Cover Runway Sunday

    

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes, the cover initially 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'll post some of my favorite book covers. Coming soon!

After an accident that nearly kills her, Emily and her husband, Freddie, move from London to a beautiful Dartmoor country house called Larkin Lodge. The house is gorgeous, striking—and to Emily, something about it feels deeply wrong. Old boards creak at night; fires extinguish; and books fall from the shelves—all of it stemming from the terrible presence she feels in the third-floor room.

But these things happen only when Emily is alone, so are they happening at all? She is still medically fragile. Her post-sepsis condition can cause hallucinatory side effects, which means she cannot fully trust her senses. Freddie does not notice anything odd and is happy with their chance at a fresh start. She, however, starts to believe the house is haunted by someone who had been murdered in it even though she can find no evidence of a wrongful death. As bizarre events pile up and her marriage starts to crumble, Emily becomes obsessed with discovering the truth about Larkin Lodge. But just as the house has secrets so do Emily and her husband.

HAPPY READING!!

Mini Reviews

 

I didn't realize there was a short story attached to the Murder Squad series. I liked that this follows Constable Pringle. We don't get to see a lot of him in the Yard, and while he's not my favorite character. He's also not my least favorite. What I do like about Pringle he knows exactly what kind of man he is, and for better, or worse, doesn't try to be anything else. However, this book does give him more points in the plus column. Because he does the best he can for this girl, and while it wasn't much, he did right by her in the best he could. I honestly didn't clock how this story was going to end, I swear I thought it was the husband, up until I met the sister. It broke my heart when Pringle finally unraveled it all. It almost made me wish we'd gotten at least a couple more books with Pringle, even if his death was the first book was pretty cool.

This was my second time reading this book, I remembered a sum total of two things: Hammersmith's concussion and that some lady gets accidentally shot. That was it, I didn't even remember the context of those two things until they were about to happen. So it was kind of like reading, well listening to this for first the time. Personally, I liked this one, though the ending feels like a couple of chapters too long. The two storylines need to come to a head at some point, between the town sinking, the snowstorm, and Hammersmith needing to be wrapped in plastic wrap. I listened to this audio, and at one point I couldn't believe there were still like forty more minutes left in this story. Then something else happened. It does feel like one too many things right at the end, and instead of keeping me on the edge of my seat, it made me irritated. Because I do really like both of these stories and my heart bled a little for Cal. He just couldn't catch a break. Outside of the last hour (maybe the last hundred pages), it's really good, though I can always do without creepy kids in books. Every single time.

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.

One murder, four guilty convictions, and a community determined to find justice. October, 1997. Late one night in Fairbanks, Alaska, a passerby finds a teenager unconscious, collapsed on the edge of the road, beaten nearly beyond recognition. Two days later, he dies in the hospital. His name is John Gilbert Hartman and he's just turned 15 years old. The police quickly arrest four suspects, all under the age of 21 and of Alaska Native and American Indian descent. Police lineup witnesses, trials follow, and all four men receive lengthy prison terms. Case closed.  But journalist Brian Patrick O'Donoghue can't put the story out of his mind. When the opportunity arises to teach a class on investigative reporting, he finally digs into what happened to the "Fairbanks Four." A relentless search for the truth ensues as O'Donoghue and his students uncover the lies, deceit, and prejudice that put four innocent young men in jail. The Fairbanks Four is the gripping story of a brutal crime and its sprawling aftermath in the frigid Alaska landscape. It's a story of collective action as one journalist, his students, and the Fairbanks indigenous community challenge the verdicts. It's the story of a broken justice system, and the effort required to keep hope alive. This is the story of the Fairbanks Four.

Why I'm Waiting: Because up until I had first discovered this book I had no idea about this case at all. So, I'm gonna need this book and probably a snack, because this is going to be a lot and is probably going to make me angry. 

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

When Belle Elmore’s remains were discovered in the basement of London’s 39 Hilldrop Crescent in July 1910, the larger-than-life vaudevillian performer was launched into stardom she never achieved on the stage.

Story of a Murder provides an intricately plotted, intimate look into the lives of three multifaceted women living during a time of electric progress and stifling  Crippen’s first wife, Charlotte, who died under mysterious circumstances; his mistress, Ethel, who claimed ignorance of his crime even as she escaped with Crippen disguised as his son; and Belle, the woman whose life Crippen took.
 
Throughout the twentieth century, the infamous Crippen murder was told in such a way as to cast doubt on Crippen's guilt and to victim-blame his wife Cora for her own murder. It also astonishingly depicted Crippen's younger mistress, Ethel, as innocent of any involvement in the killing of her love rival.
 
But new evidence unearthed by Rubenhold completely subverts this famous history, unravelling assumptions about the crime and deconstructing Edwardian beliefs about women, class aspiration, and the transatlantic world, ultimately proving that Charlotte, Belle, and Ethel were so much more than the passive victims history has portrayed them as.

HAPPY READING!!

April Silent Book Club

First, thanks to everyone who came to ESBC this month to celebrate our first anniversary! I cannot believe this little idea has not only made it a full year but has also been an amazing experience. We've grown from one back table to reserving three large community tables. We see so many regular faces every month, and so many still stop in to see what Silent Book Club is all about. I'm so excited to see what the next year will bring.

If you couldn't come to celebrate with us this month, don't worry, Edmonds Silent Book Club meets every third Wednesday at Leftcraft at 7 p.m. in the Edmonds Downtown District! Our next meetup is on April 16th! If you still want physical copies of Book BINGO, I will have more paper copies! If you want a digital copy, you can find one on my Instagram (@bookish_whispers). 

Hope to see you next month!

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

    

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes, the cover initially 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'll post some of my favorite book covers. Coming soon!

When a rock musician learns her ex-boyfriend is the Biblical Antichrist, she must find a way to stop him before he grows powerful enough to end the world. DAISY JONES AND THE SIX meets THE OMEN in this novel about music, love, free will, and the apocalypse …

At the end of 1999, The Shivers fought Universal Priest in the Armageddon Battle of the Bands in Bethlehem, PA. What started the riot that claimed the lives of nine teens and left dozens more battered and bruised?

In 2010, The Shivers’ frontwoman Lily Lawless walked into a police station to confess to murder. Why did she do it, and why did she wait ten years to confess?

The punk band broke up after Lily’s arrest, its members refusing to talk to the press. What secrets were they protecting?

And who, really, was Drake Morgan, one-time frontman for The Shivers who went on to form the dystopian rock band Universal Priest?

In this oral history, the members of The Shivers finally tell all about how a rock band that inspired a generation might have saved the world.

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.

Stories for Seafarers brings together three timeless tales in one beautiful collection:

• Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island offers classic swashbuckling charm.
• H. G. Wells' The Sea Lady delivers satirical social commentary in the guise of a mermaid story.
• Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a kaleidoscopic tour of the ocean and a fascinating character study.

In irresistible editions designed for a luxurious reading experience with creamy paper and rounded spines, these stories will appeal to anyone who knows the power of the sea. Stunning wraparound cover illustrations by artist Jim Tierney make this classic book set a distinctive gift and an ideal display piece for any bookshelf.

CLASSIC LITERATURE COLLECTIBLE: With this deluxe boxed set, you can enjoy some of the most compelling adventure stories ever written whether revisiting old favorites or exploring these classic tales for the first time.

GORGEOUS ILLUSTRATIONS: Each of the three volumes and the slipcase features the colorful artwork of contemporary artist Jim Tierney, which brings the sea to life and makes thisset great for reading and displaying as an artistic object in your home.

OCEAN BOOK SET: Stories for Seafarersoffers a thoughtfully curated gift for book lovers and ocean enthusiasts. Elegantly designed and crafted with top-quality materials, this sophisticated set will delight friends and family as a gift for a birthday, holiday, or any special occasion.

Why I'm Waiting: Okay, box sets are not normally my thing, but two of the books are favorite classics of mine. So that got my attention, also how gorgeous these covers are. Even though I haven't read the Jules Verne novel included in this, I still want, because if the illustrations inside or anything like the covers...

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

 

After her sister is murdered, a woman infiltrates a support group for serial killers in this biting queer feminist debut thriller, perfect for fans of The Final Girl Support Group and My Sister, the Serial Killer.

When Cyra Griffin’s younger sister is murdered by a serial killer, Cyra knows better than to expect  justice from the hands of the police department. With the investigation already dying its own slow death, Cyra follows the blood trail and finds her own way forward. 

Using insider information–don’t ask–Cyra infiltrates a support group for serial killers by pretending to be one herself in the hopes of finding the person who ended her sister’s life. Proving herself to them comes at a cost–but it’s one Cyra is willing to pay in the name of revenge.

Unfortunately, the dangerous men in the group aren’t the only obstacle in Cyra’s path for vengeance, and the further Cyra descends into the deadly world of serial killers, the harder it becomes to hold on to her own humanity. 

This dark, witty debut novel is a cunning homage to women’s wrongs that will have you wondering exactly exactly how many monsters walk unseen among us.

HAPPY READING!!

Mini Reviews

 

This was my third time reading this book, and only this time I listened to the audiobook. The narrator on this was absolutely brilliant, I really enjoyed the way he told this story. The voices felt spot-on, and he did a great job of unraveling this plot for the listener. It's been a few years since I last read this book, and it was surprising how quickly I was remembering stuff. And, just the random moments that I remember. It was kind of odd, but I do really love this book and all three mysteries and how Grecian connects them even though they are three separate incidents. I love getting the POV of the villain and watching every mistake, but also getting their emotions throughout everything and their impressions (wrong as they may be). This book always makes me eager to jump back into this series and finally finish it. In fact I've already started book two, Black Country, right after finishing this book. 

Cover Runway Sunday

    

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes, the cover initially 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'll post some of my favorite book covers. Coming soon!

A riveting, deeply researched, blood-on-the-spurs biography of Belle Starr, the most legendary female outlaw of the American West.

On February 3, 1889, just two days shy of her forty-first birthday, Myra Maybelle Shirley—better known at that point by her outlaw sobriquet “Belle Starr”—was blown from her horse saddle and killed by a pair of shotgun blasts, delivered by an unseen assailant, only a few miles away from her home in the Indian Territory of present-day Oklahoma. Thus ended the life of one of the most colorful, authentic, and dangerous women in the history of the American West.

While today’s household names like Annie Oakley and Calamity Jane had dubious criminal bona fides, Belle’s were not in any doubt. She led a gang of horse thieves (a very serious crime in an era when horses were often the basis of one’s livelihood); was romantically involved with two of the West’s most legendary outlaws, Cole Younger and Jim Reed (her first husband); and participated in stickups and robberies across present-day Texas and Oklahoma. When Reed was murdered, Belle crossed into Indian Territory, where she assimilated into the Cherokee tribe, a matrilineal society, and soon married Sam Starr, a direct descendant of Nanye’hi, the greatest female warrior in Cherokee history.

Dane Huckelbridge, acclaimed author of No Beast So Fierce, probes a life rich in contradictions and intrigue. Why did a woman who had considerable advantages in life—a good family, a decent education, solid marriage prospects, a clear path to financial security—choose to pursue a life of crime? The life of Belle Starr is one of almost endless trauma: the horrors of the Civil War, which destroyed her hometown and killed her beloved brother, Bud; the untimely deaths of her first two husbands, both of them murdered; a stint in Detroit’s notorious women’s prison. Her career coincided with those of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and yet Belle Starr was a very different sort of feminist icon.

Queen of All Mayhem is a triumph of biography, revealing one of the most-mythologized figures of Western lore as she truly was.

HAPPY READING!!

Night Worms Unboxing

 

March Theme: Animal Instincts 

So, quick, funny story about this month's box. Although the ladies who created and run Night Worms post a spoiler of the books to avoid anyone not pre-ordering a double, I thought for a hot minute that had pre-ordered a double. Did I check their Instagram to confirm this? No, I did not because I was so sure I knew which books were coming this month. Fast forward to a few days ago when the package arrived, and I realized I did not pre-order a second copy. Because I did not know what was coming in this month's package. Despite the spoiler, I know I saw it because the spoilers to my friend so she doesn't put either on hold at the library. 

Funny right?! I felt a little silly, but excited because I've been excited about one of these books. 

The Unworthy is on my list of books I want to read by the end of the year. This novella screams read me during the day if you want to sleep ever again. As for The Lamb, I'm not sure if I'll like it or not. Mother and daughter-themed books are usually not for me.'

Still, this one might be up my alley with how weird I think it is. I plan on giving this one a go because I trust the ladies who run Night Worms. 

The goodie bag was filled with amazing stickers! I either need to get a sticker book, or some sort of bag to keep these stickers in. Because at the moment I have nowhere to put them but would love to show them off. I'm also interested in the tea we got from Grateful Tea Co. because I've never had sugar crystals in my tea before.

It's very interesting...

HAPPY READING!!

Universal Monsters: Dracula - Review

Author: James Tynion IV

Genre: Graphic Novel

Format: Hardback

Pages: 120

I adore Universal Monsters, they were my first introduction to horror movies, and these books were my first step into real horror books when I read the abridged, children's versions way back in the 90s. So when I saw they'd gotten graphic novel adaption I was excited. It combined two of my favorite things, and then Dracula had to go and add a third of my favorite things. When I realized James Tynion was working on this one, I ran to the library and checked nearly every day I was waiting for it to get to me.

Now, this is definitely an if you know, you know kind of read. So if you haven't read the book Dracula or seen Universal Studio's movie based on the book, you are in fact going to be confused. Because there are large filler chunks removed from this book. If you know the story back to front and back again, you won't mind because now how it's all going to come together. Just a bit of warning.

The plot does move at a fast pace to get where it's going in just a little over a hundred pages, which is fine because remember I know this story. What I really liked about this book was two-fold. The first thing was that we got so much more of the character Renfield. He's always been a personal favorite of mine because I also seem to adore the weird little side characters. And, while in the books he's always sort of this footnote, the reason Dracula arrived in England, his little patsy if you want. But I've always wanted to know more about him.

So it was a delight to have the character a little more at the forefront of the story, and the art direction on him was so good and so creepy. I loved that he had bugs crawling up and down his arms all the time, and the black around his eyes while the rest of him was bleached bone white. I also like how all that morphed at the end as he was asking for forgiveness. You physically get to see his change from Dracula's Renfield to the human version of himself.

This leads to my next favorite part of this, the complete art direction. I was in love with the color choices on this, how everything was a little grainy inside the panels like an old film reel. But you'd get these great full-page art pieces with Dracula in different forms that were very clear and so beautiful. This whole book was one work of art after another. You can really tell everyone who worked on this book was a fan of the story. Because so much of this story was told through art as much as through dialogue. 

I'm so glad I started with this book in the series! James Tynion did an amazing job and didn't disappoint. The whole team attached to this did amazing. I cannot wait to see the rest of this series play out, but it's looking like I'm going to need to buy the whole series. Mostly because I hope they do the gambit of Universal Studio Monsters. So many of them deserve to be dusted off and shown to a new audience! 

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 first novel in the all-new Golden Girls Cozy Mystery Series!

When Dorothy’s obnoxious date is found dead in a hotel freezer, it not only ruins a gorgeous cheesecake but threatens the elaborate St. Olaf–themed wedding Rose is hosting.

Things are heating up, and not just because of Blanche’s hot flashes. Rose’s cousin is eloping to Miami, and Rose is playing host. If she can't balance the groom’s family’s snobbery against the traditional St. Olaf wedding week guidelines, her hometown may never accept her cousin again!

Dorothy quickly realizes she needs a date with whom she can exchange wedding-related wisecracks. Turning to a newfangled VHS dating service, she believes she’s found the ideal conversationalist. Unfortunately, what looks good on TV can actually be a total jerk in real life. It seems she’ll just have to enjoy the company of Sophia, Blanche, and whomever Blanche has targeted for a hookup.

As the Girls all pitch in, Rose is thrilled that the tea-and-fish-themed kickoff event is perfect, not a herring out of place. That is until Dorothy’s date is found dead—face-planted in an otherwise scrumptious-looking cheesecake. With every guest a suspect (especially Dorothy) and a marriage on the line, the four besties must ID the real killer, get the should-be-happy couple down the aisle, and make sure nobody from St. Olaf gets lost in the wilds of Miami. It’s up to the Golden Girls to sleuth out a way for friendship and love to win the day!

Why I'm Waiting: Golden Girls, murder mystery, and this cover, I am all in!

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

From the New York Times bestselling author of Red Rabbit comes a supernatural horror where ghosts and ghouls are the least of a witch’s problems in historical New England.Not all is as it seems in the small village of Ascension, Massachusetts. A mother wasting away from cancer is suddenly up and about. A boy trampled by a milk cart walks away from the accident. A hanged man can still speak, broken neck and all.The dead are not dying.When Rabbit and Sadie Grace accompany their friend Rose to Ascension to help take care of her ailing cousin, they immediately notice that their new house, Bethany Hall, is occupied by dozens of ghosts. And there’s something in the attic that neither want to investigate.New England in the 1880s is notoriously unwelcoming to the weird, and the villagers are wary of their visitors. As the three women attempt to find out what’s happening in the town, they must be careful not to be found out. But a much larger—and dangerous—force is galloping straight for them…

HAPPY READING!!

Mini Reviews

I liked this. Let me start there. At the end of the day, I liked this and how all the little cases tied together. However, because there are a lot of little moments that all tie together about halfway through the audiobook I wondered why the book was still going. Despite a few letters for Mina, after part one of the book, there is no Dracula. I was also disappointed that we didn't get to properly meet Kitty Winter. Since I started this series on Book Three, I really liked her as a side character, and I was hoping in the first book we'd get a proper introduction to her. I was mistaken, she just sort of drops in around the second part of the book. There were a few great moments throughout the book, ones that had me on the edge of my seat while I was reading. Moments when I paused it because I couldn't listen at work distracted. While I did like this one, a lot is happening and a lot to unpack in this book, if I started with this book I don't know if I would have finished this series. But after reading the third book and loving it, I know it gets better than just okay. So I am going to jump into Book Two.

I've been a fan of Bree Paulson of years after meeting her at ECCC and being introduced to her Patrick the Vampire series. Since then I've always snagged up anything she's created. This was definitly a little more emotional than I thought it was going to be, but I throughly enjoyed it! I loved the lore and the magic system she created, and how the story weaved together. Paulson crammed so much into this story, giving us both the history that left scars in the magic, as well as giving us a story apart from the war. But, also tying it to the past. This was a great story as beautiful as it was heartbreaking.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

    

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes, the cover initially 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'll post some of my favorite book covers. Coming soon!

Hollis Brown is stuck. Born to a Blue-Collar American Dream, Hollis lives in a rotting small town where no one can afford to leave. Hollis's only bright spots are his two best friends, cool girls Annie and Yulia, and the thrill of fighting his classmates.

As if his circumstances couldn’t get worse, a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger named Walt results in a frightening trap. After unknowingly making a deal at the crossroads, Hollis finds himself losing control of his body and mind, falling victim to possession. Walt, the ghost making a home inside him, has a deep and violent history rooted in the town Hollis grew up in and he has unfinished business to take care of.

As Walt and Hollis begin working together to put Walt’s spirit to rest, an unspeakable bond forms between them, and the boys begin falling for one another in unexpected ways. But, it’s only a matter of time before Hollis’s best friends begin to notice that something about Hollis isn’t quite…right.

With the threat of a long overdue exorcism looming before them, will Walt and Hollis be able to protect their love and undo the curse that turned their town from a garden of possibility into a place where dreams go to die?

HAPPY READING!!

Book Haul

When I saw I ran to order this book, there was a cartoon dust cloud in my shape. First, look at that cover, who wouldn't want to pick up with a cover like that. Then there's the fact it's a series of cozy murder mysteries set in the 1990s, which leads to the next point, it's set in the 1990s. As a child of that era, I was sold. Then the bonus was that it's interactive, as the reader you collect the clues of stories, make notes, and then see if you catch the correct killer. Which is very much in the vein of the 1990's. I have been so excited to get my hands on this book. Now it is here! 

These feel like a fun way to unwind after work. Just little puzzles to decompress, only with murder and a whole lot of 1990s nostalgia. I'm super excited to crack the spine on this and solve some murder mysteries!

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.

Generations ago, the founders of the idyllic town of Lake Argen made a deal with a dark force. In exchange for their service, the town will stay prosperous and successful, and keep outsiders out. And for generations, it’s worked out great. Until a visitor goes missing, and his wealthy family sends a private investigator to find him, and everything abruptly goes sideways.

Now, Cassidy Prewitt, town baker and part-time servant of the dark force (it’s a family business) has to contend with a rising army of darkness, a very frustrated town, and a very cute PI who she might just be falling for…and who might just be falling for her. And if they can survive their own home-grown apocalypse, they might even just find happiness together.

Queer, cozy, and with a touch of eldritch horror mixed in just for fun, this is a charming love story about a small-town baker, a quick-witted PI, and, yes, an ancient evil.

Why I'm Waiting: I haven't read a book by Tanya Huff in ages, but Henry Fitzroy is one of my favorite fictional vampires still to this day! So I'm excited to jump into another book by her!

HAPPY READING!!