bibliophile

Update: Goodreads Reading Challenge 2023 (5/15/23)

May 15, 2023 — Leave a comment

I’ve been reading a lot since my last update! I found a few quick reads, and I made it through Carole Johnstone’s Mirrorland. So, here’s the full list of what I’ve read over the past month, my rating of each book, and what I’m diving into next!

Carole Johnstone: Mirrorland

Rating: 4/5

I actually loved this novel. It was a bit of a slow build, and confusing at times (though that is intentional – you are immersed in the main character’s mind, and she is coping with some major trauma), but in the end, everything makes sense. I only knocked the rating down because I think the last twist was one too many; the story was pushed beyond what I considered its natural conclusion. However, I would highly recommend Mirrorland, and I will be seeking out more from Carole Johnstone.

Sarah A. Denzil: Silent Child

Rating: 4/5

This was a very readable book. I had more or less figured it out before the reveal, but Denzil definitely threw in a few curves that made me doubt myself. I couldn’t quite give this a 5/5 rating, though I can’t exactly explain why. There was just something missing. Please don’t let that discourage you from checking it out! I am going to read the second in the series.

Christopher Golden: All Hallows

Rating: 3.5/5

I stumbled across this one via a Google search, and I’m glad I did. I didn’t find it to be creepy in the least, but it was interesting. My complaints with this book likely would not be shared by many, so I’ll keep them to myself.

Ivy Tholen: Tastes Like Candy

Rating: 5/5

Okay, this is like a 90’s slasher in book form. Kinda cheesy, very bloody, and so much fun! A must-read for anybody who likes slasher films.

Ivy Tholen: Maul Rats

Rating: 4/5

I enjoyed Tastes Like Candy so much, I had to try another from Ivy Tholen. I wasn’t as sold on this one, but I did finish it in about two days. There were tiny details that added nothing to the story that should have been left out, especially since this book was promoted as more bloody, stabby, campy fun, hence my not giving it a full rating.

PJ Stanley: Most Likely to Die

Rating: 1/5

I don’t even want to review this book. It was awful. It wasn’t well-written, there was no character development, and the motive of the killer fell flat. I understand how slashers work, I really do, but wow. I do not recommend.

Kathryn Ann Kingsley: The Contortionist

Rating: 3/5

Despite the rating, I am not actually that critical of this book. I enjoyed the writing style, and I am definitely interested in the world Kingsley is creating. I didn’t love The Contortionist, but it is only the first in the Harrow Faire series. I have hope that the story and characters will develop more, and that I will like the following books better.

***

Next up on my to-be-read pile are Room Service by Maren Stoffels and The Puppeteer by Kathryn Ann Kingsley (Harrow Faire Book #2). I’ve read 20 of 35 books. I may need to change my goal. Haha!

Update: Goodreads Reading Challenge 2023 (4/4/23)

April 4, 2023 — Leave a comment

I missed posting an update for March. Whoops! I have no excuse other than a lot of things have been happening at work and I’ve been scheduling the bare minimum of posts.

Since I last shared anything about my 2023 Reading Challenge, I finished Emilie Autumn’s The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls, Danielle Valentine’s How to Survive Your Murder, Riley Sager’s The Last Time I Lied, Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen, Paula Morris’ Ruined, Kim Harrison’s The Drafter, and Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. I’ll put my ratings below.

5/5
4/5
3/5
3.5/5
3.5/5
3/5
4/5

I’m not going to go into too much detail about why I gave these ratings, because many of you likely won’t agree with why I gave lower ratings to a couple of them. Let me just say that the twist in The Last Time I Lied was good, but possible to figure out if you’re really trying. The twist in How to Survive Your Murder was actually really solid, I just wasn’t crazy about the characters. Red Queen was a little too typical for me; it was well-written and is worth reading, but I’m not sure I’ll continue the series. Ruined was readable, just not overly interesting. Same with The Drafter, which is a shame because I typically like Kim Harrison’s books. And American Gods was too long (good story, though).

I have now started Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone, and Silent Child by Sarah A. Denzil.

As always, feel free to tell me about any books you’re reading and offer up some recommendations! I have only read 13 of my 35 book goal, so I need some suggestions.

Update: Goodreads Reading Challenge 2023 (2/13/23)

February 13, 2023 — Leave a comment

I didn’t intend to do this exactly one month from the last update, but maybe I should actually start scheduling them this way. Haha. Once a month is enough, right? 🙂

I finished A.M. Shine’s The Creeper, and while it was an eerie tale (reminiscent of The Bye Bye Man, in my opinion), I didn’t love it overall. The twist at the end wasn’t terrible, but…the story lost something with the revelation. I enjoyed Shine’s writing style, though, and I still intend to read The Watchers.

Rating: 3.5/5

I also read Poltergeist by Kat Richardson. It has been sitting on my bookshelves since I found it in an apartment my friends and I cleaned out. I’m not sure if I’d have gotten more out of it if I’d read the first book in the series, well, first. However, I didn’t love this book. I think there is potential for Richardson to build an interesting fantasy/supernatural world, so I will certainly try at least one more from the Greywalker series.

Rating: 3/5

The third book I completed since my last post is the final in Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces series, Empty Smiles. This was my least favorite of the four. The build-up was so promising, but the ending was rushed and fell flat. I still say these books are worth the read; I just wish the conclusion had been…more.

Rating: 4/5

I am currently reading two books. (I’m the world’s worst to start a second book before finishing the one I initially started.) I finally decided to check out Emilie Autumn’s The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls, and I also dove into my second Riley Sager novel, The Last Time I Lied. I’ll let y’all know my thoughts in about a month!

Any recommendations for me? Please leave them in the comments!

Update: Goodreads Reading Challenge 2023 (1/13/23)

January 13, 2023 — Leave a comment

I finished Stacia Kane’s Unholy Ghosts, and I was right – I am definitely reading the whole series. I loved the story, the characters, her writing style… Overall, I’d rate the book 4.5 out of 5.

I also ran through the third book in Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces series, Dark Waters.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is the kind of kids’ book I wish had existed when I was a kid. So many of the “scary” books I read back then fell short. They weren’t even creepy (to me). But Arden’s tales of The Smiling Man are eerie, and the entity is not easily beaten or discovered to be anything less than frightening.

Rating: 4/5

And last but not least, I have started my fourth book of the year, The Creeper by A.M. Shine. I read a recommendation of this book on Jenny In Neverland’s blog [check out the post here]. So today, I plan to drop my car off at my mechanic’s then curl up with a blanket, a cup of coffee, and this suspenseful chiller from Shine.

I Completed My 2022 Goodreads Challenge!

December 19, 2022 — Leave a comment

My goal was 25 books. I’ve actually read 26 (and started on a 27th). I must have miscounted at some point because I didn’t actually have to finish The Snakes by Sadie Jones to wrap up the challenge. Below is a full list of all the books I read this year.

  • Last Breath (Rachel Caine)
  • The Sandman (Lars Kepler)
  • Dark Across the Bay (Ania Ahlborn)
  • The Invitation (Lucy Foley)
  • Black Dawn (Rachel Caine)
  • The Thicket (Noelle W. Ihli)
  • Afraid (Lisa Jackson, Alexandra Ivy, and Lisa Childs)
  • House (Frank E. Peretti and Ted Dekker)
  • My Pretties (Jeff Strand)
  • The Woods Are Always Watching (Stephanie Perkins)
  • Pan’s Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun (Guillermo del Toro)
  • His Final Girl (Brooklyn Ann)
  • Theme Music (T. Marie Vandelly)
  • Bitter Blood (Rachel Caine)
  • Long Live The Pumpkin Queen (Shea Ernshaw)
  • Fall of Night (Rachel Caine)
  • The Hypnotist (Lars Kepler)
  • The Fear (Natasha Preston)
  • Survive the Night (Danielle Vega)
  • Small Spaces (Katherine Arden)
  • Court of the Vampire Queen (Katee Robert)
  • The Maze Runner (James Dashner)
  • Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke (Eric LaRocca)
  • Daylighters (Rachel Caine)
  • Dead Voices (Katherine Arden)
  • Red Rain (RL Stine)

It’s been a good year, and I have found a few new authors I definitely want more from. I’m going to close out 2022 re-reading the Harry Potter series, then hit the ground running in 2023 with a new challenge. Cheers!