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!!