the impossible, Serafina fights to reclaim herself as the Guardian of Biltmore, friend of Braeden, daughter of her Pa, and heroine of the Blue Ridge Mountains and all the folk and creatures that call it home.
My Thoughts:
This is the third book in the Serafina series. G and I have been reading them together and we both love them! Serafina and friend Braeden get into all sorts of troubles and this book is no different. Serafina's soul and body have been ripped into pieces by black magic and it's up to her, Braeden, and new friends and old foes to get her back together again and defeat the evil sorcerer. Beatty provides a haunting and beautiful background in the Blue Mountains at the turn of the 20th century. Great characters and mysteries abound. 

T: The Story of Testosterone and How it Dominates and Divides Us by Carole Hooven/ 2021/ 357 pages/ Scribd
Goodreads Summary:
Testosterone: Misunderstood. Mythologized. Controversial.

A Harvard evolutionary biologist debunks the myths and cultural stereotypes surrounding testosterone and reveals its far-reaching effects on gender and sexuality, sports, relationships, and many more aspects of our everyday lives.

The biological source of virility and masculinity has inspired fascination, investigation, and controversy since antiquity. From the eunuchs in the royal courts of ancient China to the booming market for “elixirs” of youth in nineteenth-century Europe, humans have been obsessed with identifying and manipulating what we now know as testosterone. And the trends show no signs of slowing down—the modern market for testosterone supplements is booming. Thanks to this history and the methods of modern science, today we have a rich body of research about testosterone’s effects in both men and women.

The science is clear: testosterone is a major, invisible player in our relationships, sex lives, athletic abilities, childhood play, gender transitions, parenting roles, violent crime, and so much more. But there is still a lot of pushback to the idea that it does, in fact, cause sex differences and significantly influence behavior.

Carole Hooven argues in T that acknowledging testosterone as a potent force in society doesn’t reinforce stifling gender norms or patriarchal values. Testosterone and evolution work together to produce a huge variety of human behavior, and that includes a multitude of ways to be masculine or feminine. Understanding the science sheds light on how we work and relate to one another, how we express anger and love, and how we can fight bias and problematic behavior to build a more fair society.
My Thoughts:
Loved this book. She's very clear and concise. She provides tons of science and the stories behind them. She doesn't have all the answers nor does she try to. But it's an open discussion with the science to begin. One of my favorite science books I've read in a long time.

Pride and Prejudice: An Annotated Edition by Jane Austen and edited by Patricia Meyer Spacks/ 2010/ 442 pages/ Hardcover
Goodreads Summary:
'Vanity, not love, has been my folly'

When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.
My Thoughts:
Reading an annotated edition of Pride and Prejudice was pure joy! So many little insights into the culture and archaic words. And insight into what Austen might have meant with certain phrases or reasons why certain characters may have said or done certain things. Pure joy. This is one that will be reread time and again!
Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey/ 2012/ 595 pages/ Paperback

Goodreads Summary:
We are not alone.

On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a high-level politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting. And on Venus, an alien protomolecule has overrun the planet, wreaking massive, mysterious changes and threatening to spread out into the solar system.

In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun . . .
My Thoughts:
This is the second book in The Expanse series and it's almost as good as the first! Lots of action and two new characters that I love! Yes.

Joining up with Deb from Readerbuzz and her Sunday Salon.

Mini Book Reviews: Broken Harbor...

Faithful Place by Tana French

Published: July 13th, 2010 by Viking

Genre: Mystery

Format: Kindle, 416 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

Back in 1985, Frank Mackey was nineteen, growing up poor in Dublin's inner city and living crammed into a small flat with his family on Faithful Place. But he had his sights set on a lot more. He and his girl, Rosie Daly, were all set to run away to London together, get married, get good jobs, break away from factory work and poverty and their old lives.

But on the winter night when they were supposed to leave, Rosie didn't show. Frank took it for granted that she'd given him the brush-off--probably because of his alcoholic father, nutcase mother, and generally dysfunctional family. He never went home again.

Neither did Rosie. Everyone thought she had gone to England on her own and was over there living a shiny new life. Then, twenty-two years later, Rosie's suitcase shows up behind a fireplace in a derelict house on Faithful Place, and Frank is going home whether he likes it or not.

Getting sucked in is a lot easier than getting out again. Frank finds himself straight back in the dark tangle of relationships he left behind. The cops working the case want him out of the way, in case loyalty to his family and community makes him a liability. Faithful Place wants him out because he’s a detective now, and the Place has never liked cops. Frank just wants to find out what happened to Rosie Daly-and he’s willing to do whatever it takes, to himself or anyone else, to get the job done.

My Thoughts:

Another excellent mystery that's heavily character-driven rather than plot-drive from Ms. French. Her plots don't quite make a lot of sense but I still enjoy my way getting there. Mackey and his family came alive for me. I loved getting a better sense of his history and what has made him tick. I loved her exploration of families. How messy and complicated they are and why. Sometimes I had to set the book down because the dysfunction felt a little too familiar...

Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab

Published: March 2nd, 2021 by Scholastic Press

Genre: Horror, Middle Grade

Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows...unless it's the other way around?

Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while travelling for her parents' TV show.

But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colourful, grisly local legends. And the city's biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.

Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet...

My Thoughts:

This is another fantastic instalment by Schwab. Loved reading about Cass and her antics in New Orleans. How her parents are still clueless about her supernatural abilities. But I love her friendships and how she solves each problem with help. And of course, her kitty is always super cute!

Broken Harbor by Tana French

Published: April 28th, 2013 by Penguin

Genre: Mystery

Format: Hardcover, 450 Pages, Library

Rating: 3.5 stars

Publisher's Summary:

Mick “Scorcher" Kennedy is the star of the Dublin Murder Squad. He plays by the books and plays hard, and that's how the biggest case of the year ends up in his hands.

On one of the half-abandoned "luxury" developments that litter Ireland, Patrick Spain and his two young children have been murdered. His wife, Jenny, is in intensive care. At first, Scorcher thinks it's going to be an easy solve, but too many small things can't be explained: the half-dozen baby monitors pointed at holes smashed in the Spains' walls, the files erased from the family's computer, the story Jenny told her sister about a shadowy intruder slipping past the house's locks. And this neighborhood—once called Broken Harbor—holds memories for Scorcher and his troubled sister, Dina: childhood memories that Scorcher thought he had tightly under control.

My Thoughts:

The plot was a bit better in this one. But...overall, this one wasn't as good as I was hoping but she still knows how to pack a punch. And such a different take from her other books, taking on class and the economic downturn on the global scale but especially in Ireland. I also enjoyed getting to know Scorcher Kennedy that we were introduced to in "Faithful Place." I love that she fleshes everyone out eventually. Everyone's a bit different and I love that she can write them so vividly. It's another great reason to read this series since she doesn't focus on one detective each book. I'd say one of the big explorations in this one is despair and the horrors one can do when there are no lights at the end of the tunnel.

The Secret Place by Tana French

Published: September 2nd, 2014 by Penguin Books

Genre: Mystery

Format: Kindle, 541 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

A year ago a boy was found murdered at a girlsʼ boarding school, and the case was never solved. Detective Stephen Moran has been waiting for his chance to join Dublin’s Murder Squad when sixteen-year-old Holly Mackey arrives in his office with a photo of the boy with the caption: “I KNOW WHO KILLED HIM.” Stephen joins with Detective Antoinette Conway to reopen the case—beneath the watchful eye of Holly’s father, fellow detective Frank Mackey.

With the clues leading back to Holly’s close-knit group of friends, to their rival clique, and to the tangle of relationships that bound them all to the murdered boy, the private underworld of teenage girls turns out to be more mysterious and more dangerous than the detectives imagined.

My Thoughts:

French takes on teen girls in an upper crust boarding school. While the dialogues of the teens weren't especially convincing, the emotions were. And the plot. This is one where I could see it. It seemed plausible. And I just learned French puts a bit of supernatural stuff into each of her books based off of Celtic myth/folklore. This book had it the most abundant, which wasn't my favorite. But overall, I liked the plot and the teen emotions exploration. I wasn't a big fan of the detectives...but they came through in the end. 

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

Published: April 2nd, 2019 by Harper Voyager

Genre: Sci-fi, Horror

Format: Kindle, 432 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

A thrilling, atmospheric debut with the intensive drive of The Martian and Gravity and the creeping dread of Annihilation, in which a caver on a foreign planet finds herself on a terrifying psychological and emotional journey for survival.

When Gyre Price lied her way into this expedition, she thought she’d be mapping mineral deposits, and that her biggest problems would be cave collapses and gear malfunctions. She also thought that the fat paycheck—enough to get her off-planet and on the trail of her mother—meant she’d get a skilled surface team, monitoring her suit and environment, keeping her safe. Keeping her sane.

Instead, she got Em.

Em sees nothing wrong with controlling Gyre’s body with drugs or withholding critical information to “ensure the smooth operation” of her expedition. Em knows all about Gyre’s falsified credentials, and has no qualms using them as a leash—and a lash. And Em has secrets, too . . .

As Gyre descends, little inconsistencies—missing supplies, unexpected changes in the route, and, worst of all, shifts in Em’s motivations—drive her out of her depths. Lost and disoriented, Gyre finds her sense of control giving way to paranoia and anger. On her own in this mysterious, deadly place, surrounded by darkness and the unknown, Gyre must overcome more than just the dangerous terrain and the Tunneler which calls underground its home if she wants to make it out alive—she must confront the ghosts in her own head.

My Thoughts:

This was gripping! I read this for April's Spring Into Horror readathon and boy oh boy. It delivered. Sci-fi horror that can make me feel claustrophobic. It felt like a combo of Alien and The Descent. Two of my fave horror films of all-time. And add in some lesbian romance and boom. I really enjoyed this one. There were only a couple of places where it dragged but overall an engaging story and one I wouldn't mind returning to.

Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi

Published: October 2010 by Leisure Books

Genre: Horror

Format: Kindle, 448 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

Soon after Travis and his wife move into their new house by the lake, he becomes convinced the house is haunted. Is it the ghost of a child who was murdered there years before - or is there a deeper mystery?

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by Malfi. I also read this one for my Spring Into Horror readathon. I'll definitely be returning to another of his books soon. 

Travis and his wife move into a secluded home by his brother. He soon becomes convinced the house is haunted. He begins to become obsessed with the house, the history, and the ghost. As he delves in, it brings up his own baggage from when he was a child and the death of his little brother. I really enjoyed the exploration of grief and obsession. How do we process all of that? It's one of the reasons I love horror. We can explore all of this stuff in interesting ways. 

*all images taken from Goodreads.com

Read in part for Spring Into Horror Readathon.

Mini Book Reviews: Akata Witch...

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

Published: April 4th, 2011 by Viking Children's

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Format: Paperback, 349 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars 

Publisher's Summary:

Akata Witch transports the reader to a magical place where nothing is quite as it seems. Born in New York, but living in Aba, Nigeria, twelve-year old Sunny is understandably a little lost. She is albino and thus, incredibly sensitive to the sun. All Sunny wants to do is be able to play football and get through another day of school without being bullied. But once she befriends Orlu and Chichi, Sunny is plunged in to the world of the Leopard People, where your worst defect becomes your greatest asset. Together, Sunny, Orlu, Chichi and Sasha form the youngest ever Oha Coven. Their mission is to track down Black Hat Otokoto, the man responsible for kidnapping and maiming children. Will Sunny be able to overcome the killer with powers stronger than her own, or will the future she saw in the flames become reality?

My Thoughts:

I read this one a loud with G. I had read this one a few years ago before the second one in the series had come out and so I decided this would be a fun one to read with G. He wasn't disappointed. I love how Sunny embodies both cultures of being a black American and also an Igbo-speaking Nigerian. We loved watching Sunny befriend Orlu and Chichi and Sasha and how they finally work together and use their magic to save the world. Okorafor is not afraid to treat kids like they know things. Kids can handle all sorts of stuff and she's excellent at bringing really hard things into her books without getting too graphic age inappropriate. Her world-building of magic is phenomenal and she definitely doesn't skim on her characters. We just started the second book Akata Warrior!

Hide and Seeker by Daka Hermon

Published: September 15th, 2020 by Scholastic Press

Genre: Horror, Juvenile Fiction

Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages, Library

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

One of our most iconic childhood games receives a creepy twist as it becomes the gateway to a nightmare world.

I went up the hill, the hill was muddy, stomped my toe and made it bloody, should I wash it?

Justin knows that something is wrong with his best friend. Zee went missing for a year. And when he came back, he was . . . different. Nobody knows what happened to him. At Zee's welcome home party, Justin and the neighborhood crew play Hide and Seek. But it goes wrong. Very wrong.

One by one, everyone who plays the game disappears, pulled into a world of nightmares come to life. Justin and his friends realize this horrible place is where Zee had been trapped. All they can do now is hide from the Seeker.

*I also read this one as part of my I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge hosted by Michelle at Castle Macabre as part of the Monster Prompt.

My Thoughts:

This is a truly creepy little book about the Hide and Seek monster that will still children away if they break any of the rules. I don't remember playing hide and seek quite like this as a kid but it's a universal game, which really adds to the creep factor. The book also uses the monster to help the kids deal with grief and trauma. One of the reasons I love horror. It's a perfect genre to do that with.

Before the Ever After by Jaqueline Woodson

Published: September 1st, 2020 by Nancy Paulson Books

Genre: Fiction, Juvenile Fiction

Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages, Library

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher's Summary:

For as long as ZJ can remember, his dad has been everyone's hero. As a charming, talented pro football star, he's as beloved to the neighborhood kids he plays with as he is to his millions of adoring sports fans. But lately life at ZJ's house is anything but charming. His dad is having trouble remembering things and seems to be angry all the time. ZJ's mom explains it's because of all the head injuries his dad sustained during his career. ZJ can understand that--but it doesn't make the sting any less real when his own father forgets his name. As ZJ contemplates his new reality, he has to figure out how to hold on tight to family traditions and recollections of the glory days, all the while wondering what their past amounts to if his father can't remember it. And most importantly, can those happy feelings ever be reclaimed when they are all so busy aching for the past?

My Thoughts:

Heart-breaking! Woodson's way with words is beautiful and sad, poignant, for sure. What is the cost of loving American football so much? This is a look at the tragedies so many families have endured with regards to playing this very dangerous sport from the eyes of a child. It's a must-read.

Mini Book Reviews: The Year of the Witching...

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Published: July 21st, 2020 by Ace

Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction

Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages, Library

Rating: 4 stars

My Thoughts:

Immanuelle shouldn't even exist. Her mother's union with an outsider was considered blasphemy. Her father was killed at the stake before she was born and her mother died giving birth to her. She lives with her grandfather and his three wives and their children. Her religion is one of absolute obedience to the Prophet and disobedience is punished severely. The woods are strictly forbidden since that is where Lillith and her witches were cast out long ago in a great religious war. But Immanuelle is drawn to those woods and one night she enters them and soon after the plagues are unleashed. It's up to her to find out why and how to stop them. And through this all she begins to question her religious leaders and their intentions....

Fascinating story and world. I'd love to hear more about the world Immanuelle lives in. All that rich history of goddess and god magic and sorcery and visions is exciting and different. I really hope Henderson tells more stories in this world. I do feel the pacing was a bit off in some spots and some of the things that happen seemed a bit unrealistic or brushed over...but it's a small complaint. I can't wait to read more from Alexis Henderson. Fantastic world-building and characters. It was a fun and exciting spooky and feminist-leaning read for Halloween time.

The Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

Published: April 7th, 2020 by Scholastic

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Paranormal

Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages, Library

Rating: 4 stars

My Thoughts:

When Lucely and her best friend Syd accidentally cast a spell that summons malicious spirits they must join forces with Syd's with grandma Babbette, her cat Chunk, and Lucely's ancestor ghosts to stop them and save their town St. Augustine.

My son and I really enjoyed the mystery and friendship and folklore all on display here. Chunk was a favorite with both of us. Cutest fat kitty ever! And super helpful. I also really enjoyed Lucely and Syd's friendship. They were supportive and loyal and it felt really genuine. It's also a fun ghost story for Halloween time.

Wonderland by Zoje Stage

Published: July 14th, 2020 by Mulholland Books

Genre: Horror

Format: Hardcover, 354 Pages, Library

Rating: 3 stars

My Thoughts:

I really liked the storyline. The Bennett family is fleeing the New York City way of life to hunker down in the middle of nowhere where the Bennett patriarch will create his artistic masterpieces. But Orla misses everything about her old life where she was a ballet dancer until her injury. When they get to their house in the middle of the woods, everything starts to feel off. Strange weather occurs. Her nine-year-old daughter also feels something strange from a large tree in the back of their property. Even her husband starts to become obsessed with painting this tree. What's this strange force that has taken ahold of her family?

A great premise but the execution wasn't there for me. The story slogged in parts and I felt like one part of the book happened too quickly and didn't know where to go from there. The ending felt a bit rushed but overall it was satisfying. I liked it. It had a great atmosphere and mood and isolation about it that felt creepy. But overall, I didn't love it and wished the pacing was a bit better. I do now want to read her first novel "Baby Teeth," though. She's a great writer and look forward to more from her.

Mini Book Reviews: Charlie and the Grandmothers, Pumpkinheads...

Charlie and the Grandmothers by Katy Towell

Published: August 4th, 2015 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy, Horror

Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages, Library

Rating: 4 stars

My Thoughts:

Charlie and his more adventurous sister soon realize something is very fishy when the kids in their neighborhood start visiting grandparents they've never met and for some reason they never return. So when their mother starts talking of sending them both to visit a pair of grandmothers they've never even heard of, Charlie knows something is wrong. And when they finally get there it's up to him to figure out how to save his sister and save them all.

I really enjoyed this one. We see Charlie grow and step up and figure things out. The grandmothers are super creepy and the world Towell builds is dark and delicious. Both my son and I enjoyed reading this one together in October for a spooky reading month and this one fit the bill.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

Published: August 27th, 2019 by First Second

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult

Format: Paperback, 209 Pages, Library

Rating: 5 stars

My Thoughts:

Deja and Josiah are best friends while they work at the world's greatest pumpkin patch every fall in Omaha, Nebraska. It's their last night ever working at the pumpkin patch since they're both going off to college next year. Can they make their last shift a night of adventure? Taste all the yummy foods? See all the sights? And maybe even Josiah can finally talk to the girl he's always had a crush on? Who know?

I want to go to this pumpkin patch! It's fictional but it's also based on the real pumpkin patch in Omaha, Nebraska. The illustrations are scrumptious. The characters are adorable. Deja is my favorite! And where their adventure takes them by the end of the night was a place I was super excited about by the end. Perfect fall read to cozy up to and imagine the world as a sane place.

Where the Woods End by Charlotte Salter

Published: August 14th, 2018 by Dial

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy, Horror

Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages, Library

Rating: 5 stars

My Thoughts:

Kestrel lives in a dark and foreboding forest where no one leaves and the forest and its creatures are not so friendly. Her father hunts wolves and is almost never around. Her mother is an evil witch. And she even let her own grandmother die by a Grabber. Her only friends are a blood-thirsty weasel named Pippit and one boy from the village who lives in the trees. Her only task is hunting the Grabbers and the villagers despise her for it. What happens when her own Grabber comes for her? Can she find a way out of the forest and save herself and the village?

I loved, I mean absolutely loved this dark and twisted fairy tale. It's a true fantasy-horror. Dark things happen to Kestrel and her family. The way Kestrel makes mistakes and learns from them is truly heart-warming. It's dark but it's full of hope. There are so many questions and there aren't a lot of answers but that's what makes a fantastic world. Not everything is explained but that's OK. You can imagine something or just dive into this creepy and horrible world but it makes sense and it's well-built. And then you throw in some great characters and you have an almost perfect combination. Both my son and I adored this book. It's perfect for Halloween, fall, winter time to just curl up and read.

Nightbooks by J.A. White

Published: July 24th, 2018 by Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy, Horror

Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages, Library

Rating: 5 stars

My Thoughts:

Alex gathers his nightbooks and heads down to the basement of his apartment building in order to destroy them but the elevator doesn't stop at the basement; it stops a few floors up. He wonders over to some sounds and lights flickering and notices that his favorite movie "Night of the Living Dead" is playing on TV. He just can't resist. He asks the lady in the apartment if he can watch with her and as soon as he steps inside...It's a trap. The witch Natacha has kidnapped him she needs his scary stories to keep her magical apartment working. Together with Yasmin, another kidnapped child, they must figure out how to escape.

My son and I loved the creepy factor. It's a retelling of the Scheherazade story from Arabian Nights and we get to hear all sorts of creepy short stories. It also weaves lots of writing how-tos and how to get rid of writer's block. So it's great for budding writers! We also get some Grimm Fairy Tales as well and it all comes together at the end. Another fantastic find for the Halloween season.

Mini Book Reviews: Solutions and Other Problems, Tunnel of Bones...

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

Published: October 10th, 2020 by Alfred A. Knopf

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Format: Paperback, 519 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

My Thoughts:

The series gets a solid 4 stars for me. But this particular book was very slow in the beginning. But it picked up halfway through and carried us on. But I'll be honest I did not like the ending as much as I was hoping. It felt like Pullman didn't quite know how to end such a grand series and world and so it just kind of felt like hmmmf. Also, the implication of how one's daemon might not change anymore was not great. He never said for everyone but that was implied. The implications of that are a bit harried and I don't think he thought much about it beyond his characters.

But despite those misgivings it's a fantastic series. So very clever, full of philosophy about life and death and religion and power and agency. It's a true classic and am so glad I read it with G. We had lots to discuss.

The Beauty in Breaking: A Memoir by Michele Harper

Published: July 7th, 2020 by Riverhead Books

Genre: Memoir, Nonfiction, Medicine

Format: Audiobook, 7 hours, 46 minutes, Library

Rating: 3.5 stars

My Thoughts:

I really liked this one. She has a very unique perspective has a Black woman physician working in emergency medicine. Her childhood was heartbreaking and her desire to heal her patients is truly inspirational. She doesn't shy away from microaggressions at work or with patients.

I also found inspirational the ways she was able to heal herself so she could go on trying to heal others. She maintained healthy boundaries with her abusive father but always with the option of healing and forgiving on her own terms.

The only thing that brought it down was the way she talked about holistic healing in conjunction with medicine. While I agree a lot that if everyone had access to basic medical care and could make a living wage with one job this would be a good way to help people manage their stress and take care of themselves. But it felt a little bit like because I can do it (meditate, yoga retreats, acupuncture, self care top priority outside of work) then anyone can. Maybe she actually wouldn't say that, I doubt she would but that is what it felt like to me. If she had talked about how these things helped her personally and kept it at that I would have found it more appealing and honest.

But overall, it's a beautiful memoir and her experiences are priceless. I also listened to the author read the book and she did great! I highly recommend the audio.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Published: July 14th, 2020 by Gallery/Saga Press

Genre: Horror

Format: Kindle, 310 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

My Thoughts:

This was a trip! I loved it. The only thing I didn't love was how little I got to know some of the characters before the end. Take Lewis. I felt like he focused the most on him. And his horror story was the most twisted of all but it's only in the first half. But the ending is spot on and made everything come together. It's a gory and twisted and yet hopeful and poignant story. Even if horror isn't your thing I still feel like this is one to read. Jones an American Indian and he knows how to weave this tale that brings race, land, and colonialism all into view. 

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

Published: September 3rd, 2019 by Scholastic Press

Genre: Horror, Juvenile Fiction

Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages, Library

Rating: 4 stars

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the Cassidy Blake series. The first was in Edenborough, Scotland and this one is in Paris! The catacombs take front and center and are they ever creepy. Cassidy and best friend Jacob (who's a ghost) want to keep out of trouble as they tour the Catacombs but Cassidy accidentally disturbs a poltergeist, a ghost who's forgotten who he or she is. They're more powerful and you need to get them to remember who they are and how they died before you can send them on to the "light."

I loved reading about Cassidy in Paris and how she worked through the mystery of the poltergeist. It's a sad tale and we find out more about Jacob as well. Schwab always handles the tough stuff with aplomb. 

G also read this one. He couldn't remember the first one from last year so he read that one and then this one. Loved them both and can't wait til the third one comes out in March. He also hopes the next one will feature more of Grim their fluffy black cat!

Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh

Published: September 22nd, 2020 by Gallery Books

Genre: Graphic Novel, Funny, Nonfiction, Memoir

Format: Hardcover, 518 Pages, Own

Rating: 5 stars

My Thoughts:

Allie Brosh keeps it raw, real and humorous. I haven't read something that makes me so sad and happy at the same time. She writes about the death of her sister and it's truly devastating. But it's also real and vulnerable. We've all been there with those who have died before their time and we love them.

Her story about her sister and her sister's best friend is disturbing and beautiful. We get to hear about the Hammer Guy next door and how she takes revenge! And guided meditation and the employees at the grocery store will never be the same for me again!

If you loved her first one you'll love this one. And if you haven't read Hyperbole and a Half go get it now and then this one. You're welcome.