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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: 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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Review: SERVED COLD by Alan Baxter

Janelle December 24, 2019 Book Reviews, Grey Matter Press, Horror, Night Worms, Short Stories Leave a Comment

Thank you so much Sadie, Kallie, Gray Matter Press, and the author for my free copy. Description: Collected together for the first time ever, these sixteen provocative and intensely chilling tales venture into the depths of the darkest and most …

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Review: FISHNET by Kristin Innes

Janelle December 1, 2019 Book Reviews, Contemporary, Finished Copy, From Publisher, Gallery Books, Mystery Leave a Comment

Thank you so much Gallery Books for providing my copy. Description: Rona Leonard was only twenty-years-old when she walked out of her sister Fiona’s flat and disappeared. Six years later—worn down by a tedious job, childcare, and an aching absence …

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Review: WALK THE DARKNESS DOWN by John Boden

Janelle November 26, 2019 Book Reviews, Finished Copy, Horror, Night Worms, Western Leave a Comment

Thank you so much to the Night Worms and the author for my copy. Description: Some things are older than time. Older than darkness.-Levi is a monstrous man—made of scars and scary as hell, he’s glutted on ghosts and evolving …

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Review: THE REDDENING by Adam Nevill

Janelle November 26, 2019 Book Reviews, Finished Copy, Horror, Night Worms Leave a Comment

Thank you so much to the author for my copy.  Description: Lifestyle journalist Katrine escaped past traumas by moving to a coast renowned for seaside holidays and natural beauty. But when a vast hoard of human remains and prehistoric artefacts …

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Blog Tour: THE DEAD GIRLS CLUB by Damien Angelica Walters

Janelle November 3, 2019 Advance Copy, BLOG TOUR, Book Reviews, Coming-of-Age, Crooked Lane Books, From Publisher, Horror, Suspense, Thriller Leave a Comment

Thank you so much to Crooked Lane Books for my free copy.  Description:  Red Lady, Red Lady, show us your face… In 1991, Heather Cole and her friends were members of the Dead Girls Club. Obsessed with the macabre, the …

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Blog Tour: LADY IN THE LAKE by Laura Lippman

Janelle July 29, 2019 BLOG TOUR, Book Reviews, Finished Copy, From Publisher, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Suspense Leave a Comment

Thank you so much Faber & Faber for my free copy. Description: Cleo Sherwood disappeared eight months ago. Aside from her parents and the two sons she left behind, no one seems to have noticed. It isn’t hard to understand …

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Quote of the Week

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✨ HEY BOOK FRIENDS ✨ Today is a great day. I’m ready for a change and I hope no matter how you feel, you are open-minded enough to give things a chance. The last thing we all need is negativity. What’s that saying? Don’t put the “cart before the horse”? Let’s try to be kind. Now, back to books! Julia Armfield’s SALT SLOW was gifted to me from @flatiron_books in 2019 and it still remains one of my favorite short story collections. The stories are beautifully written, unsettling, and visceral. Every one of these stories is remarkable. ✨ Do you read short stories? Have you read it yet? ✨
✨ HARDCOVER RELEASE ✨ Can you believe how bea ✨ HARDCOVER RELEASE ✨ Can you believe how beautiful this hardcover is?! It’s a stunner! IN DARKNESS, SHADOW BREATHES by @catcavendish is a horror story that I cannot wait to devour! Check out the synopsis below 👀👇🏻 “You’re next… Carol and Nessa are strangers but not for much longer. In a luxury apartment and in the walls of a modern hospital, the evil that was done continues to thrive. They are in the hands of an entity that knows no boundaries and crosses dimensions - bending and twisting time itself - and where danger waits in every shadow. The battle is on for their bodies and souls and the line between reality and nightmare is hard to define. Through it all, the words of Lydia Warren Carmody haunt them. But who was she? And why have Carol and Nessa been chosen? The answer lies deep in the darkness…” ✨ What are you reading this week?! ✨ Thank you @flametreepress for this gorgeous copy.
✨ PAPERBACK RELEASE ✨ How fitting that on #Tr ✨ PAPERBACK RELEASE ✨ How fitting that on #TrueCrimeTuesday we get to celebrate the #paperback release of @frumpenberg’s THE THIRD RAINBOW GIRL. It’s a meticulously researched #truecrime book with heart. Have any of you read this? I highly recommend it! 👀 the description below in the comments 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 What’s the last true crime book you love?! Special thanks to the author and @hachettebooks for this free copy.
#BuddyReadstoDieFor has got it going on for Februa #BuddyReadstoDieFor has got it going on for February! We chose Holly Jackson’s A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER! We thought it was just about time to read it because, GUESS WHAT?!...The sequel, GOOD GIRL, BAD BLOOD comes out March 2nd! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 So, what do you think? Are YOU in?! 👀at the synopsis below and let us know in the comments 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 “Everyone in Fairview knows the story. Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town. But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer? Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.” . . #agoodgirlsguidetomurder #hollyjackson @hojay92 #delacortepress #fiction #YA #bookclub #bookclubofinstagram #bookstagram #wherethereadergrows #jessicamap #bookworm #amreading #badassbookbabes #coolgirlsread #bookclubfavorites #shereadswithcats
✨ HARDCOVER SPINES ✨ Gah, do I love hardcover ✨ HARDCOVER SPINES ✨ Gah, do I love hardcovers! They are just so damn beautiful. Have you read any of these amazing books? Special thanks to @flametreepress for sending me a copy of @catcavendish ‘s IN DARKNESS, SHADOWS BREATHE ✨
✨ INDIE HORROR ✨ Here’s a lovely stack of h ✨ INDIE HORROR ✨ Here’s a lovely stack of horror books. If you haven’t read any indie horror authors, you’re missing out. Some of the best books I’ve read are in this pile 💀 What are you reading this fine evening?! Many thanks to @mattkurtzwrites for THE ROTTING WITHIN and @hollyraegarcia for THE EASTON FALLS MASSACRE ✨
✨ ALMOST NEW RELEASES ✨ (thank you to the tagg ✨ ALMOST NEW RELEASES ✨ (thank you to the tagged publishers for the free books) Check out this amazing stack! So far, I’ve read EVERY LAST FEAR and DARK HORSES - both OUTSTANDING ✨ Which book would you pick up next?! I think I’m going with WE BEGIN AT THE END (thank you kindly @henryholtbooks) because @jordys.book.club gave it FIVE STARS and Jordy knows what’s up! . . #bookstagram #newrelease #bookaholic #bookishfriendsunite #darklybookish #booksbooksbooks #booklover #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookstagram #booknerd #riotgrams #bookworm #library #fiction #bookblogger #bookshelf #bookshelves #instalike #instabooks #bookrecommendations #shereadswithcats
✨ BOOKSTAGRAM ✨ I’ve always been a voraciou ✨ BOOKSTAGRAM ✨ I’ve always been a voracious reader. I started out reading horror, thrillers, mystery, true crime, and nonfiction. Then I had a thing for historical fiction, but the kind that are “just the facts, ma’am”. Oh and always loved classics! Then I read fantasy and science fiction (so fun!). But when one of my favorite people (ahem @jj.janson22 👀) gifted me a BOTM membership and that opened up a whole new world! Yeah, that’s right, #Bookstagram 🤘🏻 Immediately I started to devour literary fiction and never looked back! Yes, I have read lit fiction before I started my account, but it wasn’t nearly as much. Especially because I started to follow @belletrist and @reesesbookclub. Now, it’s one of my favorite genres to read 💁🏼‍♀️ What genre did you discover after you found this #bookish community?!
✨ FIVE EXPLOSIVE STARS ✨ I don’t even know ✨ FIVE EXPLOSIVE STARS ✨ I don’t even know where to start because Kenzie Jennings legit blew my mind with RED STATION. I cannot believe how exciting this Splatter Western series is! This is the seventh book in the lineup and one of the best books I’ve read. I am all about this series right now, but you can pick and choose because each book is a standalone. Trust me, I have my favorites! MAGPIE COFFIN, THE NIGHT SILVER RED RUN, RED STATION, and THE THIRTEEN KOYOTE for starters! Okay, let me catch my breath. Here we go...a small group of weary travelers riding a stagecoach stop at a station house, hungry, tired, and looking for a meal and a place to sleep. Right off the bat we read great dialogue between intriguing characters - the writing is superb. BAM, invested! Once they hit the station and spend a little time around their hosts, the Adler family, they realize something is awry. The Adler family isn’t exactly what they had in mind. Like every story I’ve read here, and rightfully so, we are immersed into old-timey dialogue, the Great Plains, and all the blistering heat the old west has to offer. However, unlike the other books, there are no monsters or supernatural elements to the story. It’s a slasher story my horror-loving friends! Blood and gore as far as the eye can see! The story is still a tribute to the splatter western sub-genre, but without all of the usual suspects (tropes, storylines, etc.) And yes, I love when my horror to contain monsters, ghosts, and goblins, but this book is a refreshing way to mix things up. Hands down my favorite character is the lady in red, Clyde Northway. She’s everything I love in a badass, sharp, take-no-prisoners type female protagonist. Her character development is crazy good! In fact, Jennings does a brilliant job writing tangible, three-dimensional characters and the depth of this story is no joke. It’s a cinematic adventure! I AM OBSESSED. I will admit the last couple of installments were not my favorite, but RED STATION totally makes up for it. Well done, Kenzie Jennings! Thank you to the @night_worms and @deaths_head_press for the free copy.
✨ FIVE STARS ✨ (special thanks to the author a ✨ FIVE STARS ✨ (special thanks to the author and @aaknopf for the free signed copy) BETTY by Tiffany McDaniel is a deeply personal story surrounding the Carpenter family living in the fictional rural town of Breathed, Ohio. Set in the 1950s, we read a fictional history of McDaniel’s very real family and learn their darkest secrets, as narrated by the author’s mother, Betty. It’s an emotional journey, starting from the time Betty’s Cherokee father Landon and white mother, Alka met, and spans all through Betty’s life. This story left me flabbergasted. When I finished, I had no words. It took me a few months to try and write a review because it’s just too good, too beautiful, and too devastating. The prose is exquisitely written and the story is intimate, bewitching, and cruel. I read several interviews with McDaniel because once I finished, I had to know everything. She performed several interviews with the women in her family, over years of writing this book. She interviewed her mother, grandmother, and aunts in order to tell a version of truth in their harrowing stories. Also, she gained insight into the novel’s setting within the depths of the beautiful foothills of the Appalachian landscape. This story is wonderfully written and absolutely brutal. Betty’s voice and her father Landon’s character are meaningful and impressive to read. McDaniel touches on her Cherokee heritage and what her family endured in a predominantly White Christian rural town. Landon is a lovely character and a wonderful father, who passed down generations of family stories and watched out for his daughters. I admired Betty’s resilience so much and I related to the way she looks to writing and nature as an escape from the harsh realities of the world. BETTY is a book I think everyone needs to read, as you will encounter trauma, violence, beauty, and brilliance. But remember the word trauma though. It’s the trigger warning I think covers all the basis. What’s the last book that destroyed you?
✨ SPOTLIGHT ✨ Thank you so much to the author ✨ SPOTLIGHT ✨ Thank you so much to the author and and @putnambooks for this pretty, pretty book. Has anyone read this?! I’m so intrigued! Take a 👀 at the synopsis below 👇🏻 “Jo's job is blackmailing the most lecherous men in Los Angeles--handsy Hollywood producers, adulterous actors, corrupt cops. Sure, she likes the money she's making, which comes in handy for the debt she is paying off, but it's also a chance to take back power for the women of the city. Eager to prove herself to her coworker Lou and their enigmatic boss, known only as the Lady Upstairs, Jo takes on bigger and riskier jobs. When one of her targets is murdered, both the Lady Upstairs and the LAPD have Jo in their sights. Desperate to escape the consequences of her failed job, she decides to take on just one more sting--bringing down a rising political star. It's her biggest con yet--and she will do it behind the Lady's back, freeing both herself and Lou. But Jo soon learns that Lou and the Lady have secrets of their own, and that no woman is safe when there is a life-changing payout on the line.”
✨ BOOK STACK ✨ I might be late to the party, ✨ BOOK STACK ✨ I might be late to the party, but I’m always down for a good time! This stack is dedicated to @danish_mustardreads. Dana suffered a near fatal event called SCAD (Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection), but luckily she was able to receive the medical care she needs to recover #redheartstackfordana 🫀 I haven’t read BONES: INSIDE AND OUT or THE GUEST BOOK, but I recommend every other book in this stack! I’m certainly anxious to read BONES ☠️ What’s the last book you purchased?! 📚
✨ FIVE STARS ✨ A while back I read @chandler. ✨ FIVE STARS ✨ A while back I read @chandler.morrison’s UNTIL THE SUN, then shortly after DEAD INSIDE, and then finally his newest release, ALONG THE PATH FOR TORMENT. All of these books are BRILLIANT, but be forewarned, they are not for the faint of heart. Hands-down, my favorite of the three is ALONG THE PATH OF TORMENT - it’s was one of my top books of 2020. ✨ Also, check out my tee! I have two actually: UNTIL THE SUN is carefully hanging in my closet. I love that it says @deaths_head_press on the front ✨ P.S. I got the idea for this photo from the lovely @natashaniezgoda - It’s harder than it looks 😂
✨ BOOKSHELF SUNDAY ✨ So how am I doing so far ✨ BOOKSHELF SUNDAY ✨ So how am I doing so far, posting on time? 🤣 By the end of this month I’ll definitely get my act together 👏🏻👏🏻 Can I get your feedback on something? Do you prefer the following...(please choose 3): A. Bookshelf or library photos B. Multiple book cover flat lay C. Cat photo & book D. Typewriter pic E. Book stacks F. Book reviews G. Me holding a book H. Book in the air I. Book on the bed Thank YOU for your time 💋
Happy #Caturday my friends! What are you reading Happy #Caturday my friends! What are you reading this weekend?! Also, what’s the weather where you are?...answer in emojis 💋 Here’s a #bookrecommendation for you! THE ANCESTOR by @danielletrussoni is EXCELLENT. Take a peek at the synopsis 👀 “After a DNA test reveals that Alberta “Bert” Monte is the sole heir of a wealthy noble family in the Italian Alps, she leaves New York to visit the family estate: Montebianco Castle, a centuries-old compound isolated in the mountains. What appeared to be a fairy tale inheritance, however, soon turns into a nightmare as Bert begins to uncover the dark legacy of her family: the truth about the abandoned village at the base of the castle; the whispers of stolen children; and the rumors of a legendary monster in the mountains. As Bert unravels the truth, she learns that her true inheritance lies not in a noble title or ancestral treasures, but in her very genes, and now she must choose between preserving a secret centuries in the keeping or abandoning it forever.”
✨ Happy 2021 ✨ A few things I want to do bett ✨ Happy 2021 ✨ A few things I want to do better, bookish edition... Post at the same time everyday, and much much earlier 🤦🏼‍♀️ Write reviews in real time. Like right after I finish each book ✍🏻 Write up feedback for DNFs. I don’t have time to write about bad books and I hardly finish them 🤷🏼‍♀️ Monthly wrap-ups (I’m laughing hysterically right now because I’m way too lazy) ✌🏻 I would like to have more of a cohesive insta-feed aesthetic 💁🏼‍♀️ Post more #truecrime because it’s one of my FAVORITE genres. Literally started reading #truecrime in elementary school 🧍🏼‍♀️🔎 Give bookshelf tours and features of my special editions 👩🏼‍🏫 ✨ What are your 2021 goals? ✨ . . #bookishtruecrime #crimejunkie #ssdgm #murderino #truecrimebooks #nonfiction #bookish #bookstagram #currentlyreading #bookishaesthetic #bookishfriendsunite #bookshelf #coolgirlsread #shelfie #books #badassbookbabes #instalike #bookaholic #bookaddict #truecrimetuesday #shereadswithcats
Happy New Year Eve all! 🎉🥂 How do you plan t Happy New Year Eve all! 🎉🥂 How do you plan to ring in the new year?! I had a Zoom call with my boos @wherethereadergrows and @jessicamap! Then we are watching the east coast countdown with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper, while eating Chinese food. THEN we are going to watch a thriller! #CurrentlyReading THE BLACKENING by Sean O’Conner for the next #NightWormsBookParty - HUZZAH 🎉 Stayed tuned for the @night_worms reviews! ✨
Say hello to my sleeping beauty ✨ This is my fa Say hello to my sleeping beauty ✨ This is my favorite spot in the entire house. I love the large windows and the relaxed vibe. Notice my Kindle next to Abby? I take it everywhere inside the house and every time I leave. Someday I will get the new upgrade, but for now I’ll use this one ✨ What are you #currentlyreading this fine day? I started THE BABYSITTER and OUTLAWED - so far, loving both. I’m actually almost done with THE BABYSITTER, which is one of my favs @spookishmommy’s #spookishtruecrime pick for next year. It’s EXCELLENT ✨ . . #bookstagram #bookshelf #booksandcats #kindle #library #catstagram #catlife #readinglife #bookish #bookishfriendsunite #darklybookish #truecrime #amreading #booksbooksbooks #catsofinstagram #catoftheday #photooftheday #kindlepaperwhite #shereadswithcats
Thank you to the tagged publishers for the free bo Thank you to the tagged publishers for the free books ✨ ✨BOOKMAIL✨ Next, I’m going to read OUTLAWED and THE BABYSITTER. Help me pick the third book 👇🏻 . . #bookstagram #truecrimetuesday #spookishtruecrime #darklybookish #bookishfriendsunite #bookreview #bookmail #bookblogger #avidreader #bookbloggersofig #bookish #bookaesthetic #amreading #bibliophile #currentlyreading #bookworm #booknerd #shereadswithcats
The cover of THE HOBGOBLIN OF LITTLE MINDS by Mark The cover of THE HOBGOBLIN OF LITTLE MINDS by Mark Matthews may look like some sort of creature feature, but I’m here to tell you it most certainly is not. The creature on the cover was once human, and the story itself is sad, gruesome, and meaningful. "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines." - Ralph Waldo Emerson As the story goes, Kori Persephone Driscoe has endured her father’s mental illness her entire life. He has bipolar disorder and has been on and off various medications for years. The many cycles of mania that accompany his illness is much like the cycle of the moon. After several incidents, he was admitted to the Northville Psychiatric Hospital, and then just disappeared. When Kori tries to locate her father, she visits the seemingly abandoned hospital, and finds out much more lurking in the dark. Secret medical experiments are being performed on these suffering patients causing them to transform into animalistic, bloodthirsty creatures. They turn with the cycle of the full moon and become savages in the night. Mark Matthews always writes introspective horror. His books of addiction horror are fantastic, and his new foray into mental illness is just as effective. Every character from the villain, to the protagonist, and to the were-creatures themselves are poignantly written. He is a licensed behavioral health counselor giving his stories that extra touch it needs for the readers to feel empathy for his characters. He does a tremendous job showing how medication or treatment in general can alter the person’s core personality. I found myself thinking about this book long after I finished. THE HOBGOBLIN OF LITTLE MINDS is a beautifully and brilliantly written story about the many perspectives of bipolar disorder. It’s much more than a horror story with a malevolent creature - it’s a unique take on the woes of mental illness. Well done Mr. Matthews. Thank you so much to the @mark_matthews_wickedrunpress for my free copy. What’s a book you’ve read about mental illness?
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