Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

Title: Mrs. Caliban

Author: Rachel Ingalls

Publisher: Harvard Common Press 1982

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 103

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

In the quiet suburbs, while Dorothy is doing chores and waiting for her husband to come home from work, not in the least anticipating romance, she hears a strange radio announcement about a monster who has just escaped from the Institute for Oceanographic Research… Reviewers have compared Rachel Ingalls’s Mrs. Caliban to King Kong, Edgar Allan Poe’s stories, the films of David Lynch, Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, E.T., Richard Yates’s domestic realism, B-horror movies, and the fairy tales of Angela Carter―how such a short novel could contain all of these disparate elements is a testament to its startling and singular charm.

Definitely one the stranger books I’ve read lately and it was our Nerdy Bookish Friends pick for December (library hold came early). I dove in not knowing what to expect. Right away, I had such sympathy for Dorothy. She’s stuck in a terrible place with no energy to attempt to change it. And then we encounter Larry, and Dorothy begins to think of her like in different ways. I loved seeing the effect Larry had on Dorothy much more than the scenes with Larry. I was getting hopeful that Dorothy would get a happy ending. The actual ending of this book is much more complicated and I’m still not sure how exactly I feel about the entire thing. Right now, I’m really leaning into 3 stars as my rating. It was fine, but nothing very exciting.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Title: Fairy Tale

Author: Stephen King

Publisher: Scribner 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 608

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was seven, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.

Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.

King’s storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.

Early in the Pandemic, King asked himself: “What could you write that would make you happy?”

The Nerdy Bookish Friends buddy read for November. I must admit that I have enjoyed Joe Hill’s writing over his father’s writing for years now, so I wasn’t necessarily super pumped for this read. On the other hand, I wasn’t mad about the selection. I was intrigued by King’s take on a fairy tale world and hero’s journey. By the end of the book, I had a few high points and a few duds. I loved how King featured the various fairy tales as easter eggs throughout the book. We get to see Charlie recognizing the stories as he encounters characters, settings, and events. I loved picking up all of those references. I also loved seeing how Charlie’s speech changes as he emerges himself in the world of Empis. Those were the high points. On the flip side, the pacing was terrible. For the first fourth of the book (~175 pages), nothing magical happens. It’s so incredibly slow. Once we get to the other world, things accelerate, but there are weird slow patches throughout the book. The entire section set in the prison lasted way too long. And then we get to the odd tone of the main character. I just don’t think that King writes 17 year olds very well now. There were some strange scenes that I just didn’t connect with. By the end of the book, I was left with very mixed feelings. Probably not the book for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Scorpio Races

Author:Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press 2011

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 409

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Some race to win. Others race to survive. It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen. As she did in her bestselling Shiver trilogy, author Maggie Stiefvater takes us to the breaking point, where both love and life meet their greatest obstacles, and only the strong of heart can survive.

This book was so hyped up to me that I was pretty disappointed by the actual thing. We start off strong with two orphaned teens deciding to risk their lives to the Scorpio Races. I was intrigued but the idea of the water horses and hoped the book kept the threat of them front and center. Instead, we focus on other people’s petty and vicious games. We see a relationship develop between the two main characters, but I wasn’t really sold on their romance. Everything seemed just a bit too lackluster for me. I ended up finishing the book and not really caring what happened to Sean or Puck I wasn’t left with a strong impression at all. I don’t think this one was for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Comfort me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

Title: Comfort Me with Apples

Author: Catherynne M. Valente

Publisher: Tordotcom 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 103

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Sophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is perfect.

It's just that he's away so much. So often. He works so hard. She misses him. And he misses her. He says he does, so it must be true. He is the perfect husband and everything is perfect.

But sometimes Sophia wonders about things. Strange things. Dark things. The look on her husband's face when he comes back from a long business trip. The questions he will not answer. The locked basement she is never allowed to enter. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can't quite meet her gaze....

But everything is perfect. Isn't it?

I won’t spoil this slim volume, but it most definitely is an interesting retelling of a very old story. I spent the first half puzzled over what was actually going on. Then very quickly all the pieces fell into places. Once Sophia meets a being in the park, everything came rushing to a conclusion. This is a book that must be read without looking at reviews. They will spoil everything! I opened this one up and read it in one sitting. I found myself getting angrier and angrier as the story progressed (as I should have, it’s kinda the entire point). Once the reveals happen, I felt very justified in my anger towards religion and the patriarchy. Only after I read it did I see that this is from Tordotcom. I adore that publishing house; no wonder I loved this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

Title: Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2)

Author: Victoria Schwab

Publisher: Scholastic 2019

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake . . . even more than usual.She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass's parents are filming their TV show about the world's most haunted cities. Sure, it's fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there's true ghostly danger lurking beneath Paris, in the creepy underground Catacombs.When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter -- and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery. But time is running out, and the spirit is only growing stronger.And if Cass fails, the force she's unleashed could haunt the city forever.

Another good volume in this spooky middle grade series. I loved the change of location to Paris. We get to visit some iconic locations as Cassidy’s parents film their television show. I especially loved all the time that we spent in the Catacombs. The atmosphere was just right. I was a little less excited about the main ghostly mystery. It was interesting, but didn’t have the level of menace from the first one. I would have liked a bit more in the scary department. And then there’s the relationship between Cassidy and Jacob. I feel like there was a lot of rehashing of the same conversation concerning Jacob’s ties to Cassidy and not enough actually growth in that department. I would have liked to see more developments. Maybe the next book will actually bring this back into focus.

Cassidy Blake

• #1 City of Ghosts

• #2 Tunnel of Bones

• #3 Bridge of Souls

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Lost Vampire Prince by Melody Raven

Title: The Lost Vampire Prince (Evil Rising #1)

Author: Melody Raven

Publisher: 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 283

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Nicolas is the embodiment of royalty. Strong. Powerful. Deadly. The only thing he's missing is his throne.

Decades ago a vampire mutiny murdered his father and forced him into hiding, but all that is about to change. A mortal woman smart enough to learn the truth about him and naive enough to trust him is the perfect pawn to sneak him back into the monarchy.

Nothing is going to stop Nicolas from getting what is rightfully his. Not lust. Not love. And not Anna. At least that's what he thinks.

A fun and sexy vampire romance for today’s reading. This was one of those Kindle daily deals and I threw on my library just in case. Sometimes what I need is something that entertains me for a night, but doesn’t require much thought to process. I wanted a spooky romance and I got one. There’s nothing spectacular about this book, but it really scratched the itch I had. I might even continue on in the series.

Evil Rising

• #1 The Lost Vampire Prince

• #2 The Vampire Villain

• #3 Her Very Own Demon

• #4 The Werewolf and the Siren

• #5 Beauty and the Shapeshifter

Next up on the TBR pile:

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Title: What Moves the Dead

Author: T. Kingfisher

Publisher: Tor Nightmare 2022

Genre: Horror

Pages: 176

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

Super creepy short retelling of Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher.” That has always been a favorite of mine and I randomly stumbled upon this retelling and read it in one sitting. It’s a gorgeous homage to the original story with expanded explanations for the illness that Madeline and Roderick suffer. We get some extra creepy scenes involving wild hares that certainly gave me pause. I enjoyed the update to the narrator character giving Easton a much more interesting and expansive backstory. Overall, a very enjoyable slim novella for a fall night’s reading.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Title: Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1)

Author: Patricia Briggs

Publisher: Ace Books 2006

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project

Mercy Thompson is a shapeshifter, and while she was raised by werewolves, she can never be one of them, especially after the pack ran her off for having a forbidden love affair. So she’s turned her talent for fixing cars into a business and now runs a one-woman mechanic shop in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State.

But Mercy’s two worlds are colliding. A half-starved teenage boy arrives at her shop looking for work, only to reveal that he’s a newly changed werewolf—on the run and desperately trying to control his animal instincts. Mercy asks her neighbor Adam Hauptman, the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, for assistance.

But Mercy’s act of kindness has unexpected consequences that leave her no choice but to seek help from those she once considered family—the werewolves who abandoned her...

Finally started this series after being encouraged by a friend. Very solid urban fantasy featuring a strong heroine, sexy men, a big mystery, and lots of action. I was very hooked about 30 pages in the book. I had to orient myself to the world before really diving in, but once I got it, I sped through the rest of the book. I really fell for Mercy. She’s a loner but has a wide net of acquaintances. I loved seeing how she connected and reconnected with various people throughout the book. There’s a ton of action in this volume and we learn quite a bit about Mercy’s world. I am very intrigued to keep reading these books.

Mercy Thompson

• #1 Moon Called

• #2 Blood Bound

• #3 Iron Kissed

• #4 Bone Crossed

• #5 Silver Borne

• #6 River Marked

• #7 Frost Burned

• #8 Night Broken

• #9 Fire Touched

• #10 Silence Fallen

• #11 Storm Cursed

• #12 Smoke Bitten

• #13 Soul Taken

Next up on the TBR pile:

Beastly Bones by William Ritter

Title: Beastly Bones (Jackaby #2)

Author: William Ritter

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers 2015

Genre: YA Historical Fiction; Horror

Pages: 296

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, are called upon to investigate the supernatural. First vicious shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens, and a day later, their owner is found murdered. Then in nearby Gad’s Valley, bones from a recent dig mysteriously go missing, and an unidentifiable beast starts attacking animals and people, leaving mangled bodies behind. Charlie calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt—for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.

Another fun adventure story! I’m really enjoying the mix of The Nutty Professor and Sherlock Holmes in Jackaby. We don’t learn a ton more about him, but we do explore a bit more about others in his orbit and unveil a bit of the larger mystery. I love that we get to follow Abigail through these stories. We learn things as she learns them. We get to see everything from her very reader-like viewpoint. For this particular story, we move out into the country and encounter a dragon? It might be a dragon, or it might be something else. We have to solve the mystery along with the characters. I was glad that Charlie was an important part of this book and hope to see hime in the next one. A thoroughly enjoyable series.

Jackaby

• #1 Jackaby

• #1.5 The Map

• #2 Beastly Bones

• #3 Ghostly Echoes

• #4 The Dire King

Next up on the TBR pile:

Reliquary by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Title: Reliquary (Pendergast #2)

Author: Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Publisher: 1997

Genre: Horror

Pages: 464

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project

Hidden deep beneath Manhattan lies a warren of tunnels, sewers, and galleries, mostly forgotten by those who walk the streets above. There lies the ultimate secret of the Museum Beat. When two grotesquely deformed skeletons are found deep in the mud off the Manhattan shoreline, museum curator Margo Green is called in to aid the investigation. Margo must once again team up with police lieutenant D'Agosta and FBI agent Pendergast, as well as the brilliant Dr. Frock, to try and solve the puzzle. The trail soon leads deep underground, where they will face the awakening of a slumbering nightmare... in Reliquary, from bestselling coauthors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Finally read this one after picking it up at a used book store a few months back. I enjoyed the character of Pendergast in Relic so it seemed that I would enjoy the sequel to that book and the next in the Pendergast series. And I did! Overall, this is a very Michael Crichton style science adventure story. We get another excursion to the New York Natural History Museum’s labs to solve the murders of multiple headless corpses. Along the way we encounter some familiar faces and meet new ones. I especially loved the team up of D’Agosta and Pendergast against the majority of the NYPD. There are some super creepy scenes in this book, mostly the underground ones. They kept the story moving along and not get mired in the techno-babble in the lab. The last 50 pages are one big suspenseful scene. I have another in this series sitting on my Unread Shelf. I may have to push it to the top part of the stack. I probably won’t ever read all 30 books in this series, but I might just knock off a few more in the upcoming years.

Next up on the TBR pile:

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: