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About Janelle
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Janelle August 24, 2017 Leave a Comment

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Happy Weekend! Today I got to see my best friend a

Happy Weekend! Today I got to see my best friend and her family. I haven’t seen her in person for over a year. She lives in the Bay Area so it’s a jaunt and of course, the pandemic. She just left and I miss her already 😭 😭
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On another note, I am so lucky to feature THE NEIL GAIMAN READER, forward by Marlon James. I am so excited to read this book that I’m jumping up and down with glee. Take a peek at the synopsis in the comments below.

How is your Saturday going?!

Thank you so much @tlcbooktours and @williammorrowbooks for my free copy.

#BuddyReadsToDieFor made INVISIBLE GIRL by @lisaje

#BuddyReadsToDieFor made INVISIBLE GIRL by @lisajewelluk our November pick and we are so excited for this read that we are giving away TWO copies. This is INTERNATIONAL so enter away! 🎉🎉
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To enter:
1. Must be following @jessicamap @shereadswithcats & @wherethereadergrows
2. Tag all your friends! (Or just a few ;))
3. Tell us your favorite Lisa Jewell book or most anticipated one.
BONUS ENTRIES:
1. Follow @lisajewelluk
2. Follow @atriabooks
3. Post in your stories and tag us!
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Once you receive your book, we ask that you post and use the tag #buddyreadstodiefor and tag us so we can see it!! Not affiliated with Instagram. This giveaway will end on 10/29.
Synopsis in the comments below. 🎉🎉

It’s a #bookreview! I am so obsessed with this a

It’s a #bookreview! I am so obsessed with this author!

@laynefargo’s THEY NEVER LEARN is a feminist serial killer thriller that I could not look away from. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year because I loved TEMPER. But readers, this one is even better!

Dr. Scarlett Clark, an English professor at Gorman University, has a side gig. Scarlett kills men who assault and rape women. She’s intelligent and cunning as her kills always make it look like an accident or suicide. She’s gifted indeed. Enter Dr. Mina Pierce, the head of Psychology, who starts to investigate what she believes are suspicious deaths. This might put a wrench in Scarlett’s plans, but it doesn’t stop the killings.

I got all the Dexter vibes, but with a totally different story. Full disclosure, I love serial killer thrillers, and Dexter is one of my favorite shows, so give me a psychopath vigilante killer any day! The alternating chapters between Scarlett and Carly, a university student, are brilliant. The intensity of the story is all consuming and masterfully constructed. Fargo is a gifted writer as she did a stellar job at letting everything unfold at the exact right time. She wrote a dark feminist twist on how universities treat rape victims in academia (as in, they do nothing). It’s such a fun read!

THEY NEVER LEARN will have you spellbound by its edgy plot and intriguing characters. There are some great gasp-worthy moments and It’s binge-worthy gold! If this book sounds like your cup of tea, I say go for it!

Welcome to Horror & Stephen King Corner, hardback

Welcome to Horror & Stephen King Corner, hardback edition. My horror wraps around the corner and continues to fantasy and science fiction. Keep in mind, the majority of my horror is located in Paperback Paradise in my office, along with my Stephen King paperbacks.

Okay okay, now comes the question...do you know which two books don’t belong and are driving me crazy? Eventually, I’m going to move that shelf where it makes more sense, but it involves adjusting every single shelf. 😅 Have you figured it out?!

Happy Tuesday! Here’s a #bookreview for your rea

Happy Tuesday! Here’s a #bookreview for your reading pleasure. And it’s out today!

PLAIN BAD HEROINES by Emily M. Danforth is everything I hoped it would be. I chipped away at it over a few days and it was glorious. I never wanted it to end.

The memoir written in 1902, Mary MacLane’s I Await the Devil Is Coming (which I happen to own), is tied very closely to this story. This brick of a book revolves around the unorthodox deaths of students at Rhode Island’s The Brookhants School for Girls in 1902. These students were said to be cursed due to their obsession with MacLane’s memoir, which caused quite a stir at the time. Mary MacLane’s memoir is basically the diary of an intelligent and confident, yet lonely, 19-year-old woman who calls on the devil because of her sexual desire for women. MacLane, rightly so, refused to conform to the “normal” standards put on women. The students that obsessed over the risqué memoir formed a secret club called the PLAIN BAD HEROINE SOCIETY. Now, jumping between timelines, a movie is to be made based on the eerie Brookhant deaths that occurred over one hundred years ago. Hollywood casts celebrity lesbian actor Harper Harper as the lead and so story takes off.

Speaking of obsession, I am obsessed with everything about this gorgeous novel. Danforth writes a mixed genre novel with some of it haunting, gothic, and atmospheric, and other parts with a juicy Hollywood feel, and not to mention, smart satire! Danforth even gives us footnotes. FOOTNOTES. Also, we get these perfect black and white illustrations by Sara Lautman throughout the story. It’s epic! And amazing! And brilliant! It’s 600 pages of pure goodness.

PLAIN BAD HEROINES has it all from horror, to literary fiction, queer relationships, and when it calls for it, humor. Love the story, love the extras, love everything, LOVE IT.

Thank you so much @williammorrowbooks for my free copy.

Is this one on your radar?!

I honestly don’t think another cover captures th

I honestly don’t think another cover captures the spirit of #Halloween as Lucy A. Snyder’s HALLOWEEN SEASON ( I mean LOOK AT IT)

This is a delightful collection that includes mostly Halloween themed stories plus a couple of Christmas stories. The ones in the first part of the book were my favorite. There’s also a few poems! So much variety!

“Cosmic Cola” was my favorite story. A small town girl named Millie lives for Halloween. When she gets invited to an intriguing party, it’s pure brilliance!

The other stories I loved, in no particular order, are Visions of the Dream Witch, Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies, A Preference for Silence, The Kind Detective, In the Family, and What Dwells Within. Like I said, everything I enjoyed was in the beginning, but that alone makes this worth the money.

Now for some bad news. Here’s what I didn’t enjoy and this is just a personal preference. The Christmas stories were not my thing because I am all about Halloween right now. I’m not a big fan of Christmas in general (I know, I know I’m a Scrooge) so this did not jive with me.

But to end on a very high note, I loved the poem in the beginning, “Beggars’ Night”. It was a wonderful touch to a solid collection of stories.

Thank you so much @rdspress for this BEAUTIFUL copy. #bookreview

📣 #BuddyRead ALERT 📣 . While spooky season m

📣 #BuddyRead ALERT 📣
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While spooky season may be coming to an end (for some), let's continue getting thrilled in a different way! We are truly excited to announce that LISA JEWELL's latest, INVISIBLE GIRL, is the #BUDDYREADSTODIEFOR November pick! We cannot wait for everyone to get their hands on this anticipated thriller read! Comment below if you'd like to be included in our chat group!

We look forward to discussing it with everyone. And stay tuned for an international giveaway coming for two lucky winners! 🎉🎉
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Synopsis: "Owen Pick’s life is falling apart.

In his thirties, a virgin, and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a geography teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct, which he strongly denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is inadvertently sucked into the dark world of incel—involuntary celibate—forums, where he meets the charismatic, mysterious, and sinister Bryn.

Across the street from Owen lives the Fours family, headed by mom Cate, a physiotherapist, and dad Roan, a child psychologist. But the Fours family have a bad feeling about their neighbor Owen. He’s a bit creepy and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night.

Meanwhile, young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours. Feeling abandoned when their therapy ends, she searches for other ways to maintain her connection with him, following him in the shadows and learning more than she wanted to know about Roan and his family. Then, on Valentine’s night, Saffyre Maddox disappears—and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick."

It’s #ShelfieSunday - woohoo 🎉🎉 #bookshelv

It’s #ShelfieSunday - woohoo 🎉🎉 #bookshelves #booksaremylife

How is your weekend going? We had two of my favorite people over yesterday. It was so nice to see their lovely faces (I’m lookin’ at you Jon & Jess 👀)

What you see here is the almost organized shelf. I had to organize my thrillers first. Horror I organized as I unpacked. General fiction is still a bit iffy 🤣

It’s #FaceFriday so I saw it as the perfect time

It’s #FaceFriday so I saw it as the perfect time to post my newest obsession.

@valancourtbooks brilliantly publishes short story collections that will knock your socks off. I own them all and preordered the hardcover of this one: THE VALANCOURT BOOK OF WORLD HORROR STORIES. Watch this space because the @night_worms have an upcoming #NightWormsBookParty for this collection and you don’t want to miss it!

What is your newest obsession?! 💀🤘🏻

Some years back I had the privilege to see WICKED

Some years back I had the privilege to see WICKED in San Francisco and it was phenomenal. I love musicals but I am picky on what I go see - it’s a bit of a jaunt to the city - and this was more than worth it!

So you see, I was over-the-yellow-brick-road excited to get a copy of this gorgeous 25th anniversary edition of the book written by Gregory Maguire! Isn’t it so lovely?!

Thank you so much @williammorrowbooks and @tlcbooktours for my free copy.

How ‘bout it...are you a WICKED fan?

[partner] @riverheadbooks @tlcbooktours Happy We

[partner] @riverheadbooks @tlcbooktours

Happy Wednesday book people! It’s still hot in California, but it’s cooling down at night, so we are almost there. I cannot wait for the cold breeze and red leaves. I hope this year I’ll be able to get my favorite apple donuts!

What are you most excited about for fall?!!

#BookFeature -

DAUGHTER OF THE LAKE by Cathy Marie Buchanan (synopsis)

It's the season of Fallow, in the era of iron. In a northern misty bog surrounded by woodlands and wheat fields, a settlement lies far beyond the reach of the Romans invading hundreds of miles to the southeast. Here, life is simple--or so it seems to the tightly knit community. Sow. Reap. Honor Mother Earth, who will provide at harvest time. A girl named Devout comes of age, sweetly flirting with the young man she's tilled alongside all her life, and envisions a future of love and abundance. Seventeen years later, though, the settlement is a changed place. Famine has brought struggle, and outsiders, with their foreign ways and military might, have arrived at the doorstep. For Devout's young daughter, life is more troubled than her mother ever anticipated. But this girl has an extraordinary gift. As worlds collide and peril threatens, it will be up to her to save her family and community.

#BookReview #NewRelease

RING SHOUT by P. Djèlí Clark is one of the best books of 2020. It is so unique and downright spectacular. @tordotcompub and @torbooks continue to impress me with their novellas.

The story takes place in Macon, Georgia, during the 1920s Prohibition. G.W. Griffith releases a film called Birth of a Nation, and when Ku Klux Klan members view it, they become evil demons called Ku Kluxes. Our main protagonist, twenty-five-year-old Maryse Boudreaux, is aware of this and takes action along with help from her allies, the resistance fighters. Having a magical sword and the ability to communicate with spirits, she and her friends set out to locate these monsters and kill them before harming an.

This brilliantly written alternate history illustrates the deep-seated racism that exists in America. The imagination in this story is rampant - writing a fantastical alternate history, yet still keeping the topics relevant, blows my mind. And the characters are incredibly well-written. In addition to Maryse, I also loved Sadie, a twenty-one-year-old sharpshooter and Chef, an expert in explosives. The characters in this tiny but mighty book are take-no-prisoners badass! I could go on and on and on.

RING SHOUT is such a remarkable book, complete with magic, gore, violence, phenomenal characters, dark humor, impeccable writing, and an ultra-intelligent plot. Just do me a favor and buy this book!

Thank you so much @tordotcompub for my free copy!

It’s Monday and I have another successful #Night

It’s Monday and I have another successful #NightWormsBookParty #bookreview to share with you! Just know the obsession is real when it comes to horror and my @night_worms family. Anyhoodles, here we go!

HELENA by @clairelsmxth is a gothic horror novella that in just 141 pages tells an engrossing story. It is short, but still offers that signature slow-burn that I crave so much in gothic stories.

This particular tale takes place in London, mid 1800s, where we meet Helena Morrigan. Helena is an orphan raised by her aunt and uncle after her parents left and never returned. She grew up to be a mortician and funeral director, but unfortunately has come into some financial trouble. She ends up moving into a house near the cemetery, sharing it with orphaned siblings. When a serial killer is on the loose, it not only frightens Helena, but also provides her with steady business.

This atmospheric, haunting story hit all the marks for me. Everything from the ominous tone, to the lush descriptions, to mutilated bodies, to the supernatural. And it has a brilliant protagonist to boot. The character of Helena was a joy to read: she’s bewitching, bold, and smart. And the murder mystery element is aces!

HELENA is a beautifully written story with stunning imagery and well-developed characters that will satisfy your every gothic desire. It comes out tomorrow, so I suggest you get on it!

Thank you so much @clashbooks, @clairelsmxth, and the @night_worms for this review copy.

✨✨ Happy #ShelfieSunday ✨✨ I have my books

✨✨ Happy #ShelfieSunday ✨✨ I have my books organized by genre so now all I need to do now is organize by author within each genre. Make sense? Also, I swear this couch is grey in person, ha!

I have a cool giveaway going on for Halloween - be sure to check it out! Free book plus lots of goodies!

Today I’m reading BURIED IN A BOARDING HOUSE for @spookishmommy’s #bookishtruecrime #bookclub - it’s a fun read indeed!

What are you reading?

Happy #Caturday! @catmscully and @haverhillhouse w

Happy #Caturday! @catmscully and @haverhillhouse were kind enough to send the @night_worms this amazing package (scroll ⇦ to view). It’s a bonus that @catmscully’s book also kicks ass! Also, I am wearing the @fanservicenails nail polish that came with it...so purdy. #NightWormsBookParty

#Review -

JENNIFER STRANGE is a mix of novel and graphic novel with a side of journal entries. The illustrations really help make the story come to life so that was a sweet surprise I wasn’t expecting. This is a super duper fun YA book, and lucky for us, it’s the first book in a series!

Jennifer is dropped off on her estranged older sister’s doorstep while her father does some work. But Jennifer recently discovered a secret in the family and the supernatural won’t leave her be. Jennifer is gifted with certain abilities. With a touch she can conjure up something powerful on demons and ghosts. Oh and Jennifer’s father happens to be a ghost hunter. As you can imagine, the two sisters are going to have their hands full battling the supernatural.

I read this book really fast - it has the perfect Halloween vibes! If you enjoy fun, supernatural stories, check out JENNIFER STRANGE.

❓What’s the horror movie you always recommend?❓

🎃🎃 HALLOWEEN GIVEAWAY 🎃🎃 . Hey y’all

🎃🎃 HALLOWEEN GIVEAWAY 🎃🎃
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Hey y’all! I’ve partnered up with a few of my favorite shops for a massive Halloween giveaway! And let me just say, you are in for a SPOOK-tacular treat! These amazing shops have so generously contributed the items below and I could not be more grateful. I am a bonafide paying customer of each of these shops, so I think you’re going to love it! Please see the details below to enter! Good luck my friends!
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THE GOODS (for US only):
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1. One horror book of your choice from @bookdepository
2. One beautiful mug from @nicolepangas
3. Two candles from @bibliomagicka (Hocus & Pocus)
4. One gorgeous 5x7 print from @forestnoir
5. One badass woodmark from @the_bookish_den
6. One awesome pin from @ectogasm_art
7. An issue of Weird Horror magazine from @undertow_books (new release!)
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One international entry will be chosen to win a horror book of your choosing from @bookdepository
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TO ENTER:
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1. Like and save this post
2. Please follow @shereadswithcats @bibliomagicka @nicolepangas @forestnoir @the_bookish_den @ectogasm_art @undertow_books
3. Share this giveaway in your Insta-stories for 24 hours and use hashtag #SheReadsWithCatsHalloweenGiveaway tag @shereadswithcats only.
4. Please tag a few friends in the comments and tell me what country you live in
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That’s it! This giveaway is NOT affiliated with Instagram. The winner will be chosen on October 23rd. Happy Halloween 👻 👻
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#halloween #giveawaycontest #candles #bookgiveaway #bookstagram #mug #pins #horrorbooks #photography #bookaholic #readersofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #shereadswithcats

Heyyyyy! It’s Thursday! I decided to try my hand

Heyyyyy! It’s Thursday! I decided to try my hand at participating in the #SpooktoberStack challenge being hosted by @elle_mentbooks @momandmadread @paigethroughbooks and @bookreadreceipts. I’m just going to level with you - I never read directions or follow the rules. I basically picked a few favorites that I love for this time of year. Have you read any of these?!

Also, check it out! My first edition of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN for #BuddyReadstoDieFor

Also, I HAVE A SPECIAL SURPRISE FOR YOU ALL TOMORROW. I am super excited! Watch this space 😘😘😘

Happy Wednesday folks! This has been a strange wee

Happy Wednesday folks! This has been a strange week for me yet I can’t put my finger on why 🤔 How is your week going?

I am so excited to feature Gregory Maguire’s new book, A WILD WINTER SWAN. He transforms Hans Christian Andersen’s The Wild Swans into a more modern coming-of-age tale. Maguire has a knack for remixing classic fairytales as we’ve seen in his previous books, Wicked, Hiddensee, and Mirror, Mirror. Take a 👀 at the synopsis in the comments and tell me what you think!

Thank you so much @tlcbooktours and @williammorrowbooks for my free copy.

Do you enjoy reading fairytales and/or retellings?

Happy #BookBirthday to this beauty! @veschwab’s

Happy #BookBirthday to this beauty!

@veschwab’s THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE is a remarkable book. I fell in love with this story immediately. It was exactly what I needed - the perfect escape.

Addie runs away from home. She wants to disappear and desperately needs help to get away. The devil appears to her and in her eagerness and haste, she makes a deal with him. Unfortunately, for Addie the devil takes a few liberties. He not only does what she wants, he makes her unrecognizable to everyone, so no person remembers ever having met or even seen her. He also makes her immortal so we embark in this story over centuries. We follow #ADDIE in her extraordinary life through history, sadness, and pain, but also humor and love.

ADDIE LARUE is brilliant. My heart was left in the book when I finished. The novel is exquisite!

And guess what?! There is already a movie underway! @veschwab wrote the script so it’s only a matter of time. I’m so so happy.

Thank you so much @torbooks @tornightfire for my copy and all these amazing goodies!

Please tell me this one is on your #TBR?! ✨✨✨

Emily Gray Tedrowe’s THE TALENTED MISS FARWELL h

Emily Gray Tedrowe’s THE TALENTED MISS FARWELL has her eye on you 👀 Catch Me If You Can meets Patricia Highsmith...yes please! This novel is getting glowing reviews from @publisherswkly and authors such as Rebecca Makkai and Christina Alger! I’m so excited to read this!

Thank you @tlcbooktours and @customhousebooks for my copy! Take a 👀 at the synopsis in the comments.

Is this one on your radar?!

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