Cover Runway Sunday

 

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon!

When Springville residents—at least the ones still alive—are questioned about what happened on prom night, they all have the same explanation . . . Maddy did it.

An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she's dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington.

After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High's racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school's first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it's possible to have a normal life.

But some of her classmates aren't done with her just yet. And what they don't know is that Maddy still has another secret . . . one that will cost them all their lives.

 

HAPPY READING!!

House of Slaughter Vol 1 - Review

Author: James Tynion IV

Genre: Horror / Graphic Novel 

Format: Paperback

Pages: 144

THIS! THIS!! I've been so excited about this. Listen I know we didn't get a lot of Aaron Slaughter in the original series, but we got enough that I quickly fell for him. I've always been a sucker for sad side characters. And, there was something about the way they spoke, and handled, Erica that had me wondering a bit about their back story.

So I was beyond excited that Aaron Slaughter was finally getting his own story.

This did not disappoint. Aaron isn't like the other kids in the Order. He isn't a robot, he feels on a level that none of the other initiates. It's a nice foreshadowing that between him and Erica they are going to change the way the Order function.

It does however deepen the pain of the fact that Aaron is dead. Though, maybe, just maybe he's not as dead as we think. Doubtful, but now there is a shred of hope.

Honestly, I liked this just as much as the original series. It was nice to get to see more into the inner working of the Order. This first volume did leave me with some questions. Like what really happened to the House of Butcher. Did the Order slaughter them all?

Order, did they kill themselves with all the in-fighting?

I definitely think the Dragon could have done it. Though he seems to have a soft spot for Erica, he gives me creepy uncle vibes.

House of Slaughters has everything that I love about Something is Killing the Children. With the bonus of seeing little Aaron grow into the man, we see in the first series.

My only complaint about this series is a personal one. I had a little bit of trouble keeping track of the timeline. Because this story jumps back and forth between fifteen years. Every so often the panels would jump and I'd get a little flip turned around. But, that was probably more of my thing, than a continuity problem.

Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'd love to get more of teenage Aaron. Even more so see what happened to Jace after the "death" of Aaron.

HAPPY READING!!

Something is Killing the Children Vol 4 - Review

Author: James Tynion IV

Genre: Horror / Graphic Novel 

Format: Paperback

Pages: 144

I am in love with this series, and I always seem to forget from one volume to the next how much I love Erica Slaughter. Beyond thrilled that this series is continuing not that the first story has wrapped. While that story did have a firm conclusion, I was left with so many questions.

While not all of them got answered in this volume, some did. Because we finally got a look into how Erica became a part of the Order of St. George. 

In the first storyline, Tynion has us sort of an abridged version of Erica's past. Little teaser if you will that was dolled out to help get other children to trust her.

But, this dived deep into just how Erica joined the Order of St. George and the women who saved, and I use that term very loosely, her. It sets her up to become the women we met in the first volume.

I was hooked with this series straight out of the gate. Tynion's storytelling is top-notch, and I just want to dive into the mythology of this order and the creatures they create. The artists he uses are also amazing and help set the scene for the horror that Tynion's story creates. 

This isn't just something you read, it's something you dive into. Every panel adds just a little more to the story with little details. I'm obsessed with this series, and I cannot wait for October when the next volume comes out!

But, first I need to deep dive into the side series about Aaron Slaughter, Erica's rival and brother-in-arms!

HAPPY READING!!

Duped! - Review

Author: Andreas Schroeder

Genre: Nonfiction / Graphic Novel

Format: Hardback

Pages: 196

I was cruising through the True Crime section at one of the branches of my library, as one does. When this title caught my eye, along with the fun artwork on the cover. I was really excited to read it because, with a quick look at the table of contents, I actually heard of a lot of these "cons".

This book kind of hit the middle of the road for me. 

On the one hand, I did learn some really great historic fun facts that I never knew. I loved that this was actually geared for younger readers. And, the little comics and pop-ups throughout the chapter were a lot of fun. In fact, they kept the book from getting completely dry.

However, on the other hand, it was a little dry. While this is a short book, and I figured it would a quick read, it really wasn't. Maybe it was my expectations of the book. I figured this would be a fun re-telling of these stories. Maybe a bit like Drunk History. It was not. Instead, it was something I might read in middle school history.

After one chapter I found myself done with the book for the day. While I learned something new and kind of cool. I felt like I'd just spent the last hour being talked out.

So I was a bit disappointed in this one. I'm glad I snagged it from the library because it has one of those titles and covers I would have snapped right up at the bookstore.

Yeah, didn't hate it, but it was just okay.

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

Helen Vaughan doesn't know why she and her mother left their ancestral home at Harrowstone Hall, called Harrow, or why they haven't spoken to their extended family since. So when her grandfather dies, she's shocked to learn that he has left everything—the house, the grounds, and the money—to her. The inheritance comes with one condition: she must stay on the grounds of Harrow for one full year, or she'll be left with nothing.

There is more at stake than money. For as long as she can remember, Harrow has haunted Helen's dreams—and now those dreams have become a waking nightmare. Helen knows that if she is going to survive the year, she needs to uncover the secrets of Harrow. Why is the house built like a labyrinth? What is digging the holes that appear in the woods each night? And why does the house itself seem to be making her sick?

With each twisted revelation, Helen questions what she knows about Harrow, her family, and even herself. She no longer wonders if she wants to leave…but if she can.

Why I'm Waiting: I really liked Our Last Echoes so I'm excited to pick up another book by this author!

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

Dive into this revealing portrait of Stranger Things fan favorite Lucas Sinclair and get to know Lucas like never before.

The thrilling adventure of Stranger Things continues where season three left off, with fan-favorite Lucas Sinclair finally telling his own story in his own words.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

  

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon!

MEET THE CURE FOR THE HUMAN DISEASE

In an isolated chateau, as far north as north goes, the baron’s doctor has died. The doctor’s replacement has a mystery to solve: discovering how the Institute lost track of one of its many bodies.

For hundreds of years, the Interprovincial Medical Institute has grown by taking root in young minds and shaping them into doctors, replacing every human practitioner of medicine. The Institute is here to help humanity, to cure and to cut, to cradle and protect the species from the apocalyptic horrors their ancestors unleashed.

In the frozen north, the Institute's body will discover a competitor for its rung at the top of the evolutionary ladder. A parasite is spreading through the baron's castle, already a dark pit of secrets, lies, violence, and fear. The two will make war on the battlefield of the body. Whichever wins, humanity will lose again.

HAPPY READING!!

Final Girl A Thon

I finally get to use this GIF! So this read-a-thon is being hosted by @overlyshelfaware on Instagram. A lot of things drew my attention to this read-a-thon: I haven't been doing a lot of reading this month, I love 80's and 90's slashers, and I'm going on vacation next week. The added bonus was being able to use this GIF! 

So this Final Girl kicks off tomorrow! I kind of know which book I'm going to pick up first, maybe. We'll see if I'm still swaying that way after work. I definitely do not read fast enough to clear this BINGO board, I'll honestly be lucky if I get one single BINGO! But, already I've added more books to my TBR. And, I'll have an endless supply of things to read on vacation next week.

These are just the books I have on hand. I'm not above adding ebooks to my phone through my library app. But really this stack is already a lot for one week for me. I'm also really excited to see what everyone else is going to read. So if you're joining along, leave a comment below on which book you are most excited to read, and which of the bonus points your going to try to hit. 

I'm going to try to sneak some of the scary movies into family movie night over the next week!

HAPPY READING!!

Tomb of Ybwen - Review

Author: Greg Pak

Genre: Horror / Young Adult

Format: Paperback

Pages: 96

At this point in time, I don't want to talk about the end of season four. It just broke my heart into a thousand tiny pieces. So in an attempt to make myself feel better, I added this gem to my collection. Now, I've read a few of the tie-ins to the show in the last, I refuse to do the math, it'll also cause me pain. But, this is the second graphic novel tie I've picked up. The first was the first season told from Will's point of view. Which was good. I remember liking it. So when I saw my local comic book store had this one, I didn't think twice about snagging a copy.

First, I love the fact they tied this not only to season three of Stranger Things but there are so many Goonies moments sprinkled inside. Goonies was a childhood favorite of mine and it's one of my go-to I feel like crap movies. So I loved that this combined two of my favorite things.

The most important thing is this is all about Will who I feel is one of the most underused characters since really season one. I feel like all of his trauma was sort of just swept under the rug in the shows, and he was forced to just get over it. So it was nice to get to see him mourn Bob's death and just generally not be alright. It was also nice to see him get a little bit closer throughout this all series. Because honestly in the show I feel like he hasn't really gotten a lot of that.

I felt like the characters were spot on from the show. Sometimes with the tie-ins, characters don't always feel the same, And, that makes it hard to get through. That's been my biggest issue with other Stranger Things tie-ins, the characters had felt a little flat and not like the personalities the actor gives them in the show. This wasn't a problem for me here. Kudos to Pak for delivering on that.

The artwork really sold me on being able to fall back into season three. I don't know how did the panels for this got them so close to life-like, but it was cool. Creepy at times, but cool all the same. They got Mike and Dustin's facial expressions almost perfect. Though Big Brother Byers might have been the most realistic of them all, and it threw for a loop in the like one, or two, panels he was in.

All in all, this was a solid read and a lot of fun. I haven't been much in a reading mode this month. Lots of work-related stress, but this was the perfect way to take my mind off all that. It was nice to go back to before the show was killing off characters I love, and throwing pieces of my heart into the wind.

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

The Victims . . .

When pregnant Saffron Cutler moves into 9 Skelton Place with boyfriend Tom and sets about renovations, the last thing she expects is builders uncovering human remains. The remains of two bodies, in fact.

The Investigation . . .

Forensics indicate the bodies have been buried for at least thirty years. Saffy has nothing to worry about--until the police launch a murder inquiry and ask to speak to the cottage's former owner. Her grandmother, Rose.

The Witness . . .

Rose is in a nursing home and Alzheimer's means her memory is increasingly confused. She can't help the police, but it's clear she remembers something.

The Killer . . .

As Rose's fragmented memories resurface, and the police dig ever deeper, Saffy fears she and the cottage are being watched.

The Truth . . .

What happened thirty years ago? Why did no one miss the victims? What part did her grandmother play? And is Saffy now in danger?

Why I'm Waiting: Bodies in the wall, a possible missed serial killer, and the main character named Saffy, yeah I'm all in.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

“Come home.” Vera’s mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of the memories -- she's come back to the home of a serial killer. Back to face the love she had for her father and the bodies he buried there.

Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren’t alone. A parasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back and is slowly stripping Vera’s childhood for spare parts. He insists that he isn’t the one leaving notes around the house in her father’s handwriting… but who else could it possibly be?

There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them, and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

  

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon!

Welcome to the United States of Cryptids, where mysterious monsters lurk in the dark forests, deep lakes, and sticky swamps of all fifty states. From the infamous Jersey Devil to the obscure Snallygaster, travel writer and chronicler of the strange J. W. Ocker not only uncovers the bizarre stories of these creatures but investigates the ways in which communities have embraced and celebrated their local cryptids.

HAPPY READING!!

Book Mail

Well hello there! I'm back again to share another "Bookstagram Made Me Do It" post that absolutely no one asked for! A while back I kept seeing this book everywhere and being a sucker for the sub-genre of summer camp horror, I was already all in. Now that summer is in full swing, and the Final Girl A Thon is right around the corner, I thought it was finally time to add this book to my collection. I cannot wait to open this one while I'm on vacation. It just screams, read me on the plane!

I can't decide what I want this book to be. A part of me wants it to be as creepy as its cover, sleep with the light on at my Air BnB. Another part of me wants it to be like the movie Sleep Away Camp because that movie is a gem. Either way, I can't wait for this one. In fact, it might be my first read of the Final Girl A Thon!

What's everyone else's favorite summertime read?

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

Gianna is the average seventeen-year-old girl living in 1918 New Orleans. She worries about her family's store, the great war, and a mysterious illness that's about to take hold of the city she loves.

It doesn't help that there also appears to be a mad man on the loose in her neighborhood. The attacks started as burglaries but soon escalate to cold-blooded murder. There's a killer out there, and the police can't seem to figure out how to stop him.

Gianna enlists the help of her friend Enzo to investigate. And as they study the crimes, they see a common link between the victims, and Gianna can't help but wonder if it's the same man who attacked her family years before.

As Gianna gets closer to the killer, she discovers a connection between them that she never would have suspected. 

Why I'm Waiting: The 1918 Axman murders it's a weird case that may, or may not, have been connected to several other ax murders. So I'm interested to see what angle this book takes.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

A fun and informative handbook for young readers on understanding and caring for our feline friends from the kid behind the popular Twitter account I’ve Pet That Cat!

Pet That Cat! A Handbook for Making Feline Friends is an illustrated guide to understanding, befriending, and caring for cats by Nigel Kidd and his mom, Rachel Braunigan.

This fact-filled and fun guide features:
• A guide to cat body language—what does it mean when your cat’s tail looks like a question mark or is puffed up?
• Helpful tips on how to safely interact with new feline friends. Hint: Let them approach first!
• Advice for adopting and caring for your own cat. Choose the perfect cat for you!
• Stories of cats throughout history and myth-busting facts—did you know every cat has a unique noseprint?
• A cat personality quiz and your very own Cat Tracker to record all the feline friends you meet!

This kid-friendly handbook pairs charming illustrations with an interactive format. With step-by-step guides, fascinating stories, and tips from cat experts and Nigel, Pet That Cat! is a must-have handbook for feline fans of all ages.

And for dog-lovers and kids curious about dogs, check out Pet That Dog! A Handbook for Making Four-Legged Friends.

Thanks to Quirk Books I was able to read Pet That Cat! early! You can see my review here!

HAPPY READING!!

I Know What You Did Last Summer - Review

Author: Lois Duncan

Genre: Horror / Young Adult

Format: Paperback

Pages: 240

Okay, I read this years ago, way back in my junior high years. In fact, I read through several of Duncan's books that year, and I remember loving this one. I remember loving all of Lois Duncan's books, but this one was my favorite. So when I found this copy on sale at Book Outlet, with this really excellent cover, there wasn't a second thought when I added it to my cart. Adult me couldn't wait to go back and read this again after so long.

Now I can definitely see why I liked this book twenty years ago. Little me was just starting to learn to the really spooky stuff, breaking out the Goosebumps hold and into scarier books, TV, and movies. So I see what the younger version of me loved so much about this book.

Older me, older me was a little underwhelmed with this one. So much so that I had a hard time finishing the last fifty, or so, pages. While I had forgotten about ninety percent of this book, the second the bad guy was introduced I clocked them. Knew they were the ones behind it all. The only thing I didn't connect was how the do-er connected to Julie and Helen. 

I hated all four of the main characters in this book. Barry is a tool, like his photo is in the dictionary under the word tool. I don't think I've been so excited to see a character get shot before. Like I did a little dance when it happened. Helen is vapid as hell, I understand why her sister hates her. I hated her. No, because she was the "pretty" one of the "dumb" one. Because she let herself get so wrapped in making Barry the biggest part of who she was, and her future. Hard pass. Julie had zero spine in this book, zero. I will die on that hill. Same for Ray, and he was a possessive ass who needed to step off. Screw your pact do the right thing, or suck it up and live with your guilt. But, I hated the whining and the loyalty speeches. 

I rolled my eyes so much that I'm shocked they didn't stay that way.

Now that little rant over, I Know What Your Did Last Summer isn't a bad book. A version of me liked this book, a younger version of me. Personally, I think this is one of those books that were written with younger readers a hundred percent in mind, and now that I've grown as a reader this doesn't appeal to me anymore. Doesn't make it a bad book, just means this is no longer for me. It's easy to see what this book turned into a movie. There is a lot of potential in the story, and this is a rare one where I really liked the movie over the book.

Julie from the movie version is one of my favorite final girls. Julie from the book is kind of terrible.

I also want to mention that this book has been updated since the original that came out in the '70s. Duncan when through and modernized the story, adding cellphones and changing the war our villain just came home from. Small details that new young readers would be able to connect with in a way that they may not have with the original story. I thought that was really cool that she did that. Small little touches to keep the story alive with a new generation. 

So not a terrible read, just not what I thought it was going to be off my memory of how much I loved this at one time. It did however remind me how much I love this movie, so that will be happening in my future soon.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

  

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon!

Arthur Crazy is drunk and seeing ghosts.

This is not a metaphor. The dead are walking and talking, and it doesn't matter that Arthur doesn't believe in them. They believe in him.

Too drunk to recall how he stumbled upon his nascent power, Arthur is burdened with newfound responsibility: he’s the only one who can hear the unfinished business of every dead guy in York, and he’s the only one who can help.

As forgotten legends and lost demons stir all over the cobbled streets and snickleways, Arthur finds himself at the center of an unfolding mystery—a light in the desert, a fart at a funeral—and he is about to discover that an unfortunate surname isn't the only thing that makes him stand out.

Arthur just wants to sober up, have a kebab, and go home, but his conscience is knocking loud and clear, demanding he open the damn door. He may not be the hero the dead need, but he’s the one they’re stuck with. Besides, one of those ghosts seems kind of cute.

HAPPY READING!!

The United States of Cryptid - Review

Author: J.W. Ocker

Genre: Supernatural

Format: e-Book

Pages: 288

Huge thanks to Quirk Books and Netgalley for an early release copy of The United States of Cryptids for my honest review!

This was so much fun! I took my time to read this one. A couple of chapters every night before bed or in the afternoon. I really liked that Ocker split the book up into sections starting with the East Coast and heading West. It allowed for some stories to cross over into each region, but it never felt like as a reader we got stuck on a specific cryptid. Because there is so much Bigfoot, everywhere. It also made the story feel like a journey, a road trip as we stopped to learn about each of these monsters.

Normally I'm not a big notetaker while I read. Occasionally I highlight a funny line, or a quick though so I don't forget for the review. But, with this book, I took down so many notes and thoughts as I read along. I think part of it has to do with the fact I love Ocker's narration throughout the book, never taking themselves too seriously just enjoying what their writing. It was just random thought that popped while I was reading that I felt I needed to jot down, and the app I read this had a note-taking funtion.

On top of taking notes, I did a lot of Googling as I read. The artwork found throughout the book is great because not all of these cryptids have normal forms So it was great to get an of what people thought they saw, and a lovely little shock to just scroll down and a strange creature was looking at you. But, a handful of these stories had footage involved with their stories. So I would Google that after the chapter, or look up the photos that were taken. Which was fun, mostly creepy, but fun.

I did get to thinking with this book about the biggest time period of people seeing these cryptids, and it left me with some thoughts. That maybe we don't see so many cryptids encounters these days because of the advancements in technology and TV Shows. The world doesn't seem too big and vast these days, and so many people are quick with the need to debunk stories attached to cryptids. Personally, I liked the idea that these things are out there somewhere. Like there's still a bit of magic in the world, and only a lucky, frightened, few have gotten to see it. Maybe it's silly because a part of me can definitely sit down and rationalize what those people probably saw. 

But, where's the fun in that. I like the idea of the monster under the bed or these cases mostly in the woods.

What makes this book stand out is how much fun Ocker seemed to have as they wrote it. This was something shared with Ocker's family, well researched, and never taking itself too seriously. Even stories that had proven a hoax were included in this book. Because they're still a good story, a good legend to be told around a campfire. It was fun to read because it felt like Ocker had a blast researching for it. And, I don't think there was a part that didn't enjoy.

No that's a lie, my least favorite story was the grey aliens. Only that doesn't have anything to with Ocker and everything to with the fact the idea of grey aliens creeps me right out. Not a fan. My favorite story was Sinkhole Sam, but I grew up on stories of Sam since I was born and raised in Kansas. So I was beyond thrilled to him make the pages of this work. The Thunderbird is also a favorite of mine. And, the weirdest story by a mile was the Slide-Rock Bolter. I had to read that story twice to make sure what I thought I read, was what I actually read. Because what?!

This book was great and I cannot thank Quirk Books enough for letting me snag it early! This will definitely be one I buy to add to my shelves! The Unitest States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters will go on sale on September 27 of this year!

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that have yet to be released but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

Spike just wants to enjoy the spoils of his new badass reputation. He’s now a legendary slayer-killer, and he’s returning to London―the greatest city in the world. Unfortunately, his new abode is far from ideal (mostly a dank basement), and the rest of his strange little “family” is reeling from the fact that their patriarch, Angel, abandoned them. Spike’s love, Drusilla, seems especially heartbroken over the loss and spends her time lost in her tarot cards and planning their next gruesome family dinner when they all can be reunited.

Desperate to break Dru out of her melancholy, Spike vows to steal a powerful relic that will help her focus on their dark future together. It’s the perfect plan―that is until a monster named Gunnar, leader of the demon underworld of London, steals the relic first. Forced to form his own ragtag group of mercenaries, Spike plans an epic heist against a ruthless gang of undead criminals. Confronted with paranormal plots, royal black ops, and tea (they may be abominations, but they’re British abominations, thank you very much), Spike soon realizes that his homecoming is about to get bloody.

This rompy, action-packed novel inspired by one of Buffy’s most infamous bad boys is part Bonnie and Clyde, part Sherlock and Watson, with just a bit more bloodsucking.

Why I'm Waiting: I grew up watching Buffy and Spike and Dru were two of my favorite characters. So I'm really excited about this book.

HAPPY READING!!