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Home Read. Review. Repeat. Book Reviews

Category Archive

Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Book Reviews”

Review: THE SUN DOWN MOTEL by Simone St. James

Janelle March 16, 2020 Berkley Publishing, Book Reviews, Finished Copy, From Publisher, Ghost Stories, Murderino, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller Leave a Comment

Thank you so much Berkley Publishing for my free copy.  Description: Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the …

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Review: TRUE CRIME by Samantha Kolesnik

Janelle March 16, 2020 Advance Copy, Book Reviews, Grindhouse Press, Horror, Night Worms Leave a Comment

Thank you so much Night Worms and Grindhouse Press for my free copy.  Description: Suzy and her brother, Lim, live with their abusive mother in a town where the stars don’t shine at night. Once the abuse becomes too much …

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Review: OONA OUT OF ORDER by Margarita Montimore

Janelle March 16, 2020 Book Reviews, Book Sparks, Coming-of-Age, Contemporary, Finished Copy, Flatiron Books, Science Fiction, Suspense Leave a Comment

Thank you so much Book Sparks and Flatiron for my free copy. Description: It’s New Year’s Eve 1982, and Oona Lockhart has her whole life before her. At the stroke of midnight she will turn nineteen, and the year ahead …

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Review: WE ARE MONSTERS by Brian Kirk

Janelle March 16, 2020 Advance Copy, Book Reviews, Bookstagram, Flame Tree Press, Horror, Night Worms Leave a Comment

Thank you Night Worms and Flame Tree Press for my free copy.  Description: Some doctors are sicker than their patients.  When a troubled psychiatrist loses funding to perform clinical trials on an experimental cure for schizophrenia, he begins testing it …

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Review: ANNA K by Jenny Lee

Janelle March 16, 2020 Book Reviews, Book Sparks, Coming-of-Age, Cookbooks, Finished Copy, Flatiron Books, Young Adult Leave a Comment

Thank you so much Book Sparks and Flatiron for my free copy. Description: At seventeen, Anna K is at the top of Manhattan and Greenwich society (even if she prefers the company of her horses and dogs); she has the …

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Review: SKINWRAPPER by Stephen Kozeniewski

Janelle March 16, 2020 Book Reviews, Finished Copy, Horror, Night Worms, Science Fiction, Sinister Grin Press Leave a Comment

Thank you Night Worms and Sinister Grin Press for my free copy.  Description: A single word strikes fear into the hearts of even the most experienced starship crews…Aboard the freighter Blue Whale, a young girl’s day begins like any other: …

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Review: WHISPERS IN THE DARK by Laurel Hightower

Janelle March 16, 2020 BLOG TOUR, Book Reviews, Finished Copy, Horror, JournalStone Publishing, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller Leave a Comment

Thank you to the Night Worms and JournalStone Publishing for my free copy.  Description: Rose McFarland is a trained killer–a Memphis S.W.A.T. sniper with a secret. Her team knows about the burn scars that lurk under her clothes, a legacy …

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Review: MY DARK VANESSA by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Janelle March 16, 2020 Advance Copy, Book Reviews, Contemporary, From Publisher, Literary Fiction, William Morrow Leave a Comment

Thank you so much William Morrow for my free copy. Description: 2000. Bright, ambitious, and yearning for adulthood, fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye becomes entangled in an affair with Jacob Strane, her magnetic and guileful forty-two-year-old English teacher. 2017. Amid the rising …

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Review: DOCILE by K.M. Szpara

Janelle March 16, 2020 Advance Copy, Book Reviews, Dystopia, Finished Copy, From Publisher, Graphic Content Warning, Science Fiction, Tor Books Leave a Comment

Thank you so much Tor Books for my free copy.  Description: There is no consent under capitalism. To be a Docile is to be kept, body and soul, for the uses of the owner of your contract. To be a …

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Review: THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB’S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES by Grady Hendrix

Janelle March 16, 2020 Advance Copy, BLOG TOUR, Book Reviews, Finished Copy, Horror, Humor, Night Worms, Quirk Books, Satire, Suspense Leave a Comment

Thank you so much Quirk Books for my free copy. Description:  Patricia Campbell’s life has never felt smaller. Her husband is a workaholic, her teenage kids have their own lives, her senile mother-in-law needs constant care, and she’s always a …

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Thank you @flametreepress for my #gifted copy. #Bo Thank you @flametreepress for my #gifted copy. #BookReview #Vampire #Horror Glenn Rolfe’s UNTIL SUMMER COMES AROUND is an all-consuming, 1980s coming-of-age, nostalgic, vampire extravaganza of a story. I “summer breezed” right on through this entire book, and much like the vampires in this story, I was bloodthirsty for more. I love the description in the synopsis: “When fifteen-year-old Rocky Zukas meets a mysterious dark-haired girl named November, his world is forever changed.” HOOKED. November has a family secret, and unfortunately for Rocky, he is under the spell of young love. Every detail from the beach setting atmosphere to the 1980s summer teenage love story, to the blood-lusting vampires is exactly what I needed right now. Rolfe does a perfect job building these characters brick by brick and crafting a brilliant vampire story without going over-the-top. Did I mention I love it?! The carnival beach town, music, video games, and innocence (well vampire innocence) are just so RAD. I think I might need to watch the movie The Lost Boys again because this has those vibes. It’s oozing with nostalgia, dead bodies, and blood addled vampires. The kill scenes are brutal and blood-soaked. Gnarly. Righteous. UNTIL SUMMER COMES AROUND is a perfectly executed story with a delicate balance of blood and love. Let’s just say I’m a fan of Mr. Rolfe and cannot wait for the next one.
Yeah that’s right it’s a double #CAT post! Tha Yeah that’s right it’s a double #CAT post! Thank you so much @hanoversquarepress and @harpercollins for my #gifted copy THE BRIGHT LANDS. This BABY comes out in July and I am ALL ABOUT IT. Like most books on #BOOKSTAGRAM (ahem) I go in blind. This benefits me for many reasons: no preconceived notions and no strange expectations. I actually had no idea this was classified as a #horror novel. Here’s the thing - everyone’s level of horror is different. I’m a seasoned horror reader BUT no matter the level, IT’S A FANTASTIC READ. I loved it, I mean really loved it. Also, I’m super obsessed with @john.fram as a human because he’s AWESOME. Put this on your #TBR for July! #PREORDER the hell out of it my friends! 💋💋💋 —- How’s your day going?! Tell me the highlight of your weekend?!
Special thanks to @duttonbooks and @the_grateful_r Special thanks to @duttonbooks and @the_grateful_read for my #gifted copy! #BookReview Side note: It’s #MemorialDay so it’s a perfect time to recognize all of the amazing men and women who risk their lives every single day to keep us SAFE. We should also take this day as a reminder of the people who keep us SAFE should also be recognized every single day. #REVIEW - An addictive triller with an unreliable narrator that is perfect for the summer....um yes please. Jenny Krystal was kidnapped when she was just six years old. Now twelve years later, she’s back and wants to be reunited with her family. Besides the obvious, something is not quite right with Jenny’s kidnapping, and it’s up to the reader to follow along with the narrator and figure it out. This cinematic style thriller has it all, obscured lines between fantasy and reality, a splash of social media, a captivating and unsettling plot, secrets, lies, and a compelling narrator. PEOPLE....it’s so fantastic. Pay attention because you might notice a nod to a few #truecrime stories out there. Is SAFE on your radar? Also, S.K. Barnett is a pseudonym, so I have to wonder...who is this S.K. Barnett?!
#Janelleism #SSDGM 💀🤘🏻 —- A literature #Janelleism #SSDGM 💀🤘🏻 —- A literature teacher, who was also a mentor and friend, once told me “I’m honest to a fault”. I went away from that thinking, “what a great compliment.” But now I realize it wasn’t a compliment, nor an insult, but rather an observation of concern. What I realize now is that’s akin to the phrase “never let them see you sweat”. I don’t think he was saying be plastic or hide who I am. I think he was saying life has a balance and you can’t just go all in heart and soul from the start. In life you have to protect yourself until your instincts say it’s safe. Protect yourself from the users, the judgements, and the cruelty. I need to build up a bit of armor, and take it down for the genuine and kind people I come across. Wait until I know it’s safe. This brings me to why I love #truecrime - I have an analytical mind. I have an obsessive need to solve puzzles or to learn from others on how to solve them. I enjoy puzzles in the form of games, human behavior, the human condition, or even the puzzle of ME. I live everyday trying to figure out root causes, strengths or faults, and the best way to go about something. Does it drive me mad having my brain on a constant reel of thoughts? YEP. Do I constantly question everything? YOU BETCHA. But it also is the reason I love puzzles, true crime, psychology, and helping others. So you see, there is always a balance in life. —- ⁉️ DO YOU READ TRUE CRIME ⁉️ —- Thank you @bookishmommy for putting #BookishTrueCrime together. It’s nice to have friends that love to discuss murder without thinking I’m a psycho 😂—- #Murderino #MyFavoriteMurder #TrueCrimeJunkie #TrueCrimeObsessed #TrueCrimeAddict
HAPPY SATURDAY TO ALL MY FAVORITE BOOK PEOPLE 😎 HAPPY SATURDAY TO ALL MY FAVORITE BOOK PEOPLE 😎 —- Question: What is your process for choosing your next read?!!
#BookReview | THE MAGPIE COFFIN by Wile E. Young i #BookReview | THE MAGPIE COFFIN by Wile E. Young is the first of ten standalone books being published by @deathsheadpress. This is part of the SPLATTER WESTERN series and let me tell you, it blew me away, knocked my socks off, chaps flew right off - it was so exciting. As always I am very thankful for the @night_worms and to @mother.horror and the publisher for sending us copies of this series! —- Salem Covington is an outlaw notoriously known as “Black Magpie”. He’s a brutal killer, a collector of stories and souls. When Salem learns that Dead Bear, his mentor and a Comanche shaman, has been murdered, he seeks vengeance. I was captivated by this story from the get go. It felt gritty, cinematic, and barbaric, which makes sense since splatter westerns are typically a sub genre of horror films that focus on violence and gore. The primary theme here is blood thirsty vengeance and I was transported into the late 1800s and the Wild West, where I could see and touch every detail Wile E. Young had to offer. The writing is insanely good, the characters dark, and the story severe. Let me tell you, there are some depraved and rancid characters in this story and I enjoyed reading about each and every one of them. Was I completely obsessed with the character Salem? Absolutely. He is full of violence, darkness, and hidden secrets. He’s a gunslinger with a nefarious heart who has stepped into the realm of arcane magic. There are some impressive, gasp-inducing, bloodcurdling scenes. Young’s mastery at descriptive language brings the blood, sweat, and bones out of the rough and tumble American west. This is one of those stories that makes you feel alive even while the characters within meet their demise. I recently started reading horror western mashups this past year and I’m obsessed. Needless to say I cannot wait to read more of Deaths Head Press’ splatter westerns! If you are looking for a wicked great read then pick up THE MAGPIE COFFIN. —- #thenightwormscoffin #nightwormsbookparty #horror
@duttonbooks #partner #Janelleism - the people th @duttonbooks #partner #Janelleism - the people that know me best know that I’m socially awkward. It’s a fact 🤷🏼‍♀️ I also procrastinate, I’m shy, impulsive, sarcastic, I have zero filter (aka, the occasional word vomit), and I almost always say some bizarre, “outside the box”, comment. I read somewhere that most social awkwardness is a product of overthinking. 🎉 STEP BACK, WE HAVE A WINNER 🎉. Overthinking is my JAM. And like most people, I don’t know how to be anyone other than who I am, and I’ve learned that’s a good thing (I’m like a cat: if you’re in a room with me for a couple of hours, you’ll love me 🐈😉). Like many, I thrive on positivity, want to be there for my loved ones, and am at my best when things are going well. I’m a good friend, advisor, and partner. But on the other side of things, I’m at my worst when I’m stressed out and drowning in a sea of negativity. I get inside my head too much, perpetuating it. And as an introvert, I hide or obsess over my problems or pain, which means I lose sight of the world around me. There are people outside of my head I can be there for if I stop obsessing 🤯 —- What I’ve learned is that you never know what another person is going through, and it’s important for us all to remember that. You want to be seen but sometimes you need to see others. You might notice a shy introvert and think they are being a snob or a confident happy-go-lucky extrovert and think their life is golden. BUT remember, that doesn’t mean this person or that person isn’t struggling behind the scenes. Everyone here is valuable as a person, a reader, and a friend by someone. This is a lovely community with so many lovely things to be thankful for. There are MANY people that value, love, and care about you here. And especially now, during this global pandemic, we need to be conscious of that. That’s why it’s important to step back, look at the big picture, and know you’re not alone. It’s funny to use this expression on here but “never judge a book by its cover” - at least when it comes to people 😘 —- *POSITIVITY* Tell me something good, anything 👇🏻 —- My thing ☞ @readingbetweenthe__wines @scaredstraightreads @night_worms @wherethereadergrows
@booksparks #partner #SRC2020 #SummerReadingCamp @booksparks #partner #SRC2020 #SummerReadingCamp As always, #BookSparks knows how to make me smile! BOOKS, ALWAYS BOOKS. #CurrentlyReading THE BOOK OF V. by Anna Solomon. Did you know this is the May selection for one of my favs, @belletrist and @gmabookclub!!! Aren’t #BookClubs the best?! And so far, I’m invested! —- Have you read this one?! ☀️ —- #Belletrist #BelletristBabe #GMABookClub #TheBookOfV
I just picked up THE BOOK OF V. and UNTIL SUMMER C I just picked up THE BOOK OF V. and UNTIL SUMMER COMES AROUND by Glenn Rolfe and should finish both today! I also plan to have some sort of adult beverage and partake in more episodes of our rewatch-athon of the Sopranos. What are you all up to today?! Reading anything good? —- #Rainbow #BookStacks #Bookstagram #BookBlogger #LiveColorfully #PursuePretty #Bibliophile #Read
🥳🥳 APPRECIATION GIVEAWAY 🥳🥳 —- Becau 🥳🥳 APPRECIATION GIVEAWAY 🥳🥳 —- Because of all YOU beautiful people, I’m giving away a $100 GIFT CARD to any online store of your choice! 🥳 —- Thank you for always sticking with me through my eclectic style, multi genre fascination, and my extra long captions! YOU are the BEST around and I could not be more grateful for each and every one of YOU 🥳 —- To enter: 1. Like this post and follow @shereadswithcats 2. Tag many of your friends! 3. Tell me your favorite thing about #Bookstagram 🥳 4. Please share this post in your Insta story for 24 hours and be sure to tag me and use hashtag #SRWC100Giveaway (each time you do this counts as an extra entry) 🥳 —- INTERNATIONAL • Not affiliated with Instagram • I must be able to purchase the gift card online and gift to you directly • Giveaway runs through the end of May • Good luck my friends! 😘🥳 —- #booklove #booksbooksbooks #read #bibliophile #booksaremagic #blogger #readersofinstagram #bookblogger #momentslikethese #livecolorfully #booklover #bookishlove #amreading #bookcommunity #booksharks #currentlyreading #shereadswithcats
I had ten seconds to take this photo and I managed I had ten seconds to take this photo and I managed to pull it off. Abby is a busy girl but always makes time for her favorite human. READERS: I live for these @nightworms book parties! Abby and I thank @deathsheadpress and @night_worms for sending us a copy of Wile E. Young’s THE MAGPIE COFFIN. So far, this book is on 🔥🔥🔥 —- Check out the synopsis and don’t forget to gaze at the COOL cover art ☞ The year is 1875 and outlaw Salem Covington has spent the last twenty years collecting stories, possessions, and lives. Nicknamed "The Black Magpie" for his exploits during the war, Salem has carved a bloody trail across the western territories. Informed that his mentor, Comanche shaman Dead Bear, has been murdered. Salem vows vengeance on the perpetrators. Enlisting the help of an army scout and preserving the body of his mentor in a specially made coffin, he sets out in pursuit. But the choices of Salem's past that earned him the moniker "Black Magpie" are riding hard behind him and the only weapon that can kill him might not be as far away as he thinks. #thenightwormscoffin #read #horror #nightwormsbookparty
Happy Thursday all! What are you reading this week Happy Thursday all! What are you reading this week?! Give me all your recommendations! —- Thank you @poltergeistpress for this stack of goodies! These little paperbacks are so cool! And very collectible! Oh how I love them. —- I’ve read and can 100% recommend: A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS, A PLACE FOR SINNERS, and VARIOUS STATES OF DECAY. All fantastic reads! —- Also, special thanks to my beautiful friend Janel over at @keeperofpages for this lovely candle. It’s absolutely perfect in every way 💀🕯 —- #horror #horrorfan #horroraddict #horrorobsessed #horrorgeek #read #paperback #booksaremagic
My beautiful blue box just arrived! Who else gets My beautiful blue box just arrived! Who else gets super excited for #BookOftheMonth mail?! —- I chose a thriller (shocker, I know) because I needed a binge-able read. A few years back I read @kimberlymccreight’s RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA and WHERE THEY FOUND HER so I knew I needed A GOOD MARRIAGE. Her books are a “race to the finish line” type of read and always enjoyable. Did I binge this? You bet your behind I did! Man, oh man is this book fun! McCreight has a way of injecting deceit, lies, twists, and reveals that make my suspense-loving heart happy! READ THIS BOOK. —- Thank you @bookofthemonth for always sending us the pretty blue box with a pretty book inside. —- #BOTMambassador #BookBassador #BOTM #BookReview #BookClub #BookishLife #BookLove #Read
Have you read the #CormoranStrike series by @rober Have you read the #CormoranStrike series by @robertgalbraith?! I’ve read the first two books, THE CUCKOO’S CALLING and THE SILKWORM so far! And guess what?!...both books are fantastic! I cannot wait to see where the #series goes next. —- Also if you’re interested, there is a massive #StrikeReadAlong going on for the series to prepare us for the upcoming September release of TROUBLED BLOOD - Eeeeep!!! So excited!!! I mean, that title alone draws you in! —- Do you like buddy reads? Want to read along with us?!! —- Thank you so much to Charlotte from @tandemcollectiveuk and @littlebrown for these beautiful #paperback copies! ✨
HAPPY #CATURDAY SUNDAY! Is Abby cute or what? 🐈 HAPPY #CATURDAY SUNDAY! Is Abby cute or what? 🐈👀 —- I finished THE FAMILIAR DARK by Amy Engel a while back and absolutely LOVED IT. Have you read it?! IT’S SO GOOD. —- Eve Taggert and her brother Cal grew up in the Missouri Ozarks with a drug addicted mother. Now a single mother herself, she wants nothing more than to give her 12-year-old daughter Junie a good life. But sadly, there is a killer on the loose and Junie and her best friend Izzy were found murdered. Now, Eve will stop at nothing to find the truth of what happened to Junie. —- THIS BOOK. A gritty, emotional thriller to the core, I am obsessed. Highly recommended!
HAPPY #CATURDAY 😽😽 —- What are you reading HAPPY #CATURDAY 😽😽 —- What are you reading this weekend?! I’m participating in @marcyreads’ #horrorin24 #readathon and so far I’ve read The Notch, Scanlines, Auctioneer, and am finishing up The Living Dead. —- Special thanks to @getredpr @lorijill321 for this early copy of @davidbellnovels’ THE REQUEST. GUYS. GALS. David Bell books are always a joy to read especially for all you thriller lovers out there. He has a knack for writing great mysteries! I enjoyed this book! Look for its release on June 30 - it’s just around the corner 👀🕵🏼‍♀️
@booksparks @randomhouse #partner #BookReview #Rea @booksparks @randomhouse #partner #BookReview #Read #SRC2020 #BookSharks #BooksConnectUs —- When I read @janellebrownie’s WATCH ME DISAPPEAR a few years ago, I became a forever fan. Janelle writes mysterious, literary, suspense-filled novels that are more about the journey than some high-speed thrill ride, and PRETTY THINGS is no different. I enjoy reading how her intricate stories unravel, her in-depth character building, and the seamless style in which she writes a mystery. Although I might be biased because the settings for her novels are some of the very places I grew up going to and know like the back of my hand (San Francisco Bay Area, Berkeley, & Lake Tahoe). Oh, and her name is spelled exactly like mine! You all don’t know how rare that is. PRETTY THINGS is a con artist story like no other. Conwoman and drifter Nina Ross is in a bind and needs money for her mother’s cancer treatment bills. She sets her sites on the affluent Liebling family, specifically Vanessa, the family’s social media star. Vanessa has notoriety and followers but doesn’t know who to trust. Can she trust Nina?!! Let the secrets, lies, and scheming commence! —- The alternating chapters between Vanessa and Nina keep the suspense building. Nina is a pro at stealing money from wealthy people, and Vanessa is desperately trying to find ways to stay afloat. The juxtaposition of these two characters’ worlds is compelling, and the way they come together is brilliant. Both Vanessa and Nina have distinct voices and feel authentic but flawed. I mean it, I LOVE THIS BOOK. PRETTY THINGS has everything you need to stay glued to the pages: deceit, betrayal, narrators that will keep you on your toes, and did I mention the con artist and social media influencer?! It’s a fun-tastic read! ★★★★★ —- Also, BREAKING NEWS: This novel is slated to be an @amazon series starring the beautiful and talented @nicolekidman 👏🏻👏🏻 —- My first #SCAVENGEYOURSHELVES post for @readswithdogs and @teamredmon’s photo challenge. “Book by an author with the same name as you” - I couldn’t resist 💁🏼‍♀️
“There are darknesses in life and there are ligh “There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.” #Dracula —- This breathtakingly gorgeous, amazing, spectacular edition of DRACULA was a Christmas present from Marcus and my parents. I have been scared to death (haha 🧛🏻‍♀️) of taking photos of this book. I take photos outside mostly because of lighting. Also the coffee - coffee should be no where near this book. 🧛🏻‍♀️👀 —- @darkregionspress forced my hand when they announced their photo contest. I don’t usually enter these things because I always love someone else’s photo more but YO a $500 gift card to shop of one of my favorite publishers is a no brainer 🧛🏻‍♀️🦇 —- And before you ask, yes yes the illustrations inside GLOW IN THE DARK yada yada yada. Also, this snazzy bookmark came with it too. It’s so luxurious, velvety soft - this edition is a stunner and I will treasure it always 🧛🏻‍♀️💀 —- Do you collect editions of your favorite books?!! —- #darkregionsphotocontest #read #photography #bookfeature #horror #bramstoker #darkregionspress
@atriabooks @booksparks #partner #SRC2020 #BookSp @atriabooks @booksparks #partner #SRC2020 #BookSparks has a #SummerReadingCamp going on and I am all about it. As always, the reading lineup is insane! They always have the most thoughtful selections for the perfect season. #BigSummer by @jenniferweinerwrites is promised to be excellent! And let me tell you, I trust people like @suspensethrill @scaredstraightreads @novelgossip and @beauty_andthebook_ who have all given this #book FIVE GLOWING STARS ✨✨ —- Are you a seasonal reader? I read certain genres year round (i.e. horror, thrillers, nonfiction) but I like to dabble in #contemporaryfiction on those bright sunny days with an ice cold margarita or maybe a beer with a shot of tequila. HA! Happy #CincodeMayo everybody! 🥃🇨🇮
Thank you @sagasff and @mother.horror for my free Thank you @sagasff and @mother.horror for my free copy. #BookReview #NightWormsBookParty #NightWormsInTheLoop @jrj_is_probable’s THE LOOP is a heart-stopping thrill ride that has everything you could want in a story. This brilliant book is complete with conspiracy theories, a virus epidemic, biological warfare, mystery, violence, gore, realistic characters, friendships, and a tiny bit of romance. Did I mention there is a podcast?!! So yeah, I’m looking at you - yeah, you - you need this book. It’s an incredibly fun read! So entertaining, you will ignore everything around you and forget your name for a few hours. IT’S THAT GOOD. In the small town of Turner Falls, Oregon, we follow our main protagonist Lucy, who is a badass high school student, along with her friends Bucket and Brewer. When a classmate suddenly goes crazy and attacks a teacher and then is subsequently killed, it shakes Lucy up and turns this quiet town on its head. I don’t want to say more about the plot - trust me it’s better to go in blind. Several characters play a role, but Lucy is at the heart of the story. She’s a standout character and what makes this book so unique. My favorite characters tend to be complicated, the perfect blend of delicate and strong, fierce and heartfelt, flawed but moral. Lucy, Bucket, and Brewer, who are considered outsiders, are thick as thieves, and who take refuge in the local caves meet this description. Johnson is a gifted writer with a limitless imagination. THE LOOP is the second book I’ve read from him, and I continue to be blown away by his talent. THE LOOP takes place in one night, which adds to that compulsive, grab-the-book-by-both-hands-and-don’t-let-go feeling. I enjoyed every bit of the viscerally immersive chaos, carnage, and mayhem. So if all of the above sounds like your brand of horror, then you know what to do. ★★★★★
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Thank you @flametreepress for my #gifted copy. #Bo Thank you @flametreepress for my #gifted copy. #BookReview #Vampire #Horror Glenn Rolfe’s UNTIL SUMMER COMES AROUND is an all-consuming, 1980s coming-of-age, nostalgic, vampire extravaganza of a story. I “summer breezed” right on through this entire book, and much like the vampires in this story, I was bloodthirsty for more. I love the description in the synopsis: “When fifteen-year-old Rocky Zukas meets a mysterious dark-haired girl named November, his world is forever changed.” HOOKED. November has a family secret, and unfortunately for Rocky, he is under the spell of young love. Every detail from the beach setting atmosphere to the 1980s summer teenage love story, to the blood-lusting vampires is exactly what I needed right now. Rolfe does a perfect job building these characters brick by brick and crafting a brilliant vampire story without going over-the-top. Did I mention I love it?! The carnival beach town, music, video games, and innocence (well vampire innocence) are just so RAD. I think I might need to watch the movie The Lost Boys again because this has those vibes. It’s oozing with nostalgia, dead bodies, and blood addled vampires. The kill scenes are brutal and blood-soaked. Gnarly. Righteous. UNTIL SUMMER COMES AROUND is a perfectly executed story with a delicate balance of blood and love. Let’s just say I’m a fan of Mr. Rolfe and cannot wait for the next one.
Yeah that’s right it’s a double #CAT post! Tha Yeah that’s right it’s a double #CAT post! Thank you so much @hanoversquarepress and @harpercollins for my #gifted copy THE BRIGHT LANDS. This BABY comes out in July and I am ALL ABOUT IT. Like most books on #BOOKSTAGRAM (ahem) I go in blind. This benefits me for many reasons: no preconceived notions and no strange expectations. I actually had no idea this was classified as a #horror novel. Here’s the thing - everyone’s level of horror is different. I’m a seasoned horror reader BUT no matter the level, IT’S A FANTASTIC READ. I loved it, I mean really loved it. Also, I’m super obsessed with @john.fram as a human because he’s AWESOME. Put this on your #TBR for July! #PREORDER the hell out of it my friends! 💋💋💋 —- How’s your day going?! Tell me the highlight of your weekend?!
Special thanks to @duttonbooks and @the_grateful_r Special thanks to @duttonbooks and @the_grateful_read for my #gifted copy! #BookReview Side note: It’s #MemorialDay so it’s a perfect time to recognize all of the amazing men and women who risk their lives every single day to keep us SAFE. We should also take this day as a reminder of the people who keep us SAFE should also be recognized every single day. #REVIEW - An addictive triller with an unreliable narrator that is perfect for the summer....um yes please. Jenny Krystal was kidnapped when she was just six years old. Now twelve years later, she’s back and wants to be reunited with her family. Besides the obvious, something is not quite right with Jenny’s kidnapping, and it’s up to the reader to follow along with the narrator and figure it out. This cinematic style thriller has it all, obscured lines between fantasy and reality, a splash of social media, a captivating and unsettling plot, secrets, lies, and a compelling narrator. PEOPLE....it’s so fantastic. Pay attention because you might notice a nod to a few #truecrime stories out there. Is SAFE on your radar? Also, S.K. Barnett is a pseudonym, so I have to wonder...who is this S.K. Barnett?!
#Janelleism #SSDGM 💀🤘🏻 —- A literature #Janelleism #SSDGM 💀🤘🏻 —- A literature teacher, who was also a mentor and friend, once told me “I’m honest to a fault”. I went away from that thinking, “what a great compliment.” But now I realize it wasn’t a compliment, nor an insult, but rather an observation of concern. What I realize now is that’s akin to the phrase “never let them see you sweat”. I don’t think he was saying be plastic or hide who I am. I think he was saying life has a balance and you can’t just go all in heart and soul from the start. In life you have to protect yourself until your instincts say it’s safe. Protect yourself from the users, the judgements, and the cruelty. I need to build up a bit of armor, and take it down for the genuine and kind people I come across. Wait until I know it’s safe. This brings me to why I love #truecrime - I have an analytical mind. I have an obsessive need to solve puzzles or to learn from others on how to solve them. I enjoy puzzles in the form of games, human behavior, the human condition, or even the puzzle of ME. I live everyday trying to figure out root causes, strengths or faults, and the best way to go about something. Does it drive me mad having my brain on a constant reel of thoughts? YEP. Do I constantly question everything? YOU BETCHA. But it also is the reason I love puzzles, true crime, psychology, and helping others. So you see, there is always a balance in life. —- ⁉️ DO YOU READ TRUE CRIME ⁉️ —- Thank you @bookishmommy for putting #BookishTrueCrime together. It’s nice to have friends that love to discuss murder without thinking I’m a psycho 😂—- #Murderino #MyFavoriteMurder #TrueCrimeJunkie #TrueCrimeObsessed #TrueCrimeAddict
HAPPY SATURDAY TO ALL MY FAVORITE BOOK PEOPLE 😎 HAPPY SATURDAY TO ALL MY FAVORITE BOOK PEOPLE 😎 —- Question: What is your process for choosing your next read?!!
#BookReview | THE MAGPIE COFFIN by Wile E. Young i #BookReview | THE MAGPIE COFFIN by Wile E. Young is the first of ten standalone books being published by @deathsheadpress. This is part of the SPLATTER WESTERN series and let me tell you, it blew me away, knocked my socks off, chaps flew right off - it was so exciting. As always I am very thankful for the @night_worms and to @mother.horror and the publisher for sending us copies of this series! —- Salem Covington is an outlaw notoriously known as “Black Magpie”. He’s a brutal killer, a collector of stories and souls. When Salem learns that Dead Bear, his mentor and a Comanche shaman, has been murdered, he seeks vengeance. I was captivated by this story from the get go. It felt gritty, cinematic, and barbaric, which makes sense since splatter westerns are typically a sub genre of horror films that focus on violence and gore. The primary theme here is blood thirsty vengeance and I was transported into the late 1800s and the Wild West, where I could see and touch every detail Wile E. Young had to offer. The writing is insanely good, the characters dark, and the story severe. Let me tell you, there are some depraved and rancid characters in this story and I enjoyed reading about each and every one of them. Was I completely obsessed with the character Salem? Absolutely. He is full of violence, darkness, and hidden secrets. He’s a gunslinger with a nefarious heart who has stepped into the realm of arcane magic. There are some impressive, gasp-inducing, bloodcurdling scenes. Young’s mastery at descriptive language brings the blood, sweat, and bones out of the rough and tumble American west. This is one of those stories that makes you feel alive even while the characters within meet their demise. I recently started reading horror western mashups this past year and I’m obsessed. Needless to say I cannot wait to read more of Deaths Head Press’ splatter westerns! If you are looking for a wicked great read then pick up THE MAGPIE COFFIN. —- #thenightwormscoffin #nightwormsbookparty #horror
@duttonbooks #partner #Janelleism - the people th @duttonbooks #partner #Janelleism - the people that know me best know that I’m socially awkward. It’s a fact 🤷🏼‍♀️ I also procrastinate, I’m shy, impulsive, sarcastic, I have zero filter (aka, the occasional word vomit), and I almost always say some bizarre, “outside the box”, comment. I read somewhere that most social awkwardness is a product of overthinking. 🎉 STEP BACK, WE HAVE A WINNER 🎉. Overthinking is my JAM. And like most people, I don’t know how to be anyone other than who I am, and I’ve learned that’s a good thing (I’m like a cat: if you’re in a room with me for a couple of hours, you’ll love me 🐈😉). Like many, I thrive on positivity, want to be there for my loved ones, and am at my best when things are going well. I’m a good friend, advisor, and partner. But on the other side of things, I’m at my worst when I’m stressed out and drowning in a sea of negativity. I get inside my head too much, perpetuating it. And as an introvert, I hide or obsess over my problems or pain, which means I lose sight of the world around me. There are people outside of my head I can be there for if I stop obsessing 🤯 —- What I’ve learned is that you never know what another person is going through, and it’s important for us all to remember that. You want to be seen but sometimes you need to see others. You might notice a shy introvert and think they are being a snob or a confident happy-go-lucky extrovert and think their life is golden. BUT remember, that doesn’t mean this person or that person isn’t struggling behind the scenes. Everyone here is valuable as a person, a reader, and a friend by someone. This is a lovely community with so many lovely things to be thankful for. There are MANY people that value, love, and care about you here. And especially now, during this global pandemic, we need to be conscious of that. That’s why it’s important to step back, look at the big picture, and know you’re not alone. It’s funny to use this expression on here but “never judge a book by its cover” - at least when it comes to people 😘 —- *POSITIVITY* Tell me something good, anything 👇🏻 —- My thing ☞ @readingbetweenthe__wines @scaredstraightreads @night_worms @wherethereadergrows
@booksparks #partner #SRC2020 #SummerReadingCamp @booksparks #partner #SRC2020 #SummerReadingCamp As always, #BookSparks knows how to make me smile! BOOKS, ALWAYS BOOKS. #CurrentlyReading THE BOOK OF V. by Anna Solomon. Did you know this is the May selection for one of my favs, @belletrist and @gmabookclub!!! Aren’t #BookClubs the best?! And so far, I’m invested! —- Have you read this one?! ☀️ —- #Belletrist #BelletristBabe #GMABookClub #TheBookOfV
I just picked up THE BOOK OF V. and UNTIL SUMMER C I just picked up THE BOOK OF V. and UNTIL SUMMER COMES AROUND by Glenn Rolfe and should finish both today! I also plan to have some sort of adult beverage and partake in more episodes of our rewatch-athon of the Sopranos. What are you all up to today?! Reading anything good? —- #Rainbow #BookStacks #Bookstagram #BookBlogger #LiveColorfully #PursuePretty #Bibliophile #Read
🥳🥳 APPRECIATION GIVEAWAY 🥳🥳 —- Becau 🥳🥳 APPRECIATION GIVEAWAY 🥳🥳 —- Because of all YOU beautiful people, I’m giving away a $100 GIFT CARD to any online store of your choice! 🥳 —- Thank you for always sticking with me through my eclectic style, multi genre fascination, and my extra long captions! YOU are the BEST around and I could not be more grateful for each and every one of YOU 🥳 —- To enter: 1. Like this post and follow @shereadswithcats 2. Tag many of your friends! 3. Tell me your favorite thing about #Bookstagram 🥳 4. Please share this post in your Insta story for 24 hours and be sure to tag me and use hashtag #SRWC100Giveaway (each time you do this counts as an extra entry) 🥳 —- INTERNATIONAL • Not affiliated with Instagram • I must be able to purchase the gift card online and gift to you directly • Giveaway runs through the end of May • Good luck my friends! 😘🥳 —- #booklove #booksbooksbooks #read #bibliophile #booksaremagic #blogger #readersofinstagram #bookblogger #momentslikethese #livecolorfully #booklover #bookishlove #amreading #bookcommunity #booksharks #currentlyreading #shereadswithcats
I had ten seconds to take this photo and I managed I had ten seconds to take this photo and I managed to pull it off. Abby is a busy girl but always makes time for her favorite human. READERS: I live for these @nightworms book parties! Abby and I thank @deathsheadpress and @night_worms for sending us a copy of Wile E. Young’s THE MAGPIE COFFIN. So far, this book is on 🔥🔥🔥 —- Check out the synopsis and don’t forget to gaze at the COOL cover art ☞ The year is 1875 and outlaw Salem Covington has spent the last twenty years collecting stories, possessions, and lives. Nicknamed "The Black Magpie" for his exploits during the war, Salem has carved a bloody trail across the western territories. Informed that his mentor, Comanche shaman Dead Bear, has been murdered. Salem vows vengeance on the perpetrators. Enlisting the help of an army scout and preserving the body of his mentor in a specially made coffin, he sets out in pursuit. But the choices of Salem's past that earned him the moniker "Black Magpie" are riding hard behind him and the only weapon that can kill him might not be as far away as he thinks. #thenightwormscoffin #read #horror #nightwormsbookparty
Happy Thursday all! What are you reading this week Happy Thursday all! What are you reading this week?! Give me all your recommendations! —- Thank you @poltergeistpress for this stack of goodies! These little paperbacks are so cool! And very collectible! Oh how I love them. —- I’ve read and can 100% recommend: A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS, A PLACE FOR SINNERS, and VARIOUS STATES OF DECAY. All fantastic reads! —- Also, special thanks to my beautiful friend Janel over at @keeperofpages for this lovely candle. It’s absolutely perfect in every way 💀🕯 —- #horror #horrorfan #horroraddict #horrorobsessed #horrorgeek #read #paperback #booksaremagic
My beautiful blue box just arrived! Who else gets My beautiful blue box just arrived! Who else gets super excited for #BookOftheMonth mail?! —- I chose a thriller (shocker, I know) because I needed a binge-able read. A few years back I read @kimberlymccreight’s RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA and WHERE THEY FOUND HER so I knew I needed A GOOD MARRIAGE. Her books are a “race to the finish line” type of read and always enjoyable. Did I binge this? You bet your behind I did! Man, oh man is this book fun! McCreight has a way of injecting deceit, lies, twists, and reveals that make my suspense-loving heart happy! READ THIS BOOK. —- Thank you @bookofthemonth for always sending us the pretty blue box with a pretty book inside. —- #BOTMambassador #BookBassador #BOTM #BookReview #BookClub #BookishLife #BookLove #Read
Have you read the #CormoranStrike series by @rober Have you read the #CormoranStrike series by @robertgalbraith?! I’ve read the first two books, THE CUCKOO’S CALLING and THE SILKWORM so far! And guess what?!...both books are fantastic! I cannot wait to see where the #series goes next. —- Also if you’re interested, there is a massive #StrikeReadAlong going on for the series to prepare us for the upcoming September release of TROUBLED BLOOD - Eeeeep!!! So excited!!! I mean, that title alone draws you in! —- Do you like buddy reads? Want to read along with us?!! —- Thank you so much to Charlotte from @tandemcollectiveuk and @littlebrown for these beautiful #paperback copies! ✨
HAPPY #CATURDAY SUNDAY! Is Abby cute or what? 🐈 HAPPY #CATURDAY SUNDAY! Is Abby cute or what? 🐈👀 —- I finished THE FAMILIAR DARK by Amy Engel a while back and absolutely LOVED IT. Have you read it?! IT’S SO GOOD. —- Eve Taggert and her brother Cal grew up in the Missouri Ozarks with a drug addicted mother. Now a single mother herself, she wants nothing more than to give her 12-year-old daughter Junie a good life. But sadly, there is a killer on the loose and Junie and her best friend Izzy were found murdered. Now, Eve will stop at nothing to find the truth of what happened to Junie. —- THIS BOOK. A gritty, emotional thriller to the core, I am obsessed. Highly recommended!
HAPPY #CATURDAY 😽😽 —- What are you reading HAPPY #CATURDAY 😽😽 —- What are you reading this weekend?! I’m participating in @marcyreads’ #horrorin24 #readathon and so far I’ve read The Notch, Scanlines, Auctioneer, and am finishing up The Living Dead. —- Special thanks to @getredpr @lorijill321 for this early copy of @davidbellnovels’ THE REQUEST. GUYS. GALS. David Bell books are always a joy to read especially for all you thriller lovers out there. He has a knack for writing great mysteries! I enjoyed this book! Look for its release on June 30 - it’s just around the corner 👀🕵🏼‍♀️
@booksparks @randomhouse #partner #BookReview #Rea @booksparks @randomhouse #partner #BookReview #Read #SRC2020 #BookSharks #BooksConnectUs —- When I read @janellebrownie’s WATCH ME DISAPPEAR a few years ago, I became a forever fan. Janelle writes mysterious, literary, suspense-filled novels that are more about the journey than some high-speed thrill ride, and PRETTY THINGS is no different. I enjoy reading how her intricate stories unravel, her in-depth character building, and the seamless style in which she writes a mystery. Although I might be biased because the settings for her novels are some of the very places I grew up going to and know like the back of my hand (San Francisco Bay Area, Berkeley, & Lake Tahoe). Oh, and her name is spelled exactly like mine! You all don’t know how rare that is. PRETTY THINGS is a con artist story like no other. Conwoman and drifter Nina Ross is in a bind and needs money for her mother’s cancer treatment bills. She sets her sites on the affluent Liebling family, specifically Vanessa, the family’s social media star. Vanessa has notoriety and followers but doesn’t know who to trust. Can she trust Nina?!! Let the secrets, lies, and scheming commence! —- The alternating chapters between Vanessa and Nina keep the suspense building. Nina is a pro at stealing money from wealthy people, and Vanessa is desperately trying to find ways to stay afloat. The juxtaposition of these two characters’ worlds is compelling, and the way they come together is brilliant. Both Vanessa and Nina have distinct voices and feel authentic but flawed. I mean it, I LOVE THIS BOOK. PRETTY THINGS has everything you need to stay glued to the pages: deceit, betrayal, narrators that will keep you on your toes, and did I mention the con artist and social media influencer?! It’s a fun-tastic read! ★★★★★ —- Also, BREAKING NEWS: This novel is slated to be an @amazon series starring the beautiful and talented @nicolekidman 👏🏻👏🏻 —- My first #SCAVENGEYOURSHELVES post for @readswithdogs and @teamredmon’s photo challenge. “Book by an author with the same name as you” - I couldn’t resist 💁🏼‍♀️
“There are darknesses in life and there are ligh “There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.” #Dracula —- This breathtakingly gorgeous, amazing, spectacular edition of DRACULA was a Christmas present from Marcus and my parents. I have been scared to death (haha 🧛🏻‍♀️) of taking photos of this book. I take photos outside mostly because of lighting. Also the coffee - coffee should be no where near this book. 🧛🏻‍♀️👀 —- @darkregionspress forced my hand when they announced their photo contest. I don’t usually enter these things because I always love someone else’s photo more but YO a $500 gift card to shop of one of my favorite publishers is a no brainer 🧛🏻‍♀️🦇 —- And before you ask, yes yes the illustrations inside GLOW IN THE DARK yada yada yada. Also, this snazzy bookmark came with it too. It’s so luxurious, velvety soft - this edition is a stunner and I will treasure it always 🧛🏻‍♀️💀 —- Do you collect editions of your favorite books?!! —- #darkregionsphotocontest #read #photography #bookfeature #horror #bramstoker #darkregionspress
@atriabooks @booksparks #partner #SRC2020 #BookSp @atriabooks @booksparks #partner #SRC2020 #BookSparks has a #SummerReadingCamp going on and I am all about it. As always, the reading lineup is insane! They always have the most thoughtful selections for the perfect season. #BigSummer by @jenniferweinerwrites is promised to be excellent! And let me tell you, I trust people like @suspensethrill @scaredstraightreads @novelgossip and @beauty_andthebook_ who have all given this #book FIVE GLOWING STARS ✨✨ —- Are you a seasonal reader? I read certain genres year round (i.e. horror, thrillers, nonfiction) but I like to dabble in #contemporaryfiction on those bright sunny days with an ice cold margarita or maybe a beer with a shot of tequila. HA! Happy #CincodeMayo everybody! 🥃🇨🇮
Thank you @sagasff and @mother.horror for my free Thank you @sagasff and @mother.horror for my free copy. #BookReview #NightWormsBookParty #NightWormsInTheLoop @jrj_is_probable’s THE LOOP is a heart-stopping thrill ride that has everything you could want in a story. This brilliant book is complete with conspiracy theories, a virus epidemic, biological warfare, mystery, violence, gore, realistic characters, friendships, and a tiny bit of romance. Did I mention there is a podcast?!! So yeah, I’m looking at you - yeah, you - you need this book. It’s an incredibly fun read! So entertaining, you will ignore everything around you and forget your name for a few hours. IT’S THAT GOOD. In the small town of Turner Falls, Oregon, we follow our main protagonist Lucy, who is a badass high school student, along with her friends Bucket and Brewer. When a classmate suddenly goes crazy and attacks a teacher and then is subsequently killed, it shakes Lucy up and turns this quiet town on its head. I don’t want to say more about the plot - trust me it’s better to go in blind. Several characters play a role, but Lucy is at the heart of the story. She’s a standout character and what makes this book so unique. My favorite characters tend to be complicated, the perfect blend of delicate and strong, fierce and heartfelt, flawed but moral. Lucy, Bucket, and Brewer, who are considered outsiders, are thick as thieves, and who take refuge in the local caves meet this description. Johnson is a gifted writer with a limitless imagination. THE LOOP is the second book I’ve read from him, and I continue to be blown away by his talent. THE LOOP takes place in one night, which adds to that compulsive, grab-the-book-by-both-hands-and-don’t-let-go feeling. I enjoyed every bit of the viscerally immersive chaos, carnage, and mayhem. So if all of the above sounds like your brand of horror, then you know what to do. ★★★★★
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