A Dawn Most Wicked and Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Title: Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1)

Author: Susan Dennard

Publisher: HarperTeen 2013

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 416

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project

Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Fitt’s brother is missing. And when she discovers that the Dead are rising in Philadelphia and wreaking havoc throughout the city, she knows that her brother is involved.

So Eleanor enlists the help of the Spirit-Hunters. This motley crew, hired to protect the city from supernatural forces, is after the necromancer who has been reanimating corpses. Their skills can save her brother. But as Eleanor spends time with the Spirit-Hunters, and their handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. Now not only is her reputation at risk, but her very life may hang in the balance.

This volume has been sitting on my shelves for a few years now. Of course I had to read it during Spooky Book Month to stay on theme. The first few chapters were a bit confusing as we don’t get the backstory of the Dead or the current state of the world. Once I settled in and started following Eleanor’s storyline, I slowly got a handle on the world and began enjoying myself. This is a typical YA adventure fantasy full of slightly whiny characters and some predictable light romance. I really got into the story once we meet the Spirit Hunters and the mystery starts unraveling. From there, I sped through the rest of the book. This volume ends on a bit of a cliffhanger but the main mystery is concluded before the end page. I imagine that I will finish this series, but probably not right away.

Title: A Dawn Most Wicked (Something Strange and Deadly #0.5)

Author: Susan Dennard

Publisher: HarperTeen 2013

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 150

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Daniel Sheridan is an engineer’s apprentice on a haunted Mississippi steamer known as the Sadie Queen. His best friend–the apprentice pilot, Cassidy Cochran–also happens to be the girl he’s pining for … and the captain’s daughter. But when it looks like the Sadie Queen might get taken off the river, Daniel and Cassidy have to do whatever they can to stop the ghosts that plague the ship.

Fortunately, there happens to be a Creole gentleman on board by the name of Joseph Boyer–and he just might be able to help them …

My paperback copy of the first book in the series included this prequel novella at the end. I didn’t realize that Daniel had a big backstory, but I did enjoy following him during his first encounter with Joseph and Jie. the ghost scenes are truly creepy and I definitely want more from that angle in the next book.

Something Strange and Deadly

• #0.5 A Dawn Most Wicked

• #1 Something Strange and Deadly

• #2 A Darkness Strange and Lovely

• #3 Strange and Ever After

Next up on the TBR pile:

My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris

Title: My Favorite Thing is Monsters Book 1

Author: Emil Ferris

Publisher: Fantagraphics 2017

Genre: Comic Horror

Pages: 416

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Set against the tumultuous political backdrop of late ’60s Chicago, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters is the fictional graphic diary of 10-year-old Karen Reyes, filled with B-movie horror and pulp monster magazines iconography. Karen Reyes tries to solve the murder of her enigmatic upstairs neighbor, Anka Silverberg, a holocaust survivor, while the interconnected stories of those around her unfold. When Karen’s investigation takes us back to Anka’s life in Nazi Germany, the reader discovers how the personal, the political, the past, and the present converge. Full-color illustrations throughout.

This volume has been on my radar for awhile now, but I finally picked it up to enjoy. I dove straight in to this book not knowing the premise at all. Right away we learn that we are reading a murder mystery, but one filled with internal musings from our protagonist as well as observations of life. We follow Karen who thinks of herself as werewolf. We learn about her life in a small urban apartment with her mother and brother. We slowly meet the neighbors and learn about the rhythms of life in the particular neighborhood. All throughout, at the heart of the story is the question of who killed Anka Silverberg. I was a bit upset to learn the the story does not actually conclude with this volume, but intrigued enough to continue reading.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Wrong Girl by R.L. Stine

Title: The Wrong Girl (Return to Fear Street #2)

Author: R.L. Stine

Publisher: HaperTeen 2018

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 328

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf Project

Poppy Miller swears she will get payback for Jack Sabers’s cruel prank that humiliated her in front of all her friends.

Then her classmates start turning up dead.

All eyes are on Poppy. Is Poppy being framed? Or did the kids of Shadyside High mess with the wrong girl?

In this Fear Street story, only one thing’s for sure—someone is out for DEADLY revenge.

After the high of the last book in this series, I was hoping for more of the same. Unfortunately, this one just fell flat for me. We don’t get the first death until way past the 50% mark. That’s unusual for these books. From there things move quickly, but I wasn’t really into the story. I thoroughly disliked Poppy and her narration was very grating at times. Even the narrations from other characters were not intriguing. I was not impressed and definitely felt disappointed when I reached the end of the book. Not for me.

Return to Fear Street

• #1 You May Now Kill the Bride

• #2 The Wrong Girl

• #3 Drop Dead Gorgeous

Next up on the TBR pile:

You May Now Kill the Bride by R.L. Stine

Title: You May Now Kill the Bride (Return to Fear Street #1)

Author: R.L. Stine

Publisher: HarperTeen 2018

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 344

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf

Two sisters, divided by time. Each with a terrible resentment she can barely contain.

Two Fear family weddings, decades apart... Each bride will find that the ancient curse that haunts the Fears LIVES ON. It feeds off the evil that courses through their blood. It takes its toll in unexpected ways, and allows dark history to repeat itself.

In this Fear Street story, family ties bind sisters together—till DEATH do they part.

Super duper fun pulpy horror novel just like the ones from the original Fear Street series. I really loved all of those books as a preteen and early teen and was super excited to see a new series revisiting the old stomping ground. This one starts off with a story set in the early 1920s in which we meet a branch of the Fear family. Of course, we know that things are not going to end well for at least some members of the family. And then we jump to present day to almost repeat the story but with new characters and a few twists. I sped through this book enjoying all the pages. This gave me all the nostalgic feels that I wanted this month.

Return to Fear Street

• #1 You May Now Kill the Bride

• #2 The Wrong Girl

• #3 Drop Dead Gorgeous

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

Title: The Book of Cold Cases

Author: Simone St. James

Publisher: Berkley 2022

Genre: Mystery, Horror

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf

In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect—a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.

Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases—a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea’s surprise, Beth says yes.

They meet regularly at Beth’s mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she’s not looking, and she could swear she’s seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn’t right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?

Another absolute win from St. James. I really loved The Sun Down Hotel and really hoped that this one would be another winner. It was! We get a decades old murder cases, a heroine with past trauma, an intriguing possible villain, and a creepy creepy locale (in this case a house stuck in time). I dove in and read this book in just about three days. I was obsessed with figuring out the details of the murders and understand Shea’s present and potential future. St. James keeps up the suspense all throughout the novel, not letting up until the story concludes. Her writing creates those visual scenes in my head that I want in a paranormal thriller. I cannot wait to discuss this later this month at book club.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Once Upon a Curse: 17 Dark Faerie Tales

Title: Once Upon a Curse: 17 Dark Faerie Tales (Once Upon #1)

Author:

Publisher: Fiddlehead Press 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 360

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Seventeen magical stories from NY Times and USA Today bestsellers and award-winning authors that will entice you to the darker side of faerie tales. More Grimm than Disney, in this collection you’ll find twists on Snow White, Hansel & Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, The Snow Queen, Cinderella, The Pied Piper, Alice in Wonderland, and Red Riding Hood, plus new tales paying homage to the old traditions. Shadows cannot exist without light, however, and you’ll find enough happily-ever-afters to lift your spirits in this anthology full of adventure, dark powers, and ultimately the enduring power of true love.

YARROW, STURDY AND BRIGHT by Devon Monk – Sweet music cannot hide a wicked heart…
FAE HORSE by Anthea Sharp – Faerie bargains can grant any desire, but be careful what you wish for.
THE QUEEN OF FROST AND DARKNESS by Christine Pope - Her heart is the only thing colder than a Russian winter….
BONES by Yasmine Galenorn - Sometimes, your most cherished dream can turn out to be a nightmare.
MAGIC AFTER MIDNIGHT by C. Gockel – The Wicked Stepmother is about to meet her match…
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL by Donna Augustine - When the devil makes a deal with a dancer, he gets more than he bargained for.
NO GIFT OF WORDS by Annie Bellet - Never steal from a witch...
THE GRIM BROTHER by Audrey Faye – Not all walks in the wood end well…
BEAST INSIDE BEAUTY by Danielle Monsch - Happily Ever After ain't guaranteed when Once Upon a Time is here.
FAESCORNED by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson - The Morrigan, Celtic goddess of war and strife, must relive a painful memory that reminds her of what she can never have.
DRAWN TO THE BRINK by Tara Maya - Sajiana's job is to hunt down monsters brought alive from paintings. She never expected to meet one so handsome... or to need his help.
THE VARIANCE COURT by Alexia Purdy - Anna, a struggling college student, discovers a mysterious ring that turns her quiet life chaotic when the ring's magic doesn't do what it's told.
THE MORRIGAN by Phaedra Weldon – A young man discovers he has leprechaun blood – and is wanted by dark faerie forces.
ALICE by Julia Crane - A twisted tale of Alice and Wonderland. Facing madness and an ominous prophecy, Alice chooses to follow her heart despite knowing her world is about to change forever.
STILL RED by Sabrina Locke – When the Hunters come, can there be any escape?
THE FINAL STRAW by Jennifer Blackstream - To banish a gold-spinning demon, first you must guess his name...
THE UNICORN HUNTER by Alethea Kontis – Only Snow White knows what really happened in the forest…

I was scrolling through my Kindle app (boy is that a colossal mess!) and stumbled upon this collection I bought a few years back. I wanted something light but spooky and this seemed like the perfect choice. Like with every short story collection, this one is a mixed bag. But overall, I really enjoyed these short snippets and takes on new and old fairy tales. Some definitely fall on the horror side of things while others were more light-hearted and only slightly spooky. Decent collection that I’m sure I got for nearly free during some sale.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOTAR #3.5)

Author:Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Feyre, Rhysand, and their friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly altered world beyond, recovering from the war that changed everything. But Winter Solstice is finally approaching, and with it, the joy of a hard-earned reprieve.

Yet even the festive atmosphere can't keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, her concern for those dearest to her deepens. They have more wounds than she anticipated-scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court.
Bridging the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin with the later books in the series, A Court of Frost and Starlight explores the far-reaching effects of a devastating war and the fierce love between friends.

A short novella to tide us over until the next book. Nothing too big happens but we do get to see the story from multiple perspectives. We get some more information on the dynamics between characters. And we get to see how some have fared since the war with Hybern. It was a good novella but without much action. It’s a very quiet story.

A Court of Throns and Roses

• #1 A Court of Thorns and Roses

• #2 A Court of Mist and Fury

• #3 A Court of Wings and Ruin

• #3.5 A Court of Frost and Starlight

• #4 A Court of Silver Flames

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse

Title: The Yoga Store

Author: Dan Morse

Publisher: Berkley 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - True Crime

Pages: 361

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf Project

It was a crime that shocked the country. On March 12, 2011, two young saleswomen were found brutally attacked inside a lululemon athletica retail store in Bethesda, Maryland, one of the nation’s wealthiest suburbs.

Thirty-year-old Jayna Murray was dead—slashed, stabbed, and struck more than three hundred times. Investigators found blood spattered on walls, and size fourteen men’s shoe prints leading away from her body.

Twenty-eight-year-old Brittany Norwood was found alive, tied up on the bathroom floor. She had lacerations, a bloody face, and ripped clothing. She told investigators that two masked men had slipped into the Bethesda lululemon store just after closing, presumably planning to rob it. She spoke of the night of terror she and her coworker had experienced. Investigators were sympathetic…but as the case went on, Brittany’s story began to unravel. Why rob a business that dealt mostly in credit cards? Why was Jayna murdered but Brittany left alive? Could the petite, polite Brittany have been involved? Most chilling of all: could she have been the killer?

A thoroughly predictable and yet engaging examination of a real murder case. One of my favorite podcast hosts has talked about this book multiple times, so I finally picked it up. True crime is not usually my genre, but I found this walk-thorough of the case to be very well-written and clear. We follow the police detectives as they examine the evidence and attempt to understand who murder Jayna Murray and why. The summary gives away part of the ending, but I was still interested to understand the why position. Unfortunately, we don’t really get a clear reason why, but I still thought it was a worthwhile story to tell.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

Title: Fledgling

Author: Octavia E. Butler

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 2007

Genre: Horror

Pages: 310

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Fledgling, Octavia Butler’s last novel, is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly un-human needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: she is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted—and still wants—to destroy her and those she cares for, and how she can save herself. Fledgling is a captivating novel that tests the limits of "otherness" and questions what it means to be truly human.

I picked this up as an extra buddy read with my Nerdy Bookish Friends group after we had read Parable of the Sower. I was definitely intrigued by the idea of Octavia Butler writing a vampire story. I dove in and was very disappointed by the actual story. The entire conceit is that our main character, a vampire, is suffering from amnesia. We have to learn about the world as she learns about the world. I get the concept, but it ends up resulting in a ton of exposition dumps. And the dialogue is often very clunky. None of the conversations seem natural. Finally we get the real reason that I gave it only 2 stars. Our main character is supposed to be 53 years old, but looks like she is 10 years old. Okay fine, but then she engages in very adult sexual encounters. Nope nope nope.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill

Title: The Girl and the Goddess

Author: Nikita Gill

Publisher: G.P Putnam’s 2020

Genre: Poetry

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf Project; Unread Shelf RC - Poetry

Meet Paro. A girl with a strong will, a full heart, and much to learn. Born into a family reeling from the ruptures of Partition in India, we follow her as she crosses the precarious lines between childhood, teenage discovery, and realizing her adult self. In the process, Paro must confront fear, desire and the darkest parts of herself in the search for meaning and, ultimately, empowerment.

Nikita Gill's vivid poetry and beautiful illustrations have captured hearts and imaginations--but in The Girl and the Goddess, she offers us her most personal and deeply felt writing to date: an intimate coming-of-age story told in linked poems that offers a look into the Hindu mythology and rich cultural influences that helped her become the woman she is today.

I grabbed this one after reading another collection of Gill’s poetry based on fairy tale and story characters. I slowly made my way through this collection. We get a bit of a autobiographical take on mythology, folklore, and history. I was definitely interested in how Gill would incorporate all three of those things. I really enjoyed Gill’s voice and her way of weaving fantasy and reality. I will definitely have to pick up Gill’s other collections.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Title: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven

Author: Juno Dawson

Publisher: Penguin 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 448

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR - Buddy Read Discussion

If you look hard enough at old photographs, we’re there in the background: healers in the trenches; Suffragettes; Bletchley Park oracles; land girls and resistance fighters. Why is it we help in times of crisis? We have a gift. We are stronger than Mundanes, plain and simple.

At the dawn of their adolescence, on the eve of the summer solstice, four young girls--Helena, Leonie, Niamh and Elle--took the oath to join Her Majesty's Royal Coven, established by Queen Elizabeth I as a covert government department. Now, decades later, the witch community is still reeling from a civil war and Helena is the reigning High Priestess of the organization. Yet Helena is the only one of her friend group still enmeshed in the stale bureaucracy of HMRC. Elle is trying to pretend she's a normal housewife, and Niamh has become a country vet, using her powers to heal sick animals. In what Helena perceives as the deepest betrayal, Leonie has defected to start her own more inclusive and intersectional coven, Diaspora. And now Helena has a bigger problem. A young warlock of extraordinary capabilities has been captured by authorities and seems to threaten the very existence of HMRC. With conflicting beliefs over the best course of action, the four friends must decide where their loyalties lie: with preserving tradition, or doing what is right.

Oh goodness! We picked this book hoping for a accessible and lighter read after some heavy choices. It was a much easier read, but one that was loaded with a lot of interesting questions and topics. Right away I picked up on the dichotomy between HMRC and Diaspora. We get some great conversations about race and privilege that harken back to many criticism of Third Wave Feminism. I’m looking forward to discussing the topic deeper during our discussion. We also get some great pieces about identity in general. I loved Niamh and Leonie so much as they try to navigate the intersections of their past and their present. I loved seeing how these two women were still supportive of all their coven sisters even when there were disagreements. I was rooting for both of those women to really come into their own throughout this story. The story itself becomes super fast-paced in the last 1/3 of the novel racing to a final confrontation. I did not quite see the ending playing out like it did, but was really enjoying the story. This volume leaves off on a very big cliffhanger, so beware. I will most definitely be picking up the next one once it’s released.

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven

• #1 Her Majesty’s Royal Coven

• #2 The Shadow Cabinet

• #3 untitled

Next up on the TBR pile:

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

Title: Ariadne

Author: Jennifer Saint

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR; Unread Shelf Project; Unread Shelf Project RC - March (Biography - heehee)

Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid’s stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne’s decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind?

I absolutely had to get this book when it showed up in the Book of the Month selections. But then I let it languish on my shelves for a year. Finally picked it up this week and dove into this retelling of Ariadne and Phaedra’s stories. We start slowly, setting up the world on Crete and the family dynamic. I found the first part of the book to be a little slow. Once Ariadne is left on the island, I sped through the rest of the pages desperate to see how the story ends. Saint does not disappoint in giving us a Greek myth told from a feminist perspective. There’s nothing ground breaking here, but we do get a good story full of interesting characters. The writing isn’t quite as strong as Madeline Miller’s Circe, but I still found it very compelling and clear. I enjoyed my trip back to ancient Crete and Greece even if I always wish for a much happier ending for the female characters.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Title: Vicious (Villains #1)

Author: V.E. Schwab

Publisher: Tor 2013

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 368

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

A book club friend insisted that I pick this one up and she was right! I absolutely loved this story of two friends who become extra ordinary and then attempt to navigate their worlds. I immediately fell for the oddball character of Victor. I really wanted him to find his place in the world and get away from the strange pull of Eli. Alas, we know that those two will spend the entire book pulled together, but also at odds with one another. What follows is a cat and mouse game as they each try to get the drop on the other while also dealing with new friends and enemies. I loved how we go back and forth in time to understand exactly what happened between Victor and Eli and how it is affecting the current time. Sydney and Michell were great additions and I was definitely intrigued by Serena and her power. I sped through the book desperate to see how it ended. Of course we get a bit of a cliffhanger, but that just means that I need to go pick up the second book in the series soon.

Villains

• #1 Vicious

• #2 Vengeful

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

Title: The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (The Gilded Age Heiresses #1)

Author: Harper St. George

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 316

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - July (Set in a different country)

American heiress August Crenshaw has aspirations. But unlike her peers, it isn't some stuffy British Lord she wants wrapped around her finger--it's Crenshaw Iron Works, the family business. When it's clear that August's outrageously progressive ways render her unsuitable for a respectable match, her parents offer up her younger sister to the highest entitled bidder instead. This simply will not do. August refuses to leave her sister to the mercy of a loveless marriage.

Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, has no intention of walking away from the marriage. He's recently inherited the title only to find his coffers empty, and with countless lives depending on him, he can't walk away from the fortune a Crenshaw heiress would bring him. But after meeting her fiery sister, he realizes Violet isn't the heiress he wants. He wants August, and he always gets what he wants.

But August won't go peacefully to her fate. She decides to show Rothschild that she's no typical London wallflower. Little does she realize that every stunt she pulls to make him call off the wedding only makes him like her even more.

We get the classic trope of a man courting/engaged to a sister. In this case, we quickly meet August and follow her as she visits England and encounters a mysterious man in a boxing ring. Of course that man is our male lead. The story then follows the twists and turns of their budding relationship and ends with the classic HEA. This book wasn’t anything surprising or new; I predicted just about everything in the pages. But sometimes, that’s just perfect for my reading. I wanted to pick up a comforting romance without too much angst and this was a great choice. I’m definitely going to be reading further into this series.

The Gilded Age Heiresses

• #1 The Heiress Gets a Duke

• #2 The Devil and the Heiress

• #3 The Lady Tempts an Heir

• #4 The Duchess Takes a Husband

Next up on the TBR pile:

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Title: I Capture the Castle

Author: Dodie Smith

Publisher: 1948

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Pages: 408

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - August (Chosen By Friends)

I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"-- and the heart of the reader-- in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

I was gifted this book during a Christmas exchange as the person who gave it told me that it was her favorite book. Somehow I had never actually read this one. After finishing, I feel very meh about this one. I found Cassandra to be at times so very naive and at other times too old for her age. I was intrigued by the book in the first half, but then the neighbors show up and Cassandra becomes a completely different person. I was not a fan of the personality switch. She become such a whiny girl and treated her family so badly. I got to the end of the book and felt very meh about this one. After thinking about it a bit more, I might have loved this book at aged 15, but as a 40 year old woman, I’m not quite a huge fan.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Title: Parable of the Sower (Earthed #1)

Author: Octavia E. Butler

Publisher: 1993

Genre: Scifi

Pages: 345

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf Project; Read Shelf RC - September (A Book that Represents the Reader You Want to Be)

Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.

When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.

We choose this book for my sci-fi and fantasy bookclub after a few difficult books. Ooops! Looks like we picked another difficult book. I had previous read Kindred and was really interested to read other Butler works. I completely understand why she wrote that book. I am more confused about why she wrote this book. Right away we are hit with a very depressing story featuring a young woman who survives and creates a religion. And somehow we have to contend with a very detached style of writing. We never really see Laura truly get horrified by the events in the story. On the other side, I did definitely have visceral and a dramatic reaction to the events. I even took a break after the big events right in the middle of the book. I picked it back up and finally finished the story and immediately just sat back and took a minute. It was a rough story full of graphic events. After thinking, I was impressed with Butler’s skill at creating an entire world that feels so prescient to today’s world. I see the importance of this book. But ultimately, I have a huge issue with the religion piece of this book. I’m still struggling with Laura’s push to create a new religion. The presumption that religion is a good thing stopped me and almost made me stop reading this book. I will be attending an online book discussion on Sunday. Really looking forward to hearing what everyone thought about the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

Title: Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise

Author: Ruth Reichl

Publisher: Penguin 2006

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 364

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - Food/Cooking

GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES is Ruth Reichl's riotous account of the many disguises she employs to dine anonymously. There is her stint as Molly Hollis, a frumpy blond with manicured nails and an off-beige Armani suit that Ruth takes on when reviewing Le Cirque. The result: her famous double review of the restaurant: first she ate there as Molly; and then as she was coddled and pampered on her visit there as Ruth, New York Times food critic.

What is even more remarkable about Reichl's spy games is that as she takes on these various disguises, she finds herself changed not just superficially, but in character as well. She gives a remarkable account of how one's outer appearance can very much influence one's inner character, expectations, and appetites.

One of my book club selections for September and a book that has languished on my shelf for years. Unfortunately, I think it probably should have stayed there. I really enjoyed Reichl’s Save Me the Plums and hoped I would encounter the same fun and relatable woman in this earlier work about her job as a food critic. Instead, I feel like we get a very out-of-touch upper class woman intent on showing the common people the joy of food who actually shows us just how snobby many people (herself included) are when it comes to food. I am no stranger to good food and really enjoy tasting new flavors and expertly crafted dishes. But I realize that that’s not an everyday reality for most people (even me). Sometimes you just have to eat. Not everyone can be catered to and pay for a $100+ meal for one person. After about the fourth chapter, the book got really repetitively. I just ended dreading having to come back to this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jackaby by William Ritter

Title: Jackaby (Jackaby #1)

Author: William Ritter

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2014

Genre: YA Historical Fiction; Horror

Pages: 299

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--seem adamant to deny.

I bookish friend recommended this to me a few weeks back and I grabbed it for something a little lighter than my other current reads. This was absolutely the delightful romp that I needed this week. We are thrown into a new city with Abigail and fall into employment and potentially life-calling passion with Jackaby. I immediately fell for every single one of the characters and couldn’t wait to see where this story went. Donald was a particular favorite of mine. He must appear in every single book in this series. Back to the plot, we get a string of mysteries Jack the Ripper style murders that may or may not be supernatural in nature. We meet a wide range of characters that may or may not be supernatural. And through it all, we see a friendship forming between Abigail and Jackaby with witty banter and silly asides. I sped through this book not wanting it to end. Delightful! I can’t wait to pick up the next in the series. A word of caution: the murders in this book are very gruesome and terrifying. Be warned.

Jackaby

• #1 Jackaby

• #1.5 The Map

• #2 Beastly Bones

• #3 Ghostly Echoes

• #4 The Dire King

Next up on the TBR pile:

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Title:Through the Woods

Author: Emily Carroll

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books 2014

Genre: Comics; Horror

Pages: 208

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Journey through the woods in this sinister, compellingly spooky collection that features four brand-new stories and one phenomenally popular tale in print for the first time. These are fairy tales gone seriously wrong, where you can travel to “Our Neighbor’s House”—though coming back might be a problem. Or find yourself a young bride in a house that holds a terrible secret in “A Lady’s Hands Are Cold.” You might try to figure out what is haunting “My Friend Janna,” or discover that your brother’s fiancée may not be what she seems in “The Nesting Place.” And of course you must revisit the horror of “His Face All Red,” the breakout webcomic hit that has been gorgeously translated to the printed page.

Already revered for her work online, award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll’s stunning visual style and impeccable pacing is on grand display in this entrancing anthology, her print debut.

This volume caught my eye on the library shelf and I checked it out immediately. This short collection of horror stories hit the spot for me. I wanted something a little fun, a little terrifying, with lots of twists and turns. Just the art gives the reader a tremendous sense of dread. I was completely terrified, especially with the last story. A lovely creepy collection that I am glad that I found randomly.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Title: Daisy Darker

Author: Alice Fenney

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2022

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Now after years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in her crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. When the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.

But at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…

Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide goes out and all is revealed. As seen on the TODAY show and picked by Book of the Month, Daisy Darker's family secrets and Alice Feeney's trademark shocking twists will keep readers riveted.

Another book that I somehow skipped right up to the top of the holds lists and snagged in ebook form. I dove in just knowing that some of my favorite podcast hosts were recommending it. Again, I purposely didn’t read the summary to go into the story blind. We dive into the story and right away know that Nana’s birthday party is not going to go well at all. The murders start and they don’t let up until the end of the book. This book is a sorta retelling of And Then There were None by Agatha Christie. In fact, a character mentions that Christie’s book is her favorite. Even though this is a sorta retelling, it felt fresh and interesting. I sped through the pages just waiting to see who would be revealed as the murderer. The twist came and I was floored for a few minutes. Definitely an entertaining read for a few nights.

Next up on the TBR pile: