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Book Reviews
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About Janelle
Meet the Cats

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Janelle October 4, 2017 Leave a Comment

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Thank you @riverheadbooks @randomhouse @aaknopf and the tagged publishers for my free copies |
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Say hello to some of the week’s #newreleases - I’ve read about half of these and they are outstanding. Do you see any GEMS in this photo?!
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Soooo, I’ve been slacking lately with #Bookstagram - as in sticking to my normal schedule. January always kicks my ass, then February is a transition month, but March is always beautiful and by that time I’ll be back on track. I hope you all are having a great weekend ✨

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Happy #Caturday Eve! 😻 Abby and I are curling up with Stephen Kozenienski’s SKINWRAPPER because we were invited to another super fun, super rad #NightWormsBookParty (holla 🙌🏻)
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In other news, I just finished KILL SLEEP REPEAT by @britneyking_ which is awesome - watch this space for my review. After SKINWRAPPER I’ll start THE STRANGER DIARIES for #buddyreadstodiefor with my girl @wherethereadergrows - I’m in book heaven right now.

What are you all reading this weekend?! Thank you so much @night_worms @mother.horror & @sinistergrinp for my free copy!

#nightwrapper #nightwormsbookparty

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We are over the moon excited for our February #buddyreadstodiefor selection. We are going to read THE INNOCENT WIFE by Amy Lloyd! 🎉
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Chandra and I have been wanting to read this for ages, so we hope you will join us! It’s super casual, spoiler-free chitchat up until the end-of-the-month discussion date, and then it’s all the spoilers! Take a 👀 at the synopsis and let us know in the comments if you’re in! Also, scroll ⬅️ to see our future picks!

Synopsis: Twenty years ago, Dennis Danson was arrested and imprisoned for the brutal murder of a young girl. Now he’s the subject of a true-crime documentary that’s whipping up a frenzy online to uncover the truth and free a man who has been wrongly convicted. A thousand miles away in England, Samantha is obsessed with Dennis’s case. She exchanges letters with him, and is quickly won over by his apparent charm and kindness to her. Soon she has left her old life behind to marry him and campaign for his release. When the campaign is successful and Dennis is freed, however, Sam begins to discover new details that suggest he may not be quite so innocent after all. But how do you confront your husband when you don’t want to know the truth?

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Happy Thursday all! I finally kicked that headache thanks to my little helper pills. This is just a small section of my bookshelves since it’s really hard to get a good angle of my office in its entirety. My office is tiny but mighty!🤣 I was tagged by @thebookdad for #ShowMeYourBookshelf so here is just a tiny portion of my fiction shelves.

I arrange my shelves by genre because my shelves are deep and my books are plentiful. There are many books that I’ve already read behind the books I haven’t or my favorites that I love to 👀 at. Fiction, nonfiction, thriller, true crime, fantasy/science fiction/dystopia, classics/special editions, and horror all have special shelves. And of course Stephen King has his very own featured shelf!😈 I also have three book carts and stacks everywhere. In my living room, I have two small shelves, two TBR shelves, and a coffee table filled with art and music books. My house is getting eaten alive by books!

How do you arrange your bookshelves?

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Thank you so much @night_worms @briankirk13 and @flametreepress for my free copy.

A horror book with a mental asylum, paranoid schizophrenics, and clinical drug trials was too good to pass up! Brian Kirk’s WE ARE MONSTERS starts off with some of the more intriguing few chapters I’ve come across - I was absolutely addicted.

Dr. Eli Alpert deals with the most psychotic criminals. Luckily, his mentee, Alex Drexler, is working on a drug that will cure schizophrenia, by ridding patients of their terrifying delusions and hallucinations. However, instead of eradicating these problems, the treatment evokes past traumas and internal darkness. But, are the patients the only monsters?

This is Kirk’s rereleased debut novel so I am impressed with how well the story and the characters are developed. WE ARE MONSTERS takes you on a very strange and unusual ride. It starts out full of intrigue and creepiness, then you get a very detailed account of the characters, and finally it finishes with an unorthodox ending. My favorite aspect of the book is the writing style and although it lost my attention for a short while, I loved the overall reading experience. I felt as if the author, by design, wanted me to feel just as insane as his characters. I will definitely not hesitate to read another book by Kirk.

#nightwormsaremonsters #promotehorror #wearemonsters ★★★★

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#WRC2020 #BookSharks | Thank you so much @booksparks for this amazing free package!

It’s that time again and I just got my first ambassador package! #BookSparks always selects the perfect books to read over any given season and this lineup starts off with a bang! I listened to AMERICAN DIRT by @jeaninecummins on #audiobook through @librofm and it was amazing! I am so excited to receive a finished copy for my collection. It’s a gripping piece of fiction and I can’t recommend it enough! (pub. Jan 21)

The second book I received is THE TENANT by @katrineengberg! I just picked it up and I am really enjoying it. I can’t wait to see where it goes - out today!

Scroll ← to see the the crazy awesome swag that came with AMERICAN DIRT. Hot cocoa ☕️🍫, marshmallow ⛄️⛄️, a campfire mug ⛺️🔥, a winter themed candle ❄️🕯, and my favorite, @draperjames mittens! THEY ARE THE CUTEST! 💁🏼‍♀️🧶 @booksparks nailed it!

Are either of these books on your reading list?!

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Thank you to the author, #GrindhousePress and @night_worms for my free copy.

Samantha Kolesnik’s debut novella TRUE CRIME is uncomfortable, intriguing, absorbing, and brilliantly written. I picked it up and did not put it down until I finished the final page.

Suzy and her brother Lim live in a reality of horrific proportions. Their mother is extremely abusive, especially to Suzy. One day, Suzy understandably snaps and retaliates against her mother which then leads to a spree of deviant behavior on an impromptu road trip.

There are a slew of heinous crimes prevalent in this story but I was more intrigued by the psychological aspect. Since as long as I can remember I’ve been fascinated by the pathology of sociopaths. I want to know if it’s something that comes naturally, versus if it’s a force of nature that pushes an individual to do despicable things. Suzy is no doubt who she is because of her fiendish mother, but can she ever be reformed? Or was it in her all along, to the point of no return?

There are a few scenes that made me cringe, but I couldn’t stop reading because Suzy’s journey was too captivating to put down. Kolesnik wrote a perfect horror novella and I know this because at the end of the day I didn’t detest Suzy. After what she went through it is difficult not to feel for her but I certainly wouldn’t want to cross her path. ★★★★★ #NightWormsBookParty

Shout out to @mother.horror for years of 📸 inspiration and thank you to @jobis89 for introducing me to this beautiful REᗡЯUM mug 💀🩸

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“Based on the novel by Stephen King” is one of the most common phrases in horror movies.

Carrie, Firestarter, The Dead Zone, Salem’s Lot, Misery, Dolores Claiborne, The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption, 1408, IT, The Shining, Doctor Sleep, Christine, Stand by Me, Pet Sematary, Secret Window, Children of the Corn, Cujo, Apt Pupil, Gerald’s Game, Needful Things, Cell, Hearts in Atlantis, The Mist, Christine, Big Driver, Dreamcatcher, The Stand, The Langoliers, The Tommyknockers, and Thinner - and those are just the movies I’ve seen. King is prolific with a natural talent for writing extraordinary characters and tremendous world building. I am always in awe of what this man’s imagination can do.

I dedicate this post to my friend @kamis_korner who is hosting a #chronologicallyking buddy read. Even though I’ve read some of these books recently in other #StephenKing readalongs, it’s fun to revisit them in order. 😈 Hail to the King.

What is your favorite Stephen King adaptation?!!
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AND WHO’S EXCITED FOR THE OUTSIDER?! 😱

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Happy weekend everyone! What are you reading?! I finished SALT SLOW by Julia Armfield last month and loved it so much! I am so thankful I won a copy from @hotcocoareads and @flatiron_books so I could read it with @belletrist - I’m such a #belletristbabe !

This superbly written collection of short stories is so visceral it’s been etched into my literary loving soul. There is not a weak story in the bunch and I highly recommend each one for different reasons. Armfield touches on women and their relationship with their bodies, love, childhood, and death, all in a very dark, magical, and haunting way. I am counting the minutes until Armfield’s next book. 5 brilliant stars!

I couldn’t resist pairing this gorgeous book with my favorite peacock feather sleeve from @sewhappystitchhappy and my beloved yoga statue. Which reminds me...I need to start doing yoga again - I miss it so much.

Visit @sewhappystitchhappy for your choice of a beautiful sleeve and be sure to use code SHEREADS for a 10% discount! 🦚🦚🦚

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Thank you @tlcbooktours and @harlequinbooks for my free copy!

I am so excited to feature GOOD GIRLS LIE by @thrillerchick because she is the QUEEN of psychological suspense! LIE TO ME is still one of my all time favorites. Take a peek at the synopsis ☟

Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond.

When a popular student is found dead, the truth cannot be ignored. Rumors suggest she was struggling with a secret that drove her to suicide. But look closely…because there are truths and there are lies, and then there is everything that really happened.

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Thank you so much @algonquinbooks for my free copy.

Crissy Van Meter’s CREATURES is the @belletrist selection for January and I could not be more excited. When I saw the cover I was mesmerized and when I started reading I was captivated. And when I saw that Melissa Broder and Leni Zumas put their stamp of approval on this ravishing debut, I had no doubt I would love it.

Evangeline or “Evie” grew up on an island off the coast of Southern California. Her mom left her early on and seldom returned so her father raised her. He wasn’t conventional by any means as he was an alcoholic, drug addict, and never held down a steady job. Evie struggled through a very difficult childhood and this novel reveals what she went through and how it affected her.

The nonlinear timeline can be a bit tricky, but it really worked for me. The book’s sole narrator is Evie and it begins a few days before her wedding day. The narrative shifts from the present to the past, back and forth, much like the tides around the island. It’s an emotional, poignant, and provocative read that deeply explores a dysfunctional family – always an interest of mine.

Just like we are all creatures of our existence, Evie is a creature of hers - a creature of her mercurial upbringing and the island in which she was raised. CREATURES is a story filled with intricacies, heartbreak, and dry humor, written in a lyrical, poetic manner with a wildly beautiful island backdrop. ★★★★★ #belletristbabe #creatures #bookreview

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I picked up SNOWBALL by Gregory Bastianelli because HORROR and CHRISTMAS go together like CHOCOLATE and PEANUT BUTTER. It’s a delicious combo, so I am always seeking out new books to add during the winter season. This is definitely an entertaining read!

Set in New Hampshire on Christmas Eve, we follow a group of travelers that get stranded on a deserted highway during a snowstorm. A snowplow gets stuck causing an eight vehicle pileup leaving said travelers to fend for themselves. The survivors gather together waiting for the storm to pass and as they get to talking, they realize there is a connection between them, and like any survival story, bad things always happen.

If I finish a book, that usually means I liked it. I love unlikeable characters, I don’t need to feel a connection to any characters, and I’m fine if I don’t get the perfect ending BUT it always has to appeal to me. This book is pretty good. My least favorite aspect is the ending because I like things to make sense. And something about the story’s pace didn’t flow for me. It wasn’t horror-y enough for me personally, but please do not let me deter you if you are intrigued by the synopsis - it’s always good to try things for yourself. ★★★ Thank you so much @smithpublicity for my free copy.

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Thank you so much @riverheadbooks for my free copy.

I had no idea what to expect when I picked up Liz Moore’s LONG BRIGHT RIVER but once I did, I could not let it go. It’s gritty, dark, suspenseful, emotional, and unsettling. In a word, phenomenal.

Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood is greatly affected by the country’s ever growing opioid epidemic and people are regularly found dead of an overdose. The neighborhood is afflicted with drug related crime so it’s an uphill battle law enforcement and it’s inhabitants for reform. Our narrator, Mickey Fitzpatrick, is a police officer who regularly patrols the streets looking for her sister, Kacey, who battles with drug addiction of her own. Every time Mickey gets a call of a dead body, she is filled with fear that it’s Kacey, especially since she hasn’t seen her sister in weeks. The two girls never had it easy losing both parents to drugs and being raised by their cold, rancorous grandmother - they just had each other.

The story alternates between present day in the search for Kacey and flashbacks of the girls’ life growing up. Although the story’s mystery revolves around a serial killer targeting sex workers, the novel’s true focus are the perils of drug addiction and how it effects every member of the community, from newborn babies to grandparents. Mickey is a compelling character and I completely sympathize with her. I have someone in my life who resembles a Kacey so I know Moore did her research on this subject.

I cannot get this novel out of my head. In fact, I became anxious just writing this review. Moore’s writing is atmospheric, visceral, and ominous. She writes in such a way that you feel the story and know the characters. The novel is almost 500 pages long but it reads amazingly fast. LONG BRIGHT RIVER is not only exceptionally written, it’s also an uncomfortably honest story that will break your heart. ★★★★★

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#CurrentlyReading WE ARE MONSTERS by @briankirk13 and I’m really enjoying it! I’m reading this along with my @night_worms pals in the #NightWormsAreMonsters #NightWormsBookParty - I also invited Abby.

BLURB: 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 on his asylum s criminally insane, triggering a series of side effects that opens the mind of his hospital s most dangerous patient, setting his inner demons free.

Sounds amazing, right?! This title officially comes out on January 30, BUT you can order it now from @flametreepress using the code NIGHTMONSTERS. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this book party!

Many thanks to @night_worms @briankirk13 @flametreepress and @mother.horror for my free copy.

What are you reading this fine day?! 😈

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Thank you @tlcbooktours and @williammorrowbooks for my free copy!

Ever since I read COCOA BEACH a few years back I’ve been a fan of @authorbeatriz. I quickly devoured THE WICKED CITY so I could then read THE WICKED REDHEAD. And Williams did not disappoint!

Told in tangential timelines, the first in 1924 in beautiful Cocoa Beach Florida, during the Jazz Age and Prohibition era, and the second in 1998 in Greenwich Village, we follow two strong, vivacious, and witty female characters. In 1924, Ginger Kelly is on the run from bootleggers with her boyfriend and in 1998, Ella Gilbert is in a love triangle with two brothers. True to form, Williams’ writing is atmospheric, vivid, and colorful - I was hooked.

I definitely recommend you read the first book in the series as there is a recurring character and background information that will be useful in painting the picture. Overall, this is a fun sequel and I look forward to a third book. ★★★½

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My @night_worms January subscription box arrived today and I cannot wait to open it! Feast your eyes on some of the previous titles I received in from the #NightWorms in 2019 👀 I am forever obsessed with this subscription service and highly recommend it to any #horror lover! 💀
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How is your weekend going?! Are you reading anything good?! I’m still in recovery mode from the holidays, but I’m enjoying some chill-axing time with my husband 🥃✨ As always, thank you to @night_worms and publishers for the free copies 🐛

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Thank you @randomhouse for my free copy!

TELL ME EVERYTHING by @cambria_grace was loads of fun to read! We follow a group of six friends in college, each with their own agenda. It’s not a thriller, but it is a perfect combination of suspense, mystery, and literary fiction. It’s a character study of a novel with some minor twists that will keep you engaged. I admire Brockman’s atmospheric writing and ability to pen such compelling characters. Definitely worth a read!

What is your favorite genre mashup?!

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#partner @penguinrandomhouse @randomhouse @aaknopf @flametreepress + tagged publishers ||
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🎉 𝓗𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓝𝓮𝔀 𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼 🎉

2019 proved to be a difficult year for me, so I’m definitely ready for 2020. But as per usual, the holidays wore me out, so I began the year with two migraines. It’s a little disheartening, but I’m going to push through with a positive outlook. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I have to manage my health. If I don’t take care of myself with clean eating, productive sleep, yoga, etc., everything is monumentally worse. Let’s just say 2020 is the year I’ll get back on track. It’s a matter of living my best life instead of watching it pass me by. SO I am excited for what this year will bring.

I pushed myself and read a lot of books last year. To be honest, I hardly keep track. Yes, I read fast, but I got very behind writing on my blog and reviews. This year, I would like to focus more on writing and less on reading. Basically, this just means I’ll be more structured. Because of how many books I read, I need to focus on mini reviews. I want to crank these puppies out in real time.

Starting the year off right - I am new to the @night_worms team and I couldn’t be more excited! I love contributing to this f*cking amazing blog with the NICEST group of people I’ve met on #Bookstagram - they are all super badass! I am so proud to be a #NightWorm - “Horror is our happy place” so what a perfect way to start out the year.

I want to make a few changes, so I would love your input: what is your favorite thing to see on a blog or Insta page? Mini reviews? TBR? Bookshelves? Book carts? Anything else?
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📸 pictured here: 2020 ARCs. Reviews on a few of these coming soon!

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One of the most amazing things about #Bookstagram are the friends I’ve met. And even though I live far, far away from from the United Kingdom (holla 🙌🏻) I consider Janel, the lovely person behind @keeperofpages, a wonderful friend. This would never have happened anywhere else but this special bookish community on the tiniest part of the internet. We bonded over our name and our love of thrillers. Plus, she’s smart, hilarious, and kind. I’m so glad to know her, so go follow her...NOW 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️
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And can we just take a minute to look at all these goodies?! 👏🏻👏🏻 Mugs, t-shirts, pins, socks, candles, books, and the list goes on and on! Janel is QUEEN of box swaps! 👑
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Have YOU met any amazing friends on Bookstagram?!

Quote of the Week

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shereadswithcats

📖 𝖾𝖼𝗅𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝖼 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋
🌤 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗂𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗇𝗂𝖺
✍🏻 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐𝖾𝗋
🐛 @night_worms
💀 #promotehorror
#shereadswithcats
𝖲𝖧𝖤𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖣𝖲☟
@bookartbookmarks
@sewhappystitchhappy
@librofm

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Thank you @riverheadbooks @randomhouse @aaknopf and the tagged publishers for my free copies |
.
Say hello to some of the week’s #newreleases - I’ve read about half of these and they are outstanding. Do you see any GEMS in this photo?!
.
Soooo, I’ve been slacking lately with #Bookstagram - as in sticking to my normal schedule. January always kicks my ass, then February is a transition month, but March is always beautiful and by that time I’ll be back on track. I hope you all are having a great weekend ✨

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Happy #Caturday Eve! 😻 Abby and I are curling up with Stephen Kozenienski’s SKINWRAPPER because we were invited to another super fun, super rad #NightWormsBookParty (holla 🙌🏻)
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In other news, I just finished KILL SLEEP REPEAT by @britneyking_ which is awesome - watch this space for my review. After SKINWRAPPER I’ll start THE STRANGER DIARIES for #buddyreadstodiefor with my girl @wherethereadergrows - I’m in book heaven right now.

What are you all reading this weekend?! Thank you so much @night_worms @mother.horror & @sinistergrinp for my free copy!

#nightwrapper #nightwormsbookparty

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We are over the moon excited for our February #buddyreadstodiefor selection. We are going to read THE INNOCENT WIFE by Amy Lloyd! 🎉
.
Chandra and I have been wanting to read this for ages, so we hope you will join us! It’s super casual, spoiler-free chitchat up until the end-of-the-month discussion date, and then it’s all the spoilers! Take a 👀 at the synopsis and let us know in the comments if you’re in! Also, scroll ⬅️ to see our future picks!

Synopsis: Twenty years ago, Dennis Danson was arrested and imprisoned for the brutal murder of a young girl. Now he’s the subject of a true-crime documentary that’s whipping up a frenzy online to uncover the truth and free a man who has been wrongly convicted. A thousand miles away in England, Samantha is obsessed with Dennis’s case. She exchanges letters with him, and is quickly won over by his apparent charm and kindness to her. Soon she has left her old life behind to marry him and campaign for his release. When the campaign is successful and Dennis is freed, however, Sam begins to discover new details that suggest he may not be quite so innocent after all. But how do you confront your husband when you don’t want to know the truth?

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Happy Thursday all! I finally kicked that headache thanks to my little helper pills. This is just a small section of my bookshelves since it’s really hard to get a good angle of my office in its entirety. My office is tiny but mighty!🤣 I was tagged by @thebookdad for #ShowMeYourBookshelf so here is just a tiny portion of my fiction shelves.

I arrange my shelves by genre because my shelves are deep and my books are plentiful. There are many books that I’ve already read behind the books I haven’t or my favorites that I love to 👀 at. Fiction, nonfiction, thriller, true crime, fantasy/science fiction/dystopia, classics/special editions, and horror all have special shelves. And of course Stephen King has his very own featured shelf!😈 I also have three book carts and stacks everywhere. In my living room, I have two small shelves, two TBR shelves, and a coffee table filled with art and music books. My house is getting eaten alive by books!

How do you arrange your bookshelves?

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Thank you so much @night_worms @briankirk13 and @flametreepress for my free copy.

A horror book with a mental asylum, paranoid schizophrenics, and clinical drug trials was too good to pass up! Brian Kirk’s WE ARE MONSTERS starts off with some of the more intriguing few chapters I’ve come across - I was absolutely addicted.

Dr. Eli Alpert deals with the most psychotic criminals. Luckily, his mentee, Alex Drexler, is working on a drug that will cure schizophrenia, by ridding patients of their terrifying delusions and hallucinations. However, instead of eradicating these problems, the treatment evokes past traumas and internal darkness. But, are the patients the only monsters?

This is Kirk’s rereleased debut novel so I am impressed with how well the story and the characters are developed. WE ARE MONSTERS takes you on a very strange and unusual ride. It starts out full of intrigue and creepiness, then you get a very detailed account of the characters, and finally it finishes with an unorthodox ending. My favorite aspect of the book is the writing style and although it lost my attention for a short while, I loved the overall reading experience. I felt as if the author, by design, wanted me to feel just as insane as his characters. I will definitely not hesitate to read another book by Kirk.

#nightwormsaremonsters #promotehorror #wearemonsters ★★★★

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#WRC2020 #BookSharks | Thank you so much @booksparks for this amazing free package!

It’s that time again and I just got my first ambassador package! #BookSparks always selects the perfect books to read over any given season and this lineup starts off with a bang! I listened to AMERICAN DIRT by @jeaninecummins on #audiobook through @librofm and it was amazing! I am so excited to receive a finished copy for my collection. It’s a gripping piece of fiction and I can’t recommend it enough! (pub. Jan 21)

The second book I received is THE TENANT by @katrineengberg! I just picked it up and I am really enjoying it. I can’t wait to see where it goes - out today!

Scroll ← to see the the crazy awesome swag that came with AMERICAN DIRT. Hot cocoa ☕️🍫, marshmallow ⛄️⛄️, a campfire mug ⛺️🔥, a winter themed candle ❄️🕯, and my favorite, @draperjames mittens! THEY ARE THE CUTEST! 💁🏼‍♀️🧶 @booksparks nailed it!

Are either of these books on your reading list?!

Instagram post 2220865680339731053_5480751027

Thank you to the author, #GrindhousePress and @night_worms for my free copy.

Samantha Kolesnik’s debut novella TRUE CRIME is uncomfortable, intriguing, absorbing, and brilliantly written. I picked it up and did not put it down until I finished the final page.

Suzy and her brother Lim live in a reality of horrific proportions. Their mother is extremely abusive, especially to Suzy. One day, Suzy understandably snaps and retaliates against her mother which then leads to a spree of deviant behavior on an impromptu road trip.

There are a slew of heinous crimes prevalent in this story but I was more intrigued by the psychological aspect. Since as long as I can remember I’ve been fascinated by the pathology of sociopaths. I want to know if it’s something that comes naturally, versus if it’s a force of nature that pushes an individual to do despicable things. Suzy is no doubt who she is because of her fiendish mother, but can she ever be reformed? Or was it in her all along, to the point of no return?

There are a few scenes that made me cringe, but I couldn’t stop reading because Suzy’s journey was too captivating to put down. Kolesnik wrote a perfect horror novella and I know this because at the end of the day I didn’t detest Suzy. After what she went through it is difficult not to feel for her but I certainly wouldn’t want to cross her path. ★★★★★ #NightWormsBookParty

Shout out to @mother.horror for years of 📸 inspiration and thank you to @jobis89 for introducing me to this beautiful REᗡЯUM mug 💀🩸

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“Based on the novel by Stephen King” is one of the most common phrases in horror movies.

Carrie, Firestarter, The Dead Zone, Salem’s Lot, Misery, Dolores Claiborne, The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption, 1408, IT, The Shining, Doctor Sleep, Christine, Stand by Me, Pet Sematary, Secret Window, Children of the Corn, Cujo, Apt Pupil, Gerald’s Game, Needful Things, Cell, Hearts in Atlantis, The Mist, Christine, Big Driver, Dreamcatcher, The Stand, The Langoliers, The Tommyknockers, and Thinner - and those are just the movies I’ve seen. King is prolific with a natural talent for writing extraordinary characters and tremendous world building. I am always in awe of what this man’s imagination can do.

I dedicate this post to my friend @kamis_korner who is hosting a #chronologicallyking buddy read. Even though I’ve read some of these books recently in other #StephenKing readalongs, it’s fun to revisit them in order. 😈 Hail to the King.

What is your favorite Stephen King adaptation?!!
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AND WHO’S EXCITED FOR THE OUTSIDER?! 😱

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Happy weekend everyone! What are you reading?! I finished SALT SLOW by Julia Armfield last month and loved it so much! I am so thankful I won a copy from @hotcocoareads and @flatiron_books so I could read it with @belletrist - I’m such a #belletristbabe !

This superbly written collection of short stories is so visceral it’s been etched into my literary loving soul. There is not a weak story in the bunch and I highly recommend each one for different reasons. Armfield touches on women and their relationship with their bodies, love, childhood, and death, all in a very dark, magical, and haunting way. I am counting the minutes until Armfield’s next book. 5 brilliant stars!

I couldn’t resist pairing this gorgeous book with my favorite peacock feather sleeve from @sewhappystitchhappy and my beloved yoga statue. Which reminds me...I need to start doing yoga again - I miss it so much.

Visit @sewhappystitchhappy for your choice of a beautiful sleeve and be sure to use code SHEREADS for a 10% discount! 🦚🦚🦚

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Thank you @tlcbooktours and @harlequinbooks for my free copy!

I am so excited to feature GOOD GIRLS LIE by @thrillerchick because she is the QUEEN of psychological suspense! LIE TO ME is still one of my all time favorites. Take a peek at the synopsis ☟

Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond.

When a popular student is found dead, the truth cannot be ignored. Rumors suggest she was struggling with a secret that drove her to suicide. But look closely…because there are truths and there are lies, and then there is everything that really happened.

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Thank you so much @algonquinbooks for my free copy.

Crissy Van Meter’s CREATURES is the @belletrist selection for January and I could not be more excited. When I saw the cover I was mesmerized and when I started reading I was captivated. And when I saw that Melissa Broder and Leni Zumas put their stamp of approval on this ravishing debut, I had no doubt I would love it.

Evangeline or “Evie” grew up on an island off the coast of Southern California. Her mom left her early on and seldom returned so her father raised her. He wasn’t conventional by any means as he was an alcoholic, drug addict, and never held down a steady job. Evie struggled through a very difficult childhood and this novel reveals what she went through and how it affected her.

The nonlinear timeline can be a bit tricky, but it really worked for me. The book’s sole narrator is Evie and it begins a few days before her wedding day. The narrative shifts from the present to the past, back and forth, much like the tides around the island. It’s an emotional, poignant, and provocative read that deeply explores a dysfunctional family – always an interest of mine.

Just like we are all creatures of our existence, Evie is a creature of hers - a creature of her mercurial upbringing and the island in which she was raised. CREATURES is a story filled with intricacies, heartbreak, and dry humor, written in a lyrical, poetic manner with a wildly beautiful island backdrop. ★★★★★ #belletristbabe #creatures #bookreview

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I picked up SNOWBALL by Gregory Bastianelli because HORROR and CHRISTMAS go together like CHOCOLATE and PEANUT BUTTER. It’s a delicious combo, so I am always seeking out new books to add during the winter season. This is definitely an entertaining read!

Set in New Hampshire on Christmas Eve, we follow a group of travelers that get stranded on a deserted highway during a snowstorm. A snowplow gets stuck causing an eight vehicle pileup leaving said travelers to fend for themselves. The survivors gather together waiting for the storm to pass and as they get to talking, they realize there is a connection between them, and like any survival story, bad things always happen.

If I finish a book, that usually means I liked it. I love unlikeable characters, I don’t need to feel a connection to any characters, and I’m fine if I don’t get the perfect ending BUT it always has to appeal to me. This book is pretty good. My least favorite aspect is the ending because I like things to make sense. And something about the story’s pace didn’t flow for me. It wasn’t horror-y enough for me personally, but please do not let me deter you if you are intrigued by the synopsis - it’s always good to try things for yourself. ★★★ Thank you so much @smithpublicity for my free copy.

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Thank you so much @riverheadbooks for my free copy.

I had no idea what to expect when I picked up Liz Moore’s LONG BRIGHT RIVER but once I did, I could not let it go. It’s gritty, dark, suspenseful, emotional, and unsettling. In a word, phenomenal.

Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood is greatly affected by the country’s ever growing opioid epidemic and people are regularly found dead of an overdose. The neighborhood is afflicted with drug related crime so it’s an uphill battle law enforcement and it’s inhabitants for reform. Our narrator, Mickey Fitzpatrick, is a police officer who regularly patrols the streets looking for her sister, Kacey, who battles with drug addiction of her own. Every time Mickey gets a call of a dead body, she is filled with fear that it’s Kacey, especially since she hasn’t seen her sister in weeks. The two girls never had it easy losing both parents to drugs and being raised by their cold, rancorous grandmother - they just had each other.

The story alternates between present day in the search for Kacey and flashbacks of the girls’ life growing up. Although the story’s mystery revolves around a serial killer targeting sex workers, the novel’s true focus are the perils of drug addiction and how it effects every member of the community, from newborn babies to grandparents. Mickey is a compelling character and I completely sympathize with her. I have someone in my life who resembles a Kacey so I know Moore did her research on this subject.

I cannot get this novel out of my head. In fact, I became anxious just writing this review. Moore’s writing is atmospheric, visceral, and ominous. She writes in such a way that you feel the story and know the characters. The novel is almost 500 pages long but it reads amazingly fast. LONG BRIGHT RIVER is not only exceptionally written, it’s also an uncomfortably honest story that will break your heart. ★★★★★

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#CurrentlyReading WE ARE MONSTERS by @briankirk13 and I’m really enjoying it! I’m reading this along with my @night_worms pals in the #NightWormsAreMonsters #NightWormsBookParty - I also invited Abby.

BLURB: 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 on his asylum s criminally insane, triggering a series of side effects that opens the mind of his hospital s most dangerous patient, setting his inner demons free.

Sounds amazing, right?! This title officially comes out on January 30, BUT you can order it now from @flametreepress using the code NIGHTMONSTERS. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this book party!

Many thanks to @night_worms @briankirk13 @flametreepress and @mother.horror for my free copy.

What are you reading this fine day?! 😈

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Thank you @tlcbooktours and @williammorrowbooks for my free copy!

Ever since I read COCOA BEACH a few years back I’ve been a fan of @authorbeatriz. I quickly devoured THE WICKED CITY so I could then read THE WICKED REDHEAD. And Williams did not disappoint!

Told in tangential timelines, the first in 1924 in beautiful Cocoa Beach Florida, during the Jazz Age and Prohibition era, and the second in 1998 in Greenwich Village, we follow two strong, vivacious, and witty female characters. In 1924, Ginger Kelly is on the run from bootleggers with her boyfriend and in 1998, Ella Gilbert is in a love triangle with two brothers. True to form, Williams’ writing is atmospheric, vivid, and colorful - I was hooked.

I definitely recommend you read the first book in the series as there is a recurring character and background information that will be useful in painting the picture. Overall, this is a fun sequel and I look forward to a third book. ★★★½

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My @night_worms January subscription box arrived today and I cannot wait to open it! Feast your eyes on some of the previous titles I received in from the #NightWorms in 2019 👀 I am forever obsessed with this subscription service and highly recommend it to any #horror lover! 💀
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How is your weekend going?! Are you reading anything good?! I’m still in recovery mode from the holidays, but I’m enjoying some chill-axing time with my husband 🥃✨ As always, thank you to @night_worms and publishers for the free copies 🐛

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Thank you @randomhouse for my free copy!

TELL ME EVERYTHING by @cambria_grace was loads of fun to read! We follow a group of six friends in college, each with their own agenda. It’s not a thriller, but it is a perfect combination of suspense, mystery, and literary fiction. It’s a character study of a novel with some minor twists that will keep you engaged. I admire Brockman’s atmospheric writing and ability to pen such compelling characters. Definitely worth a read!

What is your favorite genre mashup?!

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#partner @penguinrandomhouse @randomhouse @aaknopf @flametreepress + tagged publishers ||
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🎉 𝓗𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓝𝓮𝔀 𝓨𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼 🎉

2019 proved to be a difficult year for me, so I’m definitely ready for 2020. But as per usual, the holidays wore me out, so I began the year with two migraines. It’s a little disheartening, but I’m going to push through with a positive outlook. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I have to manage my health. If I don’t take care of myself with clean eating, productive sleep, yoga, etc., everything is monumentally worse. Let’s just say 2020 is the year I’ll get back on track. It’s a matter of living my best life instead of watching it pass me by. SO I am excited for what this year will bring.

I pushed myself and read a lot of books last year. To be honest, I hardly keep track. Yes, I read fast, but I got very behind writing on my blog and reviews. This year, I would like to focus more on writing and less on reading. Basically, this just means I’ll be more structured. Because of how many books I read, I need to focus on mini reviews. I want to crank these puppies out in real time.

Starting the year off right - I am new to the @night_worms team and I couldn’t be more excited! I love contributing to this f*cking amazing blog with the NICEST group of people I’ve met on #Bookstagram - they are all super badass! I am so proud to be a #NightWorm - “Horror is our happy place” so what a perfect way to start out the year.

I want to make a few changes, so I would love your input: what is your favorite thing to see on a blog or Insta page? Mini reviews? TBR? Bookshelves? Book carts? Anything else?
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📸 pictured here: 2020 ARCs. Reviews on a few of these coming soon!

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One of the most amazing things about #Bookstagram are the friends I’ve met. And even though I live far, far away from from the United Kingdom (holla 🙌🏻) I consider Janel, the lovely person behind @keeperofpages, a wonderful friend. This would never have happened anywhere else but this special bookish community on the tiniest part of the internet. We bonded over our name and our love of thrillers. Plus, she’s smart, hilarious, and kind. I’m so glad to know her, so go follow her...NOW 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️
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And can we just take a minute to look at all these goodies?! 👏🏻👏🏻 Mugs, t-shirts, pins, socks, candles, books, and the list goes on and on! Janel is QUEEN of box swaps! 👑
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Have YOU met any amazing friends on Bookstagram?!

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