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Janelle November 26, 2019 Leave a Comment

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Thank you @tordotcompub for the free review copy.

Thank you @tordotcompub for the free review copy. Also, big thanks to the @night_worms for being awesome reading / review buddies!

SUMMER SONS by @leemandelo is a fresh take on Southern gothic suspense that mixes an ample amount of genres, including supernatural horror, fantasy, coming of age, mystery, all combined with a few action-packed scenes. It’s a story of ghosts, grief, and friendship, and I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Andrew and Eddie had a bond greater than if they were brothers. Eddie went off to graduate school in Nashville, and Andrew wasn’t far behind. But when Eddie was found dead, an apparent suicide, Andrew is devastated. He just doesn’t believe his best friend would kill himself. Even more curious, Eddie left Andrew everything in his wake. He inherits his house, money, friends, the mystery of his death, and a few hauntings.

SUMMER SONS has queer characters, drugs, fast cars, plenty of suspicion, secrets, and even possession. The pacing slows down a bit in the middle and may feel overly detailed, but that didn’t slow me down one bit. The heart of the story is about facing past trauma and dealing with intense loss. Andrew is not only haunted by Eddie’s death, he is haunted by his life. I highly recommend you add this one to your fall reading list.

🏷 #SummerSons #TordotcomPublishing #SheReadswithCats #BookReview #Read

Thank you so much to the tagged publishers for the

Thank you so much to the tagged publishers for the #giftedbooks 📚

Here’s some #bookmail for the inevitable #SundayScaries - see anything you want to read?

I really enjoyed COMFORT ME WITH APPLES, MY SWEET GIRL, A MARVELOUS LIGHT, WHEN THE RECKONING COMES, and THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET 🐈‍⬛📚

Happy #Caturday 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛ Jules is che

Happy #Caturday 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

Jules is checking out the library. Should I be nervous? 😂

We just watched the new Candyman and then watched M. Night Shyamalan’s Old. WOWZA both movies are so good!

What are you all up to this weekend?!

Hey #ConstantReaders 🐈‍⬛🎈 Are you up fo

Hey #ConstantReaders 🐈‍⬛🎈

Are you up for a challenge?! I would love to see your favorite #StephenKing book and your beautiful face! Feel free to tag ME if you’d like! Xoxo 🐈‍⬛🎈

#stephenkingthreewords

Here are a few new releases out today and a couple

Here are a few new releases out today and a couple out next week. Thank you to the tagged publishers for the #giftedbooks

My copy of SLEWFOOT by Brom is in route. (Ahem - I hope you’ve checked out my #bookreview on @cemeterydancepub 👀)

NICE GIRLS by Catherine Dang, FUZZ by Mary Roach, THE SPECTACULAR by Zoe Whitthall, ASSEMBLY by Natasha Brown, and UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by T.J. Klune all look really good!

What are YOU most excited for?!

Does anyone here listen to #truecrime podcasts?! I

Does anyone here listen to #truecrime podcasts?! I am a nut for true crime! One of my favorites is @redhandedthepod! I am one of their patrons on @patreon, so this is legit! Of course, I preordered a signed copy (duh), but I was lucky enough to receive an early #review copy of REDHANDED by @suruthilaya and @hannahmaryanastasia! I jumped up and down like a small child when it arrived on my doorstep (ty @kayepublicity).

I am a huge fan of true crime books, documentaries, podcasts, and memoirs. I love learning things in more depth or detail, whether it’s about a case, a serial killer, or the authors who tell the story. For instance, I enjoyed Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark’s Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered, but REDHANDED is not that book. I love that my favorite ladies in podcasting are so different. This is not a memoir, but as it says on the cover “AN EXPLORATION OF CRIMINALS, CANNIBALS, CULTS, AND WHAT MAKES A KILLER TICK”.

This is a true crime book I can recommend to a #reader who doesn’t listen to the #podcast but is interested in true crime (of course you should listen to the podcast because it’s amazing!!!). It’s broken down into 8 informative sections of GENETICS, CHILDHOOD and ADOLESCENCE, INSANITY, MYSOGYNY, CULTS, RELATIONSHIPS, BIGOTRY, and SEX.

REDHANDED delves into the murky depths of human behavior, which I am endlessly fascinated by. It’s not as if you can understand a person who does such heinous and deplorable acts, but to understand how a person does what they do is interesting, to say the least. They cover everything from the warrior gene, to sexual sadist, hate crimes, and what makes a cult a cult. It’s keenly sharp and adequately concise. Suruthi and Hannah’s intelligence and personalities shine on the pages. Highly recommend it if these psychopathic subjects interest you!

#Redhanded #RedhandedthePod #SpookyBitch #SSDGM #BookReview #SheReadswithCats #BooksBooksBooks

A little #bookshelf porn for your viewing pleasure

A little #bookshelf porn for your viewing pleasure #ShelfieSunday 👀📚

I spent the weekend reading, writing, and watching horror movies. We watched Malignant - I thought it was original and super fun! What did you all do over the weekend? Read or watch anything good?

Do you have a favorite shop? One of mine is @livel

Do you have a favorite shop? One of mine is @livelyghosts. I own about a bazillion of her pins and I love my Halloween-themed teaspoon! Also, I desperately need to snag myself a mug 👻👻

Dude, I suck at flat lay photos with props. I can do books, bookshelves, typewriters, cameras, and mugs. I have taken some really bad photos with my beautiful teaspoon, but I am not going to give up! I will continue to stalk and get ideas from @spookishmommy, because she’s the #Halloween Queen! 👻👻

Go check out @livelyghosts for her beautiful creations and be sure to use code SHEREADSWITHCATS to save 10%!

#LivelyGhosts #SheReadswithCats #SpookySeason #HalloweenEveryday #Spooky #Pin #ghosts 👻👻

And so the week begins with a little #bookmail Tha

And so the week begins with a little #bookmail Thank you to the tagged authors and publishers #giftedbooks #prhpartner

Here are a few I am most excited for, but they all look fantastic…

MY SWEET GIRL (thriller)
THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED (suspense thriller)
RED X (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) (horror fiction)
WHAT ONE WOULDN’T DO (horror anthology)
EXPOSED NERVES (horror poetry)
MONSTROM POETICA (horror poetry)
REDHANDED (true crime @redhandedthepod)
DARE TO KNOW (sci-fi thriller)
THE GUIDE (adventure thriller)

Happy Weekend, friends! It’s been a minute since $Happy Weekend, friends! It’s been a minute since I’ve posted. I miss you all SO much. After 17 migraines in 34 days, I’m lucky to be alive 😂 I felt better a couple of days, but it took me a bit to get my brain back. Anyhoodles, I’m here! 🤓 I am going to kick off the week with a #buddyread with one of my favorite people @wherethereadergrows! We all know and love her because she’s the best. We start tomorrow as Chandra takes her flight home to NYC 💋 Thank you thank you @earthlingpub for this early #review copy of BOYS IN THE VALLEY by @pfracassi. #EarthlingPublications publishes the most beautiful special editions - I cannot wait to get my finished copy next month! There is still time to preorder, so go check it out! Synopsis: St. Vincent's Orphanage for Boys. Turn of the century, in a remote valley in Pennsylvania. Here, under the watchful eyes of several priests, 30 boys work and learn and worship. They live their lives in a methodical way and get along despite different personalities and pasts. Peter Barlow, orphaned by a nighttime murder at his childhood home, has made a new life here. As he approaches adulthood, he has friends, a future … a family. Then, late one stormy night, a group of men arrive at their door, one of whom is badly wounded, his body covered with occult symbols carved into his flesh. Upon his death, an ancient evil is released that infests St. Vincent's and the children within. Soon, boys begin acting differently, forming groups. Taking sides. Others turn up dead. Now Peter and those dear to him must choose sides of their own, each of them knowing their lives — and perhaps their eternal souls — are at risk.$

DOUBLE REVIEW!!! Thank you @sagasff and @aaknopf #

DOUBLE REVIEW!!!
Thank you @sagasff and @aaknopf #giftedbooks

MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW by Stephen Graham Jones is an homage to the horror genre, horror films, and obsessed fans everywhere. This is a book that sneaks up on you, as the more it simmers, the more you love it. And don’t go into it with the expectation that it’s like his previous novels, as this one stands on its own. Yes, it’s chalked full of horror tropes and film references, but it also does a great job showcasing how horror can help it’s fans cope with real life trauma.

Jade Daniels has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things horror and uses her obsession to cope with her alcoholic father, among other life difficulties. She believes the town of Proofrock is about to experience its own horror movie. Plus, she’s fixated on Letha, who she believes is the town’s well-put-together final girl. I 💯 percent recommend MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW, so what are you waiting for?!

REVELATOR by Daryl Gregory was this month’s @mystery.book.club pick and a completely new author for me. I devoured this story. Strangely enough, I enjoyed spending time with a haunted family in the Smoky Mountains of 1930s Tennessee.

As a child, Stella Wallace learns from her grandmother that their family communes with Ghostdaddy, a god in the mountains who lives below the land where they live. Only the women are allowed to interact with their god, but Stella ignores her birthright and moves away to have a life of her own. Over a decade later, her grandmother passes away, so Stella returns to the Smoky Mountains to discover something more than she bargained for.

We toggle back and forth between Stella’s past and present, which makes for a quick read. Gregory’s REVELATOR is dark, weird, and draped in fear. Trust me, you want to know more about Ghostdaddy. I highly recommend this for fans of horror folklore and fans of Adam Nevill (ahem, Ritual).

PEEK-A-BOO from Jules 👀. One of the sweetest fa

PEEK-A-BOO from Jules 👀. One of the sweetest faces on the planet. And he is the sweetest and most handsome boy. I meant to post this on #Caturday (whoopsie).

How is your week going so far?!

It’s a big book pub date tomorrow! Are there any books you’re excited for? 🐈‍⬛📚

🏷🏷🏷
#shereadswithcats #booksandcats #catstagram #bookstagram #bookstack #booksbooksbooks #bookshelf #catlife #booksandbooks #catsofinstagram #reader #readersofinstagram #bibliophile #booknerd #bookreview #bookworm #instabook #books #bookish #lovebooks #bookcommunity #catlover #booklover
#readmorebooks #catsofig #booksofig #igreads #bookfluencer #bookblogger

#MeetTheBookstagrammer - It’s August 28! It’s

#MeetTheBookstagrammer - It’s August 28! It’s my birthday! I’m 44 years old today (HOLY HELL). I’m a Virgo, animal person, reader, writer, and mom of 2 kittens and a puppy. I talk too fast in a stream of consciousness style, or not at all. I’m honest, flawed, and full of empathy. I have a library full of hardback books and I collect special editions. I have an office full of paperback books and horror memorabilia, which give me all the nostalgia feels. I love to read and review any genre, but my true loves are horror, thriller, and true crime. I review horror professionally and write for Cemetery Dance, Tor Nightfire, and Dark Matter Magazine. Bookstagram has been a complicated journey, but an amazing one regardless. I talked to @davidduchovny on Zoom for 20 minutes and I’m never going to shut up about it 😂 The friends I’ve made and the things I’ve learned are invaluable. I cohost two book clubs with some amazing ladies and I love every minute of it. My interactions with you are always genuine. Sometimes I’m misunderstood because I’m quiet, but it’s mostly because I like to listen and observe (SUCH AN INTROVERT). I love this space and I love YOU.

Thanks for sticking with me this long and if you’re new, welcome friends. Jules, Mia, Stella and I are grateful to have you here. Happy #Caturday 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛💋💋💋

🔖🔖🔖
#shereadswithcats #nightworms #thebelljar #ladiesofhorrorfiction #sylviaplath #library #bookshelf #shelfiesunday #shelfie #weekendvibes #weekendreading #bookstagram #instabooks #novels #classics #booksbooksbooks #booksandbooks #bibliophile #booknerd #bookfluencer #bookstagrammer #bookblogger #bookblog #readmorebooks #readmorehorror #truecrime #bookish #lovebooks

Feast your eyes on a little box of #bookmail - tha

Feast your eyes on a little box of #bookmail - thank you to the tagged publishers for the free books 💋

Do you see any #bookspines that catch your 👀s?

🔖🔖🔖
#bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #read #booksandbooks #bibliophile #knopf #celadonbooks #grandcentralpublishing #randomhouse #berkleypublishing #simonandschuster #torbooks #instabooks #doubledaybooks #littlebrownandcompany #prhpartner #quirkbooks #shereadswithcats #booknerd #bookshelf #bookworm #bookaholic #fictionlover #lovebooks #booklover #bookishlife #readinglife #readersofinstagram

Take a look at three books I am truly excited for,

Take a look at three books I am truly excited for, one that I have finished, and two I look forward to reading. Special thanks to @tachyonpub for sending me review copies. BODY SHOCKS blew me away - look for my review, coming soon.

If you have to pick one, which one would you read?!

BODY SHOCKS edited by Ellen Datlow -
Bestselling editor Ellen Datlow presents body horror at its most wide-ranging and shocking best. Discover twenty-nine intricate, twisted tales of the human body, soul, and psyche, as told by storytelling legends including Carmen Maria Machado, Richard Kadrey, Seanan McGuire, and many more.

THE ESCAPEMENT by Lavie Tidhar -
Into the reality called the Escapement rides the Stranger, a lone gunman on a quest to rescue his son from a parallel world. But it is too easy to get lost on a shifting landscape full of dangerous versions of his son’s most beloved things: cowboys gone lawless, giants made of stone, downtrodden clowns, ancient battles, symbol storms and more shadowy forces at play. But the flower the Stranger seeks still lies beyond the Mountains of Darkness. Time is running out, as he journeys deeper and deeper into the secret heart of an unforeseen world.

THE PECULIARITIES by David Liss -
Thomas’s problems are more serious than those of a typical young Victorian gentleman. His elder brother may be sabotaging the family’s bank. His childhood friend has died under mysterious circumstances. Far worse, leaves are sprouting on Thomas’s skin. Perhaps it is all the fault of the long-rumored “Peculiarities” lurking in London’s grey fog? Proper society scoffs at the notion of magic, even as it seeps into their buildings, transfiguring the rich and poor alike. If Thomas is going to save the family business ―and stop turning into a tree―he’ll need help from some rather improper companions. Desperate for counsel, he seeks the advice of a lycanthropic medium and London’s unacceptable occult society…including a strange fellow named Aleister Crowley.

🔖🔖
#ladiesofhorrorfiction #nightworms #readmorehorror #fantasybooks #tachyonpublications #ellendatlow #horrorbooks #readmorebooks #shereadswithcats #booksandbooks #booksbooksbooks #typewriter #book

Happy Sunday, friends! I missed #Caturday yesterd

Happy Sunday, friends!

I missed #Caturday yesterday so I decided to combine it with #ShelfieSunday 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛📚

Yes, yes, I had a migraine from hell yesterday, but today I feel much better. And I get to see my baby niece today! She’s ADORBS.

Reading check: I’m reading VICTIM F, CALLER’S GAME, A TOUCH OF JEN, BOYS IN THE VALLEY, and WHEN THINGS GET DARK.

What are you reading today? Or, what is bringing you JOY today?

🔖🔖
#bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #reader #reading #bibliophile #readersofinstagram #catstagram #bookstagram #booksandbooks #bookrecommendations #bookish #shereadswithcats #readmorebooks #booksandcats #bibliophile #catlover #catlife #readinglife #bookishfeatures #catsofinstagram #bookaholic #booklover #instabooks #igreads #catsrule #bookreview #bookblogger #weekendreading #readmorehorror

CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN by @richard_chizmar is a thr

CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN by @richard_chizmar is a thrilling true crime story that will keep you on your toes. Except it’s a novel, but the genius is it reads like real thing.

What stood out to me the most is how personal the story is. Chizmar broke out his metafiction skills and used details from his life to create this fictionalized version.

The plot goes something like this… In the late 80s, after Chizmar graduated college, he went back to his hometown in Edgewood, Maryland to jumpstart his writing career and plan his wedding. When he arrived, a curfew was enacted by law enforcement due to a series of gruesome murders that have terrorized the quiet town. A serial killer who claimed the lives of several young girls is on the loose.

The cool thing about this novel is it reads like a true crime, memoir, and horror all wrapped into one. The crime scene photos and police investigation included make the story seem real. I pretty much read this in one sitting—it’s that compelling. And the last bit in the Author’s Note explains the actual crimes that took place.

What do you think? Is this one on your radar?

🏷🏷🏷
#chasingtheboogeyman #gallerybooks #richardchizmar #truecrime #horrorbooks #readmorebooks #readmorehorror #books #bookstagram #instabooks #booklover #fictionlover #novels #thrillerbooks #booksbooksbooks #bookshelf #reader #bibliophile #bookworm #booknerd #bookaholic #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookshelf #thrillerthursday #mfm #murderino #booksandcats #booksandbooks #shereadswithcats #igreads

Some new #books out in the world! Thank you to the

Some new #books out in the world! Thank you to the tagged publishers for the #giftedbooks

Standouts…

CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN @richard_chizmar
FERAL CREATURES @kirajanewrites
VELVET WAS THE NIGHT @silviamg.author
COME WITH ME @ronaldmalfi
NIGHTBITCH @raijoy
NEVER SAY YOU CAN’T SURVIVE @charliejaneanders
MOON LAKE @joe_r_lansdale
THE OTHER ME @sarah_ezj
A TOUCH OF JEN @gentle_herbal_laxative
CLOSING COSTS @brackenmacleod
56 DAYS @cathryanhoward

But let’s face it, they all look SO GOOD.

Have you read any of these?!

🏷🏷🏷
#shereadswithcats #booksbooksbooks #bookmail #currentlyreading #reading #readersofinstagram #reader #instabooks #igreads #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #nightworms #prhpartner #bookreview #bibliophile #booknerd #bookworm #booklover #bookish #ladiesofhorrorfiction #bookcommunity #bookaholic #bookaddict #booksandcats #booksandbooks #novels #readmorebooks #readmorehorror

I really wanted to post today, but my scheduled po

I really wanted to post today, but my scheduled post didn’t work out so…. Here’s my face!!!

What is the one book that’s been on your #TBR for a long time that you are dying to read? For me it’s THE GIRL IN 6E by A.R. Torre. Ever since @jessicamap posted about it, I’ve been meaning to read it 👀

🏷🏷🏷

#shereadswithcats #instabooks @shereadswithcats #bookstagram #instabook #novels #currentlyreading #readersofinstagram #reading #booklover #bookworm #booknerd #bookstagrammer #bookaddict #bibliophile #bookblog #booksofinstagram #readersofinsta #bookaholic #igreads #bookphotography #booksbooksbooks #readmorebooks #bookshelf #booklove #ilovebooks #bookblogger #booklovers #bookcommunity #reader

Happy Weekend, readers! I just finished BILLY SUMM

Happy Weekend, readers! I just finished BILLY SUMMERS and really loved it. Also, I am STILL writing my review for EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE, but it’s coming along. My next two reads I am really excited about: I’m picking up APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty and MOON LAKE by Joe R. Lansdale.

Isn’t it exhilarating picking out your next book?!

🏷🏷🏷
#shereadswithcats #caturday #cats #bookrecommendations #catstagram #reading #currentlyreading #instareads #instabook #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #books #bookshelves #sundayshelfie #shelfie #catlife #catlover #booklover #reader #currentlyreading #booksandcats #catsandcurrentlyreading #booknerd #bookish #bookreview #bookblog

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